I have always had an aversion to monthly fees.

Anything you do repeatly adds up. As I noted the other day, subscribing to the trash pickup when I own my off-grid home might only cost $30 a month but it adds up to over $400 when you include taxes and fees. Good excuse to have fires, burn shit and haul your tin cans to the recycling center when you live in a sticks in a freer state. Indeed, even living in the suburbs now, I haul my own to the town transfer station and recycling center.

I’ve never had internet or television at home. If you think trash pickup is expensive look at the brochures they send to you all the time. On the way to trash, you’ll see they always have an offer for $60 or $80 a month if you willing to piss away $1,000 bucks a way a year, be my guest. I know I’ll never have internet at my off-grid place besides what I have on my phone. I can always plan my internet access around when I’m in town and can stop at a public hot spot for large downloads like YouTube videos.

I do have my basic smartphone subscription but I always buy time one year in advance, plunk down a big wad of cash to save money and get the best deal. It does lock me into the service but I’m happy with it and don’t have to worry about setting aside money each month. Beats paying monthly fees.

I do pay utilities and rent at my current place but when I have my off-grid home I’ll only have a yearly tax payment and propane and gasoline will be purchased on an as needed basis, along with various off-grid products like panels or batteries. I hope to buy land with cash and avoid mortgages all together. I’d save a ton of money that way, just like it did with my truck.

That said, there is one form of monthly expense that I approve of – automatic investing.

I’ve always taken a big chunk of every pay check for either my high interest, FDIC insured online only savings account or low fees index, bond and sector funds. While cable television might make you poorer, investing gets you closer to your long term goals.

With modern technology it’s so easy and, just involves doing a little research, filling out some forms and just acting like the money never was there. This is a really good thing to do after raises and promotions – pretend that most of the money doesn’t even exist.