Save money painlessly by negotiating discounts for monthly household expenses.

    OK, so you've already cut your monthly budget in an effort to build your savings. Daily lattes are gone, dinners out are rare, and perhaps you're saving money by working at home. What else can you do to cut your monthly household expenses?

    你正在通過(guò)節(jié)省家用開(kāi)銷(xiāo)來(lái)省錢(qián)。那好吧，你已經(jīng)開(kāi)始減少每月的預(yù)算來(lái)努力存錢(qián)了。每天一杯咖啡的享受沒(méi)有了，也不去外面餐館就餐了，也許你為了省錢(qián)都呆在家里工作了。你還可以做些什么來(lái)節(jié)省每月家庭開(kāi)支呢？

    Cutting your monthly budget again doesn't mean trimming necessities; it means saving money on them. That might include trimming grocery costs and comparison shopping for items likes clothes and household goods.

    節(jié)省每月的開(kāi)支預(yù)算并不是說(shuō)減少生活的必需品。而是說(shuō)在這些上面省錢(qián)。這也就意味著要減少日雜開(kāi)支，買(mǎi)衣服或家庭用品的時(shí)候多逛幾家店對(duì)比一下價(jià)格。

    But when you save money on these purchases, each discount only happens once. To really maximize your savings, cut your recurring expenses, and let the savings add up.

    但是當(dāng)你在買(mǎi)這些東西上面省錢(qián)時(shí)，只能有一次的打折機(jī)會(huì)。為了真正達(dá)到節(jié)約開(kāi)支的目的，你需要削減你的日常開(kāi)支費(fèi)用，多存點(diǎn)錢(qián)。

    Review Your Monthly Budget Expenses

    回顧一下你的每月開(kāi)支預(yù)算

    We tend to think that the costs of goods and services only goes up, but, in fact, they sometimes goes down. Competition and new technology often bring down prices for services like cable, telephone and Internet--giving us an opportunity to cut monthly budget expenses painlessly. So consolidating your business at one company or signing up for bundled services also might mean a discount.

    我們經(jīng)常會(huì)想當(dāng)然的認(rèn)為服務(wù)以及物價(jià)是一直上漲的，但其實(shí)有時(shí)候他們是會(huì)下降的。競(jìng)爭(zhēng)以及新的科技經(jīng)常會(huì)給電視，電話(huà)，網(wǎng)絡(luò)這樣的服務(wù)行業(yè)帶來(lái)降價(jià)，這就提供給我們每月可以毫無(wú)痛苦地節(jié)省開(kāi)支的機(jī)會(huì)。所以，只購(gòu)買(mǎi)固定的品牌或者是辦理捆綁性的服務(wù)都有可能會(huì)給你省錢(qián)。

    But few companies advertise to existing customers that they have lowered their prices. You have to review these monthly household expenses periodically to be sure you are getting the best deal.

    但是很少有公司在降價(jià)后會(huì)打廣告通知客戶(hù)這一振奮人心的消息。所以，你需要每月都審查這些家庭開(kāi)支預(yù)算，以確保自己得到了最實(shí)惠的折扣。

    Here's a list of 10 places to cut your monthly budget:

    以下10招幫你節(jié)省每月開(kāi)支

    1.Insurance

    保險(xiǎn)

    Compare prices for auto, home, health, business and life insurance. Consolidating at one insurance company could lower your insurance costs. That might mean you'll need to take your business elsewhere to save money. But before you do, be sure you're getting all the discounts you deserve at your current company.

    比較汽車(chē)保險(xiǎn)，家庭保險(xiǎn)，健康保險(xiǎn)，商業(yè)保險(xiǎn)以及人生保險(xiǎn)的價(jià)格。在同一家保險(xiǎn)公司買(mǎi)的話(huà)可以降低你的購(gòu)買(mǎi)成本。這就意味著你要在別的地方省錢(qián)。但是這樣做之前，要確保那家公司給了你最優(yōu)惠的購(gòu)買(mǎi)折扣。

    Consider raising your deductible for lower rates. Ask your agent what other discounts you might qualify for. Often working from home could mean a discount on auto insurance.

