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.

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