Many face a significant challenge in personal finance management: figuring out how to save money. It doesn’t take a genius to understand that to save money; you must find ways of spending less. To do that, you need to cut down on your monthly expenses. Fixed expenses tend to remain the same month-to-month and may be challenging to cut down. But there are some components of your budget that are better if you are careful. You can avoid paying fees and use the money to finance other needs. Here are four kinds of fees you can cut from your life:
1. Credit Card Fees
Banks that issue credit cards can charge you several fees. How you use the card may include interest charges ov,er-the-limit fees, and some others. Most of these fees can be avoided using your credit cards responsibly. Credit card late fees are charged when you owe outstanding payments past the due date. You can prevent this by making timely payments. Also, many credit cards charge an annual fee, balance transfer fees, late payment fees, and over-limit fees. Check for cards with no annual fee or waive additional costs to save a tidy sum. Most importantly, pay your card balance off monthly to avoid getting stuck in a money-guzzling interest-rate cycle. Paying on time can also help alleviate many of these fees and penalties.
2. Banking Fees
Most of us are unaware that we pay our banks various fees to use our money. Check your bank statement closely, and you will likely notice a “fees deducted from your account” description. Some of these are account maintenance fees, overdraft fees, physical statement fees, etc. You can avoid some of these fees by choosing a debit card with many standard fees. Most of us pay ATM fees because of the convenience of using an ATM outside our bank’s network. Identifying ATMs within your bank’s network can easily avoid this fee. Also, you’ll want to know your bank’s cash withdrawal limit.
While there’s no fee involved for (attempting to) exceed it, it’s still something to keep in mind. If you need $500 for a cash transaction and your bank’s limit is $300 daily, you’ll have to time your withdrawals accordingly. Even though your bank account may have sufficient funds, your bank may likewise limit daily spending. As with ATM withdrawal limits, this is usually for security purposes. If your card is stolen, it will prevent the thief from trying to clean out your account. So be mindful of the debit card daily spending limit that your banking institution sets. These are some other factors that you must keep an eye on. Maintain a minimum balance in your account to avoid being charged an account maintenance fee. Look for a debit card with no monthly fees and minimum balance requirements.
3. Mobile Phone Fees
There are a few hidden/extra charges your mobile carrier could slap on your bill every month. Check your account carefully to flag any fees that seem out of line with what you signed up for. Some of these charges/fees are unavoidable, like taxes. But some can be avoided if you pay close attention. If your focus is on saving money, you can find a provider who charges less for some extras and penalties. Some fees on your mobile bill are administrative fees, taxes, surcharges, excess data usage fees, roaming fees, etc. A few of these are small charges and often overlooked. However, when you keep paying those fees, it can add up to quite a hefty amount over time.
Check what these fees mean with your provider. See if they apply to the plan you have signed up for. If another project gives you the same features minus those extra fees, go for it. Most postpaid plans come with contracts that do not allow you to change plans. At the same time, providers are free to charge fees and even hike them on a whim. Using a prepaid plan is a simple way of avoiding these complex charges. There are a few drawbacks here, like paying more when inadvertently using excess data. However, by being an informed user, you can remain in control of your mobile spending and avoid unnecessary fees.
4. Trial Period Subscription Fees
Like streaming, apps, or subscriptions, many services offer a free trial of their services for a limited period. It is an intelligent way of marketing while allowing potential customers to experience their offering firsthand. The problem begins when people forget to cancel their subscriptions. Most services collect subscribers’ bank and card details beforehand, along with their details. When people fail to cancel their free subscriptions, the system automatically registers them as regular subscribers. This is a standard arrangement you will know when you sign up for the free service. However, it will be mentioned in the fine print, so you may not notice it.
How can you save the fee on unwanted subscriptions to such platforms? Set an alert on your calendar or mobile phone for a few days before the free trial ends. Then, you can cancel before getting charged. Remember to pay close attention to how long the trial period lasts. If it is for one month, that means 30 days, not necessarily 31. If you subscribe on October 15, the subscription won’t end on November 15, as October has 31 days. You will be over one day, which will trigger an auto-debit. Individually, these fees may seem like a small amount to be worried about. Collectively, they become a significant amount every month. They could even add up to a few hundred dollars annually. MIdentifythese fees and apply the suggested measures to save money.
