Things to stop buying to save money

When I first got into college, I was loaded with money because I had a lot of money gifts from family and friends.

I started spending it on things that were not necessary and before I knew it, I was on the verge of being broke. I decided it was time to evaluate my spending habits and cut down on things that I could live without.

Believe it or not, I currently live on just $110 a month as a college student. If you will like to know the things I stopped buying to save money, then keep on reading.

Disposable utensils/plates

If you don’t like washing plates, you need to learn to start loving it. When you buy metal or ceramic utensils, you will save a lot of money after all plastic is toxic to the environment.

Hard copy books

Being in college means you will need a lot of books. I decided to switch to ebooks because they were cheaper than hard copies (some are even free) and you don’t have to worry about finding a space in your tiny room to keep books.

Cute stationeries

I am obsessed with cute pens, planners, and markers but I had to cut those down because those $3 add up at the end of the day. My pencil case contains just simple pens and markers now.

Coffee/ Tea

Going to the cafe to get a cup of tea/coffee might seem like the perfect way to start your day. I stopped going to the cafe and I started making my tea at home (I’m not a fan of coffee) and That saved me quite some money.

New clothes

Some times our mind tricks us into thinking we need new clothes when we don’t. Any time you feel like wearing something different, go through your closet and grab those pieces you haven’t worn in months. That’s a good alternative.

Manicures and pedicures

I’m not saying it’s not good to get professional mani-pedi but it should be less frequent. Try having a spa day at home or a girls’ night were some of your friends come and you can paint each other’s nails. That’s a great way to save money

Gym subscription

Those things are expensive! Try home workout videos and you will see the same results if you’re consistent. Did I mention, a lot are free?

Going out to eat

Eating out is pricey. I started cooking my meals and I have been loving it. There are a lot of cooking blogs and videos that will help you.

New shoes

I used to have a huge collection of shoes but I stopped collecting them when I realized that I have worn some of them only once and never again. Now I have just the ones I wear regularly.

Designer brands

Owning a few designer bags and shoes like Chanel and Gucci won’t hurt but you don’t have to make all your clothing items to be designer unless you’re very rich. There are a lot of places where you can get clothes and shoes with amazing quality for a cheaper price like h&m, m&s, Mr price, LC Waikiki, target, Aldo, etc.

Plants

Plants are so nice to have but those things cost a fortune depending on the type of plant and pot you want. I have always wanted to have a lot of indoor plants but I couldn’t because they were expensive to me as a college student. I own just an Aloe Vera plant for now and I am super happy with it because of all the benefits I am deriving from it ( aloe Vera is good for the skin and hair)

Subscriptions

This is anything that you pay for monthly/quarterly from cables to magazines or even beauty boxes. If you can live without it, then you certainly don’t need it.

Air freshener

These things are expensive for something that will be gone in less than an hour. I switched to bakhoor and I have been happy since then. Bakhoor is very popular in the northern part of Nigeria( where I come from). They are very affordable, a little goes a long way and the smell lingers for hours, sometimes days if you use it frequently. Did I mention they also smell heavenly?

Plastic bottled water

Plastic is toxic to the environment so get yourself a water filter and it will save you money in the long run.

Let me know in the comments what you stopped buying to save money. I hope you enjoyed this post as much as I did while writing it.
Here is some great post you might enjoy as well:

-10 things I wished I knew before going to college

-what’s in my college backpack?

-the only things you have to pack for college in 2020

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