4 Ways To Trim Your Fixed Expenses
4 WAYS TO TRIM YOUR FIXED EXPENSES
When trying to trim a monthly budget, most people don’t consider their fixed expenses. These recurring costs, which include mortgage payments, insurance premiums and subscription payments, are easy to budget and plan for since they generally remain constant throughout the year. While people tend to think there’s no way to lower fixed expenses, with a bit of effort and research, most of these costs can be reduced.
Here are four ways to trim your fixed expenses.
1. CONSIDER A REFINANCE
Mortgage payments take the biggest bite out of most monthly budgets. Fortunately, you can lower those payments by refinancing your mortgage to a lower interest rate. The refinance will cost you, but you can roll the closing costs and other fees into your refinance loan. Plus, the money you save each month should more than offset these costs. A refinance is an especially smart move to make in a falling-rates environment or if your credit has improved a lot since you originally opened your mortgage.
Check our IFCU's mortgage rates, and then compare them to your current rate. Use our Mortgage Calculator to compare and see if we can save you money.
2. CHANGE YOUR AUTO INSURANCE POLICY
The Geico gecko and Progressive’s Flo, who love disrupting your favorite TV shows, actually have a point: You may be overpaying for your auto insurance policy.
If you’ve had the same policy for several years, speak to a company representative about lowering your monthly premiums. By highlighting your loyalty and having an excellent driving record, you may be able to get a lower quote. You can also consider increasing your deductible to net a lower monthly premium.
If your insurance company is not willing to work with you, it might be time to shop around for a provider that will. A few minutes on the phone or checking out a website can provide you with a significant monthly savings for a similar level of coverage.
Did you know that being a member of Industrial Federal Credit Union entitles you to an automatic savings on your Auto and Home Insurance through our partners at TruStage Insurance? (underwritten by Liberty Mutual)
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3. CONSOLIDATE YOUR DEBTS
If you’re carrying a number of outstanding debts, your minimum monthly payments can be a serious drain on your budget. Plus, thanks to the high interest rates you’re likely saddled with, you might be feeling like that debt is going nowhere.
Lucky for you, there is a way out. If you have multiple credit cards open, each with an outstanding balance, you might want to consider consolidating debt and taking out a personal loan. IFCU's personal loans will allow you to pay off all of your credit card debt at once. Moving forward, you’ll only need to make a single, affordable monthly payment until your loan is paid off.
4. CUT OUT SUBSCRIPTIONS YOU DON’T NEED
Another fixed expense most people mindlessly pay each month are subscriptions. Take some time to review your monthly subscriptions and weed out those you don’t really need. Below, we’ve listed some of the most commonly underused monthly payments:
Gym membership.
Are you really getting your money’s worth out of your gym membership? It may be cheaper to just pay for the classes you attend instead of a full membership. Or, if you have a favorite workout machine at the gym, consider purchasing it to use at home for a one-time cost that lets you to drop your gym membership.
Cable.
Why are you still paying for cable when you can stream your shows for less through services like Netflix and Hulu? If you don’t want to cut out cable entirely, consider downgrading to a cheaper plan that drops some of the premium channels you don’t watch much.
Apps.
How many apps are you signed up for? You may not even remember signing up for an upgraded version of an app you rarely use. A quick perusal of your monthly checking account statement or credit card bill can help you determine how much these subscriptions are costing you. Drop the apps you’re not using for more wiggle room in your monthly budget.
Your fixed monthly expenses are actually not as “fixed” as you may have thought. By taking a careful look at some of these costs, you can free up more of your monthly income for the things that really matter.