What frugal tips have you tried and then abandoned?
You guys came up with so many great reader interview questions, I couldn't possibly fit all of them into future reader interviews.
So, I thought it would be fun to occasionally use some of them as an Ask The Readers question; that way we all can share!
This one, from Danielle C., seemed like a fun one to start with. I'll share my answers, and then you guys can join by sharing in the comments.
What have I tried and then abandoned? A few things!
1. Line-drying my laundry
I did give this a solid try for a year or two, and then I let it go.
Why?
Well, I hated it. It was super annoying to haul all my laundry outside and then back in again. And I had no good place to line-dry clothes in the winter.
Secondly, I did the calculations, and it wasn't really saving me an impressive amount of money, even when I considered the annual savings.
So, I decided to let this practice go.
I do still hang-dry some things, but only to preserve items that don't do well in the dryer. For instance, I air-dry sweaters, shirts with screen printing, and items with lots of elastic (such as sports bras and leggings).
2. Making my own laundry detergent
I tried several variations of homemade laundry detergent and they all were terrible. Our clothes started to smell like dirty socks after a while, so I gave up on this.
What good is detergent that doesn't actually clean? I decided it's better to pay for something that truly works.
3. Keeping my heat super low in the winter
I tried to hang in there for a number of years, keeping the heat set around 65 degrees or lower.
But no one in my family runs particularly warm, and we were pretty miserable, even with hot drinks, slippers, and plenty of clothes.
I know some people manage to feel great at that temperature in the winter, but it was not working for us!
4. Couponing (mostly)
When I was in my 20s, I did quite a lot of couponing, but I mostly gave that up a while ago.
Why?
Two reasons:
-Coupon deals used to be better
There were more high-value coupons back in the day, AND several of my local grocery stores doubled coupons, even $1 coupons.
By combining coupons with sales, I got lots of food and toiletries for pennies; it was definitely worth my time.
But over time, coupons have become less valuable; there are so many "$1.25/3" type of coupons, and that cannot compare with a doubled $1/1 coupon.
-I didn't have an Aldi back then
Once I discovered Aldi, couponing became significantly less important. It was hard to beat Aldi's prices, even with sales and coupons. And shopping at Aldi was not as time-consuming as couponing.
The start of my Aldi era coincided with the decline of coupon quality, so that was pretty adventitious timing!
I do still sometimes use coupons for freebies (like birthday coupons). Or when companies send me a $5/any purchase or $10/any purchase coupon, I will pop in and find something that's around the price of the coupon.
I also use online coupon codes. BUT, I do not carry a little box of coupons to the grocery store anymore!
______________
As I look at the frugal practices I've abandoned, a common theme is that these practices did not feel worth my time, either because they didn't save me much, OR because the practices made me feel particularly miserable.
This is why the frugal choices we make (and we are always making choices!) are so personal. What's miserable to one person could be a source of joy to another, and vice-versa.
In fact, many people adore hanging their laundry out to dry. I am just not one of those people. 😉
Meal planning. I have so many better ways of spending time figuring out what we might want to eat 6 days from now. Add in crazy schedules, it's easier to make noodles or polenta topped with a fried egg.
Also couponing, although I slightly envy those who have the time to cut 679 zillion coupons for say toothbrushes for their stockpile. Who needs that many, and who has the room for said stockpile. Buying in bulk at a good price sure, if it can be used up before it expires. Having 265 bottles of Italian dressing, no thank you.
When my kids were little, professiononal school photos. Who needs all those school pictures? So much more meaningful to frame a photo with child and grampa fishing.
@Shannon, school photos. I bought very few of my son mostly because they cost too much along with being bad photos. And those bad photos don’t improve with age. I’m cleaning out old photos along with everything else and have a whole stack of mine, the extras not passed out. I’ve been shredded them, which is kind of fun.
@Shannon, My oldest is graduating, and we abandoned professional photos when he was maybe three (3 boys aged 3 and under made for a ridiculous photo shoot). But I wanted to get professional photos done for senior pictures. He absolutely didn't want it. So we took some, and they really are just fine.
@Shannon, My in-laws had a wall display with matching (WalMart-like) frames of the grandchildren, and they would ONLY put school photos there, and no non-professional ones out anywhere else. Even the one they described as "her teacher should have helped her comb her hair" was up on the wall for a year. Any casual snapshots just went in a drawer.
So displaying the school photos must be a sort of generational thing
The things we try and decide it is not worth it. My list:
1. Not running the air-conditioning in our hot and humid climate is a no no. I feel the heat terribly.
2. We ran the air con in winter because mum feels cold and I swelter.
3. I have a line under a breezeway. I use this to area to hang our clothing. Firstly because it is under cover and I have already had some nasty skin cancers. Secondly the wash dries pretty quickly. I am fussy though and hang clothing on hangers and bring the towels in for final tumble to soften them.
4. Tissues. Allergies are a real bug bear in this family. Cheaper tissues often end up with very irritated skin.
5. Cheap tea. My mother is English and particular. I buy her tea when it is on sale. My daughter cannot see why I buy up to six boxes at a time. But I prefer to buy at the lowest point and wait for the next sale.
6. This relates to the allergy side of things. I no longer but cheap body wash, shampoo etc. Once again I swear I spent far more treating reactions so mostly tried but products.
7. Personally I agree with you about detergents. We have very hard water and soap makes an awful mess.
@Suzan, I completely agree on the tea. Life is too short to drink cheap, bad tea. I do the same as you, wait until the place I buy my tea from has a good sale and stock up with a few months worth until the next sale. My husband does the same with his coffee. Not that he drinks an expensive brand but every few months our local grocer has the 26oz. can on sale for $5.99!
@Suzan and Annie H,
We do the same with extra virgin olive oil. We buy top quality when on sale. Also with coffee.
@Suzan, Life is too short for cheap tea, I agree! I have tried some brands that are, as Mrs. Slocombe would say, "Weak as water!"
And we also use shampoo without SLS, and toothpaste without SLS, it's more expensive, but it's better than having frequent canker sores and skin irritation.
@Erika JS,
Oops, forgot to add that I do hang some things on a line in my basement, basically the same things Kristen mentioned. And I air dry sweaters.
@Karen, couldn't agree more about the tea!! I'm very snobby about that.
@Suzan, Yes on the tea! I also splurge on good hot chocolate instead of the packets from the grocery store. Good hot chocolate is so worth the calories (to me).
@Karen, The only fan letter I have ever written was to Mrs. Slocombe. I read that she was ill so I wrote her that I was a fan living in Alaska and this many years after Are You Being Served had been taped, she was still making people laugh. I found her agent and sent it to him. He forwarded it on to her nursing home and she wrote a delightful letter thanking me for making her day, that she was past her prime in terms of being able to act but it pleased her to think that her best work was living on. Mollie Sugden died soon after I got her reply and I have never regretted taking the time to send it.
@Karen, I agree with you on the SLS issue! I'd rather pay a little more and avoid the terrible mouth sores. Sensodyne pronamel is the best one I've found without SLS.
@Karen,
I prefer to take my tea from Mrs. Doyle: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=aaKT2AdJCAc
@Karen, Your Mrs. Slocombe reference just made my night! : )
@Becca, oh you will you will you will :):)
@Lindsey, That is so sweet that you did that! I watched that show in high school, when it was on very late at night, and it turned me into an Anglophile for life.
@Becca, Father Ted! Awesome show. Irish tea is amazing.
@Natasha, What is SLS? Sensodyne Pronamel is a fabulous toothpaste! Interested to know what it means that it doesn't have SLS.
@Cindy, SLS is sodiumlaurylsulfat and it’s used in toothpaste, soap, shampoo etc for cleaning and foaming effect. It’s cheap so it’s in a lot of products but while it’s effective at removing dirt and grease, SLS also strips away the natural moisturizing oils of the skin and in toothpaste it can cause sores.
If one have problems with that or dry skin/scalp, I would recommend to find other products without SLS.
Like Kristen, I was once a big coupon user. What changed? Dollar Double Couponing disappeared, the value and quantity of coupons decreased, the price of newspapers increased, we rarely eat/use the products that coupons are available for. I don't miss it.
I use to tend towards the low price end of restaurant menus. Now I look for something I really want to eat. It's not that much more money and if I'm going to eat out I want to really enjoy my meal.
I use to shop at yard sales and thrift shops. There's not much we need these days and there is always the chance that I'll bring home something that will become clutter. I find it easier to bring stuff into the house than to get it out.
We use to participate in our annual community yard sale. For the amount of work it took to make a few bucks it does not seem worth it. I'm happier giving our stuff away, usually with Freecycle, if I don't know someone to give it to. We do still participate in the annual yard sale by putting items out with a "Free" sign and then going about our day.
Oooh, yes, hosting a yard sale is not for me either. I tried it a few times when our community did a yard sale day, and it was so much work for so little reward.
I do better by listing individual things for sale on eBay or Facebook marketplace.
@K D, Hosting a yard sale is great if you have big ticket items and you like to talk to people. For me it was so not worth it.
@Kristen, no more having a yard sale for me either. Been there. Done that. I live offer up. Makes me feel good.
@Battra92, my husband is in his element whenever we have had a yard sale. Talks to everyone, upsells, wheels and deals. Me, nope. I do all the prep, sit in the heat, all the cleanup, and taking the leftovers to the donation center. I decided long ago, to take ALL the stuff and donate it. I win!
