{"id":167497,"date":"2025-09-19T11:32:15","date_gmt":"2025-09-19T11:32:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/167497\/"},"modified":"2025-09-19T11:32:15","modified_gmt":"2025-09-19T11:32:15","slug":"6-home-items-to-stop-buying","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/167497\/","title":{"rendered":"6 Home Items To Stop Buying"},"content":{"rendered":"

You\u2019ve worked hard for decades, and now it\u2019s time to make those golden years truly shine. But let\u2019s face it, living on a fixed income can be trickier than doing the Macarena at your grandkid\u2019s wedding. Luckily, there are plenty of tips to help you trim the fat from your budget<\/a> without sacrificing the good life.<\/p>\n

Check Out: I Help People Retire Every Day \u2014 Here\u2019s the Most Common Retirement Mistake People Make<\/a><\/p>\n

Find Out: 3 Advanced Investing Moves Experts Use to Minimize Taxes and Help Boost Returns<\/a><\/p>\n

GOBankingRates spoke with financial experts to get the lowdown on which home items you can kick to the curb.<\/a><\/p>\n

1. Bye-Bye, Plastic Bags!<\/p>\n

Marguerita Cheng<\/a>, CFP and expert contributor at Annuity.org<\/a>, is all about ditching those pesky plastic bags.<\/p>\n

\u201cI live in Maryland, and we have had bag tax for a while,\u201d she said. \u201cYou can leave reusable bags in your car. Not only is this good for your wallet<\/a>, but it is also good for planet Earth.\u201d<\/p>\n

So, grab some cute reusable bags and save the planet while you save some cash. Win-win!<\/p>\n

For You: I Paid Off $40,000 in 7 Months Doing These 5 Things<\/a><\/p>\n

2. Water, Water Everywhere<\/p>\n

Speaking of saving the planet, Cheng\u2019s got another eco-friendly tip: She wants you to say goodbye to plastic water bottles and, depending on where you live, invest in a water filtration system. That way, all you need is your own reusable water bottle.<\/p>\n

Michael Collins, CFA, founder and CEO of WinCap Financial<\/a>, agreed.<\/p>\n

\u201cBottled water is another unnecessary expense that can add up over time, and it also contributes to plastic waste,\u201d he said. \u201cSo instead, invest in a reusable water bottle and use a filter at home if needed.\u201d<\/p>\n

3. Cable TV: The Silent Budget Killer<\/p>\n

Remember when cable TV<\/a> was the hottest thing ever? Well, times have changed, and so should your TV habits.<\/p>\n

Cheng said you should consider reevaluating the cost and benefit of cable.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou may be paying for channels that you don\u2019t watch,\u201d she said. \u201cDepending on your situation, streaming may be more appropriate for your needs.\u201d<\/p>\n

Collins agreed, adding that with the rise of streaming services, cable TV has become an unnecessary expense for many households.\u00a0Who needs 500 channels when you\u2019ve got Netflix and a comfy couch, right?<\/p>\n

4. Subscription Overload<\/p>\n

Speaking of subscriptions<\/a>, Cheng warned about the sneaky costs of automatic deliveries.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot just magazine subscriptions, but subscriptions for all goods and services. Consider reevaluating to ensure that the delivery frequency meets your needs,\u201d she shared.<\/p>\n

Do you really need a new razor every week? Or enough toilet paper to survive the apocalypse? Didn\u2019t think so.<\/p>\n

5. Cleaning Products: Less Is More<\/p>\n

Time to channel your inner DIY goddess! Cheng shared some motherly wisdom: \u201cMy mom has shared many hacks with me. Yes, it is important to have a clean and beautiful home, but we can do so with fewer toxic chemicals.\u201d<\/p>\n

She also suggested, \u201cSimplify your cleaning routine and consider using microfiber cloths instead of so many paper towels. You don\u2019t have to stop using paper towels as they can come in handy, but for mirrors and glass, microfiber cloths. If appropriate, DIY cleaning products with vinegar, tea tree oil, etc.\u201d<\/p>\n

Collins backed this up, saying, \u201cPaper towels and napkins are products that may seem like a convenience, but they are actually wasteful and can add up over time. Instead, invest in reusable cloth napkins and cleaning cloths that can be washed and used multiple times.\u201d<\/p>\n

6. Gadget Overload: Just Say No<\/p>\n

Personal finance expert Erika Kullberg<\/a> warned against falling into the gadget trap.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are so many fun gadgets on the market that seem like they will solve all your problems, but just end up cluttering your kitchen drawers,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Her advice?<\/p>\n

\u201cUse some of your newly found free time to learn how to master cooking skills with the tools you already have. Any real chef will tell you that having a good knife and knowing how to use it will get you further than buying a bunch of gadgets,\u201d the expert continued.<\/p>\n

And it\u2019s not just kitchen gadgets. Kulberg added, \u201cDon\u2019t let your grandkids bully you into thinking you have to have an \u2018i\u2019 everything\u201d \u2014 like a new iPhone, iPad, etc.<\/p>\n

So, if you\u2019re already happy with your current tech setup, there\u2019s no need to upgrade your gadgets<\/a> (and potentially never use them).<\/p>\n

The Bottom Line<\/p>\n

Retirement doesn\u2019t mean you have to live like a hermit, but it does mean being smart about your purchases. As Kullberg wisely shared, \u201cWhen you\u2019re living on a fixed income<\/a>, you need to be thoughtful about all of your purchases.\u201d<\/p>\n

More From GoBankingRates<\/p>\n

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com<\/a>: Cutting Expenses in Retirement: 6 Home Items To Stop Buying<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"You\u2019ve worked hard for decades, and now it\u2019s time to make those golden years truly shine. But let\u2019s…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":167498,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[39],"tags":[28,28000,100885,147,530,71146,1666,100886,100887],"class_list":["post-167497","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-personal-finance","tag-business","tag-fixed-income","tag-marguerita-cheng","tag-personal-finance","tag-personalfinance","tag-plastic-water-bottles","tag-retirement","tag-reusable-bags","tag-saving-the-planet"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/167497","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=167497"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/167497\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/167498"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=167497"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=167497"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=167497"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}