7 Things I Never Spend Money On

Most of the personal finance influencers I follow have posted at least one blog or video about things they don’t spend money on. Hearing their thoughts on what’s worth buying and what’s not has helped me reconsider my purchases. 

So today I thought I’d share a few of the things I never spend money on. Your list will probably look different than mine because our financial priorities and lifestyles aren’t the same. So make sure to tell me what you’ve cut out of your budget in the comments section below—that way we can learn from each other!

1. Music 

Most of my friends have a Spotify subscription or an iTunes library full of songs. But I’ve never felt compelled to spend money on music. The majority of musicians post their music on YouTube for free, so I put those videos on in the background instead of paying for Spotify. 

2. Supplements

Besides basic multivitamins, I don’t buy supplements anymore. I have chronic health problems and used to hope that taking the right combo of vitamins and probiotics would reduce my symptoms. After testing countless supplements from turmeric pills to licorice root, nothing seemed to make a noticeable difference in my health. 

Supplements are often touted as a cure-all, but all they did for me was put a big hole in my wallet! So I decided to stop chasing after a magic pill that would eliminate my symptoms and focus on healthy habits like exercising and eating well instead. 

3. Gym Memberships 

I live in a rural area, which means the nearest gym is about half an hour away. Instead of spending lots of time and gas to get there, I decided to buy an exercise bike for $200. Now I don’t have to spend $20 per month on a gym membership and can work out in the comfort of my own home.  

Due to my medical conditions, my doctor recommends that I exercise sitting down. So I had to buy some exercise equipment to be able to work out at home. But if you don’t have any physical limitations, you can do free workouts like yoga or circuit training in your living room and ditch your gym membership. 

4. Coffee 

Most Americans need a cup of coffee to start their day, but I’ve never incorporated it into my morning routine. Coffee usually makes my stomach hurt, and I’ve heard that it doesn’t actually give you more energy. Researchers haven’t found any differences in alertness between coffee drinkers and people who abstain from caffeine. So I decided not to get on the morning coffee bandwagon and save that money instead. 

A cup of home-brewed coffee costs about $0.50. I estimate I save $15 or more per month by drinking plain water in the morning. 

5. Lottery Tickets 

My mom loves to play the lottery and will usually spend $400 on tickets per month. I’ve never understood why she spends so much money on lottery tickets. If she invested that money instead, it would probably grow to equal the average lottery win in a few decades! 

I’ve never gotten into the habit of gambling like my parents. My chances of winning the lottery are so small that I don’t see the point in wasting my fun money on tickets. 

6. Dry Cleaning 

Some maintenance costs are unavoidable, such as car repairs. But I try not to buy items with ongoing costs as much as possible, and that includes clothing. When I shop at the thrift store, I always look at the care tag of clothes before I buy them. If something says dry clean only, I pass on it. 

Although doing laundry costs money, dry cleaning can run you $5 per item or more, which is much more expensive. Not to mention the cost of gas to get to the dry cleaner and the inconvenience of dropping off and picking up piles of clothes. Even though silk blouses and other dry clean only clothes look nice, the ongoing cost of owning them is just not worth it to me. 

7. Name-Brand Groceries 

Growing up we always had name-brand groceries in the pantry. My dad thought that store-brand items were lower quality and would spring for the Lays chips and Tostitos salsa. I think he wanted to treat his family to name-brand items because he grew up in poverty. He never had name-brand items like Yoplait or Oreos in his lunch like his friends. So he probably didn’t want my sister and me to feel left out like he did. 

I picked up the same biases from him and thought name-brand items tasted better, so I avoided store-brand products for a long time. But after giving store-brand items a try at my partner’s suggestion, I realized they tasted exactly the same. If there’s a store-brand option, I’ll always choose it over the more expensive brand-name now. What you’re paying extra for is packaging and marketing, not better quality food.

These aren’t the only items I’ve decided not to spend money on. So maybe I’ll do part two in the future! 

Read More 

How My Quarterly Reviews Consistently Improve My Life

I Want to Move, But I Can’t Afford To

These Are The Best Side Hustles in Illinois

Come back to what you love! Dollardig.com is the most reliable cash-back site on the web. Just sign up, click, shop, and get full cashback!

Vicky Monroe

Vicky Monroe is a freelance personal finance and lifestyle writer. When she’s not busy writing about her favorite money saving hacks or tinkering with her budget spreadsheets, she likes to travel, garden, and cook healthy vegetarian meals.