Over the past 7+ years of blogging, I’ve shared a few “Things I’ve Never Spent Money On” posts (here’s the most recent one from 2013) and they are always SO fun to write and so fun to read the comments!
I recently thought of several more “things I’ve never spent money on” so I figured it was time for another post!
1. ATM Fees
Believe it or not, I’ve never even used an ATM machine — I know, it’s crazy for me to even type that. I rarely have a need for cash, and if I do, I just walk to the bank with the kids and withdraw it at the counter. I like dealing with our bank personally and the kids get candy if we go inside 🙂
2. Waxing, or any form of hair removal:
Well, obviously I’ve paid for razors from the store — but I’ve never paid to have my eyebrows waxed or for any other form of hair removal.
3. Fake anything (nails, eye lashes, hair extensions):
I do have my hair highlighted every once in a great while (it’s been almost a year since my last hair color)… but other than that, I’m fairly confident I’ve never spent money on any “fake” cosmetic or health and beauty product.
4. Haircuts for Dave or our kids:
Speaking of health and beauty — since I started dating Dave, back in 2004, we have never spent any money on haircuts for him or for our kids. I’ve always just cut their hair myself (even though I really have no idea what I’m doing!)
I’m thankful that Dave doesn’t care much about what his hair looks like as I’ve definitely learned as I go along… and our kids think it’s totally normal for moms to cut hair (they don’t even realize kids can go to salons!)
For those of you who feel badly that you pay to have your children’s hair cut, it might make you feel better to know that our family probably makes up for any savings due to the fact that I get my hair cut every 4-5 weeks!
5. A brand new vehicle:
Dave and I are not “car people”. We do prefer black vehicles, but other than that, as long as they aren’t super old and rusty, we really don’t care what we drive.
So, for us, it seems like a complete waste of money to buy a brand new vehicle. We have several friends and family members who always drive new vehicles (without a payment) and it IS fun to ride around in such nice cars, but we’d rather spend our money on home renovations versus driving a brand new vehicle (at least right now).
6. Illegal Drugs:
I about died of laughter when one person commented on my previous post asking if I had ever spent money on illegal drugs.
I would hope anyone who knows me (or reads my blog) would realize I’m WAY too cheap to do illegal drugs, but I figured it would be a fun one to mention on this updated list!
7. Public Transportation:
This might be another shocking one for many of you… but I’ve truly never spent money to travel by train, bus, subway, or taxi. I’ve also never paid for Uber or any other forms of public transportation.
I’ve always lived in smaller towns that don’t even have public transportation. Plus, I’ve always been walking distance (or at least biking distance) from church, school, friends, neighbors, etc.
Someday, I’ll go on vacation to a big city and try out all forms of public transportation — until then, I’ll just keep walking or driving.
8. Tattoos:
No illegal drugs and no tattoos for me 🙂
9. High heel shoes:
I have gotten a few pairs of high heel shoes as gifts (like for a bridesmaid dress) but to the best of my knowledge, I have never purchased high heel shoes.
I almost always wear flats… and I have a couple pair of low wedges for when I want to dress up a bit.
10. A New TV:
As I was writing this post, I realized we have never spent any money on a new TV — we’ve always gotten hand-me-down TVs from others.
In fact, up until we purchased the flat screen TV in our living room (from people at church a couple years ago) we had never actually spent any money on a TV. We got a couple of the box TVs free from relatives who were upgrading, and the previous owners of our house left a couple older wall-mounted TVs when they sold us the house.
Now, we only have the 1 TV in our living room, and even though it’s an older flat screen, it meets our needs just fine.
Keep in mind Dave and I DO spend a considerable amount of money on home renovations, landscaping, entertaining, nice computers, and our kids’ education — many of which are things you might not spend money on.
I honestly don’t think there are any right or wrong ways to spend YOUR OWN money — but I do really enjoy reading posts like this and I thought it might be fun to make another list!
Now, I’m dying to know…
Cheryl says
There are so many ways you can cut back on spending, but for me it was the eating out that was a big chunk of my budget. My husband is very frugal whereas I spent my whole paycheck by midweek. I had mine and he had his, he would not get a joint account because he said I would just blow more money as I wouldn’t think twice about spending. Yes, it hurt but I realized he was right. I was thinking my money is my money, and he makes more than me so his money should be our money. It was actually quite selfish of me. Now I write down what I spend and am keeping a tighter budget. Sad but my mom and sister were horrible with their money, and I had just picked up the same bad habits. I have gotten better, but it does take willpower and a mindset to be responsible with your money.
