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20 Ways to Waste Your Money - MakeupTalk
Whether a newbie or seasoned budgeter, nearly everyone has spending holes -- leaks in your budget that drain money with you hardly noticing.
These small drips can add up to big bucks.
Once you find the holes and plug them, you'll keep more money in your pocket.
That spare cash could be the ticket to finally being able to save, invest, or break your cycle of living paycheck to paycheck.
Here are 20 common ways people waste money.
See if any of these sound familiar, and then look for ways to plug your own leaks.
How to waste your money
1.
Buy new instead of used.
Talk about a spending leak -- or, rather, a gush.
Cars lose most of their value in the first few years, meaning thousands of dollars down the drain.
However, recent used models -- those that are less than five years old -- can be a real value because you get a car that's still in fine working order for a fraction of the new-car price.
And you'll pay less in collision insurance and taxes, too.
Cars aren't the only things worth buying used.
Consider the savings on pre-owned books, toys, exercise equipment and furniture.
(Of course, there are some things you're better off buying new, including mattresses, laptops, linens, shoes and safety equipment, such as car seats and bike helmets.)
2.
Carry a credit-card balance.
If you have a $1,000 balance on a card charging 18%, you blow $180 every year on interest.
That's money you could certainly put to better use elsewhere.
Get in the habit of paying off your balance in full each month.
3.
Buy on impulse. When you buy before you think, you don't give yourself time to shop around for the best price.
Resist the urge to make an impulse purchase by giving yourself a cool-off period.
Go home and sleep on the decision.
If you still want to make the purchase a day or so later, do your comparison shopping, check your budget and go for it.
Oftentimes, though, I bet you'll decide you don't need the item after all.
4.
Pay to use an ATM.
A buck or two here and there may not seem like a big deal.
But if you're frequenting ATMs outside your bank's network, the surcharges can add up quickly.
Put that money back in your pocket by using ATMs in a surcharge-free network such as Allpoint or Money Pass.
5.
Dine out frequently.
A habit of spending $10, $20, $30 per person for dinner can be a huge drain on your wallet.
Throw in a $6 sandwich for lunch and a $4 latte in the morning, and you've got quite a leak.
Learn to cook, pack your lunch and brew your coffee at home and you could save a couple hundred bucks each month.
6.
Let your money wallow.
If you are stashing your savings in your checking account or a traditional bank account, you are wasting money.
You could put it in a high-interest online savings account and get paid to save.
You can even get an interest-bearing checking account through such reputable companies as Everbank, Charles Schwab, E*Trade and ING Direct.
7.
Pay an upfront fee for a mutual fund.
Selecting no-load funds can save you more than 5% in sales charges.
Of course, no matter how well a fund has done in the past, you can't be sure how it will perform in the future.
But if you pay a load, you'll begin the performance derby in the hole to the tune of the load.
See the Kiplinger 25 for our favorite no-load funds.
8.
Pay too much in taxes on investments.
Are you investing in a tax-sheltered 401(k) or Roth IRA?
If you're not maxing out those accounts before you invest in a taxable account, you're spending too much.
9.
Buy brand-name instead of generic.
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.
Clever advertising and fancy packaging don't make brand-name products better than lesser-known brands (see Similar Products, Different Prices).
10.
Waste electricity.
Of the total energy used to run home electronics, 40% is consumed when the appliances are turned off.
Appliances with a clock or that operate by remote are typical culprits.
The obvious way to pull the plug on your energy vampires is to do just that -- pull the plug.
Or buy a device to do it for you, such as a Smart Power Strip ($31 to $44 at SmartHome USA - DIY Home Automation - SmartHomeUSA.com , which will stop drawing electricity when the gadgets are turned off and pay for itself within a few months.
11.
Pay banking fees.
Overdraw your checking account and you'll pay $20 to $30 a pop, so it pays to keep tabs on your balance.
Plus, are you still paying for a checking account?
Free deals abound -- but make sure they're really free.
For instance, will the bank charge a fee if your balance drops below a certain level or if you download your info into a personal-finance software program?
That's not free.
12.
Buy things you don't use.
This sounds like a no-brainer to avoid, but how many times have you seen something on sale and thought you couldn't pass it up?
Even if something is 50% off, you're spending too much if you don't use it.
Href=Couponing, for instance, can be a great way to save on your grocery bills.
But if you buy things you wouldn't have purchased in the first place simply for the sake of using the coupon, you're wasting your money.
