Today, I wanted to share with you 10 items and/or services that I no longer purchase. Some have been conscious decisions for one reason or another and others were strictly done to save some money. All were fairly simple to give up and collectively, they ended up saving us heaps of cash! So let's have a look at the 10 items that I no longer purchase.
1. Magazines
I stopped buying magazines and magazine subscriptions over a decade ago. It felt like such a waste, not only financially, but environmentally too. It was a pretty easy habit to break and I rarely miss it.
2. Take Out Coffee/ Tea
Here's another one that I quit over a decade ago. I can make my own coffee and tea just as well, if not better than take-out coffee shops. And, it costs me pennies to make it myself. The savings on this one was huge in the long run!
3 + 4. Bottled Water + Soda
This is yet another one that I quit buying many moons ago. Instead of bottled water, I use a refillable bottle and fill it with filtered water. Soda took some willpower to kick the habit, but once you break it, you won't miss it. I replaced it by drinking more water and adding lemon, some fruit, homemade ìced tea, and even those flavoured water enhancers. My absolute favourite is Crystal Light's Strawberry Lemonbabe, but Mio has some good ones too. They are very refreshing and a healthier alternative to soda or diet soda. You'll not only be helping your pocketbook and health, but the environment, too.
5. CD/DVDs
I honestly don't remember the last time that I purchased a DVD or CD! Everything can be found online these days. This not only saves money but helps reduce clutter.
6. Backup Items (that aren't necessities)
I used to be so guilty of buying backups of products that I tried and loved. After years of doing this, I realized that most of the time the products would either expire by the time that I got to them, or I would have found other new favourites. I still purchase backups of necessities when they are on sale, Items like laundry detergent and similar necessities get a pass, so I will stock up on these when on sale.
7. Manicures and Pedicures
This one is another big money saver! The time and money it costs to go to get a mani and/ or pedi is a lot these days. There are so many great nail formulas and fun DIY nail art products that you can do your own mani and pedi at home for a fraction of the cost.
8. Pet Toys
I used to buy cat toys all the time. In fact, we kept having to donate them because we would collect so many and our cat didn't even have any interest in them. The ironic thing is that our cats have always had an interest in the "toys" that are free
Items like a twist tie, hair tie, toilet paper roll, and tin foil crinkled into a ball or just a piece of paper crinkled up into a ball. It's amazing how your pets can be entertained for hours with some little hair elastic, yet ignore the brand-new expensive toys.
9. Knick knacks + Souvenirs
I have to admit that I still struggle with this one a bit. Although I have stopped purchasing Knick knacks and souvenirs, I still get the urge to purchase them (hello dollar store). When this happens, I remind myself that we don't need more clutter or knick-knacks lying around the house. Unless it is something über-special, it's a no-buy for me.
10. Netflix / Streaming Services
I am not against having a streaming service. They are usually a fun and inexpensive form of entertainment. But, how many streaming services do you really need? I asked myself this very question and decided that we only needed one. We kept Amazon Prime, solely because it had the most bang for our buck since it includes free Prime shipping as well as many other features like Prime Video and Prime music etc. We also purchased Amazon's affordable Fire TV Stick which we absolutely love! You can load it up with all kinds of apps and stream live TV, movies, shows and so much more. Once we cancelled our Netflix, we never looked back. So if you want to save a few bucks, see what streaming service(s) you can let go of and cut the cord. After all, if you regret it, which i doubt you will, you can always sign up again.
I hope my no-buy list gave you some ideas on areas where you can start your own no-buy list so that you can start to save yourself some money and time, help the environment, and/or cut down on unnecessary clutter. And if you decide to purchase something now and then that's on your no-buy list, it's all good, rules were made to be broken, just be sure to get back to your no-buy list.
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