21 Things We Stopped Buying To Save Money (2024)

Stopped Buying To Save Money

When you are cutting your spending to save money you truly have to look at what you are buying! Initially, before our debt reduction we would be brand specific. We would eat out several times a week. Learn what we stopped buying to save money.

Overspending

I would hit up the coffee shop for a latté two or three times a week. We simply just weren’t watching what we were buying.

Family Finance And Saving Money

As a family we took a serious look at our finances and assessed where we wanted to be in the future. Our lives changed when we bought The Total Money Makeoverby Dave Ramsey.

Cutting Spending Learning To Budget

As a couple we attended Financial Peace Universityand learned where we were faulting in our budgeting and our spending.

If you need to get your finances, money and budgeting in check Financial Peace University is a great place to start.

Super busy and short on time. Pin this article for later. Click here.

Overspending Money

We took a long hard look at what we were spending money on and I was surprised at the change it made in our budget and how much we were saving with just a few changes.

How To Save Money

You can save huge amounts of money by making simple frugal choices in what you spend your money on. Below we list off 21 things we stopped buying to save money.

Related Money Saving Tips:

  • Thrifty Guide: 50 Frugal Tips
  • 7 Money Saving Starbucks Hacks
  • Secret Must Haves of a Frugal Home

Being Smart With Money

Budgeting, couponing, living well on less, meal planning will all help you save money. Essentially being smart with your money and choosing the best option to make your money work the hardest is how you will save more cash.

Practical Ways To Save Money

Simple ways to save money are frugal tips you can incorporate into your daily life that aren’t hard. Simple choices that make a big impact.

Example Of Easy Ways To Cut Spending And Save Money

Some examples of practical ways to save money might be grocery shopping on a budget at a discount retailer, meal planning to include a few meatless meals, learning to cut back and choose cheaper entertainment or packing your coffee, water or lunch to go. Brown bagging and home cooking are by far the most practical money savers yet.

Things I No Longer Buy

Below you are going to see a list of things we as a family stopped buying. But here is a glimpse of things I no longer buy:

Things You Can Live Without

When you really look at where you are spending all your money you can easily come up with a list of things you can live without.

Saving Money On Coffee

I have a Keurig coffee machine and I don’t buy single use Keurig pods? I am hands down a coffee drinker, so is my husband but we get more coffee for our dollar if we buy a pound of our favorite coffee and use reusable Keurig pods. This is one way we save a ton of money each month.

Things You Don’t Need To Buy

As humans we like things, we like food, we like stuff. If you need to save money I am sure you can think of things you don’t need to buy.

Back to my coffee note above. We drink a lot of it in our house. And yes we do the occasional coffee shop run. But we really don’t “need” to we have the coffee at home and here are 21 amazing Starbucks copycat recipes that help save us the money.

21 Things We Stopped Buying To Save Money

1. We stopped being brand specific with most of our groceries and relied on store sales and coupons to guide our purchases.

We also stopped impulse shopping, or last minute “let’s have this for dinner” shopping. Now we meal plan and it is life saver and an amazing money saver.

2. I will say we are brand specific to a few things. Such as TRESemme hair care products, I have naturally curly hair and I find their hair care products work great.

I have also bought the same moisturizer for all of my adult life. Fruit of the Earth Aloe Vera Gel is multi-faceted in uses such as body lotion, sunburn cream, shave gel, hair gel and first aid gel. I simply love the stuff.

We are a Celiac household so we are brand specific to a few gluten free companies such as Udi’sand Skinny Pop Popcorn.

3. We stopped eating out so much. When you add up eating out for a family of three, two or three times a week the bill could be somewhere close to $150 to $200 for a week. This is when I started meal planning.

4. I stopped buying deli meat and sandwich supplies for my husbands lunch for a few reasons. One they weren’t being eaten so the food was going to waste.

Two we purchased him an oven lunch box and this thing rocks. I can send leftovers or soups or chili and he can have a toasty warm lunch on the road. No more cold wasted sandwiches, just warm yummy lunches.

This helps use up the leftovers and decrease the food waste, which essentially is money wasted.

5. I stopped buying my coffee to go in the morning so did my husband. We invested in a great coffee maker, reusable filters and stainless steel coffee mugs. We are now saving $10+ a day.

6. We stopped buying reusable plastic containers and switched over to glass food storage, jars and stainless steel lunch containers. We switched to long term reusable lunch and food storage and we love it.

I stopped buying individual meat portions and food portions. I started buying bulk, farm to table portions. I invested in creating relationships with our local farmers markets, bulk buy locations and invested in food division and storage.

