As we head towards and into a new year,

[CPA]

not only is it time to make your new year's resolutions, but it's also a good time to take a look at your finances, particularly your monthly expenses like life insurance, tv, electric, gas, phone (cell and landline), home owner's insurance, etc. There may be opportunities to save money by renegotiating or changing your contract or even vendor.

Case in point, now that my kids are playing online games, my internet has been crawling while they play. I have the lowest tiered speed getting 350kb/s download on a very good day. I noticed online that my DSL provider (who also handles our landline) had a special for the same speed if I signed a two year contract, but nothing mentioned about higher speeds.

So, I called them up and found that I was currently on a month-to-month contract (which is some cases is preferable) and was paying 3 TIMES as much for my tier were advertising ($42/month versus $14.95/month). They immediately said they could give me the $14.95 rate, but now I was interested in their next tier rate. That tier was only $26/month and would essentially double my download speed! The next tier up would be about the same rate as my current rate ($42) and more than triple my speed. That said, I went with the second tier ($26 - I can always switch up later). Saved money and got better internet speed and only took me about 10 minutes

Normally I'm on top of my insurance and electric rates (we have deregulation here in Texas), but hadn't looked at my DSL situation in some time. It pays to look at all your expenses (and even savings) at least annually, if not sooner.

 

[Train]

My home DSL sucks, but it's only $25 a month bundled with my wife's cell phone so I put up with it.

Biggest money saver right now is being better about buying groceries, cooking at home, and not letting any food go to waste.

Amex Blue - 6% year round cash back on groceries FTMFW

 

[CPA]

My home DSL sucks, but it's only $25 a month bundled with my wife's cell phone so I put up with it.

Biggest money saver right now is being better about buying groceries, cooking at home, and not letting any food go to waste.

Amex Blue - 6% year round cash back on groceries FTMFW

Ah, groceries, another good area to save money. I use my Kroger Credit Card and earn points for Kroger bucks which I use for groceries. Save about $200-$250/year.

 

[DrPizza]

Good tip! I recently dropped satellite, thanks to a wireless service now available to me. I wish there were a way to sell my Wild Blue equipment.

Ditto my propane - I about blew a gasket when I saw what my price per gallon was vs. the average price per gallon for my area. I called and cancelled service; really got the run around with the woman in customer service, but in the end, my tank wasn't going to be filled again and I was going to call them when it was time to pick the tank up. A week later, I got a letter offering me more than a dollar off per gallon, and the amount off increased after 1 year, and increased again after the 2nd year.

I'm overdue for dealing with car insurance, and should look into bundling it with my homeowner's policy (wasn't possible to do so because of NY State rules a couple years ago - no one carried the type of policy I needed AND auto. - If you have a 2nd house, NY requires both insurance policies be with the same company - I needed a policy that covered this place, plus the place we rented. Surprisingly, there weren't many options.

 

[Vic Vega]

Ah, groceries, another good area to save money. I use my Kroger Credit Card and earn points for Kroger bucks which I use for groceries. Save about $200-$250/year.

Using your Kroger rewards card can also save you on gas if you have participating Shell stations around or if your Kroger sells gas (many do). You can get $0.10 off per gallon.

 

[Elbryn]

not only is it time to make your new year's resolutions, but it's also a good time to take a look at your finances, particularly your monthly expenses like life insurance, tv, electric, gas, phone (cell and landline), home owner's insurance, etc. There may be opportunities to save money by renegotiating or changing your contract or even vendor.

Case in point, now that my kids are playing online games, my internet has been crawling while they play. I have the lowest tiered speed getting 350kb/s download on a very good day. I noticed online that my DSL provider (who also handles our landline) had a special for the same speed if I signed a two year contract, but nothing mentioned about higher speeds.

So, I called them up and found that I was currently on a month-to-month contract (which is some cases is preferable) and was paying 3 TIMES as much for my tier were advertising ($42/month versus $14.95/month). They immediately said they could give me the $14.95 rate, but now I was interested in their next tier rate. That tier was only $26/month and would essentially double my download speed! The next tier up would be about the same rate as my current rate ($42) and more than triple my speed. That said, I went with the second tier ($26 - I can always switch up later). Saved money and got better internet speed and only took me about 10 minutes

Normally I'm on top of my insurance and electric rates (we have deregulation here in Texas), but hadn't looked at my DSL situation in some time. It pays to look at all your expenses (and even savings) at least annually, if not sooner.

heh it's a funny thing how it all works out sometimes. cable modem took a dump one night with my 8/1 cable internet service. called in to switch to a backup cable modem the next day but looked at the provider's website at work before heading home. found out they phased out the 8/1 and replaced with 15/1 at the same price. so on the phone making the cable modem mac switch and mentioned the new tier, asking if i could get upgraded. not only did i get the new speed, i got an extra 10 bucks off monthly. no idea where the extra came from but i wasn't going to complain. if it werent for a component going bad, i'd have never looked.

 

[ElFenix]

are you now on a contract for dsl?

 

[Train]

Ah, groceries, another good area to save money. I use my Kroger Credit Card and earn points for Kroger bucks which I use for groceries. Save about $200-$250/year.

Using your Kroger rewards card can also save you on gas if you have participating Shell stations around or if your Kroger sells gas (many do). You can get $0.10 off per gallon.

If you buy a lot of Groceries, the "American Express Blue Cash Preferred" is unbeatable. I use my kroger card (the keychain thingy that you can preload with coupons etc) but then pay with the Amex.

6% back on groceries, year round, no limit
3% back on gas, year round, no limit
3% back on dept stores, year round, no limit
1% back on everything else

Then switch to use the Chase Freedom when the 5% categories beat the 1 or 3% categories on the Amex. I racked up nearly $1,000 this year in cash rewards just by switching all of our purchases (everything but the mortgage) to those two cards.