Andrea says
Exactly Cheryl — and you are not alone.
There are SOOOOO many people who struggle with lack of willpower, the wrong mindset, and irresponsible money-management habits — but they won’t admit they have a “problem” or try to fix anything. You are far ahead of all these people!
JJ says
I laughed about the illegal drugs. I’ve never spent money on a massage. I did get a free one from a lady who was finishing up school for it (all of us who were teachers got a free massage…the school paid for it).
Kylie Ross says
Pretty sure I must be the least frugal person reading this blog…
3 tvs
4 mobile phones
Everyone except hubby gets a haircut
I have pretty much had fake anything beauty wise except lashes
I have my eyebrows and lip waxed and eyelashes/brows tinted
I prefer cash to card so once a week I use an ATM
2 new cars
5 pairs of heels and a 18yr old tattoo….
I’m like the black sheep of the readers
shelley says
Haha! Kylie…I feel the exact same way! I think my response is being reviewed still but it’s coming!! (5 phones, 5 cars-We do have five drivers and they did share cars for awhile!) But I do feel frugal in many other ways! I love this blog despite not being as frugal!! Andrea is awesome!
Andrea says
yeah, we are probably just at different stages of life and have different priorities. 🙂
Andrea says
haha — or you just have different priorities. How much do you spend on home improvement projects or landscaping projects? I have a feeling Dave and my budget for home projects would blow yours out of the water 🙂
shelley says
Oh, my stars!! How is it that you have never used an ATM? I know you are MUCH younger than I am AND I don’t use/need cash much at all either anymore BUT, I started using them regularly 20 years ago!! In contrast, I never go INTO a bank more than once every two years …! ha! I do have three teens/young adults (18, 19, 21) that (due to LOTS of babysitting and random jobs,etc. over the years) have needed to deposit checks. They do have their own accounts but they are still listed under our main accounts and I did the work of depositing their pay into their accounts FOR them. Now that they all drive, they do it themselves OR (love this new feature) we can deposit via our phones…LOVE that feature. But, if I counted the number of times I’ve been to an ATM, I am just dying over this! Good on you! 🙂
As for the rest of the items, I am jealous that you have been able to refrain from so many wasteful purchases! The one I have FINALLY learned to do is NOT pay any interest for financing cars! (We have 5 now! All paid off!) I finally talked my husband into NO leases and buying all the kids’ USED cars in cash! Feels great!! But, that’s a new thing! I am sad to say, we did fall into the lease trap (aka, “flease”) when we were first married! Never again!
In California, we pay for landscaping, firewood, car washes etc! ha! That’s normal 🙂
Sports equipment….hundreds! That one (from a reader) I can’t get either! I guess if you have just a 3 year old, it makes sense. But, even for myself, it’s been running shoes, tennis shoes, tennis rackets, various gym memberships and more. For my kids, roller blades, soccer balls, cleats, field hockey sticks, balls, jump ropes, ski equipment, softball helmets, uniforms…Dang, I could be a millionaire! But would have missed out on a lot over the years! We are super active!
Iphones…we’ve got five of them! Each of my kids do pay for their own data each month.
TV’s…my husband could never live without and we’ve always bought new (sadly!) I personally would love to get rid of cable…but I have to compromise (the hubbie’s choice once again!)
I am just putting it out there…make you all feel even better about not wasting your money! Oh, if I had it to do over again!!!
That is why I LOVE your blog! Seriously, if only this blog is still around when my daughters are raising their families/running a household, I would send them right your way! Not only do you do it on less (by choice! :), you are happier and more put together than most of the people around me!! I love your simplicity, Andrea! Well done!
Andrea says
Thanks Shelley — and I don’t know, I guess I’ve just never needed to use an ATM. I know, it’s crazy for me to think about too!
mk says
Hilarious!
