3 Spendings You Should Avoid
TIME Moneyland recently published a list of 13 items that we should avoid buying if we like our pockets and the important greenbacks inside them. These items don’t have any advantage to regular stuff, but are more expensive. We’ve selected three items from the list for you:
1. Homeopatic flu remedies:
The pitch: Fight back against the fever, sore throat, sneezing, runny nose and other flu symptoms with herbs or vitamin supplements.
The truth: According to Center for Diseases Control and Prevention of United States (CDC): “There is no scientific evidence that any herbal, homeopathic or other folk remedies have any benefit against influenza.”
The exception: Chicken soup and fruit juices, especially if they’re homemade and fresh are the best sources to reduce the flu symptoms.
2. Bottled water:
The pitch: Bottled water has minerals and other ingredients from a pristine spring, exotic island or other place that looks nice on the label that purifies the body.
The truth: Where to start? First of all, you’re probably paying more than a dollar per gallon for the stuff. Many brands’ dirty little secret is that they use plain old tap water and treat it with minerals or chemicals. The Natural Resources Defense Council even found that some brands contain contaminants.
Also by 25 Dollars you can bring life-time water for a child in Africa.
Also “Last years the US alone used over 39 billion bottles of water.That’s enough to stretch around the earth over 190 times.” from BRITA.
The exception: If you’re on vacation in a country where the tap water can’t be trusted or even some cities in United States.
3. Super-high-SPF sunscreen
The pitch: If SPF 30 is good, SPF 100 must be three times better.
The truth: According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, “SPF 15 blocks approximately 93 percent of all incoming UVB rays. SPF 30 blocks 97 percent; and SPF 50 blocks 98 percent.” Think that’s confusing? You’re not alone. Consumers are so befuddled by the (often meaningless) claims sunscreen makers use that the FDA is issuing a whole new set of rules to try to clear things up. What’s more, SPF only measures one kind of harmful ultraviolet ray, and all sunscreens need to be reapplied every couple of hours. For more information visit our sunscreen slideshow (adapted from an infographic by informationisbeautiful.net): fb.me/sTz8NwzR
The exception: You’re very fair-skinned and/or your doctor recommended that or have a history of skin cancer.
