Improving our finances for many of us is one of those things that we know we should do but never get around to actually doing. If you are like most people then you probably have piles of unread bank statements around your house, and it’s probably high time that you changed some of your bills for cheaper alternatives.
There are plenty of articles that deal with finances, but few of them solve this problem. Most suggest things that you can do, but without motivating you to do them right there and then, which means it only really ads to the problem. In fact, the time you spend reading finance articles could probably be better spent by actually starting to do something. But of course reading about it is easier…
Here then are five things that you can do TODAY to improve your finances. It won’t take you more than an hour – I promise – and in the long run it could save you hundreds. That’s a pretty good ROI, so no more excuses – do these things now.
1. Go Over to Your DVD Rack and Remove 10 DVD/Games You Don’t Need
Most of us watch films on one of the many streaming services available these days anyway, and the films you bought ten years ago are unlikely to be the same ones you want to watch today. Be ruthless with yourself then and choose at least ten to get rid of. Now take them with you to work tomorrow and sell the ones you don’t want.
2. Call Your Mobile Phone Company and Threaten to Leave
Right NOW go online and find the number you need. Done that? Good. Now when you’ve finished this article call up your mobile providers and tell them you want to cancel. They’ll offer you a cheaper rate 9 times out of 10 and if they don’t you can always just say you’ve changed your mind. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
3. Throw Away Your Lightbulbs
If you haven’t already switched to energy saving light bulbs then get up and remove your current ones. You’re doing this in order to motivate yourself to go out and buy new ones while it’s fresh in your mind that you need energy savers so give it a go.
4. Find Cheaper Things
All of us have regular purchases we make whether it’s dull things like washing up liquids, or little luxuries like the sandwiches on the way into work. To make life a bit cheaper then, why not see if you can find those items more cheaply by looking around? Products for instance can be bought at pound/dollar stores, while you may find there’s a cheaper place to stop for food on the way into work if you take a slight detour. After you’ve read this article, look around the web for a few of these regular purchases and find at least three that you can do more cheaply.
5. Start a Change Pot
If you don’t have one already this is an incredibly easy way to save money that will also help you to keep your work surfaces more organized. It’s a win/win! You can even save money in an old tin.
John Lowrie works as a financial journalist for Payday Angels. He enjoys writing articles related to finance and business. His tips on saving money and increasing investment has helped many people. For more information on John or Payday Angels click here. You can also follow him on Twitter.