I used to be a budgeting skeptic. Following rules? Eww. Planning ahead? Don't have the time. But most of all, I thought that budgeting meant I had to stop spending money on fun stuff and be a serious, frugal robot-person at all times.
But that all changed for me when I realized that I can make a budget that reflects what I value (like stocking up on art supplies, enjoying a latte now and then, and spoiling the heck outta my cats) and cuts down or eliminates the stuff that doesn't matter as much. Since then, I've saved a ton by changing banks, switching to a pre-paid phone plan, and cutting out my old manicure habit when it started to feel more like a chore than a treat.
Thinking about the things I don't miss spending money on made me really curious to know what other folks have cut out of their budgets. So I asked members of the BuzzFeed Community to share things that just aren't worth their hard-earned cash to them anymore. Here's what they had to say:
Note: If you enjoy spending money on any of these things, I'm not telling you to stop! I'm not the fun police after all. This list is intended only as food for thought, so bone apple tea!
1. "Contacts. I didn't find them more comfortable; I just thought glasses made me ugly. I've decided they don't, and I'd rather be comfortable anyway!"
2. "Ziploc bags. Instead, I got reusable versions that I can run through the dishwasher. Expensive up front, sure, but the disposable ones aren’t exactly cheap anyway. Every time I grab a reusable one, I feel like I might save some poor sea creature from mistakenly eating my plastic waste and dying."
3. "A very expensive tissue oil for my burn scars. I realized I don’t owe the world a body free of scars. These scars are brushstrokes on the canvas of my body reminding me that I’ve LIVED. I realized an old rich white man probably benefits off my insecurities, and I was like, 'No way.' Six years later, I really love my scars. They look so cute!"
4. "Makeup! I used to spend hundreds of dollars to keep up with the latest and greatest trends and products. Now, I've found my staples that work, and I am content. Of course I'll splurge every now and then, but I make sure I get use out of all the makeup I buy."
5. "In the fall of 2019, I got a student account for Spotify Premium. Then I cancelled it in March 2020 because I was no longer walking around campus between classes, and I lost my source of income due to the pandemic. In light of recent events, I’m never using Spotify again."
6. "Alcohol. I remember scrounging up money for a six pack of whatever so I could buy some from the grocery store. I used to drink a fair amount but not get stupid drunk. Long story short, I just don’t even drink anymore. It’s not worth the days-long headaches."
7. "Phone data. Obviously this one can vary, but I cut my cellphone bill down to $25 a month by opting for a plan with 500 MB. I never go anywhere, so why should I pay for 10 GB that I don't use? Besides, if I'm going out, I'm leaving so I have something to do instead of being on the internet."
8. "Tanning. I used to dream of having perfectly golden brown skin, and after tanning for more than five years all I have to show for it is very damaged dry skin and discoloration (sunspots) on my face and arms. So not worth it!"
9. "Takeout food from sit-down restaurants. COVID caused me to try my own cooking at home, and I was so shocked at how cheap and soothing the whole thing was. While my family did do some takeout during lockdown time, when I went back to a restaurant for the first time I realized how stupid it is to pay for food (albeit good food) that ends up in a to-go container and that you eat in your PJ's."
"The whole point of sit-down restaurants to me is to enjoy a meal with people, but it is also about enjoying the atmosphere of the restaurant and the food that is usually beautifully presented to you. You are also engaged in conversation, and it's nice to know that you don't have to do anything with your meal besides eat and enjoy it. Going to a restaurant is about many different factors that are more than just food."
10. "Bank fees in general. Instead of a bank, I use a credit union. There's very little that a bank can do that a credit union can't. My checking account is free, except I think you have to pay for checks. But since I can't remember the last time I actually wrote a check, it's not that much of an issue."
11. "Just before the pandemic, I decided to no longer purchase gifts for friends and coworkers. I saw it was not reciprocated to the degree I was doing it, and it was stressing me out to keep up with nuanced specifications for gifts. I also stopped spending money to go out to celebrate. I realized I was the one who had to drive the farthest, and expected to contribute when others my age (and others who had higher income) didn't."
