Is the Cost of Living Too Expensive? 4 Steps to Help Lower Your Bills
If you find the cost of living is too high, then there are several steps that you can take to help control your expenses. There are many different factors that determine the cost of living in an area. Here are some tips that may help you control how much you spend even in a high cost of living area.
Eat at Home
Most areas where the cost of living is high have many fantastic restaurants to tempt you. Instead, make it a point to dine at home.
The national average for a fast-food chicken dinner was over $46 for four, but the cost of making that same meal at home was less than $24.
Even if there are just two of you, the average cost of eating out is over $26, but the cost of making a simple meal at home averages to less than $12. Since the average person eats out 18.2 times a month, the savings can add up very quickly.
Control Utility Bills
The average family in the United States spends more than $2,200 annually on utility bills. If you own your own home, then consider getting repairs done to heating and cooling equipment quickly by a reputable company, like Dale & Lee’s Service Inc, as not doing so can be a huge energy waste.
Think about how you can let more natural light in during the winter, and keep it out during the warm summer months. Keep your home’s temperature at a moderate level. Planting shade trees that lose their leaves during the winter months helps to cut down your cooling bills by up to 30 percent.
Contemplate Your Transportation
The average American family has more than two vehicles, and the average car payment is $479 per month on each one. Think about taking the bus to work, carpooling or biking to work.
Often, you can get there almost as fast and you will cut down on your cost of living drastically. You may also meet some very interesting people that you would not meet otherwise. Other families find it helpful to work different shifts allowing them to share a car.
Work from Home
There are many jobs that can be done without leaving home. When you do this, you do not have any transportation costs to get to work. Your work wardrobe can even be your pajamas if you desire. You may be able to eliminate the need for childcare. You are also home to fix meals for your family.
Even when you live in a high-cost-of-living area, there are ways that you can lower your personal cost of living. Use these ideas to start your own creative journey on living on less.
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Category: Family Finances
