If you are like a lot of 50+ Baby Boomers this new year, you are looking for ways to save money. Every dollar saved is another dollar you have in your pocket. Well, there are four easy changes you can make that will result in hefty savings this year.

Cut your Cable TV Bill


The cable TV companies play this game where they bundle everything, making it difficult to subscribe to just the shows and channels you want to watch. The result? More money for them and frustration for you.

You would be surprised how many people are abandoning cable TV in favor of much less expensive online entertainment:

Deliotte, an accountancy firm that follows business trends in media, released the results of their sixth State of the Media Democracy earlier this week and it doesn’t forecast sunnier skies for cable companies in 2012. According to the press release:
 
A number of Americans have already cut, or are exploring cutting their pay TV connection entirely. Deloitte’s survey found that 9 percent of people have already cut the cord and 11 percent are considering doing so because they can watch almost all of their favorite shows online. An additional 15 percent of respondents said that they will most likely watch movies, television programs, and videos from online digital sources (via download or streamed over the Internet) in the near future.
 
Moreover, the number of people citing streaming delivery of a movie to their computer or television as their favorite way of watching a movie rose to 14 percent from 4 percent in 2009.
 
Source: http://www.webpronews.com/deliotte-media-study-2012-01

Because of Netflix, Hulu and a variety of other online entertainment sites, canceling your cable has become a viable alternative. Experts state, however, that just downsizing to the basic (~$30) monthly program is probably best to avoid penalties, especially if you still have Internet services with the cable company. But taking this simple step can typically save you anywhere from $70 to $200 monthly!

Consolidate your Insurance

I just did this myself and saved a bundle. By consolidating your home, car and any rental unit insurance under a single carrier, you will enjoy lower rates and discounts. Shop around and you will see what I mean. In my case, a few phone calls resulted in a savings of over $100 monthly without giving up the quality of my insurance coverage.

Get Rid of your Land Line

Most of us still have a telephone landline. This is usually part of a Cable TV package. Others maintain one in the belief that it will still function if a disaster hits and cell towers cease to function. With today's typical phones sets, the type that use batteries for ancillary phones elsewhere in the house, this is not necessarily true. Read the fine print and you are likely to be surprised.

Going strictly to mobile phone use is already a major trend among younger people. Millions are already doing it, and this trend will become the norm over time. If you are honest with yourself, you probably already use your mobile phone much more than your landline. I know that the majority of landline calls I get are from solicitors, wrong numbers or bill collectors trying to reach someone who previously had my number.

Cutting out a landline can save $25-35 monthly. Think about it.

Cut your Grocery Bill

This tip is very easy to implement. You can enjoy major savings in your monthly grocery bill simply by using coupons and buying house brands. And there are tons of online sites that offer free coupons for EVERYTHING! Just google "coupons." Taking this simple step can result in amazing savings with little effort on your part. 

The Bottom Line? More Money for You in 2012!

So, if you take advantage of these four easily attained savings, you will quickly see several hundred dollars more of spendable money in your pocket every month without really having to make any sacrifices. Life is good, and 2012 is going to be a good year for older Boomers.