Keep Your Wallet Healthy!

There’s nothing like January’s cash crunch to focus our attention on money. We love these tips for cutting costs.

- Shanaaz Prince

IT’S beyond end-of-the-month Salticrax – at this point it’s more like toast with a smear of whatever is left in the cupboard or fridge. Seriously, could there be a more financially depressing time than mid-January?

It’s at this time of the year we could really use a break from bills or at least save a rand or two. But where to find these scarce randelas?

We highlight often overlooked ways of saving money so you can go from Januworry back to January.

Check your cellphone contract

If you choose not to upgrade your phone when your contract ends, make sure you cancel the contract – if you don’t, you’ll still be billed even though you’ve paid off the phone.

As a contract subscriber, the onus is on you to cancel your contract with your network service provider, says Ideshini Naidoo, customer experience officer at MTN. You can either switch to a month to-month contract or opt for a prepaid package. Keep in mind that airtime and data bundles generally cost more on prepaid.

Annual versus monthly fees

Make a list of all the bills you pay, then check which ones offer a discount if you pay them in full upfront.

Many parents know this is the case with school fees – you usually get about 10 percent off if they’re paid in full at the beginning of the year.

But there are other things that could result in savings, such as your DStv subscription. The pay channel increases its fees on 1 April every year but if you pay your annual account in full before then, MultiChoice will charge you last year’s price – and you’ll pay for only 11 months. “The 12th month is free if you pay in advance for the year,” says Marietjie Groenewald, head of corporate communications at MultiChoice.