Your not so good money habits

IntlSet · Feb 4th, 2007, 06:18 AM

Besides bags!

We all have some ways we could economize better but for whatever reason don't. What are yours?

Mine:
1. SO and I have somehow turned into foodies... this is what happens when you live in a great city like Chicago. We are making it a habit to drop a lot of cash at four-star restaurants, which is very bad. This definitely needs to be a special-occasion thing rather than a random Saturday night event.
2. Starbucks is simply more caffeinated than regular old Folgers... so I brew Starbucks every morning. I console myself with the thought that at least I don't buy ready-made drinks at all in Starbucks otherwise! Anyone have a great coffee alternative that's cheaper, but better than grocery store finds?
3. Clothes... I'm definitely a clothes horse. Need to start buying on a need basis rather than on sheer wants. Which means I shouldn't be buying clothes ever again!

miss-lilly · Feb 4th, 2007, 08:14 AM

Nice thread!
1. Spending A LOT of money on make up stuff (especially MAC)
2. I get a taxi to work almost everyday because I can't bother to wake up 15 minutes earlier
3. I don't know or have the time to cook so I always eat out or get takeaways

Vegas Long Legs · Feb 4th, 2007, 10:15 AM

Our not so good money habits don't effect our financial lives or our retirement. But we still question ourselves sometimes.
When we travel we don't set any kind of budget - its a free for all.
We are foodies - eat out in expensive restaurants way to often.
We pretty much buy what we want, when we want it. We are older so the temporary ego needs "been there done that" aren't there.
Maybe we need a thread that balances this one. Good money habits.

Virginia · Feb 4th, 2007, 01:55 PM

i can start by cooking food more instead of always ordering take out, i can also not buy so many shoes and clothes since i have a closet full of stuff and most of it has only been worn a handful of times.

Nikki Guyana · Feb 4th, 2007, 03:07 PM

My main thing was charging more to my credit card than I even make at work. But I've got that under control. I tend to dine out a lot. I love trying out new restaurants.

Couturegrl · Feb 4th, 2007, 05:31 PM

Hmmm well they all stem from TPF!! LOL

Seriously, here they are:

--Starbucks
--Going out to eat waaay too often!
--Buying so many $&**# ballet flats!! It has become a problem!!

Christine · Feb 5th, 2007, 01:29 AM

Eating out is probably #1.

Gas is #2 but I bought a less fuel efficient car...

Those are my main money wasters.

GLuXuRy · Feb 5th, 2007, 01:36 AM

1. Use-less exspensive accessories ... sunglasses...money clips..rings etc etc
2. use-less car mods ... replacing perfectly good car parts with exspensive aftermarket parts
3. use-less bike mods ... replacing perfectly good bike parts with aftermarket parts (the bike only has 100 miles on it)
4. NIKES ... ive bought 6 pairs of Nikes in the past two months ... i just bought some tonight for 250 bucks

Eponineslove · Feb 5th, 2007, 01:51 AM

I'm an impulse shopper, so if I see something I like and have enough for it, I buy it. But I like to carry cash on me because I can save the change and change really adds up after a while. It's a catch-22.

I buy magazines from the gocery store rather than buy a subscription. This isn't a problem most of the time because I usually don't buy every issue of a magazine, except for Vogue. I always forget to fill out the subscription card!

My third problem stems from working at a store... I see so many cute clothes and shoes and everything that I can't resist! Especially with the 50% discount. I think I've bought at least one item almost every day I've worked.

Babylouis · Feb 5th, 2007, 01:55 AM

Eating out is definitely number one hands down! But i'm also a sneaker whore. I love vintage Jordans in particular for some reason. I have many others as well. Fortunately for my bank account my LV wants cant be given in to due to the fact that i have other expenses that come first and by the time those are paid every month there isnt much left over. AAH...the life of a college student! Gotta love it!

Kelly4 · Feb 5th, 2007, 11:58 AM

Buying magazines at the store instead of subscriptions...buying brand new books instead of using the library (which I am trying to do more, as well as selling some books on Amazon used)....buying stuff on sale that I don't need just because it's on sale (fancy soaps at World Market when I already have a drawer-full).
A girl at work has an old car which died on her and she needs to find a replacement...she said she can't afford car payments, but she buys Starbucks lattes and muffins or fast-food breakfast and lunch out every day....I told her she'd have enough for a car payment if she just cut out those expenses alone.
It's so easy to just eat out as you are tired at night and don't want to cook, or cook healthy, DH and I are trying to only eat out once a week and cook more...eating healthy at home takes more time, chopping veggies, etc...but so worth it in the long run.

amanda · Feb 5th, 2007, 06:40 PM

1. just like everyone else, eatting out. i don't have a full kitchen, so although i can make most things with what i've got, sometimes i get lazy and use it as an excuse. like lunch today was sushi. $27 of sushi.
2. whenever i go visit my parents, i tell myself it's ok to go wild at the malls in Atlanta. if this was twice a year, it'd be ok, but it's more like once a month.
3. if there's a coupon code for a website, i'll find something to buy just so i can get a discount. bad bad bad.

i've cut out a lot of my other bad habits, so that's good, at least.

mtn76 · Feb 6th, 2007, 01:15 AM

I get sucked in so easily at ordering out for lunch. I'm picky at what grocery store I shop at and what products so its gets $$.

