10 Bills You Should Pay Yearly Instead of Monthly (2024)

10 Bills You Should Pay Yearly Instead of Monthly (1)

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If you want to save money, there are many companies that will give you discounts if you pay annually rather than monthly. Sometimes, all you have to do is ask or wait for there to be a sale on annual passes.

Here are several examples to help you save.

Car Insurance

Car insurance is the most common bill people think of when it comes to annual savings. In fact, you can save around 6%-14% on your premiums if you pay for your insurance six or 12 months at a time.

Plus, when you call your car insurance company, you can ask about other discounts you might be eligible for. Car insurance companies typically offer a range of discounts, from loyalty discounts to student discounts, along with savings if you bundle with other types of insurance.

Gym Membership

Many people don’t realize that you can offer to pay your gym membership annually in exchange for a discounted rate. Often, gyms will give discounts to customers who are willing to pay for a year at a time because it means the gym has guaranteed income. It also goes a long way in encouraging you to go each month since you’re unlikely to cancel a membership you’ve already paid for in advance.

Amazon Prime and Other Services

Some people pay for their Amazon Prime subscription monthly, but you can save big money by paying for it annually. The same is true for other subscriptions, whether it’s for streaming music or grocery delivery. Sometimes, during different holidays, companies will offer deep discounts on their annual subscriptions, so keep your eyes peeled if there’s one you really want.

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Tuition Expenses

Whether you’re paying for your children’s preschool tuition, high school tuition, or even college tuition, many schools offer discounts if you pay in full instead of in installments. You can typically find this information on a school’s tuition information page or by calling the financial aid or business office.

Home Security Monitoring

If you’re a homeowner, you know how important it is to protect your property from intruders. There are many options to choose from when it comes to selecting a security company. When doing your research, find out if there are discounts for paying for monitoring annually rather than monthly. Many companies, like others on this list, will offer a discount to customers who are willing to pay for a year of service in advance.

Magazine or Newspaper Subscriptions

Although most people read the news online these days, there are still some who enjoy flipping through a physical magazine or journal. Most offer significant discounts if you purchase a one-year subscription.

Web Hosting and Domain Renewal

If you have a website, whether it’s for your business or a personal portfolio, you typically save if you purchase a full year’s worth of service. Some hosting companies will offer deep discounts if you pay for two, five, and sometimes even 20 years’ worth of owning a domain at once.

Roadside Assistance Memberships

Some insurance companies offer roadside assistance as a perk, but if yours doesn’t, you might consider purchasing something like AAA or a different assistance program. While many programs offer monthly memberships, you can typically save more (and save yourself a monthly bill to remember) by paying annually.

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Parking Permits

If you live or work somewhere that requires you to pay for a monthly parking permit, ask if you can get a discount for paying annually instead. Sometimes, parking passes come in three, six, or 12-month packages. The benefit of paying yearly, in addition to saving money, is that you’re less likely to forget to pay your bill. That will save you the stress of being towed or not being allowed into your building because your parking pass expired.

Property Taxes

If you have a mortgage, some mortgage companies require you to put money into escrow monthly so the bank can pay property taxes on your behalf. If you can find a mortgage company that will allow you to pay property taxes on your own, you can save money yourself for those large annual payments. That way, you can keep your money in a savings account that earns interest over time, rather than paying the bank monthly to make the payment for you.

Final Thoughts

Adults have many bills to pay each month, including their mortgage or rent payments, utility bills, cell phone bills and more. Sometimes, it helps to streamline your cash flow by paying for some bills annually instead of monthly. Fortunately, many companies and services offer discounts to those who pay bills on an annual basis so you can save money, too.

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10 Bills You Should Pay Yearly Instead of Monthly (2024)

FAQs

Which bills should you pay yearly instead of monthly? ›

Whether it's health, auto, or home insurance, opting for an annual payment can often result in substantial savings. Insurers frequently offer discounts for customers who commit to a yearly payment plan, providing an opportunity to stretch your budget further.

Should I pay my bills monthly or yearly? ›

Key Consideration #1: Income

If you have a reliable, and adequate, weekly/fortnightly/monthly income and can replenish your funds quickly after a large upfront expense, paying bills annually is feasible, and even preferable in some cases.

