11 Things I Quit Buying To Save Money!
11 Things To Quit Buying To Save Money: For a Holiday, To Pay down Debt or even for Christmas!
Christmas can be quite stressful if you are on a tight budget!
I know, I Know Christmas should not be all about buying gifts it is also about spending quality time with Family and Friends and yes I love that part of it but the whole commercial side of things can get a little out of hand with TV ads showing the latest and greatest toys kids MUST have!
BUT if you stop buying a few things during the year and use an alternative then chances are you will save some money and will be able to buy the Cool Gifts for your 8 year old or for your friend who is having her first baby!
But not all savings plans are for Christmas so you might want to plan a family holiday or pay down debt or just become better with money.
Our goal was to become better with money and to learn to budget. We want to have some savings we could dig into whenever we needed it without having that sinking feeling of not having an emergency fund. and living pay check to pay check.
Here are 11 things we stopping buying to save money:
1. Stop Buying New Books
I know this is really hard to swallow as I LOVE reading and I find nothing more relaxing than curling up by the fire on a cold day and reading my book.
But hear me out here. If you head over to your local Library you will have a huge selection of books to borrow. You can also get ebooks from the Library so you don’t even need to drive there.
You can also head to your local thrift shop and you will see shelves and shelves full of pre loved books. Why not buy one there for a couple of cents then once you have read it you can return it and they can resell it and you know the money if usually going to your local charity so it is a win win situation.
Another option is to buy Kindle ebooks which are always cheaper Than a paperback {sometime about .99c} or if you are an avid reader try kindle unlimited on Amazon
2. Cling Wrap {Plastic Wrap and Sandwich bags}
This is a huge expense if you have kids going off to school each day wrapping their lunch in cling wrap is so convenient BUT besides costing a huge amount of money each year it is so bad for the environment and the sea life that get caught in them each year. So sad.
My daughter is the one who got us to change from plastic wrap to these Bee’s Wax wrap. They really are so awesome you can wash them as well. They come in a variety of sizes and last for ages. You can wrap lunch or you can wrap your bowls with left over dinner in it, wrap you cheese in the fridge so many uses for them. Honestly the change is worth it in the long run for your pocket and for the environment.
Bee’s Wrap Assorted 3 Pack, Eco Friendly Reusable Food Wraps
Bee’s Wrap Sandwich Wrap, Eco Friendly, Reusable, and SustainableBeeswax Wraps Natural & Reusable Washable Food Wraps
3. Going To the Movies
This year we stopped going to the movies and we have saved about $430 as we would go at least once a month for a family of 4 it is not cheap, sometimes we would go more especially during school holidays. Don’t get me wrong I love movies and I love supporting Actors and Actresses but it is a huge cost for families so we got Netflix instead and the kids love it, we have family movie Night once a month with home popped popcorn and the kids are happy about that. You can get Netflix or Amazon Prime Video which as a 30 day free trial
*{These cost per month but you certainly will save so much money.}
4. Waxing In a Salon
I have been getting my legs waxed for years and I am not even going to tell you how much that costs me as it really is so expensive, as I have really hairy legs so I have to go at least every 4-5 weeks.
But since having kids time as well as money didn’t allow me to go as often and I didn’t want to start shaving as I would literally have to do it every 2 days and who has the time for that.
I now get my sister to do them for me at home and then I do hers. We started with wax strips t make sure we could handle it then we went halves in a wax warmer pot. I also have an epilator that I use in between waxing as I just cannot epilator when they are so long and thick but If I keep things up then it is not as painful.
The outlay to start with can be a little costly as you start up but if you have a friend or sister like me to go halves with then it is not so bad but over all you will save yourself a ton.
Home Waxing Kit for WomenBraun Epilator for WomenLeg & Body Hair Removal
5. Shaving Gel for My Husband
So my poor husband had to cut out his beloved shaving gel you should have seen his face when I told him, literally sad face but he has got use to it now and is happy to just use soap.
Every once in a while I will buy his shaving gel when it is on sale but more often that not I forget oops don’t tell him. A little saving each week but it adds up.
