Top 10 money drains
Ablang
Top 10 money drains
It's easy to fritter away money on daily expenses. If you fall into
these money traps, learn to avoid them and pocket the savings. Use
Bankrate's Simple savings calculator to see how quickly your money
piles up with interest.
10 money drains
1. Coffee 6. Car washes
2. Cigarettes 7. Weekday lunches out
3. Alcohol 8. Vending machines snacks
4. Bottled water 9. Interest charges on credit cards
5. Manicures 10. Unused memberships
1. Coffee -- According to the National Coffee Association, the average
price for brewed coffee is $1.38. There are roughly 260 weekdays per
year, so buying one coffee every weekday morning costs almost $360 per
year.
2. 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 $1,660 a year. Weekend smoker? Buying a
pack once a week adds up, too: $236.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. Weekday lunches out -- $9 will generally cover a decent lunch most
work days. If you buy rather than pack a lunch five days a week for
one year, you shell out about $2,350 a year.
8. Vending machines snacks -- The average vending machine snack costs
$1. Buy a pack of cookies every afternoon at work and pay $260 per
year.
9. Interest charges on credit card bills -- According to a survey
released at the end of May 2007, the median amount of credit card debt
carried by Americans is $6,600. Rate tables on Bankrate.com indicate
that fixed interest rates on a standard card average 13.44 percent.
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!
10. Unused 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.
-- Posted: July 23, 2007
http://www.bankrate.com/nltrack/news/financial_literacy/July07_savings_money_drains_a1.asp
Ward Abbott
> < Can you think of any not on this list? >
Text messaging.
Rod Speed
> < Can you think of any not on this list? >
Kids. Leaves the rest for dead.
hchi...@hotmail.com
wrote:
>On Sun, 19 Aug 2007 17:03:52 -0700, Ablang <ron...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> < Can you think of any not on this list? >
>
>Text messaging.
Auto and home interest payments.
Taxes
Taxes
Taxes
Gordon
news:1187568232.9...@z24g2000prh.googlegroups.com:
> < Can you think of any not on this list? >
>
> Top 10 money drains
>
> It's easy to fritter away money on daily expenses. If you fall into
> these money traps, learn to avoid them and pocket the savings. Use
> Bankrate's Simple savings calculator to see how quickly your money
> piles up with interest.
> 10 money drains
> 1. Coffee 6. Car washes
> 2. Cigarettes 7. Weekday lunches out
> 3. Alcohol 8. Vending machines snacks
> 4. Bottled water 9. Interest charges on credit cards
> 5. Manicures 10. Unused memberships
>
Premium gas.
Cable TV
Too big of a cell phone plan(IE: lots more minutes than you use).
Intrest on car payments.
Boxed dinners (Hamburger helper)
Cable ISP
Wooly
> < Can you think of any not on this list? >
>
> Top 10 money drains
>
> It's easy to fritter away money on daily expenses. If you fall into
> these money traps, learn to avoid them and pocket the savings. Use
> Bankrate's Simple savings calculator to see how quickly your money
> piles up with interest.
> 10 money drains
> 1. Coffee 6. Car washes
> 2. Cigarettes 7. Weekday lunches out
> 3. Alcohol 8. Vending machines snacks
> 4. Bottled water 9. Interest charges on credit cards
> 5. Manicures 10. Unused memberships
>
> 1. Coffee -- According to the National Coffee Association, the average
> price for brewed coffee is $1.38. There are roughly 260 weekdays per
> year, so buying one coffee every weekday morning costs almost $360 per
> year.
I bought a small home roaster, an espresso machine, and a moderately
high-end grinder. I did the amortization on the basis on one "grande"
CharredShit latte per day and paid for the equipment in less than a year.
I now buy green coffee beans and roast my own, then pull my own shots
and foam my own milk. I should figure out what a cup costs on a raw
materials basis, then add my time pro rata at the local average barista
hourly wage for the roasting and the making of the coffee beverages.
I'm sure I spend a LOT less than I'd be forking out at a retail
establishment for crappier product.
Of course, my friends now come to my house preferentially for coffee, so
they're saving a LOT more than I am :D
The rest of the stuff on that list doesn't pertain to our household: we
buy what we need, we need what we buy. We pay with plastic to
accumulate "points"; we don't use plastic to buy crap we don't need and
we pay the bill in full every month so as to avoid interest charges.
George Grapman
Coffee-Many offices supply coffee. If not, you can bring a single cup
coffee maker to work.
Water-Only time I buy the bottled stuff is when I am traveling and
then it is always the cheapest one.
Smoking- add the health problems and the time lost from work because
in most places you have to leave the building.
Drinking-can be relaxing after work and very cheap at home.
Manicures-never had or wanted one-
Car Wash-Spend a few dollars every few months as a self service place.
cable TV- I actually have satellite but ,same idea. I find it worthwhile
for news and sports.
credit card-pay bill in full. When making a large purchase I try to
time it for the day after the billing cycle.
cell- I have two land lines a cell and DSL and I know people who pay
more for their cell than I do for everything. Then again, in 7 years I
think I sent one text message.