@K D, I no longer hold yard sales either. My friend Patty and I used to dumpsterdive at a local college on graduation day. So many wonderful,things! Like new counter top appliances, canned goods, bedding, storage containers, cleaning supplies, laundry detergent and trash cans. We would keep what we wanted and then hold a big yard sale the next weekend. We used to really make out well. But the last yard sale we had I only made $30 and I didn’t really NEED any if the things we found, and the thrift store we always donated our leftovers to suddenly got super picky about what they would take so we stopped. It was super fun for the few years we did it but wasn’t worth the time or effort anymore.
Good question, I like to evaluate the why of stuff.
Biking to work years ago comes to mind. It was about a mile and a pleasant ride. But it was dangerous because of traffic, which just got worst. So I went back to driving. I only made short trips and filled up one every six weeks or so.
Along the same line I don’t use public transportation because it’s very time consuming. For jury duty we get a free ride. But with the schedule a 30 minute trip by car takes 2 hours by bus with the scheduled stops. With driving and paying for parking it was not frugal. The time saved was more enjoyable and worth it to me. Bonus is whenever dismissed I can leave right away, again saving time.
I mostly quit couponing years ago also. Mainly because I never found coupons for what I bought. And spending more to save doesn’t always work for me. The store used to often have spend $100 and save $20. The problem is there were restrictions on what counted. And when I tried by picking up extra items I never quite made it. So now I buy what we use and if I hit the mark good, if not I don’t worry about it. Even though the frugal way is to save everywhere and on everything I do better only spending where I want. I often don’t get the best price but I also do buy more than I need.
That line led to. I spend more sometimes just because I’ll shop at a local place, or a less crowded one. The other day I bypassed Walmart and went to staples to buy a hdmi cable. The choice was limited and more expensive but it was quick. And I received a coupon on the receipt for $10 off $20. This coupon is easy to use because when I get them I buy coffee.
Don’t buy more than I need. (added because even proofreading doesn’t always help me)lol
Fun question! I tried and gave up...
1. Peanut butter sandwiches. My husband ate this nearly every day for lunch when he went back to school because it was frugal and did not require refrigeration. Five, six, or more years of this grated on him and started to give him heartburn. So, we have moved on from this frugal staple.
2. Homemade maple flavored syrup and other homemade alternatives. I'm thinking it was a powdered cream soup mixture I used to keep in my cabinet? I can't remember exactly, but when I was a newlywed I tried all kinds of frugal alternatives like this, most of which did not last long. Some of them tasted ok, some didn't, but they all required time, which didn't work for me in the long run. The only homemade condiment I keep now is Kate's ranch dip mix (I think Kristen linked it once?).
3. Less expensive transportation. In my Meet a Reader interview, I noted that my husband and I have had one car more often than not during our marriage. Well, right now we have two cars, for a couple reasons: First, I recently inherited a car from my parents' estates, and our only costs were registration and insurance. Second, I travel to see my (other) father out-of-state on a regular basis. If my father takes a turn for the worse, it's important for me to be able to drive to him at a moment's notice, and I can't take the car my husband uses to commute to work every day. I don't see this situation continuing long term....whenever my father passes away, we'll go back to being a one car family.
Oops, I meant to add that I used to take the bus as my primary form of transportation, but it works a whole lot better on a university campus than it does in a smallish town!
Only wearing secondhand. I'd shop at thrift stores and yard sales and get excited about the pretty clothes for cheap! Some clothing held up, but others fell apart or really weren't what I needed. Now, I figured out my style, and I buy much less, keep a list of what would fit into my current wardrobe, and shop for quality items on sale or second hand.
Keeping a gift closet. I wait now and either make something myself, repurpose something nice that I own, or find it a few weeks ahead of time
@MommaL, my gift closet is a place where things go to be forgotten! I do have a stash that sometimes comes in handy, but I am always surprised at what is in there when I remember to look (these days it is mostly consumables).
I once read a simplicity/frugal tip to use baking soda as shampoo and ACV for conditioner. NOOOOOO. No. No. Tried for a few weeks and had some terribly greasy hair to show for it.
@Katie, I absolutely do this! There’s a detox period to go through that doesn’t get mentioned. I only wash my hair about once every few months now.
1. Making my own laundry detergent was the first thing I thought of when I saw the question! I think mine was more that it was just one more thing to do and I didn't keep up. I can't do everything and that is one that I'm ok with letting go. Maybe I'll try again someday, but this is not that day
2. Cloth diapers. I'm done with diapers altogether now - hallelujah - but it was something I did with my second child. I stopped cloth diapering him pretty early into my third pregnancy. Again, I couldn't do everything.
This was a fun question to think about!
1. No yard sales
2. No homemade laundry soap
3. No coupons
4. No Black Friday shopping
5. No urge to buy the “just on the market thing.”
@Alison R, Black Friday is such a terrible shopping experience!
@Alison R, Great list!
@Alison R,
I completely agree with "no black friday shopping." I am so over that...
Not worrying so much about eating out. I know this goes against the grain of a lot of readers, but I've gotten to the point that if I'm out of the house and hungry, I'll grab something to eat. I guess it's part of my "life is too short" mentality as I get older.
Hmm...most of what I've stopped doing is a result of having less time now that I have a family with three kids. It was easier to hang dry clothes when I was single. I also worked extra jobs which I don't do anymore and I used to sell things on eBay, but again, this was time-consuming. I often say that right now working part-time to support my family, we may be money-poor, but we are time-rich. I think that's a good trade-off because my kids will only be little once.
@Becca,
My children are grown now. I am thankful that I spent so much time with them. Those were wonderful years.
I gave up using cloth napkins over paper towels. I wanted this to work, but it was a hassle to wash, dry, and fold quickly before they wrinkled.
Like many others, I stopped using (most) coupons unless the item was free or something I buy regularly. I just hope companies are getting the message on why their coupons aren't working.
@Maria Zannini, why care if they are wrinkled? I don't. 🙂
@Battra92, well, if I have guests over, I'd like them nice and flat.
@Maria Zannini, I iron my napkins - pretty easy and unlike many people I enjoy ironing.
@Maria Zannini,
I never used cloth napkins until Covid happened and we were unable to get paper napkins in our area. I found around a dozen cloth napkins in various picnic baskets in the garage and started using them. I fell in love with Cloth Napkins! Yes, they do require washing but I just throw them in with whatever load is getting washed next. And to answer your question, I don't care about wrinkles!
@Jeanie,
..
I have never owned an iron but I when buying cloth napkins, I did look at reviews that said "no ironing needed."
@Battra92,
I'm with you...our cloth napkins are usually wrinkled. We don't entertain or have people over, so it's not an issue, but @Maria Zannini, I do understand your desire for them to look nice for visitors.
@Jeanie, you made me laugh! My sister LOVES to iron. She calls it therapy.
@Jeanie,
My mother always said she liked ironing because it was one of the few household chores that was warm, clean and dry!
I hate to iron. So I got rid of my iron. I do have a steamer that I use every once in a while.
I love cloth napkins, and I've found that the cotton woven ones are so much softer and don't wrinkle. They feel like tiny cotton blankets. Funny, here the only time I don't use them is when we have overnight company. People sit in different places in the morning and ew, sometimes use other people's napkins, so when they visit, I bring out the paper napkins!
@Susan, I have a bunch of polyester/cotton blend napkins that we have been using daily for at least 20 years. They don't need ironing and they wear like iron. I've had to throw away a few because of really nasty stains or the edges frayed too badly but most are still going strong.
Laundry soap, homemade. I had the same result as Kristen.
Hanging laundry happens when there's not a significant amount of pollen to get on the clothes, when the clothes won't freeze, when it's not so humid that the clothes won't dry anyway, when leaves won't blow on them, and when I have time. So I hang clothes maybe 10 times a year.
I don't keep a notebook of prices anymore. We try to keep the ideas in our heads now and don't stress if we're not perfect.
I used to buy things because they were on sale. Now I buy things I would normally purchase if they're on sale.
Couponing is the big one we gave up on. Like you said, coupons used to be a lot better. Occasionally I'll see a coupon for something but it's not worth the time or the effort.
I am definitely a laundry hanger (might as well get some use out of that crazy glaring New Mexico sun), but I also gave up on making laundry soap. I did it for several years, but when we moved to a house with incredibly hard water, the homemade stuff just didn't work. This was right around the time that I read about how it's mostly the agitation in the machine gets the dirt out, so I stopped using laundry soap altogether. 🙂 Now I keep a jug of unscented purchased detergent onhand for greasy stuff, but otherwise, it's just water.
I also mostly gave up on our inadequate library options here. The selections from the bookmobile and books by mail programs are very, very limited and our whole family reads a LOT. So if there's something we really want to read, I just buy it used online. Books are very important for us to have around, so now it's just part of our expenses to buy them rather than borrow them. (I do still check the library options first, but it's extremely rare I find what I want.)
@kristin @ going country, I am with you on the library. It's wonderful if you like certain things but for me, most of the time it's just not worth it. Buying used (and selling afterward if you're into that) is a good option for a lot of people.
@kristin @ going country, I wanted to report that I stopped using the library years ago, but was afraid I would be stoned out of the village. 🙂 I'm retired and I have very specific tastes in books and I read for pleasure five or six hours most days. I, long ago, ran through all my favorite authors and subjects at my local library, even though I'm in large county in So Cal.
I get a lot of book recommendations from another blog, and they always recommend library and e-books, but my library NEVER has them. So I buy 95% of my books through thriftbooks.com. Most are around $5.00. I am truly thankful that I am now in a position to purchase the books I reallywant to read.
I have a no-stoning policy here. 😉 Never fear!
@kristin @ going country, I'm another one who doesn't use the not-very-good local library system. And, like you, I nearly always buy used--either online, at thrift stores, or at book sales at our suburban (and much better) libraries.