"It's made a huge difference. For three years, I've been able to manage my expenses to the point I have been debt free. I've also been able to invest in quality time verses quantity, rushed, overly specified social expectations."
12. "Buying movies. Getting movies that my kids will watch over and over makes sense, but buying movies to watch once and put on a shelf does not."
13. "I've almost completely stopped buying bread and some other baked goods because they are so much more fresh and satisfying when I bake them myself. And it's almost impossible lately to find someone else who makes pie crust the way I like it."
14. "Brow tinting! I have super-blonde brows, so I learned to do it myself. In two years, I've spent what I previously would have in one month."
15. "Fan art commissions. I don't regret it, not at all! It was great seeing concepts and ideas that I couldn't draw being brought to life by amazing artists, but I outgrew the fandom I was in."
16. "During the pandemic, I stopped shaving my legs and underarms. I saved so much time and money not buying razors; saved water too. I can’t go back. What’s the point of being hairless? That’s a human thing, having hair."
17. "The gym. Walking outside is free. So is YouTube. I follow a few YouTube trainers, and I get plenty of variety with dance, low-impact HIIT, and Pilates workouts. And because I have some physical limitations, I can figure out how to modify accordingly in the privacy of my home, rather than feeling self-conscious that people think I’m slacking since I appear outwardly healthy and agile."
18. "Pizza. I got a bread machine for my birthday in 2020, and we make homemade pizza at least once a week. We've tweaked the base dough recipe to make it our own, make sauce, choose cheese and meats, etc. We'll make an exception every once in a while if we go on vacation (had amazing pizza in NYC, for example), but for the most part, nothing can beat the pizzas we make at home."
19. "Booze in bars. The markup is unreal. No thanks, I’ll just drink at home."
20. "Haircuts. I used to spend over $1,000 a year for a trim I can do at home. Also lingerie. I used to buy cute little things to wear for Valentine's, anniversaries, etc. Then I realized he doesn’t care or notice if it’s something new. I can just rotate through some classics or wear nothing at all and make life really easy for him!"
21. "Manicures. If you get fake nails (acrylic, gel, etc.), they look great, but the process of applying and removing them ruins your real nails. You're forced to either keep filling them or remove them and wait until your damaged nail grows out. But if you just get polish, it chips within a week or two, and then you've spent all that money for what?"
22. "Business clothes. Been wearing sweatpants and T-shirts for the past two years. All my 'work appropriate' clothes have been sitting in my closet. And dry cleaning! I think I've had about three things dry cleaned over the past couple of years, whereas before I'd have that many a month."
23. "My husband used to be religious about getting the car professionally washed once a week. Now, I just do it myself. The only time we get it done now is in the winter because of all the salt and snow, and even then, we spend $8. But in the spring and summer? Meh, maybe a few times in five months."
24. "Clothes. I have more than enough, and there’s multiple different ways to style the same piece. If I really want some or need to replace some, I’ll go to the thrift store. I do have to remind myself when I'm out running errands that even though I may like it and want it in the store, I don’t actually need it."
25. "Drugs. I'm done with that shit."
26. "I used to spend $40 or more on insoles for my work boots and shoes. I switched to Dr. Scholl's, and I'm probably getting better arch support with them than the higher-priced ones."
27. "When I met my significant other, he was buying two drinks at Starbucks per day. When we added up the Starbucks spending for the year, it was just under $4,000. He broke that habit, and now we save the money and spend a small portion of it on things we love to do together."
28. "I'm no longer buying books and instead taking advantage of my local library."
29. "Glossy boxes!! When clearing out my room, I found I had over 50 boxes, and I never really used anything I ever got from them. It was a nice thing getting a delivery like that every month, but not when you add up the cost!"
30. And finally, "Eating out. This was a big one for us. Before I became disabled, we would eat out one to three times a week. The total was usually around $80 by the time we paid for drinks, food, and dessert. We wondered why our credit card bill was so high. When we added it up, it was almost $12,500 a year in eating out. We couldn't believe it (obviously we knew what we were spending, but we weren't keeping track)."
Is there something you're 100% over spending money on? Tell us all about it in the comments.
And for more stories about life and money, check out the rest of our personal finance posts.
Note: Responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.