Dawn
> < Can you think of any not on this list? >
>
>Top 10 money drains
>
>It's easy to fritter away money on daily expenses. If you fall into
>these money traps, learn to avoid them and pocket the savings. Use
>Bankrate's Simple savings calculator to see how quickly your money
>piles up with interest.
>10 money drains
>1. Coffee 6. Car washes
>2. Cigarettes 7. Weekday lunches out
>3. Alcohol 8. Vending machines snacks
>4. Bottled water 9. Interest charges on credit cards
>5. Manicures 10. Unused memberships
>
I must be a frugalista. None of these things apply to me as stated in
the rest of the post. I do drink coffee at home and out once every
third month or so when I meet a group of friends. I have been known
to have a couple glasses of wine at home in a month.
Dawn, happy.
Logan Shaw
> < Can you think of any not on this list? >
>
> Top 10 money drains
>
> It's easy to fritter away money on daily expenses. If you fall into
> these money traps, learn to avoid them and pocket the savings. Use
> Bankrate's Simple savings calculator to see how quickly your money
> piles up with interest.
> 10 money drains
> 1. Coffee 6. Car washes
> 2. Cigarettes 7. Weekday lunches out
> 3. Alcohol 8. Vending machines snacks
> 4. Bottled water 9. Interest charges on credit cards
> 5. Manicures 10. Unused memberships
11. Ring tones.
Seriously, I looked through some of these just out of curiosity
recently, and their prices are INSANE. I found where I could get
the opening riff of Baba O'Riley as a ring tone, which seemed neat
until I checked the price. It was $2.49. They want me to buy
PART OF a song for $2.49. I can buy the ENTIRE ALBUM, which contains
COMPLETE SONGS used on Amazon for $2.89.
And then since my phone takes MP3 ringtones, I could rip that song
from the CD, edit it down to whatever portion I like, and then make
an MP3 of that and put it on the phone, and use it as a ring tone.
And I would get it the way I like it, and I'd be able to use the
ring tone on my next phone as well.
- Logan
Anthony Matonak
> < Can you think of any not on this list? >
> 1. Coffee 6. Car washes
> 2. Cigarettes 7. Weekday lunches out
> 3. Alcohol 8. Vending machines snacks
> 4. Bottled water 9. Interest charges on credit cards
> 5. Manicures 10. Unused memberships
I'll go with...
1. Housing
2. Transportation
I would add drugs, hookers and gambling but these don't apply to
everyone. Some folks, for instance, don't gamble.
Anthony
<RJ>
1. Children
2. Credit Card debt
3. "Entertainment, eating out, bar drinks.
4. Overbought house
5. Cellphone, hi-speed internet, cable or satellite TV
( add 'em up !! )
6. Overbought car/car payments
7 Insurance; house, health, auto, life. ( add 'em up )
I'm sure there are more.....
<rj>
jo...@phred.org
they're trying to get people to save money on other things so they have
more available for loan payments?)
Many people spend $400+/month on car payments, plus the cost of
insurance with the very conservative deductibles demanded by most
lenders. Buying a car you can actually afford could save you several
thousand dollars every year for the rest of your working life. You only
have to break the borrowed-car habit once, then save a fraction of those
avoided payments to buy the next car when the current one wears out.
The next car will be fully paid for with money left over.
--
jo...@phred.org is Joshua Putnam
<http://www.phred.org/~josh/>
Updated Infrared Photography Gallery:
<http://www.phred.org/~josh/photo/ir.html>
George Grapman
get a phone I select whatever built in ring sounds the closes to a
standard land line phone. When I am in public I ignore the custom rings
and recognize mine because it does what people think the custom rings
will do,be easily recognizable as my phone.
clams casino
The bottled water is all that I utilize. At only about 20 cents/
bottle, I always keep several in my car for use when traveling.
clams casino
>
>
>
>> Water-Only time I buy the bottled stuff is when I am traveling and
>>then it is always the cheapest one.
>>
>>
>
>What's wrong with tapwater or even softdrink?. A cola on a trip isn't
>a luxury when they sting you the same price for water.
>
>
Personally, I prefer water to a soft drink. I'll never understand the
draw for diet drinks. Ironically, it costs more to manufacture
(exclusive of advertising) bottle water than soft drinks. The cost of
sugar / flavoring / carbonation is actually less than the cost of
getting a clear, purified ground water. Filtered tap water as sold
by Coke & Pepsi are likely cheaper to product than spring water, but
likely not too much cheaper than a soft drink. The advantage for soft
drinks is that cans are generally less costly to manufacture than bottles.
It's perhaps more frugal to carry along one's own tap water, but I'm not
sure what it's shelf life would be. At <20 cents/ bottle, I find
bottled water to be one of the least costly items one can purchase, plus
they have a lengthy shelf life. I always have several in my car.
Warm or cold really doesn't matter much with water as it does with soft
drinks, etc.
JonquilJan
>
> Top 10 money drains
>
> It's easy to fritter away money on daily expenses. If you fall into
> these money traps, learn to avoid them and pocket the savings. Use
> Bankrate's Simple savings calculator to see how quickly your money
> piles up with interest.
