Lowering Fixed Costs - Success!

This blog is not about stealing ketchup, making paper out of lint to save money, or dumpster diving. We are just the every day family trying to live the best life possible, while not breaking the bank in the process.

I am a master and pinching the pennies, saving on groceries, clothes, furnishings. Hubby's talents lie in getting great deals on buying used - cars, boats, furniture, real estate. He enjoys negotiating and has his (proudly so) Ukrainian heritage to back him up. No wonder he is in sales. If you know any one who is Ukrainian family life is hard in Eastern Europe so when they get to Canada they know how to stretch a dollar, and they raise their children the same. I am of Scottish roots myself, so needless to say, we are pretty much on the same page when it comes to money.

Sometimes the easiest way to save money is not to pinch the pennies but to lower fixed costs. Any bill that you (according to your own judgement beliefs) consider you cannot live without. I personally could live without cable - but not without internet. Hubby can not live without cable, therefore in our household both are considered fixed costs.

Ever thought about making a phone call to see if you can lower the costs on the exact same services you receive today?

Credit Card Interest

Transportation Costs - car payment (if you have one), gas, maintenance, parking, bus pass

Cable

Internet

Telephone and cellphone

Electricity

Mortgage/rent

Sometimes there is wiggle room to negotiate. Today Hubby was extremely successful at lowering our cable, Internet and telephone bill. The cheapest of the cheap would say why do you need cable at all? We have decided in our house it is still a requirement so if we are going to have it we need to make sure we get the service at the best possible rates.

Hubby made a phone call to Shaw, our cable, telephone and Internet provider. One mention of checking out the competition - Telus - specialty television package and our cable bill dropped from:

$142 per month to $96 per month

No, we didn't drop anything - we actually got some freebies thrown in too:

-HD PVR Box no charge for 12 months (will take me four to figure out how to use it)

-free long distance Shaw to Shaw calling within Canada (I just called my mother to switch her telephone to Shaw to bundle up and then we get free long distance)

-upgrade to extreme high speed Internet (I thought we were pretty fast already)

So, in one five minute phone call Hubby saved $552 Annually!

I think we are going to start doing this every four months. Companies seem to be constantly coming up with new promotions so if you don't ask you can't get.

So, make a list and start making calls today to lower your fixed costs.....I bet within 1/2 an hour you will save at least $50.