@kristin @ going country, I am fortunate to have a good library at the moment but before that I was in a small library district. During that time I found PaperBackSwap.com and use them for some things. They don’t have everything either but I am able to find some of what I want there. It is also the place I post my books first when I am done with them. I like that I am able to give someone a book they are looking for. After it has been posted awhile I take it down and pass it on another way. Is this frugal? Maybe/maybe not. You pay some for postage but it is usually less then buying a book. I just like that I can request what I want and my books go to others who want them.
@kristin @ going country,
If you read eBooks, it may be worth your time to buy a non-resident card to a very large library system like New York, Chicago, or Multnomah. Most libraries charge well under $100/year for non-residents and you would get access to all of their electronic materials on Libby and hoopla.
@Anne,
I lived in LA County until last year. The library in my city didn't have much, but the one in the next city over had a lot more that I was interested in, so started getting my books there. Found out years ago, that you can request (in person or now online) any book in the LA County library system & have it sent to the library of your choice. I now live "across the freeway" in another county, but the local library is very small & not convenient, so I continue to use my library card at my favorite (former) library. Here, there's only a couple libraries that won't send books to other libraries & one of them is the Catalina Island library. Don't know what county you live in, but please check to see if this is the case where you live. You might be amazed at all the books & DVDs you can borrow for free....then look for a cheap one to buy, if it's something you want to keep at home.
@Janet Bailey Salvaggi, good for you. A lot of people don’t realize how many services libraries offer. May I recommend to all readers that you take an interest in your library and help advocate for it? Much of library funding is public, and responsive to citizen advocacy. I am a former member of our local Friends of the Library, work to enhance and supplement library services and programs and inventory. It is interesting and enriching to learn how the library operates, and help make it better! Our local library has phenomenal DVDs, recorded books, periodicals, book clubs, and a collection of cake pans, yard games, traffic cones, etc., helping lots of families borrow needed items for free.
Couponing is probably the biggest for me. They are usually for processed food that we don’t eat and I agree they aren’t as good as they use to be.
The soap thing too. Just didn’t work for us.
Not buying brand names. Some brands ARE better than others. Cheap knock offs don’t always cut it. I’m selective but do buy more expensive brands I like on sale
1. I tried making my own laundry detergent and my own dishwasher detergent. Both kinds clumped and didn’t work very well. After buying huge containers of the items needed to make the detergent, I think it cost more than regular detergent.
-I tried to be eco-friendly and use this reusable waxed paper sheets for packing my sandwiches for lunch. They always turned out a bit dry and I didn't like having to take something back home.
-I bought a bread machine thinking I would bake bread and never even opened it. Donated it to charity after a few years.
-Used to use Groupons sometimes but just found it to be a hassle
@Sarah K, If you live near a Publix they have recycling bins out front where you can drop off plastic bags. Between grocery bags, bread bags and sandwich bags I’m dropping off some every week lol
@Sarah K,
Groupons....yesssss. I used to buy them all the time (and some other similar discount deal vouchers), until one restaurant I bought one for refused to honor it (it was a Saturday evening, the restaurant was almost empty, and refused it because I had not made a reservation). Another restaurant closed before I could use my voucher. Nope, done.
When I read this title I immediately thought of line drying clothes (so much work! and makes my patio look tacky), making my own laundry detergent (hard to store, doesn't work as great), and couponing (time consuming for very little return). I also used to do a LOT of second hand shopping for clothes for my Hubby and kids, and I think I saved a lot of money there, but I no longer have the leisure nor the need for that. Also, I 100% agree that sometimes the frugal choice ends up not being frugal if you get lower quality. Sometimes you can't help it if you are on a tight budget. But you really do get what you pay for. If the name brand stuff works better for you, buy all means buy it. Cheap shampoo, for example, will not make your hair look as good if it has harsh ingredients that a premium brand does not.
I have definitely given up some frugal activities both as our income is not as tight and I found that the time/cost balance was unfavorable.
I no longer make all my cleaning products. After awhile I found they didn’t work as well. Plus cleaning isn’t the most fun so trying new products with different scents makes it more tolerable.
I also stopped line drying everything and couponing.
I don’t always make everything from scratch anymore. Now that my kids are older and we do a lot more running around for activities my time is more limited. Things like dog food, salad dressings and crackers I no longer make but just buy unless the mood strikes me to do so. I felt super guilty about this one for a long time.
@KimN, I wouldn’t feel guilty. Our families change over time; no reason why our shopping and cooking shouldn’t also change. I used to sew almost everything I and my husband wore, but I do less now, except for higher quality. My homemade linen shirts fit better & look better much cheaper than retail!
Black Friday shopping! The crowds aren't worth the hassle, especially as I don't enjoy shopping that much to begin with!
I also stopped using homemade detergent and coupons.
1) I stopped shopping secondhand for my kids’ clothes. We don’t have any good used clothing shops where I currently live, and it was so much time and work to find anything passable. Sizing was also unpredictable and I couldn’t return things that I found didn’t work out.
2) During the pandemic, I’ve stopped shopping around town for the best food prices on certain items. I used to go to multiple stores every week to get everything. Now, if I’m lucky enough to find what I want in stock, I just buy it. Current gas prices add to cutting down my driving trips.
3) We stopped keeping our house so warm in the summer. I used to set the AC thermostat at 77. With my husband working from home, and often upstairs where it’s hottest, it’s just not comfortable for him. I also find most everyone in my house is unable to sleep well if the temperature is over 70F, so we cool down the house even more overnight. Thankfully, we are able to take advantage of the cold in winter!
Good morning!
I tried using cloth napkins. Well my hubby kept grabbing paper towels etc, so I gave up on that one. I still use a cloth napkin during the day, but for dinner we use paper napkins.
I do still hang laundry outside and in the winter I have huge drying racks, that said, I do put socks, undies and pjs in the dryer.
I also tried making my own laundry soap, it didn't get my clothes clean. Ditched that idea.
Washing out baggies and used tin foil, it felt like a waste of time. We stopped doing that.
I agree that coupons are not that great anymore. I still use a few for personal care products, ie shampoo etc.
We always check "gas buddy" for the lowest price of gas in our area.
My list is much the same! I don’t coupon anymore because the double $1 coupons are gone, I no longer get a paper, and it is too time consuming to find them and print them off. I also tried to make my own detergent and it just didn’t work nearly as well as tide. Tide is just the best darn detergent it’s worth the price 100%. I also don’t generally line dry our clothes. In the summer I do still try to but if the weather’s not nice it just takes too long.
I also no longer coupon, for the exact reasons you describe, just not worth the energy, time and cost of the newspaper that I wasn't readin. But I will use on-line coupons and cash back apps like Fetch, Ibotta and Rakuten along with store loyalty rewards like something free on mybirthday month or anniversary of signing up.
I also no longer stockpile the way I used to mostly because of family size I no longer need to. Yes, if I see a phenominal deal, practically free, I might buy a few if it is something I know for certain I will use it within the next few months but I recently had to throw away a few pots of moisurizer that had congealed, complete waste of money, no matter how low the cost.
SHopping "the sales", I just ended up picking things up just because they were on sale... now I buy what I need, when I need it. I truly HATE shopping and HATE crowds so big sales were always so stressful. My only exception is on Black Friday I will go to Barnes and Noble, go right to the check out and pick up the Gift Card Deal (somes it is buy $50, get a free $10 card) because I always give these to my adult sons and a couple friends who love to read anyway plus a Christmas party "grab gift" (pretty much anyone can find something they want there, even if it just a Starbucks Coffee) and I get some gift cards to use for myself. If I get there at the right time (usually first thing in the morning) I can get in and out in under 5 minutes and that deal is worth it to me as I would buy them anyway.
I love to line dry so I do it. In the winter I hanger dry clothes on the shower rod. It adds moisture to the air. Always hated garage sales. I give far fewer gifts wrapped in pretty packages. Most of us have too much stuff. I give a lot of gift cards. I try to get them when they are 10% off either as rebates on my credit card or at a local megastore. I give cards for experiences, for eating out, or for stores I know the recipient enjoys.
It’s interesting how frugal practices vary from person to person. Some things I embrace with zeal. However, there are 3 things I just don’t do…
I do not turn off the AC. I keep it on 72 degrees during the warmer months. Florida is especially hot in July and August. The sun has a tropical intensity. It burns your skin just to be outside. The sea breeze slows. The air is still and heavy. The humidity is 90%+, and it never really cool off. 90s during the day, 80s at night. So to me it’s worth every penny to keep the AC low - to sleep comfortably, to not deal with mold and mildew, and to have a reprieve from summer heat.
Like many of you, I do not hang my clothes outside to line dry. I do hang some of my clothes indoors on a hanger. However, towels and sheets go in the dryer. I do not like my towels to feel crunchy and I do not like to use fabric softeners. Also, in the spring the pollen is so thick it get in and on everything.
I do not always buy the cheapest food available and rarely use coupons. I try to buy local when possible and to support companies with humane and sustainable farming practices. Unfortunately, I can’t do this all the time. Cost have gotten too high, but I try.
@Bee,
I also have not given up using paper towels. Some messes are just too gross for rags.
@Bee,
I am so with you on the A/C, although 72 is a tiny bit too cool for me. But it is going to stay on close to nine months a year, because the humid heat is unbearable. The mold and mildew that appear if it is off for any length of time, such as waiting on repairs or replacement, are just nasty and unhealthy.