> 10 money drains
> 1. Coffee 6. Car washes
> 2. Cigarettes 7. Weekday lunches out
> 3. Alcohol 8. Vending machines snacks
> 4. Bottled water 9. Interest charges on credit cards
> 5. Manicures 10. Unused memberships
The only one that relates to my lifestyle is #9 - and that is gradually
getting smaller and smaller and smaller - and soon will disappear -
hopefully for good.
Guess I lead a frugal life.
JonquilJan
Learn something new every day
As long as you are learning, you are living
When you stop learning, you start dying
val189
I'm not batting a thousand - I do indulge in a drink in a restaurant
once in a while - it's part of the treat of eating out.
I use my gym membership a lot - averaging 4-5 days per week.
The coffee places would close, if they waited for me. Likewise,
gambling joints, lotteries, tobacco growers, fireworks dealers, and
fast food places.
I do get a ten buck car wash about every month. Worth it to me.
Don K
news:FR7yi.18573$eY.1...@newssvr13.news.prodigy.net...
> Manicures-never had or wanted one-
Me neither. My wife used to get manicures as a "treat", but fortunately she
stopped after the last one caused a bad cuticle infection.
Don
Don K
I keep my cell phone in my pocket.
There's no reason to have it ring.
Don
Gordon
news:_uWdnd14os9kq1fb...@comcast.com:
Until it falls out of your pocket and you need to locate it.
Gordon
news:vk7ic39evhie3e4la...@4ax.com:
>
> 1. Children
>
Yes, but it's too late now.
> 2. Credit Card debt
>
> 3. "Entertainment, eating out, bar drinks.
Having children tends to cure this one.
>
> 4. Overbought house
I'm a real estate agent, I see this all the time.
DINK wants a huge house. Usually I get them to reconsider
by asking who is going to be incharge of cleaning it.
>
> 5. Cellphone, hi-speed internet, cable or satellite TV
> ( add 'em up !! )
Agreed. But they can be played off each other. By making
long distance calls (free) on my cell phone, I cut my
landline bill. Also, with high speed internet, you can
go with VOIP phone service and trade off the savings in
phone service against the higher price of broadband internet.
If you have a landline phone, then DSL can be a less expensive
option to cable isp.
>
> 6. Overbought car/car payments
Just buy a good 3yo car for cash. I havn't finananced a
car in almost 20 years.
>
> 7 Insurance; house, health, auto, life. ( add 'em up )
Auto insurance isn't optional in many areas. If you get cought
driving without insurance you could get hit with some very
unfrugal fines. Around here they have a form called an SR-22.
If you are required to file an SR-22, you have to find an insurance
company the will issue it (not all do). And the ones that do are
the sub-prime, high rate insurers. Very unfrugal.
George Grapman
I always keep mine on at home so in case I misplace it
George Grapman
> "<RJ>" <bara...@localnet.com> wrote in
> news:vk7ic39evhie3e4la...@4ax.com:
>
>> 1. Children
>>
> Yes, but it's too late now.
>
>
>> 2. Credit Card debt
>>
>> 3. "Entertainment, eating out, bar drinks.
>
> Having children tends to cure this one.
>
>> 4. Overbought house
>
> I'm a real estate agent, I see this all the time.
> DINK wants a huge house. Usually I get them to reconsider
> by asking who is going to be incharge of cleaning it.
>
>> 5. Cellphone, hi-speed internet, cable or satellite TV
>> ( add 'em up !! )
>
> Agreed. But they can be played off each other. By making
> long distance calls (free) on my cell phone, I cut my
> landline bill. Also, with high speed internet, you can
> go with VOIP phone service and trade off the savings in
> phone service against the higher price of broadband internet.
> If you have a landline phone, then DSL can be a less expensive
> option to cable isp.
I work at home and my primary land line has unlimited toll and long
distance. I use the cell as my call back number and list that on my
business cards. My other land line has my DSL and fax. That line has no
long distance carrier and no features. The few times that I need to send
an out of state fax I use a three cent a minute phone card.
People act surprised when I tell them my cell plan only has 450 peak
minutes and that peak time is 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. but the only times that I
have exceeded those limits has been on trips and the rollover minutes
have always covered that.
Don K
>>> I keep my cell phone in my pocket.
>>> There's no reason to have it ring.
>>
>> Until it falls out of your pocket and you need to locate it.
>
> I always keep mine on at home so in case I misplace it
My keys, wallet, and glasses don't ring either, yet I'm usually able to find
them without too much difficulty.
Don
George Grapman
jon
I am surprised that no one has mentioned pets as a major money drain.
Jon in Upstate South Carolina.
Rod Speed
> I am surprised that no one has mentioned pets as a major money drain.
I am surprised that no one has mentioned living as a major money drain.
Anthony Matonak
> Greetings All!
> I am surprised that no one has mentioned pets as a major money drain.
> Jon in Upstate South Carolina.
Pets can be a money drain or a source of profit.
It all depends on how fat and tasty they are. :)
Anthony
--
To be fair, taking care of yourself are also a huge money drain.
The only way not to pay is not to live. Myself, I would rather live.
Rod Speed
> "<RJ>" <bara...@localnet.com> wrote in
> news:vk7ic39evhie3e4la...@4ax.com:
>
>>
>> 1. Children
>>
> Yes, but it's too late now.
