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Everyone has them — those sneaky, small, monthly expenses or lifestyle creeps that hide in plain sight and sabotage a well-meaning intention to save.

Here are tips to find and plug the leaks before they become a financial flood, as well as a list of easily overlooked or forgotten expenses.

Tips for Finding Those Sneaky Expenses

There are ways to identify expenses that stick a pin in your plan to save. Follow these tips to find them and fix your spending leaks.

Review Your Bank and Credit Card Statements for the Past 6 Months

Every time you swipe your debit or credit card, your bank or credit card company records your transaction. Gathering six months’ worth of data will show you where your money is going. If you review digital statements, keep an electronic spreadsheet open and log small or recurring charges as you find them.

If you prefer, you can also write down your purchases in a notebook and tally them. Either way, include a column for the name of the expense and the purchase amount. You could also include the transaction date to identify if you spend more during a certain time of the month.

Use Built-in Features in Your Banking or Credit Card Apps

Some banks, like Chase, for example, include built-in features in their app that identify and categorize your expenses by week, month, and year. They even create a bar graph and pie chart to show what you’re spending your money on, rounded to the nearest dollar.

Categories vary by financial institution. They may include:

  • Food and drink
  • Utilities
  • Gas
  • Entertainment and more

Review PayPal, Venmo, and Digital Wallet Transactions

Most online payment sites link to your bank or credit card account. However, if you keep a balance going, also be sure to review any transactions you complete on PayPal, Venmo, or a digital wallet that won’t show up on another account statement.

How to Fix Those Pesky Savings Drainers

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If your financial detective work reveals you overspend, you’re not alone. A 2023 NerdWallet survey found that 83% of Americans say they overspend. While 74% of respondents also report using a monthly budget, 84% of those say they exceed it, and 44% of those say they use a credit card to cover spending overages.

Once you’ve identified some of those sneaky small or recurring charges, try these tactics to eliminate them:

  • Cancel unused memberships and subscriptions.
  • Use coupons, discounts, and rewards points to save money on groceries, dining out, and gas.
  • Shop in bulk when it makes sense to save money and reduce trips to the store.
  • Buy generic brands instead of name-brand items at the grocery store, and for over-the-counter and prescription medicine.
  • Never go to the grocery store when you’re hungry.
  • Drink filtered water from your tap or fill up a travel mug with coffee at home instead of buying bottled water and buying that morning latte daily.
  • Lower your utility bills by saving energy at home. Turn off lights, don’t leave faucets running, take short showers, and unplug appliances when not in use, to name a few.
  • Carpool and use price-tracking apps like GasBuddy to save on fuel.
  • Track your expenses in an electronic spreadsheet, app, or physical notebook.
  • Use a separate bank account and debit card for your “splurges,” keep a certain amount of money in it, and when it’s gone, curb all unnecessary spending until your next payday.
  • Develop a budget to manage your spending and stick to it.
  • Always pay yourself first to establish a savings account, even if it’s only $20 a week, and get in the practice of saving first with every paycheck.

Easily Forgotten Expenses that Sabotage Your Savings

In case you need some help figuring out what to look for, here is a list of easily forgotten expenses that can sabotage your savings plan. Cutting down on these can help grow your savings.

  • Monthly or annual gym membership
  • Digital and print newspaper and magazine subscriptions
  • Streaming services subscriptions
  • Daily to-go coffee, tea, or soda
  • Takeout breakfast, lunch, or dinner
  • Sweet treat splurge
  • Software subscriptions
  • Lawncare or snow plowing charges
  • Haircut, color, or nail appointments
  • HVAC inspections and gutter cleaning
  • Prescription medicine copays and charges
  • Driver’s license and registration renewals
  • Pet needs, including grooming, food, treats, and toys
  • Home office supplies
  • Concert tickets, sporting event tickets, visiting the zoo or aquarium, piano lessons, movie tickets and concessions, craft and art supplies, gaming equipment and video games, in-app video game purchases
  • Fan club membership
  • Rewards program annual fees, shopping site annual fees (like Amazon Prime and Costco)
  • Professional license renewals
  • Ad-free streaming services that require an upcharge
  • Cell phone equipment upgrade fees

This is a broad list of charges you may not even realize you’re paying for. Looking at and eliminating any expenses you don’t need, use, or no longer want gives you a fantastic opportunity to channel those funds into your savings instead.