Which is better paying, monthly or yearly? ›

If you have the extra cash on hand and are comfortable with committing to a service for an entire year, paying annually may be the way to go. However, if you're on a tight budget or prefer the flexibility of monthly payments, the monthly option may be a better fit for you.

Is it smart to pay bills annually? ›

Sometimes, it helps to streamline your cash flow by paying for some bills annually instead of monthly. Fortunately, many companies and services offer discounts to those who pay bills on an annual basis so you can save money, too.

Why is paying monthly better? ›

Consistency! Some people may find it easier to manage their income as they likely get the same amount at the end of each month. Better Money Management: Many payments, such as bills, come out monthly. When the employee is paid, they can dedicate their essential spending there and then.

Which bills should I pay? ›

Which Bills Should Be Paid First? Generally, the bills you should pay first are the ones that cover necessities — the main resources that keep you and your family safe and healthy. These necessities include shelter, water, heat and food.

Why is annual cheaper than monthly? ›

There's a discounting bonanza for annual plans due to customer reluctance to commit to a year over a month. It's common to offer savings of 10 to 25% percent for subscribing annually instead of paying monthly.

How often should you pay your bills? ›

Learn Your Billing Cycle

As soon as you receive your paycheck, pay the bills that are due before your next paycheck. If you don't have enough money in your account to regularly pay all of the bills due before your next paycheck, contact your creditors to change a couple of your payment due dates.

How much should your bills be a month? ›

50% of your net income should go towards living expenses and essentials (Needs), 20% of your net income should go towards debt reduction and savings (Debt Reduction and Savings), and 30% of your net income should go towards discretionary spending (Wants).

What are the disadvantages of paying monthly? ›

Budgeting difficulties

Another disadvantage of being paid monthly is that it can be more difficult to budget. Employees may have to wait a full month before receiving another wage payment, making it difficult to manage expenses that occur throughout the month.

What are the disadvantages of getting paid monthly? ›

Disadvantages of Monthly Payroll
  • Financial burden on employees. Only paying employees once a month can cause financial burdens, as most have bills to pay throughout the month, and it can be hard to budget when all that money is paid at once.
  • Tracking overtime. ...
  • Makes the end of month busy.

Why is it cheaper to pay annually? ›

Annual payments are usually more cost-efficient because it's simpler for an insurance company to process one lump sum each year rather than 12 monthly payments. If you opt to pay your premium on a monthly basis, your insurer will likely tack on administrative fees, which can rack up over time.

Is it OK to not pay bills? ›

Your financial crunch may be temporary, but your credit record is enduring...and overdue bills can haunt you for years to come. No matter how tempting, trying to ignore a mounting pile of bills is the worst thing you could do. You'll end up with late fees, interest charges...and a ruined credit rating.

What's the difference between paying annually and monthly? ›

Monthly subscriptions require subscribers to make monthly payments for products or services they are using. Annual subscriptions require subscribers to pay once a year for the products and services they use.

How long should you keep bills? ›

Keep for a year or less – unless you are deducting an expense on your tax return: Monthly utility/cable/phone bills: Discard these once you know everything is correct. Credit card statements: Just like your monthly bills, you can discard these once you know everything is correct.

Which bill should I pay off first? ›

Prioritizing debt by interest rate.

This repayment strategy, sometimes called the avalanche method, prioritizes your debts from the highest interest rate to the lowest. First, you'll pay off your balance with the highest interest rate, followed by your next-highest interest rate and so on.

What bills should you keep and for how long? ›

Keep for a year or less – unless you are deducting an expense on your tax return: Monthly utility/cable/phone bills: Discard these once you know everything is correct. Credit card statements: Just like your monthly bills, you can discard these once you know everything is correct.

How many months worth of bills should I keep? ›

A good rule of thumb is to keep your monthly statements for the current year, and then shred them once you've reconciled them with an annual statement. The exception is any statement needed for tax purposes – those get grouped into the “keep for seven years” category.

What is the difference between billed monthly and billed annually? ›

The monthly billing plan charges your payment method on the first day of every month. The annual billing plan charges once a year on the date when the plan was started and offers a free month of subscription compared to the monthly plan.

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