Some people
(Tightwad maybe?) sometimes spend more time on choosing a wine for dinner than
updating their cable bundles. But, as with any purchase, it’s important to scrutinize
your budget and contain any possible financial leaks. Here are some common budget
blowing items that you may consider reviewing.
Bank
fees add up
and you may be throwing away more money than you're saving. Transferring your
chequing account to a local credit union will help wipe away useless fees.
Daily
deals and flash sales prey on our fear of missing a good deal – their quick deadlines and
urgent messaging make it nearly impossible to resist. Use coupons for an item
or service you need when you need it by using sites such as couponsherpa.com.
Expired
food Buying
too much at the grocery store can be wasteful if your food goes bad before
you have a chance to eat it. While planning meals for the week can be a useful
budget tool, don't get hung up on expiration dates. There is some flexibility -
the date printed on a product's container is not necessarily the expiration
date, but may be the sell by date.
Gym memberships Over half of yearly gym memberships
don’t get used. Oops! If you are considering joining a health club, inquire
about a punch pass first so you can pay-as-you-go instead. Otherwise, mix things
up and bounce between gyms and specialty exercise studios by taking advantage
of free or nearly free introductory passes.
Home
phone The
landline is nearly obsolete, though many people like having one for
emergencies. At an average of $40 per month, it's a lot for a phone you don't
use. Switch to a free Internet home phone provider so you don't have to sacrifice
security for savings.
Mobile
data Over
three quarters of mobile users are buying more data than they're using… and for
those with multiple wireless devices that require WiFi, odds are they're paying
much more. To figure out how much data you're wasting, monitor usage by
reviewing third-party apps and adjust your bill accordingly.
Name
brand medicine The
FDA requires that both prescription and over-the-counter generics be identical
in dose, strength, safety and efficacy so paying up to
50% more for name-brand meds when a less expensive generic is available is just
plain cray-cray.
1 comments:
For the first time in my life I have savings and the feeling's great!
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