January 19, 2003
Parade Magazine

Want to hang on to more of your money? You can, if you avoid making the following common financial mistakes:

• Buying from a TV ad with a credit card.
• Leaving appliances on when you're not at home.
• Buying extended warranties on appliances.
• Buying additional dealer-protection packages on a new car.
• Leasing your phone from the phone company instead of buying a phone.
• Dry cleaning clothing you could handwash.
• Joining a book, video or CD club.
• Paying for premium grade gasoline.
• Eating out more than five meals a week.
• Carrying more than $100 cash in your wallet; it burns a hole until you spend it.

Source: The Rookie's Guide to Money Management, by Carolina Edwards and Ray Martin (1997, The Princeton Review)

For more money-saving tips, visit www.americasaves.org.