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Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
9 Downsizing Tips for the Middle Class To Save on Monthly Expenses
There's only so much you can control about your financial situation. You can't snap your fingers and magically increase your salary. The reality is that if you're in the middle class, one of the biggest changes you can make is downsizing to save money on monthly expenses. Find Out: For You: But that doesn't mean you have to give up everything you enjoy in your daily life. There are some pretty common expenses and purchasing habits the middle class can easily cut back on that can seriously improve their finances — especially for people with debt. One of the easiest areas for middle-class families to save money, according to finance expert, Dennis Shirshikov, is by evaluating and downsizing their subscription services. 'Many households subscribe to multiple streaming services, digital magazines and monthly delivery boxes, often spending more than $100 per month,' he said. 'While individually these services seem affordable, collectively they can add up significantly.' A practical approach he recommended is to review all subscriptions and eliminate those that are rarely used or overlap in content. 'For example, choosing one or two favorite streaming platforms instead of subscribing to five can save around $30 to $50 monthly,' Shirshikov said. Read Next: If you're in the middle class and carry debt, you know how much of your monthly budget it can eat up. Your balance keeps growing, and you can struggle to even make the minimum payments on top of all your other bills. With debt settlement, their experts will negotiate directly with your lenders to agree on a reduced balance, meaning you could pay less than what you owe. With debt consolidation, all your debt is combined into one new loan, ideally with a lower interest rate. This helps you pay off your balance faster and saves money on interest payments. Another significant expense for many middle-class families is dining out and takeout, Shirshikov said. 'While convenient, frequently eating out can quickly become a financial drain,' he said. 'According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average household spends about $3,000 annually on food away from home. Reducing the frequency of dining out by planning meals and cooking at home can result in substantial savings.' According to Shirshikov, downsizing vehicle-related expenses is another effective way to save money. 'Many middle-class families own multiple cars, which can be costly when considering insurance, maintenance, fuel, and loan payments,' he said. Shirshikov said evaluating the necessity of each vehicle and considering alternatives like carpooling, public transportation or even biking can lead to significant savings. 'For example, selling a second car that is rarely used can save on insurance and maintenance costs, potentially freeing up $200 to $400 monthly.' 'The rise of streaming services and online content has made traditional cable packages less essential,' Shirshikov said. 'Middle-class families can often find more cost-effective options by downgrading their cable packages or switching to internet-only plans combined with streaming services. According to a report by the average cable bill in the U.S. is about $217 per month.' He said by cutting the cord and opting for a high-speed internet plan paired with a few streaming subscriptions, families can save upwards of $100 per month. Justin Godur, finance advisor and founder of Capital Max, agreed. 'Often, we subscribe to expensive cable packages thinking we need numerous channels or premium content,' he said. However, he noted that most people don't utilize half of what they pay for. 'Opting for selective streaming services or a basic cable package can save a substantial amount each month.' 'While the allure of the latest smartphone model is strong, these devices can be incredibly expensive,' Godur said. 'Opting for a model that's one or two generations older can still provide excellent functionality at a fraction of the cost.' Shopping for groceries — or medications — can quickly become expensive when opting for brand-name products. 'Many store-brand items are nearly identical in quality but are significantly cheaper,' Godur said. This simple switch can save a noticeable amount each month without sacrificing quality. 'Gym memberships are beneficial, but often underutilized,' Godur said. 'Considering the cost, it's practical to switch to cost-effective or free alternatives like outdoor exercises, community sports groups or even online workout classes that are much cheaper or free.' Shirshikov shared a similar view, saying many people pay for memberships they rarely use. But he also advised that when the weather permits outdoor activities like running, biking or hiking, those in the middle class should explore home workout routines or local community centers with lower fees. 'This can be an effective way to stay fit without the high costs,' he said. This last tip is arguably a bit tired, but it doesn't make it any less true. 'A daily coffee purchase at high-end cafes can quietly drain your wallet,' Godur said. 'Investing in a good coffee maker at home can dramatically cut down your monthly expenses and you might find you enjoy the taste of your home brew just as much.' At the very least, just try to cut down on your Starbucks trips, and you could find yourself with an extra $100 in our savings account every month. More From GOBankingRates Mark Cuban Warns of 'Red Rural Recession' -- 4 States That Could Get Hit Hard The New Retirement Problem Boomers Are Facing 7 Luxury SUVs That Will Become Affordable in 2025 This article originally appeared on 9 Downsizing Tips for the Middle Class To Save on Monthly Expenses
CNET
30-05-2025
- General
- CNET
This One-Second Fix Fixed All My Roku Freezing Issues