7. We stopped impulse shopping and learned to say “NO”. We planned, wrote lists and stuck to our budget.

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Related Money Saving Posts:

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  • Stop Living Paycheck To Paycheck
  • The Must Have Essentials Of A Frugal Home

8. We decreased our mainstream big box shopping for appliances, books, toys and etc. We learned to look for sales, shopping online on Amazon, Craigslist, ebay and at local thrift stores.

9. We stopped buying stuff to impress people and started buying the things we need.

10. I stopped purchasing paper napkins and limited our other paper cleaning supplies. We switched to cloth napkins and cloth cleaning cloths.

11. I stopped buying small bottles of things we use regularly like shampoo, conditioner, ketchup and hand soap. We buy these in bulk and refill our current containers. This saves money and waste.

12. We stopped over buying food, there was so much food waste. Even though we were composting our food waste, we were basically throwing out money in the food we weren’t eating. Now we meal plan, we eat or freeze our leftovers and we freeze soup stock related foods.

13. I stopped buying smoothie additives. I was buying protein powder, greens powder, maca powder and much more. I researched a dairy free protein powder that met my needs and I now purchase Vega One for my early morning smoothie.

14. We stopped buying store bought cleaners, a little bit of vinegar and water will go a long way. You can learn more about frugal cleaners here.

15. In general we stopped buying “stuff”. We learned to live with less.

16. I stopped buying dryer sheets and invested in dryer balls.

17. The whole family stopped buying stuff at full price when we could. We shopped sales, thrift stores, bulk buys and used coupons.

18. I stopped my magazine subscriptions which was a huge savings.

19 & 20. I stopped buying store bought dried fruit, applesauce and canned pears. Instead we dried our own fruit in season and canned vanilla pears and fresh applesauce during harvest season.

21. We decreased our entertainment spending, instead opting for No Spend Weekends.

Cutting back on your regular spending. Shopping sales, using coupons, truly looking at what you are spending money on. Using a budget, shopping wisely with a frugal mindset will help you save money.

⭐Amazing Products We Think Everyone Should Try:

All these amazing products help us save money on a daily basis.

Why Cut Spending To Save Money

Simple answer so you can do more with what you have. Saving money will also help you pay down debt, save for your future, invest, buy a home and so much more.

Why Do We Buy Things We Don’t Need

There are a million and one answers to this question and honestly most times we buy things we don’t need because we thought it would make our life easier or make us feel better.

Ways To Save More Money

Saving money will give you more options. You can buy the name brand instead of the generic. Or you can take the family on a vacation knowing you won’t go into debt.

Super busy and short on time. Pin this article for later. Click here.

Smart Money Shopping Choices

Saving money is about planning and making smart money choices. Like living well on less. Shopping generic discount grocery stores and sales to save money.

Simple Money Saving Tips

Simple things you can do today to save money. Start by asking yourself do you really need it? Can you do without it.

If you brown bagged your lunch this week how much would you save? If you turned down the thermostat how much would you lower your utility costs? Simple easy changes with big results.

Frugal Tips That Will Help You Save Money

Frugal living is about making smart choices with your money and learning to live well on less. Discover what frugal tips will help you save more money. Here are 75 super frugal tips that are guaranteed to help you lower your household expenses.

How To Start Budgeting And Saving Money

Setting up a budget and saving money is super easy. You can enroll in our 21 Days of Saving Challenge to help get you started. Dave Ramsey is another great resource on debt, budgeting and saving money.

Setting aside some time today can help you save a ton of money for tomorrow.

Related Money Saving Articles:

  • 7 Money Saving Starbucks Hacks

  • 75 Super Frugal Money Saving Tips

  • Frugal Living Surviving On One Income

♥ More About Saving & Simplicity

Welcome! I am so glad you are here I am Cynthia, primary frugal mom blogger at Saving & Simplicity.

Where you will find frugal, money saving posts and articles along with DIY projects, Cheap & Easy Recipes and so much more.

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Updated: June 9, 2023

21 Things We Stopped Buying To Save Money (7)

21 Things We Stopped Buying To Save Money

21 Things We Stopped Buying To Save Money (2024)

FAQs

Why do most people fail to save money? ›

One of the most common reasons is that you might not have a good enough reason to save. Maybe you're overly focused on the present, or maybe you simply don't know what you want in the future. Either way, you need to get a vision for what you want to achieve with your money.

How can I save enough money? ›

28 ways to save money
  1. Automate transfers.
  2. Count your coins and bills.
  3. Prep for grocery shopping.
  4. Minimize restaurant spending.
  5. Get discounts on entertainment.
  6. Map out major purchases.
  7. Restrict online shopping.
  8. Delay purchases with the 30-day rule.
Mar 26, 2024

Why can't I save enough money? ›

Debt, especially from high-interest credit cards, significantly hinders the ability to save. Lack of budgeting contributes to poor financial management and savings shortfalls. Social pressures and lifestyle inflation can lead to increased spending, further impeding savings efforts.

