Looking for a simple way to restore balance to your budget and save a bit more each week? I’ve got a fool-proof tip that isn’t necessarily easy to implement, but it sure works!
There are hundreds of ways to save money on virtually every in-store and online purchase – scouting out the best sales, clipping coupons, searching for discount codes, mailing in rebates, using various money-saving apps, trying Amazon Subscribe and Save, etc.
And then there are all the ways to save on second-hand items — Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, Ebay, ThredUp, second-hand stores, thrift stores, garage sales, estate sales, consignment shops, etc.
I use many of these tactics in my own life, and they do save our family thousands of dollars each year on items we need to buy.
However, I have an even simpler, completely fool-proof way that I guarantee will save you more money than any of the above tips ever could…
My Money-Saving Tip = Don’t Shop
Yup, I said it was SIMPLE… but let me warn you, it’s not necessarily EASY, even for those of us who are quite frugal!
Logically, if you don’t shop, it will be difficult to overspend. But “not shopping” isn’t always doable, especially if you enjoy shopping as a social event.
I personally don’t love shopping, but I still find myself getting sucked into stores (especially thrift stores) because I just never know what kind of deal I might find!
Can you relate?
If not, maybe one of the following examples will resonate with you.
FARMER’S MARKETS:
It can be so enjoyable to walk through our local Farmer’s Market on a sunny summer morning… and I love supporting local farmers too.
It’s certainly not a bad use of our time or money, but I do always spend more than I think I will… especially if I bring the kids along! So many weeks, we just don’t go because I can’t overspend if I don’t go in the first place!
AMAZON:
This is probably the worst for me because they sell everything and I can instantly find exactly what I’m looking for, compare prices, and have it shipped to me in 24-48 hours. Amazing!
To combat my tendency to hop on Amazon whenever we need something, I log out after every use. It’s just something tiny, but it forces me to pause and consider if we really need the item or if we could get by with something else (or simply without) instead.
OTHER ONLINE DEAL SITES:
I’ve unsubscribed from all email and text notifications from any store trying to sell me more stuff… and I don’t regret it.
If there’s something specific I absolutely “need” and I can’t borrow it or find it used, I will do a quick Google search for the best deal and/or a coupon code.
I’m amazed how often I find a deal + coupon for exactly what I wanted to purchase, and in the meantime, I’m not bombarded with emails and text messages enticing me to shop with a limited-time deal.
DONUTS, ICE CREAM, and FAST FOOD:
In general, we’re not big on going out to eat because it takes so long, we often don’t love the food, and the atmosphere is noisy.
But even still, it’s so easy to stop and pick up donuts from our favorite local place, a pizza on a busy weeknight, or some frozen custard from Culvers.
If going out to eat is a fun family time or your favorite date night activity, then work it into your budget. But if it’s not something you love and you don’t have much wiggle room in your budget, consider ways to enjoy time together without pricey foods. Maybe an at-home movie night, or s’mores in the backyard.
GROCERIES:
Since we rarely go out to eat and we have 4 growing kids who continue eating, our grocery bill just keeps rising.
However, roughly every 6 months, I take a week off from grocery shopping and we eat random meals from the pantry, freezer, and fridge to use up bits and pieces of what we have left.
It’s usually pretty fun, it saves us a few hundred bucks on groceries, and it’s a great opportunity to take notes of what foods we weren’t eating (so I know to stop buying those items).
Which of these examples resonated most with you?
Of course, none of the examples are bad or wrong in and of themselves.
If you have the money in your budget, it’s fine to go shopping, to buy items online, to enjoy hanging out at the farmers market, to find a great deal at the local thrift store, or to enjoy a meal out with friends or family.
I don’t expect you to swear off shopping for good. After all, sustaining our families and caring for our homes will require spending money.
However, if you are in a situation where you wish you could save a bit more, I hope this post resonates with you… causing you to pause to think about the many little (sometimes tiny) ways you spend unnecessarily each week. After all, it does add up over time.
Take a break from the mall, thrift stores, Amazon, your favorite boutique, Facebook Marketplace, and the coffee shop down the road… maybe go for a walk or head to the park with your kids instead.
More ideas to help you stop shopping…
- Eat all your meals at home.
