6 Easy Ways To Save $500 Per Month

November 8, 2010 · Filed Under , · 1 Comment 

I was browsing through an issue of Consumer Reports when I found a very interesting article titled, Cut Your Spending By $500 Per Month. I thought the advice was excellent and included a few tips were worth passing along. According to Consumer Reports, here are the 6 easiest ways to save $500 per month.

1. Find Cheaper Auto Insurance. The idea here is to shop around for a better deal. There are websites like Insurance.com and Insure.com that allow you to compare premiums from a bunch of different providers. Definitely worth a look.

2. Optimize Your Life Insurance. The article points out that premiums on life insurance policies have dropped significantly since the 1990′s; may be worth swapping out your current policy for a new one. But the advice I like the most is to adopt a healthier lifestyle and then get a new life insurance quote. Not only will you save money but you will feel a lot better.

3. Shop Smart For Food. This includes planning your weekly menu and taking advantage of sales and coupons on fresh poultry, fish, meat, dairy, and produce. Also, pack your lunch with leftovers and eat out less. According to the article, a family of 4 can save $190 per month by doing these things.

4. Stop Paying Bank Fees. The idea with this tip is to do your banking at a larger bank with a ton of ATMs to avoid withdrawal fees. Also, make sure to only use a bank that offers free checking. The article states that 48% of Americans still pay some type of bank fee every month. Pretty easy to eliminate these costs from your monthly expenses.

5. Cell Phone Savings. If you are not a heavy cell phone user you may very well be paying for minutes that go unused every month. The article states that you should “comparison shop among cellular service providers, the local phone company, independent long-distance carriers, and your cable TV company” for the rate that works best for you.

6. Pay Off Your Credit Card. Duuh, no way really? So Consumer Reports is telling me that it is silly to pay credit card interest every month. Wow, I had never considered that.

And of course, I have to add # 7, which is to use online coupons whenever possible! Sorry, as a self-proclaimed coupon geek, I couldn’t resist adding # 7. Feel free to add your suggestions!

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One Response to “6 Easy Ways To Save $500 Per Month”

  1. Dave@50plusfinance on February 2nd, 2011 8:44 pm

    I’m doing all you recommend already, the only thing I could improve on is my food shopping. If I planned my meals better with a tighter shopping list I could squeeze my food bill a little more.

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