The same goes for buying in bulk.
A bargain is no bargain if it sits unused on your shelf or gets thrown away.
13.
Own an extra car.
Okay, so a car is a necessity for most people.
But face it -- cars are a huge drain, from their loan payments to insurance fees to gas and maintenance costs.
Own more than one car and you'll double or triple those expenses.
Ask yourself if that second or third car is really necessary.
Are you holding on to an old car for sentimental reasons?
Can you or your spouse carpool, take public transportation or bike to work?
14.
Ignore your local dollar store.
Shopping at the dollar store can be hit-and-miss, but it's not all kitsch or junk.
If you know what to buy, you can find some real bargains.
For instance, my local dollar store charges 50 cents for greeting cards versus the $3-plus at a drug store or gift shop.
(I have a big extended family so I figure this saves me more than $100 per year.) You can also score a deal on cleaning supplies, small kitchen tools, shampoos and soaps, holiday decorations, gift wrap and balloon bouquets.
15.
Keep unhealthy habits.
Smoking is not only bad for your health, it burns up your cash.
A pack-a-day habit at $6 a pack costs $180 a month and $2,190 a year.
A junk-food or tanning-bed habit can be costly as well.
Not to mention the money you'll waste on medical bills down the road.
16.
Be complacent about insurance.
Your bill arrives and you pay it without a second thought.
When was the last time you shopped around to determine whether you're getting the best deal?
Rates vary widely from insurer to insurer and year to year.
Reshopping your auto, home or renters insurance might save you hundreds of dollars.
It also pays to evaluate your insurance needs.
For instance, upping your out-of-pocket deductible from $250 to $1,000 can save you 15% or more on your car insurance.
Consider using the same insurer for your home and auto insurance -- you could snag up to 15% off for a multiple-line policy.
And make sure you're not paying for insurance you don't need.
For instance, you need life insurance only if someone is financially dependent upon you (such as a child).
17.
Give Uncle Sam an interest-free loan.
If you get a tax refund each April, you let the government take too much money in taxes from your paycheck all year long.
Get that money back in your pocket -- and put it to work for you -- by adjusting your tax withholding.
With a little discipline, you can use that extra cash each month to get started saving or pay down debt (or make ends meet to avoid going into debt in the first place).
You can file a new Form W-4 with your employer at any time.
18.
Pay for something you can get for free.
Dust off your library card and check out books, music and movies for free (or dirt-cheap).
Don't pay to receive your credit report when you're allowed to get it at no charge by law.
Take advantage of kids-eat-free promotions.
And dial 1-800-FREE-411 for free directory assistance.
19.
Don't use a flexible-spending account.
Your employer may allow you to set aside pretax dollars to pay for medical costs not covered by insurance.
You can use the money for expenses such as therapy, contact lenses, insurance co-payments and over-the-counter drugs.
You may be able to do the same for child-care costs.
20.
Pay for unnecessary services.
How many cable channels can a person watch?
Do you really need all those extra features for your cell phone?
Are you getting your money's worth out of that gym membership?
Are you taking full advantage of your subscriptions (such as Netflix, TiVo or magazines)?
Take a look at what you're paying for and what your family is actually using.
Trim accordingly.
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Great advice - thanks for sharing!
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That is good info, Adirenne!!
I'll add No 21...
Crossdress.. Two wardrobes is a killer to your budget!!
Sigh..
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Awesome info!!! I'm guilty of so many of those...
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Good article, unfortunately some of these i really need to do
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That is so good advice.if i have lots of money,i must do it as you told me.NOw should tell me how to collect money.
My signiture is not here.
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20 ways money wast....here
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Lurvely advice (:
My one way to waste money: forever searching for that HG mascara..
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Hi Mates,
Americans occupy their existence doing four primary things--seeking more money, seeking to make themselves more sexually attractive, sleeping, and spending money.
Vast amounts of advice and counsel are currently available on "how to" get more money, get more sex , sleep better, and spend one's money wisely.
But a serious gap in the information spectrum exists regarding how to waste money.
While most people utilize serious research, rumor, blind luck, and professional consumer guides to assist them in the purchase of food, clothing, entertainment, cars, home appliances, electronic equipment, real estate and travel, there is always the lurking feeling that we've failed to spend our money wisely.
Eventually we all come to the realization professional consumer experts deduce rather quickly--that there is ultimately no way to avoid being had.
