Life is busy. We go for the convenience of auto-pay out of the checking account with a quick glance at the email reminder that says your payment has been scheduled; a fleeting thought crosses your mind that the amount seems higher than in the past and that you should probably check into it. Then the phone rings and it is forgotten until the next statement notice. Sound familiar? We all are guilty of it. The incremental increases that occur on the ten bills are usually small enough that we prioritize them to the bottom of the list. But that additional expense will eventually add up to hundreds of dollars. I have listed 5 of the most notorious creeper expenses with some suggestions to control the increases.

1. Cell Phones: I am guilty like many of going for the two year contract in order to afford a higher quality phone without the initial expense. When I initially signed my contract, I was satisfied with the monthly charges. What I did not expect was the slow increase throughout my contract, growing over 20% in a two year period without any changes in my service. Of course my first step was to call and ask for an explanation. I didn’t receive one. Somewhere in the fine print explains they have the freedom to do what they want with my charges. So I asked for the cost to end my contract, ouch, ridiculous. The next step was to search for a different carrier. All offer close to the same deals and relatively similar coverage, and all of them have the freedom to do what they want. We chose to begin to eliminate the charge by trying out a no contract deal. We chose a good phone with all of the current bells and whistles, paid for the phone which comes with a warranty. The monthly unlimited services are a set price every month. You can choose to change the services as needed. This first phone acquisition has reduced our cell phone bill by 20% and as soon as the contract is up on the others, we will make the same move to reduce the expense further.

2. Insurance: This necessary expense is something we will shop for and once the purchase is made, forget about it. Car insurance, renters/homeowners, health, all should be shopped periodically for better rates and coverage. It is easy to ignore the slow growing insurance rates. Competition is increasing for these companies as well and deals are getting sweeter. I want to let you know that some of the companies will reward long term customers but you have to ask for it. Check your level of deductibles as well. A minor increase in deductible can lower your rates.

3. Household utilities: An expense we are not willing to live without but changes can be made to improve them. Competition has moved into this arena as well. With utilities, the increasing amounts will probably come from carelessness. Switching over to energy efficient bulbs will make a difference. Do a walk through the house periodically and note small things that can be done to improve the efficiency and while you are at flip off the lights. Making sure your statements are accurate is important as well. There is very little reason a meter reading should be estimated. If you catch that on your statement, read the meter immediately and call the company. A surprise bill twice what you paid the last month can hurt your budget.

4. Cable/Entertainment: Although not a necessary expense by my definition, my children would argue the logic. Most special sign up bundles only last for 6 months. After the offer is over, your bill is going to shock you. Contact the company and ask for the rate back. There is increasing competition in this area as well. If they cannot make an adjustment to your rate to retain you as a customer, start shopping. If you change companies, ask them to waive the install fee. If they want you as a customer, they should work for it. Another way to avoid this expense creeping up on you is make sure you are not falling into the order as you go entertainment. There can be surprise fees involved with most of those beyond the advertisement. With improvements in technology, there are many avenues to get home entertainment. Consider your options and NEVER lock into a contract.

5. Food: I can’t preach enough for planned shopping trips and limiting your stops for convenience. My family and I were really into just stopping to eat out on a whim. We realized that we were spending more on that than our house and car payment, that was a painful realization and an expense we could do without. So we challenged ourselves to eliminate the expense. We saved $1,000 in one month. Of course the stopping to eat would lead to extra stops for shopping so spending was reduced in more than one category. It is easy to fall back into old habits too. So make a list, shop for the week, and plan for the convenience items you usually pick up at the gas station.

By assessing these five expenses, making the necessary phone calls or adjustments to your spending will bring more money to the bottom line in your bank account. Once you have plugged up any leaks you find, I recommend a deeper assessment of the remaining items you spend on to pick any other low hanging, easy to reach fruit on your money tree. For more from the author,