05 Jul 2021

As humans, we love and long for things. It’s something that we live for. We work for our hard-earned dosh and save for the finer things in life. But what if I said, maybe some things just aren’t worth buying or spending a lot of money on? At the end of the day when you’ve moved onto the next, we want some sort of return from Facebook Marketplace, duh.

While you’re figuring out your financial goals for the year, why not cut back on some of these items to pocket some dosh? Hey, I’m in no way telling you to go dumpster diving, negotiate with every salesperson down to the dollar or live without these - heck no! But find cheaper alternatives that do the exact same thing and you’ll be able to save some big bucks.

Cars

I know - we can’t get around without ‘em sometimes but just remember that as soon as you get the keys and drive out the dealership, your car has already gone down in price. Depreciation is the biggest cost in your car, not fuel, servicing, or insurance - just literally owning a car will put you at a disadvantage. My advice? Try to find a car that’s not too expensive (manuals are the way to go), a few years old, still running well, with not a lot of problems that’ll give you a few years. At the end of the day, you only need to get from point A to B, right?

Electronics

Ever noticed the most latest, up-to-date technological devices are the ones that cost the most? Don’t get FOMO - if your 2013 laptop is still running well, why do ya need to update it? Unless it improves your job productivity or health (or is a tax write-off - save ya receipts), you could probably do without the new specs. Free up some space in your hard drive, uninstall software, replace the battery, upgrade your RAM - these are some no to small costs that’ll save you thousands!

Furniture

Just moved out of your ‘rents into an unfurnished apartment? You could spend $2000 on a lounge set and not be able to sell it for half of that the next day. These dang comfy things don’t hold any value whatsoever - always buy these suckers on sale, clearance, or second-hand. The less you spend, the more you won’t care about staining the thing - it’s a win-win!

Wedding dress

Dressmakers know you’ll get an emotional connection to a dress when you find the one and therefore end up spending thousands on it. It’s for one night! Sure, you’ll look absolutely stunning but I am sure you’ll be able to find something just as beautiful in sample sales or second-hand. Set a budget and stick with it!

Bags

As much as I love the look of designer items, spending thousands of dollars on a designer bag is just ridiculous. There, I said it! If you’re on a tight budget, please do not set yourself back with a massive purchase like this to just sit in your wardrobe, waiting until a special occasion comes up. What about the resale value? Hey, you’ll probably still get a decent chunk of money but definitely not as much as what you spent on it. Unless it’s a Hermes bag that’s the price of a house deposit (and the rest), it’s just not worth it imo.

Clothes

It’s materialism at its finest, excessive and honestly, not much of a flex. The less you own, the more you’ll value the items you already have. Let’s be real - if you’re someone that wakes up, goes to work and comes home, you’ve probably got the same pile of clothes that you’re constantly rotating. As soon as I put a top on, I know if it’ll be loved for years depending on the design and comfortability. If it’s not love at first sight, put it back! So, do ya really need that new coat that’ll be worth nothing in a couple of years?

Have a geeze at what you own and think about what you want in the long-run. Is it more savings or cooler stuff? You decide!