10 Unnecessary Things You Can Stop Buying to Save Money

Our family is trying to budget better every month and I have found some things to stop buying to save money. What surprised me most about cutting these things out is that I don’t miss them at all. In fact, there is so much satisfaction from not feeling like I have to continue to spend money on these things and can simplify these areas of my life. I no longer crave more all the time.

If you haven’t seen how I overcame a shopping addiction, check this post out, but it reinforces how simplifying and having less in my life has actually led me to greater happiness and contentment with what I do have.

So here are the 10 unnecessary things I stopped buying not only to save money, but to feel more fulfilled with what I have.

Manicures & Pedicures

For a while there, I was getting my nails done every 3 weeks with a new dip powder polish. And every time, it cost me $50. What I found was that after getting the nails done, I’d be happy with the color for a couple days, but then want something new. And then I had the second problem of having to constantly go back and get them redone and maintained and found it more and more of a pain to find the time for it. So for me, this was a huge relief to not have to worry about maintaining my nails. I’m in a season of life with two little ones where it just didn’t make sense to spend so much time and money on this.

Skincare

I tried all the serums, toners, fancy lotions, etc. And I tried these for months. I took photos of my face before so that I could compare it against my face after using these for several months and guess what? Absolutely no change. Yep, no change in my complexion at all. Other people may find more luck, but I’ve since become very content with my very basic face wash and face lotion and don’t have to keep buying all those fancy eye masks, serums, etc.

Kids’ Toys

I talked all about how I simplified my kids’ toys drastically in this post, but it has done wonders for their play. I could simplify even more to be honest. But with all that effort to simplify, another welcome benefit is no longer having to spend money on toys that only leave me frustrated when they don’t engage with them the way I imagined they would.

Snack Foods

If you haven’t read the book “French Kids Eat Everything”, I can’t recommend it enough! But a huge takeaway from this book is if you have picky eaters at home, cut out the snacks. Let them be hungry for meal times and they are more likely to try new foods. We’ve also found a ton of fantastic healthy foods that I call “snacks”, but aren’t those overpriced and over-processed snack foods. Things like fruit, cheese, carrots, etc. All of these are the “snack foods” in our house and way cheaper!

Sparkling Water/Sodas

I’m not a soda drinker, but I do like those Olipop drinks! I also love a good orange cream Bubly and Key Lime La Croix! But I don’t need them all the time, or hardly ever. And cutting this out is so easy from our grocery budget because these can get pretty pricey quick. I just drink some nice cold water and if I need a little flavor, squeeze some lemon or lime into it.

Seasonal Decor

THIS IS THE HARDEST ONE FOR ME ON THIS LIST! It may sound silly to some, but I LOVE decorating for the seasons, especially fall and Christmas. But… I bought my seasonal decor years ago and it’s the same decor I use year after year. I have stopped buying anything new and stopped trying to keep up with all the new trends. And…I just don’t walk into Homegoods or Michael’s for the seasons… 😉

Cleaning Supplies

I’ve stopped buying all those Lysol wipes, cleaning sprays, bathroom cleaners, window cleaners, etc etc. I now just make a DIY cleaner the works for everything. It’s just a combination of water, Castile soap like this, distilled white vinegar, and some essential oil.

Hair Salons

For years I maintained highlighted and colored hair. It was expensive and when the time came around to get it redone, it was very expensive. I decided at a certain point that I was tired of spending so much of my time at the salon and the hassle of maintaining my hair that I finally let it grow out and go back to its natural color. Years later and my hair is finally back to its natural dark brown. Although it’s not maybe my ideal color, it’s natural and suits me and I don’t have to worry about it anymore. Plus my hair is healthier then it’s been in a long time.

Jewelry

I have one gold necklace, one silver, a silver/gold bracelet, and several earrings I like to rotate between and that’s it. I typically don’t accessorize with a ton of jewelry anyway, but what I have is plenty for me.

Clothing

Yes, it finally happened. I finally stopped buying clothing. This was my addiction previously that I overcame and you can read all about that here if you also struggle with a shopping addiction of any kind.

Let me know what you’ve cut out of your life that has greatly helped with not only your budget but your mindset and contentment as well.

Happy simplifying!