30 Things I've Stopped Buying to Save Money and Simplify My Life (2024)

Things I’ve Stopped Buying to Simplify My Life

It’s been over a year since I started simplifying my life, so I thought of looking back at this past year of my journey and listing what extraneous items I’ve been able to tick off on my minimalist bible/ minimalist living checklist.

If you’ve followed this blog for very long, you’ve probably come across my post aboutthe 13 things I stopped buying to save money. Please head over to that post if you are looking for ideas on what to stop buying to save money and how to save $1820 in 52 weeks when you’re broke.

For more money-saving ideas, check out:

• 51 Extreme Frugality Tips for the Super Frugal
• How to Live Frugally On One Income in 2022

Today’s list, however, is all about the thingsI have stopped buying since simplifying my life.

I’ve stopped buying these things because:

1. They do not align with my goals.
2. These things do not fit into my new lifestyle.
3. They don’t add value to my life.
4. These things also tend to own me (they demand time, organization, storage, etc.)
5. They hurt my bank account and the environment.

I know, this list may not apply to everyone as each person’s priorities and values are different. So, please don’t treat this list as theultimate list of things minimalists don’t own or buy, because I believe there is no such thing.

But I hope that this post will inspire you to evaluate everything that you consume or buy to see whether they truly add value to your life and maybe to create your minimalist living checklist to pursue your minimalism goals.

Important:This is not to shame anyone who buys any of the things listed below. The purpose of this post is just to give you ideas on what you could stop buying to start simplifying your life.

Things I Have Stopped Buying for Myself

Tip:if you want some motivation, download thisfree frugal living trackerand see how much you’ll save by being less consumerist and more minimalist!

Jewelry/ accessories

I got rid of my fashion accessories because I rarely wear them. The few jewelry pieces I own were given as gifts.

Trendy clothes

I go for classic pieces that do not go out of style easily.

Trendy shoes

I avoid buying trendy shoes for the same reason as trendy clothes: they go out of style quickly.

Books

I am a literature major, and I used to own a lot of books. I love books but they also require a lot of space. I’ve switched to buying eBooks (or borrowing), which solves the storage problems!

Cosmetics

I used to waste a lot of money on cosmetics. I still use a couple of products, but I no longer buy extras/duplicates.

Hair and nail products

I use only shampoo and occasionally a treatment cream. I no longer buy all sorts of miracle products for hair. I’ve stopped using nail polish as well.

Bottled shampoo and conditioner

I know this is not for everyone and you might roll your eyes at this. But, when I saw theseshocking statisticsabout the amount of plastics people use as consumers, I was inspired to find alternatives to every bottled product I consume.

I’ve stopped buying bottled water and other beverages in plastic containers. And to consume fewer plastics, I also researched alternatives to my hair products. I discovered eco-friendlyshampoo barsand surprisingly, they work great for me!

Material gifts to myself

I used to reward myself with useless things such as more clothes and purses. Now, if I want to give myself a gift, it will be a gift of experience and time.

Gadgets

I am content with my smartphone.

Any “life-changing” beauty products

Store-bought makeup remover

I no longer waste money on makeup removers. Instead, I usecoconut oilto remove makeup.

Anythingthat doesn’t serve any purpose other than as part of a “collection.”

These things include travel souvenirs or extra purses.

Any upgrades on products or services

I am happy with the basic stuff.

Loans/Debts

I don’t know about you, but debt is one of the top things I don’t want to worry about, and this is just a personal choice.

I understand that living debt-free is not a choice for everyone. Many people have to go into debt to finish school or solve a financial emergency. But I believe that if you really commit yourself to paying off your debt, you’ll be able to do so. There are many ways you can increase your income to help you pay off debts faster. Check out the following articles!

• 16 Low-Cost Business Ideas for Stay-at-Home Moms (with High Profit!)
• 25 Jobs for Pregnant Women that Pay Well
• How to Sell on Amazon for Beginners with Retail Arbitrage
• How to Start a Blog and Make Money
• How to Become a Tax Preparer from Home
• How to Become a Bookkeeper With No Experience
• 13 Easy Ways To Get Paid To Watch Netflix
• 22 Side Hustles For Single Moms

Household Items I Have Stopped Buying

Home decor

Since simplifying my life, my taste for home decor has also changed. If I buy anything, it would be something that has a timeless appeal and that I would keep for a long time.

Seasonal decor

I admit, I love Christmas decorations and I used to buy new ones every year. But since simplifying my life, I’ve learned to reuse what I already have. It’s nice to have nice decor every year but I like focusing my energy and money on other things that are far more important such as the company of friends and family.

Extra kitchen stuff

I have downsized our kitchen. Read more.

Plastic scrub sponge

I’ve switched to theseplant-based scour padsfor cleaning dishes and surfaces Theylast a long time, are natural, clean well, and help the environment!

Cable TV subscription

We canceled our cable a few years ago and we’ve not looked back. It saves us at least $800 a year!

Containers/storage for stuff

With less stuff, you don’t need extra containers.

Any single-use kitchen gadget/appliance

Theyconsume space and generally don’t really make my life easier. The kitchen items I use now arelisted here.

Aerosol Sprayers

These sprayerscontain harmful chemicals.

New furniture

I want more space, not more furniture.

Complex Recipes

I love cooking but I don’t want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen, so I try to stay away from making complex recipes. Every week, I create a meal plan, not only to stick to our food budget but also to avoid wasting time figuring out what to cook every day. You can read more about my simple meal-planning tipsin this post.

CDs/DVDs

I don’t know about you, but I don’t like keeping these things in the house. Besides, there’sHuluor Netflix or the Internet to rent movies from.

Grocery Items I No Longer Buy

Extra food

Wasting food is common in American households. According tothis survey,twenty percent of the food Americans buy is wasted. If you stop wasting food, you would not onlysave moneybut also help the environment.

Sugary drinks

Drink more water. It’s healthier and costs very little.

Single-purposecleaner

I use a multipurpose cleaner to clean our patios, floors, kitchen sink, and other surfaces. Having only one cleaner bottle frees up more kitchen space.

Kids’ Items I Have Stopped Buying

I define “extra” as extra things that don’t fit in my son’s toy box or extra clothes that don’t fit in his drawers. If I get stuff for him, I practice the 1-in-1-out rule, which simply means one has to go if I get him one thing new.

Extra toys

I don’t want to leave my son toy-less, but I don’t want toy overload either. I want to focus on giving my son experiences instead of giving him lots of material things.

Extra clothes

I am intentional about clothes as kids easily outgrow them.

FINAL THOUGHTS

While this list isn’t set in stone and it may still change as my priorities change, for now, I am happy to have rid myself of these unnecessary items.

By ticking these things off my list,I have found more time to pursue my passionssuch as writing this blog andsavingmore money(by not wasting money on things that don’t align with my goals).I have cleared the distraction of excess material things so I can focus more on what’s truly important to me.

I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU!

What is your idea of minimalist living? What have you stopped buying to simplify your life andsave money?

Enjoyed this post? Pin this! Orfollow meon Pinterest!