- Pack all your lunches.
- Make coffee and other favorite drinks at home.
- Drink water — this is a huge money-saver for our family!
- Use baking soda and vinegar to wash and rinse your hair instead of immediately replacing your shampoo and conditioner.
- Make your own cleaning products using items from your pantry.
- Find free parking, even if you need to walk twice as far.
- Log out of all your online shopping sites to make it more difficult to shop.
- Eat only from your pantry and freezer for as long as possible to save on groceries.
- Eat vegetarian for a week to save on the cost of meat.
- Toss those “freebie” coupons that require you to spend something to get the free items.
- Use up all your travel-size items before replacing toiletries and cosmetics.
- Go make-up free for a bit (seriously, you could save SO much money!)
- Shop a friend’s closet instead of buying something new for a special occasion.
- Borrow from a neighbor instead of buying (and then return the favor at some point).
- See if you can make do without a specialized item and use something you already have in the house.
- Send email Christmas cards instead of buying cards and stamps.
- Search your house for back-to-school supplies or sports gear instead of buying everything brand new each year.
The practice of not shopping is such a fantastic discipline, it’s a great example for our children and grandchildren, and it turns out to be a nearly fool-proof way to save money!
How have you saved more by not shopping?
Lynda says
Now I want donuts! 🙂 Great article….. truth! Always appreciate how you keep it real and simple 🙂
Andrea says
haha — the donuts were amazing! 🙂
Erin says
My issue is Target and Costco. I did get my Costco membership with a groupon so it ended up being almost free with gift card and free items with purchase that we used. However, it is very hard for me to get out of Costco for under $100 so that membership ends this month and I’m letting it run out. We do save with their cheaper gas but not worth how much extra I tend to spend in the store. Target is the same for me. I try my hardest to avoid walking in there by ordering the couple items I need off of amazon or getting them at the grocery store. If we really need to go there I ask my husband to go instead b/c he is not tempted by Target dollar bins or decor. My husbands favorite saying is, “ I’m gojng broke with you saving money.” Lol. I’m a work in progress. Thanks for the reminder today!
Andrea says
I told Dave that Costco seems to be a money suck for us too. We have 8-10 things we buy there every month, but I’m honestly not convinced it saves us much after we factor in the price of the membership and that various other things we buy when we’re there!
MC says
One thing I did was get a shampoo/conditioner/body-wash/baby-shampoo dispenser for the shower. https://www.amazon.com/Better-Living-71450-4-Chamber-Dispenser/dp/B00004TUBO/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1534459744&sr=8-5&keywords=shower+dispenser
I mean, you can use the chambers for anything, but I listed what I put in them. I use the first 3 and my daughter uses the last + we share the body wash.
I’ve been using less shampoo and soap as a result. And if I need more than I pumped out the first time, each additional pump is nice and controlled, so I don’t accidentally pour a whole bunch out of the bottle. Plus, I don’t waste very much at all b/c I can completely empty whatever bottle into the dispenser. And when the dispenser is low, I just add more of whatever product to keep it flowing.
I have a big stock pile of body wash from a good sale I hit up, so I won’t have to buy much for a LONG time, too! Extra long since I’m using less these days!
I found my dispenser brand new (from AGES ago like it had been in someone’s garage for many years) at the thrift store and I only got it b/c a friend posted about using one for her ~10 yo daughter who was wasting so much shampoo/soap/conditioner in the bath. I figured that would be good for when mine finally starts showering on her own (she’s not quite 3). But it’s really been good for me, too!
I love the no-shopping tip from this post. It’s so true. I’ve seen some rather extreme challenges floating around blog-land to not shop for anything at all unless you NEED it. Like this from Young House Love: https://www.younghouselove.com/podcast-97/ (sorry, it’s a podcast, but the show notes should have enough about it or click over to their other show notes that have a bit more to read if you don’t want to listen to everything). I don’t love the extreme challenges, but I notice that my bill is lower when I don’t just shop around aimlessly. 🙂
Andrea says
Thanks for the links! I’m actually planning to get something like that for our kids’ bathroom once they are all taking showers! I was more thinking of it as a way to reduce the clutter in the shower, but it would be a really great way to use less too!