Nope, you could just wring their necks and cut your losses.
Chloe
news:GvidnYlTu-kMq1fb...@comcast.com...
I did that for a while too. Fortunately I stopped after I met a woman who
got an infection so severe and fast-moving the doctors actually talked about
amputating part of her hand.
val189
> I did that for a while too. Fortunately I stopped after I met a woman who
> got an infection so severe and fast-moving the doctors actually talked about
> amputating part of her hand.
Yikes!! Top NYC nail tech on Oprah once advised that if any
manicurist even LOOKS like she or he is fixin' to cut the
cuticle....run screaming from the shop. At the very least, bring your
own implements.
Melissa
Don't get me started on cell phone users who haven't learned the mystery of
"vibrate". We were at a family funeral last week. The family had assembled
an hour before the calling hours, and the minister was talking to us. (he
was ½ an hour late, but that's another rant). While he was talking to us,
his cell phone rang. Instead of just silencing it or answering it, he let it
ring while he continued to talk to us. It was rude and just plain stupid.
2 cell phones went off during the service as well. <sigh>
Not using the vibrate feature is right up there with those who haven't
learned how to use Blind Carbon Copy when they email a group of people.
Melissa
<RJ>
>> 7 Insurance; house, health, auto, life. ( add 'em up )
>
>Auto insurance isn't optional in many areas. If you get cought
>driving without insurance you could get hit with some very
>unfrugal fines. Around here they have a form called an SR-22.
>If you are required to file an SR-22, you have to find an insurance
>company the will issue it (not all do). And the ones that do are
>the sub-prime, high rate insurers. Very unfrugal.
>>
>>
I was speaking of over-insuring.
If you follow your insurance agents advice,
you'll NEVER have enough coverage.
If you're the average responsible person,
it's amazing how much total $$ you spend on insurance.
....how much is "enough" insurance ?
and, why do I have to buy auto insurance
to cover myself,
and to cover the "uninsured motorist" ??
<rj>
Chloe
news:s6ulc3tl8ods41i2t...@4ax.com...>snip>
> and, why do I have to buy auto insurance
> to cover myself,
> and to cover the "uninsured motorist" ??
The part of the coverage that's explicitly called "uninsured motorist" pays
YOU if you suffer damages as a result of the fault of someone with no
insurance. I guess if you don't want it, you shouldn't have to buy it, but
the point is that it doesn't pay them.
Your liability coverage could end up paying someone with no insurance, but
only if the accident was your fault. That's pretty much the whole point of
buying liability insurance.
Might be interesting to you to take a read through your policy some time.
Chloe
news:1187704978.3...@r34g2000hsd.googlegroups.com...
Seems impractical to buy all the implements they use, especially the power
sanders, etc. I don't know now you'd predict a cut in advance, but even if
you could, you can certainly pick up an infection from even a break in the
skin too small for you to detect.
To me, it's one of those things where the reward just plain ain't worth the
risk--even though I acknowledge it's pretty difficult to get as perfect a
manicure via DIY. I guess everyone's mileage would vary, though.
<RJ>
>
>The part of the coverage that's explicitly called "uninsured motorist" pays
>YOU if you suffer damages as a result of the fault of someone with no
>insurance. I guess if you don't want it, you shouldn't have to buy it, but
>the point is that it doesn't pay them.
>
I have to buy insurance coverage to protect my liablity,
then, I have to buy insurance coverage to protect myself
from those who choose not to buy insurance coverage.....
BTW;
Doesn't matter how many times you read your insurance policy...
there'll always be one more looophole. ( KATRINA proved that )
<rj>
Rod Speed
> Chloe <just...@spam.com> wrote
>> The part of the coverage that's explicitly called "uninsured
>> motorist" pays YOU if you suffer damages as a result of the fault of
>> someone with no insurance. I guess if you don't want it, you
>> shouldn't have to buy it, but the point is that it doesn't pay them.
> My point exactly !
> I have to buy insurance coverage to protect my liablity,
> then, I have to buy insurance coverage to protect myself
> from those who choose not to buy insurance coverage.....
Nope, you are welcome to choose not to have that last and
to try to get what they owe you out of them using the courts etc.
> BTW;
> Doesn't matter how many times you read your insurance policy...
> there'll always be one more looophole. ( KATRINA proved that )
Mindless stuff with car insurance.
George
> <RJ> <RJ> wrote
>> Chloe <just...@spam.com> wrote
>
>>> The part of the coverage that's explicitly called "uninsured
>>> motorist" pays YOU if you suffer damages as a result of the fault of
>>> someone with no insurance. I guess if you don't want it, you
>>> shouldn't have to buy it, but the point is that it doesn't pay them.
>
>> My point exactly !
>
>> I have to buy insurance coverage to protect my liablity,
>
>> then, I have to buy insurance coverage to protect myself
>> from those who choose not to buy insurance coverage.....
>
> Nope, you are welcome to choose not to have that last and
> to try to get what they owe you out of them using the courts etc.
Maybe in your country but when a state mandates that you must have
automotive insurance to obtain/maintain vehicle registration they
typically also require that you buy uninsured/underinsured motorist
coverage.
Usene...@the-domain-in.sig
bara...@localnet.com says...
