Top 10 Things People Waste Money On (2026)

Avoid these common money wasters to boost your savings

Apr. 11, 2026 at 10:22pm

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Do you have a goal to spend less money or to increase your savings? If you do, you will need to pay more attention to how you're spending your money! A lot of the time we waste money on things we don't really need without realizing it.

Why it matters

Identifying and cutting back on common money-wasting habits can help people achieve their financial goals and build up their savings.

The details

The article covers 10 common ways people waste money, including credit card interest, deal websites, unnecessary appetizers and drinks, overdraft fees, ATM fees, upgraded shipping, unused gym memberships, designer baby clothes, daily coffee trips, and premium cable packages. The key is to track your spending, create a budget, and look for ways to cut back on discretionary purchases.

  • The article was published on April 11, 2026.

The players

Dave Ramsey

A New York Times bestselling author, radio personality, and one of America's favorite finance coaches.

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What they’re saying

“Don't buy what you can't afford, especially at high-interest rates! If you are going to use your credit card, make sure you can pay it off at the end of the month! Paying interest on purchases is one of the biggest wastes of money there is.”

— Dave Ramsey, Finance Coach

The takeaway

Cutting out a few small regular purchases can really add up and help people save more money. Most people have at least one thing they could stop spending money on without even missing it.