Inevitably a great portion of what we spend will be frivolously or inefficiently squandered, and the goods we buy turns out to be just plain garbage.
Given that a great portion of our income will be effectively wasted, and also given that we secretly desire to be good and smart about what we do, it seems only appropriate that a guide be created to assist the consumer in assuring that we will not get the best value for our money, and be secure in the knowledge that we've deliberately wasted our money.
Therefore, weeks of research have been dedicated to the preparation of this "how to" guide to assist the American consumer in throwing away his or her money.
We can absolutely guarantee that if you utilize this guide to assist you in purchasing goods or services, you will be had.
But, unlike your fellow consumers, you will waste your money with your eyes (and your pocketbooks) open.
You will be comforted with knowledge in some detail as to how and why you have wasted your money.
We do not, however, offer you a money-back guarantee.
BUYING A NEW CAR: The surest way to waste money is to purchase a new car and pay the full sticker price on the window.
If there is no sticker price, demand that the dealer create one and be sure to ask him to include charges for dealer's preparation, undercoating, destination costs, and 1% of his advertising budget.
Often the car dealer will confront you with the choice of an extremely low and attractive interest rate or a very high and outrageous interest rate together with a sizeable cash rebate or a free trip to Disneyland.
In order to eliminate any confusion, ask the dealer to compute which alternative will cost you the most money at the bottom line.
A very reliable way to waste money buying a new car is to purchase it in a parking lot at night.
With a high degree of probability the car will turn out to be stolen and you will lose the car, all the money you spent, and have to hire a lawyer to keep you from going to jail for buying stolen property.
If the price is too good to be true, it probably is.
But such a deal has a virtual certainty of being an enormous waste of money.
BUYING A USED CAR: The act of purchasing a used car is one of the most refreshing and above-board transaction anyone can participate in if they are seeking to waste their money.
It is exceptionally rare for anyone to purchase a used car and not discover they've been taken to the cleaners.
The purchase of a used car is often one's first venture into the world of wasting money, accomplished by most while still in high school.
It is not uncommon for one to lose their virginity as a smart consumer this way years before analogous transactions.
Rarely does one come away from the experience of buying their first used car without feeling unclean, used, and foolish.
These are sure signs of a potential expert in the throwing away of money as a lifetime avocation.
To insure your humiliation and a loss of self (and net) worth is maximized while buying a used car always buy your car from a man who speaks with a Southern accent and who wears a white belt and white shoes.
You can never go wrong in throwing away your money when dealing with such an individual.
Always compare the mileage of the car with its condition.
The more of a discrepancy between the mileage and the condition the better.
Thus a car showing less than 20,000 miles on its odometer with all the rubber worn off its gas pedal, dents everywhere, worn seat covers and inspection stickers from at least 10 states on its windows is a sure buy.
This car probably has more mileage on it than a round-trip to the moon.
But you'll pay a premium price for the claim of low miles, then face enormous repair bills from the moment you drive it off the lot until it meets its final reward in a junkyard (sometimes as quickly as before the ink dries on the title transfer form).
If you cannot find a low mileage opportunity, look for a car with different color paint showing from beneath its scratches.
These are fantastic buys, especially if the true color of the car was red or yellow and there are faint outlines where the words "taxi" or "fire department" used to be.
Always purchase your used car with cash, and never buy a used car unless it is guaranteed to be "as is" with no warranties expressed or implied.
This is the only warranty a wasteful consumer should be concerned with.
If you feel compelled to purchase a warranty, only pay extra for the warranty if the car dealer's offices are in a trailer which still has its wheels on, and whose business sign is hand-painted on cardboard.
Finally, if you cannot afford to buy your used car with cash, look for a dealer who carries his own financing.
This assures that you will pay what used to be a usurious rate of interest for your car loan.
This sort of financing always has the condition that if you are a few minutes late on your weekly car payments, they will instantly repossess the vehicle and sell it again.
And again. And again.
REPAIRING YOUR CAR: It is very difficult to have your car repaired and not spend at least 40% more than you really needed to.
Thus it is difficult to exceed the average amount of money wasted by consumers in car repairs.
But there are a number of proven methods to up your percentage of wasted money over the national norm.
First, insist the mechanic not call you to tell you what he's found wrong with your car before proceeding to fix it.
Second, give the repair shop blanket authority to "fix whatever is broke" on the car.
Third, tell the mechanic "money is no object" in making your car safe to drive.
Fourth, be as vague as you can about what you think is wrong with the car.