 

[alkemyst]

I heard something about getting head on new years and lost my train of thought

 

[Zedtom]

This, (2012), is the year that I am giving up my land line telephone service. I have considered any previous uses such as faxing and dial up to be unnecessary and there are three cell phone numbers coming into the house already. I also am considering dropping basic cable because I am not a big tv watcher and the over the air roof antenna signal is equal to or better than Comcast.

 

[CPA]

Using your Kroger rewards card can also save you on gas if you have participating Shell stations around or if your Kroger sells gas (many do). You can get $0.10 off per gallon.

yup, got 90 cents off just last week.

 

[CPA]

are you now on a contract for dsl?

I am now. I wasn't before. We only have one DSL provider where I live.

 

[CPA]

If you buy a lot of Groceries, the "American Express Blue Cash Preferred" is unbeatable. I use my kroger card (the keychain thingy that you can preload with coupons etc) but then pay with the Amex.

6% back on groceries, year round, no limit
3% back on gas, year round, no limit
3% back on dept stores, year round, no limit
1% back on everything else

Then switch to use the Chase Freedom when the 5% categories beat the 1 or 3% categories on the Amex. I racked up nearly $1,000 this year in cash rewards just by switching all of our purchases (everything but the mortgage) to those two cards.

hmmm. I have the Amex Blue Card, but rarely use it. May need to look into it.

 

[Spikesoldier]

im going to have to call and threaten to switch ISP's. my internet bill goes up starting next month.

 

[ElFenix]

If you buy a lot of Groceries, the "American Express Blue Cash Preferred" is unbeatable. I use my kroger card (the keychain thingy that you can preload with coupons etc) but then pay with the Amex.

6% back on groceries, year round, no limit
3% back on gas, year round, no limit
3% back on dept stores, year round, no limit
1% back on everything else

did that one have an annual fee? i recall looking into it and the better cash card had an annual fee. foggy though. that was just switching my current amex blue, not getting a new account.

 

[Zeze]

Normally I'm on top of my insurance and electric rates (we have deregulation here in Texas),

Jealous as fuck. I hate state mandated utility companies. Their customer service fucking sucks donkey's virgin ass. I'm moving this weekend. Why do I have to go through this much trouble just setting up a basic installation due to their total fucking lack of competence?

 

[BurnItDwn]

Thinking again about cancelling my TV service ...

Planning on a Boxee Box for my living room, and then killing my Uverse TV....

I will keep my Uverse internet for now, but eventually might switch to Comcast Business so that I can get more bandwidth and no monthly cap...

 

[highland145]

This, (2012), is the year that I am giving up my land line telephone service. I have considered any previous uses such as faxing and dial up to be unnecessary and there are three cell phone numbers coming into the house already. I also am considering dropping basic cable because I am not a big tv watcher and the over the air roof antenna signal is equal to or better than Comcast.

We're considering doing the opposite. Wife isn't getting rid of the land line because of the 10 year old. So bundle the dsl with the phone and dump the cable tv/dsl for an antenna+roku. Should save at least $60/month.

 

[Train]

hmmm. I have the Amex Blue Card, but rarely use it. May need to look into it.

did that one have an annual fee? i recall looking into it and the better cash card had an annual fee. foggy though. that was just switching my current amex blue, not getting a new account.

There are two versions of the Amex Blue

The 6/3/1 Card has a $75 annual fee.
The 3/2/1 Card has no annual fee.

I got $100 for signing up so was ahead $25 right off the bat. But even for the 2nd year, easily made back the $75 on groceries alone within a first two months.

Every once in a while I'll grab some Outback/Applebees/Chilis gift cards in the check out isles, so it's like getting 6% back on eating out as well.

 

[Alienwho]

I wish I could get the grocery cash back you guys get. I have the amex blue card but I get groceries at walmart which isn't classified as "groceries", thus no cash back. It's not worth going to the other grocery stores in my area that cost 2x as much just to get the 5% cash back.

 

[CLite]

There are two versions of the Amex Blue

The 6/3/1 Card has a $75 annual fee.
The 3/2/1 Card has no annual fee.

I got $100 for signing up so was ahead $25 right off the bat. But even for the 2nd year, easily made back the $75 on groceries alone within a first two months.

Every once in a while I'll grab some Outback/Applebees/Chilis gift cards in the check out isles, so it's like getting 6% back on eating out as well.

75/(0.06-0.03) = $2,500

You spent 2,500 on groceries in 2 months? that is pretty impressive.

 

[DaTT]

im going to have to call and threaten to switch ISP's. my internet bill goes up starting next month.

Don't threaten if you aren't willing to actually go through with it.

 

[CPA]

Jealous as fuck. I hate state mandated utility companies. Their customer service fucking sucks donkey's virgin ass. I'm moving this weekend. Why do I have to go through this much trouble just setting up a basic installation due to their total fucking lack of competence?

Paying 6.1 cents per kilowatt hour. Thank you deregulation.

 

[Train]

75/(0.06-0.03) = $2,500

You spent 2,500 on groceries in 2 months? that is pretty impressive.

well not just groceries, but in things bought at the grocery store. Shampoo, deodorant, wifes hair supplies, baby wipes, prescriptions, etc.

 

[CPA]

There are two versions of the Amex Blue

The 6/3/1 Card has a $75 annual fee.
The 3/2/1 Card has no annual fee.

I got $100 for signing up so was ahead $25 right off the bat. But even for the 2nd year, easily made back the $75 on groceries alone within a first two months.

Every once in a while I'll grab some Outback/Applebees/Chilis gift cards in the check out isles, so it's like getting 6% back on eating out as well.

I have the no annual fee card, so I guess I'll stick with my Kroger credit card.