Sometimes we have the best of intentions to save money and be frugal. We follow all the tips that were taught to us growing up from family or others’ personal experiences, only to find out that we’re actually just wasting time and money. Here are 17 things people thought were frugal but realized they’re really not…
1. Buying in Bulk
A user in a popular online forum said, “I was very surprised when I figured out that sometimes you pay more per ounce! Gotta do the math.”
Another user agreed and said, ”100% gotta do the math; even with smaller sizes, the one pound can be cheaper than the two pounds. Why? Who knows, just get that calculator out.”
2. Growing Your Own Food
Someone said, “I always expect growing my own food to be more frugal than it actually is. It can be frugal, but if you’re buying soil and fertilizer, in your specific case, it probably isn’t. I enjoy doing it, and I don’t let the costs get out of hand, but I definitely tend to spend more than I plan at the start of the season.”
3. Making Laundry Detergent
Someone shared, “Making Laundry detergent did not work for me. It was a pit, and clothes became dingy.”
Another user agreed and shared, “I made my own laundry detergent once and swore I would NEVER do it again. Felt like it took hours to grate all the soap, and it didn’t end up that much cheaper.”
4. Upgrading Old Appliances
“When we replaced our old fridge with a new energy efficient one our electricity bills went down so much that it paid for the cost of the fridge in two or three years,” a user shared.
5. Buying on Amazon
Someone shared, “I gotta say that for 99% of items, Amazon is NOT the cheapest place to get it. Amazon used to be the cheapest, but their prices today are just meh. eBay and Alibaba are the cheaper options, but eBay is by far way less sketchy.”
6. Membership Warehouses
One user mentitoned, “For me its membership warehouses. We just don’t shop that way and bought a lot of stuff we didn’t use or went bad. I know it works for a lot of people, but not for us.”
7. Reusable Silicone Items
“Reusable stretchy silicone bowl covers and reusable food storage bags have been two of my biggest disappointments. Neither perform as advertised and are a nuisance to clean and dry,” someone said.
8. Cheap Dish Soap
One person noted, “Literally no dish soap works as well as Dawn, and I don’t understand it.”
Someone else agreed and added, “YES! I was raised poor, so I always thought Dawn was just a brand mark up but “how different can they be?” They are incredibly different from cheap dish soap brands.”
9. Making Your Own Clothing
Someone said, “Starting costs are expensive. Certain fabric is expensive. Certain thread is expensive. It’s still cheaper than store-bought if you’re like me and seem to have an expensive taste, but it’s more expensive than I thought it would be.”
10. Rolling Car Windows Down
Someone shared, “Rolling down the windows instead of using the air conditioner in a car. Yes, at a slow speed, this saves a bit on gas, but at highway speeds, it’s more efficient to use the air conditioner.”
11. Travel Point Cards
A user said, “Travel points on credit cards; I wished I had used a cashback card instead. Travel often for work, but doing a lot less flying now.”
12. Knitting
A user said, “Knitting. I thought, “Oh! I’ll knit my own sweaters!” But even with Walmart yarn, you can spend a fortune. For the last sweater I knit, I bought a very nice yarn, about $120, plus round needles in a specific size, etc. The sweater was nice, but it wasn’t $150 nice, and that’s not counting the labor I put in.”
13. Second-Hand Shops
A user shared, “Going to second-hand shops or Goodwill. The clothes are the same price as new now. And a lot of the time, that same shirt is cheaper at Walmart new.”
14. Campers and RVs
One user replied, “Camper/RV instead of staying at a hotel. I bought a used camper. The thing is that they are made cheaply and from the inside out. To fix/change anything is a giant task.”
15. Shredding Blocks of Cheese
“For years, I thought that buying block cheese and then slicing/shredding it myself was more frugal than buying pre-shredded. One day, years later, I decided to check the price per pound and found that shredded costs the same as a block,” someone said.
16. Milk in Coffee
A user shared, ”Using milk in my coffee instead of creamer. I thought I was saving money, but the amount of milk it takes to lighten my coffee the way I like it meant I was burning through milk like crazy. I went through 3/4 of a gallon a week on coffee alone.”
17. Buying a House
“We bought a house so we wouldn’t throw money away renting. We ended up selling two years later to relocate for a work opportunity (to be fair, we didn’t anticipate this happening when we originally bought). Paying closing costs and realtor commissions took away any of the financial benefits.”
This article was inspired by this thread and does not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Cents + Purpose – photos for illustrative purposes only.
More From Cents + Purpose
10 Obvious Warning Signs Someone Only Thinks About Themself
It’s a hard truth that we can only trust some people we meet. Unfortunately, some only really have their own interests at heart. One person asks on a popular online forum, what is a sign that someone is selfish? Here are the top responses shared. 10 Obvious Warning Signs Someone Only Thinks About Themself
15 Lies Society Tells People That They Need To Stop Believing
Ever heard someone say something and think, “Do you really believe this?” Sometimes there are rules in place that are supposed to support and help you, but you can’t help thinking, “Is it really helping me?” 15 Lies Society Tells People That They Need To Stop Believing
10 Things People Have Done To Create a Better Version of Themself
Sometimes it can be hard to know what next step you can take to best further your personal growth. One person asked on a popular online forum if others would share what things they either changed or started to do that helped them become better versions of themselves. Here are some of the best answers. 10 Things People Have Done To Create a Better Version of Themself
10 Things Millenials Love That Women Refuse To Get Into
There are some things that get so popular in society it feels as though everyone is partaking. And, of course, social media spreads awareness so quickly it can feel like you’re the only one who doesn’t like the newest craze, viral product, or TV show. 10 Things Millennials Love That Most Women Refuse To Get Into
10 “Kid Things” That Adults Admit They Still Love
When we are young, often all we are focused on is how things will be when we are older, on the freedom and coolness of being an adult. But as adults, we can look back on the years of our childhood with a better appreciation for how much fun kids have. 10 “Kid Things” That Adults Admit They Still Love
