Ways to Cut Living Expenses in Single Life
Reducing living expenses or fixed costs in single life is a battle with stress.
We live in an era of stark social inequality—a brutal modern world where the rich get richer and the uninformed are exploited. To survive in such a society, it’s crucial to increase income and find ways to reduce living expenses, even by a small margin. Among these expenses, fixed costs are the root of all evil, silently consuming our savings without us even realizing it. In this context, I’ll explain how, as a single-person household now entering my tenth year, I can effectively lower my fixed expenses without stress, ultimately optimizing my life’s efficiency.
Fixed Expense Reduction: Effective Ways to Cut Cost of Living
Lower fixed expenses are better, but cutting them too drastically can increase stress. For instance, disconnecting electricity to save on bills would be absurd. The goal is “unconscious saving” – setting up systems once that save money automatically. This article introduces stress-free ways to reduce cost of living.
Reducing Fixed Costs Through “Replacement”
One of the simplest ways to cut living expenses is by switching services. A little effort upfront can lead to lifelong savings.
Replace with a Water-Saving Showerhead
Reducing water usage is a practical way to lower water bills and one of the effective ways to reduce living expenses. Switching to a water-saving showerhead (e.g., Waterpik EcoFlow) can help you save water unconsciously.
Water-saving showerheads can reduce water usage by up to 50%. If you live alone, you can save around $34 per month, and even more for families. I recommend Waterpik’s low-flow models. Priced at about $19.20, they maintain the same shower experience while quickly paying for themselves.
Replacing your showerhead is an often overlooked method among ways to cut cost of living. Continuing to use a standard showerhead is wasteful. Switch now to enjoy both water savings and improved cleaning efficiency.
Adjust Your Electrical Contract Amperage
Adjusting your electrical contract amperage is another of the smart ways to reduce cost of living. Home electricity basic charges vary according to the contracted amperage. Here’s an approximate rate table from power companies (e.g., Con Edison, based on New York):
| Contract Amperage (A) | Basic Monthly Fee (approx.) |
|---|---|
| 15A | $10 |
| 20A | $15 |
| 30A | $22 |
| 40A | $30 |
The difference between 20A ($15/month) and 30A ($22/month) amounts to $84 annually. For a single-person household, 20A is usually sufficient. If you’re using 30A or higher, contact your power company to lower it. They’ll adjust it free of charge.
Note: Amperage units may differ by region in the US, so check your power company’s website for details.
Maintain Your Local Utility for Power
Sticking with your local utility is one of the reliable ways to cut living expenses. Different regions in the US have different power companies (e.g., Con Edison, PG&E). In the past, switching to competitors offered savings, but with recent energy price increases, local utilities (public power companies) are now more stable. If you’ve switched to another company, consider returning to your local power company. If you’re already using the local utility, maintain it.
Switch Your Phone Carrier to T-Mobile or Visible
Switching to a more affordable phone carrier is one of the top ways to reduce living expenses. If your monthly phone bill is around $80~$100, you can achieve significant savings.
As a gadget enthusiast, I use multiple lines, for example:
- T-Mobile Essentials: $60 (unlimited calls, 50GB data)
- Visible: $25 (unlimited data, Verizon network)
- Spectrum Internet Premier: $50
This totals $125 monthly for unlimited calls and data. For the average person, I recommend either T-Mobile or Visible:
- T-Mobile Essentials Saver: $50 monthly (unlimited calls, 50GB data)
- Visible: Unlimited data, $25 monthly. Simple with no additional fees.
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Change Your Fitness Gym
Switching to a more affordable gym is among the practical ways to cut cost of living. Many people go to gyms for fitness, but they can be expensive. Planet Fitness costs $15 monthly with nationwide access. Local YMCAs are also affordable at $5-7 per visit. If you’re attending an expensive gym (e.g., Equinox, over $200 monthly), consider switching unless you have a compelling reason. If you rarely go, cancellation might be better.
I attend Crunch Fitness ($34.99 monthly) for posture improvement. Choose based on your frequency of use.
Saving by Canceling Unnecessary Services
Organize Subscription Services
Managing subscriptions is one of the essential ways to reduce living expenses. Everything is subscription-based now. While convenient, unmanaged subscriptions increase expenses. My subscriptions include:
- Amazon Prime: $139 annually (includes shipping, Prime Video)
- Netflix: $17.99 monthly (Standard)
- YouTube Premium: $13.99 monthly
- NPR+ (public radio podcasts): $2.99 monthly
This totals about $50 monthly. I previously subscribed to HBO, HULU, Spotify, cloud storage, but canceled them all. I kept Netflix because I enjoy it too much.
Netflix remains the best. Their original content is powerful. Finding ways to cut living expenses by managing subscriptions is important.
Cancel Unnecessary Options and Apps
Eliminating add-on services is another of the effective ways to reduce cost of living. Add-on services that come with smartphone contracts (e.g., Verizon’s cloud backup at $5 monthly) are dangerous because you might forget you signed up for them, don’t use them, yet continue paying monthly. Regularly check all payment records. I’ve now reduced these to zero. It’s frightening how they add up.
Cancel Newspaper Subscriptions
Cutting out newspaper subscriptions is one of the straightforward ways to cut cost of living. Newspapers offer diverse information, but Google News or AP News is sufficient. I’m not interested in news about others (e.g., sports championships, celebrity gossip). My information sources are X and Reddit Trend headlines. Just reading the headlines is often enough.
Quit Smoking
Quitting smoking is not only good for your health but also one of the impactful ways to reduce living expenses. Instead, consider buying stock in Altria Group (tobacco company). Their dividend yield (TTM) is a strong 7.17%.
Ways to Reduce Living Expenses by Questioning Common Sense
Reduce Possessions
Minimizing possessions is one of the smart ways to cut living expenses. Fewer possessions increase space and reduce moving costs.
Reconsider Cosmetics, Skincare, and Shampoos
Simplifying cosmetics and skincare is among the practical ways to reduce cost of living. Cosmetics (e.g., Clinique) and shampoos (e.g., Dove) include brand premiums. I don’t understand why people use additional conditioners and treatments. If they’re not effective, they’re a waste of money. I’ve simplified with CeraVe. Excessive cleansing damages the skin.
Consolidate Detergents with Oxygen Bleach
Using versatile cleaning products is one of the clever ways to cut living expenses. OxiClean (oxygen bleach) is versatile for laundry, dishes, and bathroom cleaning. When dissolved in 104-140°F water, it also has antibacterial effects. The large size (5LB) at $11.78 offers excellent value.
