Where does your money go?

[hodman]

No wonder am always broke... no more Caribou coffee or Aquafina Well at least not untill this evening

 

 

10 little expenses that add up fast

 

Do you wonder where your money goes, especially if you're not a big spender? It's surprisingly easy to blow thousands, a few dollars at a time.

It's easy to fritter away money on little daily expenses. If you fall into these money traps, learn to avoid them and pocket the savings.

 

Coffee: According to the National Coffee Association, the average price for a cup of brewed coffee is $1.38. There are roughly 260 weekdays per year, so buying one coffee every weekday morning costs almost $360 per year.

 

Cigarettes: The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids reports that the average price for a pack of cigarettes in the United States is $4.54. Pack-a-day smokers fork out $1,650 a year. Weekend smoker? Buying a pack once a week adds up, too: $236.

 

Alcohol: Drink prices vary based on the location. But assuming an average of $5 per beer including tip, buying two beers per day adds up to $3,650 per year. Figure twice that for two mixed drinks a day at the local bar. That's not chump change.

 

Bottled water from convenience stores: A 20-ounce bottle of Aquafina bottled water costs about $1. One bottle of water per day costs $365 per year. It costs the environment plenty, too.

 

Manicures: The Day Spa Magazine Price Survey of 2004 found that the average cost of a manicure is $20.53. A weekly manicure sets you back about $1,068 per year.

 

Car washes: The average cost for a basic auto detailing package is $58, according to Costhelper.com. The tab for getting your car detailed every two months: $348 per year.

 

Weekday lunches out: $9 will generally cover a decent lunch most workdays. If you buy, rather than pack, a lunch five days a week for one year, you shell out about $2,340 a year.

 

Vending-machines snacks: The average vending machine snack costs $1. Buy a pack of cookies every afternoon at work and pay $260 per year.

 

Interest charges on credit card bills: According to a survey released at the end of May, the median amount of credit card debt carried by Americans is $6,600. The average interest rate on a standard card is about 13%. Making the minimum payment each month, it will take 250 months (almost 21 years) to pay off the debt and cost $4,868 in interest. Ouch!

 

Unused gym memberships: Costhelper.com reports that the monthly service fee at gyms averages between $35 and $40. At $40 per month, an unused gym membership runs $480 per year.

Published Oct. 11, 2007

[Diaspora_Dude]

Well I'm guilty of 7 out of 10 scenarios. Next year I have to hire financial analyst to check out how much I have spent on these items..

 

Thanks for the info though

[Skipper]

Hodman you are talking about using a few hundred bucks on coffe and magazines a year. I get to spend thousands of dollars a month and i have no clue what i spend them on.

[umu zakaria]

Mine is the extra charge/fines that come with delayed bills. As a family we used to pay an extra of abt 1000USD a month! I decided 2 pay all bills on time but i was very broke by the time i realised how much i would have sent home instead.

 

next is no 4 on the above list.

[Nephissa]

Manicures: The Day Spa Magazine Price Survey of 2004 found that the average cost of a manicure is $20.53. A weekly manicure sets you back about $1,068 per year.

^ Weekly kute?? xoog badnaa. Not I, my dear. I get mani+pedicure summer-ka-summer. .

 

Car washes: The average cost for a basic auto detailing package is $58, according to Costhelper.com. The tab for getting your car detailed every two months: $348 per year.

^I hand wash my car in the street outside my house with my hose.

 

Weekday lunches out: $9 will generally cover a decent lunch most workdays. If you buy, rather than pack, a lunch five days a week for one year, you shell out about $2,340 a year.

^war hedhe why not pack your lunch? Istupidhsanaa dadkan.

 

Vending-machines snacks: The average vending machine snack costs $1. Buy a pack of cookies every afternoon at work and pay $260 per year.

^ Dadku xooleesanaa, why pay that much, when you can get a box of 24 mini snacks for $4.99 at Cosco.

 

Interest charges on credit card bills: According to a survey released at the end of May, the median amount of credit card debt carried by Americans is $6,600. The average interest rate on a standard card is about 13%. Making the minimum payment each month, it will take 250 months (almost 21 years) to pay off the debt and cost $4,868 in interest. Ouch!

^ Yea, really? Double Ouch!

[rudy-Diiriye]

nephy..u aint getting no breaks aye! u even wash your own car! loool.......

 

see smart women get everything for free! why not yall gals! wazzup with that? i mean if anna nicole who wasnt that smart can do it! yall should be hitting the jack-pot...lol.

[Nephissa]

Yo rudy man, I'm not spoiled or lavished. I am a simple, penny pinching, thrifty type of girl.

[LayZie G.]

Istupidhsanaa dadkan.

lol@u Neph. Most guys don't feel that they should carry lunch or snacks from home. I know one particular person who refused inuu cunto guriga ka qaato, he finds it insulting to carry food from home and eat it at work. He would rather spend hundreds of dollars a month on his lunches at work and takeaways in the evenings.

 

Bottled water from convenience stores: A 20-ounce bottle of Aquafina bottled water costs about $1. One bottle of water per day costs $365 per year. It costs the environment plenty, too.

We have a water man that comes every 3 weeks, brings those big bottle of water, the office bottle 5for $20, but hada wuxuu rabaa rate's inuu kor ukiciyo, edeb daro ayuu bartay.(I carry a 32oz water bottle) and if I need a refill, I do it at work or at the martial arts center)

 

Car washes: The average cost for a basic auto detailing package is $58, according to Costhelper.com. The tab for getting your car detailed every two months: $348 per year.

During the summer, I wash my own car, but during winter, car-ka aa is dhaqo.

 

Unused gym memberships: Costhelper.com reports that the monthly service fee at gyms averages between $35 and $40. At $40 per month, an unused gym membership runs $480 per year.

Published Oct. 11, 2007

Gym contracts raped me over and over again over the yrs, but not anymore. My local martial arts center has package classes for a one sum cost, no expiry date, that means if I get layzie, a day here and there, which I really do get LayZie(this morning was a good example) then I have nothing to worry about, my per class membership is intact, no expiry, therefore I get to use it the following day when I am upto it.(no contract, no expiry, no monthly payments, no worries)

 

Interest charges on credit card bills: According to a survey released at the end of May, the median amount of credit card debt carried by Americans is $6,600. The average interest rate on a standard card is about 13%. Making the minimum payment each month, it will take 250 months (almost 21 years) to pay off the debt and cost $4,868 in interest. Ouch!

I don't have a debt, so I am good. Quick tip, don't spend what you can't afford. If I use my credit card for purchases, I put the money back the following day, cash.(I just use the credit card instead of cash to earn redeemable points for flights etc)

[RedSea]

Wixii coffee caba iyo biyo tukaan laga iibsado caba usheega.

 

I hate coffee, i love somali shah.

[Jacaylbaro]

where is my money ?????????

[Yaabka-Yaabkiis]

where my money goes? professionally thinking-- it circulates around the world: it initially goes into Uk economy then flows out of the country as i use some imported goods----- and you know what-- at the end comes back into my pocket as my skills and manpower is utilized by Uk economy....

[Jacaylbaro]

loooooooool