"Uninsured motorist" coverage is to cover YOU when the person
responsible for the accident doesn't have liability insurance.
--
Get Credit Where Credit Is Due
http://www.cardreport.com/
Credit Tools, Reference, and Forum
Usene...@the-domain-in.sig
In article
<1187675403....@o80g2000hse.googlegroups.com>,
jonre...@gmail.com says...
> On Aug 19, 8:03 pm, Ablang <ron...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > < Can you think of any not on this list? >
> >
> > Top 10 money drains
> >
> > It's easy to fritter away money on daily expenses. If you fall into
> > these money traps, learn to avoid them and pocket the savings. Use
> > Bankrate's Simple savings calculator to see how quickly your money
> > piles up with interest.
> > 10 money drains
> > 1. Coffee 6. Car washes
> > 2. Cigarettes 7. Weekday lunches out
> > 3. Alcohol 8. Vending machines snacks
> > 4. Bottled water 9. Interest charges on credit cards
> > 5. Manicures 10. Unused memberships
> I am surprised that no one has mentioned pets as a
> major money drain.
It is your responsibility to teach your pets to avoid using
cigarettes and alcohol.
Seerialmom
> < Can you think of any not on this list? >
>
> Top 10 money drains
>
> It's easy to fritter away money on daily expenses. If you fall into
> these money traps, learn to avoid them and pocket the savings. Use
> Bankrate's Simple savings calculator to see how quickly your money
> piles up with interest.
> 10 money drains
> 1. Coffee 6. Car washes
> 2. Cigarettes 7. Weekday lunches out
> 3. Alcohol 8. Vending machines snacks
> 4. Bottled water 9. Interest charges on credit cards
> 5. Manicures 10. Unused memberships
>
Out of that 10 I'm only guilty of the lunch thing but never even close
to the $9 mentioned. More like $4.50-5.50? So...why aren't I a
millionaire yet?
PS..I find it humorous that things like "full retail price" for
clothing and movie tickets wasn't listed.
George Grapman
> Ablang <ron...@gmail.com> wrote:
>> < Can you think of any not on this list? >
>
For travel:
Unless is is being paid for by a company I prefer second tier hotels
or,sometime if it is for a single night, Motel 6.
Likewise, unless the company is paying I put up with some discomfort,
fly coach, get there the same times as business class and spend the
savings on good restaurants and entertainment.
George Grapman
phone carrier and make no effort to sign up for any calling plans and
they make the same company their default long distance company.
Also,people who make few or no long distance calls are often unaware
that they do not have to have a long distance carrier.
throwitout
>
> It's easy to fritter away money on daily expenses. If you fall into
> these money traps, learn to avoid them and pocket the savings. Use
> Bankrate's Simple savings calculator to see how quickly your money
> piles up with interest.
> 10 money drains
> 1. Coffee 6. Car washes
> 2. Cigarettes 7. Weekday lunches out
> 3. Alcohol 8. Vending machines snacks
> 4. Bottled water 9. Interest charges on credit cards
> 5. Manicures 10. Unused memberships
>
> price for brewed coffee is $1.38. There are roughly 260 weekdays per
> year, so buying one coffee every weekday morning costs almost $360 per
> year.
I'm amazed at how many people line up at the coffee shop drive-thrus
in the morning. It really is incredibly easy to use a coffee maker,
they even have timer ones that will have the coffee ready when you get
out of bed. And you can get muffins at home a lot cheaper than the
coffee shop. Plus lining up is a real time waster.
> 2. 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 $1,660 a year. Weekend smoker? Buying a
> pack once a week adds up, too: $236.
I'm always amazed when ex-smokers figure out how much they save by not
smoking. Let alone other costs of illness and dieing.
> 3. 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.
Do people actually go to the bar EVERY DAY for two drinks? Or would it
make sense to think that it might be more likely they have beer or two
at home every day, and maybe a couple a week at a bar. And what type
of mixed drinks are these?
> 4. 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.
>
> 5. 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.
Do people actually care this much about their nails?
> 6. 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.
Do people actually get their car detailed every two months? And spend
that much? I might vacuum, clean the inside of the windows, wipe down
the dash and clear out the car 4 times a year tops. And probably a
similar number of car washes, either at home or one of the $3 self
serve places. I can only see spending $58 on detailing if you want the
car really clean for a sale or something.
> 7. Weekday lunches out -- $9 will generally cover a decent lunch most
> work days. If you buy rather than pack a lunch five days a week for
> one year, you shell out about $2,350 a year.
Do people spend $9 every day? You can usually get lunch for $5. And
the math doesn't add up, 9x52x5= $2340. I guess the worker doesn't
take vacation so he can pay for those lunches. And there still is a
cost to making a bagged lunch. Probably a couple bucks, but still.
>
> 8. Vending machines snacks -- The average vending machine snack costs
> $1. Buy a pack of cookies every afternoon at work and pay $260 per
> year.
If you never have vacation or holidays apparently.
> 9. Interest charges on credit card bills -- According to a survey
> released at the end of May 2007, the median amount of credit card debt
> carried by Americans is $6,600. Rate tables on Bankrate.com indicate
> that fixed interest rates on a standard card average 13.44 percent.