At when it comes to going out, I don't understand the concept of money

Blue824 · Feb 6th, 2007, 11:39 PM

I feel like I spend a RIDICULOUS amount of $ on dry cleaning. I'm pretty good at watching how much I eat out, or get coffees, or watching my shopping and i don't get sucked into sales or coupons really... but jeez, that silly dry cleaning really adds up! I feel like 85% of what I buy to wear to work is dry clean only. Guess I should watch labels more...

pinkish · Feb 7th, 2007, 12:13 AM

Whenever I go to Target, Wal-Mart, etc., I always end up spending a whole lot more than I originally anticipated. The other day, I went to Target because I need to buy dish soap, but I walked out an hour later with over $80 worth of crap I probably do not need. I love eating out with sushi being my weakness.

Feb 4th, 2007, 10:15 AM	#3
Vegas Long Legs Member Location: Las Vegas	Re: Your not so good money habits Our not so good money habits don't effect our financial lives or our retirement. But we still question ourselves sometimes. When we travel we don't set any kind of budget - its a free for all. We are foodies - eat out in expensive restaurants way to often. We pretty much buy what we want, when we want it. We are older so the temporary ego needs "been there done that" aren't there. Maybe we need a thread that balances this one. Good money habits. __________________ The Baltics July/Aug

Feb 4th, 2007, 01:55 PM	#4
Virginia <3 JTan, Roly & LV Location: Los Angeles	Re: Your not so good money habits i can start by cooking food more instead of always ordering take out, i can also not buy so many shoes and clothes since i have a closet full of stuff and most of it has only been worn a handful of times. __________________ My Collection (mostly LV's) (updated 7/15/08, pg. 19)

Feb 4th, 2007, 03:07 PM	#5
Nikki Guyana Member	Re: Your not so good money habits My main thing was charging more to my credit card than I even make at work. But I've got that under control. I tend to dine out a lot. I love trying out new restaurants.

Feb 4th, 2007, 05:31 PM	#6
Couturegrl Addicted to Tiffany's Location: Arizona	Re: Your not so good money habits Hmmm well they all stem from TPF!! LOL Seriously, here they are: --Starbucks --Going out to eat waaay too often! --Buying so many $&**# ballet flats!! It has become a problem!! __________________ Chihuahua (and Chihuahua Mix!!) Snob Only 1 out of 10 dogs born ever get a home. Only 1 out of 12 cats born ever find a home. 800 dogs & cats are KILLED each HOUR in the U.S. because there are not enough homes for them. Spay and neuter your pets! Do NOT buy dogs from pet stores...rescue, rescue, rescue! Help save a life at www.dogsindanger.com

Feb 5th, 2007, 01:29 AM	#7
Christine Back in 5 minutes..	Re: Your not so good money habits Eating out is probably #1. Gas is #2 but I bought a less fuel efficient car... Those are my main money wasters.

Feb 4th, 2007, 06:18 AM	#1
IntlSet Bonjour! Location: Chicago	Your not so good money habits Besides bags! We all have some ways we could economize better but for whatever reason don't. What are yours? Mine: 1. SO and I have somehow turned into foodies... this is what happens when you live in a great city like Chicago. We are making it a habit to drop a lot of cash at four-star restaurants, which is very bad. This definitely needs to be a special-occasion thing rather than a random Saturday night event. 2. Starbucks is simply more caffeinated than regular old Folgers... so I brew Starbucks every morning. I console myself with the thought that at least I don't buy ready-made drinks at all in Starbucks otherwise! Anyone have a great coffee alternative that's cheaper, but better than grocery store finds? 3. Clothes... I'm definitely a clothes horse. Need to start buying on a need basis rather than on sheer wants. Which means I shouldn't be buying clothes ever again! __________________ http://drinkmorechampagne.wordpress.com/

