Why are we still paying more for these things? 6 ways to start saving now.

Sometimes what seems like an easy, convenient buy can be secretly hurting your budget. Here is a list of 6 things that you could be wasting money on:

1. Bottled water - I know that you are supposed to drink eight glasses of water a day, but do you really need to buy bottled water? You could spend around $35 dollars for a 40 ounce Brita pitcher and a four pack of replacement filters and be able to filter 200 gallons of water. If you bought that much water in 24 pack of bottled water, it would cost you around $280.00.

2. Coffee - OK, I’ll admit, I’m guilty of this one. It just seems so convenient to stop at Starbucks to get my daily coffee fix, until you realize you are spending $4 for a fancy cup of coffee. Try creating a similar drink at home. If you want café mocha, try adding hot chocolate with milk to your cup of coffee in the morning. If you really need a frappachino, blend coffee, ice, milk and chocolate or caramel sauce to make your own.

3. Pre-cut fruits and vegetables - I’m not saying you shouldn’t buy fresh fruits and veggies, but you really need to buy the prepackaged version? Sure, pre-cut veggies and bagged salad mix do save you time, but it will end up costing you almost double compared to uncut versions. It just takes a few minutes to slice up your fruits and vegetables, and it will save you money.

4. Books - Books can be expensive, particularly new releases. Try your local library; you might be surprised at what you can find. Or try a website like BookSwim, it’s like Netflix for books. For $24 a month I can get three books at a time, when I finish one, I just mail it back in the prepaid package. If I were to buy three new books a month that would easily cost $40 a month.

5. Magazines - Why spend money on a magazine subscription when you could read the same articles online?

6. Going to the movies - Have you been to the movies lately? The price of movie tickets can cost anywhere from $8-$14 for one ticket! If you absolutely can’t wait till a movie is released on DVD, think about this: Do you really need to see the movie right away, at a new theater? Or could you pay a little less and see it at the older theater down the road that might not charge as much, or better yet wait until the movie is playing in a second-run theater.


-Jess H., Maine Credit Union League