One of the best ways to take control of your finances is to remove unnecessary spending, and what better way to take it a step further on items you think could not be a big deal but should be tweaked. Take a look at five items that we spend money on that could easily be avoided.
Bottled Water
We already pay for water (or if you live in the city of Detroit and you do not pay, you still get for free without a shut off, but that is a separate issue), so why double pay just to get a bottle. Whether you take a bottle to work for lunch, or only drink bottled water around the house, you could quickly see your recycle bin fill up over the course of a month and think about how much you are spending per bottle.
Shipping
With Amazon Prime offering free shipping it is hard to imagine having to go to any other site to get items sent to your house, especially since you pay sales tax anyways, it is just for the luxury of not leaving the house. Sure Amazon does charge $99 annually for this service, but think about how many boxes get sent to your house and you will decide it’s worth it.
Top Brand Names
If you go to your local grocery store and compare their brand to the top known brands, you will not notice much of a difference, especially with the quality food craze going on these days. Top retailer items are always a premium, so if you can avoid those, then try entering the store brand foods.
Pets
I am not saying pets are a waste of money, we love our dog and would do anything for her, but we also did not pay more than a few hundred dollars for her. With so many animals available via shelters for rescue or with breeders, there is no need to spend thousands at a pet store or specialty dog breed to be your next best friend.
Credit Card Interest
Every time you carry over a balance to the next month the interest starts to add up, some cards charging 15% APR. The more you sink into credit card debt the more you pay in interest, and the more difficult it is to get out. Pay your balance off each month or do not use the card!
The other day I was talking to someone and they told me that they always pay credit card interest. They thought that was the only way to improve their credit score. I had to bang my head and I just couldn’t believe it. They didn’t believe me when I told them otherwise as well.
Are you serious? I’ve never heard that before. My bf taught me to pay off my credit card in full. I have not paid credit card interest in years.