Feb 4th, 2007, 08:14 AM	#2
miss-lilly Supergirl Location: Athens	Re: Your not so good money habits Nice thread! 1. Spending A LOT of money on make up stuff (especially MAC) 2. I get a taxi to work almost everyday because I can't bother to wake up 15 minutes earlier 3. I don't know or have the time to cook so I always eat out or get takeaways

Feb 5th, 2007, 01:36 AM	#8
GLuXuRy WaNa RiDe ??? Location: LaLa Land Cali	Re: Your not so good money habits 1. Use-less exspensive accessories ... sunglasses...money clips..rings etc etc 2. use-less car mods ... replacing perfectly good car parts with exspensive aftermarket parts 3. use-less bike mods ... replacing perfectly good bike parts with aftermarket parts (the bike only has 100 miles on it) 4. NIKES ... ive bought 6 pairs of Nikes in the past two months ... i just bought some tonight for 250 bucks __________________ DaViD B.

Feb 5th, 2007, 01:51 AM	#9
Eponineslove Member	Re: Your not so good money habits I'm an impulse shopper, so if I see something I like and have enough for it, I buy it. But I like to carry cash on me because I can save the change and change really adds up after a while. It's a catch-22. I buy magazines from the gocery store rather than buy a subscription. This isn't a problem most of the time because I usually don't buy every issue of a magazine, except for Vogue. I always forget to fill out the subscription card! My third problem stems from working at a store... I see so many cute clothes and shoes and everything that I can't resist! Especially with the 50% discount. I think I've bought at least one item almost every day I've worked. __________________ "To love another person is to the see the face of God."-Les Miserables, Act II finale.

Feb 5th, 2007, 01:55 AM	#10
Babylouis Member	Re: Your not so good money habits Eating out is definitely number one hands down! But i'm also a sneaker whore. I love vintage Jordans in particular for some reason. I have many others as well. Fortunately for my bank account my LV wants cant be given in to due to the fact that i have other expenses that come first and by the time those are paid every month there isnt much left over. AAH...the life of a college student! Gotta love it!

Feb 5th, 2007, 11:58 AM	#11
Kelly4 Member Location: Tacoma, WA	Re: Your not so good money habits Buying magazines at the store instead of subscriptions...buying brand new books instead of using the library (which I am trying to do more, as well as selling some books on Amazon used)....buying stuff on sale that I don't need just because it's on sale (fancy soaps at World Market when I already have a drawer-full). A girl at work has an old car which died on her and she needs to find a replacement...she said she can't afford car payments, but she buys Starbucks lattes and muffins or fast-food breakfast and lunch out every day....I told her she'd have enough for a car payment if she just cut out those expenses alone. It's so easy to just eat out as you are tired at night and don't want to cook, or cook healthy, DH and I are trying to only eat out once a week and cook more...eating healthy at home takes more time, chopping veggies, etc...but so worth it in the long run. __________________ Kelly

Feb 5th, 2007, 06:40 PM	#12
amanda I Bleed Georgia Red Location: Athens, GA	Re: Your not so good money habits 1. just like everyone else, eatting out. i don't have a full kitchen, so although i can make most things with what i've got, sometimes i get lazy and use it as an excuse. like lunch today was sushi. $27 of sushi. 2. whenever i go visit my parents, i tell myself it's ok to go wild at the malls in Atlanta. if this was twice a year, it'd be ok, but it's more like once a month. 3. if there's a coupon code for a website, i'll find something to buy just so i can get a discount. bad bad bad. i've cut out a lot of my other bad habits, so that's good, at least. __________________ PROUD TO BE A UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA BULLDOG! Read my blog: http://graduationday.wordpress.com

Feb 6th, 2007, 01:15 AM	#13
mtn76 Member	Re: Your not so good money habits I get sucked in so easily at ordering out for lunch. I'm picky at what grocery store I shop at and what products so its gets $$. At when it comes to going out, I don't understand the concept of money __________________ I'm a YFBer...Young, Fabulous & Broke

Feb 6th, 2007, 11:39 PM	#14
Blue824 Member Location: Chicago, IL	Re: Your not so good money habits I feel like I spend a RIDICULOUS amount of $ on dry cleaning. I'm pretty good at watching how much I eat out, or get coffees, or watching my shopping and i don't get sucked into sales or coupons really... but jeez, that silly dry cleaning really adds up! I feel like 85% of what I buy to wear to work is dry clean only. Guess I should watch labels more...

Feb 7th, 2007, 12:13 AM	#15
pinkish Member	Re: Your not so good money habits Whenever I go to Target, Wal-Mart, etc., I always end up spending a whole lot more than I originally anticipated. The other day, I went to Target because I need to buy dish soap, but I walked out an hour later with over $80 worth of crap I probably do not need. I love eating out with sushi being my weakness.