RazzWorks

Over the years I have tried many tips and tricks to save money. Some worked and others weren’t as successful but it never cost me more money. I have learned, though, that there are many things I just don’t need to be spending my valuable money on. Things I just don’t need. I’m going to tell you what I’ve dropped from my shopping list and maybe you’ll realize there are things you don’t value enough to spend your hard-earned money on either. Let’s get started.

Items I don’t buy:

Makeup – When I stopped working over 10 yrs ago I began to spend most of my days at home. It seemed pointless to put on makeup. I still used it if I was going out but over time it became less and less important to me. Now I go with the natural look and I’m good with that.

Haircare products – I use shampoo we bought in bulk long ago at a clearance center going-out-of-business sale. We still have almost a full box after 6 years. I do buy conditioner at the dollar store as my hair is curly and very dry. I never found spending more got me a product that worked any better.

Jewelry – I have two rings I wear all the time and don’t wear any other jewelry regularly. I have some nice pieces I bought when I was still working that are more than enough if I need to dress up for a special occasion.

Purses – As I just stated, I am crafty. I can sew, crochet, macramé, and even knit a little. I decided a few years ago that I didn’t have to spend money on purses when I could make my own. I have also received a few nice ones as gifts over the years.

Haircuts – I grew my hair long many years ago and haven’t been to a hair salon in over 6 yrs now. I can trim the ends myself with no trouble. Razz has a good set of hair clippers (a gift) and goes with a simple buzz cut when he’s not letting it grow.

Dishcloths – I can crochet my own dishcloths and my mother usually knits me a few for Christmas every year. I have more than I need at the moment so I don’t foresee needing to purchase any soon.

Paper napkins and paper towels – I made myself some cloth napkins a few years ago and still have some of them. The old ones get used for cleaning rags and mopping up spills. They’ll be around until they are too threadbare to be useful. Then I’ll cut up discarded clothing or sheets to make more.

Facial tissue – We never used or needed facial tissues often so usually had none when we did need them. We got used to using bathroom tissue instead and never went back. Occasionally if one of us gets sick and has a very sore nose we will buy one box of nice soft facial tissues to get us through the illness. This is rare and hasn’t happened in quite a few years.

Bottled water – I think enough has been said everywhere about the excessive use of single-use plastics that I don’t have to explain this one much. We have our own well with very good, cold water so there’s no need for bottled water anyway. I reuse a 1-liter plastic juice bottle for a water bottle to keep with me and it serves me well.

Individual sized juice or soft drinks – We do sometimes like to have a drink other than water. I occasionally buy a 3-liter jug of orange juice or get apple juice in nothing smaller than 1 liter. Pop (soda) is a rare treat bought in a 2-liter size.

Brand name food – long ago when I was a young mother living on a very limited income I bought store brand food because I couldn’t afford the brand names. That taught me that many store brands are just as good as their brand name counterparts. Now there are very few food items that I won’t buy the store or Noname version of. I could buy the brand name but I’ve come to prefer many of the cheaper alternatives.

Dryer sheets – I made myself a few wool dryer balls about 5 years ago and they still do the job when we use the dryer in the winter. In the summer we try to use the clothesline as much as possible. If we find we need fabric softener (rarely) vinegar does the job for much less than purchasing fabric softener.

Home décor – I have been crafty all my life so have rarely purchased home décor items. When I did it usually involved candles but now that Razz is doing woodworking he’s making candle holders. I’d surely be in trouble if I bought one now LOL. I also received gifts from family members, who are talented crafters, that I use to decorate my home and property.

Excessive gifts – We are a gift-giving family but we are all fairly frugal and quite creative. We make a lot of the gifts we give though I do try to buy my grandchildren each a book and a toy or craft kit at Christmas besides their homemade gifts.

Magazines – I found magazines were mostly advertisements. With the internet now I can read some magazines online or just look for articles about things that interest me through Google. I’ll never run out of reading material and the library is still an option if I choose.

Books – Before I succumbed and got internet I got all my books at our local library or as gifts. Now I get enough free eBooks to keep me reading for many years. If you are interested in reading free eBooks too then register at BookBub .

Printers and ink – Our local library will do printing for 10 cents per sheet. At those prices, my rare printing needs aren’t worth the cost of a printer.

Lottery tickets – I don’t miss this waste of money at all. I used to enjoy buying scratch tickets. I’d sit with my coffee and do my scratching and it was a form of entertainment for me. Now I value my money too much to gamble with it.

Things I don’t need or can’t afford – basically I’ve come to a point in my life where my values are very simple and basic. I don’t try to impress anyone and I’m not concerned with what other people think of me or my shopping habits. For the most part, I buy only what I need and try to always get the best deals I can. If I require something I can’t afford I can always save up for it. If it’s urgent that’s what our financial cushion/savings is for.

However, everyone is different so my list won’t be the same as your list if you even have one. Some people need to shave every penny they can just to make ends meet and if that’s the case then I hope you’ve found some of my points useful.

For others it’s not about affordability but more about values and what is and isn’t important in your life at this time. Whether you choose to save money on everything you can or spend your money on anything you want is your choice.

All I want to do is make sure my money is going towards things that I value, things that are important to me, and won’t harm the environment more than I can help. Do you have a list of things you don’t buy anymore? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below.

Roze