I was just thinking of all the things we pay a monthly fee for, and wondering if we could reduce or eliminate any of them. The new year seems like a good time to re-evaluate this. What do you pay monthly fees for that you could reduce or eliminate?

Gym memberships
Netflix or other entertainment
Kids' tuition, programs, classes, or other activities
Cell phones/landlines
Internet
Cable/Satellite TV

We recently cut back on the amount we spend on monthly fees for activites- thanks in part to my daughter getting upset at her old dance studio. She decided that she wanted to pursue dance for another dance company (that does not do competition), that a lot of her friends from school go to. It is too late in the year for her to join this other dance company.

Oldest dd (old) dance class: Class (jazz, tap, ballet and acro)- $75 month
Competition class - $40 month
Costume & travel fees- $40 month
My cost for dance uniform- $200 dance season
Total for a dance season (Sept- June)- $1750- this is not including fundraisers and other expenses that varies for travleing and if the company decided to do a show in middle of summer! Actually even the gas for running her to dance classes!

For our cable & internet- $70 a month
Landline- $50 a month (unlimited long distance too!)
Cell phone $90 a month (I don't really care for this but hubby insists! Oh we are on the Family share plan through Verizon)

The only activity that we pay for right now is my youngest reschool class- $50 a month for 2 days a week.

Gym memberships-Mine are free because of working for the hospital. DH's are about $40 a month.
Netflix-End up being about $18 per month
Internet-$50 for cable/wireless
Cable w/HB0-$70
Kids' tuition, programs, classes, or other activities-DD's preschool is $50 per month, Gymnastics is $100 a session (about 3 months)
Cell phones/landlines-Mine is $75, DH's is $50

Monthly Expenses:
YMCA $60.00 for the whole family, imo worth every penny we can go swimming year round its a great source of healthy entertainment.

Blockbuster online w/tax 19.35 a month 3 at a time. Dh insists we keep it but I admit I love it as well.

Cell phone- No montly amount I top off our Virgin Mobile phones every few months. We just were not using the minutes and could not justify $60 plus dollars a month.

landline/dish/highspeed internet 117.00 a month includes long distance anytime of day vs waiting until 9 for cell phone.

Ds5 goes to Public school ds2 not in preschool or paid activities at this time

oldest ds plays soccer its about $70 a year for 16 wks Fall/summer

I dont see how I can simplfy more than I did last year in regards to this.

monthly gym membership for me and dh $50

dd dance fee $31.50/month
Gymnastics for both girls $35/month
Cable/internet/hbo $90/month ($45 of it is for high speed internet)
Cell phone for dh and me $90 (we don't have a land line)

TaeKwanDo $60 a month for entire family
cell phone $90 a month for 3 phones
cable/internet/unlimited phone (all together) $130 but dh's work reimburses us $50 for the internet portion.
No preschool at the moment
Dropped out Netflicks just rent occasionally at local store for $1.49 a movie

I think this is about as good as it gets for us too!

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~Happiness is a large family~

DSL $30
DirecTV w/HBO $70 (we don't rent movies anywhere so this is our movie source too)
Cell Phones $60 (for 2 phones)
DH plays an Online game for $15 (his only outside entertainment)
Extension 4H for 2 dd's $5/month total

We could drop HBO which we have talked about which would save us $12/month - but then we would rent more and where we live figure in gas and rental it would be more than $12/month

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Gym memberships $0
Netflix or other entertainment $16
Kids' tuition, programs, classes, or other activities $33 (for both kids in swimming lessons)
Cell phones/landlines $45 for both (but I'm very tempted to give up the landline entirely)
Internet $25
Cable/Satellite TV $30

My dd also takes piano but we do it on a bartering system. I babysit in exchange for lessons. We went for 9 years of marriage without cable but last year I finally broke down. It's so nice to have but I got the most basic package I could with no extras.

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Right now it's as follows:
Gym Memberships: $52 / month (YMCA)
Netflix: $15 / month
Preschool Tuition: $180 / month for two kids, two days a week 9:30-2:30
Cell Phone: $40
Internet/Cable/Phone (Vonage): $89

When we move to OKC things should change for us a big. We will be removing some monthly expenses while adding a few new ones.

Ds #1 qualifies for Pre-K in the fall so I am hopeful he gets in so our only tuition expense would be for Ds#2 . I Hope to find him another MDO program and so we would only have a minimal monthly tuition fee.
We will either keep our gym membership so we can put the kids in the swim program and use the gym ourselves, or we will cancel it altogether and work out from home again (yeah).
We will be looking into a second cell phone (probably pay as you go)
We will be cancelling our Netflix.

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DD dance - $50
cable/internet/phone- $60 (The benefit of DH working for the cable co)


I won't be cutting or eliminating unless DD doesn't want to continue dance (after getting hit with an almost $200 recital bill, I won't be sad if she doesn't want to continue)

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Does Money Matter?