(InvestigateTV) — It’s so easy to use delivery apps to order whatever we want, whenever we want it. But Kim Palmer with NerdWallet said there is a real cost to convenience.
From elaborate coffees to food deliveries and even ride shares, she said this all started to grow in the pandemic and our need for convenience after has only ballooned.
A quarter of Americans are now ordering take out on these delivery apps at least once a week, according to a study from research and analytics company YouGov.
“Sometimes we don’t realize how much we’re spending on these delivery apps until we actually go comb through our credit card or debt card and see how much it’s added up to,” Palmer said.
She said not only are we paying for the food itself, but also the delivery fee and a tip which adds up quickly.
“If you are just paying $50 a week on these delivery apps — if you instead save that money, you could have $2,600 dollars by the end of the year and of course you could put that in a high yield savings account, watch it grow,” she said. “And so, it’s worth just spending some time thinking about the trade up on how much this convenience really costs.”
Palmer said it’s worth taking a close look at receipts from these purchases to see how much is being spent, especially in fees and tips.
Also, if the restaurant is nearby, just go and pick it up once a week to start to cut down on costs.
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