If your credit card debts are gunning for the roof, and you constantly find yourself in an endless buying loop, you may need saving from America’s growing web of consumerism. There are impromptu purchases that just aren’t worth the splurge, and discerning between the items that truly provide value and those that are overhyped may be your redemption from financial ruin. A community of frugal Americans wants you to avoid wasteful spending on these items as they may not deliver as much bang for your buck as you might expect.
Table of Contents
1. Designer Clothing and Accessories
While high-end fashion brands may be the signage of financial freedom, someone on the thread explains that although paying a little more for quality isn’t bad, paying more for a brand logo is. “Don’t buy cheap, but spending a crazy amount on branded stuff definitely isn’t worth it,” a fashionista adds.
2. Fast Food
No one says good food isn’t worth a few extra bucks, but you’ll be paying more for the same quality of sandwich at Chick-fil-A if you’d chosen to cook at home, according to one community member.
A fast food aficionado claims he’s noticed a 20 percent spike in fast food prices in the last two years, and it feels like less value for money.
3. Weddings
Glamorous weddings bring you closer to the celebrity life, but it’s a debt trap many married people advise against. A courthouse ceremony will save you a lot, but if you need to add some spice and glamour, moderation is vital, someone reminds me.
4. Designer Handbags
Like designer clothing and accessories, if you’re not a millionaire, designer handbags are statement items you shouldn’t be splurging on, a contributor explains. A second person says designer handbags are a waste of money.
5. Kids’ Clothes
“Nothing is too much when spending on your children, but why buy expensive kids’ clothes when they only get a year out of it?” a forum contributor asks.
Another parent says he only shops at Rent-a-Swag, where he rents kids’ clothing instead of buying.
6. Premium Streaming Subscription
The entertainment may have taken your attention off the cost of streaming services, but adding up the annual sum can help you see better, someone explains. “I prefer to pay as I use,” one individual claims. “I also use more Youtube, and although the ads never stop popping, it’s not so different from the premium, is it?” Many forum members agree.
7. Fancy Restaurant Meals
If you think fast food is expensive, you haven’t dined in fancy Michelin restaurants serving meals worth thousands of dollars, which many contributors consider overboard. A food lover on the thread partially disagrees, arguing that nothing is too much to spend on good food, but it shouldn’t be all the time.
8. Cars
The percentage of income people are willing to sink into car financing is a shocker to one commenter, who insists that car purchases must be seen as a utility rather than a luxury.
Another individual says he wished he lived in a country that made cycling easy.
9. High-End Liquor
“It’s okay to chug occasionally, but what do you need the thousand-dollar liquor for?” someone demands. A second person argues that prices can be crucial to the quality of liquor, although super-expensive liquor often tastes just as great as those in the mid-price range.
10. Civet Coffee
A coffee lover thinks civet coffee is a glorified taste trap and that you shouldn’t spend $80 buying it. Another coffeeholic explains that although he needs a glass to start a day, he buys outrageously priced civet coffee only occasionally.
11. Roadside Assistance
Roadside assistance costs $100 on average annually, but you often don’t need them, and even when you do, wait times are based on how many people called before you.
A driver for a car-hiking service provider reveals that many rewards credit cards and insurance companies offer towing as a perk, and you should consider them to save costs.
12. Gourmet Water
You may have seen extravagant claims about the purest spring water bottled in fancy plastics and enticing labels. Still, several forum members argue that tap water is just as safe and refreshing. Individuals think they can save more by investing in a reusable water bottle with a filter instead of expensive bottled water.
How to Multiply Your Money
Get-rich-schemes are typically scams. However, there are ways to truly grow your wealth. While not flashy, they can help you build real wealth.
How to Watch NFL Games Without Cable
You don’t need a pricey cable contract to watch NFL games. You can watch your favorite team and save big money. Here are the top ways to do it.
Ways to Stream NFL Games Without Cable
21 Best Under-the-Table Jobs That Pay Cash
Jobs that pay cash are a helpful way to help make ends meet. Thankfully, there are lots of ways to make money on the side.
Best Under-the-Table Jobs That Pay Cash
Best Prepaid Phone Plans
Legacy carriers trick us into thinking we need a contract to get what we need. That’s a lie. A prepaid phone plan can give you the data you want for significantly less.
7 Steps to Break the Paycheck-to-Paycheck Cycle
Making ends meet is hard on a limited income. However, it is possible to break the cycle and find financial stability. You just need to know where to start.
How to Stop Living Paycheck to Paycheck
This thread inspired this post.
I’m John Schmoll, a former stockbroker, MBA-grad, published finance writer, and founder of Frugal Rules.
As a veteran of the financial services industry, I’ve worked as a mutual fund administrator, banker, and stockbroker and was Series 7 and 63-licensed, but I left all that behind in 2012 to help people learn how to manage their money.
My goal is to help you gain the knowledge you need to become financially independent with personally-tested financial tools and money-saving solutions.
Leave a Reply