Trying to cut bills is harder thatn I thought it would be

My biggest bill that I'd love to cut is car insurance. DH and I both managed to have accidents in 2008, and we're in MA - one of the higher car insurance rates in the county! We both drive 2004 Honda Civics and we still pay $2000 a year for car insurance. Last year I got quotes from 3 different places and only one was cheaper - by $30 per year. I decided it wasn't worth my time to switch for that (would have had to bring both cars in to get inspected, do a lot of paperwork, etc.). We already have a $1000 deductible and don't carry much more than state minimums.

I am lucky in that we don't pay much for phone/cable/internet - perk of DH working for the cable company. We pay $30 a month for high speed internet (business class), expanded basic cable with sports package, movie channels, and HD upgrade, and phone service. I use a prepaid cell phone and DH just uses the one work gives him.

I would also suggest using the computer to watch your shows. Lap tops can be hooked up to the computer so everyone can watch a show. Hulu also has a feature that you pay for monthly to watch more shows and movies. Might be something to look into. Then you could cancel the tv service.

shoiji said:

I would also suggest using the computer to watch your shows. Lap tops can be hooked up to the computer so everyone can watch a show. Hulu also has a feature that you pay for monthly to watch more shows and movies. Might be something to look into. Then you could cancel the tv service.

Click to expand...

I so wish we had a laptop that would be cool. We so want one for when Buddy needs to be online accessing his textbook for school. As is we all have to let him have access during that time. There is always someone waiting their turn for the computer. I think we should have a take a number sign. LOL

I'm afraid with limited internet service that would interfere with Hulu watching or Netflix watching. I have heard to many local stories of people that went over their limit and had huge bills because of it.

imagine said:

Our rate is reasonable be because it has not changed. It is the same "deal" we got when we signed up 7 years ago.Yes we have the same service and pay the same monthly amount we did 7 years ago

My friend had a great cell phone bill because she kept the same contract after it expired.

I do not understand what you mean by" keep changing back and forth to keep reasonable rates"

Click to expand...

I hope you see this because I missed your reply earlier

Where I live you get basic cable, phone, and high speed internet; usually for 1 year. Then they raise the price (after the year) and then we (if we want to keep the lower rate) have to call them up and ask for another year or we go back to the other company. For me with only 2 services it is a $10 difference; but $10 is $10. I thought in the past it was raised more so maybe the companies are trying to fix this?

I also have an inexpensive cell phone plan because I've kept it for a long, long time after contract expired. I probably won't give it up because of it. I don't have internet, don't want texting and we also don't have unlimited. We pay $50 for 2 phones.

craftypam said:

I hope you see this because I missed your reply earlier

Where I live you get basic cable, phone, and high speed internet; usually for 1 year. Then they raise the price (after the year) and then we (if we want to keep the lower rate) have to call them up and ask for another year or we go back to the other company. For me with only 2 services it is a $10 difference; but $10 is $10. I thought in the past it was raised more so maybe the companies are trying to fix this?

I also have an inexpensive cell phone plan because I've kept it for a long, long time after contract expired. I probably won't give it up because of it. I don't have internet, don't want texting and we also don't have unlimited. We pay $50 for 2 phones.

Click to expand...

So our cable is like your cell phone plan we locked into a really good rate and if we change anything we then we go on a contract and would lose our good deal (they don't offer unlimited internet anymore). Then like you we would have to reconfigure every time the contract was up.

I recently went to the in-person service center for my cable to inquire about the cost of internet only without cable. They asked why, I explained that we need to save money. They gave us a lower rate - about the same as just internet plus Hulu plus and Netflix online would have been.

I think you need to go in person though, I don't think the call center employees care / know enough economics that less revenue in-house > any revenue to someone else.

mek42 said:

I recently went to the in-person service center for my cable to inquire about the cost of internet only without cable. They asked why, I explained that we need to save money. They gave us a lower rate - about the same as just internet plus Hulu plus and Netflix online would have been.

I think you need to go in person though, I don't think the call center employees care / know enough economics that less revenue in-house > any revenue to someone else.

Click to expand...

I did go in person.

mek42 said:

I think you need to go in person though, I don't think the call center employees care / know enough economics that less revenue in-house > any revenue to someone else.

Click to expand...

Sometimes management frowns on extending introductory deals to too many people. If someone in the call centers gives a better price to everyone they talk to, then they aren't going to be working there very long. There's a fine line between customer retention and just giving stuff away.

DH works for our cable company, and knows people in the local call center.

We are trying to tighten up the budget also. The only thing left to really cut is Dishnetwork.

We already have no home phone.

Our verizon is $62.94 for 500 min and 250 text split between 2 phones. That uses dh's work discount

We can't reduce garbage further.

I 99% have dh talked into letting me turn off the dish in favor of hulu plus. He freaked about no ESPN. The kids lave an xbox 360 that streams it free. If we go with the Hulu plus it will save about $30 a month


It is hard to cut when you haven't been going overboard in the 1st place.

nodmicks said:

We are trying to tighten up the budget also. The only thing left to really cut is Dishnetwork.

We already have no home phone.

Our verizon is $62.94 for 500 min and 250 text split between 2 phones. That uses dh's work discount

We can't reduce garbage further.

I 99% have dh talked into letting me turn off the dish in favor of hulu plus. He freaked about no ESPN. The kids lave an xbox 360 that streams it free. If we go with the Hulu plus it will save about $30 a month


It is hard to cut when you haven't been going overboard in the 1st place.

Click to expand...

I thought you had to have an internet connection for Xbox to stream. Do you have unlimited internet amount. WE have several people here that ended up with a huge internet bill because of streaming Nextlix and hulu plus and not having unlimited internet..

imagine said:

I thought you had to have an internet connection for Xbox to stream. Do you have unlimited internet amount. WE have several people here that ended up with a huge internet bill because of streaming Nextlix and hulu plus and not having unlimited internet..

Click to expand...

I do have unlimited dsl with centurylink. To be honest I didnt know some areas had limited internet. We got a rate of of right under $40 including the taxes.

nodmicks said:

I do have unlimited dsl with centurylink. To be honest I didnt know some areas had limited internet. We got a rate of of right under $40 including the taxes.

Click to expand...

Glad to hear that!

We currently have unlimited at our house but if we touch any part of our "plan" then we have to have limited as they no longer offer unlimited in our area. Said it had something about expense due to many people down loading from hulu and netflix. So many stories of people that have had huge internet bills from it. Netflix and hulu are becoming unpopular choices in my neck of the woods

We decided to stay with our outdated unlimited plan.

I think I'd stay with the outdated plan also! Interestingly when we turned off the home phone we can only call out to 911. However all calls still ring through and I can answer them. Not hurting my feelings! I thought about checking the thrift stores for an answering machine to pick up the calls.

nodmicks said:

I think I'd stay with the outdated plan also! Interestingly when we turned off the home phone we can only call out to 911. However all calls still ring through and I can answer them. Not hurting my feelings! I thought about checking the thrift stores for an answering machine to pick up the calls.

Click to expand...

I checked into the home phone without service being able to call 911. It varies by state law.

I live in a place that if you turn of your service the line becomes dead and it can not even call 911 and certainly could not receive calls even by accident.

imagine said:

I checked into the home phone without service being able to call 911. It varies by state law.

I live in a place that if you turn of your service the line becomes dead and it can not even call 911 and certainly could not receive calls even by accident.

Click to expand...

That is too bad about the 911. I was really shocked ours still rang. Upon researching this is common for that company. I have no fear they will catch the glitch eventually.

I have to say speaking of cutting i was really inspired by your grocery post!