The Silent Money Drains Nobody Talks About

You probably catch the obvious spending leaks—impulse buys, expensive coffee runs. But financial expert George Kamel just laid out 9 sneaky money killers that fly under the radar:

Subscription Hell: Average American bleeds $98/month on streaming, apps, and forgotten memberships. One audit of your bank statements could free up real cash.

Lifestyle Creep: More income = more spending. That raise you got? Probably already gone. Kamel’s take: be intentional, keep living like you earn less.

Bank Fees: Your accounts quietly charge $10-30/month. ATM fees, overdrafts, monthly minimums—the fine print pays for their bonuses.

Credit Card Interest: 48% of cardholders carry balances at 25% APR. That nukes any rewards you think you’re earning.

Garbage Savings Rate: Traditional banks pay 0.41% APY (some as low as 0.01%). High-yield accounts hit 3.80%+. On $2,000, that’s $76 vs $8 per year.

Car Depreciation: New cars drop 60% in 5 years. At $739/month average payments, you’re financing a sinking asset. Used car + cash = different game.

Debt Interest: Even low-rate mortgages often double what you actually borrowed. Every month that interest keeps stacking.

Food Markup: Restaurant meals cost 3-4x home cooking. Meal planning + generics + bulk = massive difference.

Unnecessary Insurance: You’re probably paying for coverages you’ll never use. Higher deductibles + shopping around saves thousands.

The pattern? Most of these aren’t one-time mistakes—they’re small leaks that compound. Fix the leak, keep the cash.