A woman has told of how she saved €1000 by cancelling just three bills.
The mum said every few months, she goes through her essential bills and her direct debit bank statements to “rationalise” what she can change and where she could potentially get a better deal.
She said: “I want to share what essential bills I have kept, how I’ve got a great deal and what I pay to compare to yours.”
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The woman, who lives in a four-bedroom semi-detached house, is a single mum and has three children who live with her 50 per cent of the time, gave her top tips on making significant savings.
Cancel the non-essential bills - €1000
The woman urged people to cancel all non-essential bills as these creep in through free trials you forget to cancel, or by paying for services you don’t really use or need.
She said: “Go through your list of monthly bills and be strict, cancel those that you don’t need.”
The mum made massive savings after she cancelled her subscriptions to Amazon Prime (€9.50), Disney+ (€9.50), bi-weekly Mindful Chef recipe boxes (€70per month).
Just these three cancellations saved her €90 per month or €1080 per year.
She said: “It really is worth being strict and cancelling what you do not need.”
Get the best deal on essential bills - save €100s
Energy
Starting with the one bill, everyone is talking about. The woman said she pays around €195 per month with her provider. This rose from €120 per month from April onwards.
She advised: “Check to see if you are in credit on your energy bill, if so you have a case to get your monthly direct debit reduced.
“Also be sure to record a 31 st March reading to ensure that your usage is charged at the lower rate before the price cap rise on April 1.”
Broadband and TV
The mum moved on to Broadband and TV next. She has basic broadband with Virgin and pays €30 per month.
She said: “I switch my broadband every 12 to 18 months contract dependant to benefit from better new customer deals and extra cash back benefits.”
Switching from EE to Virgin broadband recently netted her an extra €125 cashback via TopCashback and saved her €35 per month.
She also said she does not have any TV packages connected to her broadband account, although she does have a Netflix account costing €12 per month.
Mobile phone
The mum said: “I have an older phone that is out of contract, this has enabled me to move to a Sim only contract.”
This saved her a huge €35 per month, and she currently pays €20 per month.
Car insurance and home insurance
Car insurance and home insurance are essentials for most households, so it is essential to be smart with your money.
The woman said: “I chose to pay my home insurance in full once a year, this way I avoid any extra charges for paying monthly, often the case with home and car insurance.”
She added she compares and switches her home insurance every year, although her renewal was the best value for money this year. Her policy is €155 per year.
She also moved car insurance to pay as you go insurance with By Miles.
She said: “This will save you money if you are a low milage driver, driving less than 8,000 miles per year.”
Pay as you go insurance has saved her around €35 to €120 over the course of a year.
Life insurance and income protection insurance
Next was Life insurance and income protection insurance.
The woman said: “I also have these two insurances to offer me protection of my income if I am ill and cannot work or insurance that will pay off my mortgage if I die.”
She said these insurances provide her with reassurance and protection, and she would not cancel them. They cost her €60 per month.
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