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The 1st "Off-Topic" Post: ....
25 Ways To Waste Your Money, Part 1:
Has your budget sprung a leak?
Nearly everyone has spending holes.
Here are 25 common ways people waste Money. See if any of these sound familiar, then look for ways to plug your own leaks:
1. Gold/Silver Membership on ALT.
Reading and viewing bogus Profiles of people claiming to be "Dominant" and "submissive"??? Blindfolds & Handcuffs & K9's .... OH MY!!! | ||
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25 Ways To Waste Your Money, Part 2 ....
2. Carrying a balance.
Debt is a shackle that holds you back.
For instance, if you have a $1,000.00 balance on a credit card that charges an 18% rate, you blow $180.00 every year on interest. Blindfolds & Handcuffs & K9's .... OH MY!!! | ||
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25 Ways To Waste Your Money, Part 3 ....
3. Overspending on gas and oil for your car.
There's no need to spring for premium fuel if the manufacturer says regular is just fine.
You should also check to make sure your tires are optimally inflated to get the best gas mileage.
And, are you still paying for an oil change every 3,000 miles?
Check your manual to find the best time for your car's routine maintenance. Blindfolds & Handcuffs & K9's .... OH MY!!! | ||
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25 Ways To Waste Your Money, Part 4 ....
4. Keeping unhealthy habits.
Smoking costs alot more than just what you pay for a pack of cigarettes.
Add in various other expenses, and the true cost of smoking adds up dramatically over a lifetime .... $86,000.00 for a 24-year-old woman over a lifetime and $183,000.00 for a 24-year-old man over a lifetime, according to "The Price of Smoking" (The MIT Press).
Another habit to quit: indoor tanning.
There is now a 10% tax on indoor tanning services. Blindfolds & Handcuffs & K9's .... OH MY!!! | ||
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25 Ways To Waste Your Money, Part 5 ....
5. Using a cell phone that doesn't fit.
How many people do you know who have spent hundreds of dollars on fancy phones, and then pay hundreds of dollars every month for the privilege of using them?
Your phone is not a status symbol. Blindfolds & Handcuffs & K9's .... OH MY!!! | ||
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25 Ways To Waste Your Money, Part 6 ....
6. Buying brand-name instead of generic.
From groceries to clothing to prescription drugs, you could save Money by choosing the off-brand over the fancy label.
And, in many cases, you won't sacrifice much in quality. Blindfolds & Handcuffs & K9's .... OH MY!!! | ||
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25 Ways To Waste Your Money, Part 7 ....
7. Keeping your mouth shut.
No one wants to be a nuisance.
When shopping, watch for price discrepancies at the cash register, and make a habit of asking, "Do you have a coupon for this?"
Many stores will also match or beat their competitors' prices if you speak up.
It doesn't hurt to ask. Blindfolds & Handcuffs & K9's .... OH MY!!! | ||
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25 Ways To Waste Your Money, Part 8 ....
8. Buying beverages one at a time.
If, you're in the habit of buying bottled water, coffee-by-the-cup or vending-machine soda, your budget has sprung a leak.
Instead, drink tap water or use a water filter. Blindfolds & Handcuffs & K9's .... OH MY!!! | ||
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25 Ways To Waste Your Money, Part 9 ....
9. Paying for something you can get for free.
There's a boatload of freebies for the taking, if you know where to look.
Some of our favorites include restaurant meals for kids, credit reports, software programs, prescription drugs and tech support.
You can also help yourself to all the books, music and movies your heart desires at your local library for free (or dirt cheap). Blindfolds & Handcuffs & K9's .... OH MY!!! | ||
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25 Ways To Waste Your Money, Part 10 ....
10. Stashing your Money with Uncle Sam rather than in an interest-earning account.
If, you get a tax refund each April, you let the government take too much Money in taxes from your paycheck all year long. Get that Money back in your pocket this year .... and, put it to work for you ~ by adjusting your tax withholding.
You can file a new Form W-4 with your employer at any time. Blindfolds & Handcuffs & K9's .... OH MY!!! | ||
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25 Ways To Waste Your Money, Part 11 ....
11. Being disorganized.
It pays to get your financial house in order.
Lost bills and receipts, forgotten tax deductions, and clueless spending can cost you hundreds of dollars each year.
Then, get a handful of files to organize important receipts, insurance policies, tax documents and other statements. Blindfolds & Handcuffs & K9's .... OH MY!!! | ||
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25 Ways To Waste Your Money, Part 12 ....
12. Letting your Money wallow in a low-interest account.
You work hard for your Money.
If, you're stashing your cash in a traditional savings account earning next-to-nothing, you're wasting it.
Your stocks and mutual funds should be working hard for you, also.
Learn how to spot a wallowing fund or stock. Blindfolds & Handcuffs & K9's .... OH MY!!! | ||
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25 Ways To Waste Your Money, Part 13 ....
13. Paying late fees and missing deadlines.
Return those library books and movie rentals on time.