> 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!
Assuming people aren't going to add more debt, which chances are they
will. They will probably keep floating around that $6600 figure. Too
bad they didn't give an annual figure like everything else.
> 10. Unused 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.
But those people help subsidize the memberships for people that go,
and allow the gym to offer better facilities for less.
throwitout
> maybe it's not hard for you but for many people it is hard to make a
> decent cup of coffee.
We're not talking about fancy gourmet coffee shops, they are lining up
at Tim Horten's. You can easily make coffee that is just as good with
a drip coffee maker. And those things are idiot proof.
> >Do people actually go to the bar EVERY DAY for two drinks? Or would it
> >make sense to think that it might be more likely they have beer or two
> >at home every day, and maybe a couple a week at a bar. And what type
> >of mixed drinks are these?
>
> maybe you're not the social type but a big part of going out for a
> drink or 2 is social, a bar is a place to relax and talk to people,
> something most people don't do once they get home
But every day? I don't need to socialize 24x7. Besides there's nothing
wrong with inviting people over to your house, or going over to their
house to socialize. In fact I usually prefer that to going out because
things can be far more laid back. And in those cases you can buy store
bought beer, which although it can still be pricey, isn't near as bad.
> when you're out and thirsty, a bottle of water can hit the spot, not
> all of us pack a cooler of water when leaving home
Yeah that's fine if you're caught out thirsty somewhere, but doing it
EVERY DAY? I carry a bottle around that I fill up with tap water, so I
rarely have to buy bottled water.
> >Do people actually care this much about their nails?
>
> yes, just like they care about wearing clean clothes, washing their
> body and hair, and keeping their breath fresh
One can still keep their nails trimmed and clean without spending that
dough on manicure.
> I guess you rarely have guests ride along with you, like keeping your
> body clean a car is an extension of yourself, a dirty car points to a
> dirty, disorganized person.
I have guests ride with me, but I don't keep the car a mess. For
example I don't eat food in my car. I clean my car when it needs to be
cleaned, which really isn't that often. And a simple vacuum and wipe
down of the dash / windows gets 99% of the dirt and grime. So there
might be a little dirt in the corner and I don't shine up my dash.
Whoopdi do. If one practically lived in their car, had to drive
clients around, or lets their kids make a mess of their car, I would
see the need for more frequent cleanings, but to pay $58 bucks? Ouch.
Not that hard to use a vacuum and some clothes to clean the worst of
it, and maybe occasionally pay for a really thorough detailing.
> $58 is extremely low, I usually have my
> car detailed around once a year, it cuts down of the growth in the
> rear seats from the kids crumbs.
Learn to use a vacuum, or don't let your kids eat in the car.
> It all depends on what you want to eat and like going to bars after
> work, lunch time can be social, everyone doesn't go to mickey d's
> everyday. you could always brown bag it and save even more, but you'll
> be passing on the aforementioned social opportunities
But going EVERY DAY? Where I've worked we got in the habit of eating
our bagged lunches as a group, so we still had the social opportunity,
then ate out once a week. Besides, your co-workers might not
necessarily be your only social circle and you can socialize with your
friends outside of work in evenings or on weekends.
New Leaf
> Ablang <ron...@gmail.com> wrote innews:1187568232.9...@z24g2000prh.googlegroups.com:
>
> > < Can you think of any not on this list? >
>
> > Top 10 money drains
>
> > It's easy to fritter away money on daily expenses. If you fall into
> > these money traps, learn to avoid them and pocket the savings. Use
> > Bankrate's Simple savings calculator to see how quickly your money
> > piles up with interest.
> > 10 money drains
> > 1. Coffee 6. Car washes
> > 2. Cigarettes 7. Weekday lunches out
> > 3. Alcohol 8. Vending machines snacks
> > 4. Bottled water 9. Interest charges on credit cards
> > 5. Manicures 10. Unused memberships
>
> Cable TV
> Too big of a cell phone plan(IE: lots more minutes than you use).
> Intrest on car payments.
> Boxed dinners (Hamburger helper)
> Cable ISP
Also, too small of a cell phone plan. You go over and the price per
minute quadruples.
I think the absolute biggest money waster among the 18-25 group is
taking out too little money at a time from ATMs with charges. When OS
went to university DH had to show him that if he went to a non-bank
ATM, he was paying $3 to withdraw $20. From time to time I watch shows
such as "Maxed Out" and "Til Debt Do Us Part" and people seem
oblivious to how much these charges add up to.
Viv
<RJ>
<Usene...@THE-DOMAIN-IN.SIG> wrote:
>>
>> and, why do I have to buy auto insurance
>> to cover myself,
>> and to cover the "uninsured motorist" ??
>
>
>"Uninsured motorist" coverage is to cover YOU when the person
>responsible for the accident doesn't have liability insurance.
That's what I said.....
I must buy insurance for myself,
and pay extra to protect myself
from the turd who chooses not to buy insurance.
<rj>
<RJ>
I'm always amazed at how they can rachet up
basic phone service ( $12 ) to a $22 phone bill....
I dumped "long distance" some time ago.
They tax and sir-charge those calls to death.
TARGETsells ATT phone cards for as little as three cents a minute.
