Unpopular Things I Stopped Doing That Saves Me Thousands (I did the math to prove it)

Summary

The video presents household-spending habits the presenter says she has changed to reduce expenses. Its central idea is to question recurring “normal” purchases, convenience fees, and impulse buying—and to consider the full cost of owning or financing something, not just its upfront price or monthly payment.

Saving Strategies and Examples

Agree on lower-cost gift traditions

The presenter’s family now gives gifts only to children on her husband’s side, eliminating four adult gifts estimated at $100–$150 per person, or about $400 in savings.

On her mother’s side, a book exchange replaced gifts for uncles and cousins. One book costs roughly $20, compared with $20–$30 per person before, which had totaled more than $100.

The presenter cites a SunTrust study finding that 69% (seven in ten) would stop exchanging gifts with family if everyone agreed.

Reconsider paid convenience

The presenter estimates that paying $8 a week for delivery, service fees, and tips adds up to $416 a year ($8 × 52).

Her household canceled or reduced services including lawn care, pest control, Kindle Unlimited, regular grocery pickup or delivery, automated coffee and dog-food deliveries, house cleaning, and dog grooming. She says outsourcing can be worthwhile when it genuinely helps, but suggests considering whether a cheaper alternative is manageable.

Buy clothes for repeat use, not one event

A $30 holiday sweater worn three times costs $10 per wear. The presenter recommends checking whether an item already owned will work and whether a new purchase is likely to be worn again.

She also describes substantially reducing her household’s belongings and favoring versatile clothing over seasonal outfits.

Watch less TV and step back from social media

The video argues that media can encourage spending through ads and affiliate links, as well as by making higher-cost lifestyles seem normal. It cites:

• More than $12 billion in streaming-platform ad spending in the prior year.
• $276 billion in social-media ad spending.
• A Bankrate survey finding that 48% of social-media users had made an impulse purchase after seeing something on social media.
• A 2025 Self Financial survey in which 95.5% of respondents said they had bought products seen on social media and believed it led them to spend more.
• Another Bankrate figure: social-media impulse buyers spent an average of $754 per year, or about $60 a month.
• A reported 69% of shoppers having made an “ambient” purchase while doing something else, such as scrolling or watching a video.

Wait before buying

Adding time between wanting and purchasing can help reveal that an item is unnecessary, that something already owned will work, or that borrowing or another workaround is possible.

The presenter says impulse spending is estimated at more than $250 a month and recommends pausing rather than treating every purchase as urgent. Waiting, she notes, does not mean never buying something.

Evaluate car costs over the long term

The presenter offers an illustrative 10-year comparison:

• Keep a car: A $40,000 car financed for six years at 7% costs about $49,000 over the loan, including roughly $9,000 in interest. Adding $5,000 in repairs brings the total to approximately $54,000. The presenter assumes the car is worth $5,000 after ten years.
• Replace the car: In this scenario, the owner trades in after five years while owing $8,000, receives $15,000 for the trade-in, and starts another six-year loan. The presenter estimates about $83,000 in payments for two cars by year ten.
• Lease: At $500 per month, lease payments total $60,000 over ten years, plus an assumed $3,000 in fees, with no car owned at the end.

The point is to compare lifetime costs and remaining vehicle value rather than monthly affordability. The presenter acknowledges that replacing a car may make sense if it is unsafe, unreliable, or repeatedly needs expensive repairs.

The comparison is illustrative. The video’s “net worth” labels and figures are not fully clear or directly comparable.

Own fewer things to reduce ongoing costs

More possessions can mean additional spending on storage, maintenance, replacement parts, refills, and duplicates.

After cutting back on children’s art supplies, the presenter says her family mainly uses white paper, pencils or chalk, scissors, a stapler, and glue sticks. She estimates this saves a few hundred dollars a year on household items. This is her personal estimate, not a measured or independently verified result.

Declutter before buying organizers

Instead of spending $100–$200 on closet organizers, the presenter suggests first deciding whether unwanted items can be donated or sold. The video says studies find people wear about 20% of their wardrobe, but does not identify a specific study.

Try a 30-day no-buy period for nonessentials

This excludes necessities such as groceries and toilet paper. The presenter says the exercise can reduce spending during the month and help avoid purchases later by encouraging repairs, borrowing, or alternative solutions.

She notes there is no reliable data on typical savings. Anecdotal accounts she cites range from $300 a month to $1,000 or more.

Finance-Related Cautions and Disclosures

• Convenience services can be worthwhile depending on a person’s circumstances; the goal is not to eliminate all spending.
• The car figures are an example, not a universal forecast. Individual loan terms and circumstances differ.
• Quince is identified as the video’s sponsor. The presenter promotes its clothing and mentions free shipping and 365-day returns.
• No explicit “not financial advice” disclaimer appears in the subtitles.

Assets and Instruments Mentioned

No stocks, ETFs, bonds, cryptocurrencies, commodities, or market tickers are mentioned. The financial instruments discussed are auto loans and car leases. The other examples concern household expenses and consumer purchases.

Presenter and Sources

• Presenter: Kallie Branciforte (That Practical Mom)
• Named sources cited: SunTrust study; Bankrate surveys; 2025 Self Financial survey.
• The video also refers to advertising-spending figures and unspecified studies, articles, and Reddit accounts.