It’s only the beginning of April, but some of us are already wondering where last month’s pay cheque has disappeared to! So in preparation for a big weekend of splurging, at Savoo we have done a quick round up of our top 10 annoying ways we waste money on a regular basis. Do any of these sound familiar?
Unused gym memberships
It happens to the best of us: overindulging on mince pies at Christmas, drinking too much on New Year’s Eve, then guiltily signing up to a painfully expensive gym membership in January. But whilst that £40 a month gym contract seemed like a great idea at the start of the year, by Easter it becomes apparent that you will NOT be getting up at 6am to work on your abs. Stop being in denial- if you aren’t using it, cancel that contract now.
Sports equipment
See those dumbbells gathering dust in the corner of your wardrobe? Or that yoga mat rolled up under your bed that has never been used? Yep, those impulse buys that you made in preparation for your summer bikini body may not be as expensive as a gym membership, but they still count as a big old waste of money. Sell the darn things on eBay and check out 8 Minute Abs on YouTube instead for a free way of working out at home.
Cashpoint charges
There’s nothing more annoying than searching far and wide for a cashpoint on a night out, only to find that the closest one charges £1.75 for every withdrawal. But instead of thinking ‘screw it’ and forking out the extra cost, spend a little longer looking for a free machine instead. Paying to use a cashpoint is literally throwing money down the drain; that £1.75 could have been put away into a savings account (or even spent on a bacon sandwich to treat your hangover the next morning).
Speeding tickets
Everyone hates speeding tickets, particularly when you are only going a few mph over the limit and end up getting charged £60 as a result. If you think you have been unfairly accused then look into contesting the speed ticket; but remember that excuses like ‘I didn’t realise I was speeding’ will not hold up in court. Sometimes it’s better just to grit your teeth, pay the fine, and resist the temptation to vandalise the offending camera.
Interest on loans
Credit cards can be a handy way to get a lump sum of money quickly, but if you can’t pay them back on time than the penalty charges can be nasty- and the same applies for payday loans. So next time you are tempted to buy that really expensive handbag or treat yourself to an online shopping splurge, sit on your hands and remain there until the temptation passes.
Bargain shopping
Poundland is both a blessing and a curse. You go inside to stock up on toiletries and other essentials and end up walking out with a whole tonne of crap that you will never, ever use (party streamers for a pound? Sure, why not!) Next time you go into Poundland or the 99p Store, try and keep tabs on what you are buying; that fake tan may be cheap but it might also make you orange.
Date usage
We’ve all read the Daily Mail horror stories of unsuspecting holiday-goers being charged thousands of pounds for using 3g data abroad. But whilst you may be laughing smugly at their naivety, it is actually really easy to forget to switch off your data roaming. So next time you are tempted to upload some of your holiday snaps to Facebook, make sure you are connected to Wi-Fi first.
Paper bills
Most utility and telecoms firms charge for paper bills now, including EE, BT Broadband and TalkTalk. If you are still getting sent bills in the post then you should contact the company immediately and see if you can switch to online billing- you could be spending £1.50 extra a month just for the privilege of having your calls itemised on paper.
Not using voucher codes
Picture the scene: you wake up one morning and start making toast, only to find that the toaster has short circuited. Disaster! Well, instead of going online and forking out full price for a Russell Hobbs replacement, make sure you search for a discount code first. That £29.99 stainless steel beauty could be picked up at a much cheaper price using a
voucher code… and your toast will taste even better for it.
The latest iPhone
Every year tech geeks go crazy and start queuing outside Apple stores for the release of the latest iPhone; in 2013 fans were lining up FIVE DAYS before the release of the iPhone 5s. But guess what kids: in 12 months’ time that brand new model is going to be old hat! Don’t give into peer pressure- wait a little while and pick up the handset at a much cheaper price in a year.
What’s been your biggest waste of money so far in 2014?
wealth
8 years ago
I every time spent my half an hour to read this blog’s content daily
along with a mug of coffee.