Are you spending your money on things which are completely unnecessary? If you are looking to save money and help your finances go further in these tough economic times, examine your spending habits and see if there are any needless expenses you can cut from your budget.

Here are some examples of things that you really don’t need to spend money on:

Shampoo and Blowout at a Salon

Today I phoned up two nearby haircutting places. One of them was a trendy salon which said that they would charge $40 for a shampoo, haircut, and blow dry. The other was a budget haircutting place would said that they would charge $15 for a wet down and a cut.

Think about it. The fancy salon wants to charge you $25 for washing your hair, something that you do every morning in the shower for free.

As long as you are getting a basic trim and not getting your hair done for a wedding or a special occasion, why pay over twice as much when you can wash your own hair before you get there?

Dog Toys

Your dog loves to have something to chew on, but he doesn’t know the difference if it is a cute little squeaky hamburger from that high end pet shop or a grimy old tennis ball from the garage.

In fact, the grimy old tennis ball probably has more flavors. Besides, he is going to destroy it within a few days anyway. Don’t waste your money on expensive dog toys that just don’t last, and make your own instead out of old socks, jeans, and rope. Look online for easy instructions.

Bottled Water

Do you buy a bottle of water at the store every time you are thirsty?

Not only is this excessive use of plastic not good for the environment, you are also needlessly wasting your money. Instead, buy a sturdy portable water bottle and bring it with you wherever you go in your bag or in your car.

Fill it up with fresh and cold water from your faucet or refrigerator every morning. Even if your tap water isn’t very good, you can buy a water filter for less than you will spend on bottled water in a week.

Stop spending money on these things you just don’t need, and you will have more left over for the things that you really do need.