50 things i refuse to buy
things i deem a complete waste of money
These are items that I naturally tend to avoid, simply because I have no use for them or I once had an unsatisfactory experience in the past and learned to never purchase a similar item ever again. This is different from my Anti Haul, which contains items that I do struggle with refraining from purchasing.
Inspired by Paper Town Home’s YouTube video, 50 things I don’t buy as a minimalist, I thought I would create my own list, because 1) I love lists, and 2) I love de-influencing.
Gift bags. Why are people still buying these? It’s not that big of a deal if you put your gift in an old shopping bag or one that says “Happy Birthday”, when you aren’t sure if it’s going to be reused (if you gave it to me, I’d 100% reuse it).
Holiday/event cards. If you have even 1% of an artistic bone in your body, you could draw something on a piece of cardstock. If not, then try sending a digital card. While these cards might not seem that expensive upfront (found this cute one for $6), it is wasteful and the expense adds up over time.
Expensive jewelry. I’ve never purchased expensive jewelry for myself—last piece I bought was probably a pair of earrings from Claire’s for $6 that ended up giving my 12-year old self a terrible allergic reaction and an ear infection (update: I recently got my ears pierced, so the last piece I actually purchased were these overpriced pair of 14K gold star studs for $160—what a ripoff). Mr. Beans recently gifted me a beautiful Tiffany necklace last Christmas and it immediately became my favorite piece of jewelry to wear. I now realize I love wearing necklaces, but hate rings/bracelets since they get in the way.
my first luxury necklace! Luxury purses. In high school and undergrad, I desperately wanted a Louis Vuitton purchase so badly. I could only afford SLGs back then, and purchased the 6-Key Holder, which I love and use to death. However, I don’t think I’ll ever justify spending over $1K for a purse because 1) I don’t want to get robbed in LA, and 2) unless I purchase a canvas/nylon bag (i.e., Prada Re-Edition), leather bags are stiff and heavy, especially if I want to be able to fit my camera in it. I used my Freja NYC store credit from my tote purchase last year and used it to buy the Chrystie bag — she looks like a dumpling! I don’t consider Freja NYC luxury, even though it feels and looks like it without the hefty price tag!
freja nyc chrystie bag in pecan Expensive hand/body lotion. Unless it’s gifted (which I have received in the past and admit using expensive lotion is a luxurious experience that is unlike no other), I can’t be bothered. Give me moisture, and let me sleep in peace knowing I spent $15 instead of $50 on a tub. The pineapple bergamot scent in this trio ($8) is life-changing. Trader Joes — please make this as a standalone item!
Products with little/no reviews from Instagram ads. I’m still annoyed with this one, but I was influenced by the ads/videos to purchase the Palermo House Dune Lounger. Big mistake. I am never trusting Instagram ads ever again (something I should’ve known already but shit happens).
Mocktails/drinks at restaurants. 70% of the time, I regret ordering a drink with my food. Usually, I’m good at getting dinner, then getting boba (at a separate boba shop). However, restaurant drinks menu might tempt me at times and I’ll succumb. Not anymore. I’ve wasted too much money on mediocre drinks at restaurants when I could’ve had a much better drink at a boba shop I know I’ll love.
Expensive/experimental skincare. If you’ve followed me for a while, you know I have rosacea, which means the products I use on my skin need to be sensitive. Some products that are marketed as for sensitive skin have flared my rosacea. Therefore, I’m sticking to what I know won’t hurt me (La Roche Posay).
my ride or die, rosacea friendly skincare routine More than 1 pair in each shoe type. In my sneakerhead days, I once owned 3 pairs at the same time (crazy, isn’t it?). I now own 1 pair of sneakers, 1 pair of boots, 1 pair of heels, 1 pair of sandals, and am looking to add 1 pair of work shoes (without a heel).
my current shoe inventory Adding a custom engraving/personalization to an item. It just makes it harder to resell if I wanted to get rid of it. Also, as a private person, it takes away any further curiosity regarding my identity when I’m out and about. Here, I’m referring to items where people choose to personalize with their initials or name.
Lunch box. I hated bringing a separate lunch box to school when I was living with my parents (up until high school). I now use a Baby Baggu to carry my breakfast/lunch + a snack. It’s versatile enough so that I could use it for other purposes if I were to stop bringing lunch to work (unlikely, unless work provides lunch). I’m also able to fit it inside my backpack! This would be impossible if I used a more structured lunch box.
Eyeshadow palettes. In undergrad, I used to do the sharpest cut crease/smoky eye using my Anastasia Modern Renaissance palette. It was an iconic time for me, but I realized I was just doing too much. Ever since discovering single shadows (my first was the Charlotte Tilbury Eyes to Mesmerize), I fell in love. My routine became more efficient and I began appreciate a more minimal makeup look.
