Los Angeles, Calif., July 21, 2009 — This month, LowerMyBills.com®, a part of Experian, celebrates its 10-year anniversary as a premier online resource for consumers to compare low rates on monthly bills such as home loans; auto and health insurance; credit card debt; and Internet, cell phone and long-distance service.
As part of its 10-year anniversary celebration, LowerMyBills.com is offering 10 ideas that potentially could save consumers $10,000 each year:
1. Refinance a home mortgage to a lower rate. Take advantage of low interest rates to yield potentially significant savings. Refinancing a $300,000 loan from 6.2 percent to 5.2 percent can drop the monthly payment by $190.08.
Potential yearly savings: $2,280.96
2. Transfer a credit card balance to a 0 percent interest rate card. Transferring a credit card balance to a credit card with a 0 percent interest rate can help consumers carrying credit card debt save on their payments. A consumer making minimum payments of 3 percent with an $8,000 credit card balance who transfers his or her balance from a 16 percent interest rate to a 0 percent interest rate can save $1,088.56 per year.
Potential yearly savings: $1,088.56
3. Cancel a gym membership. Instead of running or playing basketball at the gym, work out at a local park or on a local trail. Eliminating a gym membership can lead to savings of $40 per month.
Potential yearly savings: $480
4. Brown-bag it. Lunch items from a grocery store are usually less expensive and healthier than a lunch out. Eating out five days a week at $10 a day costs $2,600 a year. In comparison, preparing a daily meal at home with $3 worth of groceries can yield savings of $35 a week.
Potential yearly savings: $1,820
5. Search for coupons online. Many stores have an unadvertised coupon section on their Web site. Search online for coupons before a shopping trip for potential savings. Clipping just $15 worth of coupons per month can add up to savings of $180 a year.
Potential yearly savings: $180
6. Forgo professional housecleaning. Cut back on household expenses by forgoing professional cleaning services. If a family has their house cleaned twice a month and each cleaning costs $100, forgoing the service could lead to a savings of $200 per month.
Potential yearly savings: $2,400
7. Shop for cheaper auto insurance. Auto insurance rates can vary by hundreds of dollars a year. Shop around to secure the best rate for the right amount of coverage. Reducing an insurance bill by even $50 a month can yield yearly savings of $600.
Potential yearly savings: $600
8. Find a cheaper cell phone plan. Cell phone and Blackberry™ rates vary based on the desired amount of coverage. Comparison-shop to find the best rate and the right plan. Downsizing from a $150-per-month plan to an $80-per-month plan could lead to savings of $70 per month.
Potential yearly savings: $840
9. Skip the soda; ask for tap water. Skipping a soda with a meal out is an effective way to cut costs and foster a healthier lifestyle. If a person eats out six times a week and a soda costs $2.50, opting for tap water could yield savings of $15 per week.
Potential yearly savings: $780
10. Cut premium cable channels. Cutting premium movie channels could shave more than $40 per month off of a cable bill.
Potential yearly savings: $480
Total potential yearly savings: $10,949.52
“For 10 years, LowerMyBills.com has been a trusted destination for consumers trying to reduce the cost of living,” said Steve Krenzer, president of Experian Interactive Media, which powers LowerMyBills.com. “As we celebrate our 10-year anniversary, we are proud to be a positive and effective resource for helping consumers weather the tough economy.”
LowerMyBills.com also is offering information on its key milestones and awards from the last 10 years. Please contact Lexie Puckett at lpuckett@experianinteractivemedia.com or 1 310 348 6911 for more details.
About LowerMyBills.com
LowerMyBills.com is a free online resource for consumers to compare low rates on monthly bills and reduce the cost of living. LowerMyBills.com is the one-stop destination that offers savings through relationships with hundreds of service providers across multiple categories, including home loans, credit cards, auto and health insurance, and long-distance and cell phone services.
About Experian
Experian® is a global leader in providing information, analytical and marketing services to organizations and consumers to help manage the risk and reward of commercial and financial decisions.
Combining its unique information tools and deep understanding of individuals, markets and economies, Experian partners with organizations around the world to establish and strengthen customer relationships and provide their businesses with competitive advantage.
For consumers, Experian delivers critical information that enables them to make financial and purchasing decisions with greater control and confidence. Clients include organizations from financial services, retail and catalog, telecommunications, utilities, media, insurance, automotive, leisure, e-commerce, manufacturing, property and government sectors.
Experian plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange (EXPN) and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 index. Experian has corporate headquarters in Dublin, Ireland, and has operational headquarters in Costa Mesa, Calif., and Nottingham, UK. The Group employs approximately 15,000 people in 40 countries worldwide, supporting clients in more than 65 countries around the world. Total Group revenue for the year ended March 31, 2009, was $3.9 billion.
For more information, visit http://www.experianplc.com.
Experian and the marks used herein are service marks or registered trademarks of Experian Information Solutions, Inc.
Other product and company names mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
Contact:
Lexie Puckett
LowerMyBills.com
1 310 348 6911 Telephone
lpuckett@experianinteractivemedia.com Email