1. Talk your way out of credit card debt
Negotiating a lower interest rate on your credit card can be relatively easy. It costs card issuers about $300 to obtain a new customer, so they'd much rather give you a lower rate than lose your business, says Scott Bilker (yes, that's his real name), founder of debtsmart.com and author of Talk Your Way Out of Credit Card Debt. You may need to repeat your request to a supervisor who will have more leeway to meet your terms.
2. Check your loans.
As a general rule of thumb, it's worth looking into refinancing if the going rate is 0.50 percent lower than your current mortgage if you plan to stay in your home," says Timothy McFarlin, a real estate lawyer based in Irvine, CA.
3. Combine Bills to Cut Costs
Keep your home and auto coverage with one insurer, and many companies, like Allstate and State Farm, will offer big discounts (up to 20 percent). By combining your insurance, you can cut annual bills.
4. Not retail therapy.....insuracnce therapy!
Spend a half hour online seeing how insurance rates vary for your current coverage (or the coverage you want). Check out insweb.com to see if you can get a better deal. If the thought of insurance shopping makes your head spin, call an independent agent, who will compare premiums for you at no charge. You can find local accredited agents through the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America's Website, trustedchoice.com.
5. Generic Please!
Choosing a generic drug over a brand name can save you lots of money - depending on what you take, you could enjoy a 52 percent cut in the daily cost of your medications, reports the FDA. But now there's another reason to go generic: Fill your Rx at one of the big-box retailers like Wal-Mart, Target, or Kmart, and you can get a month's supply for as little as $4 or a 90-day supply for $10 to $15.
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