2. Ordering Food Delivery Through Apps<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you weren\u2019t already someone who ordered food delivered to your home using services like DoorDash, Uber<\/a> Eats, or Postmates, the pandemic probably forced you to make the switch,\u201d said Chris Browning, host of the \u201cPopcorn Finance\u201d podcast<\/a>. \u201cBecause it is so convenient, it\u2019s easy to ignore or dismiss the high fees that are tacked on to your food order.\u201d<\/p>\n On top of standard delivery fees and tips, service fees and other random charges tend to appear in the total. <\/p>\n \u201cThis is in addition to the fact that restaurants often have to charge higher prices to account for the fees that they are being charged by these delivery services,\u201d Browning added.<\/p>\n He suggested ordering delivery or pickup directly from a restaurant by checking the website or calling to cut back on costs. <\/p>\n \u201cEven though UberEats, DoorDash and GrubHub are super convenient, it is definitely not for your bank account.\u201d<\/p>\n – Tomeka Lynch Purcell, financial adviser and founder of Credit to Close by PMG Worldwide<\/p>\n 3. Engaging In Microtransactions<\/p>\n \u201cYou might download a game app on your phone, and then get swept into repeatedly purchasing upgrades and extras through so-called \u2018microtransactions,\u2019\u201d Margaret Price and Jill Gianola, authors of the upcoming book \u201cSingle Women and Money: How to Live Well on Your Income,\u201d<\/a> told HuffPost in an email.<\/p>\n Microtransactions generally involve virtual goods or points that can benefit players who don\u2019t necessarily have the time or skill to earn them in the game. There\u2019s been controversy regarding microtransactions among children<\/a>, but plenty of adults have also faced trouble with overspending in apps. <\/p>\n \u201cThe costs of these small purchases add up quickly,\u201d said Gianola and Price.<\/p>\n 4. Not Keeping Track Of Subscriptions<\/p>\n \u201cMany of us are hitting subscription fatigue with the increase in number of streaming services and the shift to subscription business models versus flat fees for many services,\u201d Browning said.\u201cTypically the problem starts with free trial offers that convince us to try out a new service that we inevitably forget to cancel. With so many transactions coming in and out of our bank accounts it can be easy to miss a new monthly charge, especially if it\u2019s not very large.\u201d<\/p>\n And it\u2019s not just streaming services. Think about those monthly wine subscriptions you signed up for after a few too many glasses at a vineyard or the clothing rental service you joined for wedding season, but no longer need.<\/p>\n \u201cKeep track of your subscriptions,\u201d advised personal finance coach Pattie Ehsaei<\/a>. \u201cEvery month, you should view all your monthly subscriptions like apps, streaming services and magazines to make sure you\u2019re not paying for any subscriptions you did not purchase and cancel the ones you do not use.\u201d<\/p>\n 5. Constantly Updating Your Wardrobe<\/p>\n \u201cAn issue I see with consumers and mindless spending is unnecessarily updating their summer and winter wardrobes every year,\u201d said Tomeka Lynch Purcell, a financial adviser and founder of Credit to Close by PMG Worldwide<\/a>.<\/p>\n The world of fast-fashion and influencer hauls<\/a> has given people the idea that we need to constantly buy new clothes and prioritize quantity over quality. Consumers are also forgetting the value of wardrobe staples and layering. <\/p>\n \u201cWe have transitioned into the fall season, but don\u2019t put away your summer clothes just yet,\u201d Lynch Purcell said. \u201cThis is the time to add a few new pieces as opposed to an entire new wardrobe. Purchasing a sweater, blazer or tights is ideal for the chilly weather and definitely more wallet-friendly.\u201d<\/p>\n Kara Stevens, founder of The Frugal Feminista<\/a> and author of \u201cHeal Your Relationship with Money,\u201d<\/a> noted that people also do a poor job of taking inventory of their wardrobes. <\/p>\n \u201cI think sometimes when we don\u2019t wash our clothes enough, we don\u2019t realize how many outfits and options we have,\u201d she said. \u201cWe end up thinking we have nothing to wear and go shopping. Having a laundry schedule and just generally being organized helps us know what we have so we don\u2019t wind up with duplicates and triplicates.