13 ways Americans throw away money

[Smoblikat]

I disagree with a lot of that list. Just because something isn't essential to survival, it doesn't mean it's a waste of money. Taking the list as gospel though, I have these...

1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 11(maybe), 12

I agree, money itself isnt essential to survive.

 

[Ns1]

13/13

AMERICA FUCK YEAH!


caps

 

[Dumac]

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/13-ways-americans-throw-away-money.html

1. Unused gift cards
2. ATM fees
3. Traffic tickets
4. Candies
5. Lottery tickets
6. Tobacco
7. Alcohol
8. CC interest
9. Casino
10. Soda
11. Wasted energy
12. Wasted foods
13. Bad health

Which one of you guys/gals are guilty of?

Me = soda but I am cutting back, lottery but only when the jackpot was up to $200 million or more and only 1 or 2 tickets. Oh yeah, I could lose a few pounds and working slowly on it.

1. Counts
2. Counts
3. Kind of counts
4. Doesn't count
5. Counts (for most)
6. Doesn't count
7. Doesn't count
8. Counts
9. Kind of counts
10. Doesn't count
11. Doesn't count
12. Doesn't count
13. Doesn't count

 

[WhoBeDaPlaya]

I sure hope you are joking. It is extremely easy to avoid getting traffic tickets.

 

[Doppel]

Spending money on candy is bad because it has no nutritional value? Fvcking stupid. That article is complete bullsh*t. Typical crap thrown together by some douche who just got his journalism degree. What's next, TV, movies, vacations, houses with more than one room?

 

[Doppel]

HAHA, I was right. Jill Krazy:

http://www.quora.com/Jill-Krasny/followers

She's like 14 years old. Another nugget of wisdom:

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/taking-two-week-vacation-may-191903520.html

 

[HeXen]

How much does happiness cost? How much does enjoyment cost?...if some skittles made me happier or enjoyable today, then it was no waste of money. If that ATM transfer cost got me the cash i wanted to enjoy may god***n day, then how is that a waste?

 

[OverVolt]

No, the world "bankruptcy" is not mentioned, but similar enough concept is in the opening line:



I imagine most people (including the poster to which I was replying) did not read the article, they just read the list in the OP, and threw a fit if something they enjoy was on the list.

The point of the list is simple. It was showing the vast sums that Americans spend on fairly frivolous things. It isn't insulting you if you dare indulge in candy or soda.

That blame yourself quote is rather irritating. If everyone's net worth is declining, but not everyone does the things on that list, then she is obviously wrong.

Its your typical tsk.tsk. look at how inefficient humans are type of article. If its not smokers getting behind the economy, if there were no smokers then it would be the drinkers. If there were no drinkers AND smokers, then it would be the ones who play the lotto, so on and so forth.

If the economy overall shrinks SOMEONE is falling off the bus. Just because there are inefficiencies to squeeze doesn't mean its your fault, because everyone is in general pretty inefficient to begin with. People are squeezing their budgets as it is. We got it, high necessity costs, cut the frivolous stuff. Anyone with a bank account already got the memo. The article just assumes everyone but the person who wrote it sucks at being efficient.

The article is stupid from the first sentence. I didn't read it, I don't need to when the whole entire thesis is wrong. The people who wrote it wouldn't know an efficient use of resources if you personally led them by hand to a farm, then to a manufacturing facility, then to a grocery store, then to a home. Say they were making soda, and all they can think is

As your mom told you, these drinks provide no nutritional value, and you're better off drinking water

Well it has calories, so cut those calories from your food for the day and eat a salad for nutrition, derp. Why would I read a stupid article. All they are doing is trying to get away with shaming the reader as much as possible. Candy and soda isn't all that wasteful, but they are "bad" so they make the list

 

[Dr. Detroit]

Where in this list is tithing? religious contributions

Then again its the same thing as alcohol - its buys a social experience.

 

[roguerower]

1. Unused gift cards - Negative
2. ATM fees - Maybe $10/mo
3. Traffic tickets - Damn reckless ticket. Other than that, it's been 3 years since my last ticket.
4. Candies - Cut sweets out of my diet to lose weight
5. Lottery tickets - Never bought a single one
6. Tobacco - Don't smoke or chew
7. Alcohol - Finally polished off a case from 4 weeks ago
8. CC interest - Always pay on-time
9. Casino - Been once. Lost $300 🙁
10. Soda - Cut out of my diet to lose weight. Will have a Redbull occasionally.
11. Wasted energy - ...?
12. Wasted foods - Eat everything I buy
13. Bad health - Only medical bills since I graduated college 2 years ago were for my LASIK.

I'm pretty much free of this list. All my money goes to equally useless shit like jump tickets and wind tunnel time.