@JD, there is not one month in the whole year that our a/c doesn’t run at least briefly. In the car, too. Yes I am hot-natured. Also, I live in Houston, Texas.
We tried store brand paper towels and tissues and did not like them. Had to use more of the paper towels and the tissues were just unpleasant on the nose during allergy season.
I tried line drying clothes long ago but gave it up because I hate the rough way clothes feel coming on the line. Plus during spring time, the amount of pollen in the air made it impractical unless we all wanted to sneeze all day. Too much work for too little payoff for us.
I gave up on going to multiple stores to get the best price on groceries. I also gave up grocery shopping at Walmart because I disliked their produce and meat selection. Funny though that has come back around now that I have Walmart + subscription. Still skip produce and meat but will happily order staples for delivery.
I stopped worrying about the cost of grocery pickup or delivery. We have reached the stage of life where money is no longer tight so I would rather have more free time and pay the fee.
I have given up going shopping because there was a sale or I had a coupon. Now I focus on getting only what we need. Lots less shopping on my part is one good side effect of the pandemic.
I have given up on waiting for a "full" load of laundry before running the washer. With just the two of us now, we have small loads and I no longer fret about "wasting" water and electricity.
I have something that's the opposite...I gave up a nonfrugal thing...having a cleaning service. I had one for 20 years until the pandemic hit and I stopped. I priced out getting one back and prices went way up. One wanted $300 every 2 weeks! And we have a pretty small house! We will keep cleaning it ourselves.
This is a fun question. Thanks to Danielle C. for proposing it and Kristen for using it.
Along with almost everyone else, I've all but given up the use of manufacturers' coupons, although I still do "clip" a few e-coupons at Wegmans and Price Chopper. The two other main things I've given up are age-related:
(1) Housecleaning. In addition to not liking to do it, I'm less able to do the heavy stuff now.
(2) Lawn care and snow removal. We had to give these up when DH became unable to operate the equipment, and I continue to hire them out. I still do my own gardening, but I can see that the time is coming when I'll have to get some help with that too.
And a few other things other folks have mentioned are stuff I never attempted in the first place. Hats off to those of you who mixed your own laundry and dishwasher detergent, for example, but I'll stick with the tried and true!
Ditto the homemade laundry detergent. (As an aside, I'd LOVE to know which laundry detergent you all like the best -- I've been on a years-long search for a really good one.)
Also ditched cloth napkins, having a large garden, and setting the thermostat really high in summer and really low in winter. I miss the garden but couldn't keep up with it as my kids got older and life became more complicated.
@Beth, I don't know if the brand ECOS is available near you. For us, it's cheaper than most others and works very well. Also, they make a fragrance free version if that is a concern.
@Beth,
I can't comment much on super-soiled clothes because we both are home all day and no kids, but we use True Earth laundry strips. I buy a yrs worth all at once and it fits in a small box next to the washer. They just came out with an premium formula that's for more soiled items.
It may not be super cheap compared to reg detergent (I never really costed that out or compared as I just always bought tide), but I was attracted to it for the sustainability. Turns out the convenience of having it shipped to my house once a year and the compactness of it were great bonuses.
@Beth, I don’t know if it’s available in the US, but I use a German brand called Sonett. I buy the liquid one in big plastic container (on sale, to maximise my savings) but they sell smaller sizes also. Neutral smell and environmentally friendly.
@Beth, Unscented Tide works well for us, (we have fairly hard water).
Scented just about anything I consider a crime inflicted on the American public.
Clothing out of the washer and dryer are not supposed to smell. I don't over-dry my clothes in the dryer and don't have a lot of nylon-like fabrics, so fabric sheets to cut static are unnecessary, and I don't even know what fabric softener is supposed to do.
I can handle scented hand soap and shampoo, because the smell goes away quickly. One of the doctors in my town told new parents to not use any soap or shampoo or lotions on their babies until they were several months old, because their skin (presumably except for an occasional diaper issue) was self-cleansing with just water.
@AnnieH, Thanks! I'll look for it.
@Jaime, I love the sustainability of this. I'll have to look into it. Thank you for the suggestion!
Thanks @G from Northern Norway. I'm not sure either, but will check.
@Heidi Louise, I hear you. I know so many people like the Downy Scent Beads but I am firmly on team No Thank You where the big smells are concerned. 😉
Cloth diapering. I tried the old fashioned kind and couldn't get them to not leak, and then I tried the inserts and special wraps, but even with stripping them occasionally, they started to smell horribly and stopped, well, absorbing. I even used cloth wipes, which I liked, but once I had four kids it was a lot of extra work, and I went back to storebrand disposables. I felt guilty about the waste, but you know, we don't use paper napkins or paper towels, so it all evens out, I hope.
We hung laundry out to dry for a good while, when we bought a house that actually didn't even have a place for a dryer---the laundry nook only had a washer hookup, because the previous owner (original to the house) had only ever hung out laundry, and there was a wonderful big clothesline outside. I didn't mind it except in the winter, and eventually we hooked up one in the garage to use when it was raining or cold.
Twenty years ago, I tried to make our own soymilk from soybeans we bought straight from a farmer--I had to sift out the bits of leaves and such from the beans! And it boiled over so easily and made a mess...I just decided to buy storebought.
Years ago, I decided I would no longer sew my own clothes. Apart from hand-me-downs from neighbors, my mother made all the clothes my five siblings and I wore ( except underwear and winter coats). So from the age of 12 on, I made my own clothes. I loved the creative process of finding patterns and fabric. And if I desired a lovely dress from a catalog, my mom would say, “ You can make it for less.” But over time, working a lot of hours to pay for college and with the hours needed to actually get through the college classes, I didn’t have time to sew. Also at that time, I lived in jeans and tee shirts except for a few dresses for church so I really didn’t need more clothes. Gradually I learned to look for good sales on necessary stuff ( like shoes and underwear and coats) and I learned to be more content with what I had. I miss sewing and I may get back into it at some point but not currently.
Another change I’ve made through the years is to buy better quality art supplies. Using the better quality paints, brushes and paper, I get better results in creating my artwork. I also see better results in the art my students create when they use higher quality materials. It’s very expensive but I do take advantage of sales and special offers.
Stopped taking our trash to the dump myself. It's too much of a pain if you don't have an SUV or pickup or similar. Forcing heavy huge trash cans into the back of my Camry was no fun. So now I pay for trash pickup once a week.
My daughter keeps nagging me to let her crochet a reusable Swiffer pad. No thanks. The pads get so digusting, I cannot deal with the idea of washing them. I do refill the Swiffer bottles myself.
I pay out of pocket and out of network 4x a year for my kids' psychiatrist, whom they've been seeing for 15 years. That's $2000 a year. I do always ask them if they're sure their mental health is worth the $500 each time. I might as well get some teasing out of the deal.
Clothesline. My allergies were raging and I lived in a place with 9-10 months of winter. My hubby also hated about crunchy clothes and he complains very little.
Another reason I’ve had to stop hanging laundry outside, for my family: allergies. Pollen accrues on sheets and clothing making the allergy seasons worse for us.
Couponing - for sure. Many years ago I used to do this when my dad and I grocery shopped together and we got good deals, not any more. I just shop the sales as best we can now and stock up a little bit.
Thrifting for clothes - takes way to much time and plus sizes are hard to find here. I'd rather find sales online and buy only what and when I truly need it. I also have basic sewing skills and repair/revamp my clothes to extend the wear.
Always buying generic brands - For some products the generic version is terrible and not worth the money. I can only use Aveeno body wash and have tried so many generic versions but end up with itchy rashes. I look for sales and coupons on Aveeno instead.
Always buying in bulk or the largest size - Let the buyer beware!! Sometimes I have found the larger size is not the cheapest option, which is counterintuitive to most frugal shoppers. Sometimes a smaller size on sale is a better deal as well. I always compare cost per unit.
Always doing the work myself - If you know what you earn per hour at work, sometimes hiring someone to do a job for you is cheaper. It's actually cheaper per hour to pay someone to do our taxes for us than for me to spend the time researching and trying to decipher IRS guidelines, even with the assist from tax software. Plus, since my husband is self-employed he can deduct part of the preparation fee as an expense.
@AnnieH, I'm having to train myself not to buy in bulk, now that I'm living alone. I've been successful in sharing some of my "overbuys" with the neighbors, but not always.
During the pandemic, I gave up my insistence that almost everything be zero waste. Over time I've also abandoned:
- Bee's Wrap
- Homemade crackers
- Homemade vanilla extract
- Homemade yogurt
- Homemade bread
- Homemade laundry detergent
- Homemade dishwasher detergent
@MB in MN, that’s funny because of not shopping and shortages I started doing more homemade items, mostly cooking. And even though I always try to use what I have to make the best use of my resources, it increased during the pandemic.
1. Definitely coupons. I used to use them weekly but now there just aren't many for the things I buy and I've started buying so many more things at Sam's that coupons are unnecessary.
2. Meal Planning. I've tried making menus but what works better for us is having a pantry/fridge/freezer stocked with all the things we like and rotating through a variety of produce options. We don't waste anything and don't buy stuff we'll only use once.
3. I did give up growing vegetables for a while but am back to that, not necessarily to save money, but because I missed home-grown tomatoes.
4. Thrift stores. I work from home and have for the past 4 years, so I don't need "work clothes" per se, which is what I used to buy at the good consignment stores around here. Now, if I need to replace a black sweater or pair of pants I just go buy a nice new pair that I know will last a long time.
Great question, Kristen!
Line drying clothes. The savings on our electric bill was only a few dollars so it just wasn’t worth it. Plus it made the clothes stiff .
