i need more money!!

i was browsing the internet when this article from yahoo caught my attention. The article was entitled:Top 10 Money Drains.

1. Coffee -- According to the National Coffee Association, the average price for brewed coffee is $1.38. There are roughly 260 weekdays per year, so buying one coffee every weekday morning costs almost $360 per year. (eric and i are really not a coffee person, but once in awhile i do enduldge myself with a cup of starbucks frappuccino!! so we are not really losing so much money on this one!!)

2. Cigarettes -- The Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids reports that the average price for a pack of cigarettes in the United States is $4.54. Pack-a-day smokers fork out $1,660 a year. Weekend smoker? Buying a pack once a week adds up, too: $236. (thank God i did not developed any interest in smoking..and i have no plans of starting this hobby..!! eric on the other hand is a social smoker..so binibigyan or nanghihingi lang sya ng "yo" ng mga friends nya pag nasa party kami!! so lost zero dollar here!!)

3. Alcohol -- Drink prices vary based on the location. But assuming an average of $5 per beer including tip, buying two beers per day adds up to $3,650 per year. Figure twice that for two mixed drinks a day at the local bar. That's not chump change. (one more thing we are both proud to say...we don't buy any alcoholic beverages!!)

4. Bottled water from convenience stores -- A 20-ounce bottle of Aquafina bottled water costs about $1. One bottle of water per day costs $365 per year. It costs the environment plenty, too. (this one we are really guilty, we buy bottled water all the time..hindi na yata kasi safe inumin yung tap water..so i feel like this is a necessity!! but to help the environment i try to buy our water in gallons instead of the 20-ounce bottle!!)

5. Manicures -- The Day Spa Magazine Price Survey of 2004 found that the average cost of a manicure is $20.53. A weekly manicure sets you back about $1,068 per year. (this one is a must for me...well not really manicures, but more pedicures and eyebrow waxing!!! i do it ever 2-3 weeks and it normally cost me $35...but sabi nga nila, it's expensive and painful to be beautiful!! tsaka naman having a manicure and pedicure once in awhile reduces the stress that your having, and this is a proven thing!! kaya kung gaganda ka at may health benefits pa ang magbayad ng ganitong halaga ok lang!!)

6. Car washes -- The average cost for a basic auto detailing package is $58, according to Costhelper.com. The tab for getting your car detailed every two months: $348 per year. (guilty!!! we have 2 cars so time 2 ang bill namin for carwash..but you gotta do what you gotta do to maintain your cars diba? anyways this is one of the most expensive possession {or sabihin mo utang} you have kaya dapat palaging clean!!

7. Weekday lunches out -- $9 will generally cover a decent lunch most work days. If you buy rather than pack a lunch five days a week for one year, you shell out about $2,350 a year. (super guilty ako dito!! since i am still working mornign shift right now...super tamad akong mag pack ng lunch ko..so i just buy food from take-outs sa restaurant or i just go to the hospital cafeteria...who's to blame?..hirap kasing gumising ng umaga eh!! palaging late akong gumising so no time to fix lunch..plus hindi ko lang talaga feel na magbaon!! another confession that is really bad, minsan i buy pa breakfast...kaya minsan $20 ang nagagastos ko sa food lang!!)

8. Vending machines snacks -- The average vending machine snack costs $1. Buy a pack of cookies every afternoon at work and pay $260 per year. (i don't do this all the time..minsan lang pag-nag-crave ako ng potato chips or chocolate bar!!!)

9. Interest charges on credit card bills -- According to a survey released at the end of May 2007, the median amount of credit card debt carried by Americans is $6,600. Rate tables on Bankrate.com indicate that fixed interest rates on a standard card average 13.44 percent. Making the minimum payment each month, it will take 250 months (almost 21 years) to pay off the debt and cost $4,868 in interest. Ouch! (this one i could say that it is really heart breaking to see na alot of our money goes to the interest of our credit card debt!! but glad to say that slowly we are paying off all our debt, and for years now..we are in a cash basis system..we try to make sure that we don't use our credit cards!!)

10. Unused memberships -- Costhelper.com reports that the monthly service fee at gyms averages between $35 and $40. At $40 per month, an unused gym membership runs $480 per year. (not so much now...we don't really have any membership that we are paying for that are not being used!!)

****hay...i found out just by reading this article that there is so much money that we could have saved if only we did not spend it on things that are not really necessary!!! but since i know now..i will try my best to stay conscious on how i will be using my money, mostly now that i can proudly say that i worked hard for every penny that i'm earning!!****