JJ says
Great tips!!! One way I save money is I try to use everything in a tube/bottle. I also am {{trying}} to use less of things. I’m honestly careless as to amounts, but I am trying to use less first. Then if I need more–fine!
Shopping with Walmart Grocery Pickup saves *if* they had everything in my order and you don’t have to go out again. It keeps a subtotal as you order. I have never been a huge fan of Walmart but LOVE this service. I pull up with 3 small children in tow and zip away with all of my groceries for the week. The biggest problem has been spoiled produce. But, every time I call customer service, they fully refund any item. If you ever did this, you could share your link on this blog and earn a $10 promo code for every person who signs up under your link!
Andrea says
These are great tips!
We don’t have that Walmart service at the store closest to us — and our Walmarts are very inferior to the Meijer and Aldi stores. I don’t remember the last time I went into Walmart… in fact, I don’t think I’ve ever purchased groceries from our Walmart!
JJ says
Michigan is my home state. I miss Meijer so much! We have a Super Target and Super Walmart. I shop at Aldi a little. Meijer needs to get down to NC! Haha!
One other way I forgot to mention we are saving for our kids is to put 30% of monetary gifts they receive into their savings accounts. That way they can still get fun things but also save up a little for the future.
Stephanie says
This post is so true! Although on a budget and frugal-minded, I have spent more than I would have liked this summer on the little outings that you mentioned above. I’ve been aware of it and plan to make up for it. Great suggestions on how to do that! One thing I don’t do is take my kids to garage sales or thrift stores, as I know that since everything is so inexpensive it would be super tempting to buy things they don’t need. How do you balance decluttering and bringing fun toys home? That’s always been a problem for me. I know the “one in, one out” rule. Do you stick to that with your kids when they pick up a little toy at the thrift store? I don’t want to be too rigid but the little things pile up fast!
Andrea says
to be fair, I think the little outings are sort of about memory-making too! My kids are having SO much fun doing all sorts of little things each week, and I’m positive we’re spending significantly less than if we went on one large family vacation.
As for buying all those little toys at the thrift store, we purge on a regular basis (and my kids know this). so when we go to the thrift store, we almost always bring a bag or two of clothes, toys, books, and games — and then the kids each get to pick ONE thing to bring back. It’s not a perfect system but it works for now!
Jen says
One trick for me has been to unsubscribe to many of those “deals” emails. If I don’t know what “amazing” deal they’re having today, I won’t be tempted to buy something I don’t need and spend money frivolously buying something just “because it’s on sale.”
This is mostly why I stopped clipping coupons years ago. I felt such pressure to cut, organize, and use all the coupons until one day I realized that 1. my time was more important than saving $2 and 2. more often than not, I was spending even more money to save a little. It doesn’t make sense to buy two jars of ketchup I don’t need (and will have to store!) and spend $4 to save $.50 when I could buy just one jar and only spend $2!
I have also gone on “fasts” from certain stores–mainly Target, which is my nemesis! I just don’t even go in. I’ve succeeded in doing this for several months in a row several different times in the past few years. That way, I’m not tempted at all! My husband says he can hear the sucking sound in his wallet every time I walk in there! 😉
Stephanie says
I agree, Jen, and have done the same things to save money. I wished stores didn’t group things together for a “deal.” Like “buy three pairs of shorts for $5 each” and save. When you try to reduce the number of items in your home and you don’t need three pairs, it feels like you aren’t being thrifty if you don’t buy the bundle.
Andrea says
yes, good tips Jen! I unsubscribe to a bunch of emails after the holiday season.
Also, we are different in the fact that I don’t even remember the last time I stepped foot into a Target. I never shop there (in stores or online). I think the last thing I got from Target were my high-waist swim suit bottoms (3 summers ago)!
Chris says
Spot on! I absolutely love Chick-Fil-A but I do know I go more because of the free items I get and then purchase others. But I don’t mind spending the money there because I love it! LOL
Andrea says
I hear ya! We get SO many Buy-One-Get-One coupons to Culvers (and you know how much we love Culvers!) but many of the coupons go unused since we only go to Culver’s once a month (at the most). If we used all our coupons, we’d be going every other day and spending a fortune!