Budget Savings - Little items add up

When it comes to your budget (or lack of one) the little ticket items that you take for granted add up. You can take and modify the table below for your situation. This can be a gold mine of potential savings. You do not necessarily have to give these up, but a little more moderation can go a long way. Discretionary spending can be a real budget killer.

Item	Cost	How often	Annual Cost
Lunch	$8.00	Workdays	$1920.00
Vending Machine	$1.75	Workdays	$420.00
Coffee	$3.50	Daily	$1277.50
Cigarettes	$4.20	Pack a day	$1533.00

Brown bagging it 2-3 times a week and you can save $1000.00.

Buy your pop and candy at Costco or the store instead of the vending machine and you will cut this expense in half but not have to cut out snack time.

Buy gourmet coffee beans at the store and make your own. Okay, treat yourself two or three times a week and you will still save a lot of money.

Quit smoking, if only for the health reasons!

We all spend money on these nickel and dime items. I like to buy a $1.00 bag of chips from the local kiosk every workday. This adds up. Maybe this is not your list, maybe it is but with a greater quantity. Having a budget will help you get control over your discretionary spending. You do not have to give these items up cold turkey, but a little moderation can translate into thousands of dollars in savings.

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