http://bankrate.com/brm/news/Financial_Literacy/July07_savings_money_drains_a1.asp?caret=44e

Discuss.

Meanwhile, I'll be heading out to lunch. :)

That's crazy seeing how much money we actually spend on what seems to be an everyday thing to some people. If I didn't spend money on lunch or drinks I could have one fast car!! lol

Luckily I buy one cup of coffee a day here at work, costing me $0.50 each cup. I'm thankfully not dishing out as much as they estimate. Alcohol...yeah, it's depressing when I think of how much I spend on that.

What most people would spend on alcohol I put toward the car :D

sadly since it's more effort to make (slightly), starbucks charged $4.65 for chai.. for a while I was getting one or two every day o_O yeah um .. $3000 a year on black tea with steamed milk and seasoning? no thanks. Now I only get like one a week so they'll only get ~$250 from me :P

car mods is about ~$5000 a year for me o_O .. added to the chai and dude yeah I could finance a really decent new car instead of modding my crapbox and drinking tea

I need to hire an assistant to manage my finances, I don't have enough time :P

Well, thanks to the vertigo meds, I can't drink...so money saving FTW.

meds ftl

plus meds = $$ :P

Guilty of all those items listed. However my largest bill is food and thats not even eating out.

meds ftl

plus meds = $$ :P

These meds cost me $4 per refill. This fill should last me either a month if they don't work fast enough, or much longer if they do. I have to take them for a week, wait till I get dizzy again, take for another week, wait to see if I get dizzy again, and repeat.

oh ok.. I was paying $50 a month for mine (because there was no generic available), that's not too bad :P

My run down:

1.Coffee - I rarely drink it, so this is a non-issue for me.

2.Cigarettes - Never smoked, never will.

3.Alcohol - I don't drink. On occasion, I'll buy someone a drink.

4.Bottled water - 99% of the bottled water I buy is at work, where there's a guy who buys the bottles in bulk, stuffs them in a fridge, and charges a quarter a bottle.

5.Manicures - I cut my nails every week or so. Again, free for me. Also, I'm not a girly man.

6.Car washes - I WISH this was an expense of mine. If I spend $5 a month at the car wash place, that would be a shocker. Unfortunately, I don't have time to wash my car that often. I keep it clean though. :-P However, my detailing products probably cost me $100-$200 a year. But that's a drop in the bucket compared to what I put into my car.

7.Weekday lunches out - Guilty. But, I like to get out of the office and grab a bite. Rough estimate says I spend about $1,752 a year doing this. That's a bit of cash, but it's not much considering the stress relief and enjoyment I get out of it.

8.Vending machines snacks - I'm somewhat guilty here. I generally try to keep my desk packed with things to snack on during the day, but sometimes I'm either bored of them or I just run out. I probably buy a vending machine snack per week on average.

9.Interest charges on credit cards - I usually pay my cards in full, so I don't get charged with any interest.

10.Unused memberships - Everything I'm a member of is something I use.

Good deal on that bottle of water. I buy a 12 pack for my house every now and again. I have well water, so once in a while you'll get an odd taste...that's when I resort to the water. I keep a bottle here at work that I refill multiple times a day.

Good shit.

Speaking of water, there are signs up all over my work warning not to drink the water, etc etc.

e. coli ftl.

Good shit.

Speaking of water, there are signs up all over my work warning not to drink the water, etc etc.

e. coli ftl.

Yeah, we get announcements on the intranet sometimes about boiling alerts. I have a few sealed bottles in the desk for those days.

lol @ public water supplies

the city was flushing the water mains in my area at night last week.. that was a gross and unwelcome surprise, the Pur filter was powerless against the onslaught!

Good God! Almost $2,000 a year! Thank goodness I quit smoking.

Good God! Almost $2,000 a year! Thank goodness I quit smoking.

I thought you quit but started again? When did you quit?

I have been smokeless for a good 3 weeks now. It's only hard on the weekends when I'm with Clay because he is still smoking. I've managed though.

Make his ass quit. Smoking = eww.

I quit this spring, and I am glad because the prices continue to go up!

Make his ass quit. Smoking = eww.

Riiiight..

