9 Things To STOP Buying To Save Money

Things To Give Up To Save Money

Money. Money. More money. Let’s talk about money! More specifically…let’s talk about things to stop buying to save money.

Saving money is a universal concept. We have all thought about ways to save money.

And I know we all spend money.

Spending money feels good. It’s true. You get a release of dopamine.

Now, this is not about never spending money again. That would be crazy talk.

We should all be able to spend money on things we want to every now and then for no good reason.

Life would not be very fun if we left no room in our budget for those little things that bring us joy. (BTW… my little thing has always been and will always be coffee)

This is more about examining how your spending is impacting your life.

Here is something I know to be true.

Struggling financially is not fun. It is very stressful.

Most of us have faced financial hardships at some point in our lives. Or we have seen others in our lives struggle with money in some capacity.

A great place to start when it comes to saving money is to take a look at where our money is going. And then figuring out if there are some places we can cut back our spending.

Are there things we can cut out to save some serious dough? Yes!!

Cutting back may not sound very fun but let’s look at it from a more positive angle.

Have any big (or small) financial goals? Awesome.

How are you going to get there? What changes will help you?

How can you make life more enjoyable? (hint…it has a lot to do with prioritizing where your money goes)

Also, conversations around money don’t have to be seriously awkward or unbelievably uncomfortable.

Let’s work to normalize them. I truly believe that if money was talked about more openly then so many more people would have a better relationship with money and what role it plays in their lives.

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Here Are 9 Things To Stop Buying To Save Money

1) Coffee

Ugh… This one hurts my heart just a little.

I love to swing by those drive-thru’s and get myself a tasty drink.

But you know what? Those tasty drinks are expensive.

I wish I could say that I just decided one day to stop getting a coffee every time I left the house but that is not how it went.

The habit was deeply engrained in me.

Want to know what really helped me? Writing out the amount I paid every time I bought a drink.

This idea can also be applied to any special drink someone would get. My husband used to stop at the gas station every single day and grab two canned drinks. (energy drinks)

Those seemingly small purchases can sneak up and surprise you. (one month my family spent just shy of $200 on gas station drinks and coffee)

That’s more than my electric bill this month! That amount is also the same as a yearly pass to the Nashville Zoo. (my family just moved to Tennessee) Looking at these comparisons was mind-blowing!

Grab yourself a nice tumbler and pack a drink to go when you leave the house. This is what I do.

*And, of course, I highly encourage you to still stop and grab your drink of choice every now and then. It actually makes it that much more special when it is something outside of the norm.*

2) Take Out

Food is one thing I think most people spend quite a bit of money on.

Have you ever gone to the grocery store in the afternoon but then ordered some kind of takeout for dinner?

My husband and I used to do this all the time.

I love to eat out. And I am not saying you should cut this out of your life.

But this is when it is important to look at your goals. Look at your priorities.

A few years back, I did the math and realized that the amount of money my family spent on takeout was equal to us going to a really nice waterpark every few months. (and splurging on the fancy room)

For me, weekend getaways are much higher on my priority list than fast food.

3) Sale Items

Ok, be honest here. How many times have you bought something just because it was such a good deal?

In the past, I have done this more times than I would like to admit. So many times.

I mean, those clearance racks would just call my name. And it is hard to pass up a killer deal.

But here is what I started telling myself. It is not a good deal if it is not something I need.

If it is not something that is actually needed then I am spending money for no reason.

Spending money just to spend money can literally become an addiction. It feels good to buy something. For a short amount of time.

And then comes that rush of guilt. Those good feelings that came from a purchase have disappeared.

Am I saying to never shop again? No way. I’m not a monster.

Just try to be aware of your reasons for purchasing things. And also work on taking a pause before you just buy something impulsively.

4) Name Brand

This is a great tip for grocery shopping. (especially now with how much food costs have gone up)

You can get more bang for your buck when you go with a store brand. Like so much more bang.

Also, I know firsthand that meal planning can be mentally exhausting. I am the main meal planner in my home and it’s not always something I look forward to doing.

If you need some help or inspiration in this department, check out this $5 meal plan service. It’s a great way to take some of the overwhelm out of meal planning. (and the best part is there is a 14-day free trial)

5) Random Home Decor

Especially seasonal decor.

This is a tough one. I know many people who find so much joy in home decor. And especially decor made for specific holidays.

I encourage you to be much more selective about what you bring into your home. Also, I like to think about this in terms of space and storage.

I mentioned earlier about my family just moving to Tennessee. We are loving it so far but one major adjustment has been the fact that our home has no basement.

This is our first home without a basement so it is taking some time to get used to.

Having less extra space to put random things has really been an eye-opener for me and really forces me to take time to consider what I actually need and want.

6) Gym Membership

If you are someone who has a gym membership and used it religiously, then keep at it. Disregard this suggestion.

This is for people who have a gym membership and don’t use it enough to make it worth it.

And this is not coming from a place of negativity. Not at all.

For many of us, getting to the gym on a regular basis is just not an option.

Luckily, there are so many small (or large) pieces of equipment you can put in your home.

Hand weights are a great option. They don’t take up much space and you can easily look up different exercises to do.

I also have this rower, which I absolutely love. I use it and my husband uses it consistently. Pretty sure I also saw somewhere that rowers are great full-body workouts that are low-impact.

I know these items require you to spend money but they are a great investment that you will have for years to come.

P.S. Don’t underestimate the great outdoors. Taking a walk or hiking are some of my favorite ways to get some movement in.

ALSO… this idea applies to any monthly subscription you are spending money on. If you aren’t using it or it’s not serving you well then ditch that expense.

7) “NEW”

Buy used if you can. It will still be new to you.

This especially rings true for me with my second child. She is almost two and a majority of her things were previously owned. Stuff for children can be so expensive. With my first daughter, I thought she needed everything I saw.

Glad to say that I have a very different perspective now.

And you know what. My toddler could care less where her shirts are from. She will get them filthy without a second thought.

Also, I refuse to spend a ridiculous amount of money on a couch or table when I know what it is going to be put through in my home.

8) Cable

This is another one of those areas where you might be spending more than you realize.

Cable can be pricey. And stack on top of that all the other options we have for watching shows. (Netflix, Hulu, HBO, and Disney+ just to name a few)

If money is tight or you are looking for quick ways to spend less, try scaling back a little here.

In my home, Netflix and Disney+ are must-haves. And the rest we can easily do without.

9) Books/CDs

I love books. SO MUCH!

But I do not have the money to buy every book I want.

This is where one of my favorite places comes into play. Hello, library.

The library is a great resource. (I just read this book and fell in love with it)

It is also perfect for renting movies or TV series.

It can be very difficult to cut things out of your life. Especially if they have become part of your routine or a habit for you.

So let’s flip the script and think of what cutting out some things would allow us to add to our lives.

In my home, this looks like adding a monthly babysitter. (babysitters are expensive these days)

Or adding a zoo or museum membership.

Prioritizing where your money goes might not always be fun to think about or do but the payoff will be well worth it.

Which one of these things to stop buying to save money do you relate to most?

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