What do you think you waste money on?

Questions on how we spend our money and our time - consumer goods and services, home and vehicle, leisure and recreational activities
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dred pirate
Posts: 667
Joined: Tue Nov 27, 2018 10:46 am

What do you think you waste money on?

Post by dred pirate »

Often we talk about ways to cut costs and save money - but we all have those things we know we waste/spend too much money on - but for whatever reason, we continue to go forward with it. I will go first

I probably eat out to much-I am not talking about nice meals (we all love a nice meal) - but little things like getting individual bagels, snacks from the work vending machine vs buying at store and taking to work.

We all try to change TV/cell phone providers for $10-20 a month, and I am sure this easily surpasses that, Why? for me it just comes down to laziness. What are y'all's wasteful habits?
jebmke
Posts: 25476
Joined: Thu Apr 05, 2007 2:44 pm
Location: Delmarva Peninsula

Re: What do you think you waste money on?

Post by jebmke »

Cable. I don't watch TV except for the odd MLB game but .... I'm not the only one in the house.
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davedci1
Posts: 27
Joined: Sun Jan 03, 2021 6:17 pm

Re: What do you think you waste money on?

Post by davedci1 »

Netflix
Topic Author
dred pirate
Posts: 667
Joined: Tue Nov 27, 2018 10:46 am

Re: What do you think you waste money on?

Post by dred pirate »

I have a feeling TV is a good portion of the population - I like to think I don't "waste" money on it - I don't buy any premium channels, and pretty much get the minimum (plus netflix) and get good use of what I pay for. But I know people who spend crazy money on all the premium channels.
Marseille07
Posts: 16054
Joined: Fri Nov 06, 2020 12:41 pm

Re: What do you think you waste money on?

Post by Marseille07 »

Funny Money trades
jarjarM
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Joined: Mon Jul 16, 2018 1:21 pm

Re: What do you think you waste money on?

Post by jarjarM »

Marseille07 wrote: Mon Jul 26, 2021 4:54 pm Funny Money trades
:sharebeer
ship_at_sea
Posts: 36
Joined: Thu Sep 26, 2019 2:01 pm

Re: What do you think you waste money on?

Post by ship_at_sea »

I just started hiring a cleaning service to come in once a month, ~$200/mo. I can definitely afford it - my savings rate is ~33% but will be reduced due to this.

I'm having some difficulty accepting that this is worth it, but also I know I will never clean as well as these people do, nor will I get to the cleaning tasks they do for me.

So I worry that I'm wasting money, but really I should probably just accept it.
Topic Author
dred pirate
Posts: 667
Joined: Tue Nov 27, 2018 10:46 am

Re: What do you think you waste money on?

Post by dred pirate »

ship_at_sea wrote: Mon Jul 26, 2021 4:56 pm I just started hiring a cleaning service to come in once a month, ~$200/mo. I can definitely afford it - my savings rate is ~33% but will be reduced due to this.

I'm having some difficulty accepting that this is worth it, but also I know I will never clean as well as these people do, nor will I get to the cleaning tasks they do for me.

So I worry that I'm wasting money, but really I should probably just accept it.
honestly this is the best $180 a month I spend - $90 every two weeks and they do a bang up job, they do in 2 hours what would take me all day - and I would hate cleaning - plus it is the best way to make my wife happy!
livesoft
Posts: 86079
Joined: Thu Mar 01, 2007 7:00 pm

Re: What do you think you waste money on?

Post by livesoft »

My spouse stopped going to the gym in March 2020, but has kept paying the gym membership. Total waste of money.
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JS-Elcano
Posts: 992
Joined: Wed Jun 10, 2020 7:29 pm

Re: What do you think you waste money on?

Post by JS-Elcano »

When I was able to max out 401k and 457b and RothIRA and save an additional 12k (brokerage, savings account) I decided that it was enough to reach my retirement goal. Now I shop at WF and go on one or two international trips every year and set up my house the way I like, including renovations for purely cosmetic reasons. Since I *could* shop at a regular grocery store and go camping or a stay at hostels or budget hotels in my state, I guess I am "wasting" money by going to WF and traveling all over. But, I am at this point in my life, also because of having lost friends decades before their time, that I am reasonable. In my late 20s I thought it was a cool challenge to be super frugal and save as much as I possibly could. Not anymore. :beer
MathWizard
Posts: 6561
Joined: Tue Jul 26, 2011 1:35 pm

Re: What do you think you waste money on?

Post by MathWizard »

I don't waste my money.

I do enjoy some pleasures from decades of working.

I'm not sure why I should be hoarding money after maxing out
my 403b, 457b, and two ROTH IRAs all with the catchup options.
adestefan
Posts: 581
Joined: Fri Jan 06, 2017 7:22 pm

Re: What do you think you waste money on?

Post by adestefan »

Definitely on food of all sorts.
p14175
Posts: 433
Joined: Thu Sep 20, 2007 11:33 am
Location: Now in southeast Arizona

Re: What do you think you waste money on?

Post by p14175 »

Junk food. I know it's bad for me, but sometimes I need it!
poker27
Posts: 1149
Joined: Mon Apr 01, 2013 2:48 pm

Re: What do you think you waste money on?

Post by poker27 »

I don’t mind spending several hundred bucks on a good dinner and drinks. But it kinda bugs me stopping for a couple of mediocre drinks after dinner, and spending 90 bucks.

I did not buy a single ‘thing’ this weekend. But I did spend $500ish ‘out’
stoptothink
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Joined: Fri Dec 31, 2010 8:53 am

Re: What do you think you waste money on?

Post by stoptothink »

Me or the wife :D ? Our discretionary spending is pretty darn limited, but there are definitely things that we don't need. Our primarily vacation traveling is camping, but sometimes it is a total waste (usually depending on who we go with). Camping just to camp isn't my jam, it's a means to an end for me (some adventure, like climbing a mountain). We drove ~500 miles roundtrip and spent money we didn't need to this weekend to appease her brothers, whose version of camping is sitting in a tent watching movies and playing video games, then driving long distances to eat all meals at restaurants. Definitely wouldn't have minded saving the $300 or so, but I'm sure the wife thinks it wasn't a waste.
howard71
Posts: 478
Joined: Wed Oct 28, 2020 11:10 am

Re: What do you think you waste money on?

Post by howard71 »

I drink way too much beer - probably anywhere from $2k-3k or more per year if I kept track.

But like the friar said I take it as a sign that God really loves us so I'm not so sure it's wasted money.
Flyer24
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Re: What do you think you waste money on?

Post by Flyer24 »

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