Yahoo Finance 
You could save $3,000 a year by avoiding 6 common money traps
Nobody likes folding their laundry or packing lunch in the morning. It's so tempting to save time and pay someone else to clean your bathroom and make you a sandwich and hand you a cup of coffee. But if you want to be successful, financial expert and former CNBC television host Suze Orman says, "Stop doing the thing that's wasting your money and makes your life easier, because in the long run it's going to make it harder." Convenience traps are hard to avoid, but knowing their cost may motivate you to change. Here are six things you might want to reconsider spending money on.Going out for lunchEstimated annual savings: $1,200 If you go out to eat for lunch every workday and spend, on average, $10 per meal, that adds up quick. It comes out to $2,500 a year. Making your own lunch, meanwhile, will cost you half that. One VISA survey found you only spend on average $6.30 when you bring something you prepared at home. One blogger found that if he planned well, he could eat a healthy and fulfilling meal for closer to $4. Buying coffeeEstimated annual savings: $275 A survey from Money Matters reported that 41 percent of Americans admitted to spending more on coffee than their retirement. They dish out, on average, $1,100 a year on it. Make coffee at home for $3 to $5 a week , or, better yet, manage to drink whatever they have to offer at work. Uber and LyftEstimated annual savings: $750Motherboard found that, on average, Americans spend 1.3 percent of their income on ride sharing . So, if you're bringing in $50,000, you're spending over $1,000 a year on a service you will almost never truly need. There are apps that can show you what you've spent already. Work up some courage and, as CNBC Make It reporter Zameena Mejia did , assess the damage. Maybe it will motivate you to hop on the bus or grab your bike next time you have to get somewhere. Don't have a bike? Stop springing for Ubers for a few months and you may be able to afford one.Online grocery shoppingEstimated annual savings: $180 It might become gradually harder to avoid this one as it becomes normal for your refrigerator to keep track of your groceries and order them automatically for you. Until then, and while you still retain some element of control over your life, using services like Amazon Fresh will cost you. It adds $14.99 extra per month to your Prime membership. If you plan to have your groceries delivered, Fresh Direct is even more costly. They charge $7 to $8 per trip. So making an order, say, once a week, can add up to around $400 a year. ATM feesEstimated annual savings: $50Sometimes, when you're in a pinch and need cash immediately, fees are unavoidable. But if you aren't wary of them, as many people aren't, they will add up. A Bankrate survey found that, on average, ATMs charge $2.90 for out-of-network customers to withdraw money on top of the $1.67 charge from the customer's bank for using an unaffiliated machine. You can end up paying $4.57 just to get your own cash. One survey from Tufts University found Americans spend $2.1 billion in ATM transaction fees annually. How often do you take out cash? Find an ATM associated with your bank near you and make a stop there part of your routine, or start getting cash back when you go to a convenience or grocery store.Laundry delivery servicesEstimated annual savings: $450 I hate doing laundry, but I'm not going to spend at least $10 a week for a service that charges close to a dollar per pound . Sure, if you don't have your own machine, it might cost you $3 a load to have to go and wait around at the laundromat, not to mention you'll actually have to fold your own clothes yourself. But even that $7 difference isn't small.Total savings: $2,905 It's difficult to cut these things out, but pulling back on these costly little habits will make a significant difference. Start small and make your way to a healthier, more mindful financial lifestyle. You can begin to spend money on what you really should, like traveling , and what you really benefit from, like experiences . Or, if you are feeling extra motivated, there are also plenty of ways to responsibly invest in and save for your future. From splitting the check to DIY adventures, " Young Money " helps you navigate tricky financial situations. Check out more in the series : A couples therapist says this is the best way to talk about money with your friendsHow I spent $1,230 on convenience in just two months5 things you should never pay full price for Like this story? Like CNBC Make It on Facebook ! Nobody likes folding their laundry or packing lunch in the morning. It's so tempting to save time and pay someone else to clean your bathroom and make you a sandwich and hand you a cup of coffee. But if you want to be successful, financial expert and former CNBC television host Suze Orman says, "Stop doing the thing that's wasting your money and makes your life easier, because in the long run it's going to make it harder." Convenience traps are hard to avoid, but knowing their cost may motivate you to change. Here are six things you might want to reconsider spending money on. Going out for lunch Estimated annual savings: $1,200 If you go out to eat for lunch every workday and spend, on average, $10 per meal, that adds up quick. It comes out to $2,500 a year. Making your own lunch, meanwhile, will cost you half that. One VISA survey found you only spend on average $6.30 when you bring something you prepared at home. One blogger found that if he planned well, he could eat a healthy and fulfilling meal for closer to $4. Buying coffee Estimated annual savings: $275 A survey from Money Matters reported that 41 percent of Americans admitted to spending more on coffee than their retirement. They dish out, on average, $1,100 a year on it. Make coffee at home for $3 to $5 a week , or, better yet, manage to drink whatever they have to offer at work. Uber and Lyft Estimated annual savings: $750 Motherboard found that, on average, Americans spend 1.3 percent of their income on ride sharing . So, if you're bringing in $50,000, you're spending over $1,000 a year on a service you will almost never truly need. There are apps that can show you what you've spent already. Work up some courage and, as CNBC Make It reporter Zameena Mejia did , assess the damage. Maybe it will motivate you to hop on the bus or grab your bike next time you have to get somewhere. Don't have a bike? Stop springing for Ubers for a few months and you may be able to afford one. Online grocery shopping Estimated annual savings: $180 It might become gradually harder to avoid this one as it becomes normal for your refrigerator to keep track of your groceries and order them automatically for you. Until then, and while you still retain some element of control over your life, using services like Amazon Fresh will cost you. It adds $14.99 extra per month to your Prime membership. If you plan to have your groceries delivered, Fresh Direct is even more costly. They charge $7 to $8 per trip. So making an order, say, once a week, can add up to around $400 a year. ATM fees Estimated annual savings: $50 Sometimes, when you're in a pinch and need cash immediately, fees are unavoidable. But if you aren't wary of them, as many people aren't, they will add up. A Bankrate survey found that, on average, ATMs charge $2.90 for out-of-network customers to withdraw money on top of the $1.67 charge from the customer's bank for using an unaffiliated machine. You can end up paying $4.57 just to get your own cash. One survey from Tufts University found Americans spend $2.1 billion in ATM transaction fees annually. How often do you take out cash? Find an ATM associated with your bank near you and make a stop there part of your routine, or start getting cash back when you go to a convenience or grocery store. Laundry delivery services Estimated annual savings: $450 I hate doing laundry, but I'm not going to spend at least $10 a week for a service that charges close to a dollar per pound . Sure, if you don't have your own machine, it might cost you $3 a load to have to go and wait around at the laundromat, not to mention you'll actually have to fold your own clothes yourself. But even that $7 difference isn't small. Total savings: $2,905 It's difficult to cut these things out, but pulling back on these costly little habits will make a significant difference. Start small and make your way to a healthier, more mindful financial lifestyle. You can begin to spend money on what you really should, like traveling , and what you really benefit from, like experiences . Or, if you are feeling extra motivated, there are also plenty of ways to responsibly invest in and save for your future. From splitting the check to DIY adventures, " Young Money " helps you navigate tricky financial situations. Check out more in the series : A couples therapist says this is the best way to talk about money with your friends How I spent $1,230 on convenience in just two months 5 things you should never pay full price for Like this story? Like CNBC Make It on Facebook !
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