Saving money goes further than just opting for home brand products over the gourmet kind.

If you want to save money in every way possible; tackling your monthly, weekly and yearly bills is an excellent place to start. There are some things you can’t go without paying and tend to take up a big portion of your salary. It’s worth looking at where the big expenses are making a dent to your savings – and if you are able to decrease them in any way it could be worth hundreds to you over the long term.

There are plenty of tips and tricks that will help you become to be an ultimate bill slayer.

Mobile Phone bills can set you back anywhere from $50 to $200 a month depending on your level of data usage and type of phone you’ve opted for. Changing plans to a cheaper and more affordable one will no doubt help you keep your expenses down. If you are willing, going for a cheaper phone and going for a prepaid option will potentially save you hundreds.

Another option is if you have an expensive smartphone is to pay for it outright and add credit and data to it monthly, although the expense will set you back a little bit at first, in the long run it will save you money.

Compare everything. There are a multitude of apps and services out there that allow you to compare everything from gas, electricity to mobile phone plans and internet service providers. They will let you input your needs; for example, if you need a phone plan with plenty of data, and it will give you options for different companies and plans from cheapest to most expensive.

Unless you’re fortunate enough to live rent free, chances are your electricity bill will come as a shock to you each and everytime. A great way to reduce this expensive bill is to turn things off! When you’re not using them, turn them off. Even appliances on standby cost you money. If you’re an air con addict, switch to old school fan cooling. One of the biggest power consumers in your home is probably your dryer so during the summer months why not invest in a sturdy washing line and cut down your bills.

Get online, stay off the TV. If you have to pay TV, it can be quite a large expense each month. However, the cheaper option is to see if your favourite shows are available online. Watching your favourite TV shows on your laptop can mean you save on your Foxtel bills. If you’re a real money saver there is always free TV, who knew? Some providers like iTunes now let you pay for only the shows you want to watch – potentially saving you from paying for the stuff you really don’t want to watch.

Get rid of your credit cards! If you can’t completely get rid of them, at least work hard to pay them off so you don’t have to deal with them forever. If you have the option, go for one with the lowest interest rates or one with benefits and rewards that will help you out in the long term. If you are struggling with paying it back, there is no harm in hopping on the phone to a customer service representative and explaining your situation. When in doubt, ask an expert. Our mortgage brokers at Smartline Rockingham can help you with debt consolidation. Chances are, we can help you secure an interest free period or combine the debt with your home loan.

So whether you’re saving for a deposit, wanting to invest in property or just looking to become more financially stable, these easy bill saving hacks will definitely help you on your way to reaching your financial goals!