For millions of Americans, Christmas will go on long past midnight on December 25... with potentially crippling consequences.
According to the Gallup polling company, the average American plans to spend $812 on Christmas gifts this year. If they put it all on their credit cards... they'll have to add about $68 a month to their regular payments to pay it off in a year.
What if I told you that you could save $21,000 on your mortgage – and pay it off four years sooner – without spending an extra dime?
Before we dive into our list of ways to pay off your mortgage early and save on interest, let's set up an example.
One of our faithful Retirement Millionaire readers pointed out to us that cord-cutting only works if you have reliable Internet. If you live in an area without a high-quality Internet stream, you will need to consider other options.
Satellite providers account for about 41% of the cable market. Big players like DISH and DirecTV often offer cheaper plans than "corded" providers. That includes discounted bundles for television and Internet.
If you don't want to give up cable, here are three tips to help reduce your monthly bill...
Tip No. 1: Negotiate. This is the best and most tried-and-true method to save money on cable. Call up your cable company and tell them you're ready to cancel. They will put you in touch with a "retention specialist" – someone who will try different tactics to get you to stay. But don't ask specifically for a retention specialist. That's a red flag you want a discount. Make sure to threaten cancellation and if they don't help you, try calling again later.
We hate cable companies…
Cable companies consistently rank near the tops of lists of the most hated industries in the U.S. And it's no wonder…