If this doesn't make us rich, it'll at least make us less broke.
I'm an LA-based trending news writer covering health, politics, and internet culture.But the conversation didn't stop there. So, here are even more things frugal folks say they've completely given up, or seriously rethought, since they started counting their coins a little closer:"I hate that I'm saying this, but stop buying sweet treats.
Personally, I always deserve a treat when I'm out. But my wallet thank me for skipping them." "Impulse buys on Amazon. I gave up Amazon as part of a larger goal to stop supporting billionaires, and I realized that I bought a ton of stuff that I thought was cool or thought that I could use for future projects. Turns out that those small but frequent purchases really added up over time." "Makeup wipes. Switch to a cleansing balm! Better for the environment AND less damaging to the skin! Also, no more cheap shoes. My Timberlands were pricey, but they have LASTED." "New gift bags and bows. I have some relatives that throw those out after one use. I save all of them and reuse them. Haven't had to buy a new one in years." "I gave up buying presents. I make things for my friends and for some friends, I simply give cards now rather than give them a present for their birthday, Christmas, etc." "We use cloth napkins. I can't tell you the last time I purchased napkins. They get tossed in the wash with dish towels and whatnot. In the last year, we've also moved to using unpaper towels — double-sided flannel rectangles. They go in the same wash load as the cloth napkins. I still buy actual paper towels, but really infrequently. I use paper towels for really messy/gross things, like when the cat has a hairball, not every day counter clean-up, etc." "1) Paper towels. We just cut up old towels when they get holes and keep our stained and ragged hand towels. 2) Baby wipes. Replaced with cloth wipes/soft washcloths. 3) Gender-neutral baby clothes and kids' coats/snow boots. 4) And buying an actual mop ." "1) Switching to microfiber cloths. Yellow and green for the kitchen; pink and blue for the washroom. I only use paper towels for biological messes now . 2) I started air-drying my clothes. I use a few bungee cords and a clothes horse on my balcony. 3) Heavily limiting vices to one day a week, Saturday is my 'IDGAF' day where I have $12 to go wild, but regardless of how stressful the week is, I don’t give in earlier. That means no sneaky take-outs, and not drowning any stress in an edible or wine. Mostly just learning to handle most stress the proper way. It’s helped me center my life better. I grew up in chaos and have learned to cope with chaos, so unlearning that is invaluable." "4) Keeping subscriptions and online purchases to a minimum. If it’s not something I normally would buy for the house, then it sits in the cart a few days. I have a note where I write every subscription I have and have it widgeted, so I see it every time I’m on my phone. I’m a master of out of sight, out of mind, so this helps keep me in check and way less likely to forget a trial. 5) Mending my own stuff. If something breaks, I try and repair it before buying a new one. I’ve learned how to sew pretty well, I’ve fixed the stove, the fridge, I’ve learned to dye clothing, etc. video tutorials and Google and save so much money on minor repairs. 6) Oh, and I make my own coffee, it’s good, it’s hot, I have a frother to make things fancy. I haven’t missed coffee lines at all." "Books and it hurts! I read over 200 books a year. This year, I challenged myself to only read what I already had or could get for free. I still have Kindle Unlimited, but I’m using my library much more and taking advantage of 'stuff your Kindle day' to get free books." "Premade, packaged foods. If you think about it, it's nearly the same as eating out. You're paying someone else to cook the food for you." "Many say to grow your own vegetables and fruits, but you get the most bang for the buck by starting out with herbs: the highest cost for the smallest yields at the store. Growing fresh herbs will vastly improve your flavors at little extra cost if you normally buy dried herbs. If you normally buy fresh herbs, it will be approximately the same price for a lot more supply. Basil, parsley, sage, mint, and thyme do well in pots. Dill, rosemary, and chamomile do well in the ground." "I don’t buy air fresheners or scented candles. In my cleaning supplies, I keep lemon Pine-Sol or something similar, and wipe all surfaces with the fresh lemony scent. Two birds with one swipe!" "Bottled water. Your mileage may vary, of course, but in eastern Massachusetts, Quabbin water is among the best in the entire country, pouring out of my tap for free !" "Gas. I no longer buy gas, oil changes, or expensive services. In seven years of driving electrically, I have saved an ungodly amount of money over my previous gas cars. Plus, electric is smoother, and the instant torque is tons of fun!" "Car extended warranties. Just bought a used car. The salesperson and manager both tried to sell me a $2000 extended warranty. Because I'm a woman, they tried to apply even more pressure. I've been buying cars for 60 years and never bought a warranty. Never had any need for one. Saved thousands of dollars." "Paying regular price at fast food and fast casual restaurants. It's wild to me to see people going into McDonald's, Taco Bell, or Subway and paying $12-15 for a single combo meal. Almost every fast and fast casual chain has an app that contains super good offers daily . Tons of BOGO deals, free item with $1 purchase, half-priced items, spend $10 and get a free large item, etc., etc.""Not that I recommend eating at these kinda places super often, but when you do, you should never be spending more than $5-7 at most for a full meal. I often get a full meal's worth of food for $2-3. This is also why it annoys me to see the constant viral bitching about rising prices at these restaurants. You’re just not doing it right… don’t just cruise up to a drive-thru and order the #2 combo, dummy! Use the app and take advantage of the offers every single time!" "Single purchase beverages. One single Diet Coke at Circle K is $2.69-$3.50, depending on how convenient it is. But that 12-pack is buy two, get two free at Publix. That's right: two free 12-packs, so 48 drinks for $11.99 x 2. Whoa, don't buy one for almost a half a 12-pack...Jesus H.""I avoid actually going to the grocery store. Instead, I have used Walmart Plus since 2020. Originally, it was about $100 per year for free grocery delivery, so I would only pay for the groceries and tip each week. The only caveat is fresh produce, since I make a weekly trip rather than relying on others to choose quality fruits and vegetables." "I did the math a few years ago, and I literally save thousands of dollars each year since I am:1) Not impulse shopping as much. Back when I did the math, my average weekly online shopping cart would be $60-70. If I actually went inside Walmart, I would easily spend $150. Prices have risen, but it's still more cost-effective to do it from home. 2) Able to see what we have while I'm shopping, so I don't buy stuff we already have enough of. It's also great that I can add items to my cart throughout the week if I run out of something that needs replacing. That way I am not having to make several trips throughout the week."If you're a frugal person, what's something that you never buy? How much do you think you've saved because of it? Let us know in the comments or at this
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