Internet, Cable, Phone: How to Lower Your Monthly Bills

Between cable television, the Internet and cell phones, Americans spend roughly 17 percent of their monthly rent or mortgage budget on technology entertainment, according to a study by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

A big chunk of discretionary spending is typically allocated for high-speed Internet connections, apps, music and movie downloads and new devices such as tablets, smartphones and laptops.

If you’re interested in satisfying your entertainment needs, the adage “do more with less” is applicable in this situation.

Here are a few ways of trimming your spending without sacrificing the fun. Just think of the things you do with the extra money you save!

The Triple Threat: Internet, Cable Television and Landline Phone

Nowadays, many Internet providers also bundle cable television and landline telephone services together to save consumers some money on these entities. It’s definitely cheaper than purchasing these exact items separately, but not less expensive than seeking out alternatives:

Internet

Depending on how much you’re paying, there are a few options available when it comes to high-speed Internet ranging from satellite service and DSL to purchasing it through your cellular service.

If you go in prepared with cost comparisons from competitors, you have a good chance of getting your current rate lowered.

Cable television

There are several ways to cut your cable television budget including trimming back on the premium channels and keeping up with various promotions your providers offers.

Consider switching to satellite TV or even subscribing to an on-demand Internet streaming video service such as Hulu Plus, Netflix, Chrome, YouTube or Amazon Prime. View television shows, movies and more through a streaming media player such as Apple TV, Roku 3 Streaming Media Player or Chromecast.

Landline Telephone

With the popularity of cell phones, many consumers have considered getting rid of their landline telephone altogether.

For those who wish to retain this entity, there are less expensive Internet service alternatives to consider such as magicJack, Vonage or CallCentric.

Cell Phones

Another large expenditure many people have each month is cellular phone service, especially if it is bundled with texting and data plans. Prepaid phones can save you a ton of money, especially if you use only them for a small amount of calls without much texting or data. However, if you use your cell phone more frequently, there are a few ways to save on your bill each month:

• Consider a phone plan that offers unlimited text, minutes and data, or purchase a plan that is right for you based on your minute usage.
• Get rid of the excess features from your phone. If you don’t need texting or a data plan, then don’t pay for it.
• Negotiate a lower cost with your cell phone company. Compare your plan with competitors and see what your provider can offer.

Music, Apps and Games

If you want to cut your entertainment expenses, take a look at how much you spend each month on downloaded music, games and other apps. There are several ways to get around spending more than you should:

• Download only free apps and games. Google Play, Amazon Prime and iTunes have a multitude of free books, podcasts, games and other useful applications for all types of devices.
• Consider streaming songs over free Internet radio sites such as Pandora, Spotify or Grooveshark. You may need to listen to commercials, but at least you can have your favorite music readily available.
• AppShopper frequently updates its site to show the latest free apps.

Electronic Devices

All these ideas on saving money are made even sweeter if the device they are on was purchased for a discount. A few cost-saving tips to do this include:

• Consider purchasing refurbished gadgets and devices. While they may not be brand-new, they most often come with a warranty.
• Buying a tablet can save you quite a bit of money over a laptop or desktop computer. Devices such as the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 from T-Mobile are much cheaper, but are convenient enough for web surfing, doing some work, streaming movies or music and more. T-Mobile even offers free tablet data for life, so that’s one more expense you can cut out.
• Think about purchasing your device online instead of in a store. While it may require a bit of patience, you will see some significant savings.
• Buy a previous generation of a device you want. You may not get every specific feature you want, but it will save you some money.

You don’t have to cut out your entertainment options in order to stick to a budget. Follow these tips and you’ll be able to satisfy your technology entertainment needs while saving some money.

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