Telling the mechanic "it makes a funny sound" or "it just doesn't feel right" gives the mechanic broad latitude to run up several hundred dollars worth of charges just locating what is broken.
One popular way to waste money on car repairs is to patronize a repair shop where the owners and employees don't speak your language.
Another sure bet is to have your car repaired only at gas stations located along major freeways and interstate highways, especially if you are out of state.
CHARGE IT: A universally accepted way to waste money is to purchase everything you need or desire on a credit card, then only pay the minimum monthly amount required by the charge card company.
Most major credit cars charge between 15% to 30% interest on the unpaid balance you have charged, and you can end up paying an astounding amount of interest over a year for very modest purchases--sometimes with the interest costs exceeding the original amount of the purchase.
A true spendthrift will use credit cards to buy quickly consumed items such as food, drink and magazines, and end up paying $3.00 of interest for every $1.00 of actual purchase made.
Running out of charging limits is no problem thanks to bank deregulation.
Always make your monthly minimum payment that is due on time, and not only will that company constantly increase your credit line, but it will sell your name to other companies who will send you unsolicited new credit cards with new credit lines to charge against.
BRAND NAME VS GENERIC: Always buy brand name goods as opposed to generic if you are serious about wasting money.
Frequently the only differences between a brand name item and the cheaper generic product are the packages they come in and the size of their advertising budget.
When you buy brand name you are telling the company you like the artwork, quality of printing, the color, and the type of container the product comes in, and you love their snappy television and magazine commercials.
This will insure the brand name company will continue to strive to make their packages even more attractive, and continue to increase their advertising budget.
Consider what America would be without advertising?
A bleak, dull, sterile landscape of woods and plains without billboards.
Freedom of the press would cease because there would be no advertising to support our magazines and newspapers.
Network television would go off the air.
Radio would be silent.
Millions would be unemployed.
Keep American strong and prosperous and buy brand name.
You aren't buying the product.
You are buying a piece of the American dream itself.
Buying brand name products is the patriot's way to waste money.
BUY BY MAIL: Many consumers opt to purchase goods by mail, and with the advent of consumer protection laws, it is increasingly difficult to guarantee a waste of money in this activity without serious effort.
However, a sufficient number of mail order opportunities are still outright frauds, if you can but find them.
One reliable way to waste money in mail order purchasing is to buy a college diploma.
General Delivery University is widely reputed for its "fill-in-the-blank" college degrees it sells for $19.95 by mail.
Another approach to mail order buying is to overcome your resistance to television ads that are common on independent stations and cable channels.
You should keep pen an paper next to your television set so whenever a chance to buy a once in a lifetime collection of the greatest hits of the Botswana Symphony Orchestra or a new kitchen knife that cuts through redwood trees is offered, you can get the toll free number to call and order the item.
Also have your credit cards handy so you can give the company your card number, as well.
TELEPHONE SALES: Those in the know say telephone sales are an excellent opportunity to waste money.
All you have to do is say "yes" over and over again, and vast qualities of your wealth will vanish into dancing lessons, solar collection devices, life insurance, exercise equipment, and real estate in resort areas such as Manitoba.
BUY ONLY IN STORES WITH CARPET ON THE FLOOR: The same watch will cost twice as much if bought in a jewelry store with carpet on the floor as opposed to the watch bought in a store with linoleum tile on the floor.
The more plush the surroundings in the store, the more its goods will cost.
The same holds true for fancy addresses.
A Park Avenue, Fifth Avenue, or Rodeo Drive address insures the maximum prices on the planet.
NEVER READ A CONTRACT: Frequently a contract must be signed before your purchase is completed.
You will be handed a multi-paged document with tiny little print on it and asked if you'd like to read it.
You have two minutes to read 250,000 words of legalese drafted by an expensive Wall Street law firm.
Don't bother. Just sign it.
Of course, if you decide you want to get out of the contract you won't be able to because the courts will assume that you knew what you were doing when you signed the contract, no matter what you claim to the contrary.
If you want to find out whether or not it does any good to read a contract, pretend you've read it, then demand paragraph 16 be deleted.
No company will ever agree to change one letter of their contract, let alone delete an entire paragraph from their printed form.
You either accept the contract as is, or you don't buy.
Period. Lawyers have a term for this type of document-- "adhesion contracts"--because they are the means to stick it to you.
