Yes, I Buy a Lot...Now Let's See What I Don't Buy

Many of  my blogger friends have endured comments (ranging from curious to threatening) about how much money they spend, how much shopping they engage in, and how they suck because of it.
While I have been lucky enough to avoid the rude anonymous comments (so far), I have been on the receiving end of such words (from family members, friends, coworkers...) and I am sure they exist if only in some people's minds.
Yes, I spend a large portion of my income on shopping (most of the rest of it pays for my education right now, if you want to know the truth) and I don't make a whole lot of money.  A lot of people don't seem to  have quite so much left after the bills are paid, and I have to assume it is because of many things that people don't think twice about.  How do I end up with so much shopping money? What don't I buy?

Cable TV
Cable is expensive.  No, really.  Many people pay that bill each month without even thinking about it, but after years of not having cable, dish, DirecTV, or whatever else it is called, I realize that I don't miss it.  I quizzed a family  member about their cable bill, and the answer made me nearly wet myself: over $150 per month for TV and internet service.  On the other hand, I have the fastest wireless I have ever used...and I pay $19.95 per month.  $150 per month is like a pair of mid-range shoes.  Eek.

Soda/Designer Coffee
I used to be a diet soda addict.  I could drink 6-12 diet root beers a day.  Since going raw and kicking out chemicals, I quit the diet soda habit.  My husband pats himself on the back for cutting back to one soda per day, but it's still a lot (in my opinion). Besides the fluoridated water and HFCS (or aspartame, or Ace-K) you are  consuming, soda can get pricey.  Most people grab a 20oz bottle. Right? Around here they go for $1.29 plus tax to $2 out of a machine.  I also used to be a Starbucks addict.  Quitting dairy helped with that (no more $4 cappucinos five days a week) but what really killed the habit was swearing off tap water and switching to 100% organic coffee.  Even the $2 a day Americano adds up.  No diet Dr. Pepper, no Starbucks...even at only five days a week, that's a top from Anthropologie.

Magazines
At one point, I was buying about 40 magazines every month.  All the fashion magazines, all the fitness magazines, yoga magazines, spa magazines...holy crap.  Magazines are about $3.95-$4.95 apiece, so...yikes.  Even one a week seems like a lot to me now.  I subscribe to Yoga Journal for $10 a year.  And that is it.  I should have just thrown dollars into my recycling bin, since all the information in most magazines is recycled anyway, and all the ads are for stuff I probably won't buy.  All those magazines I was buying?  That's like a monthly payment on a Kia. Which brings me to my next thing...

Car Payment
I have an old car. I like my old car. I am not sure I will ever buy a brand new car.  Nothing wrong with having a car payment, I just don't have one.

Cigarettes
I have a friend who lives in a city that charges much more for a pack of cigarettes than my city does.  She and I both used to smoke a pack a day. I quit a few years ago. A pack was about $4 then.  That's about $120 a month. She once wondered about my purchase of a $300 bag, when I could get a "perfectly good one" from Payless for $30.  I pointed out that I no longer buy smokes (which in her city cost over $8 a pack--yikes).  Trade the smokes and the Payless bag in, and there you have your $300 bag.  And I have cleaner lungs.  I know quitting is hard, but trust me...it's worth it.  And you won't gain weight unless you replace the smokes with candy, chips, other food, or soda.

Bars/Alcohol
I love a good glass of wine.  I just don't drink it every weekend.  I have seen some girls' nightly bar tabs.  I don't spend $50-$75 each Friday and/or Saturday for drinks in clubs.   (I buy shoes instead!)

Restaurants
I once dated a guy who ate out three meals a day, every day. We were totally at odds (but, er, the sex was good, so...yeah. Sorry for the TMI, but that could be why I put up with it.)  He always argued that when you added up the cost of groceries plus the time it took to prepare food, eating out was less expensive. I think he was nuts.  (Also, incidentally, the once greyhound-lean guy looks kind of like Jabba the Hutt now. And that is sad.)  Anyway, since I'm raw vegan, most restaurant food is out.  If you like steak and lobster, go out and eat it once a month!...but don't come home from that meal to yell at me for a $100 dress.  Because your $50 meal will be, er, in the toilet soon. And my dress will be in my closet.  (Hi, Mom!!!)

Hair Salons/Nail Salons
I do my own hair after years of spending up to $200 every 5-6 weeks.  I don't get fake nailz (they are bad for your real nails, anyway) and I do my own  manicures/pedicures.  (Yes, my nails look like crap right now, but they strangely look about the same as they did when I did get manicures every two weeks.)  Once a month, twice a month...at least $30 for both, and often more.  I'm saving my cash for something else.

Tanning
I used to be a tanning bed addict, but I quit.  Even before I did, I spent $25 a month on my membership, surely money you can find in the couch cushions.  However, many girls are serious about their tanning, and can spend up to $200 a month to bake in a bed.  Even the $25 a month that I save gets me something nice, like new tights or a top on sale.  I'll take the $25 and hold the wrinkles, please!

Communications
Yes, I am one of those people who kind of freaks if I leave my phone at home.  However, I don't have my life inside the thing.  I pay for phone service and unlimited text messages.  I don't pay for zillions of iPhone apps, internet service, etc...and I don't pay for a landline.  Someday I may join club CrackBerry or the iPhone clan, but until then, I sign over my $65 a month  and know that it's about half of what many other people pay.
And it works for me.

Children
I don't have children.  I am not saying there is anything negative or positive about having children,  I am just pointing out that they are expensive, and they are a responsibility that you must consider if you have them. 

Dog Groomers, Car Washers, House Cleaners, etc...
There are tons of other things that many people delegate to service professionals, and I do myself (or at least, ask my husband to do himself.)   I bathe my dogs, wash my car, clean my own toilet. 

...and things I do buy or pay, with care...

Gym Membership
I think this one is important--trying to jog outdoors can get boring, and difficult in certain weather.  Around here, I have seen gym memberships that are $40-50 a month...up to over $100 a month.  I don't need a bathroom attendant , I just want clean machines that work and good hours of operation.  I pay $22 to have 24-hour access to over six clubs in my area. Free group classes, too.  Just be firm  and say no to the personal trainer they push at you.

Organic Food
I buy organic food as much as possible, meaning, when it is available.  I shop several stores for the best price and ask for bulk discounts for cases when it is close to closing time. Sometimes it works.  

Student Loan
I funded the completion of my undergrad degree with a (quite large) student loan.  It is the only debt I have, and I hate paying it, but that BA got me into grad school, so it was worth it.

There you have it. I am sure there are many other things that I don't buy, but this is the list of biggies. 

I will conclude by saying that I did not give up any of these things in order to fund my shopping habits. These are things I don't buy by choice; it is just a nice "side effect" that not spending on them allows me more shopping dollars.  This is my personal list, not a guideline or a judgment.

What don't you buy?