Don’t waste money on these items and for good reason.

There are so many things in life we could do without, and for good reason. The following list of items take money you could otherwise spend on your future and they don’t do much of anything for you.

5. Eating out: Although it may be convenient, it’s very costly and rarely healthy for you. Instead, plan ahead and bring a healthy lunch to work. Plan dinner meals ahead of time – so you’re not rushed into buying carry-out or dining in, it’s a huge money waster and usually much unhealthier.

4. Branded Food: Working in the food industry, I can give you personal insight into the fact that our private label foods are in some cases the exact same formulation as the branded goods. For example, an past company I worked for had their Evaporated Canned Milk products with the name brand, and the store brands – which sold for a deep discount – formulated the exact same way. Most people in this recession have shifted to store brands, and they should stay there after the recession.

3. New Cars: Besides the higher cost you’re paying, and the instant depreciation, you’re also going to pay higher insurance premiums. Buying a new car hardly ever makes cents.

2. Warranties: There are very few reasons for purchasing warranties or extended warranties. Studies show that you rarely recoup their cost, and you’re better off without them as a result.

1. Soda aka Pop: There is nothing good about soda (some may argue it tastes good), it has been shown that carbonated drinks wreak havoc on your body and can damage DNA. Instead of wasting money on this, drink some water and save that cash to invest.