There are a few things that I don’t spend money on. I just don’t find value in these things. A few are things of convenience. And most I feel I can do myself, or just plain do without.
Things I don’t spend money on
Hair cuts
I know a lot of people may disagree with me on this one. But I don’t actually value the work that a hairdresser does. My mum always cut my hair. And my brother’s hair, my dad’s hair, my grandpa’s hair, my cousin’s hair. You get the picture. I always had long hair so it was pretty easy to cut, just straight across the bottom. And the others she mostly did with the clippers. I’m also really not a fan of small talk but also think it’s rude to sit there on my phone the whole time.
I also don’t really care too much about my hair. I almost always let it air dry, I use (mostly) cheap products. My hairdryer is a hand-me-down with no directional nozzle. I have a hair straightener that is probably 10 years old, and my curler cost me $20 at Kmart.
That’s not to say that I don’t get my hair cut. I cut it myself roughly every six months. I wear my hair up in a ponytail 100% of the time, so it doesn’t bother me if I didn’t do a great job.
Getting my nails done
Much like getting my hair cut, I don’t really like getting my nails done. I’m just really not a fan of the small talk. In my early 20’s I’d watch my friends complain about their broken fake nails and having to make appointments to get them filled every few weeks. And the thought of having my cuticles trimmed makes my skin crawl.
I have quite a few nail polishes and choose to do my nails at home. My daughter loves having her nails painted, and she is surprisingly still and patient with the process.
Makeup
Just like my hair, I don’t really care all that much for my face. I have cheap makeup products that I don’t actually know how to use. And because I don’t know how to use them I don’t like how I look, so I just don’t use them. It has easily been a month since I wore any kind of makeup, including mascara.
Books
Sure, I have books. But I generally borrow from the library first. And if I think I might read the book a few more times I will buy it. Although I’m not sure if I have ever actually bought a book. Most of them have been gifts. The last few books in the Harry Potter series were released around my birthday. My Harry Potter collection is quite mismatched. I’ve thought about buying a new matching set. But it doesn’t seem worth the cost. Plus my mismatched ones have so much character, especially now I’ve read them so many times.
Perfume
The last bottle of perfume I purchased was when I went to Europe, in 2011. And there is still a little less than half left in it. I honestly forget to put it on most of the time. I prefer to spend
Magazines
I did get into magazines when I was a teen. I had a great collection of Dolly and Girlfriend magazines. But I rarely re-read them. So I decided to stop buying them. Now when I feel the need to read a magazine I head to the library. My local library has so many different types of magazines. Sadly they can only be borrowed for two weeks, but there is no limit on the number I can check out at once.
Coffee
I’ve never been a big coffee drinker, too much caffeine gives me panic attacks. Again I just don’t find value in a $4 cup of coffee. I do occasionally buy a coffee, maybe eight per year. Although I haven’t been able to replicate a satisfactory chai latte at home.
Drinks at restaurants
It’s a rare occasion that I order something besides water when I go out for dinner. I attribute this to not having soft drinks available when I was a kid. And because of that, I’m not a huge fan of soft drinks. On top of that, it’s even rarer for me to order an alcoholic beverage when I’m out. I’d rather not pay $9 for a glass of wine when I could buy the bottle for $20.
At the end of the day, I think comes down to what I do and don’t find value in. I find value in creating memories with my daughter when we paint our nails. I find value in really appreciating that chai latte I have when I catch up with some friends. With most of the things that I don’t spend money on I kind of forget about them because they aren’t important to me.