    考慮下以低利率來(lái)增加你的可扣款。問(wèn)問(wèn)你的代理機(jī)構(gòu)你還可以得到什么樣的其他折扣。經(jīng)常在家工作就代表著可以在汽車(chē)保險(xiǎn)上省錢(qián)。

    2.Financial Fees

    財(cái)務(wù)費(fèi)

    Are you still paying a monthly fee even though your bank now offers free checking? Particularly if you have direct deposit, most banks offer some type of free checking. I found I was paying $8 month for only a few services （like free certified checks） that weren't available on the bank's free checking program.

    即使現(xiàn)在的銀行提供免費(fèi)存儲(chǔ)業(yè)務(wù)，你是否每月還在繼續(xù)為你的戶(hù)頭付費(fèi)呢？特別是如果你辦理的是直接存款業(yè)務(wù)的話(huà)，大多數(shù)銀行都會(huì)提供好幾種類(lèi)型的免費(fèi)儲(chǔ)蓄。

    我發(fā)現(xiàn)每個(gè)月我都交給銀行8美元，但是只能享受到銀行不免費(fèi)提供的個(gè)別服務(wù)（如免費(fèi)確認(rèn)支票）.

    Do you incur ATM fees because your bank's machines are not convenient? It might be as simple as reviewing your current bank's options or you might consider migrating your account to an Internet bank, especially if earning more interest is important to you.

    你是否因?yàn)殂y行取款機(jī)不方便而要支付ATM費(fèi)用呢？解決的最簡(jiǎn)單的方法也許就是看看你存款的銀行有沒(méi)有其他選擇，或者將錢(qián)存到網(wǎng)上銀行，特別是當(dāng)存款利息對(duì)你來(lái)說(shuō)是很重要的時(shí)候就更要這樣做了。

    3.Cable and Satellite Television

    電視和衛(wèi)星電視

    Competition in this industry means that new packages are available that could save you money. Television and phone service providers are now bundling together their services, so consolidating your phone and TV services at one company may save money.

    在該行業(yè)的激烈的競(jìng)爭(zhēng)就意味著新產(chǎn)品能夠幫你省錢(qián)。如今，電視和電話(huà)服務(wù)商都喜歡將業(yè)務(wù)捆綁在一起推銷(xiāo)，所以在同一家公司辦理捆綁業(yè)務(wù)可以幫你省錢(qián)。

    New customers, whether bundling services or not, usually get the best deals, so it may be necessary to switch providers. But sometimes threatening to switch will net you a discount. Also, if you're really serious about saving money, consider downgrading your package by cutting out pay cable channels.

    新客戶(hù)，不管是否選擇捆綁業(yè)務(wù)，都會(huì)得到最優(yōu)惠的服務(wù)，所以有必要的話(huà)，可以經(jīng)常換供應(yīng)商。但是經(jīng)常更換供應(yīng)商的危險(xiǎn)就是會(huì)使你享受不到折扣。并且，如果你真的想省錢(qián)的話(huà)，可以考慮下減少付費(fèi)頻道的訂購(gòu)。

    4.Cell Phone

    手機(jī)

    Cell phone companies love to offer free phones to induce you to sign up for another two-year contract. Before you renew your contract ask yourself a few questions:

    手機(jī)公司都會(huì)以提供免費(fèi)手機(jī)為名，讓你簽下兩年的花費(fèi)合約。在你簽之前先問(wèn)問(wèn)自己：

    （1）Do you really need a new phone and what is the hidden cost up sticking with your plan to get it? （I got my cell phone from Ebay for $30 rather than take the free one and the two-year contract.）

    你真的需要一個(gè)新手機(jī)嗎？在你得到這個(gè)手機(jī)的背后你要付出多少成本？（我寧愿從易趣網(wǎng)上花30美元買(mǎi)個(gè)手機(jī)，而不愿要一個(gè)免費(fèi)的手機(jī)和兩年的花費(fèi)合同）.

    （2）Are you using all the minutes allotted?