LONG DISTANCE TELEPHONE SERVICE: The deregulation of the nation's telephone system has created a bewildering array of opportunities to waste money.
The first step in wasting your money is to obtain your long distance calling service from a competitor of AT&T.
This will, in combination with similar decisions by many other consumers, drive your local telephone utility into bankruptcy and prompt vastly higher residential phone rates--for which you have no competitive choices.
Then use your new long distance service.
Most such services start charging you the instant the phone starts ringing at the other end.
Typically the phone will be answered and you will instantly be put on hold, and if you're lucky, you'll get to listen to some music.
Then you'll get to ask if Jones is in, get put back on hold, get Jones' secretary, get put back on hold, then finally told Jones is out of town--all of this taking 5 minutes.
Many times the phone will ring for what seems like hours, because the people you are calling are busy.
In theory you pay less per increment of time but in practice the billable length of the call is longer.
SALES: Sales are opportunities to save money, and thus should be avoided, with a few possible exceptions.
A store with a perpetual sale in process is in reality probably marking up their goods astronomically, then "discounting" the inflated price to about 110% of true retail.
A sale which alleges a "$89 value" for only $69 is a possibility because the use of the word "value" means the product might be worth that amount, but isn't necessarily ever sold for that price.
It just seems like a bargain when in fact the product may routinely be sold for $59 in the same community.
Some stores with otherwise good names and high prices often have sales, which would lead the consumer to believe the usual high quality products in the store are being discounted.
Not necessarily so.
Some stores make special purchases of cheaply made stuff from Taiwan to put on "sale" amidst their otherwise fine merchandise.
FLY FIRST CLASS: Once upon a time flying first class on a domestic airline was a singularly pleasurable experience, and well worth the substantial extra cost for the flight.
But, with the advent of airline deregulation, and plummeting airline company profits (which is quickly followed by plummeting airline companies flying into bankruptcy or the ground) the value received for a first class ticket has become indistinguishable from flying coach.
But since first class seats still cost at least 20% more than a seat a few feet further back in the cabin, flying first class has become a reliable way to waste money.
GENERAL RULE: Any enterprise that has been deregulated from government control is a good bet to be a potential opportunity to waste money.
In the name of protecting consumers, government has thrown consumers to the wolves, stripping them of quality protection and price regulation benefits in order to cut the cost of government and allow those saved tax revenues to be spent on toilet seats for aircraft carriers.
Hi All,
Housing?
Groceries? The truthful, frustrating answer is 'it depends.' Now there's a simple -- but not easy -- way to figure it out, and it works regardless of your income.
For years, I struggled to help people answer a fundamental budgeting question: "How much should I be spending?"
Most who asked were looking for specific answers about what they should devote to various categories such as housing, food, transportation, utilities and so on.
The answer I used to give -- that there's no one-size-fits-all solution -- was really unsatisfying.
It's true, of course, because people's circumstances vary so widely.
But it wasn't very helpful to people trying to create a workable budget.
There are given out some useful tips to guide you thoroughly.
You start with your after-tax income .
That's your gross pay minus any wage-based taxes, such as withheld income tax, Social Security and Medicare taxes, and disability taxes.
If your employer deducts other expenses from your paycheck, such as 401k contributions, health insurance premiums and union dues, add those back into your net pay to get your after-tax income.
You aim to limit your "must-have" expenses to 50% of that after-tax figure.
"Must-haves" include all the basic expenditures you really need to make each month: outlays for housing, utilities, transportation, food, insurance, child care, tuition and minimum loan payments.
If you can delay a purchase for a few months with no serious consequences -- for example, clothing or dining out -- it's not a must-have.
If you're contractually obligated to pay something (a credit card minimum, child support or a cell phone bill), it's a must-have, at least for now.
Your "wants" can consume 30% of your after-tax pay.
Vacations, gifts, entertainment, clothes, eating out and other expenses are all "wants." Some bills you pay might overlap the two categories.
For example, basic phone service is a must-have.
But features such as call waiting or unlimited long distance are wants.
Internet access and pay television are two other expenditures that can feel like must-haves but usually are wants, unless you're on some kind of long-term contract.
Savings and debt repayment make up the final 20% of your budget.
Warren's a bankruptcy expert, remember, and she knows the devastation that results from too much debt and too little savings.
To achieve financial independence and minimize the chances of disaster, you need to get rid of consumer debt, save for retirement and build your emergency fund.
Any loan payments you make above the minimum belong in this category, as do contributions to your retirement and emergency funds.
