The frugal and financially conscious know how to make a shopping list, and these twelve things are never on them.
1. Bottled Water
Frugal people have no qualms about drinking from the tap. They see bottled water as an unnecessary expense and often invest in water purifiers instead. Throw in a reusable water bottle, and they’re never worried about their hydration needs on the go.
2. Off-Season Produce
Quality and value are as important as price to frugal individuals. That’s why they won’t buy off-season produce; there’s no point in buying asparagus in November if you aren’t going to enjoy it. And the genuinely frugal likely have either those vegetables frozen or preserved at home anyway.
3. Anything Brand Name
Frugal people know that generics can be just as good as brand names. So, if there’s a generic option, it always goes into the cart first. They’re proud to ignore the brand names as exactly what they are: flashy packaging with virtually the same product inside as the generic.
4. Fast Fashion
The frugal among us always think about how long something will serve them. And since fast fashion jeans could never hold up to a pair of Levi’s, they’d never waste their money on them.
5. Impractical Shoes
Impractical shoes might look nice with one or two outfits, but frugal people know that shoes are an investment. They’re after versatile and comfortable shoes they can get lots of mileage out of.
6. Greeting Cards
Don’t you think about how expensive greeting cards are every time you pick one up? Yeah, that’s why frugal people never do. They’ll make their own greeting cards or eschew them altogether; after all, they aren’t always necessary.
7. Pre-Cut Fruits and Vegetables
Convenience isn’t worth the cost for most frugal people. They don’t bother with the pre-cut stuff and save big by taking the extra few moments to cut a carrot.
8. Single-Use Plastic
Single-use plasticware might seem cheap, but those in the know understand that it costs significantly less to purchase something they can use over and over again, even if it costs more upfront.
9. Seasonal Home Decor
The only thing frugal people will be decking their halls with is lots of money. In all seriousness, frugal people absolutely decorate for the holidays; they just don’t go overboard for every holiday to keep the costs at a minimum.
10. Soda and Carbonated Drinks
Frugal people know that soda and other carbonated beverages can be addicting and expensive. That doesn’t mean they can’t enjoy them occasionally; some might even make their own at home instead!
11. Bottled Coffee
Single-serving cold coffee beverages are always tempting when you’re dragging, but frugal people know to fight the urge and make coffee at home whenever possible.
12. Lottery Tickets
Most people wouldn’t have this on their shopping list anyway, but frugal people have no problem saying no to a game of chance. Gambling is basically setting your money on fire, and frugal people would probably instead buy anything else on this list than do that.