I can't really say that I ever *started* couponing in a serious way; however, in college and in my 20s, I often looked for coupons and tried to make grocery lists based on available deals. It gradually dawned on me that I was buying things that I wouldn't ordinarily buy, just because they were inexpensive. Like Kristen, I do use coupon codes if available, and I use things like Target Circle, but for most grocery and household supplies, I'm happy with generic products.
After my husband and I bought our first house, we really wanted to grow our own food in order to save money. We both come from families that have beautiful vegetable gardens and we also really wanted to carry on that tradition. Ultimately, we realized several things, the most important of which was that we both worked full time away from home and it was hard to take care of the beans, squash, and tomatoes that we planted the first year. We also realized that growing our own food successfully would require some long term investments that we just weren't prepared for, including building a tall fence to keep out the deer, bunnies, and squirrels. The need for fencing was painfully clear the day that my husband returned home from work and found three deer going to town on the beautiful butternut squash we had been growing. We also didn't want to cut down some large and beautiful shade trees that affected how much we could grow. Finally, we have an amazing local farmers market where the cost of seasonal produce has always fit into our food budget with room to spare. I do still grow herbs in the spring, summer, and fall, which I mostly think of as convenient but it's pretty frugal, too 🙂
-I also stopped making my own laundry detergent.
-Cloth diapering - I don't know if I was doing it wrong or had a bad brand, because I know lots of people who love it. But I stopped (mind you this was years ago and we don't need diapers anymore).
- Making yogurt from scratch. It's not too expensive if I buy a big tub in an off brand and we only eat it occasionally.
I agree with the line drying. I love to dry sheets on the line BUT in all I did not see a difference in the electric bill.
This is a great topic and like many other readers, I gave up couponing because it was time consuming and mostly the deals were on foods we don’t eat. Funny coincidence- my daughter and I were at Albertsons last night buying some “travel snacks” for a trip today and we were in line behind a couponer. She spent $200+ dollars on packaged cereal, cookies, and other processed foods and of course there were issues with her purchases and the cashier had to retry some coupons. My daughter muttered to me about being in line behind couponers…it made me laugh.
Overall, I have simplified my life- my kids are adults so I don’t have as many purchases to make. I do meal plan a bit but mostly I just have ingredients on hand to make food we like. I’ve never been a thrift store or yard sale consumer but I have been decluttering our house and contributing to a nearby thrift store.
I forgot homemade laundry detergent, I gave that up too. Same reasons--it didn't do a good job and smelled horrible after a while.
I used to shop at thrift stores when I was single and then newly married with only one kid, but I realized I was actually buying stuff I didn't really need, just because it was a good bargain or it was cute or whatever. Even if it's a bargain, if you don't need it, it's not a deal! I do donate to thrift stores rather than take stuff to the dump when it is good stuff and not just junk.
Already here, so many people's homemade laundry soap didn't work for them! It does work for me, but I suspect I must have the "right" water for it, whatever water that might be, because it's worked equally well in three different washers, but same well, for me.
I gave up on:
Baking all our breads, rolls, buns, you name it. As life got busier and busier, I started buying all of it. Now I can't eat wheat bread, so it's not even something I buy anymore.
Coupons, yes! I used them in the past, but being on a really tight budget, especially in the early years, I bought, and still buy, very little in the way of the more processed/prepared foods that they were usually for, so I got modest use out of coupons even back then. I don't use one a year, these days. As others have noted, coupons really aren't worth it anymore.
Yard sales. I still would like to go to them, and once a year or so I might go, but I can't spend all my Saturday mornings going to them, when I am away from the house almost 70 hours a week already these days. Here in Florida they are held year round; there is no big community yard sale in our area, just a few different little ones scattered all over the county every weekend. And since some are now starting them on Fridays to run through Saturday, it means that Saturday will only have the picked over leftovers. I never bothered with those.
I hang out my laundry most of the time - I prefer line dried, but it's not something everyone can or wants to do, and I get that. What I've given up on is ironing. I hang the clothes that need pressing on a hanger on the shower rod, spritz them with water, smooth them and let them dry, or I use my little steamer to get the wrinkles out before I wear the item. I've had limited closet space my entire adult life, so even ironed clothes were going to get wrinkled by being too close in the closet or have fold lines by the time I get them out to wear anyway. Once in a great, great while, I will iron something. (Ironing is frugal, because there are people who send out their laundry to be ironed and/or folded. My former boss and his wife were two of them, in fact.)
Reconstituting powdered milk. I used to use it in cooking and sometimes even drinking, when the milk powder price, once reconstituted, was below the fresh price, which isn't always the case. My stomach doesn't agree with pasteurized milk anymore, so I buy raw milk from a farmer, and you don't want to know what I pay for it.
@JD,
I bought a 50 lb bag of powdered milk at the beginning of the pandemic hoping to avoid grocery shopping. Even though it had excellent reviews, I hated the taste. My kids were fine with it, so I still mix it up when we run low and I use it for yogurt making but even then, I can still taste it and it's just so gross! I'm usually so not picky, but when it comes to milk, I'm apparently very particular.
My non-frugal guilt be gone! Thank you for this post. I can't wait to read everyone's comments!!!
I, too, gave up hanging laundry. As the family grew, I realized I was spending way too much time on laundry. Lugging the weighty wet clothes out side or upstairs to Hand it in the attic in the winter was torture - and then there were the rain and bird poop factors. I invested in a high-efficiency dryer and could spend more time with the kids. I still hang some specialty items, but it is a fraction of the total amount of laundry done.
I used to be a huge couponer. The girls and I would spend evening cutting, organizing and weeding out expired ones from the big plastic organizer I lugged to the store with me. You're right, back in the day, coupons were better. Now it seems most are for things I don't consume or you have to buy 5 to get the discount. I still use them, but I decide what I want THEN look for a coupon.
We used to dine out very rarely. Since the pandemic, however, we've been frequenting local, non-chain, mom-and-pop establishments once a week to help keep the local economy afloat and neighbors employed. To me, that's worth spending the extra. And, it's one night a week I don't have to meal plan!!
I haven't done it yet, but as I get older, I tolerate the heat and humidity less and less. I am thinking about buying an AC unit for those days I want to sleep in the car with the air on!! Convincing DH will be another matter :).
I think it's often on issue of deciding if you are being cheap rather than frugal. I used to buy many of my kids clothes second hand either through garage sales, FB auction sites or thrift stores and I got some fantastic deals and great things but there were also many things that were included in the huge garbage bag of clothes for $10 that were ripped, stained, or only lasted a few washes before they fell apart. And they didn't always fit my super skinny kids really well. So my money and time often would have been better spent buying new on sale rather than dealing with the second hand.
Learning that just because it's a great deal doesn't mean that I need to buy it. The $5 shoes that are super cute but aren't super comfy aren't going to get worn and it's better to buy something that is comfortable and cute but only if needed.
Coupons are often for new things that they want you to try out. My family doesn't eat much processed food and we have scent sensitives so many cleaners are out for us as well. I tried but coupons in Canada were never as good as the US ones and seldom for anything we bought or needed.
Always thinking I can make it. Whether it's a bakery something, crafty thing or DIY project. I've bought many supplies over the years and sometimes the supplies, finding the supplies or the time required to make said thing are way more expensive than just paying for the thing in the first place.
I also abandoned home made detergent. What a pain. Also abandoned home pedicure’s. My toes looked awful especially if I tried a dark polish. I’ve since discovered “mini” pedicures at my salon. About $10 cheaper. No warm rocks or massages and you’re in and out much quicker.
@Barb Pothuisje, oh I wish my nail salon had that option! Sounds perfect for me, the only person in the world who doesn’t love the pedicure process.
I'm starting to wonder if I'm frugal at all! 🙂 I never bothered trying line drying or making my own detergent. Too many skin allergies for making detergent, and my climate isn't great for line drying. A few years ago we vacationed in Colorado and the dryer with our VRBO rental wasn't working well so I dried clothes on the porch, which was a very rewarding thing to do--the climate was so arid that things seemed to instantaneously dry. That's not true in Michigan.
Basically, I avoid anything that adds to my workload without giving me a significant chunk of change back. I bake bread for fun but don't have the time to deal with it on a regular basis ... I have a general idea of the meals I want to serve weekly but I don't bother meal planning .... and so on. I am picky about the quality of toilet paper, tissues, and tea, so I don't cheap out on those things. My daughter's friends know our house as the "one with the good toilet paper".
Fun topic!
@Kris, My son and I had a war over T-paper. He likes the absurdly puffy and soft kinds and I can't stand them. Scott or nothing for me. We eventually called a truce and bought different kinds for different bathrooms.
@Rose, I'll use your son's bathroom, thankyouverymuch! 😉 I have skin issues and rough paper products tend to exacerbate the issues (I'll spare the details. You're welcome.).
@Kris, I bought my newly pregnant friend the giant pack of the expensive fluffy name brand toilet paper for a pregnancy gift. She loved it.
@Heidi Louise, what a good idea!
Ah yes, the things I have stopped doing has certainly changed over the years! Couponing is a big one, with doubling coupons long gone and the advent of technology. I tried several apps for a while but even that was time consuming. Now I use digital coupons & Rakuten exclusively.
Another biggie is DIY yard work. Being an experienced age has resulted in body parts either not working as well or protesting too much if overused. We now have a yard service to mow, mulch & prune.
I have also started using online shopping more often for all things. Either I pick up outside the store or have it shipped/delivered. Yes, there is a fee for this sometimes, but again, age & especially COVID really played a part in using this option.
