32 Ways to Waste Money

I know you are thinking I have been doing all these blog postings about savings why in the heck would I suggest ways to waste money. I'm actually not. These are really some areas that we are all wasting our money when we could be doing something different and saving.

1. Use Paper Towels
Anything you can do with a paper towel, you can do with a dishcloth or some kind of reusable cloth. It doesn't cost as much to wash the dishcloth as the paper towels cost.

2. Tanning Salons
This doesn't apply to most of my friends. I used to go to tanning salons to even out tans. I actually haven't been to a tanning salon in 4 years. I enjoy laying/sleeping in the sun on the beach. All that tanning will just lead to skin cancer and then you have an even bigger expense for treatment.

3. Movie Rentals
Before you PAY to rent a movie, check first with your local or county library, they have 1000's of movies you can take out for FREE. You are paying for this through your taxes so why not get the benefit. Now I love my Netflix so I'm not giving it up. And when I first moved to NYC I used to go to the library a lot and I would use them for those in between Netflix rental times.

4. Disposable Razors
You spend $10 on a razor with blades and you throw them away and have to spend another $5-10 the next month for replacement blades. That's $65 to 120 a year. So why not invest in a good electric razor. You can spend $60.00 one time and buy a good electric razor and have it for 3-4 years and save in the long term.

5. Pet Clothing
We love man's best friend but man's best friend does not need his own wardrobe. That's what their fur is for. The prices of pet clothing & accessories are ridiculous.

6. Shopping at the Corner Store
In NYC there is a bodega on every corner. But it is an overpriced convenience. You would spend less if you just went to the grocery store and was more efficient about what you bought.

7. Nail Salons
I've said this before. Spending money every week or every other week is a waste money. Go once a month and take care your nails and toes yourself. And if you are the type of person that is willing to cut your own cuticles you can go once every 2 months or not at all.

8. Eating Out for Lunch
Packing your lunch is not only a healthier choice, but also saves you a good amount of money that could be spent elsewhere. If you're eating out every day, spending about $7 a day, you could save around $700 a year, just by packing your lunch two times per week.

9. Energy Loss
Not shutting the lights off behind you is one of the biggest money wasters in the U.S. Energy saved is energy produced. An average household can save at least 10%-12% off their monthly electricity bills. Offices can save much more!

10. Caring for Lawns
This is not an issue for me because I live in NYC and my HOA pays for the landscaping but the amount of money people will spend to have the greenest grass or biggest flowers are wasting time and money.

11. Insurance
Make sure you have the right amount of coverage for you and a high deductible. Why pay for insurance that you won't use. Have enough to cover yourself but don't pay for more insurance than you need.

12. Duplicate Spending
Have you ever bought something because you thought you were out of it to get home and see you have a brand new bottle of it already. This is why I keep a shopping list and regularly check out what is in my cabinets.

13. Clothes Dryers
I live in NYC so what I'm about to suggest is not really an option for me. Hang your clothes to dry or use a dryer only for socks, underwear and other small items you would feel odd hanging outside. You can also use a drying rack. Dryers use lots of electricity and gas, plus ruin your clothes over the long term. Dryer 'lint' is your clothing falling apart!

14. Buying a New Car
You lose a huge chunk of value just driving it off the lot! Buy a 1- to 3-year-old vehicle and you get the same warranties at a much cheaper price.

15. Designer Handbags
I know some people are going to be offended by this one but I have never spent more than $50 on a purse. Don't get me wrong, I have a few coach purses. But I bought them at the outlet store or on Ebay. If you must have the latest, greatest designer handbag then you might want to look in to a membership with Bag, Borrow or Steal.

16. Children's Birthday Parties
You know you love your kids and they know you love them as well. So you don't need to show it by having a big overpriced birthday party. What happened to everyone coming over for cake and ice cream? Why must we spend hundreds of dollars?

17. Big Houses
So many people think that if you have a big house you seem more important. No, you don't. You should buy a house that is the right size for your family.

18. Alcohol at Restaurants and Bars
It is ridiculous some of the prices restaurants and bars charge. Buy two mixed drinks and you could have gone and bought the ingredients to make your own and have a few friends join you at home.

19. Buying Supreme Gas
Why waste money on higher priced gas? It has no effect on the efficiency of your engine.

20. Energy Drinks
I don't like energy drinks. I think they taste bad or leave a bad after taste. They are overprice and it's either the high level of sugar or caffeine in them that makes me have to run to the bathroom almost as soon as I finish the drink. The high levels of caffeine are addictive, so people get completely hooked. I know many people who drink 2-3 energy drinks a day at $2-3 each. That's $4-9 a day.

21. Plastic Cups
Just use a glass. Why pay for a cup everytime you drink at home? I take it a step further if I do use a plastic cup I wash it and reuse it.

22. Junk Food
Just think how much money you could save if you avoided the daily trip to the snack machine to get your through the afternoon. The items are always overpriced. It would be cheaper to bring snacks from home.

23. Disposable Cleaning Supplies
I know you love your Swiffer but it creates waste. Reusable scrubbers, brushes, mops and rags are far more economical and environmentally friendly.

24. Playing the Lottery
I have plenty of family members who play every day because they believe the day they don't they will miss out on winning. I'm SO glad this is a habit I never formed. can't see spending hundreds of dollars a month or a week, just to get thrilled over winning $25-50.

25. The Wedding Industry
It is amazing to me how expensive weddings can be. I know it's a special day and it's about celebrating love and making memories but do you have to go broke to do it? In NYC they just opened a newly renovated wedding chapel across the street from city hall. NYC wants to be the Las Vegas of the east coast. Don't get me wrong, if I was to get married I would have a wedding but I would keep the costs to a minimum. Recently Essence.com had a story of someone who had here wedding for $6,000.

26. Individual drinks
Buying individually bottled or canned drinks is the biggest waste of money and adds up fast, if you do it daily.

27. Four Year Universities
I love UNC...I bleed Tarhell blue BUT if I was thinking economically when shopping for colleges I should have went to a local two-year college for the first two years. Most two-year colleges have 2+2 programs with most universities. My niece and nephew are doing that. They are attending Bergen Community College for their first 2 years. They will save 17-20 thousand dollars and I'll still be paying off my student loans.

28. Designer Skincare
The best way to take care of your skin is vitamins, water, sleep, genetics and sunblock. Spending hundreds of dollars on skincare is a waste. I won't get in to overpriced makeup although my girly card was revoked long ago.

29. Extended Warranties
It's a waste of money to purchase an extended warranty for small inexpensive items such as radios, DVD players, vacuums, etc. The manufacturer's warranty is sufficient. Retailers and dealers will always offer extended warranties -- but they are not always necessary.

30. Brand Names
We make jokes about generic brands...particularly the names of some cereals or Tussin instead of Robitussin. Food brands add marketing and advertising costs ... Is Bayer or Advil so much better than "I-don't-know-this-brand" aspirin and ibuprofen. Sometimes it is, but very rarely. Marketing and advertising don't make products taste or work better they just add to the final price of a product.

31. Hotels
When you go on vacation you don't need to spend for a luxury hotel room. You don't go on vacation to stay in your hotel room all day. Unless you are going to spend 24 hours in your room, why would anyone want to spend $200-$300 a night to sleep?

32. Driving a Gas Guzzler
I should have put this one right after Big Houses. Buying an SUV or other large vehicle is the biggest waste of money and it will get even worse as oil prices inevitably will keep rising.

Can you think of other ways that you or people you know waste money?