I put the access # and pin # into speed-dial,
and it's really convenient to use.
We also carry the card when traveling.
It really saves on hotel/motel phone charges.
<rj>
Gordon
4ax.com:
>>I'm amazed at how many people line up at the coffee shop drive-thrus
>>in the morning. It really is incredibly easy to use a coffee maker,
>>they even have timer ones that will have the coffee ready when you get
>>out of bed. And you can get muffins at home a lot cheaper than the
>>coffee shop. Plus lining up is a real time waster.
>
> maybe it's not hard for you but for many people it is hard to make a
> decent cup of coffee.
>
Yea. For the many people who work at Starbucks. Bleh!! I hate that
Coffee!
George Grapman
> On Wed, 22 Aug 2007 17:39:52 GMT, George Grapman <sfge...@paccbell.net> wrote:
>
>> Your home phone. So many people just sign up with the dominant local
>> phone carrier and make no effort to sign up for any calling plans and
>> they make the same company their default long distance company.
>> Also,people who make few or no long distance calls are often unaware
>> that they do not have to have a long distance carrier.
>
> I'm always amazed at how they can rachet up
> basic phone service ( $12 ) to a $22 phone bill....
>
> I dumped "long distance" some time ago.
> They tax and sir-charge those calls to death.
>
> TARGETsells ATT phone cards for as little as three cents a minute.
Yes, and it is a clean three cents except for the pay phone surcharge
which all cards have. When i was in that business I got tired of trying
to explain how a clean 5 cent card was a better buy than a 1 cent card
with numerous surcharges i.e, the "Penny Card" which charges a 49 cent
connect fee per call.
>
> I put the access # and pin # into speed-dial,
> and it's really convenient to use.
>
> We also carry the card when traveling.
> It really saves on hotel/motel phone charges.
>
> <rj>
Be careful, some hotels charge for calls to 800 numbers.
val189
> I'm amazed at how many people line up at the coffee shop drive-thrus
> in the morning. It really is incredibly easy to use a coffee maker,
> they even have timer ones that will have the coffee ready when you get
> out of bed. And you can get muffins at home a lot cheaper than the
> coffee shop. Plus lining up is a real time waster.
At a DD recently, I counted ten vehicles in line at the driveup - I
got fast service inside, (no one waiting) and when I left, a certain
blue truck had only moved three spaces. He had to be about ten
minutes away from the window.
And what type
> of mixed drinks are these?
Two Sambuccas at a trendy spot recently spoiled a twenty,with tip.
AND they didn't even toss in any coffee beans.
>
> Do people actually care this much about their nails?
>
I'd love to lay hands on a yellow pages of, say, 1980, and compare the
nail shop listings. And yet, they all seem to survive.
> But those people help subsidize the memberships for people that go,
> and allow the gym to offer better facilities for less.
I consider it money well spent - if I didn't pay, I know I wouldn't
exercise on my own.
SpammersDie
> On Tue, 21 Aug 2007 10:58:53 -0400, "Chloe" <just...@spam.com> wrote:
>>
>>The part of the coverage that's explicitly called "uninsured motorist"
>>pays
>>YOU if you suffer damages as a result of the fault of someone with no
>>insurance. I guess if you don't want it, you shouldn't have to buy it, but
>>the point is that it doesn't pay them.
>>
> My point exactly !
>
> I have to buy insurance coverage to protect my liablity,
>
> then, I have to buy insurance coverage to protect myself
> from those who choose not to buy insurance coverage.....
The algorithm for determining how risky you is very different for the two
coverages so it makes sense for them to be sold and quoted as separate
products.
Also, the latter is optional (in many states, anyway) so another reason not
to bundle them.
If you want to reduce the cost of UM coverage, lobby for stricter
verification of financial responsibility when registering a vehicle or
renewing a drivers license and get new legislation passed to increase the
minimum required coverage limits and make failure to obey the financial
responsibility laws a capital offense (ok, you won't ever get that passed
but at least, make the penalties stiffer than they are now.) Reduce the
number of uninsured drivers out there and you reduce the risk.
George Grapman
of insurance to register the car people can make a down payment and let
the insurance lapse.
Usene...@the-domain-in.sig
<1187817013.5...@r23g2000prd.googlegroups.com>,
throw...@dodgeit.com says...
The work thing may depend on the clique issues. Some people may
fear that brown-bagging lunch will result in being looked down on
as an impoverished loser. So they may buy lunch (like at one of
those convenience stores restaurants in some office high-rises.
If the majority of the people in the office bring a sandwich and
fruit from home, then it can send the signal that it is cool,
socially.
James
DOMAIN-IN.SIG> wrote:
> In article
> <1187817013.593277.107...@r23g2000prd.googlegroups.com>,
> throwit...@dodgeit.com says...
>
> > On Aug 22, 4:06 pm, jdoe <j...@aol.com> wrote:
> > > It all depends on what you want to eat and like going to bars after
> > > work, lunch time can be social, everyone doesn't go to mickey d's
> > > everyday. you could always brown bag it and save even more, but you'll
> > > be passing on the aforementioned social opportunities
> > But going EVERY DAY? Where I've worked we got in the habit of eating
> > our bagged lunches as a group, so we still had the social opportunity,
> > then ate out once a week. Besides, your co-workers might not
> > necessarily be your only social circle and you can socialize with your
> > friends outside of work in evenings or on weekends.