Like some of you, I also am a primary caregiver for my spouse. And at the end of a long, hard day I am tired. I have learned that “pushing the easy button” can be the best self-care (this also applies to some of you younger folks with kids still at home).
I laughed because it is nice to see that everyone can’t do *all* the frugal things. Some things I can’t give up because I never started them (baking my own bread) but I do some of the things you listed (I love line drying clothes so I dry everything except socks and underwear in the summer, in the winter I don’t do towels or sheets due to space). And we keep our heat at 63° because my family prefers it that way. (Except me, but I bundle up for family harmony.) But I have given up a few funny things I thought of:
1. I don’t use spooled floss! It’s much cheaper and eco-friendly but I just hate it! I never use it but if I have floss picks I’ll use one every day. Which I feel like is frugal when I go to the dentist.
2. Reusing every gift bag. They were so many slightly crumpled and bent ones after children’s parties or Christmas. I will keep the very best ones, but I’d rather buy a new bag at the dollar store than look cheap.
3. Shorter/cooler showers. I like a hot shower and I don’t want to feel rushed. Our hot water tank ensures they’re not too long so I don’t feel guilty.
I, along, with so many others, also gave up couponing and thrift store shopping. Those things aggravate me and cost me so much time. Our thrift stores are expensive, and I don’t enjoy sifting through endless racks.
@Clare, yes to the gift bags and the showers! And I never was one to reuse gift wrap but I know many people do.
I've also tried homemade laundry detergent and didn't like it either. Also last year when we moved into a new house it had an HE top load washer and I really tried to give it a good chance, but it was terrible. Our clothes didn't seem clean and if the kids had gotten anything on their clothes I had to make sure it was completely gone before laundering. The machine also took FOREVER! I ended up selling it and buying a Speed Queen top load. So much faster and my clothes come out so clean. All have have to do is spray a stain and throw it in the washer.
I've also tried cloth diapering to various degrees. I completely cloth diapered until potty training with my first. I did it until solid food with my second (we also had some issues with lingering smells in the diapers). With my third I attempted, but child #2 wanted to wear them too and since she was close to potty training I thought it might just delay the process. I'm about to have #4 and will give it another shot since I now have a really nice washer. I tend to stay away from outdoor line drying except for cloth diapers and the couple weeks we were without a dryer. I don't enjoy crunch towels and my husband has seasonal allergies.
I tried making yogurt once, not your method though. It was more like what my mom described that her mom did...it was terrible. I'm willing to try it again now that we're about to have 4 kids! I've heard of lots of people having success with it in the instant pot.
Opening windows in the spring/summer/early fall instead of using the air conditioning...my husband has bad hay fever, so unfortunately we keep the windows closed a lot.
1. No couponing
2. No second hand shops. I always shopped sales for kids clothes and could buy new often cheaper than used.
3. Tried homemade laundry detergent for a long time. Just quit and now I buy Pods.
4. Able to afford more organic food. Mostly shopping Trader Joe’s.
5. I have a great drying rack bolted to my laundry room wall. I hang a lot of our stuff on hangers to dry.
6. Never have meal planned.
7. Only used disposable diapers when kids little.
@Laurie Villotta, I so agree on the second hand shops! Perhaps it's where I live .... but I am very aware of clearance cycles in stores and as you said, I could purchase new items cheaper than the used ones I would find at resale shops. If I lived in a more upscale area, perhaps that would be different.
Homemade almond milk (my blender once popped open and another time something went wrong with bag and I had milk and almond pulp all over so I told myself NEVER AGAIN)
Also, Buying stuff just because it's a good deal. It's not a good deal if it isn't used or I feel bad wearing it or if it ends up cluttering up my mindspace or in the trash. Same with buy 5 and get $x off deals. I don't need 5. I just need one. Buy it cuz you need it! My mom falls into this habit a lot and then I have to help her eat the excess.
I feel like there are so many frugal things I've given up over time, either because the convenience is now worth it or because I'm just less tolerant as I get older.
My husband would add buying cheap booze on this list. He will spend more on a bottle of something he likes than any of his friends would but on the flip side, he actually enjoys it and over time, it's used. If he buys something because it's cheaper, he's less likely to actually use it and then it goes to waste.
I have a good set of cookware and a cast iron skillet that mostly meets all our needs.
Somehow I ended up back in the place where we have cheap non-stick pans in our house and I kind of hate them. I haven't even had them for 6 months and I'm ready to toss them. If I do need a non-stick pan, next time I'm buying a good one so it can last.
Thrifting! I just don't have the heart of a thrifter and don't have much luck finding decent clothes in my size anyway. I don't enjoy the hunt for treasures, I just find it frustrating. I would rather get exactly what I want when I want. I will still browse occasionally and value a few pieces of furniture I bought from thrift stores when I couldn't afford anything new but its just not my jam.
Also - dollar stores. There are a few things I will buy there (gift wrap tissue and padded mailing envelopes come to mind) but I would rather not be tempted by all the junk in there.
So many things.
Do not have garage sales or sell online. I donate to local animal shelter thrift store now. Stopped going to garage sales or thrift stores. No longer enjoy.
Don't make cleaners of any kind anymore. I mainly use dawn to clean and really like laundry pods. Consumers report says agitation is 90% of cleaning anyway.
Use dryer for bedding and towels but still hang clothes on hangers to dry in closet.
Don't coupon anymore but do look for coupon codes online and sales for bigger ticket items.
I still keep thermostat low in winter and high in summer.
I got sick of bleaching and scrubbing kitchen towels. For the first time ever I use paper towels and love them. Of course it helps that I shoved all the kids out of the house first.
Biggest problem now is learning to buy less food. I always thought I ate a lot but it was all those other nibblers.
Mine is vacation.
I do not love making my own dinners while I'm on vacation. I'm on vacation to take a break therefore, I'm frugal in other ways so that I can take a break from grocery shopping and meal prep on vacay.
I think it is really interesting how the blog plus many of the comments have to do with ditching the same frugal practices. Probably it is because great minds think alike and we have all identified frugal practices that, in actuality, are not as effective as we had once thought. I have many of the same comments plus some extra:
- Definitely ditched couponing - the savings was not worth the time for me, and they weren't the products I usually bought anyway
- I stopped riding my son to school on bike because of too many close calls with traffic
- Homemade laundry detergent is much less effective at getting clothes clean!
- For years now I've tried growing vegetables in pots on my porch, but they are so much work and produce, like, one tomato. Ditching that this year!
- Reusing plastic bags - a pain to wash out, and they always look dingy and greasy
- Cheap shoes - I am much less tolerant of foot pain now
- Homemade bread - so many times the loaf wouldn't rise or come out
- Homemade yogurt - again, half the time it doesn't turn out...
I laughed and laughed at this, even though it's not SUPPOSED to be particularly funny. But these are all things I've give up on for the exact same reasons! Thank you!!! My husband used to run around the those turning off all the lights, but not since he retired (he's home all the time) and we've replaced nearly all our lightbulbs with LED bulbs, which require 1/10 the power of incandescents.
Back in the day, 2008-2009 I devoured the Tightwad Gazette and set up a pricebook. It was a huge help when we were really counting our pennies. I stopped doing that when our budget became roomier and I also had less time with a busier job and more kids. I also found that it got me stressed to buy something that wasn't "the right price". I decided that food will cost what it's going to cost and to stick to the lower priced stores, local ingredients, focus on real food (produce, meats), less manufactured things and to really question buying treats and such.
I stopped buying second-hand shoes as soon as we could afford to. I found that they never quit fit my feet and getting high-quality shoes has been much better for my feet.
I also dropped other things as my time got scarcer: less baking (my teenagers do that now), less buy and sell. Instead of getting things for cheaper, I changed my focus to just not getting things? It sounds weird, but overall, I really to just not buy stuff. I question every purchase and, while this used to be more stressful, now it helps me really focus on what will be useful and add fun to our family.
I gave up slugging. In some urban areas where there are HOV or Express lanes, slug lines at commuter bus lots enable a driver to load two unknown-to-her passengers and with 3 people in the car, avoid paying the fees to drive into the city in the fast lanes. Sort of organized hitchhiking. It saved me $300 a month that the commuter bus cost from my suburban town, but the downside was some bad drivers, badly maintained cars (bald tires, non-working heat or A/C), obnoxious radio stations. I called it quits after one too many near misses when a driver wasn't paying attention or was driving recklessly.
I also gave up on a garden--the front end costs way outstripped anything I'd save and my meager crops tended to fail or be eaten by critters.
I stopped couponing--once upon a time they were good, but not now.
@Glenna, I've always wondered about slugging. I see the lines but thought about some of the things you mentioned. Thanks for an honest assessment of the trend.
What a great question! Really good food for thought, and it's causing me to reflect on my frugality journey through the years (and how it has changed-or not changed-over time) which is fun and informative. Loving this whole discussion thread!
Frugal things we've tried and abandoned:
1. Couponing. It seemed to take so much time, plus the cost of ink/paper, and more often than not they were for highly processed/less healthy things.
2. Having a vegetable garden. It takes SO MUCH TIME!!! I'm not convinced we saved that much money, anyway, and whatever we did save wasn't worth the time commitment.
When I use coupons, including on apps like Ibotta, I really have to guard against buying something just because I have a coupon, you know? In the past when I was clipping coupons, I found my spending actually increased a bit, so I stopped. I do still use Ibotta a bit, but I prefer apps like Fetch where you just scan the receipt.