I've been using Roku devices for years. They're simple, reliable and great for streaming all my favorite shows. But lately, my older Roku started acting up. It was freezing, buffering and just generally lagging behind. I thought it might be time to replace it or give up on my built-in smart TV altogether. Turns out, I didn't need to do either. I found a super quick fix that takes less than a minute and made a huge difference. Like phones and laptops, Roku devices store background data to speed things up - but too much of that data can actually slow everything down. Clearing out that hidden clutter sped things up instantly. It freed up memory and made my Roku feel brand new again. If yours is acting sluggish, try this first before spending money on a replacement. Best Affordable Big TVs: More Screen, Less Cost Best Affordable Big TVs: More Screen, Less Cost Click to unmute Video Player is loading. Play Video Pause Skip Backward Skip Forward Next playlist item Unmute Current Time 0:17 / Duration 3:15 Loaded : 33.52% 0:16 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 2:58 Share Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Close Modal Dialog This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button. Close Modal Dialog This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button. Best Affordable Big TVs: More Screen, Less Cost How to clear your Roku TV cache This process isn't as straightforward on a Roku TV as it is on other devices. Following these steps will improve your device's performance and clear its cache. Keep in mind that your Roku TV will restart. Reset Roku TV in the settings From the main menu, go to the end of the list and select the Settings menu. Within Settings, find System and open it. Scroll down to Power and select it. Select System Restart and click Restart to confirm. This will turn off your TV and clear the cache, but it will not factory reset it. Your Roku TV should turn back on in about 30 seconds. If this doesn't work, you can try using the hidden remote function to reset the TV instead. Reset Roku TV with remote Sarah Tew/CNET Go to the Home menu and make sure the highlight is over the Home option on the left. On your remote push the Home button five times. Push the Up arrow once. Push the Rewind button twice. Push the Fast Forward button twice. Wait for your Roku to restart. Uninstall the app CNET If resetting the Roku TV doesn't solve the issues with slowing, you may have to uninstall and reinstall the app you believe is causing the issue. As a warning, all users and settings will be removed from the app and you will need to set this back up upon reinstall. Highlight the app, but do not open it. Push the * button on your remote. Select Remove Channel from the popup. How to factory reset your Roku TV For those still having issues, you may be better off doing a factory reset of the whole Roku TV. This will remove all your users, sign-ins and apps, making it the same as if you had just brought it home from the store. From the menu, select Settings. Find System and select it. At the bottom of the System menu, go to Advanced System Settings. Select Factory Reset and enter the code underneath the number pad on the right to confirm reset. For more coverage, read about how you can set up a VPN on Roku and learn how your streaming device might be tracking you.
CNET
27-05-2025
- Business
- CNET
Looking for Consistent Phone Plan Pricing? Save with T-Mobile's 5-Year Guarantee
Wouldn't it be nice to have one of your monthly expenses remain stable for a while? Phone plans have seemed tumultuous recently, which is why T-Mobile's 5-year price guarantee with new Experience plans was such a surprise when it was announced earlier this year. With costs increasing on everything, and knowing that phone plans often come with strings attached, we've looked into the details of this deal so you can start saving on your next phone plan. T-Mobile's price guarantee applies to the Experience plans, but not the Essentials plans. The first tier is Experience More, which starts at $90 per month for a single line and includes Unlimited Premium data and text. It also offers 60GB of high-speed hotspot data (then unlimited at 3G speeds), Apple TV Plus, Netflix (with ads), Hulu (with ads) and is upgrade-ready every two years. If you need three lines, you'll get the third one free. This plan includes 5-year price protection and is $5 less when you sign up with AutoPay. Hey, did you know? CNET Deals texts are free, easy and save you money. Experience Beyond is the next tier, which starts at $105 per month and offers unlimited talk and text, plus 250GB of high-speed hotspot data (then unlimited at 3G speeds). Every streaming service listed above is included, as well as smartwatch and tablet lines starting at $5 per month. Beginning July 2025, Experience Beyond customers get T-Satellite service included in the plan (Experience More customers can get T-Satellite free through the end of 2025, then pay $10 a month as an add-on). Other perks include upgrade eligibility every year and 30GB of high-speed data in Mexico and Canada. T-Mobile will knock off an extra $5 per month when you sign up for AutoPay, which means you'll pay just $100. Families can sign up for two lines and get the third line free, which can save them up to 20% when switching from other carriers. A quick reminder that the 5-year price guarantee applies only to the Experience plans and doesn't apply to other T-Mobile plans. Looking for more ways to save on your phone bill but aren't sure if this deal is right for you? We've rounded up a list of the best phone plans so you can view all of your options. Why this deal matters T-Mobile's 5-year price guarantee is a great way to have a consistent phone bill that can also save you extra on data fees and subscriptions. Both eligible Experience plans are an extra $5 off when you sign up for AutoPay. With so many price increases on other basics, this is a great deal for anyone who wants to save on a recurring monthly expense.
