Five ways to save on your household bills

Grand Rapids, Mich. (WOTV) - A house and all the bills that come with it is the biggest expense for the majority of people. Savings come in little bits, but can add up fast when you put them all together. Cutting $10 a month or more from 5 different areas will give you a lot more wiggle room for other things.

~Cable and TV. Consider ditching cable all together and keep your internet to stream TV shows and movies online. Subscribe to services like Netflix  or go right to the station website to view series. If it's been more than six months since you've had any discounts from your cable provider, call them and ask if there are any promotions they can extend to you. If you are seriously considering cutting their service, let them know.

~Cell phones. If your phone is anything other than an emergency phone, a monthly fee is the way to go. Contract and no contract options are widely available, some with free phones for signing up. But, before you decide on your plan, make sure you look over your old bills to see how many minutes, data and texts you are using on average and to see what types of numbers you call (landline vs mobile) and the time of day you use your phone the the most. Knowing your habits can save you big money on the right plan. See a cell phone plan price comparison .

~Energy costs. Little things like making sure the seals on your doors and windows are tight will help you make sure your money doesn't get away this winter. Check out DTE Energy's " Save Energy, Save Money " section for ideas and usage analyzer as well as GE's Energy Savings Calculator .

~Groceries and household products. Just in case it hasn't been pointed out enough, there are ways to save 50% or more every week on food, cleaning supplies, health, beauty and other items. Not everything on sale with coupons will be for you, but if you can save money with coupons to the tune of $10 per week, that's enough for most people to have a date night out once a month.

~Just say no. To upgrades, extras you don't have the cash for or things you can live without. Avoid paying more for things by refusing to purchase on credit.