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! If you learned something new today, then give
this video a like and share it with a friend. But – hey! – don’t go anywhere just
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