You make me sick with all your whinning, aren't we allowed some purks for all our hard work every day!! So what if we indulge ourselves with a great cup of coffee from Starbucks, we deserve feeling like we have some money even if we don't!!!!

The point of the article is to notice where one's $ is going. If you want to spend it in this way there is no retribution... However, Like my Dad who always proclaimed, "no one is going to deprive me of what little pleasure I get out of this world." While in actually he deprived himself of health, the energy to enjoy this world, and continued his dogmatic thinking with very little pleasure in this world till his death. So thank you for the article I enjoy learning that my quiting smoking, and the cost of all those bottles of carbonated breverages(aprox.144oz) per day is not only keeping me healthier, but adds change to my pocket... to spend on a massage/week... fine dining... etc... use your imagination/creativity.

Interesting to see alcohol wasn't listed. Exceptionally destructive; causes loss of hours of work; causes job loss, career loss, loss of family and friends, loss of health. And liquor isn't cheap.

I find this article agreeable, except for the thing on newspaper subscriptions, for a few reason. One, The subscription is not that expensive (cheaper than cable, cell phone, gym memebrship, etc.) Two, not as confining as sitting at a computer terminal. Three, power outages and surges, electricity consumption (pollution/ money), and network down time (i.e. "blackberry withdrawl".) Four, the credibility of the internet. That's "in print" not "text on screen." Five, calendar, classifieds, crosswords, comics, and other local tidbits and flavor that may not make it on the internet. The newspaper is still tactile, the ability to actually grab ahold of something you are reading, highlight, circle, or even cut out of the paper is relatively send expensive and time consuming to print it out on paper. And when you are done, it is recyclable (shipping boxes, bird/ dog cages, paint masking.)

right on with that article. I have not had cable for several months and it drives my father crazy! I have so much more time with my daughter and have actually read a few books. I get out and exercise more. I was a TV addict and don't even miss it much anymore. I would say i follow all you said in the article accept I can't stay away from bottled water, I just can't get used to the taste of tap...and do you really think it's ok to drink? thanks for the laughs!

sandy...maybe you'd have money if you didn't spend it all on coffee.

You are totally forgetting the cost of drinking alcoholic beverages both in the restaurant and at home. A person who drinks even 1 bottle of wine with their spouse each night or so (this is a common amount) can spend up to $25 per day for good wine, and in a restaurant, it can jack your bill up 50% .... not that it's a bad thing, but it was totally left out of the lifestyle habits that cause excess expense.

Maybe the writers are avid drinkers? No problem, just tell how much it costs to support that luxury.

W

Well, I keep trying to post something... it's not that important... but in the realm of things, maybe. I don't want to start a link or dialogue... just wanted to make a simple statement.

I think Alcohol was left out of the equation.... it doubles your restaurant bill and can add $10 per day to any couple's budget per day.... if they are wine lovers, or whatever the preferred drink. It's a good way to relax but a good way also to increase your expenses.

W

Thank you for your article. I feel compelled to mention that it is taken entirely from the work of David Bach, particularly from his seven CD series in which he describes teh exact items in the exact fashion as I see them described here. The fact you mention "Latte" is in itself interesting as he was the one who "invented" the Latte factor. I like the ideas very much, but I also feel compelled to note that this is NOT your work but that of David Bach, with a few twists thrown in so as to make it seem original. I am sorry to have to mention this as my goal is not to embarrass but rather to give credit when and where it is due. I suggest that all of you start with The Automatic Millionaire. Please have a peak at that book before disagreeing. I wish ALL of you success, abundance and prosperity in alla spects of your lives , and I apologize if I have said anything out of order. Kind regards, Jeff

Another big waste is insisting on brand-name groceries. Granted, some generic items are noticably not as good as the original, such as nobody makes a chocolate sandwich cookie as good as Nabisco's Oreo. But things like salt, flour, sugar, and so on are just as good in the generic/store brand as the name brands. Stores like Aldi have almost every item available in their own store brand, although I must say their canned soups and some of their pre-made items are disgusting. People also buy too many pre-packaged, pre-made things. If most people watched less TV and planned better, they could cook more from scratch and save. It's a fun and educational activity for families to cook together.

Money spent at the gym, in my opinion. would be spent to greater benefit by gardening. Some have no access to a garden but many in America have yards that are less than attractive. Some time and sweat invested in a garden pays many benefits in addition to the exercise, the beauty and serenity of a pleasant landscape and the opportunity to share the miracle of life with others. Children are a joy to observe discovering the wonders of nature and may give them a lifelong hobby that is healthy for mind body & spirit.

sharing our meanderings ....good
we sure are a different bunch, who are awful lot alike! For eg:
I don't like much of anything about bottled water. Yet it's sure handy to have now and then. It has motivated me to re-use the container to fill it with some tap water of my choosing.
On the subject of us going crazy on too many toys to support our egos these days: I put peace of mind at the top of my list. It's like chasing a butterfly. It's awful hard to find it when I'm too busy obsessing on it. How does one stop "obsessing"?

