Lifestyle: 5 subtle ways people waste money

It’s so easy to waste money nowadays and there are many subtle and often overlooked ways that people do so. Being aware of these ways makes it easier for people to curb such wastes and gain better control over their finances.

Jumia Travel, the leading online travel agency, shares 5 subtle ways people waste money while traveling.

Grocery Shopping When You’re Hungry

If you engage in grocery shopping when you’re hungry, you’ll tend to want to buy everything in sight because it all of a sudden becomes more appealing. As much as you can, avoid grocery shopping when you’re hungry because you’re more inclined to buy more food than you actually need and will most likely waste later. This is of course equivalent to an unnecessary waste of money.

Mainly Using Debit Cards for your Purchases

You are unlikely to be so liberal with your purchases if you have to be mindful of the limited cash you have in your wallet; you are therefore more likely to be responsible with your spending.

You should try to avoid taking debit cards along with you everywhere you go, especially when on a boys or girls night out or during a vacation. Withdrawing a fix amount of cash is usually best because it compels you to watch your spending and not go overboard. When it comes to avoiding overspending, there is no greater motivation than knowing that if you spend all the cash you have, it’s pretty much ‘gbese’ for you.

Using Just Any ATM Machine

Try as much as possible to use the ATM machine for your bank when withdrawing money to avoid racking up displeasing fees. If you’re traveling or on vacation and are unfamiliar with the area, you can ask the locals for where your bank’s ATM machine is. If you must use the ATM machine of another bank, let it be as occasional as possible.

In-Game Purchases

This can be a hard habit to break especially for lovers of smartphone, Xbox or PlayStation games, but it just has to be done because your ‘little’ in-game purchases eventually adds up to stunning expenses.

Eventually, you’ll end up reviewing your bank statements with shock, disbelief, a bit of shame and definitely regret. It advisable to remove your credit card info from sites or apps you play games, and ensure you don’t save your details on such sites for any reason.

This way, it is easier for you to rethink your decision to buy that power-up or shining in-game weapon when you have to search for your credit card to put in the necessary info for the purchase. Of course, this doesn’t take the place of generally being responsible enough with your earnings not to spend it all on a game.

Not Taking Advantage of Sales or Discounts

There is no award given to you if you buy things for their full price, you should therefore take advantage of items that have discounts or are on-sales and buy them if they suit your needs. Think about it: why pay more for the exact same thing someone else is paying less for?