budget living

4 Things You Do to Save Money That End Up Costing You More

[This is a guest post by Anne Perkins. Think you’ve got what it takes to be a guest poster? Contact Em at em [at] blondeandbalanced [dot] com to learn more about becoming a guest poster yourself!]

1. Avoiding the Dentist

Let’s be honest; no one likes going to the dentist—but no one likes having to pay a fortune for a complex dental procedure, either. And look at it this way: a simple checkup is a lot better than a painful route canal. So don’t skimp on your annual dental checkups just to save a few bucks. Regular trips to the dentist can actually prevent major issues that would end up costing you a lot more down the line.

2. Doing Your Own Taxes

Sure, sites like TurboTax are a great resource come tax season, if you’re one or two years out of college and don’t have much income to declare. However, unless you’re fairly confident that filing your taxes is going to be a simple task, you’re better off hiring a professional.

Online services are helpful, but they’re not always 100% accurate. And do you really want to be missing possible deductions and not getting the full refund you deserve? Didn’t think so. So this tax season, really evaluate your situation. Working with an accountant might run you a few hundred now but could wind up saving you a thousand overall.

3. Buying Cheap Products

There’s a reason people say “You get what you pay for.” If the cost of something is cheap, more than likely so is the quality. Inexpensive products and goods are typically inferior to their high-end counterparts. So while a cheap pair of boots might save you a few bucks now, chances are you’ll wind up having to replace them within a few months—if that.

4. BOGO Deals

Don’t disregard all buy-one-get-one deals. Just pick and choose wisely.

For example:

Groceries. When you see that your favorite granola or peanut butter is “buy one, get one free,” by all means, go for it. These are non-perishables that can be store for a while.

Sneakers. However, if you’re shopping for a new pair of gym shoes and there’s a “buy one, get one half off” sale, it’s probably not worth it. Why pay close to $150 for two pairs of shoes when you can pay $100 for a single pair that you’ll wear all the time?

Anne Perkins enjoys reading, cooking and party planning—especially for Halloween.

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Photo credit:  401 (K) 2012 by 401kcalculator.org

 

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4 Comments

  • I can support the dentist. Up until last month I had not going to the dentist in about 5 years. I absolutely hate going. I brush my teeth twice a day and if they ever started bothering me I figured then I would go. Well my wife convinced me to go and now 4 cavities later it’s cost me $240.

    • Anne makes some very good points. I often get caught up in the BOGO trap myself, but the dentist one is definitely one that has the potential to become very expensive very fast.

      I’m glad you’ve realized that, although not glad you had to learn it the hard way!

  • I agree with all but taxes. Last year I was asked if I wanted to pay $500 or do taxes myself for a piece of land I own abroad, so I tried myself and it took me under one hour to get it right. $500 saved is worth it in my books.

    • I think it definitely depends on your situation. The Hubby and I have very simple joint filing, so for us, Turbo Tax is all we really need. I have a lot of friends who do freelance work, though, and they’ve decided to get CPAs just to make sure they’re following all the rules when it comes to deductions, etc.

      Good for you for doing your own taxes for a piece of land abroad! That might really intimidate some people.

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