We all have funny mental blocks in our lives. Even though I KNOW I’m paying a few hundred in interest every month for my debt (I hate it, but whattaya gonna do besides methodically pay down debt and not spend any money on extras), I like to put my foot down somewhere when it comes to silly spending. I’ve always had mental blocks about spending money on certain things (clothes, shoes and travel never among them) and will simply refuse to spend the money even if it is relatively small or trivial. There are things we want to spend money on but know we shouldn’t, like pedicures and Brazilian blowouts, but then there are things that are either completely ridiculous, not worth the money or just too expensive for the intended benefit and we hate spending our hard-earned money on them. Here are a few examples of mental spending blocks that are probably good for my wallet in the long run.
Things I Don’t Like to Spend Money On:
- $9.95 Shipping on Ideeli or anywhere else
- $3.50 Sprinkles Cupcakes: It’s a freakin’ cupcake!
- Coffee Drinks: Or as Larry David says, “some vanilla bullshit latte cappa thing”. I make an exception every few months for the Hazelnut Ice Blended at Coffee Bean (and even in the midst of its deliciousness I still feel a little ripped off).
- Any kind of monthly fee for checking or savings accounts
- $16 California Roll (someone on Yelp said it best: The only reason a California roll should ever be $16 is if it’s rolled in a $10 bill)
- Costume jewelry: Even though I love costume jewelry, most of the time I’m not willing to buy it. But Jewelmint and all the “ –mint” (Stylemint, Shoemint) sites are blowin’ up in terms of growth. I really need to jump on that trend. What –mint can I do? GOT IT > Cheetosmint: I hand pick the ultimate in exclusive Cheetos products based on your personal tastes and style for just $9.99/month. You know I could do it if I just got a celebrity on board…(see next bullet)
I'm not the only one obsessed with Cheetos! Cheetosmint is going to be HUGE.
- Aspirational Celebrity Wares: God-awful, overpriced celebrity-branded merchandise is one of the top five nemeses of the American Debt Project.
- Trip Insurance/Extra Car Rental Insurance/Credit Card Debt Unemployment Insurance
- Socks: I don’t wear socks unless I’m exercising. Socks are lame!
- Hats: I can’t bring myself to spend $20 on a hat.
- Umbrellas and rain gear: Is it really necessary? I just run or walk faster to my destination.
- Belts: Let’s just say I don’t like buying accessories and call it a day!
- Printer Cartridges: It’s been about a year since our printer had ink. By the time you get all the different color cartridges, it’s equivalent to one month’s car payment!
- Hair Products: I’m blessed to have a thick head of hair, but making it look good is a full-time job that I don’t have time or (let’s face it) self-discipline for. I buy products and tools that I end up never using.
I'm not this bad.
- Differentiated Workout Gear: Those new tennis outfits are super cute. But I still hate buying different exercise gear for different sports. I run in the same shorts that I play tennis, bike or go hiking in. I know Jane Doe will disagree with me to the death, but I don’t need “hiking shorts”! A pair of shorts is a pair of shorts. Same for shirts. I prefer t-shirt collections that tell stories of past concerts, countries visited, or 10Ks run/attempted. Also, I refuse to shop at REI. $65 for capri running pants? Get outta here!
That was all I could think of this time around although I’m sure I could do round two. What do you guys absolutely loathe buying or spending money on, whether it’s $0.99 or $999? I want to know!