7 Ways You're Wasting Your Money That You Don't Think About

 

Looking to save up a few bucks? Sure, you could cancel Netflix for a few months and donate plasma for some extra cash, but we’ve got a better solution: Study your habits. You’re probably wasting quite a bit of money, and chances are good that you’re not aware of all of your unnecessary spending.

We decided to collect a few of the most common bad habits to see what they really cost. For instance, you probably don’t know how much you spend when…

Going Out to Eat: Americans now spend more money at restaurants than at grocery stores. If you eat out once per day and spend just $10 each time, that’s $3,650 per year, before tips. 

Throwing Food Out Early: Many foods are perfectly fine for days or even weeks after the dates on their labels, especially when properly stored. 

Setting Your Thermostat: You can save about 3 percent on your heating bill for each degree you turn down your thermostat during the winter.

Doing The Laundry: If you have a high-efficiency washing machine, you’re using less water, so you should be using less detergent too. An excessive amount of soap won’t make anything cleaner—in fact, you’ll likely end up with a buildup, which can make your whites appear grey. Read the instructions and try adding less detergent to each load.

Buying Certain Cosmetics: Many name-brand companies’ products can be found in the shelves of your local dollar store for much less than what you would pay for the exact same products anywhere else.

Buying (Admittedly Awesome) Clothes: If you need brand name clothes, be sure to check out overstock stores. These stores have amazing deals on quality clothing, shoes, and accessories, sometimes at as much as 90 percent off. And read your clothes’ tags. Properly washing and drying your clothes will keep colors and fabrics intact.

Buying Coffee: Consider taking advantage of free coffee around you, such as at work. And for people who enjoy blended coffee drinks, purchasing some tasty creamer can help liven up a boring cup while helping you spend much less than you would on a daily frap.