16 Ways to Save Money with a Minimalist Mindset
I’ve stopped buying many things since becoming a minimalist.
Minimalism promotes living intentionally and eliminating excess from our lives so we can spend our time, money and energy on what matters most.
Once I began living a more minimal lifestyle, I felt more content and less stressed.
Minimalism looks different for everyone and there are many ways to be a minimalist.
For me, I chose to live with less and stopped buying things that I don’t need or do not serve me a purpose.
Owning less stuff means less cleaning and organizing. I’m so pleased that I don’t have to spend time dealing with tons of clutter at my home anymore.
With a minimalist mindset, it helps me get to know what brings value into my life. It lets me focus on what is important to me and it has changed the way I spend my time and money.
Minimalism is all about living intentionally and getting rid of excess. By removing the unnecessary stuff that does not align with our goals and values so we can make room for space and freedom.
Everyone has different goals, needs and values when it comes to minimalism. It’s all about being intentional with your possessions, time, and energy. Focusing on what matters to you and letting go of the rest.
I love simplicity. Eating healthy through meal planning. DIYing our household cleaning supplies to avoid the hidden toxins from store-bought cleaning products. I saved thousands a year by not spending money on something which is not good for my health and the environment.
Who doesn’t want to save more money? There are things minimalists typically would never buy. Today, I’m sharing 16 things I don’t buy anymore as a minimalist.
Keep in mind that what works for me may not work for you. Your values and priorities are different from mine. That means your minimalist lifestyle can be totally different from someone else.
The key is to find what works best for you so that you can live more intentionally with less stress and more joy.
Okay, let’s get started.
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16 Things I Stopped Buying as a Minimalist
1// Store-bought Makeup Remover
Aiming to live simply and be eco-friendly, I was looking for alternatives to store-bought makeup remover. Now, I don’t buy conventional makeup remover anymore. I use coconut oil instead.
Some conventional makeup removers can be harsh on your skin. Before you spend money on buying a name-brand makeup remover, wipes, or lotions, why not try using coconut oil?
I love my organic coconut oil. The best thing is it’s all-natural and inexpensive. It also helps me to soften my skin.
2// Store-bought Deodorant
I stopped buying store-bought deodorant. I was looking for something better for my health.
Homemade deodorant is so easy to make, and you only need 3 ingredients: coconut oil, baking soda, and essential oils. Try this homemade deodorant recipe.
Do something good for your breast health by spending less than 5 minutes to DIY your own deodorant. It’s totally healthy and cost-effective.
3// Bottled Water
We only keep one pack of disposable bottled water at home for emergencies. On normal days, we have this water filter pitcher at home for our daily use.
When we go outside, we use our own reusable water bottles. I always prefer a glass bottle over the plastic one.
Tips for becoming a minimalist:
4// Convenience Food
I don’t purchase processed food. Most of them especially frozen meals have excess sugar, fat, and sodium.
In order to simplify my diet, I chose to eat real food. Eating real food in its original form makes us know exactly what it is we are eating.
Cook simple meals, even just a few ingredients could make a delicious meal.
5// Pre-cut Fruits
I don’t buy pre-cut fruits. Store-bought pre-cut fruits are simple and easy, but never my option. They always come in plastic packaging which is not environmentally friendly. And obviously, they are more expensive.
My family loves eating fresh fruits. I always like to use glass food storage containers to keep our fruits and veggies fresh for longer.
6// Store-bought Chicken Stock/ Bone Broth
I make my own stock and broth. It’s very easy to make without tons of work and it’s much healthier. Put bones, celery, onion, carrots, and fresh herbs all together in cold water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 3 to 4 hours. Then, a large pot of nutrient homemade chicken stock that is full of flavor is ready to use.
If you can’t use them up all during the week, freeze them for future use. I love to add the stock to the stir-fry or use it to cook Asian noodles. It adds so much flavor.
7// Store-bought Fruit Popsicles
I stopped buying fruit popsicles. My daughter likes eating ice pops but every time she ate the store-bought pops, she kept getting thirsty. I’m not too fond of those additives, artificial color or flavor, and added sugar.
I know there are some all-natural pops in the market. But I found out that homemade ice pops are so easy and have so much fun with our kid. And most important, they are much healthier!
