Breaking Bad … Habits That Cost!

We’ve all got bad habits. Most of them are nothing more than annoying. (Humming, whistling, drumming fingers, cracking knuckles, etc).

Some, however, could be costing you money. You could be throwing your hard-earned cash away without even realising it. That’s got to be worse than tapping your feet or clicking your pen top. So, to help you bite the bullet (rather than your nails), here’s how to stop your dosh from going down the drain.

Ever wondered where all your money has gone at the end of the month? You’ve probably consumed most of it.

• Caffeine. Cappuccino, Frappuccino, Mocha Cortado, Flat White – whatever combo you go for, that coffee is costing you big time. At an average of £3 a shot, one a day is costing you £21 a week, £84 a month, more than £1,000 a year! Can’t sweeten that one.
• Food. Subway for lunch, pizza after the pub, fajitas with the footy team, chippy tea when you’re tired, Big Mac just because, takeaway with your mates because it would be rude not to… Fast food. Ditch it. Quick win.
• Snacks. Packets of crisps when paying for petrol, chocolate bar with your daily newspaper, fizzy drink to cope with an afternoon slump, croissant in the coffee shop. It all adds up. Time for a snack attack.
• Water. If you find yourself constantly buying bottles of water, consider forking out for a cheap refillable container. Top it up from the tap, chill it in the fridge, and feel smug as well as hydrated.
• Alcohol. Booze and you lose. Only you know how much of your hard-earned cash ends up in a bar rather than a bank. Small changes can make a big difference. Cutback on the number of nights you go out drinking. Cutback the number of drinks. Just cutback.

Apart from food for thought, there are other bad money habits you can break.

• Staying in debt. The longer you have money on a credit card the more money you’re wasting. So chuck as much as you possibly can at the repayments every month. And try to stop using it.
• Going overdrawn. Every time your bank account nudges into the red, even if it’s only a couple of pounds, you get charged for it. That could equate to you working for two hours for zilch. Ouch!
• What’s in a name? Usually not a great deal. Branded products might look better, but that’s just a sneaky sales tactic. More often than not, own-brand products are just as good, they’re just not as flashy. Avoid the posh packaging and save a packet.
• Same stuff – cheaper price. Things like electricity and gas are the same, no matter who supplies them. But the prices can vary massively. Don’t stick with the same provider because it saves you the hassle. Get it cheaper by shopping around and finding a provider that’s right for you.
• Don’t hang on to your clutter. Your junk could be another man’s treasure. So, if you’ve been meaning to have a clearout for ages but just haven’t got around to it, get it sold and make yourself some extra cash. Just don’t go and spend it on more clutter.

If all this sounds like hard work, just think of the money you’ll be saving. And, when all else fails, remember the mantra: Bad habits are there to be broken!