I’ve never spent money on:
1. Landscaping
2. A professional contractor
3. A day at the spa or massage
4. Firewood (although we heat solely by wood-burning stove)
5. Babysitter (we have a 3 y.o.)
6. Carwash
7. Smartphone or i-device of any sort
8. Sports equipment
9. A vacation that wasn’t primarily for visiting family
10. The ones you’ve already named: manicures, pedicures, fake anything, valet parking, lottery tickets, exercise, anything illegal, brand new vehicle, tattoos, & waxing
Andrea says
wow — never on a car wash or babysitter. That’s impressive. Dave and I have actually never spent money on a babysitter so we can go out… but I did pay a Mother’s Helper to come 2 afternoons a week for about a year after Simon was born. They came and played with Nora to give me a break (since she never napped or slept!)
Debbie says
Ha! Illegal drugs and tattoos, pretty funny!. My list would be:
1. Illegal drugs
2. Body piercings – my ear piercing from when I was a baby was paid by my parents 🙂
3. New computers – my hubs built his computer by buying all the parts so it wasn’t a computer when the new parts were bought. I bought one of the used Macs from work as an extra computer at home.
4. Waxing, any hair removal
5. Any hair extensions
6. Credit card memberships – our Costco rebate checks pays for our membership
7. Housecleaning or Maid Services
8. Hospital stays or hospital procedures/surgeries
9. ATM fees
10. TV cable
Andrea says
no hospital stays ever? That’s impressive!
I guess the only times I’ve ever been in a hospital are for my 3 deliveries — otherwise I could say I’ve never spent money on a hospital stay too!
Debbie says
Yes, I’ve not gotten sick that would require any hospital stays or procedures (knock on wood). I don’t get flu vaccines either and have stayed pretty healthy during winter months for many years. Praying it stays this way until I hit the bucket, and I just fall asleep while hitting the bucket. Haha!
Jeanine says
I have never spent any money on a manicure, pedicure or pierced ears. There are a lot of other things, but will keep it short and sweet!
Andrea says
yes, those were all on my previous lists 🙂
Tara says
Here’s something I never planned to spend money on but was forced to. Legal representation. A parcel of land behind our home went on the market after the sweet elderly gentleman who lived on it passed away. A developer purchased it and had it surveyed declaring we and all our neighbors are encroaching on his land and that we all tear down fences, sheds irrigation systems etc. that are beyond the property line he claims is correct. We have a claim of adverse possession based on over ten years of using it as our own, but are forced to pay a lawyer to stand up to this guy who’s threatening lawsuits and all kinds of bully moves. Ugh.
Andrea says
oh boo — what a smuck! Hope the lawsuit ends in your favor!
Karlyn Nance says
Never spend money on credit card interest or late fees. I enjoy the credit card game as much you enjoy buying & selling from Craig’s list! 🙂 I apply for new cards and get the large rebates for spending a certain amount in a certain length of time. Since I have an excellent credit rating, I have only once been turned down for a new card. That was when I had applied for too many with a certain time span! I use the rotating system, or whatever card refunds the most for the purchase I am making, and get anywhere from 2% to 5% back on almost every purchase. I keep fairly accurate records, and average making about $1000 per year on credit cards, with $0 cost to me!
Andrea says
Yes, credit card interest was in one of my previous lists I believe! Way to go racking up $1000 a year — that’s amazing!
lyss says
I was about to say new furniture, but then remembered we did buy our 2 nightstands new! Other than those, our house is furnished with things given to us or we found used.
We also never spend money on light fixtures. My husband has been in the handyman business for a long time, so he has brought home many a chandelier and ceiling fan for us to choose from! 🙂
We don’t pay for atm fees either, but that’s because our bank reimburses it. We use cash alot.
As for haircuts, my husband won’t let me, so he pays for those for himself. But, I cut my kids and now my own. Way too many bad experiences with salons for me!
I can also say we’ve never spent $ on a TV at all. Don’t have one, don’t want one. Our laptop serves us just fine for watching movies.
Andrea says
I think our sectional couch and our mattresses are the only furniture we’ve ever purchased brand new — not too bad! We have definitely spent money on light fixtures though!
Michele says
Oh my goodness I just love your blog! We’re pretty even on a lot of these things except the haircuts. I used to cut my kids’ hair, but now they are 16 and 19 and there’s no way they will let me cut their hair! I hate paying for haircuts!
