20 Things I Won’t Pay For

  • Last updated on February 1, 2021

I really like saving money. It’s my natural tendency after so many years of practice – and I have to try to hard to “splurge.”

I think my ability to save is a valuable asset, so I’ve put together a list of things that I DO NOT spend money on.

  1. Car Payments: I’ve never made a car payment and I vowed to only purchase a car if I can pay fully in cash. A car is a pitiful excuse for an investment. the value just goes down, down, down. I’ll let you eat the depreciation then buy it for pennies on the dollar in 6 years.
  2. Cable TV – Why would I pay $60/month to watch a bunch of junk every night? A cheap digital antenna and streaming provide all the mindless entertainment I can stand.
  3. DVDs – I borrow from a friend or use a free redbox rental.
  4. Music – Why pay when free sources such as Spotify, a friend’s music, Pandora, etc. are available?
  5. Trash Bags – I always use plastic ones saved from the grocery store.
  6. Full price movie tickets – Instead, I occasionally go with the wife if it’s half off.
  7. Snacks at the movie theater – Bring your own.
  8. Hair Cuts – My brothers used to cut my hair when I was a child, and I have cut my own for the last few years.
  9. Gym Memberships – Tons of home workout programs can be found for free online. More than that, most people won’t use a workout system more than a week. Ever heard of an evening jog, 100 jumping jacks, and 20 pushups?
  10. Cigarettes – Pay to shave years off my life? No thanks.
  11. Overpriced Cellular Service
  12. Soda – Except Zevia, which is a stevia based soda
  13. Car washes – Come on. DIY.
  14. The Local Paper – It’s all online, for free. Most local “news” is a complete waste of time anyway.
  15. Tanning – What ever happened to good old fashioned sunshine? Try washing your car to tan for free.
  16. Extended Warranties – Almost always a long term loser.
  17. Fast Food – Rarely, if ever.
  18. Expensive Sunglasses – The Dollar Tree has an excellent selection for $1.
  19. Lotto tickets – “The lottery is a tax on people who are bad at math.”
  20. Valet Parking – No thanks! Gotta love that exercise.

What things do you avoid paying for?

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