What do you refuse to cut costs on?

JaysonandKristin

I know we get asked a lot how do you cut costs, and how do you budget your money now that you're living on only one income...  BUT, what are some of the household or personal items that you refuse or just plain don't want to cut costs on?

For my household it's soaps (laundry/dishwasher/face/body)...  

I have found that generic laundry and dishwasher soaps don't dissolve as quickly and clean as well as say... Tide and Cascade.  As for face and body soaps, that's personal preference and these aren't typically items I complain about "breaking the bank" anyway.

So, for you are they hair products?  Make up products?  Food items?  

robinsokj

Feminine hygiene products. 

Cereal.  I'm very particular.  I usually eat Kashi.  

Deli meat.  The cheap stuff is grody

JOEBunny

We don't cut cost on entertainment.  We enjoy having parties and doing things with others.  We spend on that.  Not that we go out for expensive dinners, but we were not into that.  We do spend to entertain our friends at our home or to go do things as a family.

Stacyc625

Travel & things to do/memberships

We travel and travel A LOT.

We won't cut back on traveling and doing family things- like our memberships.

To me that is the stuff i am going to remember- not what kind of cereal or cookies I buy.

adri77

Kids' preschool, Y membership, babysitter....I need my time!!!!  I'll do generic on anything if I have some ME time!!!!

EnglishMajor03

Family travel or museums, etc.  Though I try to do these as cheaply as possible.

My gym membership.  I will never get rid of it.  Ever.

Organic veggies, fruits and milk for the girls.  I follow the dirty dozen and the girls always have organic milk.

eaglesfan700

My skincare and makeup.  I tried drugstore brands for a while and there is a huge difference

I look at memberships to places as saving money.  If I attend our local children's museum just 3 times a year it more than pays for our membership

My gym membership for sure.  I went a year without one and I am so glad to be back

Certain foods for the kids

 

pam1005

Tennis shoes (I still won't pay over $70 on them though), most hair products (shampoo and straightening balms), and dog food.  I think everything else in our house is pretty much a generic version.

almostjennifer

DD's preschool.  It's expensive, but I believe it's better.

As far as household stuff...generic Doritos are gross, I get the real ones.  Generic dog food makes my dog have bag gas, so there's another item we pay more for.  I also find that higher quality kids' clothes and shoes last longer and hold up better so I usually buy up in that area (but I get them on sale!).

BritClen

There is not allot I wont give up if i had too....but one thing I could have a hard time changing would be things for DD like diapers, we buy brand name and like we just bought her new shoes and I spent 20...I could have gone cheaper but its worth it to have her comfortable  

I also would have a hard time cutting back on our TV....we have allot of upgrades... 

Liz342

Organic baby food.  When my LO's are on purees, they eat 100% organic.  With my first LO, she eventually ate non-organic food when she transitioned to eating what we eat but all the babyfood I made was organic and the small amount I bought was either Earth's Best or Gerber Organic.  I am much more laid back with DS but don't think it's fair to "cheat" him so he ate 100% organic until he started trying finger foods a couple weeks ago.  This is something I'm proud of and I know they eventually don't eat all organic foods but I think it's a great way to transition them into eating baby foods. 

Also, I get my hair highlighted every 2-3 months or so.  It's only $38 which is way cheaper than most salons (I go to a lady who has a shop in her home and her prices are awesome).  It's something that isn't necessary, I know, but I have highlighted my hair blonde since I was a teenager and I'm not about to completely change the color of my hair because I don't want to pay for highlights.

Read2Me

For us it's definitely food.  We decided a while back to switch to all organic, non-processed foods and I don't ever want to go back to the alternative.

spiritenergy

Food, retirement savings, travel

Mrs.Christie

Food in general

Shoes for the most part

Jeans for myself

 

norbert5

Household items: toilet paper, kleenex, and laundry detergent (I feel like we always end up using more when we go cheaper)

Misc.: Gym membership (I did negotiate a better rate though), entertainment (We do try to go to places when they are free or reduced rates, but we have to get out of the house or I would go crazy)

The one thing we have had to cut that drives me crazy is travel.  DH gets so little PTO a year that we can't afford to pay for a trip and go without him getting paid for those days off.  It is awful and I can tell we are both suffering from it.  Little trips on the weekend are not cutting it.

babypuplove

Food, clothes for me and DH, travel, entertainment

nsees

chemical free food, cleaners, and hygene products (which sometimes end up being cheaper)  and...DVR :-)

HarrietNJMommy

A lot. Food, travel, activities, spa days, right down to our toothpaste.

jnksmom

Travel and things for our kids(preschool, museums, etc) are most important

Also I have to have a certain type of shampoo/soap because I have severe psoriasis on my scalp and skin and cannot use the cheap stuff! 

JenWhite123

Skincare products for me

Diet Coke (no generic soda in this house)

Fresh fruits and veggies (but I do try to buy what's in season to save $)

Must have my crackberry (although we do save $ by not having a home phone)

DH MUST have cable (ugh, I hate that $125 bill for internet/cable each month)

 

healthynut

While making the list in my head, I realize there's quite a few:

 Diet 7Up (not for me - but it cannot be replaced with generic)

Bounty paper towels and Charmin ultra toilet paper. (Again - not me who is so specific, but DH does a lot of cleaning too so he's entitled to have his requests)

Tide for most things - I'll use cheap stuff on DH's work clothes (he works outside and the clothes are dirty again so quickly that it's not a big deal if they're not perfect)

Cereal is brand name (cheerios, kix, kashi, chex) but I only buy it when it's on sale and I have a coupon, so I still save a ton and stock up.

As for myself:  I use all clinique make-up and moisturizer.  My face reacts to everything else, so there's no substitute.  I also spend money once a month to have my eyebrows waxed.  And I use my hairdresser no matter what the charge ends up being (I have been with her for so long, though, that the charge is lower than other customers).  I have a gym membership that I will not give up, but I got that down to a very low monthly payment.  I also make sure my running shoes are quality - I can't skimp on those b/c I run so much and could get hurt.

 

healthynut

While making the list in my head, I realize there's quite a few:

 Diet 7Up (not for me - but it cannot be replaced with generic)

Bounty paper towels and Charmin ultra toilet paper. (Again - not me who is so specific, but DH does a lot of cleaning too so he's entitled to have his requests)

Tide for most things - I'll use cheap stuff on DH's work clothes (he works outside and the clothes are dirty again so quickly that it's not a big deal if they're not perfect)

Cereal is brand name (cheerios, kix, kashi, chex) but I only buy it when it's on sale and I have a coupon, so I still save a ton and stock up.

As for myself:  I use all clinique make-up and moisturizer.  My face reacts to everything else, so there's no substitute.  I also spend money once a month to have my eyebrows waxed.  And I use my hairdresser no matter what the charge ends up being (I have been with her for so long, though, that the charge is lower than other customers).  I have a gym membership that I will not give up, but I got that down to a very low monthly payment.  I also make sure my running shoes are quality - I can't skimp on those b/c I run so much and could get hurt.