25 ways you could be throwing away money

Kate Ter Haar

Do you consider yourself a money-conscious person? Do you wait for your favorite brands to go on sale? Do you confidently say, "I don't need this" to every piece of decor at Target?

Good for you! You're probably still wasting your money.

The internet is littered with money-saving tip lists, most of which aren't very helpful.

OK, this article is yet another a list of money-saving tips, but we're not going to tell you to spend hours clipping coupons, or to swap hot showers for cold.

We're not going to tell you to stop buying toys for your kids because "imagination is everything," and we're definitely not going to tell you to start buying box wine, or stop leaving your house, or do anything that forces you to make ANY sacrifices in order to save money. 

That's just not what we're about. Instead, we're going to point out some ways you can make adjustments to your spending without missing out on any of the things you enjoy.

The hardest habits to break are the ones we don't even know we have. Here are 25ways you are probably spending too much without realizing it.

You still don't have Amazon prime

I thought I would get this one out of the way first. If you are "that guy" at the dinner party who awkwardly does not have anything to contribute to conversations about the luxury of having Amazon Prime, it's time to join up. "But how can I be wasting my money by NOT spending $99 on a Prime membership?" you are wondering.

If you're worried about the cost, consider this: Your Amazon Prime membership will nearly pay for itself if you just buy paper towels and toilet paper on Amazon. You can have 12 huge rolls of Bounty Paper Towels delivered every 2 months for $22.79, saving you at least $60/year in comparison to the lowest price at other online retailers, and getting 32 rolls of Cottonelle Toilet Paper delivered every 2 months for $20.89 will save you about another $24.

Plus, there's the convenience factor of having these bulky items delivered to you automatically at set intervals. And that's just the tip of the iceberg with regards to the money-saving benefits of having a Prime account, which include free 2-day shipping on everything, access to a library of free music and movies, free 2-hour delivery in many locations, and more, which Brad's Deals blogger Caroline Thompson explored in her recent article, 8 Reasons Why I Love My Amazon Prime Membership.

You have not yet bought sandals or a swimsuit for summer

While new Spring styles are hitting stores now, there's still time to save on last year's warm-weather gear at some of the deepest discounts we've seen yet. Start browsing clearance sites for your summer apparel now. You can save up to 80 percent at 6pm, and there are thousands of styles to choose from.

You are planning to buy a Smart TV

There are plenty of streaming devices at low prices (we've seen both the Amazon Fire Stick and Google Chromecast for as low as $25). Be sure to check the price difference between the Smart TV you're eyeing and the comparable model without Smart features. Sometimes, you'll find a really great discount, but don't assume you're getting more bang for your buck.