Do I really need this?
Many of you have read previous blogs where I talk about saving money. The best way to save money is not spend it in the first place. I recently deleted my Amazon Prime Account, and I no longer have Wallet or Google Pay set up. The reason was simple; it was way too easy to shop for things I didn’t need. I also refrain from subscription boxes and apps that require a credit card to sign up. I did a review of the weight loss app Noom on YouTube. They had me sign up for a monthly subscription and sure enough when I pointed out a major flaw in the app, they would not refund the money or cancel the prepaid subscription. Examples of things you do not need but look really inviting:
another water bottle or travel tumbler - count how many you have around the house and in your car and at work, I’ll wait, was it about 12? you do not need another one
fancy coffee and tea - make coffee and tea at home and put it in one of those travel tumblers
a gym membership or exercise app - there are free work out videos on YouTube and walking is free, if you live somewhere it rains walk indoors at a mall or big box store
lunch or dinner out - this one is tricky but normally you are better off making and eating your food at home, unless there is a weird craving you are having for a specific dish with many ingredients, home made food is better and healthier because you control what goes into the recipe
another board game - are you playing all of your current games? unless you are replacing something that is broken or missing pieces, a new board game is one more item you will be storing in the closet and maybe use once a month? once a year?
another puzzle - you know you can break that puzzle up and do it again right? if you want something new, then try trading with a neighbor or friend
refridgerator organizers - how often do you set everything up only for the refridgerator organizers to get shoved in the back, also now you have something new you need to take out and clean regularly
coffee pods - before coffee pods people made coffee in a normal coffee machine and if you only wanted one or two cups of coffee then you put less coffee in the coffee machine
special food savers - you do not need anything more than press and seal to preserve tomatoes, avocados, and other fruits and vegatables you cut in half, a food saver that seals is good to freeze certain foods but those elastic food storage covers are unnecessary as are mesh food covers for food on a picnic table
reuseable totes - uh those free plastic bags, you can re-use those instead of buying a fabric tote, amazing right
brand new legos and other toys - parents, do not give into tantrums and avoid the toy aisle because yard sales, Goodwill, and used lego/toy dealers exist
door wreaths and welcome signs for every holiday that exists - if you must deck the halls for every holiday get a projection light/lamp that has different designs and use that on the front door
greeting cards - paper greeting cards now cost anywhere from $4 dollars to $20.00 instead of wasting money on a paper greeting card, send an electronic birthday wish and an e-gift card, no stamp needed either
facial steamer - you know what grandma did, she boiled water and then you stood over the pot with a towel covering your head, why do you need another appliance
foot detox pads - scam, they do not work, the medical community has tested them over and over again and there is zero research to support the pads do anything
Personal confession time: the social image picture for this post was an insanely expensive piece of rock (crystal) I purchased when I bought my new home. I love it and still do but I would never spend money on crystals again. I also do not buy candles anymore. It occurred to me one day I literally was burning money and candles are expensive! One category I do not buy at yard sales or Goodwill is anything cloth that could be harboring bed bugs. If you buy some clothing or a sheet or a sofa and it has those nasty eggs in it, you are in for hundreds of dollars to do the clean up once they hatch. Not worth it.
If you never spend that money and transfer it to savings instead you could end up with over $200 a month easily. That gives you an extra $2,400 a month, better known as some vacation moola. I am going to pick spending money on a cool vacation experience over things that clutter my house every day of the week. If you have children, save money on expensive Disney vacations and put that money towards savings accounts they can use to attend college or start a business. The best way to teach a child about money and finance is to start early and set a good example. I am not affliated with Greenlight but I have seen their ads on television. Even a trip to the bank and a quick meeting with a bank employee regarding compound interest, could spark a child’s interest in finance. Last confession, I spend way too much on beverages out. This includes stopping at the gas station and buying drinks on the road. I now own one brand new container that keeps my water cold for 36 hours. It was money well-spent to save the hundreds of dollars on impulse buy drinks and then the snack I do not need. Keep an eye out and ask yourself if you really need something before you buy it.