Stop Wasting Your Money On These 9 Things

I’ve always been an extremely frugal person. I’ve clipped coupons, I pick up pennies, and I’m always on the hunt for dollar saving deals. Since Jarden and I are trying to save money for upcoming travel plans, I’ve started looking for more ways to cut back. I found that there are a lot of “everyday items” that we can get rid of and stop wasting our money on. I know I’m not alone in this, so here are 9 everyday things that YOU might be wasting your money on.

1. Bottled Water

I live in America, where the water is perfectly potable. Better yet, I live in Hawaii, and I can drink my water straight from the tap without a filter. Why are we buying bottled water? Get a reusable cup (I love my HydroFlask), and stop wasting your dollars, and that plastic.

2. Household Cleaner

Only recently I’ve learned that you can DIY kitchen and bathroom cleaners. (Thanks Pinterest!) With natural ingredients like baking soda and vinegar, you can save a ton of money on pricey cleaners without all those harsh chemicals.

3. Credit Card Interest

Seriously, don’t waste your money on credit card interest. Jarden and I have 3 credit cards between us that we’ve been using for years, and we’ve never paid a single dime of interest. With credit cards, we use it like a debit. Don’t use money you don’t have! Pay your credit cards off in full every month, and you won’t be throwing away your hard earned dollars to those credit card companies.

4. ATM Fees

Nothing annoys me like ATM fees. You’re charging me $3 for taking out my own money? Screw you magic money box! To avoid this, try to pre-plan and bring enough cash if you know you’re going to need it, or make time to go to your own banks ATM. There are also cards that reimburse you for any ATM fees you occur! Now that’s what I’m talking about.

5. A Landline

In all curiousness, who even has a house phone anymore? I know we don’t, (we don’t even have cable), and we don’t need it whatsoever. I know some people still have use for a residence phone, but if you primarily use your cell for all calls, save the extra cash and ditch the landline.

6. Name Brands

In a lot of cases, name brands are a marketing ploy. Yes, I know that new $24 mascara from Sephora is tempting, but let me tell you there’s a $5 one from the drugstore that works just as well. Same thing for medicine; that CVS brand of cough syrup most likely has the exact same ingredients as that expensive Nyquil. Ditch your name brand loyalty!

7. Paper/Plastic Products

Let’s be honest, paper/plastic products are for when you’re feeling lazy. When we have a bunch of family and friends over and don’t want a sink full of dishes, we graciously shell out for some paper plates and red solo cups. That laziness can cost you though, as I know of some families who buy paper plates regularly, and those puppies aren’t cheap. Suck it up, do the dishes; save some trees, and your wallet will thank you later.

8. Trash Bags

Ouch, trash bags are super expensive. If you have an excess amount of plastic shopping bags, use those instead! Those plastic Walmart bags you throw away? They are the perfect size for our bathroom trash can. While I have a larger trash can in the kitchen in which I buy tall trash bags for (I regrettably have a slight obsession with these ones that smell good), my parents actually just hung plastic bags on the door knob my whole life, and that served as the trash can.

9. Movies

Let’s get this straight; I love going to the movies. Sitting in a theater is an easy way to waste a couple of hours, and entertainment options are limited in Hawaii if the weather is bad. Have you seen movie prices lately though?! I think it’s currently at $10.50 for an adult ticket, and don’t even get me started on the popcorn and drink prices. If you can resist the AC and big screen, opt for a Redbox flick instead. (Or Netflix and chill? lol!)

Do you purchase any of these things? Anything else I should add to this list? Let me know!