Finances & Money

6 Ways Your Laziness Is Wasting Money

For many of us, it’s worth spending a few extra bucks to make our day-to-day life more convenient. We’ve become dependent on many technologies that haven’t always been available to us. This recent increase in our reliance on unnecessary gadgets can leak into other parts of our life, too, so we’re more likely to choose the easier option over the cheaper one.

Though “a few bucks” doesn’t seem like much at the time, when you continue to spend more on conveniences you don’t need, it adds up. Often, that extra money you’re spending on fast food or parking fees is coming out of more important aspects of your budget, like your car payment or water bill.

Here are six ways your laziness is wasting your money without you realizing it:

1. Going Out to Eat

Every time you stop for dinner on your way home from work rather than cooking a meal for yourself when you get there, you’re spending extra money — especially if you’ve got a fridge full of groceries. Even if you make it home without a pit stop, the temptation to just order a pizza or some Chinese food is real.

Next time this happens, do your wallet and your body a favor and whip up something tasty using the ingredients you already have. Not only will you save money and calories, but you’ll also feel accomplished while you enjoy your home-cooked meal.

2. Letting Old “Stuff” Pile Up

We’ve all got that one closet, box or corner in our house where we put all our… “stuff,” for lack of a better word. Old electronics, clothes, kitchen appliances and furniture that you don’t use anymore is not only taking up space in your house, but you’re also missing out on some extra cash you could be making.

Apps like LetGo, Carousell and even the Facebook Marketplace let you post pictures of your items and connect you with people who are interested in purchasing them. All you have to do is overcome that laziness and get around to posting your old belongings online — and it usually takes five minutes or less.

3. Paying for Memberships You Don’t Use

Though you probably get your $7 worth every month for your Netflix account, think of all the other monthly subscriptions you have that you don’t use anymore. This could be magazines, websites or other tools. You could even ditch that pricey gym membership and do at-home workouts instead for the same results.

If you can’t part ways with any of your subscriptions, consider sharing them with a friend. Netflix and Spotify, for example, allow you to have multiple users on one account. You won’t even notice you’re sharing your account with someone else, but you will notice you’re saving half of that monthly fee.

4. Leaving your TV on for Background Noise

Sleeping with just one TV on could cost you $55 a year, which equals to around half a year’s worth of a Netflix subscription. Not to mention, it could negatively impact your sleep and circadian rhythm.

This may not seem a lot, but even making small tweaks to our daily habits to save electricity will not only save us money but will also reduce our carbon footprints.

5. Procrastinating Your Bills

There isn’t a person out there who enjoys paying their bills. However, it’s an inevitable part of life that you should adapt to and keep organized. When you procrastinate paying your bills, you’re probably going to be charged a higher interest rate and late fees.

Get a calendar to hang on your fridge or somewhere else you look frequently to remind yourself which bills are due when. Most utility services and credit card companies also have an option to email you reminders for when your bills are due. If you’re a forgetful person, take advantage of that feature.

6. Driving When You Could Walk

Driving only a few blocks — especially when the weather’s nice — is the epitome of laziness that’s costing you. Even with gas prices dropping, you’re wasting fuel you could’ve used for a necessary trip. You’re also probably paying for parking, an expense you can easily avoid by walking.

Just like not going out to eat as often, this tip will not only benefit your financial well-being but your physical and mental health, as well.

Don’t let your laziness control your bank account any longer. Introduce these six small steps to your day-to-day life, and you’ll likely find yourself with some extra money left over at the end of the month.

Anum Yoon is the blogger behind Current on Currency. She writes about personal finance in a way that is more approachable and inclusive to fellow millennials.

James Hendrickson

James is an internet entrepreneur, blogging junky, hunter and personal finance geek.  When he’s not lurking in coffee shops in Portland, Oregon, you’ll find him in the Pacific Northwest’s great outdoors. James has a masters degree in Sociology from the University of Maryland at College Park and a Bachelors degree on Sociology from Earlham College.  He loves individual stocks, bonds and precious metals.