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The price of almost everything – from a carton of eggs to a pound of steak – remains stubbornly high.
According to a report by Edelman Financial Engines, 58% of Americans say they need a minimum salary of $100,000 to avoid worrying about everyday expenses.
While you may not have much control over the price of most necessities, here are five things in your monthly budget you may be overpaying for – and how you can cut back.
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Car insurance
According to data from Forbes, the national average cost for car insurance in 2024 was $2,150 per year, or $179 per month.
But, depending on which state you live in, your driving history and the make and model of your car, there are some insurers that can offer you far less than what you’re currently paying.
Thanks to OfficialCarInsurance.com, comparing multiple insurance companies is easier than ever.
Just type your info into the fields below, and you’ll instantly get a selection of offers to choose from trusted brands, such as Progressive, Allstate and GEICO to make sure you’re getting the best deal.
In just 2 minutes, find offers as low as $29 a month.
Bank accounts
Most banks charge somewhere between $5 and $35 a month in account fees alone – especially if you bank with a big brick-and-mortar institution.
Online banks, on the other hand, typically charge lower or $0 fees and higher interest rates due to lower overhead costs.
For example, you can open a high-yield cash account with Wealthfront and earn 4.00% APY on deposits — which is almost 10x the national average. Plus, Wealthfront charges no account, monthly or overdraft fees.
Enjoy 24/7 instant withdrawals, plus no transfer fees if you want to move your money into a Wealthfront investment account.
Fund your account with $500 or more to get a $30 bonus today.
Life insurance
Global life insurance premiums are set to increase at an annual rate of 3% in 2025 and 2026, according to a report by Swiss Re Institute.
If you have life insurance in place – especially a term policy – it may be worth comparison-shopping to find a more affordable option. You can typically cancel a term life policy without incurring any penalties.
With Ethos, you can get term life insurance in 5 minutes, with no medical exams or blood tests.
You can get a policy with up to $2 million in coverage, starting at just $2/day.
Ethos’ application process ensures you get flexible coverage options quickly and transparently, allowing you to focus on what matters most.
Read more: Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says this 7-step plan ‘works every single time’ to kill debt, get rich in America — and that ‘anyone’ can do it
Pet insurance
For pet owners, the average cost for a routine visit to the vet ranges between $50 to $250 depending on where you live in the U.S., according to data from 2023 in a report by Care Credit.
And that doesn’t take into account expensive emergencies that could suddenly pop up and throw off your monthly budget. For example, emergency surgery could cost anywhere between $1,500 to $5,000.
Thanks to BestMoney, it’s easy to shop for affordable pet insurance to give you peace of mind.
You can instantly compare the coverage benefits, any deductibles, geographical availability and reviews — all in one place.
Home insurance
Average homeowners insurance premiums per policy increased 8.7% faster than the rate of inflation between 2018 and 2022, according to recent data released by the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
This is bad news for those who simply auto-renew with their current provider every year. In such a quickly shifting landscape it can pay to take 2 minutes to shop around for better rates.
OfficialHomeInsurance.com makes it easy to find the coverage you need without the hassle of calling multiple providers for quotes.
Simply fill out a few details and you could save an average of $482 a year.
What to read next
- JPMorgan sees gold soaring to $6,000/ounce — use this 1 simple IRA trick to lock in those potential shiny gains (before it’s too late)
- This is how American car dealers use the ‘4-square method’ to make big profits off you — and how you can ensure you pay a fair price for all your vehicle costs
- Here are 5 ‘must have’ items that Americans (almost) always overpay for — and very quickly regret. How many are hurting you?
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This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
