15 Small Things People Blow Money On That Add Up To Enormous Sums

We try to start saving money by quitting costly ventures first, like cutting cable or canceling a gym membership. But true financial freedom typically comes from cutting the "Death by a Thousand Papercuts"—the little, weekly or even daily costs that suck your bank account dry before you even know it.

The following are 15 small things individuals buy on a daily basis that, if cut down, can save hundreds or even thousands of dollars a year with minimal effort.

The Every Day Habits That Drain Your Wallet

These are the habits that we don't pay much attention to, but they typically make for the easiest and fastest money to save. (Spoiler, many have to do with coffee expenses)

1. The Daily Coffee Shop Stop: The Guiltiest. Splurging $5 daily on a latte weekdays translates to an expensive habit that is worth over $1,300 a year. Brewing coffee at home is a time- and cost-saver.

2. Gourmet Coffee Creamer Costs: While it's cheaper to brew at home, specialty creamers, seasonal syrups, or expensive nut milks will add greatly to the cost of your morning coffee. A $6 gourmet creamer carton per week translates to more than $300 annually versus basic creamer or plain milk. Stick to plain bulk flavors or regular milk.

3. Quick Lunch/Takeout: Spending only $12 per three days a week on fast-casual lunch compared to making your own, amounts to more than $1,800 per year. Meal prep is the best way out here.

4. Single-serve coffee pods: Convenient as they may be, specialty coffee pods are substantially more costly per ounce than ground coffee. If you use two pods a day, a move to a regular drip brewer will save you $300 to $500 annually in coffee material alone.

5. Dry Cleaning Services: Virtually all "Dry Clean Only" items can be washed at home on the delicate cycle with no damage. $8–$20 each week or so for something you can do yourself equates to a $400+ annual charge.

The Home & Convenience Creep

These are items that make you pay more for instant convenience or duplication of something you already have.

6. Gourmet Pet Treats and Toys: We love indulging our pets, but purchasing gourmet treats and to-be-ripped-apart stuffed animals on a regular basis costs a pretty penny. Baking homemade, healthy pet treats or rotating between long-term, durable toys is thrifty and helpful.

7. Expensive Cartridges for Razors: Those cartridge systems with multiple blades are designed to get you addicted to their expensive refills. If you're replacing cartridges every two weeks, the expense quickly adds up to $250 a year. Switching to a high-quality safety razor (or buying refills by the pack from warehouse clubs) halves this repeating expense.

8. Specialty and High-Price Disposable Napkins and Tissues: Paying extra for highly patterned paper napkins, season paper plates, and specialty packaged tissues adds up fast. Switching to plain, bulk-pack paper products and cloth napkins for everyday use can save $150–$200 annually.

9. Pre-Cut/Washed Produce Surcharge: You're paying a huge premium for the privilege of already-sliced mango, pre-diced onion, or pre-washed salad packs. Five minutes of prep time at home saves you 30–50% on the cost of the produce.

10. Personal Greeting Cards: $4–$7 a card for every birthday, holiday, or special occasion can add up fast. Send greetings digitally, or purchase multi-packs of blank cards when they are marked down.

The Impulse and Entertainment Purchases

These are the ones that are meant to catch your eye and meet an immediate want.

11. Gift Cards Left Unused: Gift cards are pre-paid money that you let go to waste if you do not utilize them. Use those little $10–$25 balances as quickly as you can get them so that you do not lose free money every year.

12. Premium Ad-Free Streaming Upgrades: You're likely already paying for a few streaming services, but paying an extra $5–$10 every month on each of three different platforms to upgrade each one to the "premium" or "ad-free" tier can cost your entertainment budget an unwelcome $180–$360 per year.

13. Scented Candles and Air Fresheners: Spending $15–$30 a month on a new high-quality candle or refilling plug-in air freshener continually. They might make your home smell wonderful, but $15 a month in a candle equals $180 a year. Use cheap essential oil diffusers or switch on the fresh air from windows instead.

14. Out-of-Network ATM Fees: Drawing cash from an out-of-network ATM could be anywhere from $3–$5 each time. Doing this a few times a month is as costly as a new membership service, and merely a matter of adding up to $100+ annually. Only use your bank's ATMs.

15. Additional Warranties on Electronics: The moment "Would you like to protect your purchase for two years?" is requested at checkout, the store banks pure profit. These extensions are usually not necessary, usually costing $50–$150 per item, and most failures are already under the manufacturer's standard warranty or under your credit card company's purchase protection policies.