Cutting expenses strategically can give your wallet some much-needed breathing room in retirement, and doing so may be easier than you think.
Lowering your monthly spending doesn’t necessarily require implementing a restrictive budget. Instead, there are small moves you can make — from shopping around for a new phone plan to bundling your insurance plans — to save.
Quick ways to trim your monthly bills
There’s a good chance that you can lower at least one of your monthly bills, such as utilities or insurance, by reviewing what you’re paying and looking at other options. Make a list of all your monthly bills, which you can do by looking at your recent credit card statements. Some banks even have budgeting and spending tools that allow you to see which categories — like entertainment, utilities or dining — you’re spending the most money on.
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As you’re reviewing your budget, see if there are areas you’re surprised you spend so much on, and take steps to trim that spending. Here are seven ways to potentially cut your expenses in retirement today:
- Shop Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNO) cell phone plans like Mint Mobile or Consumer Cellular, which tend to be cheaper than major carriers
- Swap your cable for streaming or downsize your package
- Call your internet provider, explain that you’re looking at other options and negotiate a lower cost
- Automate energy-saving habits with smart plugs
- Use water-saving devices to cut utility bills
- Bundle home and auto insurance
- Review annual memberships and cancel unused subscriptions
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Calculate annual savings
Calculating how much you could save may motivate you to reduce your costs. For example, cancelling two subscription services that cost $9.99 per month will save you nearly $240 annually. Saving $40 per month by swapping your phone plan for a lower-cost plan can give you back $480 each year.
That’s $240 or $480 that you can invest in an index fund and watch grow.
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Make a savings routine that will stick
You can cut monthly costs without getting rid of the essentials — but you also don’t want to forego the items and activities that bring you joy. Review your expenses and determine which costs you can cut without missing. Doing so will make it easier to stick to your budget, instead of boomeranging back to your previous budget in a few months.
And keep in mind that tackling every bill at once can be stressful. After reviewing your costs, start with trying to lower one bill. This way, you can rack up small wins and gradually see how reduced spending impacts your budget. Those small wins can build like a snowball and generate momentum as you see the flexibility in your budget grow.
