5 money-wasters you can overcome

If your household budget sometimes gets out of whack, you’re not alone. A recent online poll by Good Housekeeping found the top ways that smart women waste money.

Here they are, along with the best ways to conquer these spending blunders.

Money-waster No. 1: Ordering out too often

Some 43 percent of women polled confessed to eating out too often, making it the top way women said they waste money.

Solutions: The key to preventing a budget breakdown is moderation — and planning. For a week or two, track how much your family spends on eating out or getting takeout. Put receipts in an envelope, and write notes on the outside. Jot down eating-out triggers to find patterns, like “Sally’s Wednesday piano lesson is next door to the pizza parlor, so …”

Let your freezer be your friend. By making double batches of sauces, pastas and casseroles, you’ll have a backup plan when dinnertime is rushed.

Give up just one $30 restaurant meal per week and you’ll be able to stash $120 extra in the bank monthly.

Money-waster No. 2: Buying food you don’t need

More than one-third of respondents said they waste money on groceries. Ambitious thoughts of home-cooked meals often lead to stocking up on groceries that later get thrown away.

Solutions: Buy ingredients for specific meals — Monday, lasagna; Tuesday, stir-fry — and shop for no more than four meals at once, avoiding impulse purchases. Always keep the makings for a few no-brainer meals on hand.

Money-waster No. 3: Never turning down a sale

Sales in stores and online lead 35 percent of women surveyed to buy things they don’t need.

Solution: Curb spending with a simple reality check, says Liz Pulliam-Weston, author of “Easy Money.” Ask yourself: If I buy this, where will the money come from? By basing your choice on your actual budget — not the thrill of “saving” — you’ll spend more rationally.

Money-waster No. 4: Spending too much on kids

It’s hard to say no to your kids, and 29 percent of women admitted they spend more than they should.

Solutions: If your kid costs are over the top, give yourself an allowance to spend on them, allotting a set amount for treats. If your children are 5 or older, share your system with them, so they understand why.

Money-Waster No 5: Overspending on clothes

And 28 percent of women surveyed said they overspend on clothes.

Solutions: To avoid “retail therapy,” the financial experts say, remind yourself that although shopping may make you feel good, it can’t change your life. Ask yourself: Do you really want those trendy boots, or would you rather put that money toward redoing a bathroom or, better yet, finally becoming debt-free?

This doesn’t mean you can’t go a little crazy occasionally. Says Galia Gichon, creator of the My Money Matters kit: Just cap your annual fun spending at 5 percent of your income — so when you find those designer boots that will change your life, you can enjoy them.

GROCERY SAVINGS

Try these tips, from Good Housekeeping’s book, “Good Deals & Smart Steals”:

• Use coupons and the store’s circular to plan your weekly menu.

• Join a free frequent-shoppers program. They can reduce your grocery bill by up to 10 percent.

• Ignore shelves at eye level in the store, particularly those on the right-hand side. They typically hold the most expensive items.

• Don’t feel obligated to buy two items just because they’re advertised as “two for $5.” Often, you can buy just one for $2.50.

• Compare unit prices of products, not just the total price.

• Shop for ingredients to make your own marinades, seasonings and baking mixes rather than buying premade — you can save 50 percent.

• Get nongrocery items, like shampoo, body lotion and vitamins, at the drugstore, where they may cost up to 25 percent less.

Where to write: Good Housekeeping Reports, care of King Features Syndicate, 300 W. 57th St., New York, NY 10019.