So, you’ve got a few bad habits. Who doesn’t? You may think there’s nothing wrong with what you do – especially if it isn’t hurting anyone. Yet, the truth is, your life is greatly impacted by the choices you make. There are some daily habits of yours that are not only bad for your physical and mental well-being but for your wallet as well. Though they may seem small in nature, here’s a look at some bad habits that could be costing you big time.
Smoking Cigarettes
If you’ve developed a smoking habit, you should know that it’s costing you several thousand dollars per year. Not only that, smoking impairs your health resulting in the need for increased doctor’s visits, higher insurance rates, and more. You can remedy the problem by quitting this habit altogether. If that’s not an option, at the very least, switching to vaping is a more affordable option. You can purchase a vape pen, a Zamplebox vape box, and other vaping materials at a nearby smoke shop. It costs a lot less than smoking a pack of cigarettes a day.
Eating Unhealthy
The average American household spends a fortune each year on takeout and other unhealthy foods. These items may taste good going down, but in reality, it’s costing you a lot of money. Eating out every day or indulging in unhealthy foods is expensive by itself, but when you factor in the health issues that come from such a bad habit, the prices really go up. It’s time to make healthier food choices, swap out unhealthy snacks for better options, and create a meal plan so you can reduce how much you’re eating out.
Neglecting Home and Car Maintenance
Home and car repairs can set you back several hundred or thousand dollars – but it doesn’t have to be that way. If you learn how to take care of maintenance and smaller problems as they arise it reduces the need to visit the mechanic or hire a contractor to come and service a major repair. Set reminders, sign up for annual service contracts, or review car and appliance manuals to develop a routine for taking care of issues before they get out of hand.
Paying Bills Late
Yes, it can be difficult at times to secure the funds necessary to pay your bills in a timely fashion, but developing a habit of paying late will only hurt your pockets. Every time you pay late it not only results in a late fee and potential added interest, but it ruins your credit. A bad credit history means you pay more for everything from television services to insurance. It’s best to figure out how to pay your bills on time. Whether that means breaking it up into bi-weekly payments, setting up automatic debits, or setting a reminder.
Going to Any ATM
Sometimes you need to have cash on hand, but it is important to consider where you go to get it. ATMs that are not in your bank’s network are going to charge you a fee to access cash. Your banks may even add an extra fee too. This $2 or $4 might not seem like much, but if you take even ten trips to the ATM in a month you’re talking about $20 to $40 or more down the drain. Try to go to ATMs in your bank’s network to avoid these fees.
Buying Lottery Tickets
Everyone would love to hit the lotto and be rich but the reality is you’re betting against some serious odds. That dollar or more you spend hoping to hit it big could be put to better use. While you may enjoy the idea of jumping in on larger prize winnings, playing the lottery every day is really a waste of money.
It’s true, everyone has some bad habits. They seem harmless enough but as you can see from above, it can harm you in a lot of different ways. If you’d like to see an increase in your finances, it is ideal for you to learn how to break bad habits such as those listed above.