Investments! A strange accumulation game! For an old timer like me, I've seen enough to marvel at its devisiveness and its subtle, joyful surprises. The acquaintances I've know with the best tools: education, graduate work, inside job intrances; those who have made it a profession or an advocation, all have spoken of their miseries, awesome successes with price tags of poor health, somehow have reached their Peter Principle and crashed or burned out verrrry sloowly. Have I seen any "success" stories? Yes. In a half dozen situations. All are women. Three in their 40's, two in their 30's and one, age 28. So what is significant? To me, all had similiar characteristics which I see as significant: They are types who are eager for life, and enjoy variety in their lives. All tend to be conservative in their approaches to life, and for the most part, conventional in their thinking. None stuck out as community leaders. One single, one divorced and four married with at least two children. None of these ladies know each other. Each one decided independently, and without other influences, to buy stock: one, in a not so well known mfg. of women's clothing, one, a group of restaurants originating in the South near her home town, another, in a small family business dealing in cosmetics which branched out slowly in the mid-West; another in three of her favorite broadcasting interprises; one, in an arts and crafts business that fumbled for several years before taking off; and one in a surgical supply company her family physician started, and re-organized two times before becoming stable.
Each lady has been involved with their investment for ten years and over. Each lady now earns more than $10,000 a year from their investment. None have every thought of dropping out or trading.Three plan to pass their investment on to family members. All are healthy and content with their lives. Each of these ladies profess that their investment has not been even close to their priorities and enjoyment of everyday life. I wonder if you see the same significant features that I am convinced gave them these successes in an otherwise "rat-race" venture in our modern world?

I think eating out is the biggest one. When I was a kid, our family would eat out maybe once a month for a special treat. Now it seems that many families eat out several times a week, or even daily. This is a huge expense. Also, fancy gym memberships. Get out and go for a run, run the stairs, walk the dog, lift the groceries, play with your kids. Save the money!

The only time I buy bottled water is when it is on serious sale and usually an obscure or house brand. I keep a bottle or two in the car. More often than not, it ends up watering my plants.

Another serious waste of money is credit-card interest. I know it's a radical concept, I don't spend money I don't have. My credit cards pay me. Over the years I have earned serious money from them. I didn't pay for AOL for over four years until they changed the way the credits work. Now I use another card.

how embarrassing for you, Julie (author) and for your editors to not check your spelling. there are MULTIPLE errors throughout this article. in addition to americans' spending habits, americans' lack of attention to details such as spelling, grammar, and EDITING before putting their information in the public eye should be a source of shame for you. advertisers should read this comment, too.

It is a choice to spend our disposable income as we see fit. I plead not guilty to all of the above with the exception of my poor beleaguered bottled water. I buy store brands on sale. I also use a water cooler and refill the 5 gal. jugs in the local markets. It's a lot cheaper than trading out jugs. We have a well and the water is awful. The filtration system that would correct this is not within my means at this time. As a diabetic I love having a cold drink that isn't filled with artificial sweeteners or sugar, dyes and artificial flavors. I find it grossly unfair that bottled water is taking such a huge hit in public opinion when soda is flavored carbonated sugar WATER. Those bottles end up in landfills too. In my state there is a deposit on soda and beer bottles and they are returnable. If you want to keep the plastic out of landfills, do the same as many states have for soda bottles. I'd pay the deposit without batting an eye because for me the choice is water for my health when I go out to public venues. Many places are banning bottled water and I find it discriminatory. We're being told to eat healthier, eliminate sodas and junk from our diets and drink more water. Public drinking fountains are unsanitary and not an option for me. If people had to use them to get soda - they wouldn't. For me and many others, bottled water is our best option and I'm very thankful we have it. It’s not snob appeal it’s about my health.

Two thumbs up to you, Eileen,Aug 4th, for not paying AOL for 4 years! I'm surprised that you did not receive a bill for 4 years of interest. I departed from AOL for horrible services. But they had the last word in continuing to charge my bank card after I officially closed my account. The bank would not reverse the charges even after admitting that AOL were bad boys and should not have done that. So now I have long since ridded myself of both AOL and the bank. Some times we just have to be the "bug" before we have to become the windshield. Yes I now have a credit card; yet it can be a real pain at times! Jay Mel

Great comments Deb M. (Aug 4th) on your bottled water ..et al ! Your absolutely right on. I will risk bottled water anyday before I will assault my innards with the rest of all that chemically loaded fizzy junk!
Jay Mel

Gotta go now .... but one more comment for Chad (Aug 4th): Come on Chad!! Chill out a bit! Julie got her ideas down well enough. Why must you be so obsessive- compulsive? I'm sure glad you're not my grammar prof! idts reely naw soo baddddddd to musspel now and den... as lonng as yuh gets the idea. How bouts some respect fra felow bloggers,Chad!!