Aug 3, 2026
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Add us on GoogleFirst, the bad news. Americans lost nearly $1,000 last year because they’re making avoidable money mistakes, according to data from the National Financial Educators Council. The reason? Their lack of personal finance knowledge.
Throwing money down the drain doesn’t feel great, but there’s good news too. Americans are improving their money know-how. Last year’s loss of $948 per American is an improvement over 2022’s $1,800 loss average.
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Three specific financial mistakes accounted for the most errors. Here’s how each one slowly chips away at your wealth, and how you can spot a pattern before it becomes a problem.
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Credit card convenience gets costly
Racking up credit card interest and fees is by far the most expensive financial mistake most Americans make, adding up to an eye-watering $130 billion nationwide as of 2022, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). Nationwide, according to the Federal Reserve’s May report, credit card balances reached $1.25 trillion.
Also according to the Fed, the average interest rate on credit cards issued by commercial banks has reached nearly 21%, while new card offers are now averaging just under 24% according to LendingTree. At those levels, carrying a balance, even for a few months, can inflate the effective cost of purchases — especially for borrowers with lower credit scores, who tend to face the highest rates.
Paying on time each month, avoiding carrying a balance, and prioritizing balance paydowns of the highest-interest debt can help prevent interest charges from compounding further.
A balance transfer might be a way to get some breathing space on a debt that has been carried over month to month for a while: transferring your balance to a card offering an introductory 0% rate could buy you some time to pay down your balance.
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Overdraft fees can hit hard
The NCLC estimates that consumers spent $12 billion on overdraft and non-sufficient funds (NSF) fees in 2025.
The simplest way to avoid overdraft fees is to regularly monitor your account balance and keep a buffer to cover upcoming transactions. Seeking a fee waiver sometimes meets with success, particularly as a courtesy on the first overdraft charge.
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There are several ways to reduce the risk of getting dinged with an overdraft charge, like setting low-balance alerts or agreeing to automatic transfers from other accounts. Although overdraft protection prevents your transactions from being declined, the fees add up fast, and can quietly drain your account. Opting out eliminates that risk.
Luxury spending without a luxury budget
We know Americans are far too quick to whip out their credit cards, but what are they spending all that money on? In part, it’s things they definitely don’t need. The U.S. luxury goods market was worth $112.68 billion in 2025. As well, over half (56%) of U.S. luxury consumers planned to maintain or increase spending, according to a September 2025 Saks’ Global Luxury Pulse survey.
While splurging occasionally in the context of a broader budget can be a good way to mark a special occasion or acquire an investment piece, purchasing premium goods with credit is a recipe for snowballing debt.
Experts recommend treating this kind of high-ticket discretionary spending differently from spending on necessities: pay for optional purchases with fun money set aside for the purpose and within clear limits.
— With files from Dawn Cuthbertson
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Libby MacDonald is a Senior Staff Reporter at Moneywise. She has extensive experience in business and consumer reporting, having covered topics including insurance, wealth management, housing and equities.
