13 Things I Don’t Buy Anymore

One of the best ways to save money is to cut back on unnecessary expenses. Sometimes things are unnecessary because you truly don’t need them, but there are other things that you could simply find a cheaper alternative for. This sometimes costs more upfront but will save you money over time. Here are 13 things I don’t buy anymore, as well as some alternatives if you want to make the same kinds of changes.

13 Things I Don’t Buy Anymore

Bottled water

Instead of buying bottled water, I invested in a reusable water bottle. Not only does this save me money, but it also helps reduce plastic waste. It’s very convenient to grab a bottle water out of the fridge, but a good stainless steel water bottle will last forever and keep your water cold all day.

Expensive coffee drinks

We’ve all heard the advice to stop spending $5 on expensive coffee drinks in order to save money. You’re probably tired of hearing it! However, there is a reason this advice continues to persist, and it’s because people keep doing it! I occasionally spend a morning working from a local coffee shop. I buy the cheapest coffee drink available, usually about $3, just to “pay” for the right to sit and work at one of their tables. But while I’m sitting there, I see people spending upward of $6 and up on a drink. I don’t know how often they do that, but I do know that I could buy some really nice coffee creamer or syrups and make multiple coffee drinks at home for about that same price. I’m not saying to never get a drink at Starbucks—but if you find yourself doing it regularly, consider if there’s a more frugal way to have a similar experience.

Clothing from anywhere other than a secondhand store

I have come to the point of really not buying any clothes new, at least not for myself. Every once in a while one of my kids needs a very specific clothing item that is time-sensitive, and when that happens we have to go to an actual clothing store and get something. But for me, since my sizes aren’t changing like my kids, I only buy clothes secondhand. There are several thrift stores near me and I keep a list in my phone of clothing items I’d like to have. When I have some time to go to one of these stores and browse, I keep my eye out for those items. I recently got 6 long-sleeved tops, 3 pairs of exercise pants, and a pair of shoes for $35 at my local thrift store!

Pre-packaged snacks

This is another no brainer, but anything that comes in small packages is going to be much more expensive than buying a large bag and splitting it up. You can do this with nuts, chips, crackers and more. Little bags can be bought at the dollar store.

Dryer sheets

Did you know that you don’t actually have to use dryer sheets? I haven’t for years. If you really find static to be a big issue in your dryer, invest in some wool dryer balls.

Books

There are a few exceptions, but overall, I do not buy books. We utilize our public library for almost all the books we read, and I use the Libby app and the Hoopla app to listen to audiobooks for free through the library.  Here are 6 of my favorite sources for free eBooks and Audiobooks.

Multiple streaming services

Do a quick check to see how many different streaming services you’re subscribed to. The price of these keeps slowly creeping up, and if you add them all together, you might be surprised at the total. Think about which ones you use more often. You can pause subscriptions or cancel them altogether and sign up in the future if you change your mind.

Lots of different cleaning supplies

You don’t need 20 different kinds of cleaners to keep your house clean. There are only about 5 different products I use over my whole house. For more ideas on how to minimize your cleaning supplies while still keeping your house clean, check out GoCleanCo on Instagram.

Gift bags

I do still give gifts, but I don’t buy them anymore. I save them from gifts that are given to us and keep a huge stash under my bed. I also have sewn my own gift bags for both small and big items using fabric scraps.

Impulse buys at the grocery store

This is another obvious one, but sometimes we just need to hear the same thing over and over again before we get it. Don’t buy the sodas or the gum at the checkout, but even when you’re walking down the regular aisles, stick to your list and don’t just buy something because you see it. Using grocery pickup can help a lot with this!

Anything that can be bought in a resuable form

This category includes a lot of things: microfiber cloths instead of paper towels, reusable pods instead of K-cups, ziptop bags, to name a few. There are so many different ways to reduce waste and cost by spending a little more upfront on reusable items.

Anything I’m suggested to buy without doing research first

Have you ever gotten your haircut and then been told your hair would be even more amazing if you used a particular styling product that you can buy from the salon? Or how about when you take your pet to the vet and they encourage you to buy heartworm meds through them? I almost never buy any of these things in the moment. If I am able to while I’m there, I’ll quickly check prices against other places online. Usually, I can find the item much cheaper elsewhere. If I find out later that the vet actually did have the best price, I can always call and get the meds.

Anything that I just saw without waiting 2-3 days

I really try not to buy anything on impulse. Those flash sales on Amazon are really tempting, but unless it’s an item I’d already been wanting to buy and had been waiting for a low price, I don’t buy it. In almost every case, if I give it a few days to simmer, I decide I don’t actually need it.