(If you pay your credit cards in full every month, by the way, your credit card bills aren't debt.
You don't assign the credit card payments themselves to categories;
Instead, you allocate each individual expenditure on the bill to its appropriate category and that's it.)
There's a simple way to break down your budget: needs, wants and savings.
Find out where you're spending too much -- and not enough.
I said earlier that this budget plan isn't easy, and it's not.
Limiting your must-haves to 50%, especially, is flat tough for most of us.
My husband and I make a generous income, and we have affordable mortgage payments and no other debt.
But the first time I did this exercise, our must-haves consumed more than 60% of our after-tax income.
It took a year of trimming, and some more income, to get us to the 50% mark.
We were lucky.
I've heard from other people whose must-haves consumed 75%, 80% or even more of their after-tax pay.
Fixing that can take a while.
You may be discouraged by how far you are from the ideal.
But running the numbers can help you understand why your money isn't working for you.
If basic overhead consumes so much of your paycheck, it's no wonder you have trouble saving, paying off debt and living the rest of your life.
Best Regards
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Hi Friend,
How are you?
How is life? My sweet friend i like your compliment very much i am glad indeed while reading your compliments, i really need you people sweet replies for boosting my energy to post good topics on your site...
Thanks for compliments....
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Thanks for the advice.
Now about buying generic.
Generally the generic is fine.
However at least when it comes to food sometimes there are quality differences.
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Hi Friend,
I like your suggestion very well and i will try to act upon it and thanks for the compliments.
I will definitely add you as my friend...
Thanks....
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Wow its great to have.Thank you for sharing it with me.I was really searching of some trick like that.Its great to have.I will really follow it.
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Some good insight here on this thread.
I appreciate the raw, no frills approach used.
I'd also like to add the top spending habits that help Westerners waste a lot of money...
1) Starbucks and coffee houses , or buying coffee every morning in general.
You're looking at about 1-4 dollars a pop on average.
If you do this say, 3-6 times a week for a year, that's a lot of money.
Best invest in a coffee machine (Mine is a 5 cup and was 20 bucks and has lasted 2 years, still good) and buy good quality ground coffee for the brew.
2) Bottled water .
Enough said.
3) Long showers, baths and leaving appliances/lights on .
Not only is this bad for your finances, but also for the resources that are available.
4) Disposable utensils, cups and plates .
It's cheaper in the long run to use non-disposable, and healthier too.
5) Adding a softdrink to that meal .
If it's an option, get your food to go and keep a stock of soda in the refrigerator and ice in the freezer.
Costco is a good place to buy soda and juice if you are a big consumer of it, like me.
6) S moking, excessive drinking, drugs or whatever it is.
7) Parking .
I know many places we go only have the option of paid daily/hourly rates and all the streets are conveniently "NO parking, tow away" zones.
The joys of Los Angeles and their 20+ dollars a day rates in some places!
It's best not to go to these places too often unless necessary.
8) Not collecting all of your receipts and double checking all bank statements, credit card and paycheck documents .
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Starbucks is a real waste of money, not only because of their prices, but because the quality is abysmal
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This is a great, helpful post.
I really have been trying to trim down in all areas myself.
That thing about the dollar stores is so true though!
Dollar Tree rocks!
I can't emphasize that any more!
I get amazing holday decorations there too.
It totally doesn't look like it came from a $ store.
The stuff is good quality.
Even cute kitchen stuff and candles!Food!
Love it.
Oh and for those readers out there, instead of buying books, use Swaptree.com!
(am I allowed to post about other sites?Sorry if not) It is a book (and also cd's and DVD's) trading site, Yeah the library works, but I am a dork and like to collect books.
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@ Jeremyn: That's also true, but there will still be your masses that like how Starbucks tastes.
And addiction, if you will, just like the other mentioned addictions.
@ Modirty80: You just reminded me of something!
#9: Do not buy things that you don't need, even if they're from the dollar store.
All those cute little things that you can't help but buy will add up.
I guess the 99 cent store is kind of a double-edged sword in that sense.
On one hand, you can get the things you need from lesser brands for a fraction of the retail cost.
On the other hand, the small price tag and cute visuals entice many people to grab things they don't need right now, some people grab a lot of "wants," and it ends up having the opposite effect on the wallet.
I know someone that does this.
**cough** my mom **cough**
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This is a reall helpful thread thanks, why though do new cars lose so much value in there 1st year?
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