\u201d<\/p>\n 6. Grocery Shopping Without A Plan<\/p>\n They say you shouldn\u2019t grocery shop hungry, but you also shouldn\u2019t show up without a list or a sense of what you already have at home. <\/p>\n \u201cMost people who go to the store just to pick up a few things never stick to just those few things,\u201d Talaat and Tai McNeely of His and Her Money<\/a> told HuffPost in an email. \u201cThey usually walk out with way more than they intended and it\u2019s probably something they didn\u2019t even need at the moment, which all leads to wasting money.\u201d<\/p>\n In addition to costing extra money, this mindless practice can also lead to additional food waste. So it\u2019s important to have some sort of structure, even if it\u2019s just keeping a list on your phone when you remember grocery items you need. <\/p>\n \u201cAccording to Feeding America, the average U.S. family throws away $1,600 worth of produce each year,\u201d said money and budgeting expert Andrea Woroch<\/a>. \u201cFine-tune your grocery shopping habits and start meal planning to reduce the amount of food you buy and ultimately stop wasting it. Also freeze leftovers and opt for frozen produce over fresh so that you avoid the chance of these foods going bad before you have a chance to eat them.\u201d<\/p>\n Furthermore, grocery shopping with purpose will help you cut back on extra spending on restaurant meals or delivery. <\/p>\n \u201cWe have to spend more time cooking, rather than eating out,\u201d Lynch Purcell said. \u201cCreate a sensible monthly budget for grocery shopping and plan out what you want to eat for the week. That way you are prepared and not feeling the anxiety of what you will eat that day. Even though UberEats, DoorDash and GrubHub are super convenient, it is definitely not for your bank account.\u201d<\/p>\n 7. Failing To Pay Bills On Time<\/p>\n \u201cBy nature, many people are procrastinators, even when it comes to paying bills on time, including credit card bills,\u201d Pavini said. \u201cWe get in the habit of setting the statements aside until the due date draws near and end up forgetting to pay on time. This habit leads to late fees, interest and, potentially, damage to your credit score.\u201d<\/p>\n Get in the habit of paying your bills when you get them or setting calendar reminders if you need to wait a bit. <\/p>\n \u201cOn average, 35% of people<\/a> report missing a bill simply because they forgot about it,\u201d said Michelle Young<\/a>, a private wealth advisor with Ameriprise<\/a>. \u201cSign up for online bill pay with your household bills to potentially save money. It may help avoid late fees or the fee some companies may charge to send you a paper bill. It\u2019s always good to ask your carriers if there are any discounts with online bill pay.\u201d<\/p>\n If you engage in online billing, make sure to check your spam folder periodically just in case. <\/p>\n 8. Buying Aspirational Clothes<\/p>\n \u201cA lot of us purchase more workout clothes than we need,\u201d said Marsha Barnes, founder of The Finance Bar<\/a>. \u201cThis could be motivation to get our exercise in more frequently, but what it does is push us to spend unnecessary money to improve our physical health while sometimes taking away from our financial health. If we\u2019re all being honest, how often do we budget for more workout clothes?\u201d<\/p>\n On the flip side, you might be someone who wears athleisure most of the time, so purchasing a lot of dressier clothes might be wasteful. <\/p>\n \u201cBe conscious of your lifestyle and buy clothes to fit that rather than something aspirational,\u201d Stevens advised. \u201cYou may see something cute, but don\u2019t buy it if you don\u2019t know what you\u2019re going to pair it with or the setting to wear it.\u201d <\/p>\n \u201cWhen we allow our triggers to take control of our actions, that can lead us to make financial decisions that feel good in the moment but aren\u2019t worthwhile in the long run.\u201d<\/p>\n – Kara Stevens, founder of The Frugal Feminista and author of \u201cHeal Your Relationship with Money\u201d<\/p>\n Of course, it\u2019s fun to try out different things, but don\u2019t forget to return the items that don\u2019t work for you. <\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t buy clothes online that don\u2019t fit or aren\u2019t \u2018you\u2019 and then neglect to return them for a refund \u2015 or return them so late you only get a partial credit,\u201d Gianola and Price advised.