We’ve never bought a tv either. We’ve also never bought a couch. We depend on spendthrift family members to update their tv’s and couches and we get the hand me downs!
Which are always in great shape.
Oh and I’ve never had illegal drugs either 🙂
Andrea says
Yeah, we’ll see how long my kids keep letting me cut their hair — I have a feeling it will be several years yet!
Angela says
Well I’m so glad you addressed the illegal drug question – I was wondering if you had a frugal tip for that!! : ) Just kidding – that’s hilarious!
Most of my list matches up with yours. I used to cut my family’s hair and now have passed the clippers down to my oldest daughter. She’s almost 15 and started cutting my husband and son’s hair when she was about 13. She does a great job, it’s one less thing for me to do, and we pay her $5 per haircut so it’s a good income for her. I’m the only one who usually pays for a haircut – I have short hair like you that needs to be cut often, but I go to my friend’s home salon and my haircut is only $14. My girls all have long straight hair, so I trim theirs as needed, and usually at back to school time, for a treat, they get their hair cut at a salon.
Quick side note – we live way out in the country and I love it, but I do slightly envy those who have the convenience of walking around town! That would be so nice, and the kids would love it! In the summer we sometimes take a picnic to town and walk around because they think it’s such a treat! : )
Andrea says
yes, we LOVE being able to walk everywhere. Dave grew up a long ways from everything, so one of his requests when looking for a house was “close to everything” and we really are!
Also, I get my haircut by my cousin or my neighbor and both are very frugal. However, it all adds up when I go every 4-6 weeks!
Grandma Ann says
I laughed at the “illegal drugs”. About 20 years ago I had a surgical proceed and in pre-op I was asked a list of medical questions and one was did I do “recreational drugs”. I had to ask what they were. I am amazed by this but realize it is a big problem in society. We don’t spend money on those kind of drugs either only prescription ones.
Andrea says
Yes, I’ve been asked so many times. And actually, I just had my yearly Dr. appointment and they asked about the drugs too! Honestly, even if we were doing drugs, I probably wouldn’t tell my Dr!
Katie says
#6?!?! I can’t believe some asked that!! Too funny! I have always cut my husbands hair, for the almost 13 years we’ve been married. I started out cutting my kids’ hair (you tube videos are a great help!) and I still cut my son’s hair (he’s 4). But around the time my girls turned 5-ish, I realized we needed a professional for them. 🙂 They had a couple bad haircuts from me! I’ve never had fake nails either. I have had a manicure twice though- once for my own wedding and once for a friends. Otherwise they just seem really unnecessary to me.
Andrea says
oooo, I should look up youtube videos on how to cut Nora’s hair — that might give me more confidence to do something more “daring”. She said she wanted it really short this last time, but I just took 5 inches off and called it good.
Kristina R says
I’m proud to say I match your list on #6! Haha! #5 as well, though. In my younger, more spendy days I did purchase several other things on your list, but not in years! Specifically ATM fees while traveling in college & high heeled shoes. We do enjoy riding the train to Chicago & just took our kids to the aquarium last summer. They enjoyed the ride! Also, I do cut my husband’s hair occasionally & I’m starting to get pretty decent at the fade, but not great. Would you do a tutorial sometime for haircuts?!?
Andrea says
we’re hoping to take the kids on a train ride soon –then I won’t be able to say I’ve never traveled on public transportation anymore 🙂
Chris says
I match your list by almost 100%. I spent $5 on fake nails once. I had some quite funny moments with them coming off, etc. I have never gotten a haircut in my life. I did wear some 3″ wedges in school but my parents probably bought them. What a fun list!
Chris says
Oops – I have a correction to make. We have paid for many haircuts for my husband and son.
Andrea says
I also got fake nails once (for free) and even though I had them cut very short, they were still so awkward (or maybe I was just awkward!)
Helen says
I’ve never bought jewelry for myself (yes for my daughter, but not much); hair dye, cosmetics other than skin sunscreen, cleanser and moisturizer, and hair conditioner; pedicures/manicures; dangerous shoes (high, platform, etc.); designer anything; disposable cleaning products.
Andrea says
do you have someone who buys jewelry for you then? Dave isn’t much of a jewelry person so if I didn’t buy it myself, I wouldn’t have any 🙂