3. Bottled Water

Single-serve bottles of water are a triumph of marketing over value. You are paying for a plastic bottle, a label, and the convenience of grabbing a drink on the go. The water itself, which is often sourced from municipal supplies (the same as tap water), costs next to nothing. The markup on bottled water can be thousands of times its actual cost. A 24-pack of bottled water might seem like a good deal at $5.00, but you are still paying for plastic that often ends up in a landfill.

The environmental cost is high, and so is the financial one over time. If you drink just two bottles a day from that 24-pack, which costs about 21 cents per bottle, you will spend over $150 per year. Many people grab single bottles from a cooler at the checkout lane for $2.00 or more, which can add up to over $1,400 a year for the same habit. Compare that to tap water, which costs fractions of a penny per gallon.

The Money-Saving Move: Filter Your Own Tap Water

The most frugal and environmentally friendly solution is to drink filtered tap water. A one-time investment in a water filter pitcher or a faucet-mounted filter will provide clean, great-tasting water for pennies a day. A simple pitcher system might cost $20-$30 upfront, with filters that need replacing every few months for about $5-$10 each. This small investment can save you hundreds of dollars annually.

Purchase a few reusable water bottles for yourself and your family. You can fill them at home before you head out for errands, walks, or appointments. Not only will you save a significant amount of money, but you will also drastically reduce your plastic waste. This is a simple change that benefits both your wallet and the planet.