Here’s How Much Your Morning Routine Could Cost

We’re all accustomed to our morning routines. Waking up, brushing your teeth, doing your hair, making coffee, and taking a shower are all pretty typical morning routine tasks. It’s not something we put much thought into, as it’s ingrained in our lives.

One thing to think about, however, are the resources you use while doing your daily routine. When you really think about it, with most things you do, you are consuming some type of resource. Electricity, food, water, and money are all things we work to pay for -- but have you ever thought about what you’re spending when you simply turn on a light or take a shower?

A recent analysis showcases how much a typical morning routine can cost. The study asked Americans about their typical morning routines and combined that information with average electricity costs to determine how much we spend on morning routines. The survey included typical activities such as making coffee, taking a shower, drying your hair, shaving, and more.

The Most Expensive Morning Routines

According to the data, hair drying is the most expensive activity. Blow drying hair can cost up to $20 every hour of use. For something that seems like a regular and necessary activity for some, it is also an expensive one. Blow drying hair can also lead to hair damage, as the heat can cause breakage and over-dryness of the hair. In that case, to save money and reduce damage to your hair, using an energy-efficient hairdryer (like Dyson) or simply air drying your hair may be a better option.

The second-most expensive morning routine activity is something that many of us simply can’t give up -- and that’s making coffee. For every hour you use a coffee machine, you may be spending up to $11. Luckily, this is much less than hair dryers, and you can most likely get more use out of an hour of coffee machine use than blow-drying hair. Plus, you’re probably still saving money by making coffee at home than going out to Starbucks every day.

Following blowdrying hair and making coffee, other typical activities include putting on makeup with a light or vanity-style setup, styling hair with heat tools, and shaving with an electric razor. These activities cost significantly less than that of the more expensive activities, with some costing just a few cents to a dollar or two for an hour of use.

So, How Much Does My Routine Cost?

Ultimately, the cost of your routine depends on a lot of factors. From where you live to what your routine actually is, the cost can vary. According to the data, there is a difference between routines not only by age but by gender as well. Women tend to spend more time getting ready in the bathroom and use more appliances, thus using more energy and spending more money.

The data shows a high-end and low-end cost of electricity based on the results of the survey for men and women. The daily results between men and women are:

Low-End Cost:

Men: 33.96 cents

Women: 36.11 cents

High-End Cost:

Men: 68.85 cents

Women: 73.12 cents

So, while there is a difference between men and women, it isn’t a large difference. As mentioned above, the cost of your routine mainly depends on what you’re actually doing and how long you’re doing it for.

In the end, the difference between men and women and the daily cost of your morning routine isn’t that dramatic. However, there are plenty of things you can do to reduce these costs and save electricity and water to lower the long-term costs of energy usage. If you’d like to see the true cost of your personal routine, feel free to refer to the study linked above.