5 ways to cut bills and save cash

Article by: DANIEL VASQUEZ , (South Florida) Sun Sentinel
Updated: January 11, 2012 - 2:48 PM

Ways to cut your monthly bills.

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Hulu and other streaming video providers can be a cheaper alternative to cable.

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Even living in an expensive area, there are ways to cut monthly bills in a pinch.

Prepare yourself, as these are not painless fixes. But they could improve the bottom line of your personal checkbook.

Rent.com, a major Internet rental housing listing site, says those living among the most expensive areas of the country can cut down on amenities and save significant cash.

Rent.com recommends these ways to quickly cut down on monthly bills:

Ditch cable. Watch cheaper streaming and rental sites such as Hulu and Netflix to save an average nationally of $92 a month.

Cut the home phone cord. If you are already paying for an iPhone or other smartphone, this will save on average $35 a month.

Skip the hot water. Doing your laundry in cold water rather than hot might reduce energy use by up to 90 percent and save about $72 per year.

Pull the plug. Unplugging appliances and electronics when you are not using them is an easy way to save on electricity bills. Pull the plug on a fax machine, one computer monitor and one TV can save $70 a year.

Get fit cheaply. Annual gym memberships cost an average of about $775 a year. Save the clams and walk, jog or run outdoors. That way, everyone can see how hard you are working and how good you are looking. How's that for motivation?