We all have bills to pay, but few of us take measures to lower these bill payments. Here are just a few ways that we all can be paying less each month.
Consider switching providers
Never stay loyal to one provider. Changing things up every few years can save you a lot of money. There are plenty of comparison sites out there such as http://selectra.co.uk/ which can help you to find the best deal out there on energy bills. In other instances, simply threatening to leave could get you a better deal from your current provider. This is especially the case with mobile phone contract providers and TV/internet providers that will stop at anything to claim you back as a customer.
Up your insurance deductibles/excess
Insurance can be huge cost for many of us. Whilst there are plenty of ways to lower your premiums through installing security features, one of the simplest ways is to raise one’s deductibles or excess. This is the amount of money that you’re willing to pay towards any claim. Obviously, you need to be able to make sure that you can pay this amount in the event of a claim. However, given few of us need to regularly make a claim (compulsory car insurance being the biggest culprit), it can be a great way of saving money.
Go green
Living a more eco-friendly lifestyle can also vastly reduce the cost of your bills. For example, to stop you reaching for the gas thermostat as often, installing insulation such as double glazing and loft insulation can help to trap the heat in your home. A greywater recycling system meanwhile can recycle waste water from your shower and kitchen sink to be used for processes such as toilet flushing and gardening. Solar panels meanwhile are a way of slicing your electricity bills, allowing you to power your home using the energy of the sun. All of this costs money to install, but you’ll make you’re guaranteed to make your money back in a few years. Even if you do choose to move property, such eco-friendly features are certain to add value to your home. Besides, there are plenty of grants out there that could be applicable to you – this site http://www.ecofinancing.co.uk/new-build-grants-and-funds.html offers some information on such grants.
Check for billing errors
Utility suppliers, insurance providers and phone companies will all make billing errors on occasion. In fact, there are figures to suggest that billing errors are far more common than we realise. Reading all your bills and not simply paying them blindly can help you to spot such errors. When it comes to energy, you may even be able to measure your own rates with an energy meter. Smart meters are able to relay information directly back to your energy provider so that there’s no chance of billing mistakes being made.
SOme good tips. I'm murder for just buying random crap I don't need and I waste money all the time
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