Monthly Archives: April 2015
Save Money By Reducing These Costly Bad Habits
Everyone has bad habits – those little things we know we shouldn’t be doing but we like to do anyway. If you just have one bad habit, you might be able to overlook it as an indulgence. But if you have multiple bad habits or ones that are negatively affecting your health, you might want to consider giving them the ax.
You’ll be able to save some money and feel better about yourself in the process. Here are some of the biggest bad habits you might be able to break.
Smoking
Tobacco is one of the worst habits you can have when it comes to your health and your wallet. If you’re a smoker, you might be spending a small fortune on cigarettes each month, depending upon how many packs you smoke a day.
Cutting back or eliminating smoking entirely isn’t going to be easy, but it can be done. Try cutting back by one cigarette per day, and when that gets too hard, try eliminating one every week instead of daily. If you think you can, go cold turkey instead. You’ll notice the savings right away, which will provide a lot of encouragement.
Overeating
Consuming more calories than you need is not only unhealthy – it’s super expensive too. Figure out how many calories you need per day and try to stick to that total. Any other extra calories you eat will literally be like you’re eating money.
If you’re feeling hungry, try going for a walk instead or drink a big glass of water. If that doesn’t work, allow yourself some fruit or vegetables. The fiber will fill you up and you’ll get some nutritional content for those extra calories.
Drinking
Alcohol can cause a number of problems. If you’re an occasional social drinker, you might not need to cut back at all and you likely aren’t spending a bunch of money on it anyway.
But if you find yourself tossing back drink after drink each weekend, you might want to cut back a few nights every month. Replace it with a glass of water or a club soda if you’re out with friends. That way you can still have the conversation and laughs without overspending.
Soda
It’s easy to have a daily soda or two and not think about how much money you’re spending. If you buy a 12-pack on sale at the store, you aren’t losing as much money as you are if you hit the vending machine every time at work instead.
If you find yourself paying a buck a soda, you could be out a couple dollars a day just for those two drinks. That can add up to a serious chunk of change during the course of a month.
Gambling
Gambling can be a lot of fun, but some people have trouble knowing when to call it a night. And you can lose a lot of money rapidly while you’re gambling.
If you think you have a problem with gambling, consider seeking professional help. It can give you the tools you need to quit and potentially change your financial outlook.