We always talk about saving money but end up spending more! If you have made the resolution to take better control of your money in 2017 then here are 7 great ways to reduce your expenses:

1- Cut Down on Your Monthly Expenses

You can save a good amount of money on an yearly basis if you regularly cut down your monthly expenses.

• Sign up for automatic debt repayment plans.
• Ask for credit card rate reduction.
• Try reducing your cable bill.
• Cut down on expensive entertainment or dine outs.
• Cancel unnecessary magazine subscriptions.
• Use coupons to buy regular grocery items.
• Stop spending too much on clothing.

2- Reduce Your Energy Costs

Consuming energy costs a lot of money especially in the summer months when the air conditions are running. In order to reduce the energy cost, try the following tips:

• Promote better airflow into your home.
• Switch off the lights and AC when not in use.
• Stop using heat in the washing machine.
• Switch to LED's.

Replace old AC's and other heavy appliances with 5 star rated ones.

3- Break Up with Stuffs You Don't Use

Selling or getting rid of items you no longer need will go a long way to help you save money. Here's how to choose what to get rid of:

• Rifle through your closets, storerooms, and attics and find old items you don't require, or won't require after a short while.
• If possible, clean and mend these articles on your own using simple, inexpensive means. This will increase their value, and hence you can get more out of selling them.
• Visit websites like eBay, Craigslist and Amazon (currently, Amazon only lets you sell used books) and put up the items you don't use for sale.

4- Compare Quotes When Choosing a Car Insurance Company

Car insurance is a necessity in the contemporary world. It will protect your finances should something happen to your car. With several car insurance companies offering a myriad of schemes, picking an insurance company can become vexing. However, websites that help you compare car insurance quotes can be a great help. Quote comparison websites ask you for some basic information like your zip code, your car model, and its year of purchase to compare the insurance quotes of various reputable companies for your area.

5- Join a Warehouse Club

Warehouse clubs are large organizations that sell items in bulk, and generally located on the outskirts of large towns and cities.

• The advantage of buying from warehouses is that they offer you discounts for goods depending on how much you buy.
• For private individuals to become customers, most warehouses offer club memberships. The initial fees of memberships are something to think about, but in the end, with the rewards and benefits of membership, they are worth it.
• Some popular warehouses give special services to their club members. Costco for instance, grants members exclusive deals on insurances, eye care, and banking services.

6- Pack Your Own Lunch to Office

Restaurant food is usually at a higher-calorific value when compared with homemade counterparts.

• The American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics props this theory with statistics from 2016, which says that 92% of restaurant dishes have too many calories.
• Disregarding these health benefits, homemade meals are cheaper than cafeteria or restaurant meals.
• Packing your own lunch to work also implies more flexibility on what you eat. You can adjust your ingredients and recipes to suit your budget.
• Work meals can also consist of the previous night's leftovers. This will prevent wastage of food and thus save you money.

7- Make Use of Carpooling

Carpooling to work is a great way to save money. Look for colleagues and fellow employees who live close-by or use the same way to go to the office.

• Carpooling is a great save on auto fuel. It will be advantageous to share the cost of gas. With more people, the amount you have to pay will also reduce.
• By carpooling, you will save money on maintenance and damage repair costs of your vehicle as well.

This article was originally published on The Christian Post.