If you asked anyone who knows me whether I am frugal, they would probably answer “No!” For a long time, my money mentality was “I will always make more money”. Let’s go for the expensive dish at the restaurant, and let’s buy everyone drinks, let’s donate $1000 to XYZ charity, and let’s take that business class flight. 

I have always been able to out-earn any financial irresponsibility. I’ve been very lucky, because there have been some very irresponsible moments. But the weird thing about improving my frugality is that it was never out of need. There was no rock bottom, there was no wake-up call. I just kind of got sick of being wasteful. Or trying to appear successful to people whose opinions I don’t care about. Designer clothes and fancy cars are a tempting way to look like you’ve made it.

I came to realise that there is no amount of stuff that will make you happy. And don’t get me wrong, I don’t have a bad life or am wildly unhappy. But like anyone, there are moments when you might be bored, or just need some instant gratification, you just want to scratch the itch.

I’m sure we’ve all been guilty of watching those ‘Amazon Finds’ reels on Instagram or tiktok. After a 30 second video, I would find myself wondering how I ever lived my life without a travel steamer. Or strawberry cutter (only to be used for strawberries, nothing else). Or a coffee cup holder for my shower caddy.

Just because you can afford those frivolous Amazon purchases doesn’t mean you should buy them.

Here are some things that I have wasted my money on over the years, and how I’ve improved my relationship with money and spending.

clothes, clothes and more clothes

I have had a love affair with clothing for as long as I can remember. And not just clothes… Shoes, bags, jewellery, whatever I could adorn my body with, I would buy. If I had an event to go to, I wouldn’t just buy a dress or a new pair of shoes. I would buy a whole new outfit, and not just one outfit, I would buy multiples. Where did I think I was going? The Met Gala? I have followed trends, I have ‘collected’ vintage pieces, I have searched high and low for the perfect ‘fit. And my credit card statement can give you the full scoop.

When TheIconic sends you Christmas presents, you know you may have gone too far.

After I watched the Foreign Correspondent segment “Dead White Man’s Clothes”, it made me so much more conscious of what I was buying and its entire lifecycle. Not only the who, what, and where of it. But also the why. Does it fit into my current lifestyle? How does the fabric need to be treated? How long do I plan to keep it? Do I even like it, or did I see Dakota Johnson wear it and think “Well, if Dakota likes it, it must be good?”

Several studies have found that people really only wear a piece of clothing about seven times before it is abandoned. And there is enough clothing in the world at this present moment to clothe the next seven generations.

I am not someone who is looking to go all minimalist, but even I can see that we need to look at what we already have before we add to our collections. I use the StyleBook app to create an inventory for my wardrobe. It helps me track my cost per wear (obsessed), create looks (just as satisfying as shopping), and even plan what I need to pack. This is a paid app ($4.99USD), available for iPhone and Android, but if it saves you hundreds of dollars each year, it’s $5 well spent.

express shipping

It’s important for us to remember that good things come to those who wait. Or is it good things come to those who pay more?

Back at Christmas 2021, I was brainstorming ideas for Christmas gifts for my neighbours. I like to make sweet treats and wanted to try something new. I found a cute recipe for Madeleines that were decorated like little Santas. I thought, perfect, that’s what I should make. So I jumped online and found a Madeleine pan. But I was under a time crunch, I couldn’t possibly wait for the next day, or even the day after that. I wanted it in my hot little hand by the end of the day. So I spent $25 to get that Madeleine tray delivered by close of business. Do you think I followed through and made those Madeleines? Nope. Have I ever made Madeleines? Nope. Do I have any plans to make Madeleines? No concrete plan, but maybe one day.

But there have been many instances like this, where I absolutely, desperately needed something that warranted same day or next day delivery. I selected same day delivery from Amazon 31 times in 2025. That works out to be about $400. That’s $400 worth of impatience.

That delay in gratification is a healthy exercise for us to practice in those non-emergency times. Greater pleasure comes from things that take a little bit longer. How much more satisfying is solving a problem that took a long time, something you’ve really worked towards, than something that you solved quickly? It’s playing the long game, devoting your time and effort to building something. Something you’ve had to wait for makes you appreciate it a little more. Whereas that instant gratification, you’re high off the click, not so much the excitement of what you’ve bought.

