Saving Money

Shopping & Saving

Where does your money go?

Checking
Save over a $100 yearly in fees by choosing a checking account with a minimum balance requirement that you can, and do, meet. Banks frequently will drop or lower checking fees if paychecks are directly deposited by your employer. In addition, direct deposit offers the extra advantage of convenience, security, and immediate access to your money.

Savings and Investments
Before opening a savings or investment account with a bank or other financial institution, find out if the account is insured by the federal government. A number of assets offered, including mutual stock funds and annuities, are not insured. Certificates of deposit (CDs), treasury bills or notes often earn the highest return on savings with little or no risk. However, you do loose access to the money for a period of time.

Credit Cards
You can save as much as several hundred dollars each year by lowering credit card interest charges by paying in full your entire bill each month. If you can not pay off a large balance, consider our Debt Management Program or call 1-800-320-9929.

Consolidated may be able to consolidate your debts, lower monthly payment commitments, and negotiate lower interest charges.

Generally, clients see 25-50% monthly savings on interest charges from our creditor negotiations. You can lessen credit card fees by avoiding late payments, over-the-credit limit fees, and by throwing out all but one or two credit cards that have no annual fee.

Electricity
Save hundreds of dollars a year on electricity by making certain new appliances, especially air conditioners and furnaces, are energy-efficient. Information on the energy efficiency of major appliances is found on the Energy Guide Labels required by federal law.

Check if your electric utility station has programs to reduce the costs of appliance purchases.

Heat & Air Conditioning
A home energy audit can identify ways to save money on home heating and air conditioning. Ask your electric or gas company if they do this audit for free or for a reasonable charge. If they do not, ask them to refer you to a qualified professional.

Telephone Service
Check with your phone company to see whether a flat rate or measured service plan will save you the most money. You can save money by buying your phones instead of leasing them. Check your local phone bill to see if you have optional services you don't really need or use. Each option you drop could save you $40 or more each year.

Long Distance Telephone Service
Evenings or weekend long distance calls can cost significantly less than weekday calls. If you make more than a few long distance calls each month, consider signing up for a calling plan. Call several long distance companies to see which one has the least expensive plan for the type of calls you make. Whenever possible, dial your long distance calls directly. Using the operator to complete a call can cost you an extra $1 to $3.