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  "description": "There are plenty of financial bugaboos out there, from cellphone plans to kids’ temporary toy obsessions",
  "path": "/expense-that-drives-you-crazy/",
  "publishedAt": "2026-05-18T14:30:40.000Z",
  "site": "https://www.thepurse.co",
  "tags": [
    "never want to cut from your budgets",
    "cellphone plans",
    "clothing",
    "kids’ temporary obsessions",
    "Tell us about the expense you’d never cut from your budget?What if we reframe some of those expenses as investments?The PurseLindsey Stanberry"
  ],
  "textContent": "Last week, Lindsey wanted to know which expenses you would never want to cut from your budgets. I thought it’d be fun to ask the opposite this week: What’s something that is necessary or recurrent that you have to spend money on that drives you crazy?\n\nThis is one of my favorite Home Ec questions. It’s always fun to learn more about peoples’ financial bugaboos. Answers have ranged from cellphone plans to clothing to kids’ temporary obsessions, like Legos.\n\nFor me, it’s what I think of as the NYC grocery surcharge. Pop into many grocers or corner stores, and a simple box of pasta could cost over $5. Don’t even get me started on the produce prices.\n\nThis wouldn’t be as big of an issue if it were easy to grocery shop in the city. But I’ve never had a car while I’ve lived here, and so I always need to go somewhere within walking distance of my various apartments. That really limits where you can shop.\n\nAnd then there’s the $670 I pay each month for health insurance on the marketplace (double that to cover my husband). Luckily Chris and I are both relatively healthy and don’t really need to use our insurance much, but that almost makes paying the bill every month even worse. Groceries might be expensive, but at least I get to eat them! Health insurance is our third largest monthly expense after rent and food.\n\nWhat’s something that pains you every time you have to pay the bill? Leave us a note in the comments!\n\n_Don’t miss:_\n\nTell us about the expense you’d never cut from your budget?What if we reframe some of those expenses as investments?The PurseLindsey Stanberry\n\nSubscribe for more",
  "title": "What is one thing you spend money on that drives you crazy?",
  "updatedAt": "2026-05-18T14:30:39.606Z"
}