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25 Useless Expenses You Need To Cut From Your Budget Now

As we go through life, we tend to accumulate expenses that seem necessary at the time, but ultimately end up being unnecessary and wasteful. Useless expenses if you will.

It’s important to regularly evaluate our spending habits and cut out any unnecessary expenses in order to save money and achieve financial stability.

With that being said, here are 25 useless expenses you need to cut from your budget now.

budget with pink piggy bank

25 Useless Expenses You Need To Cut From Your Budget Now

Below are 25 easy ways you can cut expenses in your budget and increase your savings right away.

table with envelopes and money on it

Daily coffee runs

Coffee is a daily essential for many people, but buying it from coffee shops every day can add up quickly. Consider making coffee at home or bringing a travel mug to work instead.

Bottled water

Bottled water is often unnecessary and wasteful, especially if you live in an area with access to clean tap water. Consider investing in a reusable water bottle instead or look into a water filtration system.

Cable TV

With the rise of streaming services, cable TV has become increasingly unnecessary and expensive. Consider cancelling your cable subscription and switching to a streaming service like Netflix or Hulu. Also look for ways to get Free Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, etc or take advantage of bundle deals.

Gym memberships

Gym memberships can be expensive and often go unused. Consider canceling your membership and finding alternative ways to exercise, such as running outside or doing at-home workouts. If you must keep your gym membership, call and ask your health insurance company if they offer reimbursement for your gym membership. Mine actually pays for mine every month.

Daily fast food runs

Fast food is convenient, but it can also be expensive and unhealthy. Consider cooking meals at home or meal prepping to save money and improve your health.

couple going through budget for useless expenses

Magazine subscriptions

Magazine subscriptions can be expensive and often go unread. Consider canceling your subscriptions and reading magazines online or borrowing them from the library instead. The same goes for newspaper subscriptions.

New Books

Book lovers don’t come at me… I get it, there is something about that new book smell but if you’re watching your spending, skip the new books. Go grab a free library card and check out books instead or put together a book swap in your local area so you can read new books without breaking the bank.

Lottery tickets

Lottery tickets are a form of gambling and are often a waste of money. Consider investing your money in a more stable form of investment instead. Even utilizing a high interest CD account can ensure a return on your money instead of a loss.

pile of lottery tickets

Unused subscriptions

Subscriptions to services like music streaming or online shopping clubs (I am talking about you, Amazon Prime) can add up quickly, especially if you’re not using them regularly. Or perhaps you are using them too often (that pesky two day shipping always gets me). Consider canceling any subscriptions you’re not using.

Pro tip: Pull your last 2 months of bank statements and go through them line by line to ensure you are canceling any subscriptions you may have forgotten about.

ATM/Bank fees

ATM and bank fees can add up quickly, especially if you’re using an out-of-network ATM. Consider using your bank’s ATM or getting cash back at a grocery store instead. If your bank charges a fee, see if you can switch to a local credit union that offers memberships without those pesky service fees.

Brand name products

Brand name products are often more expensive than generic alternatives, but offer little to no additional value. Consider opting for generic products to save money. When you must buy name brand, look for manufacturer coupons to help with saving.

Unused memberships

Memberships to clubs or organizations can be expensive, especially if you’re not using them regularly. Consider canceling any memberships you’re not actively using. Yes, that includes that Costco or Sam’s Club membership you may not be using.

Dining out too often

Dining out can be expensive, especially if you’re doing it frequently. Consider cooking meals at home or limiting your dining out to special occasions. Take advantage of coupons or find ways to cut expenses elsewhere so you can enjoy a dinner out.

For example, I often buy gift cards at my local Kroger store for a restaurant and then get 4x rewards points that I can use for a discount on gas. Helps me save on gas while enjoying a meal out.

Impulse purchases

Impulse purchases can be a major drain on your budget. Consider implementing a waiting period before making any non-essential purchases to avoid impulse buys.

My husband and I implemented the “sleep on it rule” a few years ago. We decided that we would sleep on it regarding a purchase we wanted to make. If we still wanted it in the morning, we would discuss how that purchase can be put into the budget.

scissors cutting money

Extended warranties

Extended warranties can be expensive and often offer little additional protection. Consider skipping the extended warranty and saving money instead. If you have old extended warranties on your cars, check to see if the amount or a portion of the amount can be refunded (this works on cars you have sold too).

High-end smartphones

High-end smartphones can be expensive and often offer little additional value compared to more affordable models. It’s that “shiny and new” syndrome that so many are drawn to and end up going into debt over. Consider opting for a more affordable model to save money.

man choosing new iphone in apple store

Cable internet

Cable internet can be expensive and often comes with hidden fees. Consider switching to a more affordable internet provider or negotiating with your current provider for a lower rate.

Excessive data usage

Excessive data usage can result in high monthly bills. Consider limiting your data usage or switching to a plan with a higher data cap such as unlimited data that can save you money in the longrun.

Premium cable channels

Premium cable channels like HBO and Showtime can be expensive and often are signed up for 1 tv show and then forgotten about. Consider canceling your premium cable subscription to save money.

Brand name medications

Brand name medications can be expensive compared to generic alternatives, but offer little to no additional value. Consider opting for generic medications to save money.

Pro tip: Whenever I need additional savings on medications I often Google the medication name followed by “coupon” and you can often find manufacturer coupons, rebates and savings cards you can give to your pharmacy for additional savings.

Real-life example: My insurance would not pay for my Epi-Pen recently and my local CVS pharmacy wanted $130 for it. I ended up Googling “Epi-Pen Coupon” and found a savings card that paid everything but $30. Had I not done that, I would have completely overpaid for the same medication.

package of  epineprine auto injector pen for allergic emergenies

Unnecessary car upgrades

Sure, car upgrades like high-end sound systems or fancy rims are cool and all but they can be expensive and often offer little additional value other than the “cool factor”. Consider sticking to the basic features of your car to save money.

Premium gas for your car

Unless your car specifically requires premium gas, using it is often unnecessary and can be a waste of money. Consider using regular gas to save money.

High-end clothing brands

When you’re on a tight budget, high-end clothing brands should be the last thing you’re concerned about. More affordable clothing brands offer the same value and you can often find cheaper “dupes” to your favorite name brand clothing.

louis vuitton store

Excessive beauty and grooming products

TikTok is the worst when it comes to promoting new beauty and grooming products that you feel like you have to have. These can be expensive and often go unused (I cannot tell you how much items I have under my bathroom cabinet). Consider only purchasing products that you need and will use regularly to save money.

Excessive home decor purchases

Home decor purchases can be expensive and often go unused or become outdated quickly. Consider limiting your home decor purchases or opting for more affordable options to save money. Shopping Goodwill or clearance items is a great way to save on home decor.

Cutting out unnecessary expenses is an important step in achieving financial stability.

By evaluating your spending habits and cutting out any unnecessary expenses, you can save money and work towards achieving your financial goals. Consider implementing some of the tips listed above to help you slash your budget and save money.

Want more ways to save money? Check out: