After moving into your first apartment and getting settled, you’ll find one thing for sure: The bills don’t stop coming! Rent, utilities, internet, phones, transportation… it can feel overwhelming and it’s easy to overspend! Luckily, there are some good ways to cut corners to ensure you stay in your budget and still get everything you need. Start with these items… because you can find them for cheaper with a little effort!
Gym or Fitness
There are two ways you may be overspending on your fitness. While exercise is crucial to a healthy lifestyle, a fancy gym package isn’t! If you don’t use the gym, be honest with yourself and cancel your membership. Choose some free options to stay healthy like taking walks, going running, or following classes in YouTube.
If you love going to the gym, shop rates in your area! Most cities have a different gym on each street corner, with many of them running deals every month! Check out each of the gyms in your area. The fancy gyms look nice, but consider how much you actually use… and it’s probably not much. If you wouldn’t mind switching to a less expensive gym, do it!
In both cases, be sure to read the fine print of your cancellation policies so you don’t get burned!
TV and Internet
Something wonderful about TV and Internet companies is that they are super competitive with each other! Take an afternoon to research providers in your area and give them a call to determine price points for each provider. If you don’t feel like you want to shop around, consider calling your current provider and ask them about the specials they have running and find out if you can move over to a plan that makes sense to you.
Considering totally cutting the cord for maximum savings? Check out these tips.
Music
Paying for music is an easy way to overspend over time! Consider your monthly bills. Whether it’s Apple Music, Pandora, Spotify, satellite radio or downloading music each month. Remember that there are ways to get to free music, like the radio or free versions of the solutions listed above. Cancel these subscriptions to pinch your funds if you need to!
Groceries
Food and groceries add up very quickly. Instead of buying food on a whim, try planning your week out in advance and purchase only the ingredients you know you’ll need and use that week. This can help keep you eating healthy, eating out less, saving money, and reducing food waste!
Insurance
Check your car insurance and renters insurance once a year or so to ensure you aren’t over paying or that rates haven’t changed as time has gone by. This is more of a once-in-a-while check, but it can’t hurt to contact your broker to ensure you have the best rate.
Over time, you’ll learn that there are less expensive alternatives for many expenses you have when you are living on your own. By being careful not to overspend you’ll ensure you stay within your budget and still have everything you need to make for a great first apartment experience.
