Cutting costs. Cutting subscriptions.

[REWahoo]

Thinking about culling AAA. But my dealer's towing warranty ends this year. I also have towing covered by my auto insurance, BUT I see so many warnings about NEVER using your auto insurance to cover a towing charge. On the other hand, I'm driving a 3 year old Honda Civic, very reliable. Anybody know anything about this issue?

Using your auto insurance for a towing claim or two isn't likely to be a problem. However, using it too often might result in a rate increase.

In your situation I wouldn't opt for the extra expense. If you do get unlucky and have to use your auto policy for roadside assistance a couple of times, then you might consider going with AAA.

 

[becca]

Dropped our landline and YouTube TV (which we were using for ACC sports).

 

[Pellice]

Using your auto insurance for a towing claim or two isn't likely to be a problem. However, using it too often might result in a rate increase.

In your situation I wouldn't opt for the extra expense. If you do get unlucky and have to use your auto policy for roadside assistance a couple of times, then you might consider going with AAA.

Thank you for this response!

 

[FIREd]

I usually run a pretty lean operation, with recurring expenses running at around $1,100 a month, so there isn't much to cut there. Actually, I just added a recurring expense by signing up for Amazon Prime to get access to their streaming service (only about $54 a year here in France).

But discretionary spending is dropping because... well I'm stuck at home. And I also want to have more clarity on the Covid economic fallout before blowing more dough (I am living solely off of my investments).

 

[Live And Learn]

I was already pretty lean so there isn't much to cut. I pay $80 / year for 2 phones with pageplus and I pay $115 / month with Spectrums "choice" (pick 10) plan plus internet and phone.

What I've found is that I have to spend more on groceries since I have to purchase what is in stock rather than what is on sale. We've also started ordering take out / pick up once a week (rather than once a month) to help support local restaurants. The increase is offset by my cancelled travel plans.

 

[Jerry1]

Like many responses here, I’m spending less just because of the situation. However I am considering something a friend of mine did. He has kids who drive so it was worth more to him, but her took collision off all cars but one. Actually, he took everything off but comprehensive and parked the cars. Since no one is really driving, he saw no reason to insure them for driving. I think he decommissioned three cars (two kids and DW’s).

About a third of our budget is discretionary so a lot of that won’t be spent this year. It’s for things like movies, concerts, restaurants and interstate travel that we just won’t be doing this year. I think the economy will recover but social gathering will take much longer IMHO. That will effect the budget for this year and probably into next. Hopefully nothing more will be needed to stay on financial track.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

We do not use, Netflix, Spotify, Hulu, Sat TV, or any other streaming services, we DL all our content and have basic HD cable and Internet. So nothing to cut.

Limiting our use of TP, neighbors and surrounding homes are safe.………. for now!

 

[SumDay]

Since we can't go anywhere the spending is automatically down. Way down.
Smaller gas bill, restaurant bill, bar bill, travel bill, etc.

Ditto. I'm not cancelling cable or Netflix or Amazon Prime for my music. If I'm going to be safe at home, I'm going to be entertained too.

 

[easysurfer]

Besides Amazon Prime, I've pretty much don't have any subscriptions.

I had thought about subscribing to watch baseball but since no baseball, glad that I was holding out.

Since staying in place at home, not driving so not using gas. Using toilet paper is one of life's luxuries, so I didn't cut down on that (though with so short supply in stores, couldn't stock up on my favorite brand). One thing I have done, since going to buy groceries is both inconvenient (lots of stuff not in stock, like TP, bread) and a bit risky, I wish to go only when needed. Instead of having two fried eggs each morning, I've only have one.

 

[Jerry1]

One thing I did do is take advantage of SiriusXM 3 month free trial. I like XM, but I would not pay for it. Also, they did not take a credit card, so it's not one of those plans where you have to cancel or they'll start billing you automatically.

 

[Moemg]

I am not cutting anything right now . With no travel and no dining out I have plenty of fat in the budget .

