The July 2025 Philadelphia Fed LIFE Survey found that around two-thirds (66%) of respondents had used a financial coping strategy, like reducing their discretionary or essential spending or borrowing from loved ones to help pay the bills over the past year.
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If you need to more easily cover expenses or boost your savings, focus on cutting the purchases that often aren’t worth paying for. In a recent YouTube video, money expert Rachel Cruze discussed seven things she has stopped buying and why you should consider cutting them as well.
Warranties
The cost of an extended warranty may seem like a reasonable trade-off for peace of mind, but the value you get is often not worth it.
“Companies make so much money off of warranties because rarely are they even used, so just skip the warranty, save the money,” Cruze explained.
Another smart move could be shopping at retailers that extend the manufacturer’s warranty for free, like Costco.
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Name-Brand Cleaning Products
Cruze discussed how generic and homemade cleaning products are good budget-friendly alternatives to expensive name-brand cleaners. Plus, you might not notice much of a difference.
To illustrate the potential savings, a 32-ounce bottle of Walmart’s Great Value multipurpose cleaner saves you about 30% compared with the Clorox version. As Cruze suggested, you can also find a cleaner recipe online and use existing ingredients like baking soda, vinegar and lemon juice.
Replacement Items for Kids
Kids are often rough with their toys and other items, and the cost of replacing broken things frequently can drain your money.
While she used to buy replacements, Cruze stopped that habit and encouraged her children to be more responsible instead. If you’d prefer a compromise, you can still save money by getting your kids’ replacement items at a cheap store like Dollar Tree or buying costlier toys used.
Trendy, Painful Shoes
If you’re someone who likes to keep up with fashion trends, you might lose money and clutter up your closet if your new finds aren’t comfortable enough to wear regularly.
Cruze discussed how she bought some cute shoes with a burlap strap and ultimately returned them because they hurt her feet too much. You can avoid this problem by not sacrificing comfort for style and by reading other customers’ reviews of clothing items before you buy them.
Unused Subscriptions
A Self Financial survey found that almost 55% of respondents pay for unused subscriptions. The average amount wasted of $10.57 each month would add up to $126.84 over a year.
Also having lost money to this issue, Cruze advised, “If there are subscriptions, go through it because there’s more than you probably realize that you’re paying for and unsubscribe.”
It’s also worth taking steps to save on the subscriptions you’re actively using. You can often get a discount if you pay annually or bundle services. You could also replace paid streaming services with free alternatives, such as Plex and Pluto TV.
Unnecessary On-Sale Items
According to research from Capital One Shopping, 89% of shoppers have made impulse purchases, with clothing, groceries and household items among the most common culprits.
Like many people, Cruze said she has made unplanned purchases because the items were on sale. Her advice was to have a budget and take advantage of sales only on the things you do need. Otherwise, you’re not saving money if extra groceries or other impulse buys go unused.
Excessive Bulk Items
“I love having stuff, and what happens is when I go and buy in bulk, I end up not needing/paying more for something that I don’t need a lot of,” Cruze said.
Bulk items can especially be a waste of money if they’re perishables that your family won’t finish by the expiration date. If in doubt, lean toward the lower quantity option and consider how much your family typically uses.
A Ramsey Solutions blog post listed some items that are safer bulk buys, such as paper towels, toiletries and dental floss. Also, compare the per-unit prices to ensure you’re actually saving.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Rachel Cruze: 7 Things You Should Probably Stop Buying
