Phantom Power
Everyone wants to be sure that their electronic devices are charged. However, it costs money to keep your laptop and phone plugged in while they’re fully charged. In the United States, phantom power costs $19 billion a year. This equates to an average of about $20-$30 more per month on the average electric bill. To save money, remember to turn off electronic devices when you’re not using them, and use a power strip to easily turn off multiple electronic devices at once.
Airline Taxes
These days, when you fly, you pay extra for almost everything from baggage to a seat, reports The Motley Fool. So don’t forget to compare not only the prices of the flights but also the extras they charge. You can even weigh your bags before you leave to avoid extra charges.
Procrastinating
You might think it’s a good idea to wait for last-minute deals, but procrastination can be expensive in the long run. Airline tickets and hotel rooms can get more expensive as the date increases. And procrastinating to save money will make less sense in the future.
Bank Fees
Not having enough money in your bank account can cost you dearly. How much? Americans pay $17 billion a year in overdraft fees and underfunding. ATM fees and other service fees can also be as high as $1,000 over 10 years. To avoid them, look for banks that have toll-free ATMs that don’t charge monthly maintenance fees.
Buying New Things
Of course, a shiny new car is tempting. On average, car buyers spend about $31,000 on new cars. But as soon as you leave the parking lot, the car loses 11% of its value. a better option? Choose a reliable used car and a short-term loan that you can pay off quickly. The same applies to the electronics. Instead of looking for the latest Mac in electronics stores, look for “open” products, such as refurbished computers.
Rental Car Insurance
Rental car insurance also seems like a sensible precautionary measure worth paying for. It costs between $20 and $40, but that’s money you can probably save. Your car insurance and health insurance must cover liability and medical expenses in the event of an accident. So before you take out rental insurance, be sure to check your policies.
Credit Card Interest Rates
It’s not uncommon to be charged 20% per year, although some people find it difficult to afford even higher interest rates. If you owe $25,000, paying 20% will cost you up to $5,000 a year — interest only. To avoid having to pay even more money on old debts, try the snowball method. Pay off the card with the lowest balance first, then move on to the next card.
Dry Cleaner
A typical trip to the cleaners to have your pants and shirts cleaned can cost up to $10.With a weekly visit, the amount can exceed $500 per year. To save this money, machine wash your shirts on a gentle cycle or hand wash them.
Extended Warranties
Getting an extended warranty for your fridge or car sounds like a good idea. However, according to the FTC, most extended warranties are not worth the price. For what? The fine print may not explain the likely problems, or you may be buying double protection. a better plan? Open a savings account and put money aside for any repairs that may need to be made.
Impulse Buyers
According to a recent survey, five out of six Americans admit to making impulse purchases. And it’s not just in the supermarket — some of these purchases can cost as little as $1,000.Splash purchases can cost you more in the long run because you may not need them or have researched better deals. Do you want something Rest 24 hours and see if you can still make it.
Cable TV
Hundreds of channels can cost you a $100 monthly cable bill. (And many people pay twice as much. Fortunately, there are many ways to save money without sacrificing your time in front of the TV. Services like SlingTV and HuluLiveTV cost between $10 and $40 per month. Or Netflix is even cheaper and ad-free.
Ready Meals
Pre-cut fruit and veg can save you time, but it can also put a strain on your wallet. Buying 20 bags of lettuce a year instead of buying heads of lettuce costs about $60.Instead, buy foods that are as natural as possible and portion them yourself.