Five Purchases Pricier Than They Appear

Pets: Most pets are purchased when they are still babies, with little thought about costs incurred when they grow up. The retail price for a pet is just the beginning. Food, toys, pet care products and boarding are just some of the costs that also should be considered, but usually are not. If you don't take the lifetime costs into consideration, you may purchase a breed that has common health problems, which can result in thousands of dollars in vet bills.

Printer: While most people focus on the retail price of the printer they are going to buy, what they really should consider is the cost of the ink. The cost of the printer may be a few hundred dollars, but the ink will be many times more during its lifetime. This can mean a more expensive printer that uses less expensive ink will ultimately cost less than a cheap printer that uses expensive ink.

Razor: When you purchase a razor, it isn't the razor itself that costs a lot. What you should focus on is what the blade cartridges will cost, since you will have to buy many over the lifetime of the razor. In fact, many of the razors with the priciest razor blade cartridges will be given away for free in an attempt to lock you into buying their razor blades.

As these examples show, there are often many costs beyond the retail price of a product. When these lifetime costs aren't considered, you'll find that you will be spending much more than you had anticipated. Failing to take all the costs into account can cause great problems when trying to stick to a budget.

If you can remember to consider lifetime costs rather than simply retail price, it will pay off in the long run.