The Surprising Actual Cost of 3 Common Expenses

Often times, the true cost of the things you buy can be hidden. Take a look at some common everyday things that could potentially cost you more than you bargained for, courtesy of PT Money:

A Job

When you’re interviewing for a job, are you thinking of much else besides the paycheck, the benefits, and whether or not it’s a good fit for you? You should also consider the costs (that’s right, the costs!) of a potential job. Depending on where that job is, you’ll have to calculate commuting costs to see how much of your paycheck that will eat up. What about the wardrobe you’ll need or other supplies that may not be covered through work? You’ll want to add up all of these expenses and deduct them from your salary to see if a job truly pays what you’re expecting it to pay.

Television

While unwinding in front of the TV every night is an American pastime, the amount we do so is likely the most damaging factor. Putting aside the monthly cable subscription costs, missed opportunities can cost much more. If you worked a minimum-wage job instead of watching the American average of 31.5 hours of TV each week, you’d earn almost $12,000 every year!

Vacations

When you’re planning for a vacation, you may be saving for airfare, lodging and perhaps a rental car. But really, the sneaky costs involved with travel are those dinners (and lunches) out, the entertainment costs, etc. Just be sure to do your research and include those day-to-day vacation activities and events into your budget in the first place so you’re coming up with an actual cost.

Learn about more potentially surprising costs over at PT Money’s The Surprising True Costs of 9 Common Expenses.