8// Salad Dressings
According to the Harvard Health Letter, “Bottled dressings are often rich sources of saturated fat, calories, sodium, and added sugar.” It’s much better if you make your dressing at home for your healthy diet.
I stopped buying salad dressings a few years already. Using a few ingredients like extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, chopped garlic, salt, and pepper can bring out the flavor. You may also like to experiment using balsamic or other vinegar, dijon, and spices.
Mindful spending:
9// Body Wash
I don’t purchase a body wash. It’s just a personal preference for using bar soap instead of body wash. It’s just much cheaper and has less packaging. We have individual bar soaps for everyone in our family.
10// Shaving Cream
I found out that bar soap and conditioner both work well. It’s always good to save some money when you don’t have to buy something that you’ve already owned and could use right away. Owning less stuff usually means less cleaning and less organizing.
11/ Conventional All-Purpose Cleaner
I’ve stopped buying any all-purpose cleaner for a few years. Just because it’s so easy to make, and costs pennies.
Adding a teaspoon of dish soap and water to a spray bottle, shake well, and it’s ready to use. Add 10 drops of essential oils if you like. This homemade cleaning solution can actually remove any grease and dirt effectively on most surfaces.
12// Conventional Bathtub Cleaner
My homemade bathtub cleaner is simple and effective. Each spray bottle combines one part dish soap and one part vinegar and mix well.
Spray on the surface and let sit for 15 minutes, wipe with a sponge, rinse and wipe dry, done! It removes all soap scum and grime.
13// Dishwasher Tablets
I don’t buy dishwasher tablets. I haven’t used my dishwasher for a long time… maybe 3 years already. Keep in mind that we have a minimalist kitchen. We cook simple meals. We adopt a “clean as you go” habit in the kitchen.
Hand-washing dishes is quick and easy for us since we have fewer dirty dishes to clean after each meal.
14// Magazine Subscriptions
I love reading magazines, especially about home decor and interior design. I used to subscribe to the monthly magazines and was so excited to get them from my mailbox. I usually flipped through it once when I received it. Then, I put it away and think I would read it later. But the truth is all the magazines got piled up and I never touched them again.
I canceled all the subscriptions last year and I was so happy that I did it. My local library has tons of digital magazines that I can borrow. I no longer need to buy magazine subscriptions.
15// Full Price Clothing
I only shop for clothes that are on sale. I don’t spend money on full-price clothing for myself and my family.
I check the price online first and see if there’s any coupon code before going to the retail shops or online shopping.
16// Haircut
I have been cutting my daughter’s hair for many years but not mine until last year. I’m so happy that I tried and did it. I’ve never looked back. It really saves me a lot of time and money.
Related Minimalist Living post:
5 Laundry Habits as a Minimalist
7 Minimalist Home Organization Tips That’ll Simplify Your Life
How’s your minimalist mindset changed the way you live? Did you stop spending money on something that helps you save money? Please share in the comments.
Would you expound please on your shaving cream? A bar of soap and conditioner? Is that mixed together 1:1? Or is it all separate? Thanks
Hi Kim, I use bar soap. Lather up a bar of soap over the area before shaving. I use Olay Ultra Moisture Bar and a razor with a moisture bar. This helps to enable a smoother shave and prevent drying of the skin. Remember not to put deodorant right after shaving as it can cause irritation.
Very good tips I use a lot of them …. Here’s a tip whe your doing laundry set the timer for 8 minutes on normal wash also if using liquid soap only use about a 1/4 of the cup u will very surprised
Hi Patty, thanks for your input. I haven’t tried the 8-minute wash but I do use less laundry detergent. So I know what you’re talking about 🙂 I wrote about it in this post. Give it a read if you’re interested.
Great ideas! I do a couple of these too. I discovered e-cloths, they are microfiber cloths that sanitize and clean the house easily, safely and it saves money not buying cleaning products. And the kids won’t complain about cleaners, like vinegar anymore!
Hi Sher! Thanks for your input. Nice to hear you found a good cleaning product for your home that everyone likes!
These are phenomenal ideas ! I can’t wait to get started. Is there any way we can print out any of this information ?
Hi Denise! I’m so glad you liked these ideas. I’m going to create more printables for my readers. Please subscribe so you can get the updates. 🙂
This was a good read! It is amazing how many food items can be simply made if you make the time!
Ya, simple is the best! Thanks for stopping by Suzanne!
