Our spending habits can drain our pockets, skim from our savings, and lead to late retirement. At Save Money.com we strive to provide you with the best advice on keeping money in your bank. We have found unique ways to help you save money on taxes, utilities, gas, and groceries. So why not talk a little bit more about our own personal spending habits?

A February article from USA Today focused on people removing small luxury purchases from their spending habits.

The murky financial outlook and recession fears are factors. Another driver: fear of being out of step with a cultural mind-set that increasingly says less is more. If your best friend and next-door neighbors are cutting back on little luxuries, shouldn’t you be, too?

So in the spirit of cutting back and saving money, we list ten luxury items that can be removed from our spending habits to save money.

1. The corner coffee latte or espresso drink. While downing a five dollar latte sounds appealing it can actually cut into your monthly savings. Why not do without the corner coffee and stick to homebrew?
2. Gas. Yes, we know you need to drive your car. Why not drive it less? A bike ride can do wonders for your overall health and cut down on gas costs at the same time.
3. Bottled water. Even if you buy one bottle of water a day, you still spend close to ten dollars a week. This ten dollars quickly turns into five hundred over a year’s time. Why not drink from the tap or find a water fountain?
4. Cigarettes. Are you still smoking? Really? Smokers waste more money and create more future debt for themselves with health costs. With health costs rising, why not quit smoking today?
5. Alcohol. While it’s good to unwind with friends at the local watering hole, a trip there can cost anywhere from a ten spot to over a hundred dollars. Alcohol costs can vary from city to city, but we’re almost certain there’s more you could do with the money.
6. McDonald’s and other fast food joints. A quick lunch hour should not be spend waiting in the drivethru lane at a fast food spot. Why not brown bag it for a while and save yourself some money. You’ll likely save anywhere from twenty to fifty dollars depending on how you eat.
7. Credit Card purchases. When you do have to buy anything, it’s best to use your debit card or some cold hard cash. Otherwise, you run the risk of running up credit debt so high you’ll only be paying interest.
8. Movie tickets. A movie can run close to ten dollars per person, depending on your local. Why not try renting a DVD?
9. Gym membership. Do you need it? You can run in the park, do exercises at home, build a gym in a spare bedroom, and find other means to exercise. Many use the gym for a social platform, which we don’t mind, but at least get the value from the membership. Once a month does not rationalize the cost.
10. Salon visits. A trip to the salon can run close to a hundred dollars. Why not settle for a trim this visit and leave the hair color to the celebrities?