This isn’t something I have totally figured out yet, but I have been asking myself more, ‘Do I need this right now, or can I wait?’ or ‘Do I even need it at all?’ Seriously, do you really need that mermaid hair mask?

food delivery services

This one is a little shameful.

There really isn’t anything you can hide from your mobile phone. My phone’s Siri Suggested apps changes over the day, depending on what time it is. And you know you have a problem when Uber Eats comes up as you’re most popular app between the hours of 11am – 9pm. Basically all day!

They really do make it too easy for us Sydney Siders. You can get any type of food, from any country, at almost any time of day. Order fish and chips on the way home from the beach, have a dirty burrito waiting for you on your door step after a big night out. Anything you want, it will arrive within one hour, straight to your door, and you don’t even have to leave your couch. But, you will pay a premium for it.

Thanks to the amount of data that is collected by Uber, I have the exact amount of money that I have wasted on food delivery services since I opened my Uber account back in 2015. $16,340! WTF!!! And there is no reason for this, other than laziness. I live within a five-minute walk of a supermarket.

Since Uber delivery and service fees have increased, I have got a lot better with avoiding Uber Eats. When the total admin fees cost more than the food, this is where I’ve drawn the line. It costs a fraction of the time and expense to just run into Coles and pick up some groceries.

not being insurance-savvy

We hear it day in day out. Life is getting more expensive, insurances included. Your circumstances probably don’t change greatly from year to year, but there is always a premium increase. We get insurance because it’s the responsible thing to do. But what’s even more responsible is doing a price comparison at the end of each policy year. No, I am not working on behalf of iSelect or Compare the Market. But it’s something that I just could never really be bothered to do. Like, seriously, how much money could this actually save me? Surprisingly, hundreds of dollars.

What I have recently done is contacted my current pet insurer and asked if there was a deal to be done. The customer service representatives generally will have a small amount of leeway to either reduce your premium or maybe give you a couple of months free. And if you think about how much that could save across all the different insurance policies we have, Car insurance, health insurance , home and contents insurance, pet insurance, travel insurance, it really adds up.

Something else I’ve just recently got better with is knowing what I’m covered for. My credit card already has a pretty comprehensive travel insurance policy, why get another one? And I just realised that I could claim medications on my health insurance. Not that I spend a lot on medications and it may only be $100 over a year, but $100 is better in my pocket than someone else’s.

not sending back returns, or not reading the fine print on returns

This is another lazy girl trap.

There have been many times when I have ordered something online and found that it’s not quite right. Or it doesn’t look like it did in the picture. Or that the dress that looks incredible on the 6ft model doesn’t quite do the same justice to my 5-foot 2 physique. But instead of returning it for something that might suit me better, it’s just sat in the cupboard, hoping that one day, when I finally hit that mid thirties growth spurt, it will have its moment to shine. Or I’ve bought something that I really only wanted to try, to find out that the return policy isn’t flexible or even applicable to the item.

At the end of last year, after watching a few too many YouTube videos about red light therapy, I spent an horrendous amount of money on a fancy looking, Influencer approved red light mask… even though I already had one that I hadn’t been using consistently. Minutes later, after a little more investigation, I found that the technology was actually pretty mediocre, and the mask I already had was better. I did end up returning the mask, but the Return Policy for this brand stated that I had to cover the cost of shipping, and the packaging and labelling had to be very specific or else it may be refused. Come on??!! Really?? Who has time for this?

There are laws in place to protect customers. Use them! It is your money that you have worked hard for, so why spend it on something that you’re not going to use. Of course, I’m not saying that you should abuse this right. But don’t let the hassle, the expense, or your acceptance of mediocrity prevent you from getting what you really want.

I’m not perfect at this, but I’m a hell of a lot better than I was. While I still get tempted by Instagram ads, there is a much better, more considered thought process. I’m asking the questions now: Do I want this? Do I need this? Will I use it? Can it wait? And more often than not, the answer is yes, no, no, and yes.

I’m flirting with frugality, not married to it. But even so, this casual relationship is saving me thousands of dollars a year, and helping me spend on things I actually value instead of things that just scratch an itch.

---

why not join our mailing list?