“Beware of little expenses;
a small leak will sink a great ship.”

~ Benjamin Franklin

I stopped at Sprout’s to pick up some bread yesterday. I knew we had lunchmeat at home, but our bread supply was low the last time I checked, so I wanted to be sure I could make a sandwich when I got home. I was hungry. As I returned to my car after checking-out at the store, I noticed that Five Guys Burgers was just a few steps away from my car. Suddenly, I had a craving for a hot dog with grilled onions, fries, and a vanilla shake. 

Ka-ching! $20.17

Recently, on my way home from wherever I had been, I stopped for a hot drink at a local Starbucks. The weather was cold, and a bit drizzly that afternoon, so I felt justified in treating myself. I ordered a grande hot chocolate, with whipped cream, of course. The cashier asked if I would like anything else. I had no intention of making another purchase, but I took a quick glance at the items in the display case next to the register. The cinnamon coffee cake immediately caught my eye. $3.25 for the hot chocolate. $3.55 for the cinnamon coffee cake.

Ka-ching! $6.80

Not too long ago, Kathy and I were enjoying another excellent dinner at Mio Vicino Italian Restaurant in Santa Clara. As our meal was coming to an end, the server politely asked Kathy if she would like another glass of wine. After a brief hesitation, and with a word of encouragement from me, she accepted the server’s offer.

Ka-ching! $16.00 for the extra glass of wine

There is nothing inherently wrong with any of these purchases. They do, however, provide excellent examples of how easy it is to spend money unnecessarily every day. What makes these purchases even easier is the convenience of paying by credit card. We don’t see the cash leaving our hands when we make these purchases. They simply add up throughout the month and appear on our credit card statement, which we, sometimes thoughtlessly, pay. 

$27.40 isn’t a lot of money. It’s hardly going to break the bank. But as we go through our day, each day, making a variety of random, unnecessary purchases, it doesn’t take long for us to reach the $27.40 level. Now multiply that times the number of days in a year. That’s where the cost gets our attention.

Ka-ching! $10,000!

By no means am I suggesting that we deprive ourselves of enjoying some of the things we desire. It is essential, however, that we embrace the practice of conscious spending. I thoroughly enjoy an occasional hot chocolate from a local coffee shop. I believe there is tremendous value in going out to dinner with Kathy on a fairly regular basis. Since I am most often the designated driver, it’s okay for Kathy to enjoy that second glass of wine from time to time, too. The problem arises when we fail to pay adequate attention to our spending habits. Mature adults must practice the art of conscious spending. By doing so, we can avoid falling prey to the addiction of thoughtless, irresponsible purchasing.