‘Round these parts, we’re all about making more money, saving money, and trying to kill our debt. But that doesn’t mean we do things that could end up being featured on TLC’s Extreme Cheapskates. We’re not that crazy frugal! After all, I’ve confessed numerous times that I’m a bad PF blogger. With that in mind, here are some extreme things I’d never do to save money.
Eat Expired/Bad Food
Ok this is a bit misleading. I do have a couple of boxes of cereal in my pantry that I plan on eating even though their best-by date has come and gone. The food is not stale or spoiled, so I plan on eating it anyhow. But, I wouldn’t jeopardize my health by eating food that is actually spoiled, rotten, or overly expired. This includes dumpster diving for food. That’s just gross and unnecessary (in my opinion).
Compromise my Ethics
Buying something, like clothes, using it and then returning it for a refund is stealing in my opinion and that is not something I’m willing to do to save money. Wanting to get out of debt is one thing, but compromising your ethics is a little-over-the-top. I would never buy a special occasion outfit, wear it, and return it. I would not be able to live with myself if I compromised my ethics in this manner. I have however returned something used due to a malfunction or defect within a reasonable amount of time, but that’s why stores and companies have return policies.
Give Up my Pets
I have cut down on my pet spending by a lot. My pets are still well taken care of. I take them to the vet when necessary and get their annual vaccinations. They still eat good food and have shelter and love. The only things they don’t get as often now that I’m on a strict budget is new toys and treats. Both of these things are meant to be special, so my pets only get them occasionally now.
I know I could save or divert a lot more money to go toward debt if I didn’t have pets, but my pets are worth it to me. I haven’t talked about it a lot, but my cat and one of my dogs really helped me get through the aftermath of my divorce. When I was feeling lonely and nervous about transitioning to living on my own for the first time, they were my companions. To be honest, I’d rather spend time with my pets than with most people anyhow. They are always in a good mood and happy to see me. That’s real love and I’m not willing to give them up to get out of debt more quickly.
Completely Ignore my Appearance
This last one might be a bit of a hot topic, but I’m not willing to completely ignore my appearance to save money. I still have a professional job where I have to look presentable. Because of this I do spend more than most PF bloggers would probably expect on things like clothing, accessories, hair care, makeup, etc.
I have seriously cut down on new purchases and am working on making my closet more mix and match friendly. Plus I’m working my way down to a more reasonable number of clothes. I now do a 1 in 1 out whenever I buy something new and I’m only buying makeup to replace things when I run out instead of trying new products all the time.
My hair is still one of the most expensive things I spend money on to keep up my appearance. Because I have short hair I must have it trimmed on a very regular basis (about once every 5-6 weeks), and I do (admittedly) still get it colored every couple of times. I have added it up and I am aware of how much money I could be using for debt and savings if I cut out my hair appointments, or at least the color, and this is something I am still considering doing in 2015.
What are you NOT willing to do to save money?
