20 Things to Stop Buying RIGHT NOW to Save Money

If it seems like money pours out of your bank account faster than sand between your fingers then maybe it’s time to make some changes. Recently, I taught you guys how to make a budget and actually stick to it, which is the most important first step for anyone who wants to save money. But now let’s talk about where your money actually is going and some the changes you can make right now to stop wasting money on things you just don’t need.

Here’s my list of 20 things you should stop buying right now to save money:

1. Stuff you already own

It sounds like a no-brainer, but one of the easiest ways to save money and shop more mindfully is to avoid stocking up on things you already own. How many different foundations do you own right now? How many scented candles do you have stashed in a drawer? Make sure you use up what you have first and don’t give in to the temptation to stockpile. Seriously, this is one of my top tips for saving money!

2. Takeaway coffee

According to a poll conducted by Amerisleep, the average millennial spends $2008 on coffee a year. That, my friends, is a huge amount of money! You can get a coffee machine from Amazon for less than £40 and a bag of ground coffee costs less than a venti caramel latte from Starbucks. This is a simple switch that can literally save you thousands.

3. Lunch on the go

Buying lunch at work or while you’re out and about might not seem like a huge expense, but it can add up pretty quickly if you’re doing it often. Make your own lunches to take into work instead.

4. Pre-packaged foods

Pre-packaged foods might seem like a convenient solution for those of us who aren’t exactly gifted in the kitchen (I include myself in that), but they’re overpriced and usually loaded with unhealthy amounts of salt and sugar. Why pay £2.50 for a jar of highly processed tomato pasta sauce when a tin of chopped tomatoes is 50p?

5. Single purpose cleaning products

Don’t buy into the hype! There’s no need to have a kitchen cleaner, bathroom cleaner, sink clear, counter cleaner, floor cleaner, toilet cleaner and every other type of cleaner under the sun. Save money, space and time buy switching to a multi-purpose cleaner that can tackle all your cleaning needs in one fair swoop.

6. Unnecessary makeup products

The beauty industry is always coming out with new ‘must-have’ products they claim will change your entire existence. Spoiler alert: they almost certainly won’t. Keep your makeup collection minimal by sticking to your staples and let the beauty fads pass you by.

7. Bottled water

It’s 2020. Buy a reusable water bottle and move on with your life.

8. Magazines

You can access all your favourite magazines online now so there’s no need to waste money and space on piles of paper. If you really do love to flick through the physical pages of a magazine, you can do so for free at your local library.

9. Disposable kitchen items

This covers everything from cling film to plastic utensils. Anything single-use is a waste of money!  Check out my favourite zero waste kitchen swaps to save money and the environment.

10. Excess food

Back in 2011, FAO estimated that 1/3 of the world’s food was wasted every year. How much food gets banished to the bin in your household? An easy way to stop wasting food and reduce your spending is to plan out all your meals for the week and only buy the ingredients you need.

11. Books

I’m a book addict so this one hurts, but you can save a lot of money by borrowing books from the library instead of purchasing them from the bookshop or from Amazon.

12. Things from the sale rack

Repeat after me: if you don’t need it then it’s not a bargain. Even if something is 60% off, it’s still 40% on. Avoid sale racks unless you’re looking for something specific that you actually need and even then, keep your blinkers on so you don’t end up bringing home a huge bag full of ‘bargains’.

13. Wipes

Face wipes, floor wipes, toilet wipes, window wipes…like all other single use items, wipes are a waste of money. Switch to using makeup remover and bottled cleaning supplies that will last much longer for a fraction of the price.

14. Brand named medicines

From allergy pills to pain relief and everything in between, the brand named versions of over the counter drugs are sometimes up to four times more expensive than their generic counterparts. That’s insanity! When looking for tablets and medicines, check the active ingredients on the side of the box to help you find a cheaper alternative to the expensive branded versions.

You can even go one step further and check the PL Code, which is a unique number given to each drug on the market. Sometimes the exact same tablets made by the exact same manufacturers are packaged in different boxes and sold at very different prices. Find out more from the Money Saving Expert.

15. Expensive glasses

A few year ago I got sent a pair of glasses to try from an online company called Firmoo. They offer glasses for around $20 and, since using them, I’ve never looked back…and I will forever feel like an idiot for spending £400 on a pair of glasses from Specsavers just a couple of months before.

Plus, if you use this link and use the code 495SALE you’ll get your first pair of glasses for $4.95! I can personally vouch for the quality because I’ve worn mine every day for over a year and they’re still looking good.

16. Random, useless home decor items

No, you don’t need that plant pot with flamingos on it. Ditto those tiny boxes that are too small to actually fit anything in and only exist to look cute and collect dust. In fact, stay away from TK Maxx and Home Sense altogether. You’ll thank me.

17. Batteries

In a world where everything seems to take a USB charger now, we definitely don’t need as many batteries as we used to. Even so, you can cut your spending on batteries entirely by purchasing the reusable kind that you can simply recharge when they run out of power.

18. TV subscription services

Do you really need to pay for Virgin or Sky when Netflix is so inexpensive and Youtube is downright free? At the very least, take a look at your TV package and see if you can downgrade it to save some money each month.

18. Travel sized products

I never travel with travel sized toiletries (except toothpaste – that’s the one exception). Check out my top tips for packing carry on toiletries without wasting money on travel sized products and prepare to save a small fortune.

19. Tacky gifts

Gift-giving can be hugely rewarding for everyone involved, but only if the gift is well thought out and meaningful. There are a lot of tacky gifts out there that don’t really serve any purpose and end up sitting around, taking up space. Instead, consider giving a gift experience like taking the recipient out for dinner, to a movie or to a place they’ve always wanted to visit. That kind of gift will mean a whole lot more and will be a much better use of your money.

Making small changes to your shopping habits is one of the best money saving ideas out there. These might only be small purchases and a few pounds here and there might not seem like it makes a difference, but believe me when I say it adds up pretty quickly. Just by cutting out these unnecessary purchases, you could save thousands in a year. I don’t know about you, but I’d say that’s worth giving up my daily Starbucks for.

Some of the links contained in this post are affiliate links. This means that if you decide to purchase these items, I’ll receive a small commission. But don’t worry! I never recommend anything I don’t love.