We’ve all done it. A quick impulse buy at the checkout lane, getting dinner from a food delivery app, or opting for same-day shipping for an extra cost. These kinds of purchases can make things easier or more convenient in the moment and that’s why we do them. But can they fumble our finances?
Convenience purchases are not inherently bad or wrong, but financial balance does matter. Let’s explore how convenience spending can affect your budget.
What Is Convenience Spending?
Convenience spending is when you voluntarily pay extra for the convenience of speed, ease, or comfort.
At the time, the purchases don’t seem like they’ll have much of an impact, but if they’re made often enough and become part of your spending habits, they can add up over time. Eventually, they could influence your monthly budget, create careless purchasing behaviors or leave you with less money than you planned for.
How Small Purchases Can Add Up
Let’s take a couple of typical convenience spending examples, do a little math, and see where we end up, shall we?
For example, every Wednesday you like to get yourself a caffeinated, mid-week pick-me-up. The weekly cost of your coffee beverage is $8.
$8 (beverage) x 52 weeks/year = $416/year
And that’s without tax.
How about a situation that is getting more common, but with a steeper price tag?
Say that by Friday evening, you are exhausted. It’s become a habit to get take-out for the family. But not just a quick drive-thru dinner, you use a delivery food app for convenience. The weekly cost of your four-person family Friday night dinner is $40, but that’s just for the meals. You need to add service fees, app fees, tax, and a tip for the driver. Here’s a generalized estimate of the convenience costs.
$40 (meals) + $5 (service fees) + $8 (app fees) + $10 (tip) = $63
$63 x 52 weeks/year = $3,276
Again, without tax.
Wow, that gave me a needed wakeup call about convenience spending for my household, too!
Find a Realistic Balance
Believe me, it is so easy to just tap the app on my phone or run through a coffee shop drive-thru, then shrug it off as a one (or two) time deal. But it is habit forming and the moolah spent adds up.
So, let’s get realistic. We can enjoy convenience spending; however, it needs to be practical. Here are some tips to keep the ease and comfort of these purchases but not overuse them.
Intentionally and thoughtfully choose your convenience purchases.
Give yourself weekly spending limits.
Review your recurring subscriptions, cut them loose if they’re not needed.
Try occasional meal preparation to save money and time.
Explore budgeting apps and find places for convenience in your budget.
Perfection Isn’t the Prize
During some weeks, it may be possible to convenience spend more than others because of work, school, or just plain life. Financial habits and goals can change as life changes. And it sure is nice to fall back on purchases that help make things easier. Just be mindful and intentional about your purchases to keep your budget on track.