25 Things We Don’t Buy to Save Money

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Over the last few years, my husband and I have been on a mission to save as much money as we can and save as best we can for our future. 

We have been extremely frugal and found various ways to earn more money and to save money. The easiest way we found to save money was to just stop spending on things we didn’t need.

Some things have been hard to cut out and others haven’t. It completely varies from person to person. My husband doesn’t pay for haircuts (his mom does it), but that’s not something I can give up.

Hopefully, there are a few things on this list that you are able to stop buying and save a little money. Even if not everything on the list is possible for you, just one thing can help you save a little. 

What We Don’t Buy To Help Save Money

1. Coffee

Neither my husband nor I drink coffee. We never picked up the habit and it has saved us a ton of money. If you are a coffee drinker try making it at home instead of buying it every day at a coffee shop. 

2. Paper Towel

We have started to use rags instead. This will help the environment as well as your wallet.

3. Apps and In-App Purchases

With touch ID, it is so convenient to make purchases in the app store. I have disconnected a credit card from my account so it is impossible for me to make a purchase anymore. Most apps I use have free versions and this way I can’t be tempted.

4. Bottled Water

My husband and I both have an insulated reusable water bottle that we take with us everywhere. Another way to help the environment while also saving money. 

5. Lottery Tickets

We never started buying lottery tickets. The odds of winning were just too low, too be buying tickets every day. 

6. Cable and Landline

We do not have cable or phone. We only pay for the internet and one streaming service. Amazon video comes with our prime subscription and we pay for Hulu. We pay for Hulu and my in-laws pay for Netflix and we share accounts.

7. New Cars

My husband and I have never purchased a new car and never will. We will always buy a slightly used car with good miles and save money. We both walk to work anyways so we do not drive often as it is. 

8. Books

I have a library card instead. I can walk to the library from my house. My e-reader is also capable of renting library books. Sometimes I have to be put on a waitlist but I am able to read them eventually. I don’t think I will ever purchase a book again unless I need a physical copy to keep forever. 

9. Gym Membership

Gym memberships are not worth it to me. I have a lot of anxiety and would dread going to the gym anyway. I follow a lot of at-home videos instead.  

10. Extended Warranties

I never buy the warranty. I have never had any issues. Maybe I have just been lucky so far.

11. Manicures/Pedicures

My job requires me to work with my hands to manicures don’t last. When I do want my nails to look nice I just do them myself. 

12. Extra Groceries

I have another post that discusses different ways to save money on groceries. One way is to stick to the list. Impulse buying can be a huge hit to a budget. 

13. ATM Fees

I will never pay for an ATM fee unless there is an emergency. I have emergency cash stashed in my wallet and always try to be prepared if I am going somewhere that requires cash. 

14. Lunches

My husband and I used to spend a minimum of $5 a day for lunch. That’s $10 between the two of us, 5 days a week. That’s $520 a year! We now meal plan and bring lunches from home.

15. Shaving Cream

Lathery soap is a great alternative. Even conditioner works.

16. Car Washes

We never go through the car wash. My husband will hand wash the car on occasion, but it’s not a necessity.

17. Brand Name

I buy generic brand items whenever possible. There are some products I only buy brand name on but not a lot. 

18. Music

Amazon has free music with your prime membership. You can even download songs to have when you are not connected to the internet. Pandora and Spotify are also good options. 

19. Clearance Items

Clearance items trick you into thinking that you are saving money. If you are buying something, just because it is on clearance, DONT. Only buy things that you really need. If that item happens to be on clearance, awesome. Don’t fall into the trap of buying things because they are on sale. 

20. Greeting Cards

I will never again buy a greeting card. They cost like $5 each and usually just get thrown in the garbage. If I buy a gift, I will usually just tell the person that it is from me. If that’s not an option, I will hand make a card.

21. Alcohol

My husband and I are not big drinkers, so it wasn’t too difficult for us. Alcohol can be extremely expensive and the cost can add up fast.

22. Convenience Food

We try to stay away from convenience food. It’s cheaper to buy fruits and vegetables and cut it ourselves than to buy a container pre-cut. A lot of convenience food is things that you can do on your own for a lot lower cost. 

23. Expensive Dates

My husband is awesome at planning cheap dates. A lot of times, we have more fun finding adventures in our area and exploring local places than we would at an expensive steakhouse. Our dates are about enjoying each other’s company and having fun so it doesn’t matter to us that we are being cheap about it. 

24. Gas

We walk to work and rarely spend money on gas. When we moved and started walking, we saved over $800 in one year. That was solely from not having to get gas often. If walking is not a possibility, trying biking, public transportation or carpooling.

25. Loans

It has been our mission to pay off our debts. Spending money on interest kills me. I will never see that money again. In the future, we won’t take out loans for anything. We will do whatever we need to, in order to avoid more debt. 

Conclusion

These are the main things that have made an impact on our savings, I’m sure there are more. Cutting these things out has helped us become more frugal and financially savvy over the years. 

Is there anything you’ve stopped buying to save money that’s not on my list? I’m always looking for new ideas!