8 Things You Could Buy … That Aren’t Worth the Money

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      • Guest

        Thanks for mentioning public libraries! I use mine all the time, it’s great. 

      • Stepho92620

        What investments give you an 8% return?  I’d like to know so I can move all my money to that investment.

        • Krafty_momma7

          Me too, me too! Thanks for asking Stepho92620.

      • http://fitorama.wordpress.com/ Lauren Lever

        I have been doing #7 a lot lately. Books can get get expensive, and there are so many on my shelf that I haven’t even read. Also, you can rent DVD’s for free at the library!

      • Calista

        it’s even cheaper if you buy the kindle version if it’s available.

      • goofyjj

        E-readers are a great investment.  Especially the Kindles.  You can not only get books for cheaper via Amazon (and highlight/note), you can borrow books from the public library and you can also stream Netflix.  The initial investment is worth the payoff

      • Carolyn

        Totally agree, especially on the DVDs and the Books. Yay for sharing – Netflix, Kindle, local library, and swapping with your friends.

        • Irrevernt1

          Hey, it’s a lot cheaper than buying books at a store or going to a movie theater to buy used books and DVD/Blu-Ray stuff on Amazon for a few bucks from third-party resellers. Lots of books and movies can cost a dollar or less (I limit my search to items under $5) plus maybe $3 shipping.  For movie faves that I view over and over, or books that i re-read or use for reference, buying them cheap is really the best way to go, and you can recover a big chunk of the cost at a garage sale or whatever, to say nothing of gifting them to friends.

      • thepixinator

        Lunches are killer.  Sometimes I ask myself, “Where did all my money go?” and then I realize I ate it.  It was tasty, but it’s gone now.

      • Carol Thornton Curtis

        Guilty of a few of these things…LOL

      • Chardae Davis

        This is an excellent list. I visit the public library all the time and rarely step foot in a brick and mortar book store. I rarely buy DVDs, unless it’s a movie I’m going to watch over and over, like my childhood faves. Luckily I love to cook at home, so takeout lunch isn’t a big problem. You just really need to plan for it.

      • Amber

        Thanks for sharing. I get about 80% of my books from the library. I’m a huge water drinker and don’t spend money on water bottles. I just drink from the tap and I also bought 2 Brita water bottles that are good for about 300 refills for only $8 each – good for on the go. It’s really the little purchases that add up quickly. $4 here and there might not seem like a lot – but it makes a huge difference.

      • Betty

        If you already have lots of book consider using titletrader to get some different stuff.

      • lullabell1976

        How many times have I heard one of my friends say “my service lost the movies i have downloaded or recorded” .  I am a collector and will not ever give up my physical media.  I can buy a movie once and watch it over and over instead of paying for movies over and over. I love being able to look at my collection of DVD’s. I understand the economics of #4, but just like an e-reader can’t take the place of a real book (Yes, they do take up space and yes I do read them), so to an electronic storage system can’t take the place of a collection of DVD’s, vinyl, etc. We collectors are emotionally attached to that physical entity.  I also love libraries. 

      • Tojada

        I like flavored water, like Sobe.  I had some of those bottles so I started filling them from my Brita pitcher and adding the Wal-Mart brand water flavoring. I use the same three bottles all the time. I’m saving money and the environment. I take my lunch most days and go to the park. Besides saving money, I’m saving my sanity with the quiet of my car. While in my car, I sometimes watch something on Netflix!  I’ve never been one to buy DVDs because I’m watch once kind of person.  I have bought box sets of TV series for sentimental reasons.

        As far as ATM fees go, I rarely use an ATM. I will make a needed purchase at Wal-Mart and get cash at the checkout. I rarely need more than the limit allowed through that kind of transaction.

        I do love having books on my bookshelves.  However, I find many second hand.

      • MelanieWadkins

        I love fresh flowers and consider the expense worth it on occasion. But tell me where I can buy “a bouquet of fresh flowers” that last for more than a couple of days for $20.00? Even in my small town, a decent bouquet is more than $20.00. On the other hand, dumpster diving behind a florist’s for discarded fresh flowers is absolutely free–and I’ve been known to do just that.  

        • KatyD

           I don’t know if you have a Trader Joe’s or a Fresh & Easy in your area, but if so, you can get very nice bouquets of flowers for under $20 in both places. Check them out if you can (both have very reasonable prices on groceries as well!)

          • MelanieWadkins

            Thanks for the tip, but I reside in a small town in the South. About the best I can do is cut flowers from Walmart, which don’t last long.

      • Pam

        For watching movies, you can also rent them from Redbox.  A regular DVD rental is $1.20 per night and a Blu-Ray rental is $1.52 per night (that’s including tax).  There are a ton of Redbox locations around me, so if I want to rent something, I use that instead of paying a monthly fee for a subscription service that I may or may not use.