False lashes. I really put myself through 5 years of suffering to realize that I look like a clown in false lashes. At the tail end of this obsession, I started wearing more natural lashes, and now, I only wear mascara. The only time I’ll ever wear fake lashes again is probably for my engagement/wedding (even then, I might say no and opt for a more natural look).
Clothes that show too much skin. I’ve entered my grandma era since dating Mr. Beans, and I’m not complaining. I quite appreciate the lack of attention I get from creepy men when I go places, especially in more dense cities (LA) or at nighttime. Crew necklines and shorts that have adequate coverage are the way to go, but jackets and long pants are the best.
Lip gloss. I have extremely sensitive lips, and I’ve noticed that most lip glosses give me an allergic reaction (even the ShineOn Lip Jellies and Tinted Lip Oil). I’ve been using lipstick lately, specifically the Signature Lip—not only is it moisturizing but also non-irritating! It also has relatively long lasting power, compared to lip glosses that will disappear after 30 minutes.
Highlighter. I am naturally an oily gal, and that’s okay because I prefer a naturally glowy look. It’s a waste of time spent applying highlighter and money spent on the highlighter itself.
Setting powder. I used to use setting powder like it was my lifeline. Undergrad me was matte all the way. Ever since I started really taking care of my skin, I’ve been really loving the naturally glow-from-within look just by using my moisturizer and lightweight foundation (the MERIT one is incredible).
Pre-wash hair oils. I’m just lazy. That’s my excuse. I know it’s good for my hair, but I also know that I won’t have it in me to actually apply it. The only time I kind of consistently applied it was when I tried out the Fable & Mane Pre-Wash Hair Oil, mainly because the scent was so luxurious. However, I know I prefer using hair masks in the shower since application of a hair oil before showering gives me the ick.
Beauty treatments. This includes getting my nails professionally done, hair dyeing/blowouts, facials, lash extensions/lift, and more. If they were gifted to me, I would 100% take advantage of it. I don’t have anything against these treatments, but considering how most require upkeep every couple of weeks or months, the cost adds up quickly. I reference this concept in this Instagram post. I still get haircuts though! I don’t consider those as “treatments” but rather maintenance.
Heels. In #9, I mention that I own 1 pair of heels. I will be selling them this year, and don’t want to own any more because I cannot stand them. My ankle (?) is too weak to be able to withstand hours of dispropotionate pressure across the sole of my feet. The heels I own are supposed to be “extremely comfortable”, but I was walking slower than a turtle when I recently wore them to a piano recital.
Fine dining. I’d rather buy gifts for my significant other/family instead of paying an exorbitant amount of money for an experience that will leave me craving fast food afterwards. And truthfully, food from my favorite local restaurants (mom & pop shops) tastes much better to me than a $30 side dish of asparagus.
Therapists who aren’t a good fit for me. I know this sounds obvious, but hear me out. I posted this last year about a big financial change in my therapy sessions—instead of $30/mo, I made the decision to change providers and pay $330/mo. The provider who took my insurance ($30/mo) barely helped me grow, and at times, caused more problems in my relationship with Mr. Beans. My current therapist ($330/mo) has helped me tremendously by reshaping the way I view my relationship and friendships and working to unlearn the toxic/unhealthy behaviors learned from my mom. While I now pay $300 more per month, it is worth it.
Lululemon. My wardrobe used to be 70% Lululemon, but my style preferences have slowly begun to change over the years. I’m now selling 90% of my Lululemon items (luckily, they’ve been easy to sell). There’s nothing particularly wrong with the brand, but because I want a more cozy corporate aesthetic in my wardrobe, most of my Lululemon pieces don’t align with this so they have got to go.
search of “lululemon” in my capsule wardrobe inventory tracker Seasonal decor. I love seeing how other people decorate their house. My parents used to decorate the house every year, with lights, a tree, stockings everywhere. While it was fun, I hated taking it down. Therefore, the decor is added primarily because I’m too lazy to take everything down. But an added bonus is that it can be wasteful and I would need to find storage space for it.
Accent furniture from big companies. I’m not sure if this should be phrased as home decor, but let’s just say accent pieces. They include throw pillows, paintings/artwork, ceramics, coffee books— items that add to the aesthetic, instead of functionality, of a home. I’d rather curate a unique, mid-century modern yet cozy home filled with knick knacks that aren’t mass manufactured. I haven’t collected any art prints yet, but am always on the lookout when I go to artisan craft markets.
