Save money & be healthy at vending machines

If you work in an office similar to most of the offices I've worked at, there is one ever-present vending machine area. Get a little thirsty in the afternoon, put a dollar and some change in a get a nice, cold, carbonated beverage. And you might need a little snack with it too, so get a candy bar. Why not? What's the big deal?

The big deal is this - over time these little choices can erode your health and the amount of money in your wallet. Go ahead, do the math. One candy bar & one drink per working day throughout the month. I bet it adds up to quite a bit.

I've found a simple little way that almost feels like cheating to trick myself into not buying the junk from the coin scarfing monsters. Don't carry change or one dollar bills. Yep, that's it.

I have noticed that if I carry a $20 bill, I am extremely hesitant to get change and break it into smaller bills. If I have a $10 bill, I'm slightly more likely to get change & spend it. If I have a $5 there's a pretty good chance it will be spent within a couple of days. If I have a $1 bill or pocket change, it will be gone the next time I get slightly hungry or thirsty. So if you must carry money, carry a $20 and you'll have to think a little longer about do you really want that snack before you get it. And is it really worth the effort of getting the change?

As a bonus, whenever I do buy pop (soda, whatever you want to call it) I refill the bottle with water. If you don't like tap water, get a Brita filter or something similar. I tend to buy two drinks during the week and when I'm doing drinking them, refill them with water and keep one in the break room fridge. It tastes much better to me when it is cold.