5 Things You Should Stop Buying in 2024 if You Want a Healthy Relationship With Money
They are just not worth it anymore.
Every year, big companies find a new way to keep attracting people to buy things. Consumerism, in general, appears to be a phenomenon that increases yearly, and people seem not to care about the way they spend their money anymore.
Although I am a person against frugality, and I understand that we should have a portion of our money to buy things we like, I also understand that many purchases simply do not make sense.
For this reason, I have stopped buying certain items that I have realized are not really necessary in my life, and by eliminating them, I can save more or even use them more wisely.
Here, I will give you a list of five of these things so you can have a better relationship with your money for 2024.
Food delivery service.
Food delivery service prices are so ridiculous right now that I don’t know how these apps are still in business.
When delivery applications started, it was the best thing that could happen to people who didn’t want to go out of their houses or people who were working hard in their companies and didn’t have time.
I used to love them, especially because I didn’t like to do anything on weekends, and they gave me plenty of options to choose from.
However, right now, they have been incrementing their prices little by little, so it doesn’t really make sense to use them anymore.
For example, the last time I ordered from Wendy's, the prices were so high that I felt the food cost more than what usually costs in the store. When I checked the prices in the restaurant, I realized it was 50% more than the app. In most cases, those prices could be even double their original cost:
Right now, it’s cheaper to use your car, go to a place, and order something to take out. I know that many people just don’t want to get out of their homes and have to deal with transit, but one alternative I have been doing to reduce this consumerism is to buy pre-made frozen food for the times I really don’t want to do anything.
By doing it, I have saved around $300 a month, which could be enough to create a small business, start a life as an investor, or simply buy other things I need more.
Seasonal things that will only look cute this year.
I think we all have been guilty of this one in one way or another.
We see those cargo pants that everyone is using, and we decide we want one too; we see all the trends on TikTok of people decorating their houses for Halloween, and we want to do it too because it looks cute. We see everyone using a new product to clean their skin, and we feel it is worth giving it a try.
However, after a couple of months (not to say weeks), nobody is using any of this anymore.
The problem is not to buy things because you like them or feel you are going to use them for a while; it is to buy things that you deep down know you will not use when they are not popular anymore.
You could use that same money for things that you actually need.
For that reason, buying trendy things that are only usable in specific seasons is not worth it unless you know you will use them every year or you think you could sell them afterward.
One thing my family decided to do was to buy decorations we know we will be using over and over again for Christmas because they are cute and have a common design that doesn’t look old with time.
ATM Fees.
Spending money because of ATM fees is one of the worst ways to lose money, mainly because there are ways to have cash for free if you plan your week or month in advance.
I used to not care about those fees because they were just some pennies until one day, I calculated how much I had lost so far in a period, and it was more than $100.
For most people, $100 would not be a lot of money, but thinking about all the things I could be doing with that $100 right now makes me feel that I really wasted that money. Especially because I know I could have avoided it by just planning my cash and trip to the bank.
Single-use items.
There are a lot of items that only serve one purpose, and that’s all. For example, I have seen on the internet avocado peelers, banana cutters, and egg fryers to name a few.
They seem to serve well for a purpose, but why spend money on these single-use items when you can simply buy a knife that works not only for avocado but all fruits? Or a fryer that works for any food and not just eggs?
For me, kitchen single-use items are a waste of money. They look cute and have a good advertisement, but they have no real use.
I have so many things that I only bought for one thing that I don’t even remember I have them because I could simply use a knife or a spoon for when I am cooking.
Save your money because these things only look cute, but they are not useful, and you won’t recover your money in any way by using them.
Another single-use item that is not worth its cost is non-reusable plastic bags. Why do you want to put your sandwich in a plastic bag when you could simply buy a container?
You will not only save money with that action but feel less guilty you are ruining the planet with those unnecessary plastic bags.
An extra treat with your food or coffee.
This used to happen to me all the time.
I was going for a coffee (and only a coffee) at my favorite coffee shop, and the cashier told me: why don’t you get a sandwich/muffin/cookie for your coffee?
Most of the time, he was so polite I believed I had to say yes. But then, I walked out with a $16 bill for something that could have cost a maximum of $7. More than double for an extra treat that I didn’t even want in the first place.
Financial gurus condemn purchasing a daily coffee because it can be “a financial mistake.” I consider that a daily coffee will not impact your economic life and future that much, but constantly adding those extra things could, especially because they were not necessary for your life in the beginning.
You can save a lot of money by not adding extra treats when going out. Remember that the problem is not having fun but going overboard with things that were not a priority from the beginning.
Many people say they can’t save money, but they also spend it on things that don’t really make sense.
If you want to have a better relationship with your money for 2024 (and all the years that come), pay attention to the things you buy. You will realize that many purchases may not be necessary (even if you don’t have a frugal life) and that you can use your money more wisely by just deleting them.
I think it’s important to treat yourself and buy things you like with your money from time to time, especially when you’ve worked hard to earn them. However, it’s important to do it with the correct mindset.
By not using your money on things that could be easily avoided, you could have more opportunities to enjoy more worthwhile things.
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