If there is one thing that’s good about aging, it is making a better and wiser decision. I learned from my past mistakes, and I become more selective in purchasing items.
I turned to a 32 this year and I can already see that my spending would be a lot different compared to my 20s.
In my 20s, I did not know what I was doing. All I wanted is to have fun and learn more about myself. While it is a good thing to explore new things and learn more about yourself, I wish I’d put more thoughts into my spending. But hey, we learn and grow – right?
Without a further due, here are the 10 things I stopped buying in my 30s.
Knick knacks 🧸
I loved buying knick-knacks such as small Totoro and stuffed animals for my desks and room decoration. They are just so cute!
While the purchase made me happy at that time, but when I look at it now, they are kinda useless. It took up spaces and it just collected dust. So, I ended up giving them away.
Branded bag and shoes 👟
Admittedly, my future self was not impressed with some stuff that I bought years ago. When I was in high school, I liked to buy branded shoes and bags to make my basketball teammates like me. I grew up in a low-income family, and I saved all my pocket money just to buy this stuff. I wish I had saved the money for the college tuition instead.
The good thing is I learned quickly that getting people like you this way is the fastest way to attract fake friends into your life. My real friends could care less for what I have. I still buy branded stuff, but at this time not only because I can afford them, but I truly love them for myself!
Bottled Water 💦
Americans spent about $100 annually on bottled water and I was not an exception. So, I bought a water filtration system and it paid for itself within the first month of the purchase. I did not like the water texture (it felt slimy on my tongue at first), but after a week I get used to the taste.
Accessories ⌚
I used to love wearing a watch, bracelet, and belt in my outfit. It does jazz up my outfit look. However, I stopped buying them a long time ago. I thought I’d become more feminine as I get older, but I just never did.
Beauty Products 💄
Maybe I am considered lucky. I was never a big fan of make-up products. I watched tutorials online, but I never really enjoy wearing and putting on make-up. When I tried to put on eyeliner, I look like a vampire who lacks sleep. I am a little scared of myself seeing myself in the mirror.
However, I used to collect body wash and hair-care products. But I cut way back on them and I couldn’t believe how much I’d acquired (and how much money I had been spending).
I also used to spend a lot of money on “life-changing” face cream and doctor visits. Thanks to my severe acne problem. Unsurprisingly (or surprisingly), they rarely worked.
Looking at the stuff that I bought (whitening toothpaste, whitening cream, hair-straightening conditioner) – I found these products are often over-promising and under-delivering. As a result, I become more selective towards buying new products and only buy what I need and enjoy using.
Haircut and salon services 💇
Hair cut services are quite expensive in the US. In my city, it costs about $15 – $30 (before taxes and tips). So, I decided to save money and cut my own hair (or ask Josh, my fiancee, to do this). Surprisingly, the results are almost no different. I still look like Dora the explorer anyways. And more importantly, it is free and no waiting/parking required.
Cheap Electronics 📱
I used to buy cheaper phones because I wanted to save money. But I actually ended up spending more money because low-quality electronics tend to break quicker.
I learned this lesson a hard way. Now I’d look for high-quality items that will cost a little bit extra but will last longer.
Labor for Tires and Breaks
Having a car requires maintenances, insurances, and gas. Oh.. but what can I do.. I live in an area where public transportation is not reliable (as in most cities in the US). But at least, my fiancée, Josh, understands how to change tires and breaks. So, he’d buy the parts on rockauto.com and replace the breaks himself. Doing this will save us money at least $200 a year since we have two cars.
Gym Membership 🏋️
Four years ago, I went to the gym pretty frequently since it is pretty close to my workplace. It helped reduce my stress at work immensely. I paid about $40 a month, but it is a well-spent purchase because it made me go to the gym frequently.
Fast forward years later, I moved to a new company and signed up for a different gym membership. But I ended up never going because it is 15 minutes away from my home. I decided to get a treadmill, and this turned out to be a great purchase. No need to pack my gym clothes nor drive to the gym because I can hop onto the treadmill anytime at home.
Souvenirs from Travel 🎁
Buying a souvenir for a few people is ok, but when you have a bunch of friends at home, looking for these items can easily become a burden.
Not only do I have a limited budget for travel, but also I have to spend time looking for stuff that’s not too big and too expensive.
It’s interesting how social norms can tell us what to do. Thankfully, I did not find souvenir culture in the US is as strong as where I am from (Jakarta). It is also nice to know that I don’t indirectly “force” my friend to think about me when they are supposed to enjoy themselves.
Do you have a list of stuff that you are no longer buy as you get older? I’d love to hear yours!
Vi, a software engineer with a keen interest in personal finance, had planned to retire once she reached her lean FI/RE (Financial Independence/Retire Early) goal. However, after achieving the goal, she took few months of a mini-retirement filled with travel and adventure and decided to continue her career.
For the past five years, Vi has been using Personal Capital (Empower), a free financial tool. Her favorite features include the dashboard for net worth, allocation, and planning, which help track her FI/RE goal and keep those investment fees in check.