This year I wrote a HOA (I hate HOAs) and a $130 passport check. I'm with you, twice a year give or take depending on circumstances. If I'm having work done on anything, I always ask them if I pay cash do I get a discount and virtually every time I do (because they either want it under the table or don't want to pay card processing fees) and I save a nickel/dime that way. Cash is king baby, especially for big ticket items. Did my roof, put down a new concrete pad, rebuild the deck and painted my house that way and saved a little over 2 grand in all. Small victories.
You just have to have the cash though.