What are 3 ways to save money when you do decide to spend? ›

Make a budget.
  • Set a savings goal. ...
  • Set up direct deposits to go into savings. ...
  • Buy generic. ...
  • Stay out of “that store.” ...
  • Cancel some subscriptions and memberships. ...
  • Join gas rewards programs. ...
  • Meal plan. ...
  • Use cash-back apps and coupons.
Jun 13, 2024

Do 90% of millionaires make over 100k a year? ›

69% of millionaires did not average $100,000 or more in household income per year-and (get this) one-third of millionaires NEVER had a six-figure household income in their entire careers. When people don't waste money trying to LOOK wealthy, they have money to actually BECOME wealthy.

Why are people not saving money? ›

Mounting debt, especially high-interest consumer debt like credit card balances, can make saving money daunting. Debt payments consume a significant portion of one's income, leaving little room for savings. The lack of increasing your savings is the opportunity cost of servicing debt.

How can I save $1000 fast? ›

Financial expert Dave Ramsey has a lot of ideas on the subject, and here are some of the most practical ways to save your first $1,000 quickly.
  1. Cancel Subscriptions. ...
  2. Bring Your Own Lunch. ...
  3. Avoid Coffee Out. ...
  4. Re-Sell Old Items. ...
  5. Shop at Cheaper Grocery Stores With Rewards Programs. ...
  6. Buy Generic. ...
  7. Join a Carpool.
Dec 28, 2023

What is the 30 day rule? ›

The premise of the 30-day savings rule is straightforward: When faced with the temptation of an impulse purchase, wait 30 days before committing to the buy. During this time, take the opportunity to evaluate the necessity and impact of the purchase on your overall financial goals.

What is the fastest way to save money? ›

See which of these suggestions could make the biggest financial impact on your bottom line.
  1. Cancel unnecessary subscription services and memberships. ...
  2. Automate your savings with an app. ...
  3. Set up automatic payments for bills if you make a steady salary. ...
  4. Switch banks. ...
  5. Open a short-term certificate of deposit (CD)
Feb 26, 2024

Why is it difficult to save? ›

Saving money is difficult because you need basic financial knowledge, skills and experience. The more financial knowledge and experience you have, the easier it will be to save because you will know the basics.

Why am I so broke financially? ›

In many cases, becoming broke is caused by two factors. Firstly, you may not be earning enough money. Often, this occurs suddenly after losing a job, getting sick, or being injured. Or, in some cases, you're underpaid or unable to work as much as you would like.

Why am I struggling for money? ›

It may be that you have too much credit card debt, not enough income, or you overspend on unnecessary purchases when you feel stressed or anxious. Or perhaps, it's a combination of problems. Make a separate plan for each one.

How to live on very little money? ›

Tips to help you live below your means
  1. Create a plan for your money. The act of assigning a job for every dollar can be empowering. ...
  2. Automate your savings. ...
  3. Pay yourself. ...
  4. Live off one income if possible. ...
  5. Look for ways to lower your discretionary expenses. ...
  6. Reflect on your financial habits. ...
  7. Drive used. ...
  8. Pay less interest.
Jul 10, 2024

What are the 5 steps to save money? ›

5 simple steps to start saving
  • Set one specific goal. Rather than socking away money into a savings account, set specific goals for your savings. ...
  • Budget for savings. Just because you decide to save doesn't mean it's going to happen. ...
  • Make saving automatic. ...
  • Keep separate accounts. ...
  • Monitor & watch it grow.

Why is it difficult for many people to save money? ›

Debt: Paying off loans and credit cards can consume much of your income. Unexpected Expenses: Surprises like car repairs or medical bills can quickly drain savings. Lack of Financial Education: Without knowing how to manage money well, it's easy to spend impulsively or not prioritize saving.

What are the causes of poor savings? ›

Causes Of Poor Savings
  • Low Income.
  • Inappropriate financial planning.
  • High level of spending.
  • Borrowing.
  • Unemployment.
  • Poor health.
  • Inability to manage income properly.
  • Lack of support.

How many people struggle with saving money? ›

Bloomberg analysis of the National True Cost of Living Coalition survey found that only 20% of Americans have $10,000 or more in savings, and 28% of Americans have no savings at all. Plus, 46% of Americans don't have $500 saved for an emergency, and 40% cannot plan ahead beyond their next paycheck.

Why do many people fail to save for retirement? ›

Saving is hard. Few jobs offer traditional pensions anymore. A 401(k) puts the burden of financial management largely on the employee. And Social Security is a labyrinth of complex regulations and difficult calculations, administered by a seemingly indifferent bureaucracy.

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