money drains

story by | dani parkos fluge

Did you pick up a fancy cup of coffee this morning or stop by the vending machine during your break at work or maybe you whipped through the car wash for the deluxe deal. Make a habit of these little purchases and you’ll be working against your savings account and blowing your hard earned bucks. Here are some of the Top Money Drains to watch out for: coffee Do you need a liquid boost in the morning? mani $25 is the average going rate for a plain Jane manicure – no gels, tips or extras ladies. At that price a weekly mani will set you back roughly $1,300 a year. alcohol Enjoy a drinky-poo or two? If you don’t find the best Happy Hour deals you can figure on average one brewsky will get you for $5 [including tip]. If you like to double down more than three times per week, plan on a yearly tab of $1,560. And if mixed drinks are your thing, figure a $3,120 contribution to the local pub. car washes Does the Mini-V or SUV need some TLC? cigarettes No butts about this one. According to TobaccoFreeKids.org the national average price for a pack of cigs is $5.58. For those pack-a-day smokers you can plan on paying $2,008 a year. Maybe just a weekend smoker? One pack a week will light you up for $290 annually. bottled water Tap into the real expense of grabbing H2O on the go? A 20-ounce bottle of water from a convenience store is on average $1.89. One bottle of water per day will keep you hydrated, but drain you $689.85 per year. Not to mention the cost to the environment. lunch take-out Rather buy than brown bag it? Figure $9 will generally cover a decent lunch most work days, but make that a five day a week habit for one full year and you will shell out about $2,350. vending machine snacks Do you fall victim to the mid-day vending machine munchies? The average snack costs $1. Getting a sugary or salty fix every afternoon at work will cost $260 per year and even more calories! unused memberships Our intentions are always good, but let’s face it; too often motivation for the gym falls off. With the monthly service fee at gyms averaging between $35 and $40 per month, about the only thing we lose after a year-long membership is $480.

According to the National Coffee Association, the average cost for a basic cup of black brewed coffee is $1.38. With roughly 260 weekdays per year, buying one cup every weekday morning will run you almost $360 per year. If you prefer a souped-up latte at an average cost of $2.45, plan to hand over $637 to your favorite brew shop annually.

If so, the average cost for an auto detailing package is $89. The tab for finding the Cheerios, Cheetos, straws and string cheese every two months will roll you $534 each year.

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