Whenever I find a company that provides an exceptional service or product, I don’t mind advertising for them. In the last month, like most of us, I’ve been trying to cut expenses where I can. I decided to start looking into different companies for health insurance because I felt like I was paying too much. It didn’t take me long to get frustrated because everyone wants you to submit your information, and they will have a sales representative call you to go through the entire sales spiel before they’ll give you a quote.
So, I was pleasantly surprised when I went to the website for ehealthinsurance and found that after inputting very basic information—date of birth, state of residency, etc., they were able to pull up quotes from every major company that offers health insurance in my state. There is no sales process, no “you’ll be contacted soon,” they just gave me the quotes and all the details for each policy. I was able to browse each policy and found one that offers identical coverage as I had for $100 less each month. So, I recommend that everyone check out their site and see if you can save some money as well. Here is the link:
With a worldwide economic recession in our laps, many of us are looking for ways to save money. You may be surprised to know that there are some cuts you can make around the house that don’t require a whole lot of effort. Here are four easy tips that will save you a little money each month.
Renegotiate Subscriptions
If you are paying each month for subscription services such as alarm systems, phone service, Satellite TV, or Cable, then you can probably save some significant cash by renegotiating your service. Most of these types of services have a high profit margin and the companies would rather make less than lose you. Just tell them that you’re not sure you can afford to pay the monthly payment and are thinking of canceling and watch them slash prices.
Disconnect Electric Devices When Not in Use
You have probably heard that Electronic devices continue to suck energy after you’ve turned them off, if they are plugged in. You can save a lot of money by unplugging your electronic devices when you are not using them. This does require some effort, but the easiest way to do this is to use power strips, so you can unplug multiple devices with one plug. It might sound like a hassle, but doing it will cut down your power bill substantially.The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development estimates that standby power accounts for 3-4 percent of residential electricity use. The average American household uses 920 kwh per month. That means the average American household could shave off nearly 40 kwh per month by disconnecting devices when not in use.
Saving money doesn’t always require large sacrifices; you can save a substantial amount by implementing a few of these simple ideas.
Get Generic Prescriptions and Food
If you haven’t started using generic drugs, you need to start right away. You’ll get the exact same drug for a fraction of the cost. According to the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, in 2006 the average retail price of a generic prescription drug purchase was $32.23, while brand-name drugs went for an average of $111.02. The same idea can be applied to food. Don’t be afraid to buy the off-brand item in your local grocery store. Much of the time, they are produced and packaged at the same site and just receive different labels.Because off-brand companies typically do not advertise, their costs of production are cheaper.
Reduce Temperature Setting on Your Hot Water Heater
Most of us have our water heaters dialed in at a scalding temperature, and we have to turn up the cold water to keep from burning ourselves. You may not have realized it before, but you are paying to keep that water heated 24 hours a day to a temperature that is hotter than you need. Turn it down and save yourself the money. Expect a 5% drop in energy consumption for your water heater for each 10 degrees you drop it. A lot of people have their water heaters set at 150 degrees or higher. Try it at 120. It won’t affect your shower, but it will affect your wallet.
Whenever I find a company that provides an exceptional service or product, I don’t mind advertising for them. In the last month, like most of us, I’ve been trying to cut expenses where I can. I decided to start looking into different companies for health insurance because I felt like I was paying too much. It didn’t take me long to get frustrated because everyone wants you to submit your information, and they will have a sales representative call you to go through the entire sales spiel before they’ll give you a quote.
