13 Monthly Expenses That Are Quietly Taking Your Money
Saving money isn’t complicated. People just make it that way. You don’t need another budgeting hack, a fancy app, or a financial guru telling you to “cut back on coffee.” What you need is to stop wasting money on things that give nothing in return.
Most people don’t realize how much cash slips through their fingers every month. Small charges stack up, subscriptions renew without a second thought, and services that once felt necessary are now just money pits.
Today, we’re cutting the nonsense. These 13 monthly expenses are killing your budget, and you need to eliminate them now. You don’t need all of them, you don’t even need most of them.
Let’s get to it.
Table of Contents
Unnecessary Premium App Subscriptions
Let’s talk about those apps you “had to have.” The ones that promised to make you more productive, healthier, or smarter. How’s that working out? Odds are, you’re paying for apps you don’t even remember downloading.
The average person spends $50+ a month on premium apps, most of which could be replaced with free versions. Check your statements. See that $9.99 charge? The $14.99 one? Those add up fast. Cancel them. You won’t miss them.
Redundant Paid Streaming Services
You don’t need six streaming services. No one does. You signed up for Netflix, added Hulu for a show you watched once, threw in HBO Max for a free trial you forgot to cancel, and somehow ended up paying $80+ a month just to scroll past the same movies every night.
Cut it down to one or two. Better yet, rotate them. Cancel one, binge what you want on another, then switch when you’re done. Simple.
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Unused Gym Memberships
You signed up on January 1st. It’s now March. How many times have you gone? Be honest. The gym makes money off people who think they’ll go but never do. That’s why they make it so easy to join and so annoying to cancel.
If your workout gear is collecting dust, so is your gym keycard. Save yourself $30-$100 a month and start running outside or doing bodyweight workouts at home.
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Cable TV—An Obsolete Expense
Cable TV is a scam. You’re paying over $100 a month to watch commercials half the time. If you’re still hooked up to cable, why? Almost everything is online now, either for free or at a fraction of the cost.
Drop the expensive package and switch to a more affordable streaming option. Or better yet, get an antenna for local channels and call it a day.
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Overpriced Pet Insurance
Pet insurance sounds responsible, but most plans are just overpriced scams. They don’t cover pre-existing conditions, have hidden exclusions, and cost more than what you’d probably spend on vet visits in a year.
Instead of wasting $40+ a month, put that money into a pet emergency fund. If something happens, you’ll have cash ready instead of waiting on a company to tell you what’s “covered.”
Excessive Delivery Services
Food delivery is convenient. It’s also one of the fastest ways to set your money on fire. Between service fees, inflated menu prices, and generous tips (because you don’t want to be that person), you’re easily spending 30-40% more per meal.
Do that a few times a week, and that’s hundreds of dollars wasted every month. Drive yourself, pick it up, or better yet, cook at home.
Meal Kit Subscriptions: More Costly Than Cooking?
Meal kits look good on paper. Pre-measured ingredients, easy-to-follow recipes, and the illusion that you’re “learning to cook.” Here’s the truth: you’re overpaying for basic groceries in fancy packaging.
At $50-$100 a week, these kits are far more expensive than just buying food and cooking it yourself. If you really want to save money, plan your meals, shop smart, and stop paying extra for someone to portion out your rice.
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Premium Car Wash Memberships
Unless your car is rolling onto a showroom floor, paying for a monthly car wash plan is unnecessary. These memberships promise “unlimited washes,” but let’s be real, you’re not going every other day.
Most people get their car cleaned once or twice a month, meaning that $30-$50 membership is just a glorified donation. A bucket, soap, and 15 minutes in the driveway get the job done for free.
Questionable Value of Extended Warranties
Retailers love selling peace of mind, but extended warranties rarely pay off. Most products either don’t break within the coverage period or already come with a manufacturer’s warranty. Stores push these add-ons because they’re pure profit.
That $150 warranty on a $300 gadget? Useless. Save your money, and if something does break, you’ll likely find a better replacement for less than the cost of coverage.
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Costly Financial Management Tools
Somewhere along the way, budgeting turned into a subscription-based industry. People now pay $10-$50 a month for apps that tell them what they already know: stop spending so much. The best financial management tool has existed for decades, it’s called a spreadsheet.
If tracking money feels complicated, that’s intentional. These apps make money by making simple concepts seem like rocket science. Keep it basic, use free tools, and stop paying for something you could do in five minutes.
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Overdraft Fees—An Avoidable Expense
Banks count on people messing up. That’s why they rake in billions in overdraft fees every year. A single mistake can cost $35 or more, and they’ll keep charging if your balance stays negative. The fix? Choose a bank that doesn’t punish you for spending your own money.
Plenty of online banks offer no-fee overdrafts or alerts before your balance hits zero. Switching could save you hundreds a year.
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The Outdated Landline
If you’re still paying for a landline, you might as well be throwing money into a fax machine. The only calls that come through are scammers and telemarketers.
Mobile phones have made landlines pointless, yet plenty of people still pay $30-$50 a month for a number they never use. Cancel it. If an emergency ever happens, your cell phone will do just fine.
Expensive Credit Monitoring Services
Credit monitoring is important, but paying for it is a scam. Many banks and credit card companies already provide free credit reports, alerts, and fraud protection.
Paying $10-$30 a month for something that’s free elsewhere makes no sense. Set up alerts through your bank, check your credit report annually, and keep your money.
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Cut These Costs, Keep More Cash
Saving money isn’t about deprivation, it’s about taking control. Every dollar wasted on unnecessary expenses is a dollar that could be working for you. Cut out the dead weight, and suddenly, your financial goals feel a lot closer.
Small changes add up fast, and before you know it, you’re keeping more of what you earn. The key is being intentional with your spending and refusing to pay for things that don’t truly add value.
Start making these cuts today, and watch your bank account thank you.
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