    你用得完所有的通話(huà)時(shí)間嗎？

    （3）Are you paying for Internet and texting but not using it enough to justify the cost? Or are you using it so much that another plan might be a better deal?

    你是否支付了過(guò)多的短信費(fèi)和手機(jī)流量費(fèi)？或者你是否每個(gè)月都超支，換選另外一種套餐也許是更實(shí)惠的做法。

    （4）Would a cheaper plan or a prepaid cell phone serve you just as well?

    是不是有適合你的更便宜的套餐或者付費(fèi)電話(huà)服務(wù)呢？

    5.Telephone

    電話(huà)

    Many people are getting rid of their landlines entirely. However, if you work out of your home, this may not be a feasible option. But if you have a separate fax line, you might consider discontinuing it. With a scanner, you can email documents as PDFs instead of faxing.

    很多人已經(jīng)完全淘汰了座機(jī)電話(huà)。但是，這對(duì)失業(yè)在家的你來(lái)說(shuō)可是個(gè)行不通的選擇。但是如果你有獨(dú)立的傳真電話(huà)的話(huà)，你可以考慮淘汰座機(jī)。而有掃描儀的話(huà)，你又可以不用發(fā)傳真，而是將文件掃描成PDF檔電郵給客戶(hù)。

    Like cable and Internet providers, landline phone service packages keep getting cheaper as more competition comes on the market. Consider VOIP or cable phone services. If you do stay with your traditional telephone company, be sure you are getting the cheapest long distance service and not paying for services you don't need.

    正如電視和網(wǎng)絡(luò)商家那樣，因?yàn)槭袌?chǎng)上激烈的競(jìng)爭(zhēng)，很多電話(huà)商家所提供的產(chǎn)品也是越來(lái)越便宜�？紤]下使用網(wǎng)絡(luò)電話(huà)或者電纜電話(huà)吧。如果你一定要堅(jiān)持使用傳統(tǒng)的電話(huà)的話(huà)，確保你得到的長(zhǎng)途電話(huà)收費(fèi)是最優(yōu)惠的，另外，不要為不需要的服務(wù)付費(fèi)。

    6.Internet Provider

    互聯(lián)網(wǎng)供應(yīng)商

    Shopping around for a better package of telephone services might also save you on your Internet access if you use DSL. But there are many other options for Internet services including cable, satellite and a whole host of wireless Internet options.

    使用DSL在網(wǎng)上四處逛逛，找一找更便宜的電話(huà)服務(wù)也可以幫你節(jié)省開(kāi)支。但是你也可以使用其他的網(wǎng)絡(luò)服務(wù)，如電視，衛(wèi)星等一整套的網(wǎng)絡(luò)服務(wù)。

    The Internet is a telecommuter's lifeline, so do your research first. Be sure if you change service providers the new one will offer the services and reliability your business needs.

    網(wǎng)絡(luò)是遠(yuǎn)程通訊工具，所以先要在網(wǎng)上做好搜索工作。確保如果你更換供應(yīng)商的話(huà)，新的供應(yīng)商會(huì)在滿(mǎn)足你業(yè)務(wù)需求的前提下更可靠的提供給最優(yōu)惠的服務(wù)。

    7.Refinance Your Home

    將你的房屋重新抵押籌備資金

    Refinancing your home can cut your monthly budget expenses the most significantly, sometimes saving you hundreds of dollars per month.

    將房屋重新抵押籌備資金能夠?yàn)槟愎?jié)省開(kāi)支成本做出很大的貢獻(xiàn)，每月能為你節(jié)省上百美元。

    But refinancing involves many upfront costs （interest points, taxes, fees, etc.）, so it may take several months （or even years） for you to actually realize these savings. And if you're not planning to stay in the house for long, you could actually lose money on refinancing. Carefully consider the pros and cons of refinancing your home before taking this cost-cutting step.

