30 People Share Examples Of People Blindly Wasting Money When They Think They're Saving

To learn more about what money-saving habits are actually worth it, we reached out to Toni Graham, creator of Simple Frugal Life. Toni was kind enough to get in touch with her Facebook community and share some of their examples of frugal habits that don't actually save any money with Bored Panda.

First, Toni mentioned buying something cheap, in particular clothes, tools, and furniture. "These things do not last long or are not fit for purpose. It is better to save up and buy a good quality item in a sale or buy good quality second hand from a thrift store," she explained.

Buying food just because it is on sale is another habit that's not worth it. "This might be a 2 for 1 offer or near date, discounted offer. If it is something you use often and like, that is great, but otherwise these things will languish in your cupboard or freezer and actually cost money as you are not inclined to eat them," Toni shared.

Next, Toni and her community mentioned buying the latest money-saving gadget like a dehydrator or freeze dryer. "The equipment that you already have will probably do the job or there are alternative methods of preserving," she noted.

The expert also says, "Doing DIY yourself if you do not have the knowledge and skills can cost a lot more for a botched job."

And when it comes to food, prepping and bulk buying things that you don't actually like will probably backfire. "Members had bought lots of dried beans or things that will store well, but not things that they actually want to eat," explained. "Also stashing food and not regularly checking the dates and rotating, regularly ends in wastage."

Growing food if you don't have the time or access to recycled materials or second hand tools isn't very efficient either.

Toni also warns people not to buy things when you don't actually need them, just because they are a bargain or cheap. And unless you're going to use a lot at once, don't bother buying large containers of paint. "It only has a short life span and will crack if used a couple of years later. Also cheap paint needs more coats," Toni says.

The expert says not to waste your money buying books on frugality. "Go to the library or look online," she suggests. Not having pet insurance or holiday insurance can also come back to bite you if something goes wrong.

And finally, Toni says keeping things for special occasion, such as China and clothing, isn't always worth it. "They rarely get used and you go off them, or grow out of them," she noted.

When it comes to frugal habits that actually work, Toni says there are plenty, but that changing your mindset is what's most effective. "Recognizing that material things only bring short term happiness, but usually bring long term debt," she explained.

Here are some of the habits she recommends for a more frugal lifestyle: making do and mending; buying high quality items that last a long time; budgeting and meal planning; cooking from scratch and eating what is in season; having absolutely no waste in food, possessions, or resources; making saving money fun, a game, or a challenge; and using what you already have.

Toni suggests taking advantage of community sharing resources to gain knowledge and experience from others as well. She also notes that "thinking outside of the box and continually learning new skills like foraging, upcoming, preservation, etc." can be helpful.

And avoid falling into the trap of using shopping for a leisure activity or because you feel down. "There are so many free leisure activities out there," Toni added.

As far as why it's important to live frugally, Toni says living frugally gives us more choices. "I was able to retire early despite being a lone parent on a low wage for a lot of my life," she noted.

Toni also pointed out that debt can be harmful to our mental health. "Having no debt meant I could pay off the mortgage early, and I felt more secure," she explained.

"[Being frugal] is good for the environment. It is easier to live within our means," the expert says. "Being frugal can be empowering. You are not as reliant on supermarkets or other commercial organizations. You are making the decisions about how you spend your money."

"The less money spent, the less you need to earn. This means more time with family or doing what we want to do," Toni added.