“A man is rich in proportion to the number of things which he can afford to let alone.”
– Henry David Thoreau
Why don’t I buy any of these things anymore? Because of every reason imaginable haha. (cost, health, environment, less waste, minimalistic, simplicity, higher quality, taste etc)
Note: When I say “we” I’m referring to my husband and I. Just wanted to clarify so you don’t think I’m Gollum/Smeagol. Sneaky little Hobbitses.
1. Canned Soup
Alternative: We make soup from scratch and bottle it.
2. Salad Dressing
Alternative: It’s incredibly easy and delicious to make your own. Orange vinaigrette dressing recipe here. Olive oil and vinegar is also good on salads.
3. Flour Tortillas
Alternative: We make our own.
4. Packaged Sports Drinks
Alternative: Healthy powdered sports drink mixed with water in a reusable bottle.
5. Milk
Alternative: We make our own dairy free milks. Recipes here. We also use water instead of milk in a lot of recipes.
6. Vegetable Broth
Alternative: We make our own.
7. Microwave Popcorn
Alternative: I adore my popcorn popper!
8. Packaged Herbs and Spices
Alternative: We buy from the bulk section. It’s amazing how much cheaper it is!
9. Packaged Convenience Meals
Alternative: Cook from scratch. Freeze meals. Canning.
10. Bottled Water
Alternative: Reusable water bottles!
11. Shaving Cream
Alternative: Donovan uses coconut oil to shave his face, and I use shower gel to shave my legs etc.
12. Toothpaste
Alternative: We make our own tooth powder. Recipe here.
13. Face Wash
Alternative: I make my own and my skin absolutely loves it. Recipe here.
14. Unnecessary Hair and Beauty Products
Alternative: I used to hoard products. I now only have the bare minimum of what I need and don’t buy more until it’s necessary.
15. Tissues
Alternative: We use handkerchiefs and they are awesome!
16. Deodorant
Alternative: Donovan uses plain baking soda and I make my own. It works so much better.
17. Cotton Rounds/Balls
Alternative: I made reusable “flannel squares” haha.
18. Feminine Products
Alternative: Menstrual cup!! Best thing that ever happened to my period.
19. Disposable Cleaning Cloths
Alternative: I use a small vacuum for our wood floors instead of a swiffer sweeper. I also use cleaning cloths/rags.
20. Laundry Detergent
Alternative: We make our own and/or use soap nuts. Recipe here.
21. Dryer Sheets
Alternative: Not necessary. Especially if you use soap nuts and line dry your clothes.
22. Plastic Wrap
Alternative: I’m all about the reusable containers.
23. Dusting Spray and Other Cleaning Products
Alternative: Microfiber cloths. Baking soda and vinegar.
24. Newspapers
Alternative: You can find news online for free. Though I recommend avoiding news media all together. You’ll be amazed at how much better you feel when you aren’t being bombarded with all the negativity.
25. Excess Memberships and Subscriptions (Costco, beauty boxes, magazines, gym memberships, hulu plus, audible etc)
Alternative: We love our public library, exercise outside, and go without. We do have Netflix still. Edit: We now cancelled Netflix, more details here.
26. Car and Car Expenses
Alternative: Walk. Ride a bicycle. (I sold my car last year, but Donovan does have a company car we use)
27. Home Decor and Seasonal Decor
Alternative: Enjoy the decor you already have.
28. Cell Phone Service
Alternative: Ditch the phone plan. Use wifi.
29. Random Clothing & Accessories
Alternative: Say no to items that you’ll only wear once or twice. I strive to make intentional purchases that truly reflect my personal style and mesh well with my current wardrobe and lifestyle.
30. Professional Grooming Services (haircuts, hair coloring, mani/pedis, dog grooming etc)
Alternative: DIY
Thank you for reading this! Are there any items you don’t buy anymore? If so, please share so it can give me ideas of more things I can stop buying haha.
Peace & Love
-Kayla Oliver
