By KRISTIN TATE 

Individuals and business owners around the country regularly make an effort to reduce spending, pay off debts, and save. But the federal government continuously fails to do the same.

The U.S. national debt is currently $17.2 trillion and growing.

Despite this, the federal government continues to waste your hard-earned tax dollars on programs like the ones below — whether you like it or not.

As 2013 comes to a close, it’s time to take a look at some of the most ridiculous examples of government spending over the past few years.

Let’s hope the feds can reign in the spending next year! (I won’t hold my breath.)

$1 million annually to develop a “Mars Menu.”

There is no government plan or budget to colonize Mars, but $1 million is spent each year developing a “Mars menu”. It is an effort to come up with food humans could one day eat on the planet. Ya know, just in case.