And, if you make a bad purchase, don't just stuff it in the back of the closet and hope it goes away. Blindfolds & Handcuffs & K9's .... OH MY!!! | ||
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25 Ways To Waste Your Money, Part 14 ....
14. Paying ATM fees.
Expect to throw away nearly $4 every time you use an ATM that isn't in your bank's Network.
That's because you'll pay an ATM surcharge, and your own bank will hit you with a non-network fee.
Another way to avoid fees if there's not an ATM in your bank's Network nearby is to get cash back when you make a purchase at the grocery store or drugstore. Blindfolds & Handcuffs & K9's .... OH MY!!! | ||
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25 Ways To Waste Your Money, Part 15 ....
15. Shopping at the grocery store without a calculator.
Check how much an item costs per ounce, pound or other unit of measurement.
When you "comparison-shop" by unit price, you save. Blindfolds & Handcuffs & K9's .... OH MY!!! | ||
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25 Ways To Waste Your Money, Part 16 ....
16. Paying for things you don't use.
Do you watch all those cable channels?
Take a look at what your family actually uses, then trim accordingly. Blindfolds & Handcuffs & K9's .... OH MY!!! | ||
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25 Ways To Waste Your Money, Part 17 ....
17. Not reading the fine print.
Thought you were being smart by transferring the balance on a high-rate credit card to a low-rate one?
Some credit-card companies now charge up to 5% for balance transfers.
Also, watch out for free checking accounts that aren't so free. Some banks are starting to charge fees unless you meet certain criteria. Blindfolds & Handcuffs & K9's .... OH MY!!! | ||
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25 Ways To Waste Your Money, Part 18 ....
18. Mismanaging your flexible spending account.
For some people, that means failing to take advantage of their workplace FSA, which lets employees set aside pre-tax dollars for out-of-pocket medical costs.
Other people fail to submit receipts on time.
And, the average worker leaves $86.00 behind in his or her use-it-or-lose-it FSA account each year (according to "WageWorks", an employee benefits provider). Blindfolds & Handcuffs & K9's .... OH MY!!! | ||
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25 Ways To Waste Your Money, Part 19 ....
19. Being an inflexible traveler.
You'll save alot of Money on travel if you're willing to be flexible.
Consider traveling before or after peak season when prices are lower. Or, search for flights over a range of dates to find the lowest fare. Booking at the last minute also can save you Money because hotels and airlines slash prices to fill rooms and planes.
And, flexibility pays off at blind-booking sites, such as Priceline or Hotwire, which offer deep discounts if you're willing to book a room or flight without knowing which hotel or airline (or other details about the flight) you're getting until you pay. Blindfolds & Handcuffs & K9's .... OH MY!!! | ||
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25 Ways To Waste Your Money, Part 20 ....
20. Sticking with the same service plans and the same service providers year-after-year.
Hey, we're all for loyalty to trusted service providers, such as your bank, insurer, credit-card company, mutual fund, phone plan or cable plan!!!
But, over time, as prices and your circumstances change, the status-quo may not be the best deal any more.
Smart consumers are always on the lookout for bargains. Blindfolds & Handcuffs & K9's .... OH MY!!! | ||
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25 Ways To Waste Your Money, Part 21 ....
21. Making impulse purchases.
When you buy before you think, you don't give yourself time to shop around for the best price.
Take the time to compare prices online, read product reviews and look for coupons when appropriate.
Make it a policy to give yourself a cooling-off period in case you're ever tempted to make an impulse purchase.
More often than not, you'll decide you don't need the item after all. Blindfolds & Handcuffs & K9's .... OH MY!!! | ||
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25 Ways To Waste Your Money, Part 22 ....
22. Dining out frequently.
Spending $10.00, $20.00, $30.00 per person for dinner can be a huge drain on your wallet.
Throw in a $6.00 sandwich for lunch every day and you've got quite a leak.
When you do go out, consider getting carry-out instead of dining in (you'll save on the tip and drink), skip the overpriced appetizer and dessert, and search the Web for coupons ahead of time. Blindfolds & Handcuffs & K9's .... OH MY!!! | ||
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25 Ways To Waste Your Money, Part 23 ....
23. Trying to time the stock market.
In trying to "buy low and sell high", many people actually do the opposite.
Instead, employ the simple strategy of "dollar-cost-averaging."
If, you take out the emotion and guesswork, investing can become less stressful, less wasteful and more successful. Blindfolds & Handcuffs & K9's .... OH MY!!! | ||
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25 Ways To Waste Your Money, Part 24 ....
24. Buying insurance you don't need.
You only need life insurance if someone is financially dependent upon you, such as a child.
That means most singles, seniors or kids don't need a policy. Blindfolds & Handcuffs & K9's .... OH MY!!! | ||
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25 Ways To Waste Your Money, Part 25 ....
25. Buying new instead of used.
Talk about a spending leak .... or, rather, a gush.
Cars lose 20% of their value the moment they're driven off the lot and 65% in the first five years.
Cars aren't the only things worth buying used. Blindfolds & Handcuffs & K9's .... OH MY!!! |
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