Americans have several collective addictions, and wasting money is among the nastiest. Yet, for some reason, we forget how hard we worked to earn the money when it comes time to blow it.
If you're ready to stop wasting money, rid yourself of these ten popular ways to donate your hard-earned moolah to undeserving recipients. Here's our list of the top 1o biggest money wasters.
Bottled Water
You know that's just tap water, right? Buy a high-quality, portable thermos, and stop handing your paychecks to Big Water. Of course, the occasional Fiji is a delightful treat that you deserve. Whatever you do, though, don't make a habit of buying bottles.
Gold Leaf on Your Food
Edible gold leaf is little more than a status symbol. Your body doesn't even digest it, and you're lying if you say you can taste it. So why are you spending the extra $50 (or more?) to pretend you're King Midas?
Do you know what's better than a gold leaf in every single way? Rosemary. Or sprinkles. Pick a topping—any topping—so long as it's not gold.
Designer Clothing
Do you know what doesn't go out of style? A nice polo shirt. Or flannels in the winter. Nice blue jeans and a classy T-shirt.
That Balenciaga t-shirt you spend $1,300 on? The only people who would appreciate that shirt are the same ones who will mock you for wearing it once it's out of style (in T-minus 1, 2, 3…).
The Penny
This one is aimed at the United States Mint. It has to cost more than a penny to produce a penny, right? So what are we doing here?
We stand at a moment in American history where it's imperative that Americans save whatever change they can scrounge up and that the country follows suit. Abolishing the penny might be one of several belt-tightening measures necessary to get the country out of its massive debts.
Political Donations
Do you think your politician of choice will look at your $50 donation and say, “Thanks, Brian? How would you like me to vote on healthcare or immigration policy?” How confident are you that the campaign will spend that donation—which might have gone towards the kid's college fund or credit card debt—wisely?
A politician might vote the way Walmart or other corporate donors want, but little old you? You're best served to hang on to that 50 bucks.
Gambling
Whether you're hitting the tables in Vegas, stopping by 7-Eleven for your daily scratch-off, or wagering on the night's slate of basketball games, you're wasting your money.
You spent minutes, hours, or years of your life making that money, and you're going to spend it wishing on the New York Knicks?!
Premium Coffee
Swapping Starbucks for Folgers is one of the most obvious ways to grow your nest egg. You can even buy your own caramel and dump it in the cup of home-brewed coffee. You'll hardly notice the difference.
Get-Rich-Quick Classes
There's no secret to getting rich. Earn more, spend less, and say “no” to those scammy online courses by “hustle” influencers.
Anything That's Not Bringing Value
You know the old adage about looking at everything in your home and disposing of everything that doesn't bring you joy? Apply that line of thinking to your bank statement. This month, make a concerted effort to eliminate value-minimal purchases from the purchase history.
That's our list of the ten biggest money wasters. Do you find yourself indulging in any of these? It's time to get rid of them!
This thread inspired this post.