1. only after nights out drunkin.
2. occassionally while out drunkin
3. about once a month
4. bottled water from sams club
5. no manicures here
6. Hand wash only
7. I eat out for lunch most of the time... but 99% of the time I ge a sub or a sandwich that costs between $3.00 and $6.00, this comes out to about $1170 a year.
8. no vending machines in our office building
9. I got them to lower my interest while I finish paying off my card (call and ask, they will hook you up.)
10. I use my health club membership at least 3-4 times a week.

basically, me going out drinking drains all of my money.

9.Interest charges on credit cards - I usually pay my cards in full, so I don't get charged with any interest.



Try leaving a little bit on there... It will help increase your credit. I leave anywhere between 30-100 bucks on mine. They just keep wanting to give me more money to spend.

I don't always pay them in full, but I usually do. Regardless, as of a few months ago, my credit score was a ridiculous 805. <3

I don't always pay them in full, but I usually do. Regardless, as of a few months ago, my credit score was a ridiculous 805. <3

wow pretty much any financial institution would not deny you at all.after 700 you're good.

1. I have a latte everyday and I'm usually buying for others =$1200
2. Not proud but I smoke almost a pack a day =$3300 ($9.50/pack up here)
3. I buy a 12 pack once a week=$1100
4. N/A
5. N/A I bite my nails...probably cause of all of the above..lol
6. 2-3 times a month when I fill up= minimum $350
7. I work evenings and buy my dinner every day + buy for others=$6500-$7500
8. N/A
9. I can't remember when I had no debt, but I understand why now!!! Considering though, my credit score was over 740 last year.
10. N/A


I got 6 of the 10. What a wake up call for me.

I am surprised that Hookers and Blow didn't make that list.... prolly cuz those r worth it!

1. Coffee 1/day x 5 days/week $260/year
2. Cigarettes $0 yuck
3. Alcohol this one probably gets me !
4. Bottled water sparkeling water?? $200/year
5. Manicures $0 :)
6. Car washes $0
7. Weekday lunches out $1300/year
8. Vending machines snacks $0 (i quit vending machines 6 months ago :) )
9. Interest charges on credit cards $0 yaay
10. Unused memberships $0

total $1760/year .. that's not so bad

1. I have a latte everyday and I'm usually buying for others =$1200
2. Not proud but I smoke almost a pack a day =$3300 ($9.50/pack up here)
3. I buy a 12 pack once a week=$1100
4. N/A
5. N/A I bite my nails...probably cause of all of the above..lol
6. 2-3 times a month when I fill up= minimum $350
7. I work evenings and buy my dinner every day + buy for others=$6500-$7500
8. N/A
9. I can't remember when I had no debt, but I understand why now!!! Considering though, my credit score was over 740 last year.
10. N/A


I got 6 of the 10. What a wake up call for me.

$13450/year

whoa! you are waisting a downpayment on a house every few years!

we all have things that we waste our money on that aren't on this list....

I enjoy going for drives every now and again for 50 to 100 miles with no destination. If I do that once a week, that comes out to an extra tank of fuel every month.... ~ $40 per month, ~ $500 extra per year.

i have ~14 jackets and ~20 pairs of shoes

i shop at wholefoods because it's closer.. huge waste of $$

i buy gum almost every day

i think i need designer purse/briefcase to look cool at work

about $200/year is spent on lost glasses

about $300/year is spent on lost cameras

and i buy ducatis for random guys

I save money since I'm no longer with my ex. Designer purses FTL.


I'll take a Ducati por favor...

^ this is true... she bought me two Cati's!!

Things that aren't on the list...

Shopping at health food/local grocer
Bikes
Clothes
Electronics
Furniture
Laundry... I pay someone to wash/fold my laundry.

i have ~14 jackets and ~20 pairs of shoes

i shop at wholefoods because it's closer.. huge waste of $$

i buy gum almost every day

i think i need designer purse/briefcase to look cool at work

about $200/year is spent on lost glasses

about $300/year is spent on lost cameras

and i buy ducatis for random guys

can I get an mx-5 instead???

luckily, I just found a new dry cleaner that charges half of what my normal place charges.

The key to all of this stuff is lowering the cost of repetitive spending.