10 Everyday Habits That Are Wasting Your Money
Everyone has a daily routine that they stick to, even if that just means getting up and brushing your teeth. Have you ever thought about your daily habits and how they change your life?
Small acts like always washing your dishes or opening your windows might seem like they don’t have consequences, but they could be draining your wallet.
Save yourself some money and put it towards more useful things in life by reading about these everyday habits that are making you poor. By changing a few of these habits, you’ll see your wallet bulk up in no time.
1. Buying on Impulse
Impulse shopping in the modern world can happen anywhere. Sometimes it’s grabbing that extra bag of chips by the register at the grocery store or buying clothes online that you just meant to look at.
Buying on impulse is a major player in the battle to stay on budget. Look out for this feeling in the future, recognize it for what it is and then remind yourself what you’re saving for. That encouragement will get you back on track without spending an extra dime.
2. Leaving Your Blinds Open
Every morning, you probably open the blinds to let the sunshine in. Enjoy it while you’re there but close them up before you leave for extended periods of time.
Open blinds encourage more heat to fill your home, working your AC unit overtime. The energy bill quickly adds up, so reduce it where you can by closing the blinds.
3. Letting Your Sink Drip
Sometimes, sinks drip. It happens to everyone and it may not seem like a big deal. If you have a sink that’s dripping, it’s hurting your wallet more than you think.
Most of the time, faucets drip because of faulty washers. They fail to provide a watertight seal, which means your sink is essentially turned on all the time. Save your water bill from reaching new heights by getting your leaky sink fixed.
4. Driving Every Day
Do you go places during the week that you could walk to? Maybe the dog park or a nearby shop. Think about where you frequently go to and if any of them can be reached by walking.
Driving your car a short distance uses up gas, and while it’s not a lot at the time, your gas tank will empty out quickly. Walk or bike to places when you can to save your gas money.
5. Leaving Lights On
Sometimes when people leave a room or their home, they leave the lights on. Most of the time, it’s an accident, but it’s time to be more aware of what lights are on and when.
Leaving the lights on when you’re gone adds up. You might just be leaving for ten minutes now, but by the end of the month, you could have left your lights on for hours when you weren’t home. Who wants to pay for that? Save yourself from a big bill by always double checking that the lights are off when you leave.
6. Free-styling Your Grocery Shopping
Do you grocery shop only when you absolutely have to? That’s a feeling almost everyone can relate to, but it may be costing you more in-store.
Instead, try to plan out your next few grocery trips around when your usual store is having big sales. Look for their announcements online or in print to know what will be on sale next.
7. Going Out for Meals
You shouldn’t feel like you’re confined to eat in your own kitchen forever but going out for meals all the time isn’t a smart idea if you’re trying to save money.
The breakfast sandwich in the drive through and the chicken salads for lunch at the deli count too. Decide which meals you’d most enjoy going out for, and then limit yourself to just a few times per month. Taking your lunch to work and eating breakfast at home will change your bank account overnight.
8. Overusing Your Data
It’s hard to go without access to the internet for very long, since the world has become so intertwined with it. At the same time, try not to overuse your data.
Break your data habits by turning it off when you don’t absolutely need it. Your twenty-minute drive home or the time you spend walking to your car will give you a few minutes of peace and quiet, and your budget too. Wouldn’t it be nice to never worry about getting a data warning ever again? Taking breaks is how you do that.
9. Cleaning/Servicing Your Home
No matter what your daily life looks like, there will always be dishes that need cleaning and things that need fixing.
Your dishwasher obviously needs electricity to run, so using it multiple times a day will cause higher energy consumption. It also makes your AC run more, since it’s releasing heat into your home, especially if you’re using it during the hottest parts of the day.
Dealing with large-scale problems or potentially costly repairs? Be sure you clearly understand your insurance policy so you are aware what might be covered and what you are responsible for. Need to call a plumber to fix your sewage? What about filing a claim for a damaged roof? Put yourself in the best position by staying head and making decisions on your own!
10. Drinking After Work
When people get home from a long day at work, they might look forward to pouring themselves a drink to relax with dinner.
This is an enjoyable way to treat yourself, but that’s just what it is — a treat. Drinking every night means you’re spending a ton of money on a drink that will only last for a little while.
If this is a weekly habit, consider how much you could save if you found other ways to relax after work instead. Take an evening walk or soak in a bubble bath. Either will be less expensive than paying for drinks, especially if you tend to go out.
Look at What You Least Expect
You might not be able to identify expensive habits at first, but that’s because habits are done without thought. Really think through what you do every day to figure out where you’re spending the most money, and you’ll know the right habits to change.