Otherwise, like you said about the homemade laundry detergent, I feel like I try to balance the triad of 1) is it cheap 2) is it healthy (personally and ecologically) and 3) does it work. I gave up my super frugal shampoo, for example, because it was awful for my hair; I'm still looking for a new product that's cheap "enough" while also working well and being *relatively* healthy. Finding a product that's all three is like finding a unicorn.
1. I gave up on making my own laundry detergent, too. Our clothes started to smell like "funk". Same with dishwasher pods.
2. Line drying. because we live in high humidity FL- they would never dry.
3. Couponing- same as Kristen- started going to Aldi's and too much running around for not impressive savings.
4. Powdered milk for baking, etc. Don't use enough milk to warrant this- boys are grown 🙁 and not making huge portions, etc.
5. Homemade dishwasher pods. The bulk ones at Costco are great and cheap.
Thank you for this topic. Sometimes I feel like a real slacker, especially when I read The Prudent Homemaker's blog and read about all the things she does daily. She is just really good at all this stuff.
I don't:
1) Can - I canned strawberry jam once years ago with my grandmother, but it's not something I want to do now. Maybe if she were still alive, she made just about anything fun.
2) Make my own detergent. I also tried it, but with hard water it didn't work well and the clothes stunk.
3) Line dry - the hard water makes my towels like sandpaper, so no.
4) Coupon, except for the occasional buy $50 get $10 off on a gas gift card from Publix.
5) Buy clothes at thrift stores. My kids do sometimes, I just don't enjoy it and I haven't found much I would want to wear.
@Sandy Beach, that’s a good point. If you make your own jam for fun and memories, that’s a good reason to continue. But when I’ve done it, I spent literally a small fortune on supplies, when I could’ve bought even the fancy organic jam for less. Yes, the jars and canning equipment are reusable, but do I actually need twelve jars of jam?? No.
The same with gardening. I planted peppers and herbs in pots for fun with the grandkids. We did pick a few peppers and basil, but their interest waned after awhile, and so did my harvest, lol
@Sandy Beach, don't feel too badly about thinking you don't do all that the Prudent Homemaker does. There's a great deal of questions about whether she does all she says she does.
@WilliamB, and I personally think she's a nutjob. Also just plain stingy.
I’m afraid our ALDI prices will be going up.. another blog I follow reported ALDI in Germany will raising their prices 30-50% so I’m sure that will affect our prices here in the US.☹️
Really enjoyed reading this thread! Thought-provoking for sure, and I am trying to add new ideas.
As a few people have mentioned, I have never bought cheap or secondhand shoes, and am still working to convince my husband he deserves better ones for his aging feet. We also make use of Dr. Scholl's inserts and such to help him be more comfortable.
We went a few times to Broadway-caliber plays, buying the cheaper farther back seats. I realized that if we were only once going to see these famous people doing what they do best, we should pay to see the whole stage clearly from closer to the front.
I can't even begin to describe how much electronic communication technology I have found unnecessary and therefore unfrugal.
It's funny to me how many people hate line-drying because for me, it's the one household chore I don't actually hate. And I like my clothes and towels crunchy. (I have very itchy skin.)
Now before you think I'm some frugal paragon, I line dry about, oh, three times a summer at most. Maybe if I were like my mom, hanging up wet sheets in a dank basement, I'd feel differently.
1. Coupons, unless something basically falls into my lap.
2. Keeping our heat uncomfortably low. (This is a recent one, after the husband complained but I am finding it very nice not to be wearing a parka indoors!)
3. Cheap vacations. I want to feel pampered and so we save money at home but when we go on a vacation, it is top of the line hotels and the best seats in the theater (we love to go to NYC or London just for that, so why sit so far back that I cannot hear or see the actors).
4. Generic tissues. I don't like my nose to feel like it has been sandpapered.
5. Doing everything ourselves. We have a cleaning lady come in once a week and we pay a teen to shovel the snow.
Great topic today, Kristen!
Well, hat-tip to Danielle for giving me the idea for this topic!
I made all my family's bread for a year. This included sourdough English Muffins, white bread loaves, artisan style breads, challah, multigrain and rye breads, bagels, etc. I loved the baking and the fact that home baking produced wonderful breads for a fraction of the cost of buying bread, but it took almost all of my free time and wasn't really appreciated by my kids ("I want real bread like you buy at the store"). I was having a lot of issues with asthma, and finally realized that the flour (especially burned flour and cornmeal used on the peel to help slide loaves into the oven) and burnt parchment were contributing to my asthma issues. We don't have a vent in our kitchen, only a fan that just blows the smoke and particulates around. It cost me a lot more in medication co-pays than I could possibly save.
Interesting reading. Two comments:
1. Didn't realize coupons were even a thing anymore, but I'd highly recommend to anyone who uses a loyalty card to check out the offers in a store's app or on their website. Food Lion, for example, gives e-coupons on produce, meat, dairy and other necessities every month, including free items.
2. For all the folks who stopped using their libraries, please consider advocating for your library. Libraries are some of the most underfunded institutions in the country. Public librarians make some of the lowest salaries requiring degrees and unless library budgets are "mandated," (which few are) they are the first thing politicians choose to cut.
@Bobi, I agree with both of these! My grocery store sends me coupons based on my purchases so they are for the exact things I buy. I get both e-coupons and paper coupons in the mail from them. Of course I use them!! Does this count as “couponing”?
And I am blessed to have a well stocked library which I frequent regularly. But they are also linked to other libraries so if they don’t have something, they have ways of getting it for you. So worth it and I love to support them.
1. Making yogurt. Really! I even guest-posted on The Mrs. about it.
2. Internet coupons. Coupon-matching websites used to let you quickly find coupons for things you need. Now they all seem to be defunct. It's no longer worth it: paging through all those screens, getting the printer to work, turning the paper around so I don't waste vast amounts of paper, figuring out how to print in B&W, hoping the coupons will scan in the store,... Too damn much time.
3. Clipping coupons. Mostly because my paper subscription is now pure digital but even before that, I was increasingly dreading that chore. And, as so many have noticed, the rewards for doing so have diminished dramatically.
4. Gardening. I did it as much to have fresh, organic, pesticide-free food but it turns out I'm just not any good at it and I didn't enjoy it.
5. Always waiting for the sale. That became an unreliable strategy during the lock-downs and sales are scarcer as well.
Strangely enough, my home-made detergent works great and even my super-picky roommate like it. Maybe it's the water?
I abandoned selling things on line...it has never been worth the hassle for me. When I clean up, I want things gone, so I donate them or put them on the curb for free.
Meal planning....I am a pretty good fly by the seat of my pants cook, and as long as my grocery budget stays on track, this works.
Cheap razors....no one was happy with the dollar store razors so I now by one quality pack a year.
1. I tried and abandoned biking to work. I wish I liked it, but I just don't! I arrive tired and sweaty, and biking kind of gives me a headache (though eventually I may try again with my CamelBak backpack that I got as a work bonus- I think that may help the headache).
2. I tried GoodRX, and I feel like it didn't save me money ever? So I eventually stopped checking it.
3. I tried using a travel rewards credit card. I found it to be way too much work, so instead I use a cash back rewards credit card. I could probably get more rewards if I carefully planned trips using travel rewards, but it's not worth it to me.
4. I abandoned eating oatmeal for breakfast, because even though it's cheap, I don't feel like it fills me up.
This is a fun question! I'm probably forgetting some.
I love the smell of lined dried sheets but not the cost. Most in my family suffer from seasonal allergies. All the pollen on the clothes and linens from drying outside made our allergies worse.
Unplugging appliances when not in use comes to mind. I tried this for quite some time and saw no difference at all, other than making my husband absolutely insane.
I line dried everything when we lived in southern CA, even though I had to haul it home wet from the laundromat. Everything dried so quickly out there. We moved to a far more humid climate and then had kids and it became harder and less rewarding. I’d like to get back to it bc even though it doesn’t save much money, it does have environmental benefits.
I don’t use coupons. My sister is amazing with coupons, I did not get that kind of a brain.
I used to make yogurt, then we switched to Greek yogurt which is possible to make at home, but it’s more involved as you then need to strain it.
I still make bread, but I really enjoy that and I would make it even if it cost more than buying it.
I do buy as much as possible secondhand but mostly I just don’t buy stuff. We are in the process of adding on to our house (not a frugal process at all) and we are going to need to buy a lot of furniture. We have been looking into this and the lead times on new furniture are crazy. 10 months for a bed?? Are they building this or gestating it?? So I will be buying as much secondhand furniture as I can bc at least it’s available!
@Tarynkay,
Got a good laugh out of your stealthy appliance unplugging! Usually I only made myself crazy with this! I was always either thinking "Damn, damn, damn, that heating pad has been plugged in sucking vampire electricity for three months now!" or... worse: "Wait...what?!?! Why is there no coffee?!?!?! I know I pushed the button...why? Why??????"
What a great prompt! Love reading everyone's thoughts on this.
I've given up on apps like Ibotta and Shopkick. I found I was buying things just to use the coupon or get a small item for free, usually something super processed. I also started to wonder about how the companies were using the data they collect when I upload receipts.
I'm also working on letting go of tolerating hand-me-downs I don't like. For example, I didn't want to buy a new backpack so I was using one of my brother's old snowboarding backpacks... from 20+ years ago. It works fine, but it is a bright red and I finally realized I hated that color after years of using it. I finally bought myself a backpack in a neutral dark blue color that I like, even though the red backpack still has decades of use left in it.
Similarly, I'm working on letting myself throw things away instead of using up every last drop of something I don't like, ie tea, cacao nibs, lotion etc. I may try to rehome the item with my mom or someone at work, etc. but otherwise I finally have given myself permission to not be frugal and to just compost or throw something away.
