3 Ways You Lose Money Without Realizing It

By Beth Kobliner, REDBOOK

It's the little buys you barely notice that do the most damage to your bottom line. Beth zooms in on some new offenders.

1. Shrinking groceries. Many brands, including Häagen-Dazs and Tropicana, are slashing the size of some of their products by up to 20 percent while keeping prices the same, Consumer Reports recently revealed.

The fix: Compare products based on lowest unit price, not total price, to see which one really costs less.

Related: The 18 Most Annoying Male Habits, Explained

2. Online gaming. Popular programs like FarmVille and Smurfs' Village are free to play, but parents are reporting that their kids have unknowingly racked up big bills on in-game accessories that can cost more than $200.

The fix: Don't give your kids the password needed to make purchases.

Related: 3 Women Who've Learned to Be Happy Living on Less Money

3. Group deal sites . Groupon and LivingSocial should save you cash, but customers don't manage to use 10 to 20 percent of the coupons they buy before they expire.

The fix: Put the expiration date on your calendar so you won't forget to use it.

REDBOOK's money expert, Beth Kobliner, is the author of Get a Financial Life and is on the President's Advisory Council on Financial Capability.

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