In these economically uncertain times, it’s a good idea to reevaluate your budget and see where you could potentially cut back. That way, you save more cash and can have a bigger emergency fund. However, advice on the internet is a bit of a double-edged sword: some of it can genuinely help you, while other financial hacks can harm your wallet.

In a no-nonsense thread on AskReddit, thrifty and economically savvy internet users shared the things that can actually make people lose more money, instead of helping them save more like they thought. We’ve collected the most egregiously deceptive examples below, so scroll down to check them out. Don’t forget to take notes so you don’t fall into the same pitfalls as others.

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