Excel/Google Sheets budgeting templates on Etsy/Gumroad. This is in no way a critique against people (including my lovely friends on Instagram) who sell these types of products. This is more of a critique with Excel, since I personally don’t think an Excel template could ever be as good as an app. As an Excel fanatic, I’ve tried making my own with macros and complex formulas. It’s just not the same. This is my personal opinion though, so if an Excel template works for you (I heard TheWealthDiary’s template is amazing), then keep at it! However, I will forever be a YNAB girl.
ynab screenshot on march 18, 2024 Tote bags. If you’ve been following me since this post, then you probably know I’ve wanted to be a that woman who walks into work with a stylish and chic tote bag. I wanted the corporate aesthetic even though I don’t work in corporate (lol). I love Freja NYC as a brand, but the tote I bought from them was too heavy for my liking. Later, I checked their website and found that the tote weighed 2.6 pounds. That’s a no from my weak shoulder. I will walk into work proudly with my Jansport backpack—it’s fine, it’s fine, it’s fine.
Tiny everyday bags/fanny packs. I used to be a Lululemon Everywhere Belt Bag girl (the 1L version). I think I wore this for 3 years straight and took it to every occasion possible—clubbing, dates, hangouts, formal events. It was a problem once I got my camera because I had to wear my camera around my neck. Maybe my neck is weak in addition to my shoulder (ref: #27) because it would start hurting even after 5 minutes. I now rock my Baggu Medium Crescent, and not only does it fit my camera but it also fits three Baggu reusable grocery tote bags! Amazing!
old insta story from 7/30/23 showcasing the inconvenience of wearing my lulu bag and camera at the same time Overly expensive clothing items from sustainable brands. I’m at a point in my life where I can’t exactly justify spending $400 on a 100% linen piece, that I could probably find secondhand or from another sustainable brand for a fraction of the price. Ethical brands, especially ones that make unique and beautiful pieces, are wardrobe goals for me. One day, just one day, I’ll curate a wardrobe with pieces that are not only sustainable, but also cleverly unique and tailored for my style and body type. Honestly, it would be a dream to build a custom capsule wardrobe, where I’m able to work with a tailor and have them sew all my pieces. But for now? I’ll stick to my <$250 items (still expensive, hence my Intentional Buy rules).
Mass-produced candles. Ever since buying a Voluspa candle, I realized that from now on, I’d like to start purchasing candles from small businesses (after my Voluspa one is used up—it’s quite wonderful so far!). Previously, I had a candle from Target that started smelling like plastic two months later. The next candle I’m getting will be from Sparta Candle Company (a Swiftie favorite)!
Multi-colored gel/ballpoint pen sets. I purchased this Muji 10-color set in 2015, and I’ve donated every single one except for the black gel pen to my parents. I thought I would love using it to journal with, but I found that I prefer colorful highlighters/brush pens over gel/ball point pens.
Pens that are 0.5mm or thicker. I will forever be a 0.3-0.38 gal. Currently loving the Pentel Hybrid Technica in 0.3mm. Thick pens just look ugly to me, unless I’m writing in my work journal (in which I could not care less about my handwriting).
Food at a concert venue. I’ve been to my fair share of concerts, and never have I ever purchased food at any of them. But this is not to get mixed up with festivals, where I’ll stay for 6-7 hours and succumb to whatever vegan option they have. Recently, I went to the Eras Tour and purchased $16 worth of water. It was painful, and I was hungry, but I refused to wait in a 1-hour long line for some mediocre questionably vegan food.
instagram story from 8/6/2023 showcasing some bomb ass food from head in the clouds festival 2023 (they did so good w/ their catering). concerts could never. Headphones. I’m talking about the ones that go over your head and make you look like you’re wearing earmuffs. Every single time I wear this, I end up getting a headache. No matter how “lightweight” the brand markets the product, it never works for me. I love my Airpods, but even after a period of time, my eardrums start feeling quite sore.
Claw clips. These look so good whenever I grow my hair out, but I hate wearing them in the car since I can never lean my head back, and it gives me a headache after a period of time. Similar to headphones.
Decorative headbands. I have two Lululemon headbands I purchased when I was in high school that I still use when my hair keeps falling while wash my face. Besides that, I don’t like how it presses my already flat hair further into my scalp. It also gives me a headache.
Cork/pegboard for decoration. Corkboards are ugly to me, and pegboards give me trypophobia.
Portable desk vacuum. I love watching “clean with me” videos, and in some of them, people will bring out the cutest little portable vaccuum that sucks up all the crumbs or dust on a desk. It’s quite unnecessary since I am perfectly okay with using my hand to sweep the particles into the trash can. I’m not that lazy.
Sugaring/waxing services. I used to get these done religiously until I discovered the beauty of shaving without the fear of razor bumps/ingrown hairs. Also, I hated how I’d have to sugar every month otherwise each time would be excruciatingly painful.