This is a fun one:
-couponing
-yogurt making (once the kids were older, I became the only yogurt eater in the house)
-taking flights with layovers or stops (this one probably costs me the most potential savings but saves me the most worry/stress/time. My new rule is if I can’t afford to fly direct, I can’t afford to fly)
Sewing clothes. Patterns and fabric are so expensive now that it's not worth it at all.
Couponing - just a bunch of processed foods that I really don't want or need.
Thought a lot about making home made detergent, but never got around to it - looks like I saved time and aggravation by the comments posted. Keeping thermostat too cool in the winter and too warm in the summer. I figure I've lived long enough with being frugal in this area and am lucky I can afford the utility bills. Just can't take the heat in summer anymore. Tried darning a hole in my sock Frugal Fail - took forever and I ended up with a knot the size of an olive on the bottom of my sock. Sigh. Beeswax paper - couldn't wait until it was used too many times and had to toss it. Cheap (relatively speaking) Broadway tickets; just saw two shows in the last 2 weeks ( catch up from Covid era cancellations) and we counted 51 steps to the ladies room during intermission. Next stop, orchestra seats!
I agree about coupons not being what they used to be. I stopped getting the paper when it went to over $300/year because the coupons weren't worth it anymore. I use the online store coupons with success. I stopped buying things just because they are a good deal if they won't get used.
I was lucky enough to be a stay at home mom. We live in the country on 80 acres in Texas so I did use cloth diapers with the velcro covers with both kids. When my kids stopped using the cloth diapers I was able to pass them on to a new mom who wanted to use cloth diapers.
I grew up in Germany and everyone hung up their laundry to dry so we do too since the weather is nice here most of the time. I use the dryer in the winter or when it's cloudy much to my husbands dismay.
I have given up making everything from scratch. My time is too valuable not to use some convenience items and shortcuts.
I never go thrifting except when my daughter wants to look for costumes because I can find new things on sale at the same price or less than thrift stores.
We don't get school pictures but each child got a yearbook for their friends to sign.
We use VRBO when we go on vacation for the space and the cost is often less than a hotel room. Once we had a 5 bedroom house with a pool for $99/night in Orlando during spring break week. We have breakfast, lunch if we're at the house, and snacks at the house and eat dinner out. Everyone has their own space and it's nice and relaxing for everyone.
We bought used cars, less than $500 each, for the kids even though some of their friends got new ones. I figured if they were learning to drive it was better to do it in a used car.
We drive our cars as long as they will go and my husband does all the work on the cars so that saves us a ton of money.
My husband does all the maintenance work around the house, plumbing, A/C, etc but when it takes him too long I hire help now.
We use a wood burning stove to heat the house but when it gets really cold I turn the heater on now.
We have ceiling fans in all the rooms but I now turn the A/C to 76 in the summer because I don't want to be hot anymore.
I no longer have a gift closet because I would forget what's in there and some things were no longer age appropriate when I "found" them again.
I stopped throwing huge birthday parties for the kids, just a few friends makes it more special.
I've given up on gardening. I have a black thumb, and the sheep, geese, cows , chickens and cows would find a way to eat what's planted anyway.
I buy good tea and coffee now because the little pleasures are what makes life better.
I have some idea of what we're eating but nothing is set in stone and that's ok now.
I spend more on quality health and beauty items now because they work better and you get what you pay for.
I didn't replace an outside freezer that quit working because when we went through it we found things we couldn't identify, frostbite and lots of wasted food. I felt really sad about the wasted money and food.
Love this topic and reading everyone's answers!
1. Couponing: I stopped printing out coupons and cutting everything out from the flyers that came every week, but I still use the online ones and ones sent from the grocery store (because they are usually for items I've bought in the past).
2. Trying to eat up or use everything in my pantry, even if it is stale or expired. There are just some things I couldn't bring myself to consume in the name of preventing food waste.
3. Choosing the cheapest flight when traveling. For me and my family, it is more worth it to take a shorter flight at a more optimal time at a little higher price than saving a bit of money.
4. Being frugal when traveling in general. We save in other areas in order to enjoy our vacations and eat out, or do the fun (but potentially expensive) activities that build lasting memories for our family.
However, I do like hanging my clothes to dry! I use a clothes rack and it just sits in a space in the kitchen to dry. I keep it indoors through the winter and spring to prevent pollen from landing on it, but I find it dries pretty quickly (in Texas). I will resort to using the dryer when we are in a time crunch for clean, dry clothes, though!
I love hanging my laundry to dry! It’s one of the few quiet moments I get. Outside as soon as the temps are above 50, and in the basement for the rest of the year. But not the towels, socks, and underwear. No one here wants crunchy underwear!
But I gave up feeling guilty for:
-long, hot showers. I make up for it by showering less frequently. And my skin thanks me for it.
-buying convenience foods that are still as healthy as the original and saving myself some time (ie pre-sliced cheese)
-not making jam with store-bought ingredients. I still make it with the fruit from our garden/yard, but I gave up making it when I run out of homegrown fruit.
1. Couponing. I only use coupons at Smith's (Kroger affiliate) paired with a good sale or clearance items. They occasionally send some free item coupons, but since I am good with most generic items and buy at salvage or ethnic stores, I get way more for my money with sales.
2. Using public transportation. Before my sister started working at the same place I do and we started carpooling, I'd considered it. She is disabled so it's not good for her health to go up and down a hill in a wheelchair, so I didn't try my commute in public transport. We have a school pass that's good for all Utah public transportation, but it's just not practical for me, even if it's free.
3. Keeping the AC high or heat low. I have a thyroid condition and I get sick from too much heat and sick from being too cold. It's not worth it, aside from catching a cold if the environment is too cold.
-Shopping at large warehouse stores (Costco, even Target). I don't have a large pantry to store things in bulk, and I like to use up foods or items fairly quickly. I also found that I ended up buying more than I needed or I would make impulse purchases. If I buy things in my smaller supermarket I'm more likely to stick to a list and save more, even if I pay some pennies more for things. Some smaller stores have become better at sales too. Lastly, many warehouse stores require a longer drive and are just not very pleasant to shop in.
-In-home birthday parties. I used to invite kids over to our house and do everything myself, including the cake. I still don't do expensive birthday parties, but now we invite just a couple of kids and do something fun outside the house.
-Couponing for me as well.
-Spending a ton of time on research before purchasing items. I do some review checking and researching features, but once I get a sense of an item meeting my needs, I just decide it will do for me and the time spent on fretting whether something can be had for less or a better product is out there won't be worth my effort.
Frugal things that I gave up include line drying even though I love it, I love the pollen ect. Can't have cut flowers in the house now due to allergies and had to rip out my rose bushes.
Couponing - not many coupons out there but I do clip Tide ones and use them when Tide goes on sale at Walgreens.
No use for a gift closet now that the kids are grown.
When we went to the Outer Banks in NC back in the early 2000's we always rented from the owner. Now when we go down the Jersey Shore we rent from a local rental VRBO kind of online place.
Don't meal plan but make sure I have enough for dinners for the week.
Selling used clothes online. It is a lot of effort (taking pictures, answering people's questions ...) for very little money (I usually got about €3 for a piece that looked brand new). I prefer to spend my free time doing things I enjoy and give the used clothes to charity (at the moment they explicitely ask for donations due to the rising number of Ukrainian refugees).
I totally gave up on garage sales. I also gave up on hosting home parties and selling in MLM schemes.
There are certain items at the store I will no longer buy the no-name version of because I don’t like it as well, although for the majority of things, no-name is fine.
Cat litter. I used to buy the very cheapest clay litter, but now fork out for expensive pine straw because there’s no dust to inhale and it does an amazing job of controlling odour, plus it is soft on his little feet.
I also went through a homemade detergent phase which has now ended.
I think there are more but that’s all I can think of atm. It’s an interesting question to ponder!
1. Haven't used the library since before COVID hit. I buy books for my Kindle when they drop to $1.99. I also buy books at yard sales.
2. Stopped shopping at thrift stores. Here in the Boston area the prices at thrift stores are nearly the same - or higher - than the retail price.
3. Making laundry detergent. My husband actually made it but we found after awhile that colors were fading and whites were turning gray.
4. Stopped holding yard sales at least 8 years ago. A lot of work for little yield plus the haggling was exhausting. Now I donate on my local FB Buy Nothing group.
5. Using dried beans instead of canned. Canned beans aren't that much more expensive.
So much fun reading all the comments! The things I’ve (mostly) stopped doing is thrift shopping as I tend to buy so much uneeded stuff because it’s a good deal and grocery store sales since it’s usually ultraprocessed food and I try to cut that out from our daily meals.
About line-drying: here in Italy it's been the norm forever, but recently everybody is buying a dryer. I got one too 2 years ago and wow... not only it's indispensable in winter, the results are so much better when you use it. Where I live, cotton T-shirts get so stiff when line-dried, and no amount of softener can help. I'm getting solar panels soon and trust me, when our house will be energetically independent I'll use the dryer all year round! ;-D
* Decorating birthday cakes for the kids. It`s very time consuming and, well, I'm too lazy for it.
* Coupons : in Canada it never was as big as in the US, so it's never really been a thing for us
* Biking to work (to save gas and parking). It`s too far (10 km) and I ended up resenting it and not wanting to bike at all after. Still not tempted too.
* Cheap shoes. I bought them for years, even to work my very physical work (on my feet all day). About 8 years ago I started investing in quality shoes for myself and the kids. I'll never go back.
* Cheap knock-offs. Live and learn : they are very rarely of quality and I end up having to buy another one, so....