Hey you — wish you could afford the new iPhone?
How about a trip to the Bahamas?
Why is it that no matter how many hours you work a week, you still find yourself sitting
at home, eating top ramen, dreaming of a tropical vacation you can’t afford?
Turns out, you might be wasting your money on unnecessary things.
Well, dry your tears: here are things you can avoid in order to save your money and
live more like royalty.
Grooming and vanity maintenance Eye brow wax?
Check.
Hair cut?
Check.
Manicure?
Check.
With so many selfie opportunities these days, looking good can often feel like it’s more
important than anything — even if it means spending half your paycheck on it.
According to a 2017 article in the New York Post, American women can spend up to a quarter
of a million dollars on their appearance in their lifetime.
But you have to stop and ask yourself: “Are these things really necessary?”
Sure, you may need to get a haircut every couple months to look put together for work,
but do you really need a facial every month?
Probably not.
Try making a monthly budget for yourself to spend on grooming rituals.
If you can’t afford that spa pedicure this month, maybe you can fit it into the budget
next month.
The latest gadgets Take a look around the room you’re sitting
in right now.
Spot the latest iPhone?
How about your new laptop?
These gadgets are awesome, but they often boast some pretty hefty price tags, am I right?
While you really do need things like a cellphone and computer for work and personal reasons,
spending all your money on the newest versions of electronics isn’t really necessary.
Think of it this way: if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it — you don’t need the newest
version of your xbox if the one you already have from two years ago still works perfectly.
If you don’t give in to the hype of the latest and greatest, you can save yourself
some serious paper.
Coffee and other drinks on-the-go How many times have you been out running errands
and thought, “I’ll just grab a quick latte”?
More times than you can probably count, right?
While 2 or 3 bucks may not seem like much at the time, it can seriously add up if you’re
doing this monthly, weekly, or even daily.
One way to close up this money pit is by making your own coffee at home!
Whether it’s a sturdy tumbler or reusable coffee mug, bringing your own drinks from
home will save you serious cash.
And if you don’t think your homemade coffee concoctions taste as good as your local coffeehouse’s,
a lot of places will give you a discount if you bring your own cup.
Diet fads and gimmicks I dare you to go on Instagram for ten minutes
without getting bombarded with ads for Skinny Tea, low-calorie protein drinks and health
food delivery services.
And while many of them seem too good to be true (because they are), some really look
like they’ll help you get thinner and healthier.
But why spend extra money on these so-called health products that cut corners when you
can achieve the same results yourself?
If you really want to get in shape and feel better about your appearance, try cutting
out junk food, cooking with clean ingredients or spending an extra day of the week at the
gym?
It’s all about adjusting your lifestyle to fit in what makes you healthy; you shouldn’t
have to pay for it.
You’ll feel better and your wallet will thank you.
The way you grocery shop.
Grocery shopping isn’t always fun, but you have to do it.
Even though buying food to make at home is already more economical than eating out all
the time, there are definitely things you’re doing at the market that have you spending
way more than you have to.
First off, you should never do your grocery shopping on an empty stomach.
When you’re tummy is rumbling, everything on the shelves will look really good, even
if you don’t need it— like those cookies on isle 7.
Not to mention the fact that you’ll spend way more money than you would on the basic
things you really need like eggs, bread, milk, broccoli - you get the idea.
Secondly, when you’re ready to pay for your things in line at the grocery store, try to
avoid the impulse buys.
Impulse purchases are things like candy bars, gum, and gossip magazines that are right there
at the checkout counter just begging you to buy them.
These items are put in this spot for a reason: they’re little purchases that look harmless,
and they’re super easy to plop onto the counter along with your other groceries — who
couldn’t use a quick Snickers bar?
The fact is, you don’t need this stuff.
So try not to pay attention to them while you’re waiting in line to check out.
You use credit cards instead of cash.
Now, there’s nothing wrong with credit cards.
Sometimes you have to use them for big purchases you need in the moment but really don’t
have the cash to pay up front like medical expenses, a wedding dress, or other important
purchases.
But unless you’re planning on paying your credit card bills in full every month, using
them to buy everyday things all the time is a bad idea.
Over time, your credit card balances will build and you’ll be spending more and more
of your paychecks on monthly bills.
And since they accumulate interest, it can often feel like you’re walking backward
on a treadmill - you’ll never get anywhere and you’ll continue paying for years and
years.
Instead, pay for things with the money you actually have.
And only use credit cards for emergencies.
Coupons that make you buy random stuff.
Coupons are awesome — well, as long as they’re for stuff you were already planning on buying.
But a lot of people end up wasting money on unnecessary things, just for the sake of using
the coupon.
Like a dinner at that new Peruvian restaurant around the corner that says you can get $15
dollars off if you spend $30.
Sure this is a great deal, but if it weren’t for the coupon, you’d be $15 richer by eating
at home.
The coupon enticed you to spend money.
Try to only use them on things you were already going to buy like toilet paper, shampoo and
restaurants you’re already planning on going to.
Impending health expenses Looking forward to your annual dentist visit?
No one is.
Not only is sitting in that dentist chair scary, it costs some serious dough, especially
if you don’t have dental insurance.
And if you have to get an x-ray or get a cavity filled?
Forget it.
Same goes for your general doctor check ups.
But did you ever stop to think that if you don’t do annual health maintenance and check
ups, you’ll have to pay even more in the end?
If you wait too long to get your teeth cleaned, you could be looking at multiple fillings,
a root canal and more.
And trust me, that’s going to hurt way more than your wallet.
Just bite the bullet, so to speak, and make sure you’re in good health so you don’t
pay the price later.
Food waste Are your eyes bigger than your stomach?
Sometimes when you go grocery shopping, you buy more than you can eat before it goes bad.
According to a study held by USDA nutritionalist Lisa Jahns in 2014, people who maintain a
relatively healthy diet are some of the most wasteful when it comes to food.
That’s because they buy more fruits and veggies that go bad before they can get to
them in the fridge.
If you’ve ever thrown away a half- eaten bag of lettuce, you know exactly what I’m
talking about.
To reduce food waste, try going to the supermarket a couple times a month instead of just once
in a while.
This way you won’t feel the need to “stock up” and will only buy what you need for
that period of time.
What do you spend most of your money on — did it make the list?
Let me know down in the comments!
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