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Embrace Frugal Living and Say Goodbye to These 14 Money-Wasting Items
This how to budget for beginners guide embraces the idea of living within your means by cutting back on impulse shopping habits. If you’re tired of watching your hard-earned money disappear before your eyes, it’s time to take a stand against wasteful spending and embrace frugal living. In this article from Katie T’s Home, we’ll explore ways a one-income household can save money by quitting these 14 unnecessary purchases. From subscriptions to disposable products, we’ll uncover practical tips for beginners, Christian homemakers, and everyone in between to take control of their budget and make smarter purchasing decisions. Say goodbye to overspending, and hello to a more intentional way of living. Let’s dive in and start saving today!
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Katie T’s Farmhouse Home Fun Fact #17
Fun fact time! This is a new section I’m including on my blog posts so my readers can get to know me on a personal level!
So, for my 17th fun fact, I want to share that my go-to alcoholic beverage is wine!
Preferably cabernet or merlot, but now and again, a sweet wine like sangria is the perfect way to end a sunny summer day.
Creating a Budget That Works for You
When creating a budget that works for you, it’s essential to start by understanding your financial goals and priorities.
Look at your income and expenses, and identify areas where you can cut back or eliminate unnecessary spending.
By setting clear goals and tracking your expenses, you’ll be able to create a budget that aligns with your values and helps you achieve financial freedom.
I go into more detail on how to save money in the article above. It explores budgeting tips and strategies to help organize your finances.
Unnecessary Subscriptions to Cut Out
One area where you can cut unnecessary spending is by evaluating your current subscriptions.
Take a close look at the services you are subscribed to, such as streaming platforms, gym memberships, magazine subscriptions, and other recurring expenses.
Note that some health insurance companies may reimburse investments such as gym memberships up to a certain amount, so this type of subscription is a case-by-case circumstance.
Then, ask yourself if you are truly getting value from each subscription and if it aligns with your financial goals.
Consider cutting out any subscriptions you rarely use or can live without to free up more money in your budget. My biggest recommendation is cutting out cable and music subscriptions.
Cable and music subscriptions take the seat for the first two things to cut out to embrace frugal living for a few reasons.
For cable, other streaming platforms are cheaper, like Netflix. Some of you may disagree with the music subscription, but hear me out.
Saving money is a mindset. I discuss this in more detail in my article on the 10 realistic money-saving tips and techniques, but the main point is if you have the option of spending more money on something, more often than not you’re spending money on the convenience.
Depending on your specific situation, you need to be honest with yourself and ask if spending the extra money on this convenience of not having to hear a few ads is worth the cost.
It’s not necessarily about the low cost of the $11 expense each month, but rather the recognition that something has to give. The forward-thinking that you could have saved an extra $1k by the end of the year if you cut out 8 $11 unnecessary expenses each month.
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Replacing Disposable Items with Sustainable Alternatives
When considering ways to embrace frugal living, it’s essential to look at the items you use every day that may contribute to unnecessary spending and environmental waste.
One effective strategy is to replace disposable items with sustainable alternatives.
For example, instead of buying single-use plastic water bottles, invest in a reusable water bottle that you can refill throughout the day. This saves you money in the long run while reducing your carbon footprint by cutting down on plastic waste. Not to add, the negative side effects of exposure to plastic in general.
Similarly, you can swap out plastic bags, plastic wrap, and parchment paper with silicone bags, beeswax wrap, and silicone mats. I will say with these three, I keep some on hand just in case, but I will use the alternatives if possible.
Another item to stop buying to embrace frugal living is dryer sheets. Wool dryer balls are a great alternative to use instead.
And as far as beauty goes, I never buy makeup remover/pads or disposable razors anymore. Instead, I use these reusable makeup cloths and a metal razor with replaceable razor blades.
Quality vs Quantity
When embracing frugal living, it’s important to consider the concept of quality versus quantity in your purchasing decisions. Opting for high-quality, durable items may initially cost more but can save you money in the long run by reducing the need for frequent replacements.
Investing in well-made, long-lasting products can also bring you greater satisfaction and value over time compared to cheaper, lower-quality alternatives.
However, you don’t always need to opt for quality. For example, I can honestly say I don’t use my iron a lot. Knowing this, I chose the cheaper iron to save money because I’m not looking for the quality.
This same concept applies to brand-name items. The only time a brand is worth the investment is if they are associated with quality. For example, I’d say a few brand names worth the investment because they are considered quality brands are KitchenAid, Makita, Toyota, Shark, and Whirlpool to name a few.
If the brand itself is purely luxury, it’s not worth it.
We live in a world where status holds an unfortunate amount of weight. Brands like clothing, accessories, makeup, shoes, cars, etc., will market their products as luxury items and charge much more than a similar item with equal benefits.
If you ask me, the people who lose are the people who fall for the trap. Status can’t be bought. It’s earned. And although you may feel bougie walking around with a Stanley insulated tumbler, it means nothing if you don’t have the money to show for it because you spent it on the name.
Mindful Spending on Essential Items
When managing your budget effectively, it’s essential to practice mindful spending on essential items.
Think about items that are crucial for your daily life and well-being, vs the items that are purely extra.
For example, air fresheners, Febreeze, perfume, and excessive makeup products are extras in my book.
And words of wisdom to the people who love the extra smelly things in their home: you probably have at least a handful of people in your life who strongly dislike the fact that you use perfumes/smelly things.
The reason for this is that you probably don’t realize how strong the smell is because you’ve gone “nose-blind” from it.
And from personal experience, there are people in my life that I get slight headaches from being around because they smell like artificial scents.
So do all of us scent-aware individuals who don’t have a nice way of telling you that you smell too strong a favor and tone it down. Please.
Embrace Frugal Living and Say Goodbye to These 14 Money-Wasting Items: Budget Tips for Beginners
By being mindful of your spending habits and focusing on the quality of essential items, you can make the most out of every purchase and maximize the value you receive.
This shift in mindset can not only help you save money but also lead to a greater sense of satisfaction and contentment with your purchases.
In conclusion, by ditching these 14 money-wasting items and embracing frugal living, you’re setting yourself up for success! Don’t forget to follow me on Pinterest for updates and related content like this!
