I'm going to list the prices for things as I see them. Explain my reasoning where I can and what you might do to reduce the costs where I have any ideas.

Phones! Should be around $20.00 a month plus taxes and regulatory fees. This is one that bothers me some but there's a easy way out. After all a phone is very necessary anymore. You need one to summon help via 911. To communicate with your employer. To chase down bargains and oppourtunities.

So what's my recommendation? Get the cheapest landline phone package you can find. Nothing more than you really need. A phone that rings and has a dialtone when you pick it up.

Forget getting the "inside the home line maintenance package". You can do that yourself. Dialtone tells you that you can make a call. Tell the telco to give you dialtone to the Demarc and you'll take over from there.

Now you have a incoming phone and the ability to make outgoing local calls. Here's where you need and can justify the cost of highspeed internet. Get Highspeed internet if you don't already have it. Now get a IP type phone. You'll use the IP phone to make those long distance calls.

The one I recommend is a Magic Jack. Magic Jacks are cheap. Another is Vonage. Another is the company that took over Zingotel's accounts.

Cell phones! Get a pay as you go phone. Don't use it except in emergencies. Take it with you always. You need a cell phone to call for help when your car breaks down on the road or there is a accident or to report crimes, etc. Don't use it for idle chit chat. Wait until you get home and call on the house phone.

Cable TV! I really think cable TV is way over priced now. The cable company we use jambs their own commercials in to the programming on almost all channels. That's income to them. Why in the world should us consumers pay for the privledge to view the cable company's commercials?

One thing you can do is put up a good antenna and cut off cable every couple months especially during the summer or whatever season is most active for you and where you might not miss cable too much. If you have trouble with an antenna remember the rule - To get more signal put up more wire. A bigger, taller antenna or a signal amplifier at the antenna might give you a better signal.

There's ways to stack antennas also. The standard Yagi home antenna is a little hard to stack but it can be done. And there's rotators or methods to gain two directions or more with antenna arrays. Another nice thing about having your own antenna even with cable is you can still view TV when the cable system is out.

Another idea is to carefully check with the satellite companies when you receive ads from them offering better packages. Watch those contracts though. You might sign for a year with only a few months at the bargain price.

Municipal Water! Here's one to watch. In most places municipal water isn't a bad deal but you need to watch out for leaks. Another thing you might do is watch your useage outside the house like washing cars, filling pools and spas and watering the yard and garden.

You can purchase a small meter and watch useage where some communities will give you a break on the sewer if the water useage means the water never makes it to the sewer. You might also look into gray water recycling.

Gray water is water used for washing dishes, washing clothers and bathing. It's not potable but it can be used for watering yards and gardens or recycled into flushing toilets. Some communities allow that with some extra compensation back to the user and there probably are tax breaks to make that more financially viable. You use the water twice but only pay for it once.

Gasoline! This one hurts us all but there are things you can do and you've probably heard them all. Keep the tires inflated properly to manufacturer's specs. Keep the engine tuned. The oil changed as needed per the manufacturer. And drive easy.

Electricity! This ones pretty easy. Just set your thermostats back on the heaters including the water heater and forward or higher on the AC. Turn off the incandescent lights and any appliances you don't need. watch the temp settings on the fridge and keep the freezer as full as you can. It's good to keep lots of food and drinks in the fridge also. The less cold air there, the less that escapes when you open the door.

If you have two or more competing suppliers the competition should drive the prices down some. But you can help by being energy conscious. And insulation might help a bunch. Attic insulation first then any where else you can insulate. Don't forget to insulate the hot water pipes in exposed areas.

Later,

Bill
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