Good reading – I think most of this is living frugal which is awesome. On the body wash I make my own natural soap are you saying you use body wash instead of bar soap?
Thank you Patti! I’ve always wanted to make homemade soap. I use bar soap and not buy body wash anymore.
I make my own body wash by using a cheese grater to grate my bar soap then put it into a pot and put it on medium heat with about 1 2/3 cup of water u can use more or less it just depends on how thick you want your body wash soap to be ..stir until it melts down allow to cool for about 2 hrs normally less then I use a funnel to put it into an empty body wash container and boom your very own body wash
Great tips. We also do many of these things. 🙂
Thanks Suzanne!
Wow awesome and really useful tips.
I’m so glad you found them useful.
A few of these I do already, and several I have been considering. How does your deodorant turn out? Is it solid and not crumbly? The biggest issue I find with homemade deodorants is they aren’t solid enough to rub on without making a mess. Thanks for the informative post! Enjoyed! ☺️
I’m so glad you enjoyed this post. I would suggest storing the homemade deodorant in a small glass jar and put it in a fridge when you’re in warmer temperatures.
This is so helpful! Handwashing dishes is a great way to save money in several departments!
Thanks for stopping by!
This is a great list to pick and choose from! I especially like the idea about magazine subscriptions! Those things can quickly add up dollar-wise. And like you I hardly ever read the subscriptions I was signed up for. The library is such a great FREE resource!
Hi Tara! Thanks for stopping by! I used to spend much money for subscriptions but didn’t really spend time to enjoy. So for me, just a waste of money and accumulated clutter. Yes! So good the library has all the free resources 🙂
I blog about the RVLifestyle and hope to become a full time RVer in retirement. I can relate! So many great tips all especially great for a simple lifestyle that will allow you to explore more elsewhere 🙂
Thank you for your comment! RVLifestyle is a dream of mine! 🙂
Great tips! I’m definitely going to try coconut oil as makeup remover. My skin is so sensitive that regular eye makeup remover irritates the skin around my eyes.
Thank you Kathy! Everyone is different. Coconut oil works well to many people but I still heard some people have coconut allergy. Even coconut oil is natural, we still have to listen to our skin.
This is a very good read. I lack more than half of these saving tips so I must do better. I am glad I found this blog to bring back up on my A Game of healthy Spending and saving
Kimbra, http://www.iaspiretoblog.ga
Thank you Kimbra! It’s nice to hear it helped. When we start small, have a habit, things gradually change. 🙂
Hi, great tips which just prove just a few little changes can make a big difference to your budget.
Thank you for reading my post. Yes, you’re right. And intentional living changed my way to spend money.
Always willing to learn new tips–thank you!
You’re welcome! 🙂
Good list. I do need to get rid of magazines!
Thank you Nathalie! Magazines are always one of the things need to go.
Great tips! I have also thought of making my own deodorant, I question 3 ingredients, I’m not sure they would mask the smell of perspiration.
Thank you for reading my post. That homemade deodorant does work well for me, no problem about the smell of perspiration.
Great tips. I will be using some. Thanks for sharing
Thank you! So glad you like this post. 🙂
Great list and so true! You can save so much money with little changes like these!
Thank you Vanessa! Yes, these habits help me save money and live healthier. 🙂
Love this article! A good reminder for me to get back into these simple, minimalist habits. I hand wash all of my dishes too! I only use my dishwasher for drying lol!
Thank you Kimi! Hand wash the dishes and put them away help me have a clean sink and kitchen all the time! No more clutter!
Very good tips. I follow a lot of those tips myself
Great! Thanks for stopping by! 🙂
These are great tips! I need to start making my own chicken/bone broth! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Elizabeth! I’m so glad it helped! 🙂
Here’s a tip for pet owners. If you make chicken bone broth, use only pieces that have small bones (I save bones for that). I also live in Ecuador and have access to chicken necks and feet. If you can get those, it’s even better. the feet have tons of collagen in them. I pressure cook them for three hours and then put them in a vitamix and feed them to the dogs. You can actually give them the cooked bones but most people prefer them all mixed up where you can’t see the feet. If you do that, don’t include the onion. They can be poisonous to dogs. The broth is so fabulous. It gets all nice and gelled and I have to add water to use it in soup. Enjoy!
Thank you for your input, Cynthia!