 

[Chuckanut]

Today we chopped Hulu, ($59) Spotify, ($15) some cell phone add ons ($40) , storage unit.
($79) Saved $193 per month with a few hours of work.

We are concerned about our tenants ability to continue paying rent. Otherwise we’re good.

What did you chop?

You are doing a great job. Very good.

I actually added a subscription last week. $30 for Sunday delivery of the local Big City newspaper, and it includes 24/7 use of their online site which is quite good.

Normaly, I don't subscribe because there coverage of events outside the Big City city limits is poor to non-existent. But, they are doing a good job on the CV stuff, so I am reconsidering. I don't want to have to go to the national press for all my news. And their editorials are much more 'centered' than certain other well known papers.

 

[MrsHaloFIRE]

I was already pretty lean so there isn't much to cut. I pay $80 / year for 2 phones with pageplus and I pay $115 / month with Spectrums "choice" (pick 10) plan plus internet and phone.

What I've found is that I have to spend more on groceries since I have to purchase what is in stock rather than what is on sale. We've also started ordering take out / pick up once a week (rather than once a month) to help support local restaurants. The increase is offset by my cancelled travel plans.

very similar. We run a lean operation and buy a lot of generics, typically from the commissary. So I cant cut out the yearly yacht painting, lots of subscriptions etc. And Im paying retail for name brand products from stores that do curbside on my groceries.

 

[jollystomper]

Thinking about culling AAA. But my dealer's towing warranty ends this year. I also have towing covered by my auto insurance, BUT I see so many warnings about NEVER using your auto insurance to cover a towing charge. On the other hand, I'm driving a 3 year old Honda Civic, very reliable. Anybody know anything about this issue?

We had our insurers towing insurance and the one year (2013) we used it a lot(4-5 times across multiple cars), our rate did not change.


Since then we purchased Toyotas and have never needed a tow.


Last year, after adding a 3rd car the AAA rate was cheaper than the insurers rate for all three, so we switched to AAA for that (plus the travel benefits that we got some use of in BC times).

 

[mountainsoft]

We run rather lean too, and don't have any subscriptions other than Netflix. We really don't watch Netflix much, but my mom and daughter share the same account and get more use from it than we do. So it's worth keeping.


Some expenses have gone down since we can't eat out or go anywhere to spend money. On the other hand I have spent more shopping online. With my wife working from home now we decided to buy her a computer of her own. I also ordered a new laptop after realizing how slow my old laptop is while she is using my computer. Setting those up when they arrive should keep me busy for a while.


I do find I'm cooking more since I have extra time, which translates into eating more. I'm not getting any exercise, so I'm sure I'll gain weight during this situation.

 

[Spock]

I've been getting my pantry items online and have them delivered, mostly from Amazon and Walmart. I just keep checking back from time to time and make an order when they have enough stuff I want to get free shipping. Items go in and out of stock very quickly, but I have been able to get all the basics - cereal, rice, an assortment of dried and canned beans, tuna, TP, canned soups, dried fruit, pasta and nuts.

For the hard to get stuff, do you accumulate a "cart" over a couple of days as you find items in stock??
Or do you only load the cart and complete the order when there is enough stuff in stock that day?

 

[daylatedollarshort]

For the hard to get stuff, do you accumulate a "cart" over a couple of days as you find items in stock??
Or do you only load the cart and complete the order when there is enough stuff in stock that day?

On Amazon pantry, I go through every item in grocery, usually 5 -10 pages of stuff. More than half the time by the time I get to check out some of it is gone, so I have to start over until I have enough reasonably healthy stuff added for the free shipping. We're buying basic stuff like canned soup and nuts, and if I have to buy extra to fill out an order for the free shipping, we plan to give it to the food bank and an out of work friend, so it won't go to waste.

Some things like toilet paper and cup of noodle soup, Amazon gets in outside of the pantry section and there is no minimum spend for Prime members, so those are easier. I always buy items like paper towels and toilet paper online in large business supply amounts and shop by the pound anyway. It is a lot cheaper than getting the little 4 or 8 packs from a supermarket and there is less competition for $50 boxes of bulk toilet paper.