    將房屋重新抵押籌備資金包括了很多成本（如利率點(diǎn)，稅收，手續(xù)費(fèi)等）,所以你可能要花幾個(gè)月甚至上年的時(shí)間才能從中看到節(jié)省的成本。當(dāng)然了，如果你不打算在這所房子待很久的話(huà)，你這樣做就可能損失不少錢(qián)。在做成本的再抵押之前一定要慎重考慮好這樣做的利弊。

    8.Credit Card Rewards Points

    信用卡積分

    If you have a credit card with rewards points, use them. But use them wisely. Keep in mind that credit card companies offer points to induce you spend more. So don't pay more （by racking up interest or fees） in order to get rewards points. To accumulate points faster, concentrate your spending on the one card that offers the reward you will use （for me that's the one with Home Depot gift cards） rather than spreading your spending among several cards.

    如果你的信用卡上有積分的話(huà)，使用它們。但是要精明的使用這些積分。你要知道信用卡公司之所以提供積分是為了促進(jìn)你的消費(fèi)。所以不要為了積分而去消費(fèi)。為了更快的累積積分，最好的方法是使用一張?zhí)峁┓e分的信用卡，而不用很多張信用卡消費(fèi)。

    Saving rewards points for your dream vacation or another splurge runs the risk of the points expiring or never being used. Using points on a regular basis helps you cut your monthly expenses. Consider using rewards systems that pay cash or offer gift cards that you will actually use.

    累積積分的好處是也許能夠?qū)崿F(xiàn)你夢(mèng)想的假期或者其他值得炫耀的獎(jiǎng)項(xiàng)，但是風(fēng)險(xiǎn)就是可能商家會(huì)終止積分，或你一直沒(méi)機(jī)會(huì)使用這些積分。定期使用積分可以幫你節(jié)約每月開(kāi)支。選擇反饋現(xiàn)金或禮品卡的消費(fèi)更有效。

    9.Utility Bills

    水電費(fèi)

    Like phone and cable industries, your utility company likely has more competition than it once did. Often you can change gas or electric suppliers for a better price on your energy needs, while still remaining a customer of the same utility company for billing and delivery purposes. However, these other suppliers don't always have a better price so be sure to do some comparison shopping.

    正如電話(huà)、電視行業(yè)那樣，你們家的水電費(fèi)公司如今也面臨著前所未有的競(jìng)爭(zhēng)。在滿(mǎn)足需求的前提下，你可以經(jīng)常性地更換能給你帶來(lái)更多實(shí)惠的煤氣或電氣供應(yīng)商，但是你可能為了結(jié)算和支付方便一直使用同一家水電公司。但是，這些供應(yīng)商不可能一直都提供給你最優(yōu)惠的價(jià)格，所以要經(jīng)常貨比三家。

    But the old-fashioned way to save on utility costs is simply to conserve electricity or waste less water.

    而最傳統(tǒng)的節(jié)約水電費(fèi)開(kāi)支的方法就是盡量節(jié)約用水用電。

    10.Credit Card Interest Expense

    信用卡利息

    Monthly interest can be a huge expense for those with a large debt. Making only a minimum payment means the monthly interest eats up most of your payment. Reducing interest can mean more money for other expenses or paying off debt faster.

    每月如果你有大量負(fù)債的話(huà)肯定會(huì)產(chǎn)生巨大的利息。保底消費(fèi)就意味著你每月的大部分消費(fèi)都是用來(lái)支付利息的。你可以通過(guò)其他消費(fèi)或早一點(diǎn)還請(qǐng)貸款來(lái)降低利息。

    One way to lower your interest is to simply ask for a lower interest rate. Companies will often oblige to keep your business. If they don't, consider a balance transfer to another card with a better rate. Read the fine print, though, balance transfers sometimes offer rates that go up after a period of time and usually involve fees.

    減少利息最簡(jiǎn)單的方法就是向信用卡公司要求更低的償還利息。這些公司為了保住客戶(hù)，會(huì)答應(yīng)你的要求。如果他們不同意的話(huà)，就將信用卡的帳目轉(zhuǎn)到另一張利息更好的信用卡上。但是，要看清楚文件，因?yàn)榻Y(jié)余轉(zhuǎn)戶(hù)有時(shí)候在一定時(shí)期后利率會(huì)更高，并且都會(huì)產(chǎn)生手續(xù)費(fèi)。