The new Fall season frequently means shopping. And there’s such a temptation to splurge on the best option-“buy once, cry once.” But there are things that are not worth spending much on. And I’ve been giving some thought to what those items are, for me.
I’ve been trying to practice mindful spending for a while. The best option, from a money saving perspective, is to not buy anything at all. But that’s not always the optimal choice. Sometimes, you have to buy something- for convenience or to allow you to maximize use of something else. But frequently, we can opt for the cheaper option. And here are a few areas where I do just that.
Something I don’t use very often
I am not a fan of strapless bras. But I’m also not a fan of visible bra straps. So a strapless bra is an unavoidable necessity at times. A perfect example of something not worth spending a lot on!
Expensive option: Wacoal strapless bra from Nordstrom $76
Better option: Strapless bra $14
Something I use A LOT but frequently misplace
I use my earbuds a ton. But recently, when I couldn’t find the charging case, I was out of luck. No music for me at the gym that day! So I bought a cheap pair off Amazon as a backup. I can afford to lose or misplace them, and I won’t be crying like I would with the Apple version.
Expensive option: Apple AirPods $159
Better option: JBL Wireless Earbuds $50 (they were $24 when I bought them!)
And as a bonus, they actually fit my ears better than the Apple ones (I have weird ears!)
Something I use a lot but don’t really notice a quality difference
I am sure this is a controversial take, but I don’t think you can get much better than Burt’s Bees lip balm. There, I’ve said it! I go through a lot of it. I’ve tried the fancy, expensive stuff, and it just doesn’t compare. And since lip balm lasts on my lips for 30 min max, why splash out on it?
Expensive option: goop Beauty lip balm $20 each
Better option: Burt’s Bess Lip Care $3.25 each
The thing is, it’s not healthy to buy the best of everything. There are things to splurge on, but honestly, on a lot of things, it’s just not worth spending a lot on them. And it also helps reduce decision fatigue. I don’t spend time thinking about whether I should try a new lip balm. I just reorder my faithful Burt’s Bees! That allows me to turn my attention to more exciting purchases 🙂
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