What I Stop Buying First When Money Gets Tight

Key message

When money gets tight, the “first cuts” shouldn’t be the comforts that keep you going. They should be the expensive, unnecessary versions of things you’re already doing/owning anyway.

The biggest savings come from switching from pre-packaged, convenience, and brand-name markups to simple DIY or store-brand equivalents.

What to stop buying first (in the order mentioned)

1) Pre-cut / pre-shredded foods (cut produce, shredded cheese, chopped salad)

Stop buying items like:

• Bagged chopped salad
• Cubed melon in clamshells
• Shredded cheese in bags

Why:

• You’re paying extra for someone else’s prep (knife work).
• Pre-shredded/cut foods spoil or mold faster due to more exposed surface area and added anti-clumping powders.

Replace with:

• Buy whole items (e.g., whole melons, a head of lettuce) and prep at home.
• Example routine: spend ~10 minutes on Sunday cutting/grating so food lasts longer.

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2) Fabric softener and dryer sheets

Stop buying:

• Fabric softener
• Dryer sheets

Why:

• Softener leaves a waxy coating that makes towels worse at absorbing water.
• Coatings can interfere with fabrics meant to wick or breathe (e.g., workout clothes).

Replace with:

• Plain white vinegar in the rinse (about 1/2 cup where softener would go).
• The vinegar smell fully rinses away as it dries.

Dryer alternative:

• Use a ball of aluminum foil for static reduction (it lasts for months).

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3) Bottle dressings / marinades / “special sauce” packets

Stop buying:

• Ranch, vinaigrette, stir-fry bottles, bottled marinades

Why:

• They’re usually basic ingredients you already have: oil + acid + salt + dried herbs.
• You pay for packaging and convenience.

Replace with:

• Keep an empty lidded jar and shake your own:
  • Oil + vinegar or lemon + mustard (optional) + salt/pepper + dried herbs
• For marinades, build the mix the same way and adjust over time until you can do it by instinct.

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4) Pantry shortcut mixes (pre-made bases/“just add” items)

Stop buying when substitutes are already in your kitchen:

• If you need buttermilk: mix regular milk + vinegar or lemon juice, let sit ~5 minutes until it curdles.
• If you need self-rising flour: use plain flour + baking powder + salt (given proportions in the video).
• Brown sugar: white sugar + a spoon of molasses.
• Taco seasoning: mix chili powder + cumin + garlic/onion powder + paprika in a jar so you stop buying packets.

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5) Paper towels

Stop buying by changing the system rather than just “using less.”

Replace with:

• Keep a basket of cut-up old towels and worn shirts on the counter.
• Keep a bin under the sink for used rags.
• When full, wash with towel laundry.

Reasoning:

• Rags handle real messes better, and you don’t have to toss them after every use.

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6) Boxed broth/stock

Stop buying:

• Broth and stock boxes/cartons

Replace with “scrap broth”:

• Freeze a bag of trimmings:
  • Onion ends, carrot peels, celery bottoms, celery/carrots stems
  • Papery garlic skins
  • Chicken roast bones
• When full:
  • Dump into a big pot, cover with water
  • Simmer/barely bubble for a few hours
  • Strain and use

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7) Name-brand medicine

Stop buying name brands; choose store brands instead.

Why:

• Store brands must contain the same active ingredient and the same amount (as regulated).
• Price differences come from branding/packaging/marketing, not the medicine itself.

Practical instruction:

• Turn bottles around and compare the “active ingredient” line—expect it to match.

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“Unifying” idea behind the list

These purchases are examples of the same marketing move: take something you already have or can easily make, package it, brand it, and sell it back to you at a higher price—often creating repeat buying.

Weekly action plan (from the video)

Pick one easy switch and start it this week, such as:

• Start the freezer bag for broth scraps, or
• Set vinegar aside for laundry, or
• Buy the block of cheese and grate it yourself on Sunday

Then add another only after the first becomes automatic. Doing all seven at once is likely to burn you out.

Notable locations/products/speakers mentioned at the end

• Speaker: The video narrator/author (recommends their book)
• Book mentioned: The narrator says they wrote a book of “small swaps” (available on their website; link is “right down below the video”)
• Notable products/brands mentioned (general, not specific brand names):
  • Shredded cheese bags
  • Fabric softener
  • Dryer sheets
  • Bottle dressings (e.g., ranch/vinaigrette)
  • Broth/stock cartons
  • Name-brand vs store-brand medications
  • Taco seasoning packets
  • Taco spice blend ingredients (spices from a typical spice rack)