For Walmart I just poke around every now and then and type in stuff like pasta, rice, toilet paper, canned chicken, couscous, canned peas, and when I have enough for free shipping I put in the order. Again, extras will get donated so the exact order doesn't matter that much. I do keep a cart but not that much comes back into stock once it is out. But by checking back frequently and just typing it items like beans, rice, pasta, canned soup there's usually always enough to put in an order if we aren't too picky.

For fresh and frozen items, so far we've put in a pick up order at a local supermarket or used Instacart and allow substitutions.

 

[T-Minus]

...What did you chop?

We chopped dining out - we’re now preparing our own meals (including coffee) at home and saving quite a bit. Also, my gym and personal trainer are “on hold”, as are haircuts so I’m saving a few bucks there - an unrequested “chop”. That said, working out with exercise bands is a poor substitute, but at least it’s something...

 

[ShokWaveRider]

I wonder how many people will go back to their normal spendthrift ways after all this has blown over? Or will they adopt their new way of life an enjoy the spoils.

We never did eat out much anyway, but all the other stuff we have on regular payments or subscriptions are only what we ever really enjoyed anyway. No need to stop those. One may as well become hermits if going that route.

Most folks here do not have to worry about job income, so why change?

 

[MBAustin]

I actually added a subscription last week. $30 for Sunday delivery of the local Big City newspaper, and it includes 24/7 use of their online site which is quite good.

Normaly, I don't subscribe because there coverage of events outside the Big City city limits is poor to non-existent. But, they are doing a good job on the CV stuff, so I am reconsidering. I don't want to have to go to the national press for all my news. And their editorials are much more 'centered' than certain other well known papers.

Local journalism was already in big trouble and the huge sudden drop in advertising is putting some close to the edge. Our local paper was recently merged into mega-Gannett and their newsroom staff was notified yesterday that they were required to take 3 weeks of unpaid leave in the next 3 months. That's probably mild compared to some other papers. The lack of local journalism is deadly to a healthy democracy (IMHO) as there is no one to hold local government and companies accountable. Thus you have done a great public service by subscribing and I encourage anyone out there who can do it to at least get a digital subscription to your local paper.

Negotiated a $60 per month credit on my DirecTV bill. No change in the service.

Sweet! How did you do that? Could be my project for tomorrow.

 

[tmm99]

Not purposefully cutting anything down. No more gym fee but I added more tv streaming and bought some exercise equipment. Eating some food from the stockpile I bought a while back and not going out to eat so the grocery spending is a little lower.

Dire news are not lowering my food intake, so I may be gaining weight.

 

[SheitlQueen]

Going to move from Direct TV to Dish. Will save me close to $100 a month.

 

[michelek]

Found a big one today. Cut out the lawnmower guy for the rentals. That will save $250 per month. We are fully capable of yard work, just didn’t have time before. Now we have all the time in the world- plus we will get outside for some fresh air and vitaminD.
We also found out TMobile offers a senior discount for over 55. Will save big time ($125/mo)
Chopped the other storage unit as well, there’s another $70/mo.
We moved everything into our Airbnb which is now vacant for the foreseeable future.
We also chopped the expensive Airbnb liability insurance from Proper and switched to State Farm. Saved $130/mo.
It’s adding up!!

 

[rk911]

...The lack of local journalism is deadly to a healthy democracy (IMHO) as there is no one to hold local government and companies accountable. Thus you have done a great public service by subscribing and I encourage anyone out there who can do it to at least get a digital subscription to your local paper...

we subscribe to the local daily paper both at home and at our snowbird home. been reading the paper since I was in high school.

unfortunately a lot of the printed (and TV) media holds govt and companies to account based on politics instead of what's good for the governed. there are exceptions but they are becoming fewer each year. I think that above all else will drive papers out of business. and I agree with the overall point that that will be bad for our democratic republic.

 

[calmloki]

Whew! first read this sad thread title as "Cutting Costs. Cutting Prescriptions." Relieved to see I'm wrong.