<\/p>\n 9. Paying Unnecessary Bank Fees<\/p>\n In addition to late payment fees, there are a number of other unnecessary bank fees that people wind up paying on a regular basis, including ATM fees, account fees and overdraft fees. While these may seem small in isolation, the bigger picture feels more wasteful. <\/p>\n \u201cAlways use the ATM from your banking institution, look for free checking accounts, keep track of your spending so you don\u2019t overdraw your account, and pay attention to payment due dates to prevent paying late fees,\u201d Ehsaei said. <\/p>\n If your account balances tend to be low, pay attention to your bank\u2019s overdraft protection policies<\/a> to avoid fees. <\/p>\n \u201cSign up for overdraft protection, so you don\u2019t wind up spending extra money when you overdraw your checking account,\u201d Stevens advised. <\/p>\n 10. Letting Your Mood Dictate Your Spending<\/p>\n People do many things mindlessly when they\u2019re dealing with difficult emotions, including spending money. That\u2019s why they call it \u201cretail therapy.\u201d <\/p>\n \u201cWhen we allow our triggers to take control of our actions, that can lead us to make financial decisions that feel good in the moment but aren\u2019t worthwhile in the long run,\u201d Stevens said. \u201cA lot of times when we\u2019ve had a particularly bad day or great day, then we swipe our cards more.\u201d<\/p>\n She recommended monitoring any moments or triggers that led to a spending spree, whether it\u2019s a bad day at work or a conversation with a toxic person. Then, find an alternative way to cope with the emotions that don\u2019t involve shopping. <\/p>\n Nina Vartanava \/ EyeEm via Getty Images<\/p>\n The ease of buying things today can lead to mindless spending sprees.<\/p>\n 11. Forgetting To Use Gift Cards<\/p>\n A 2020 report estimated that American consumers waste up to $3 billion<\/a> in unused gift cards each year. Sure, sometimes we have trouble redeeming a gift card if it\u2019s for a brand or restaurant we don\u2019t particularly enjoy or have easy access to. But a lot of the waste stems from forgetfulness. <\/p>\n \u201cCompanies are saving when we don\u2019t use and enjoy our gift cards,\u201d Stevens said \u201cWe\u2019re also spending money that we don\u2019t have to it if we used a gift card that either has money on or is a gift card to a business we already patronize.\u201d<\/p>\n 12. Not Making Your Own Lunch Or Coffee<\/p>\n Young pointed to people\u2019s day-to-day spending going out for coffee or picking up lunch, rather than making it at home. <\/p>\n \u201cA lot of people don\u2019t realize how much grabbing a coffee in the morning and going out to lunch adds up to over a month,\u201d she explained. \u201cWhat they are doing out of convenience can really add up, even if lunch is just fast food.\u201d<\/p>\n Making your own lunch or coffee at home can also cut down on the use of single-use takeout containers, so there\u2019s an environmental benefit as well. <\/p>\n 13. Going On Sprees<\/p>\n In the age of credit cards and Apple Pay, it\u2019s all too easy to get carried away buying things online or in person. Studies have even suggested that the brain releases dopamine<\/a> when you shop, which can lend an addictive element<\/a> to the process.<\/p>\n \u201cUsing credit cards mindlessly is a habit that should be broken,\u201d Pavini said. \u201cFor many consumers, it\u2019s too easy to pull out the plastic on everything from a cup of coffee, to a shoe shopping spree.\u201d<\/p>\n She suggested using cash or your debit card more often to cut back on your spending sprees. The same goes for social experiences that involve spending money, like getting drinks at a bar or restaurant. <\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t order another drink over dinner in a restaurant just because your companions are having another round,\u201d Gianola and Price advised. <\/p>\n 14. Never Taking Change<\/p>\n![\"Grocery](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/61844c5e26000034003cd8b1.jpeg\")
Grocery shopping without a plan leads to wasted money and food. <\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/61844d54210000f56b6fe896.jpeg\")
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