>
> The work thing may depend on the clique issues. Some people may
> fear that brown-bagging lunch will result in being looked down on
> as an impoverished loser. So they may buy lunch (like at one of
> those convenience stores restaurants in some office high-rises.
>
> If the majority of the people in the office bring a sandwich and
> fruit from home, then it can send the signal that it is cool,
> socially.
In my office, most people do go out, but probably 20 % of us brown bag
it and play cards. Some people go down to get a sandwich at the shop
on the ground floor and bring it back. I'm a manager, and one of the
brown baggers is a director, there are some supervisors as well. I do
buy frozen entrees - convenience factor and frankly some of them are
good(Presidents choice butter chicken!), but only eat them once or
twice a week. At $3.49, I get something that tastes great compared to
the $4.50 sandwiches downstairs. I also get some $.99 frozen single
serving pizzas as well.
James
wat...@moog.netaxs.com
It sounds easy to do, but the reality is this: many people who feel they must
drive don't have enough money to pay for car insurance for a full year, so
they pay the first month's premium, register the car, then drop the insurance.
Here in PA, the only action the state takes is to send you a letter telling
you to turn in your plates. However, unless one of these folks gets stopped
for some reason by a cop, they will just continue to drive without insurance.
If one of them runs into you, suing them for damages won't do any good, since
they have no money in the first place. Therefore, having
uninsured/underinsured motorist insurance protects you from unrecoverable loss
due to one of these people hitting you.
You can argue that the state should be more proactive, and go around removing
the plates from vehicles that are not insured. The problem is that there are
so many of them, it's unlikely that any state or municipality has the
resources to devote to doing this. Plus, of course, if this became policy,
the owners would revert to either hiding their cars, as many do to avoid the
repo man, or will simply get one month's coverage again, and start the whole
business all over again.
W.
Ed Stasiak
>
> Top 10 money drains
>
> 2. Cigarettes
Which I'm guilty of but this is going to change because
at $4.80 per pack, I just can't afford it anymore.
> 7. Weekday lunches out
Thou I don't do it every day, maybe a couple of times
per week when I get tired of sandwiches and even then,
it's no more then $4-5 at a fast food joint.
But I do buy pre-packaged/processed food, but then
I can't cook worth a crap and hate the prep and clean
up involved.
> Can you think of any not on this list?
11. Paying for a cell phone _and_ land-line phone.
Why pay for both when a cell phone works at home
and on the road? This seems like a no-brainer to me
but out of all my friends and co-workers, I'm the only
one who has gotten rid of the redundant the land-line.
12. Paying for a leased vehicle.
Why stick yourself with a never ending car payment
and full-coverage auto insurance? Not to mention that
everybody I know who has leased a vehicle has always
gone over the mileage limit and paid additional fees.
Meghan Noecker
>What's wrong with tapwater or even softdrink?. A cola on a trip isn't
>a luxury when they sting you the same price for water.
>What i tend to do is hit a supermarket when travel ling and buy some
>nearly out of date fruit juice that's reduced in price. Cheap and
>cold.
Tap water around here is nasty. I actually take bottled water or pop
with me to two local restaurants because they don't serve pop that I
llike, and the free water is the same as my tap water at home.
Meghan Noecker
wrote:
>On Tue, 21 Aug 2007 10:58:53 -0400, "Chloe" <just...@spam.com> wrote:
>>
>>The part of the coverage that's explicitly called "uninsured motorist" pays
>>YOU if you suffer damages as a result of the fault of someone with no
>>insurance. I guess if you don't want it, you shouldn't have to buy it, but
>>the point is that it doesn't pay them.
>>
>My point exactly !
>
>I have to buy insurance coverage to protect my liablity,
>
>then, I have to buy insurance coverage to protect myself
>from those who choose not to buy insurance coverage.....
>
And those who are not legal to drive. A friend of mine was in an
accident caused by a drunk driver who was an illegal immigrant. He
wasn't legal to drive, so no insurance. He was deported, and my friend
was left with her friends making cobra payments for her so that she
could get the needed long term health care.
Her won insurance was the legal minimum (liability, nothing for
herself), and she had just left one job to start a new job. By paying
teh cobra payments, we could keep her old insurance going.
She lost her apartment since nothing covered rent, and she was in a
nursing home for 6 months., Her car was never replaced. She lost the
new job she had and couldn't go back to the old job because of her
injuries. She was on welfare for a couple years while she healed and
then got training in a new field. It was pretty tough for her as she
was already over 50, and the injuries were pretty bad
That extra coverage would have really helped her out.
I agree that it is a shame we have to do this. But we cannot prevent
insured drivers from getting on the road.
Usene...@the-domain-in.sig
frie...@zoocrewphoto.com says...
The risk doesn't even need the "illegal immigrant without
insurance" angle. A licensed, insured person might might cause a
crash while drunk. And perhaps his/her insurance provider may
have fine print voiding the policy in those circumstances. And
s/he might have nothing for you to take in civil court.