Jeans. This is what my “dream self” would wear. Not current Beans. If you see me posting yet another story on Instagram about jeans, just take a screenshot of this newsletter and send it to me. Call me out for this buffonery.
Corset tops. I was tempted to purchase a corset once or twice, but it’s actually quite silly considering how much I value comfort and loose/stretchy clothing. Corsets are none of that.
Mary Janes. I might be biased but after trying the Everlane Mary Janes on, I realized it’s not particularly my aesthetic or type of work shoe that I’d like to wear, unless there’s a brand out there that makes them more ergonomic and cushy.
Label maker. I owned the Dymo Label Maker throughout undergrad, and while I loved it, I didn’t like how permanent it was — trying to take a label off a glass jar was quite impossible. I also didn’t like how sometimes, when I’d clamp on a letter, it wouldn’t actually show and I’d waste a strip of label tape. Now, I use paper tape and write my own labels!
my diy labels :) Plug-in wall scents. I discovered these during grad school, and became a Glade plug-in fan. While Aqua Waves was my favorite scent, there were times when it would smell too cloying. I did appreciate the scent intensity adjuster on the plug-in, but after buying a candle warmer, I noticed that melted wax smells much better than essential oils from a diffuser. I also really love reed diffusers, but I’m always scared of knocking them over!
Body mist/spray. I somehow found myself on the hygiene side of YouTube in 2021-2022, and as a result, purchased a bunch of Bath and Body Works body mists and lotions that I actually hated, but convinced myself I loved because it was what all the flowery smelling girls were doing out there. Coming from someone who prefers the concentrated and more “elevated” notes that perfumes tend to give off, I felt like I was dousing myself in candied chemicals. Never! Again!
Gym membership. This is very specific for me and my lifestyle. First of all, I only really enjoy basic cardio, primarily walking and the occasional jog (when I’m feeling a bit more energetic than usual). Living in Southern California, I only occasionally deal with poor weather (rain). I also currently live in an apartment complex that has a resident gym downstairs, so if I really need the treadmill, it’s there.
Physical books I plan to read for the first time. Every new book I’ve ever read has either been borrowed from the library or found online as a PDF or EPUB file. I’m not a book collector, and find shelves of books quite overwhelming to me. The two books I recently purchased were by Emily Henry, and it’s because I read them previously and rated them 5 stars instantly. I’d love to add B.K. Borrison and Ashley Poston’s books to my collection. I also plan on annotating every physical book I add to my collection (except for my ancient Harry Potter books with spines that are about to fall apart).
my emily henry books! Toaster/toaster oven. I grew up with a toaster oven that was so old, it was probably capable of causing an electric spark and setting our kitchen on fire. I convinced my parents to replace the oven with an air fryer, and they love it. Mr. Beans and I have one in my apartment, and it let’s us easily bake chicken nuggets, sweet potato fries, or burgers without needing a conventional oven (pre-heating takes a long time, during the summer the heat can get unbearable) or frying pan (need to stay near this at all times vs. with an air fryer you can leave it alone until it beeps).
Caps. I wanted to be a baseball cap girl for the longest time—they look so good and in my opinion, it just makes women look more cool? Maybe it’s just me. However, as mentioned in previous items on this list, I tend to get headaches very easily, and the appearance of looking cool isn’t worth having a headache. I wear bucket hats when I want to be protected against the sun — cute, but not as cool.
Buying products solely based on its packaging (whether it fit into an “aesthetic”). This is extremely niche but I have a story to pair with this point. When I entered my minimalism era in 2016, I found myself on the side of this movement where people would showcase matching containers in their bathroom, kitchen, bedroom — I didn’t see any flashy or colorful packaging labels on these products. While I understand that decanting is sometimes necessary for kitchen items, like sugar or flour (it gets messy in its original), I took this to the extreme and started taking off all the labels on my beauty products because I hated the flashy manufacturer label. If the label was difficult to take off, I would decant the product into a cute, label-less glass jar (amber if I was feeling a bit fancy). It got to the point where I only wanted to purchase items that came in packaging that matched the aesthetic I was trying to go for. However, items that already came in packaging that I thought was pretty were usually expensive — Aesop was my brand of choice, and I remember splurging on a $50+ item on my $500/month salary. I haven’t purchased from Aesop ever since that happened.
Instagram, where I’m the most active and post stories every day about my life, every non-essential purchase I make, my Goodreads/Letterboxd reviews, my progress with my academic papers goal, and more!
I use Wealthfront for my high yield savings account, and if you use my link, we both get 0.50% added to their current APY for the first three months! The base APY at this moment is a whopping 5.00%.
All my Notion templates can be found and purchased here. Follower favorites are the Capsule Wardrobe Tracker and Digital Goal Setting Toolkit.
Here’s my Bento for all my links consolidated into one webpage!
See you next week,
