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December 28, 2012

171 Comments

There are many products and services we pay for that we don’t need for survival. Prudent consumers interested in managing their money well, often make a personal commitment to examine how money is spent to cut out unnecessary expenses. While spending an extra $5 here and there often does not register mentally at the time, these $5 and $50 extras add up to more than most people realise. Keeping a spending journal is one way to fully understand how you spend your money.

1. Some Unnecessary Household Expenses

In the name of convenience and to keep up with the latest technology craze, many consumers are paying two and three times for the same service. Home phone lines are not necessities for most people who now carry a mobile phone. The counter argument to that statement is that mobile phones are not needed if you have a land line. The bottom line is that most consumers have multiple ways to make a phone call, when they only need one way.

The fact of the matter is that any consumer who needs to cut expenses can easily cut back on phone services, opting to either use a land line or a mobile phone. Many plans can also be cut back to basic usage. Does a person really need to be able to access the Internet with a mobile if they have a home computer? Given that many people use a computer at work and also have a private laptop, why does that person need to pay even more so they have access to the Internet every minute?

Entertainment services like satellite TV can be another expensive luxury that people confuse for a necessity. While it is easy for many families to justify $60-$100 per month to access hundreds of TV channels that provide hundreds of hours of cheap entertainment per year, there is no one that can prove that watching TV is a necessity. For people who need to cut back, TV is one place to cut back, or completely eliminate to save money. Many educators might suggest that going to the library to pick up some books to read is a much better way to spend some free time.

2. Gym Memberships 

One luxury expense that can be easily cut is a gym membership. While exercise is certainly a necessity for good health, you do not need a gym to get your exercise. Multiple reference sources provide easy exercises that can be done from the comfort of home. Walking and jogging are free. Floor exercises are also free. When you consider how the military gets new recruits into shape, it is obvious that a gym with expensive equipment is not necessary. Push-ups, sit-ups, hiking and running are some basic ways to get in shape and it won’t cost a cent to do it!

3. Garden Services

Anyone who is trying to save money needs to start by cutting their own grass and doing their own gardening work. Yes, it is annoying that your grass needs cut often so that your house doesn’t look like a corner of some remote African savanna. However, not only does maintaining your garden save you money, it also gets you outside. Furthermore, this kind of work has a certain therapeutic element that can help lower your stress levels.

4. Cleaners

There is no legitimate reason to pay for housekeeping unless you are physically incapable of doing these chores yourself, or you have plenty of extra money to spend in this way. Survival does not demand a perfectly tidy house. And while it can be a tedious job to tidy up after your kids, if you can establish a cleaning routine, and even involve your children in the job, it can give you a sense of achievement that you’ve actually done something instead of watch someone else do something you’re perfectly capable of doing. Getting your children involved also reduces the stress and works out well in the long term as they learn to take care of their possessions.

5. Dry Cleaning

Buying clothes that do not require dry cleaning saves a lot of money annually. Not only will this save you money, it is also better for your health. Dry cleaning chemicals are very harsh and can cause skin irritations, introducing toxins into your home environment.

Other Ways to Cut Back

10 Money Saving Websites for Aussies – http://www.creditcardcompare.com.au/blog/10-money-saving-websites-for-aussies.php

Simple Ways to Save Money -www.MoneySmart.gov.au

Conclusion

In contemporary times, it is easy to confuse luxuries for necessities. Taking some time to reassess expenses and priorities is a valuable exercise for anyone interested in improving financial health and changing their life. An important grounding fact to remember is that once you have food, shelter and basic clothing, you have the necessities covered.

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  • My luxury is biscuits when they are on special!

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  • I do all of the above myself. My luxuries consist of weekly magazines that I do competitions in and maybe a block of chocolate. I’m easy to please, the simple life for me

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  • We don’t have any of these altho I do dream of the day we get a cleaner.

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  • All good tips,we have cut back on certain items and it definitely makes a difference!

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  • I only wish I had a gardener or house cleaner that I could cut back on! Add a cook to that! I don’t have any of the above 5, I already think they are unnecessary and simply don’t have them, as much as I would like to have them

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  • Ha other than the home phone & mobile, we don’t have any of these things and we’re still broke, would love to know how many families on 1 or 1 and a bit wages can actually afford these things?

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  • Thanks for sharing this article. Great tips on things to cut back on. We have only 1 on the list and I don’t think my hubby is going to give up the fox box anytime soon and lose his sports channel.

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  • Really very good knowledge to know! Thanks for sharing this article!

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  • Wow, I must be saving heaps of money as I have none of those things. Pity I can’t find a way to save money for those of us without luxuries.

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  • some tings just aren’t a necessity are they!

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  • Thanks for your article. Good food for thought. Living in a rural area, we have mobiles on cheap prepaid plans for emergencies only, no mobile internet just plain call & text options. Unfortunately we don’t have mobile reception on our property, so they’re not much more than paperweights at home but we researched to find the best plans we could and review this regularly.

    Reply

  • I don’t like the way that you say “there is no legitimate reason for house cleaning services” I choose to get these services to maximise the time I spend together doing interesting things with my young family on the weekend. That is a legitimate choice, it is not for you to judge. I don’t have lots of money but I consider it money well spent. Your tips make good food for thought but we can do without your judgment thanks!

    Reply

  • Great tips. Thanks.

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  • these are great ways to cut back on spending but they don’t apply to me

    Reply

  • Some good common sense stuff here. I also try not to buy clothes that need ironing saves time and electricity!

    Reply

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