Bloomberg
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Bloomberg
Democrats Can't Escape Biden's Shadow
While lawmakers on Capitol Hill are working away at President Donald Trump's big, beautiful bill, Washington's chattering class is focused on a book about his predecessor. Joshua Green writes today about Original Sin and how looking back distracts from Democrats' goals. Plus: Customers love sports documentaries, but streaming services are getting more choosy. If this email was forwarded to you, click here to sign up.
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
4 ‘Necessities' Boomers Are Spending Money on That Could Harm Their Finances
When determining a budget, it's important to have a firm grasp on what is a 'necessity' and what is a discretionary expense. But sometimes the distinctions aren't so clear cut. Qualifying discretionary expenses as necessities can mean overspending on these items and utilizing money that's better off being put toward short- or long-term savings goals or debt repayment. This can be especially harmful for boomers, many of whom are retired and living on a fixed income. Check Out: Read Next: 'Most Americans, including boomers, likely know what constitutes a traditional 'necessity,' but it's human nature to want to spend on things that bring us joy, regardless of whether we can live with or without it,' said Courtney Alev, consumer financial advocate at Credit Karma. 'The more important decision for boomers to weigh is how their nonessential spending habits impact their budgets and ability to stay on top of their financial obligations.' Here's a look at the nonessential expenses boomers are most likely to consider necessities. A recent Credit Karma study asked Americans of all ages to share the top nonessential items and services that they consider to be necessities. Among boomers, the top choices were streaming services like Netflix and Hulu (29%), travel (23%), dining out (23%) and skin care and beauty products (22%). 'People are choosing to find comfort in spending on the things they enjoy, even amid economic uncertainty,' Alev said. 'However, it's important to audit your finances to be prepared in case of an unexpected expense or income change.' She recommended boomers audit their nonessential spending to find ways to cut costs. 'When deciding where to cut back, prioritize what brings you the most joy and value,' Alev said. 'For instance, if taking a vacation is how you want to treat yourself this summer, consider limiting how much you dine out or spend on skin care so you can allocate that spend toward an emergency savings fund instead. That way, you still get to treat yourself with summer travel while also building a financial cushion in case of an unexpected event or expense.' Discover More: Discretionary spending should be part of a boomer's budget — they just shouldn't let it take precedence over other financial priorities. 'My No. 1 piece of advice is to ensure you're prioritizing your financial security above all else,' Alev said. 'Before you spend on your wants, make sure you're prioritizing reducing or eliminating any high-interest debts and that you're actively saving for a rainy day. Consider gamifying the progress you make on your financial goals, such as treating yourself to a meal out with friends once you've achieved your savings goal for the week.' In general, boomers do tend to be responsible spenders, Alev noted. 'We know from our study that most boomers are thinking rationally about their nonessential spending,' she said. 'A majority (87%) say they will strongly consider cutting back on their nonessential spending if their financial situation worsens in the coming months, and 84% are not willing to take on credit card debt in order to maintain it.' More From GOBankingRates Surprising Items People Are Stocking Up On Before Tariff Pains Hit: Is It Smart? 7 Luxury SUVs That Will Become Affordable in 2025 5 Little-Known Ways to Make Summer Travel More Affordable Mark Cuban Tells Americans To Stock Up on Consumables as Trump's Tariffs Hit -- Here's What To Buy Sources Credit Karma, 'New Necessities: Young Americans redefine essential spending amid economic uncertainty' This article originally appeared on 4 'Necessities' Boomers Are Spending Money on That Could Harm Their Finances Sign in to access your portfolio
