Between eating out, paying for cable and streaming services, receiving subscription boxes, and other superfluous spending, the average American spends $1,497 per month on non-essential items, according to new research. That can add up to almost $18,000 a year — or more than a million dollars over the course of an adult lifetime.
It can be good to treat yourself to something that brings you happiness, but a survey of 2,000 Americans found the average respondent does a bit more than that. Per month, results revealed that the average American spends $20 on coffee drinks, as well as $209 on dinners at restaurants and $189 going out drinking with friends. Many also haven’t cut the cord, and are paying an average of $91 per month for cable, in addition to $23 for streaming movies and TV shows. Spending on music streaming services averaged $22 a month, while other apps added $23. The survey also revealed that Americans make an average of five impulse purchases a month — for a total of $109. Here’s the complete rundown from the NY Post.

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