With the new year come all manner of well-intentioned resolutions, including — for many of us — financial resolutions!  You’re determined to make this year more prosperous for your family.  Where do you start though?  You feel as though you’ve been saving and sacrificing, but where has your money gone?!

Enter the budget leeches . . . sneaky, unobtrusive expenses that can blanch your rosy financial optimism or lead to full-blown exsanguination.

Over the next few posts, I’ll look at some of the biggest money-suckers out there with tips for prying them off of your wallet . . .

The Problem

A dinner here . . . a working lunch there . . . a double-mocha-frappucino-with-extra-whip a few times a week . . . some snacks from the office vending machine when the hunger pangs kick in mid-afternoon . . . it adds up!  You might not even see how much if you’re using cash to buy candy bars, purchase coffees, buy a round of drinks at happy hour, take a spin through the drive-through, or visit the office cafeteria with any frequency. [Read more…]

Check out Part 1 of this series!

The Problem

In general, purchasing groceries to prepare your own meals is far less expensive than eating out.  Still, are you hemorrhaging money at the supermarket without realizing you’re leaving a trail of discarded cash in your wake?

Here’s a real life example:  I know that I can nab a medium cheese pizza from the local Italian place for about $10, but I can walk into my my grocery store and pick up a frozen pie for $8.  I’ve saved $2, right?  Not so fast.  I’m still giving away my hard-earned money when I could be even smarter with my spending. [Read more…]