When is being a quitter a good thing? When you’re quitting a vice, of course! Vices are like opinions– everybody’s got one. You might be laughing, thinking “I’ve got a lot more than that!” Now, a little indulgence here and there is not a problem on its own. I know I pinch pennies tighter than ever when I’m looking forward to the reward coming my way as a result. But sometimes our spending can get expensive. If you’re wondering where your money boat’s sprung a leak, it’s probably somewhere close to a habit.
Habits are tricky. They can sneak up on you when you’re not looking. You start out with an occasional this or that, but it starts to add up to a whole lot more.
The worst part is when it comes time to break the habit. Not only do you like it, but you’ve begun to rely on it. It probably gives you a burst of energy, like a coffee, or a little rush, like buying a lotto ticket.
Other reasons we pick up bad habits: we’re bored, we’re too busy, we’re tired, we need a break. If you’ve been doing the habit a long time, all sorts of good memories are associated with it. A bad habit can surely be a formidable foe.
That habit can go straight for your bank account and start squeezing. It can be something as small as a few dollars every few days to start with, then it becomes a daily thing and suddenly you’re out a whole lot. After a while, your habit can start doing your spending for you.
This handy cost of your vices quiz by the eBay Deals team can let you know just exactly how much your vices are costing you by diagnosing your bad habits and spending. At the end you’ll get a number- your yearly bad habit expenditures, neatly itemized and laid out.
Take a long, hard look at the number. What could you do with that money? Is it a vacation or savings for a rainy day? A needed repair or an item you’ve been longing after for a while? Whatever motivates you most, think of that and remember the number next time you go to fork out the cash for your bad habit.
Kelsey Libert
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