It is scary to have to give up something you are used to, but in a successful retirement, it may happen. In my case, there are a number of things that have to go just so I can make ends meet. Here are some ideas you may not have thought about .
- Cable TV: Cable is something that is pernicious and ever-present in our lives. The eyes pop open in the morning, the TV goes on. And we watch whatever is there, almost mindlessly. But, what if it doesn’t have to be that way?
- Can you bite the bullet and cancel your cable subscription? You can buy and inexpensive HD Antenna to receive all the local channels–a one time expense and you still have access to many network channels and your local news.
- Smart Phone Data Service: I know this one is a real toughie for many people. But, can you cut down on the amount of data you are paying for? If you are now retired, you are probably spending more time at home and you can use WiFi instead of cellular data on your phone. Or, can you switch to a cheaper cell phone plan?
- An Internet search will reveal many inexpensive cell phone plans, so do your research and find out which one will work best for you. You don’t have to spend big buck for Verizon or Sprint when you can get identical service for much less every month.
- Land Line Phone: If you have a cell phone, do you really need a land line, too? Eliminating one or the other will be a savings.
- Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu: Are you paying for a streaming service? Maybe eliminating one or two of them will save you a few dollars each month. Try it. Pick one to keep and cancel the rest for a month. If you really can’t live without them all, then simply turn them back on.
- I know you just got rid of your cable, so you may be reluctant to give up a streaming service. Ask yourself how much you actually have to save each month and maybe $10 or $20 will make a huge difference.
- Magazine Subscriptions: Is there anything you can read in a magazine that you can’t find on the Internet? Don’t renew any of your current subscriptions.
- Books, Movies, Music on line: You can get books from a library. You can watch movies on Netflix without buying the latest DVDs. You can listen to music on streaming services, like Pandora, without having to buy all the latest tunes.
- I love my local library because I can get books sent directly to my Kindle with my library card. Not every book is available in ePub format, but you can request them from your library and perhaps within a few months, your book will be downloadable.
Having to find a couple of hundred dollars extra each month has been a challenge, but there are cheaper ways of doing just about everything I do. It just takes courage. It takes willingness to change and to make a difference in my own life.
Photo by Didier Weemaels on Unsplash
Karen Writes More Than Karen Crochets 
There is so much truth in this article. I could skip all of these, though I don’t. I laugh at the ‘streaming services’. I’d rather read but my husband loves to relax before bed with TV, and all the free channels offer are reality shows so Netflix owns us. Some of the shows we love are 40 years old! Yikes!
LikeLike
I know what you mean! I have been watching the Dick Van Dyke Show and Family Affair. I remember these from my childhood. I also spend way too much time on Netflix and Amazon.
LikeLike