10 Little Things that Steal Your Money

It's the little things, right? Yeah, it's the little things that can make you go broke. We've all heard about taking our lunch to work vs. going out to eat but what about everything else you buy? I started looking at some of my purchases over the last week and I was shocked that I had spent $20 on random things. Take a look at the 10 things listed below and stop blowing your money!

{10 Little Things that Steal Your Money}

1. Happy Meals: I'm not saying you can never buy a Happy Meal, in fact, I'm referring to much more than just Happy Meals. How many times do you stop to buy your kids a drink? Snacks? A QT hot dog? (Ok, QT hot dogs do not apply as we all know that the $1 is money well spent). But, overall, those little snacks for the little ones can add up to big money at the end of the week.

2. Coffee Break: Buy a coffee machine and put it in the office. Seriously. Heading out the door for your local Starbucks or even a gas station adds up over time.

3. Vending Machines: Guilty. Yep, I have a horrible habit of hitting the vending machines in our building. Bring a snack to work! How hard of a concept is this for me to grasp? Yet every week, I drop another $2 into the machine. Wasted money on a nasty candy bar that my pants tell me I do not need.

4. Smoking: Just quit.

5. Car Washes: Just a week ago, I bought a car wash for $6. It is so easy to just buy it while you are filling up the tank. But, save your $6, go home and pull out the garden hose. You'll save money and get a little exercise in at the same time.

6. Magazines: Keep an eye on our site for free magazine subscriptions. We post them quite a bit. I'm a magazine addict but I don't pay for any of them. The only exception I make to this rule is when I fly or drive across the country. I will splurge on extra magazines just to keep my mind off the fact that I am thousands of feet above the ground.

7. Gym Membership: Do you use it? My sister just told me she has been paying for a gym that she has not been to in over a year (yep, I just told the world). Yikes. On the other hand, my husband is a gym junkie so it's well worth it for him to keep his membership. If you haven't been, cancel it. If all you do is walk a treadmill, then go outside instead and save the $20 a month.

8. Bank Fees & Late Fees: Are you paying for a checking account? Overdraft fees? Late Fees? These fees add up like no tomorrow and will literally rob you of your money. Sign up for a free checking account and be sure to pay your bills on time. If for some reason you are late (once), call and see if you can have the fee removed both on your bills or your checking account.

9. Bottled Water: Get a water filter and use it. Bottled water is a convenience and all of us love it but the cheaper route is to use a water filter and get your water that way. I still remember paying $5 for a bottled water at Disney last summer...it hurt, believe me.

10. Movies: With Redbox, Blockbuster Kiosks, Netflix and Hulu, it is hard to believe we are still dropping $12 for a movie ticket or $6 to watch a movie On Demand. One of my husband's biggest complaints is that the Redbox kiosk is always out of the good movies. We've since learned to reserve our movies online before we go pick them up to ensure we get a good one. The most important thing to do is to think ahead so you pick up the movie while you're at the store.

If you don't pick it up while you're out, then you will more than likely order it via cable and be out another $6.

Am I saying you can never spend money on these things? No way. But it is nice to see a list of these items so you can see if you are spending money and didn't even realize it. The $5 here or there can add up to serious money over time and honestly, that is money I would rather use on something else!

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