Ways We Waste Money Instead of Saving It

Americans are well know as a consumer driven people. We buy, buy buy. Not that there's anything wrong with that, it's just that sometimes we are wasting our hard earned dollars. Here are a few ways we are wasting our money.

CREDIT CARD INTEREST:

According to an article in USA Today, currently, the average credit card debt per U.S. household is $15,270, and in total, Americans owe $856.9 billion in credit card debt, based on American Household Credit Card Debt Statistics as of January 2014.f you carry an unpaid balance, it's worth considering whether you're a consumer who needs assistance, or if you're simply spending beyond your means.

DEAL SITES:

Dave Ramsey, money management expert and radio personality, describes the drawbacks of deal websites most accurately with this quote from his list of things Americans waste money on: "Hey, remember that time we bought a laser hair-removal deal for 78 percent off from that start-up place all the way across town and used it for the full amount and within the specified time limit? Neither do we."

WASTED FOOD:

According to the National Resources Defense Council, Americans waste $165 billion annually by tossing away unwanted snacks and meals. The math works out to approximately $529 per person each year.

BAD HEALTH HABITS:

Though soda and candy are delicious snacks, they do lower your quality of health and increase your consumption of non-beneficial food. Americans spent $2.8 billion on candy last Halloween alone, and an annual $117 billion on fast food. Nearly half of Americans drink soda daily.