Karen Varcoe

Consumer Sciences Specialists

University of California, Riverside – Cooperative Extension

The cost of living is on the increase.  The rumor is that over the next year you can expect price hikes on all forms of insurance, college expenses, heating costs, and taxes. 

Keeping that in mind, now might be a good time to implement some cost cutting strategies.  Small changes can add up to big savings.

Conserve More

-      Turn out the lights when you leave a room.

-     Buy energy efficient light bulbs.

-      Turn the heater or air conditioner down or off at night and when you are away from home.

-     Buy energy-efficient appliances.

-      Take shorter showers.

-     Fix leaky faucets.

-      Caulk and weather-strip doors and windows.

-      Clean or replace air-conditioning and heating filters monthly.

-      Recycle newspapers, aluminum cans, and plastics.

-      Combine errands to save gasoline.

-      Don’t pay ATM fees.  Use your bank’s ATM for free or get cash back from point-of-sales at places such as the grocery store.

-      Keep your car’s tires properly inflated to avoid unnecessary wear and tear and decreased fuel consumption.

Cut Back

-     Eat out less often.

-      Limit long distance calls.  Make toll and long distance calls on the weekend when rates are reduced or find a plan that gives you low rates all the time.

-      Don’t go over the minutes on your cell phone plan for calling or messaging.

-      Give up all unnecessary services on your telephone

-     Get the cheapest cable or satellite package available.

-      Rent a video or DVD instead of going to the movies.

-     Set a cost limit for gifts and stick to it.

-      Wash your own car.

-      Break costly habits such as smoking.

-      Reduce soda and alcohol consumption.

Use Alternate Resources

-     Car pool.

-      Drive a smaller car that costs less to operate.

-      Grow a garden.

-     Buy store brands instead of name brands.

-     Do more cooking from scratch.

-      Find a checking account without a monthly fee.

-      Don’t use credit unless you can pay the bill in full each month.

-     If you are paying off a credit card balance, try asking your credit card company to lower your interest rate.

-      Check into lowering your auto and homeowner’s insurance premiums by increasing your deductibles or qualifying for discounts.

-     Buy clothing that is washable

-     Use immunization clinics instead of going to your pediatrician for regular shots. 

-     Ask for generic drugs.

-     Use a mail order pharmacy that often sells prescriptions at a lower price, particularly for drugs you use regularly.