6. Getting my Hair Dyed at a Salon
I wish I could do grey but I am not ready for that just yet, my mom always dyed her own hair and back in the day she permed her own hair!
So this is not new to me but I love going to the hair salon and being pampered but it is sooooo expensive these days that I end up just treating myself once maybe twice a year. So I dye it myself or again my sister will help me.
We do have fun and is always a good excuse for a catch up and glass of wine together {*note we have the glass of wine after doing our hair}
7. Eating Out
This was so easy to do as when you have kids that have so many after school activities and sports all weekend the last thing we feel like doing is going out for dinner.
BUT the convenience of take-out is always tempting but now I am using this meal prepping service by MyfreezEasy that we always have yummy healthy dinners ready to go.
8. Dryer Sheets
I have to admit I use my dryer a bit, I hate that I do but sometimes my house looks like a Chinese laundry and it drives me crazy.
I have stopped buying dryer sheets as they can be really expensive, are not chemically free and I have purchased some of these cute New Zealand Wool Dryer Balls, they are reusable and make your clothes wrinkle free static free and these are chemical free. We are really trying to be more environmentally friendly so these are a great start.
9. Water, Water, Water
Stop buying bottled water and get yourself an infused water bottle so you can add your own taste to it and still be drinking water that is good for you. Here are some great Fruit Infused Water Recipes and their Benefits.
You can save a small fortune from drinking just tap water and ditch the plastic water bottles that bottled water comes in and if you drink soda pop then STOP and drink water. It is so bad for you full of so much sugar, yes ok for a treat now and again but if you cut it out you will save heaps of money as well as improve your health so a win win.
If you want to filter your water then buy a Brita Water Jug with Filter as it does a great job of filtering your water and you can keep it in the fridge and have cold water ready whenever you feel like it.
10. Buying Take Out Coffee
I LOVE my coffee and pretty much cannot get my day started without one. Sad I know but it is my addiction and I love it.
We purchased a drip coffee machine and it wasn’t one of the expensive ones and it has been one of the best investments for the kitchen we have purchased, we use it every single day.
I like to program it the night before to make my coffee in the morning so a soon as I am up it is ready, yes I did say I cannot function with out a coffee.!!!
It also means I am not going out to purchase a coffee everyday so it would save us $3.5-$8 per day (as my husband loves coffee too.) So if you add that up over a year that is close to $1200… just for my coffee. Holy Moly that is a lot of cash on coffee.
When my husband and I sat down to do our budget and realized we were spending that much on coffee we nearly fell off our chairs…
11. Buying Our Lunches
This is something I have been weaning my husband to do for years and I mean year, he is a big man so eats a lot (he trains a lot as he is very fit but with training comes hunger!!!) I am always feeding him lol I always make extra dinner so he can take it for lunch the next day but he seems to be always hungry so I have to really think ahead and pack him many meals for the day.
I try to get some brown rice and chicken, tuna, salmon in tins and steamed veges he can take and heat up. Eggs and beans are always handy as is protein powder to make a protein shake on the go.
Yes he is healthy but if he is hungry he would go to the local take out shop and like the others he works with buy meat pies, McDonalds or anything fast. He doesn’t really like it but it is convenient. So thinking a head and packing lunches saves us a tone of money.
I always pack the kids lunches for school and maybe just once a month they get tuck shop but not often.
PS: Extra Tip
Make sure you go shopping with a List & no Kids: This has to be one of the best things I have started doing and not taking the kids as they want everything.
Having a list keeps me on track also do not go to the shops hungry. Stick to your list and you will stick to your budget.
I know it is not always possible to go without the kids but I do like shopping late at night so my husband is home with them and there are no crowds as I don’t do crowds very well I get too frustrated.
==>Hopefully you might get some tips from all the things we have managed to stop buying or doing to save some money.
It can be hard at first but if you have goals like going on a family holiday or to pay down debt, buy a new car or house then you really need to sit down write a budget, write a list and just start as that is the very first step and you will be amazed at how much you can save.
Good Luck.
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