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You work hard for the money you earn. Don’t let it be spent wastefully.
If you’re trying to save a dime, there are ways to do so, starting right at home with simple changes.
Look out for these four ways you could be wasting money in your home without even realizing it.
There are lots of easy changes you can make at home to save money. (iStock)
10 THINGS YOU CAN DO RIGHT NOW TO FINANCIALLY PLAN FOR YOUR FUTURE
- Wasting food
- Not budgeting and tracking credit card statements
- Credit card interest
- Sneaky subscriptions
1. Wasting food
This is a point you’ve probably heard time and time again, but it’s an important one.
The average household in the United States wastes a whopping $1,500 each year on uneaten food, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
To cut down on your food waste, try meal prepping and creating a grocery list before shopping. The little bit of extra time this takes is going to save you a lot of money in the long run. If you don’t like meal prepping, consider signing up with a meal delivery service. Meal delivery services send you just the right amount of ingredients you need to make a dish, so you won’t have to worry about anything going to waste.
Americans waste an average of $1,500 every year on uneaten food. (iStock)
Don’t look over leftovers. Take your dinner from the night before to work for lunch, so you can get two meals out of one instead of dumping them in the trash.
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If you have leftover fruit and vegetables at the end of the week, blend them all up for a delicious and healthy smoothie.
Also, keep a mental note of what you are throwing away often. For example, if you are always finding your milk going bad before you can finish it, downgrade to a smaller container.
2. Not budgeting and tracking credit card statements
While budgeting can be a chore, it’ll be worth it when you see how much money you’re spending unnecessarily.
There are plenty of budgeting apps out there, like Mint, Goodbudget and PocketGuard, with which you can easily set up your budget if you don’t want to use a spreadsheet or take a pen to paper.
A budget is a great way to clearly see your spending every month and make the necessary changes.
Keep up with your credit card statements to make sure you aren’t getting charged hidden fees month over month. (Justin Sullivan / File / Getty Images)
Along with that, always keep an eye on your credit card statements. Look at the areas where you are spending a lot month over month so that you can find ways to cut down. Some credit card apps will even give you a breakdown of which categories where you spend the most each month. Don’t just pay off the bill without really looking into what your money is going toward.
3. Credit card interest
Another reason to check your credit card statements is to make sure you aren’t getting hit with interest charges or fees without your knowledge.
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Credit cards charge interest on balances that aren’t paid by the due date. Credit card interest rates are astronomically high. The current average interest rate is 20.74%, according to Bankrate. These interest rates can quickly turn into a lot of extra money spent.
Another common credit card charge you could get is a late fee. This fee will be charged to you if you don’t pay the minimum payment on your card by the due date. In order to prevent this, set up automatic payments of that minimum amount at the least, so you never have to worry about being charged that extra fee.
An annual fee is an additional fee common with credit cards. Whether you are charged this fee is completely in your control. Many credit cards come with an annual fee, some as low as $50 per year and others as high as $500 or more. These cards usually have more benefits wrapped up in them than a normal credit card.
That said, if you aren’t taking advantage of the benefits, then it’s not worth it for you to pay the fee. There are plenty of rewards credit cards out there with no annual fee that offer great perks.
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4. Sneaky subscriptions
How many times have you signed up for a free trial and forgot to cancel it? Probably more times than you can count.
Do you know how many subscriptions you are currently signed up for? You could be spending more than you think. (Chesnot / File / Getty Images)
Subscriptions can quickly add up more than you probably realize. Do a deep dive into all the subscriptions you have running and really think about whether you are getting your money’s worth. If you’re only watching one movie every other month on a streaming service, it’s probably not worth the price.
Next time you sign up for a free trial, set up a calendar notification for when to cancel so that you won’t get caught in a subscription you’ve completely forgotten about.
