We often think of foods as necessities and therefore exempt from our lists of things “not to buy”.
But of course, frugal people can always take things and make them even more frugal (ask me how I know!).
Here are some things that frugal people never buy from supermarkets and why.
Precut Fruits and Vegetables
When you buy your fruits and vegetables precut, you are paying extra for someone else’s labor. You are also paying for the special packaging used to hold the precut produce. Instead, buy whole produce and cut it yourself. You’ll be doing your wallet a massive favor.
Single Serve Snacks
Single-serve snacks might look appealing and easy, but they cost significantly more than the larger bags.
Purchasing snacks in bulk and dividing them into the right portions at home is a much more economical option than buying single-serve snacks.
Bottled Water
Buying bottled water regularly is not only bad for the environment but also much more wasteful than buying a reusable bottle, such as a stainless steel bottle that can be filled with tap water and used multiple times. Buy one (and you really don’t need more than 1 or 2 per person) and refill that instead.
Brand Name Cleaning Products
Branded name cleaning products are really not worth the extra price. They also very often have added chemicals and scents that are harmful to the environment and your health.
Store-brand or generic cleaning products almost always provide the same level of efficiency as name-brand ones and are usually much cheaper, too. And you can always make your own at home to save even more money!
Frozen Meals
Frozen dinners are not only terrible for one’s health but also quite pricey for what you get. Frugal people would much rather make their meals from scratch than pay for someone else’s labor.
If you are very busy and rely on frozen meals often, then take one Sunday or one evening to cook meals in bulk and freeze them in single servings so you can grab something healthy and cheap from the freezer instead of buying frozen meals.
Here are some ideas to try: 22 Freezer-Friendly Meals You Can Simply Dump Into Your Slow Cooker
Organic Produce
It’s well known that organic foods cost a lot more than ordinary ones. And very often, organic produce is not necessarily “cleaner” than regular produce, especially if you wash your food before eating it. If you want to buy organic produce, the best bet is to find better deals at various farmers’ markets.
Canned and Packaged Soup
Soup is one of the easiest things to make from scratch. When you buy it ready-made, you are not only paying for someone else’s labor, but you’re also buying into wasteful packaging. Make a huge batch one day and then freeze in single servings so it’s easier to have during the week.
Pre-Packaged Granola
Granola is another easy thing to make from scratch, and when you see the prices for this food, you may want to make it yourself! Genuinely frugal people would much rather make this food from scratch than pay exorbitant amounts of money for this basic breakfast.
Bottled Coffee
Bottled coffees are not only loaded with additives and sugars, but they are also pretty expensive for what you get. Making your coffee or tea is so cheap that anyone who doesn’t do this isn’t leading a frugal life.
Premade Baby Food
Baby food is another rather expensive food product. It’s also not very difficult to make it from scratch if you have a good blender. Also, you can look into Baby-Led Weaning and skip the purees entirely!
Premade Deli Sandwiches
Deli sandwiches are super convenient if you wanna grab a last-minute meal, but the hidden cost is paying for extra packaging and someone else’s labor. Financially savvy folks would much rather make a sandwich from scratch. You can buy a loaf of bread and some deli meat for a fraction of the cost and throw it together yourself.
Individual Yogurt Cups
Buying yogurt in a large container is a lot smarter than buying individually packed yogurts, as you reduce waste and save some extra money. You can take out what you need and freeze the rest for yogurt bites for a delicious and healthy snack!
