Do you waste money? Here are some things I think we all waste money on:
1. Bottled Water. Getting your recommended 8 glasses of water a day from a bottle rather than the tap is just a waste of money.
2. Gym Memberships. By the time you end up paying for that annual gym membership, you could have bought a treadmill and weight set.
3. Overdraft Fees. These fees can run as high as $35 or even more. Get a line of credit or keep better track of your spending.
4. Pay to Use an ATM. Are you kidding me! If you are a member of any credit union, you can use a COOP ATM at no charge all over the country!
5. Impulse Buying. Just because something is on sale, or you think it is a deal you just can’t pass up — does not mean you should buy it. (I do this with clearance clothing racks all the time!)
6. Buy Name Brand Instead of Generic. Seriously, does it really taste that different. From groceries to clothing to prescription drugs, you could save money by choosing the off-brand over the fancy label. And in many cases, you won’t sacrifice much in quality.
Most the time, the only person that knows you are wasting money is yourself. No one looks at the tag on the designer shirt you are wearing or can taste the difference in your spaghetti sauce because of the generic brand of tomatoe sauce you used.
i will admit, I AM AN IMPULSE BUYER!!! ha ha ha ha….if i see something i want i HAVE to get it RIGHT THEN!!! guess i should change that nasty habit:(
I am guilty of a few of those as well, not so much the designer clothes part, but certainly the name brand issue. This is great advice!
I am guilty of the impulse buying sometimes, when I haven’t bought myself anything for awhile, I tend to go on a “spree” when I’m feeling sad, bored, or just in the mood to shop!! I will buy a bottle of water and then re-use it over and over and just refill it with water from work or home.
i agree with most of those however i do take issue with number 2. the variety of equipment at some gyms is worth it, particularly if you don’t have access to much space to store that equipment at your own house. i goto the gym and use many of their strength training devices and i absolutely adore the wet steam room with the vicks vapor rub in the mist. secondly the gym can be a money saver in some cases. time spent at the gym not only brings health benefits but for many will take the place of doing other costly activities like patronizing a movie theater or driving up the canyon for a hike. until i can afford to have a big house with a dedicated gym room with all the equipment i need and to have a wet steam room i’m not going to give up my gym membership. fyi many companies such has fidelity actually give employees who purchase a gym membership at least $100 to put towards it in the belief it will help contain their health insurance and other costs by having healthier employees, others also partner with gyms to give their employees a group rate discount. so obviously some see a worthwhile cost-benefit analysis in gym memberships.
I have to admit…I have gotten so much better at impulse buying! My husband keeps me in check! But as far as buying bottled water…I am very guilty…I’m such a water snob…. : (
I have a 52oz neon orange jug that I fill with water and take to work every day. Everyone always makes fun of my jug but it is a great way to get in my water for the day and it is definantly cheaper than 2-3 water bottles a day.
Wow Cody. Never knew driving up the canyon could be so costly. That 1 gallon of gas really costs a lot more than a gym membership fee and is so much less beneficial. And wow again, you must be a body builder. You have even replaced movies and entertainment with going to the gym. Maybe with the money you could save from not having a gym membership you could get a bigger apartment to hold your gym equipment and steam room!
I agree and disagree with Cody. Yes, it is nice to have a gym membership for the simple fact that the gym is going to have way more things to use than what you’d have in your house. I mean, how many houses have a wet steam room? Not that many. However, I’m an outdoor lover and would rather hike up a canyon than run on a treadmill. (I’m also a photography lover, so the canyon also has that draw on me.) Also, not all canyons are going to charge you to hike them. Yes, there are a few of them here in Utah that will, but there are also plenty of others around here that aren’t going to. And the way I see it, unless you live in a loft above the gym, you’re going to have to drive to the gym, just as you would have to drive to the canyon.
Well what if you are refilling and reusing the water bottles, then I don’t see that as being so much of a money cost but I do see your point. These are some good things to consider when it comes to saving money but I also think the way that you use transportation should be taken into consideration. If you bike or take the bus or frontrunner, this can save you money to an extent.
Agreed with the principle of spending less wherever you need it. With No. 1 I do not agree in full. I think very few people are aware of the health problems associated with drinking tap water and the concentration of flouride in it. There are many reports, even from the FDA about the effects of fluoride in the human body… I’ll need to make my own blog about it but you can google it and see for yourself. Personally I buy water in 5 gallon refill containers. And I drink from there. But I try to not drink water from the tap whenever possible, even if that means I will have to buy a bottle. Taking care of my health is not an expense, I will call it an investment.
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