These dangerous habits will undoubtedly stop you from having extra money Wondering wherever all of your cash goes? we’ve some concepts… consider this list of belongings you ought to stop wasting cash on.
First, let’s talk about the big one.
- Paying too much for housing.
I know, it’s hard to believe that you are paying too much for housing when your rent is so high! But you are probably paying too much for housing if you live in a city like San Francisco, New York City or even Austin, Texas. If you live in a major metropolitan area and your monthly rent is more than 30% of your take-home pay, then you’re overpaying by definition .
The same goes for paying $500/month to park your car in an urban garage. And the same goes if you have a long commute time (over 15 minutes) because it costs $20/day to use public transportation.
If you’ve checked out our post on how to choose a location without breaking the bank , then this should be familiar territory for you. If not, read that post and start saving yourself some money!
- Paying too much for transportation.
Another way to save money is by choosing an affordable place to live and then getting around cheaply . The two most expensive forms of transportation are owning an expensive car and having a long commute time (over 15 minutes). Let’s look at each of these separately:
- Owning an expensive car:
- Commuting by car over 15 minutes:
- Eating out too often:
- Drinking alcohol at home instead of going out:
- Not taking advantage of free entertainment:
- Keeping up with the Joneses:
- Paying for your kids’ college education:
- Paying for a gym membership you don’t use:
- Paying too much for cable TV:
- Buying stuff you don’t need on credit cards: 13. Paying interest on your credit card debt (instead of investing it): 14. Not using the HSA account at work to save money on medical expenses: 15. Using payday loans and other predatory lenders to bridge gaps in income:
- Getting a second job to pay off debt faster (or just because you’re bored): 17. Working more hours than necessary because your employer doesn’t offer part-time options or telecommuting opportunities : 18 . Working an unnecessary second job to make ends meet when there are cheaper alternatives available, like a roommate or using Craigslist : 19 . Excessively using coupons when shopping at grocery stores and not buying generic brands :
20 . Buying non-organic fruits and vegetables when they’re not available locally or they cost too much : 21 . Eating out too often (and wasting food in the process) : 22 . Not recycling enough when living in an apartment building or house with shared waste disposal facilities : 23 . Going on vacation instead of taking a free trip around town (e.g., taking the bus, walking, or biking instead of driving) : 24 . Buying new clothes when used clothes are available:
- Not buying cheaper clothing at thrift stores and consignment stores (or just buying used clothing in general): 26. Going to the movies too often: 27. Going out to eat too often:
- 28. Not using coupons when shopping at grocery stores : 29 . Buying the newest smartphone when your old one still works : 30 . Having a car payment (or leasing): 31 . Not researching the best deals on gas and not taking advantage of them: 32. Using your cell phone too much, especially for texting or playing games (which can be costly if you have an unlimited data plan): 33. Paying for cable TV (or just not having it): 34 . Paying for internet access (or just not having it): 35 . Paying for expensive gym memberships that you don’t use enough: 36 . Being wasteful with water by letting the faucet run while brushing your teeth, washing dishes, etc.: 37 . Wasting electricity by leaving lights on in empty rooms or leaving appliances plugged in without being turned on : 38 . Wasting food by overspending on groceries and then throwing out food that goes bad before you can eat it : 39 If you want to read more about this topic , check out these posts by other bloggers: 17 Money Mistakes Smart People Make 7 Money Mistakes You Might Be Making Right Now