It is amazing how much money you can save when you make the time to look.

A) look objectively at what you are already doing and
B) look around for ways to streamline, reduce costs in those steps.

For example—the laundry cost cutting post talked about saving lint from the lint trap and using it to make paper. It’s an out of the box way to think about something that would normally be thrown away. It makes you think—what are some other creative ways to find savings?

Normally in a post that starts out that way, there would be tips like “use white vinegar and water instead of costly cleaning supplies” and “knit or crochet your own dish cloths—it’s a hobby that will keep you busy, doesn’t cost much and you’ll never have to buy sponges again!” In this post, though, why don’t we look at something most of us take for granted: our internet and cable?

Yes, yes—we all know—you can cut down on entertainment costs exponentially simply by checking books, music and movies out of the library instead of buying them or renting them from places like Redbox or your local video rental place (if your town even still has one of those). But what about real savings?

Bundling With Wireless

For many of us, the point is mute: our towns have been commandeered by a single internet/cable provider and there aren’t any other options. In Portland, Oregon, for example, Comcast rules the roost (though they are getting closer to getting Google fiber).

Here’s a tip you might not have thought about: why not try to get your internet and cable through your cellular provider? Most cellular companies like Verizon and AT&T offer some sort of internet/cable option for their customers.

AT&T has a U-Verse plan that bundles wireless plans with a cable and home based internet connection. There are even coupon codes that you can use to further reduce the cost of the plan. To find them, maybe query your friends online: can anyone come up with att uverse code? Money Ning answered ours pretty quickly so you shouldn’t have any trouble!

Do You Need Every Part of That Bundle?

More and more people are canceling their cable and landline packages and just going for a straightforward Internet connection. They’re doing this because there are so many other affordable options out there that are helping them find entertainment without those extra things. For example:

• Most people are using Netflix, Hulu Plus and Amazon Prime subscriptions to watch TV instead of cable.
• When you use your cellular phone you can call it through a free Google voice line instead of using a landline (if there is another reason to keep a landline in a town with adequate cellular coverage, I’m anxious to hear it).

Reducing Costs Even Further

Believe it or not, you can save even more money on your television and phone habits. Remember, that $7.99 Hulu or Netflix or Amazon Prime subscription might not seem like a lot but if you’re subscribed to all three, that’s almost $25 a month—you might as well just get the cable package with the included DVR! Try these tips to reduce your costs even more:

Watch TV directly through network websites. CBS, ABC, NBC even Food Network make their shows available on their websites, which means you don’t need to subscribe to anything to watch them.

YouTube has movies on it now. Seriously.

For that matter, there are tons of really great YouTube shows and series now that are all available for free!

Use Google voice and your laptop’s speakers and built in mic for making phone calls to save on your phone’s minutes and get a cheaper plan.

Have you found ways to drastically reduce your cable, internet, phone and entertainment costs? Share them in the comments!