Are you aware of these sneaky expenses that drain your wallet?
Without noticing, your repetitive daily habits can easily burn a hole in your wallet and drain your bank account. When this happens, you may come to the infuriating conclusion that, no matter what you do, you seem to never be able to build wealth.
If you’re trying to save money (who doesn’t during these times of inflation?), start by looking over your day-to-day spending. You may be surprised, perhaps even shocked, to realize how much money you spend without noticing.
You’re likely paying more than necessary for things you need, buying stuff you don’t need, and getting hit with fees that can easily be avoided.
Consider these eight sneaky expenses that drain your wallet. Many of these can be eliminated with minimal effort. Take a look!
1. Checking account charges
No. 1 on our list of sneaky expenses that drain your wallet are checking account charges. According to one report, the average checking account hosts about 25 fees, and some checking accounts have up to 50 different fees.
So, if you’re seeing charges on your bank statement, don’t ignore them; find out why that is. For example, if you’re not meeting a minimum balance requirement, that can be fixed easily unless you can’t afford the amount.
If that’s the case, you may want to switch to a bank that doesn’t require you to have a high balance. If you’re facing big overdraft fees, sign up for online alerts.
Also, don’t give your bank authorization to charge overdraft fees on ATM withdrawals or debit card purchases. You shouldn’t be subject to any fees if you don’t agree to overdraft protection and your transaction is declined.
If you own a business, consider taking it to an online-only bank or credit union that charges fewer fees. According to a recent report, cash-strapped consumers whose balances frequently fall to zero could potentially save up to $348 per year in fees.
2. ATM fees
Next on our list of sneaky expenses that drain your wallet are ATM fees. As you may already know, getting cash from an ATM that’s not included in your bank’s network can cost you. It’s not just that your bank will charge you for using an out-of-network ATM; you’ll also have to pay a fee imposed by the bank whose ATM you’re using. On average, the two fees top $4.
This amount may not be a fortune, but if you hit the ATM frequently, these charges can add up quickly. There are free apps that can help you find your own bank’s ATM to avoid fees. One example would be ATM Hunter. It’s easy to use, and you don’t have to pay anything to download it.
3. Modem rental fee
No. 3 on our list of sneaky expenses that drain your wallet is the modem rental fee. According to frugal living expert Lauren Greutman, this is a common expense that lots of people may be paying for unnecessarily.
For instance, internet and cable provider Comcast charges around $10 a month, or $120 a year, for a modem rental. That’s not the highest amount consumers can pay, as there are other cable providers that charge even more.
So how do you eliminate these sneaky expenses that drain your wallet? Consider buying a modem! A pretty affordable option would be the Arris SURFboard Modem, which you can find right now on sale on Amazon.com. Make sure the model is compatible with your provider’s network before you buy it.
4. Cable TV
Your cable TV bill can also make the list of sneaky expenses that drain your wallet. It doesn’t make sense to spend your money on a premium cable package if you only have a few favorite channels.
Consider watching movies and TV shows for less with on-demand streaming services. According to a recent study, the average pay-TV bill is now over $200 a month. This means consumers pay on average $2.400 a year on cable TV.
Services such as Amazon Instant Video, Hulu Plus, and Netflix cost less than $15 a month, though you can only enjoy previously aired TV shows with these services.
Or you can get live programming with Sling TV, which is an internet-only service that offers 23 channels, such as ESPN, CNN, HGTV, and Disney. It costs about $20 a month.
Keep reading to discover other sneaky expenses that drain your wallet!
5. Bottled water
Drinking water rather than juice or soda is a great way to save money, as long as your water source is the tap. If it’s not, you can include the water you buy on the list of sneaky expenses that drain your wallet.
According to the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), bottled water at $1.5 for a half-liter may be costing you roughly 10,000 times more per gallon than your tap water. A strategy that can help you save money would be to buy a reusable water bottle and fill it with tap water. It will cost you a fraction of the cost of bottled water.
6. Restaurant meals
You may not be completely aware, but restaurant meals can be pretty expensive, especially during these days when inflation is high. Therefore, it’s only fair to include them on our list of sneaky expenses that drain your wallet.
An occasional meal out can be a lovely break from cooking. However, eating out regularly can add up pretty quickly. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average American household spends approximately $3,000 a year on food away from home.
Cook meals at home to eliminate these sneaky expenses that drain your wallet and make more than you need so you can have leftovers to take to work. If you do indulge yourself with a restaurant meal, look for discounted gift cards to save money.
7. Wasted food
Next on our list of sneaky expenses that drain your wallet is the food you toss in the trash can. Throwing away food is basically throwing money down the drain. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, the average American throws away $31 to $46 worth of food each month. Do the math, and you’ll realize how much money you spend on wasted food.
Financial experts say you can avoid this waste by using tools like the free Pepperplate app to plan your meals. It will help you purchase just what you need. Resist buying food in bulk at a warehouse club. Those products may cost less per unit, but those savings will vanish if you can’t eat the food you purchase before it goes bad.
8. Wireless data overage fees
Last but not least, wireless data overage fees also make our list of sneaky expenses that drain your wallet. If you tried to save money by choosing a wireless plan with the least amount of data, you may have found that you exceeded your data allotment and got hit with surprise fees as a result.
For instance, Verizon’s “More Everything” plan charges a fee of $15 for exceeding data limits. Of course, the more you exceed that limit, the more you’ll be charged.
To prevent this from happening, you can use an app to track your data usage. An option would be My Data Manager, which is free and sends you alerts before you exceed your limit. It also shows that other apps on your smartphone are consuming the most data.
If you liked our article on sneaky expenses that drain your wallet, you may also want to read Can You Make Your Groceries Last Longer? Yes, With These 10 Tricks.
