Five Items That Americans Overspend On

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It would seem like every American is in a rap video, cruising around in a yacht, throwing around money on expensive clothes and women. Americans are not rich, with the average person taking home under $45,000 per year in 2014 according to the Social Security Administration. Spending more than you are able to is not good for anyone; it can put you into debt that will take years to pay off, and set you back on being able to qualify to afford a new home or car, hurting your credit score in the process. So before you go joining Usher in Miami, take a look at some of the most common areas Americans have overspent on.

Planning a Wedding

Sure, every girl looks forward to the dream wedding, but in the end, is it worth spending tens of thousands of dollars for one night? With the average bride spending over $1,200 on her wedding dress, it is no surprise that over $26,000 is the average when it comes to the total wedding cost. There certainly are shortcuts when it comes to planning your special day, not to mention probably a few distant cousins that you have never met that could be left off the guest list. Make sure to shop online for odds and ends as well, and don’t forget to visit Frugaa.com for online coupons and discounts for additional savings as well.

Paying Rent

The American dream of buying a home after you secure your first job after college seems like the distant past when every age group is now reluctant to purchase a home. It is now even common to skip starter homes, which was commonly used as equity for purchasing your long term home. Instead, those 11 million that decide to rent are giving away a record high of half of their income in 2014 according to the Joint Center for Housing Studies for Harvard University.

Student Loan Debt

Each member of the graduating class of 2016 will be left with an average of over $37,000 in student loans according to a higher education expert Mark Kantrowitz. With the student loan debt rising faster than wages, it is no surprise why each graduating class is carrying more debt than they can afford, starting their career in the hole.

Overdraft Fees

If you have not made the switch to credit unions yet, now is the time, with Americans wasting over $17 billion in overdraft fees, according to the Center for Responsible Lending.

Airline Fees

The airlines certainly do not seem to be hurting when Americans are spending billions on baggage fees and change fees, not to mention the already steep flight costs.