A sunk cost expense refers to the loss of time, money, or effort, which you can’t get back. It’s one of the most basic economic concepts, and it can work for both consumer and commercial finance. If you let sunk costs influence your future decisions, even when it’s not in your best interest, it may cause you stress or decision paralysis. According to Investopedia, the sunk cost fallacy causes people to stick with a failing decision because they already paid for it – it’s loss aversion.

For example, I stayed in a hostel that offers a free drink to every guest, though I didn’t end up redeeming the coupon. It’s OK because I didn’t lose anything. 

It’s OK to pivot. Think long-term. You can only carry so much. You don’t have to redeem every coupon.

Although you can save a lot of money. Here is a resource from Nerdwallet on 8 Tips for Getting Started on Couponing.