Premium fuel

If your car manufacturer tells you regular gas is fine, it’s fine. The important thing is checking that your tires are inflated to a point of optimal gas mileage. And a side note: most cars today can get by without an oil change for 5,000 to even 7,000 miles, as opposed to the 3,000 mile myth.

Smoking side effects

You’ve been preached to about how the money spent on cigarettes in a year could buy you a flat-screen TV, but the effects trickle down further. If you’re a regular smoker, you’ll pay more for homeowners insurance, auto insurance, and of course health insurance.

Unused cell phone minutes

Most people overestimate how many minutes they need on their plan and would be shocked by how many of those minutes go unused if they just tracked them. But you can! Sites like BillShrink.com and Validas.com help you monitor your usage and determine better cell phone plans.

Buying brand name

Compare the tags on most no-name clothing lines with designer labels, and the nutrition info on trendy cereals versus generic ones and you’ll find mostly the same information. The psychological trick played on us that says “brand name is better” costs us hundreds if not thousands of dollars.

Keeping quiet

There are countless instances in which you could get a better price if you just ask. Ask for a lower credit card rate, ask if the grocery store has a coupon for the item you’re about to buy, ask your dentist to knock a few hundred dollars off your work if you’re returning for multiple procedures. In this economy, people need your business. You’d be surprised the compromises they’d be willing to make.

Forgetting about freebies

There are tons of freebies out there for items you need or crave regularly; you just forget to look for them. A few examples are: kids meals at restaurants, software programs, credit reports and prescription drugs.

Lack of organization

Late fees, overlooked tax deductions, recurring payments you’re unaware of and the like can cost you thousands of dollars a year. Set up automatic payment for bills to avoid late fees. If you ever subscribe to any program or service for a month, ensure they don’t automatically charge you for additional months and keep receipts for everything.

Leaving your money in the bank

Banks pay you almost non-existent interest on the money you keep with them. Calculate how much you need to comfortably keep in a checking account to live your daily life, and move your money to stocks, bonds and overall higher return investments.

ATM fees

You tell yourself it’s “just this once” that you use an ATM that isn’t your own, but that happens at least once a month for many people and that can be $4 or more each time. What you may not have known is that your bank takes note of those transactions and charges you no-network fees. When you’re at your own bank, stock up on cash or consider switching to a bank that doesn’t charge ATM fees.

Being stubborn about travel

Being willing to travel off peak season, or to fly on various dates, or to give up bringing half your clothes could save you hundreds of dollars every time you travel. There’s a special deal on most travel booking sites that’s testament to that: they’ll offer you a drastically lower price on flights or hotels if you’re okay with not knowing what airline, exact hour, or exact hotel it is until after paying.