In today’s economy, everyone is looking for ways to stretch their dollar. There are a lot of minimalism strategies out there such as giving up that morning latte, brown bagging it a couple times a week, and even trading in your car for a bike. Here are three ways that you might not have even thought about, that could put a lot more in your pocket than skipping your coffee break!
Home Refinance
Interest rates are lower today than they have been in a long time. It might be time to take a look at your mortgage and see if a refinance would make sense. Even if your rate is already low, in the 5% or 6% range, with rates now in the low fours, you could shave a significant amount off of your monthly payment. What if your payment is OK where it is? Why not take a look at dropping your loan from a 30 year loan to a 15 year loan. Your payment might stay pretty close to the same per month, but you will end up saving a huge amount of money in interest over the life of the loan!
Car Refinance
This is another strategy, but one you don’t hear a whole lot about. Interest rates are low right now on cars as well. You might be able to save some money by refinancing a car or two. This is not typically an item that is thought to be refinanced, but with the rates as low as they are, it couldn’t hurt!
Insurance Checkup
When was the last time you looked at your insurance? If you are like most people, it was when you bought it. Maybe it is time to take another look. You might be able to qualify for some discounts now based on your age, driving record, or home improvements that you didn’t qualify for when you bought the insurance. You might realize that you have never used that towing or rental rider on your car insurance, and now have money in savings to take car of those if they happen. While you are at it, you should also review your life insurance to make sure you have adequate coverage there also.
There you have it, three ways you could potentially put hundreds of dollars extra into your pocket each month, and you didn’t even have to look silly riding a bike in a suit to do it!
