Save Some Money — and stop buying these 12 items

There are some things I will always spend my hard-earned cash on – no matter what. For instance – my cans of Diet Coke – those are just a no-brainer. If you ever take a peek in my cold cellar, I guarantee there is at least a case on the shelf. My eye starts to twitch if I notice those cans a-dwindling. 

The same goes for my in-theatre movies. Yes, they can start to add up – especially when I tend to go once a week (sometimes more) – but these are just a couple of my creature comforts that I don’t mind spending money on.

There are more – lots more – I like to get my nails done during the cold months and my toes done during the warm; I enjoy eating lunch out; I pay for a monthly newspaper subscription. I’m going to stop here – but I’m sure this list could continue for as long as I let it.

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I won’t feel guilty about treating myself – because there are a whole whack of household un-necessities I have been cutting back on – if not getting rid of altogether. For whatever reason – whether to save money, eliminate waste or for simple health benefits – I’ve been doing without these 12 specific items.

Here are 12 items I no longer buy:

#1 Paper towels

Okay – a slight fib here. I still buy a roll or two every so often – but that’s mainly for my lettuce. When it comes to wiping down the counter, I use a washable cloth. But where my lettuce is concerned, I find that storing the leaves between paper towels layered in a large sealed container keeps the greens fresh for up to 2 sometimes even 3 weeks! I’ve tried using tea towels in lieu of paper towels – but they just don’t work the same way. But as for a cleaning product, reusable cloths and old rags have been my go-to for a while now.

#2 Plastic baggies

Years ago, I discovered re-usable, washable sandwich bags – called lunch skins. They come in a variety of sizes and they keep my kids lunches just as fresh as plastic baggies would (and I make lunches the night before). They aren’t cheap BUT they have each lasted me a few years. Although several of our lunch skins have fallen prey to our dog when left unattended with a half-eaten sandwich inside.

#3 Fabric Softener

Whoever invented fabric softener and then drove home our apparent need for it is a genius. I’ve been doing my laundry without it and my clothes still come out baby soft AND smelling nice.

#4 Books

Anyone who knows me also knows that I’m a major book mooch. Books aren’t as easy to mooch now with the advent of the Kindle – BUT I get by. I’m not a huge book keeper – so borrowing suits my read ‘em and pass ‘em on (or back) mentality. I also frequent my library although the wait times can sometimes by astronomical when it comes to current and popular reads. Second hand books are fine by me as well – so if there’s a garage sale nearby and books are involved – I may very well walk away with an armful.

#5 Bottled Salad Dressing

I recently learned that not only are most salad dressing recipes simple to make at home, but they keep in the fridge for quite a long time. Typically, the dressings I make are eaten up in a week or two’s time so I can’t be sure of their precise dates of expiration. That said – I still keep a store bought bottle of ranch on hand as a quick veggie dip for the kids.

#6 Compost Bin Liners

When our town first started the compost program, I went out and bought a box of bin liners. These flimsy membranes did help keep my indoor bin slightly less disgusting but after a while I realized how truly unnecessary they are. Now, I simply line my bin with a folded sheet of newspaper and wrap some of the messier items (like veggie peelings or meat) in another layer of newspaper before tossing them in.

#7 Plastic Silverware and Paper Plates

It’s just as easy to store extra silverware picked up at my local thrift store as it is to buy and store a pack of plastic silverware – EXCEPT my way saves money in the long run – not to mention waste. AND we all know how awful it is to try and cut meat with a flimsy plastic knife. In lieu of paper plates, I opted for heavier duty plastic plates which I bought once and have washed and reused for the past several years.

#8 Baked Goods

To be fair, I’m not a huge fan of baked goods – having something more of a chip and popcorn fetish rather than a sweet tooth myself. But I do always have home made muffins stored in my freezer which go into school lunches regularly. And sometimes when the mood strikes, I’ll bake some cookies. Because both muffins and cookies freeze well – I really don’t see the point in store-bought when I can make huge batches of either when I have the time and inclination and I know exactly what ingredients are going into the batter. That said – sometimes I just feel like eating an Oreo.

#9 Muffin Papers

Since I make muffins on a weekly basis, I used to go through muffin papers like crazy. But it just felt like such a waste to buy them and then simply peel them off the cooked muffin in order to toss them in the trash. I briefly toyed with the idea of buying re-usable silicon muffin liners but instead opted for my muffins to go commando. A little spritz and swipe of oil in each muffin mould is all it takes to keep them from sticking.

#10 Dryer Sheets

Another invention I wish I had thought of. Somehow or other, us laundry-doers have been convinced that we need these strange little pieces of pseudo-fabric floating around amongst our wet items in order for them to dry properly and without static. But I really don’t notice any difference when I dry my clothes without them.

#11 Baby Food

It’s been a long while since I needed to worry about this – but back in the day, I only had a couple of jars of store bought baby food on hand in case of emergency. Other than that, I had a hard time reconciling the cost of the jar compared to the actual ingredients inside – typically a vegetable of choice and water. Back when the kids were babies, my kitchen would turn into a baby food factory once every few weeks or so. I would buy the vegetable of choice, cook it until it was basically mush, mash it by hand or blend it with water and then spoon it into ice cube trays. Once frozen, I would take the veggie cubes and store them in my deep freezer, taking out what I needed when I needed it.

#12 Paper Napkins

I have enough cloth napkins for an intimate dinner party and several rattier ones earmarked for the kids’ lunches – but I admit – I don’t have enough for a large summer barbecue. But I’ll get there one day. I promise.

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