What have you never bought or no longer buy because you think it's a waste of money?

[Zipps]

Dog accessories - they have a coat for the depths of winter but that's it.
Bath bombs - completely pointless.
Many kitchen gadgets.
Clothes/shoes that aren't a perfect fit.

A take away coffee or tea - can buy a whole jar of coffee for not much more than the cost of one from Costa, Starbucks etc

A Macdonalds, KFC or any other conveyor belt stuff which masquerades as food

A subscribe to view TV service - don't watch enough TV to justify it

I pour fat into those little glass gu ramekins, then scrape it into the bin.

I use kitchen roll for covering cat sick. So easy to scoop up after some of the moisture has been absorbed. I also cover their gifts with it until DH gets home !

Water filter jug and filter replacements: don't miss them and the plastic.

Magazines
Makeup
Kitchen gadgets (total non-cook)
Fabric conditioner
Cleaning spray (vinegar and water is enough)

I've also never bought bleach. Been an adult for 21 years now and never needed it.

I'm with you on this!

I'm no expert @ScottBakula but I think it's to do with this bit "The problem with cooked fat from roasting for example, is that the meat juices have blended with the fat and when set, this consistency makes it prone to smearing"

New lard must be different to that cooked. The RSPB even give advice about making fat balls with new lard that hasn't been used in cooking.......I don't know. Perhaps someone clever will be able to explain.

Also magazines. I kind of miss them, but they did make me feel dissatisfied with various completely unimportant aspects of my life. Never had Sky - I would quite like it sometimes, but not enough to subscribe.

TV licence: I haven't got a TV, watch the ad-supported channels online and sometimes buy a month of Netflix or Prime. I do support the BBC, it's just too damn expensive!

Beautiful glassware. I'm clumsy. Every shattered piece of hand-blown magnificence was a triumph of optimism over common sense.

Clarins & other high-end skincare. I got saggy & wrinkly anyway, realised you can't fight ageing, and now use Nivea for everything!

Always did my own hair colour, nails, waxing, face packs, etc, but I miss being able to get someone else to do it when I can't be bothered. That said, a session with a therapist is more effective for the feelgood aspect and costs about the same.

Endless selective vitamins & minerals, amino acids and all that stuff. Really didn't make any difference. A cheap, daily multivitamin & mineral is all anyone needs. I add cheap Vitamins C & D, calcium & magnesium because of age & smoking.

Aaaand .... smoking is my biggest waste of money! It's terrifying these days. Still doing it, though 😭

I'm interested in your bleach tablets, would you share a link please? 😊

They actually aren't the same if you see the specifications side by side. Cheaper own brand products generally use inferior quality ingredients and some unnecessary cheap fillers etc. It's a myth that they're the same.

Bottled water!

Earrings for more than £10 or £20 max because I am always loosing them.

Some are identical, @ReadingSoManyThreads. I'm the annoying Reader Of Labels you wish would just pick one & get out of the way!

Supermarket foods in particular; it's often obvious that they're the same product from the same factory, even in the same packaging with a different label.

I’ve done this! I used to spend more time tidying and putting things away for the cleaner coming than she actually spent cleaning so I could have just done it myself. I now aim for a Saturday morning to get all the big cleaning jobs done and just keep on top of some smaller things the rest of the week but the house is actually tidier, less cluttered and cleaner as a result and I’m over £1500 richer per year!

Fabric softener mostly because the smell makes me feel nauseous but it doesn't make any difference to my clothes.
Magazines, haven't bought one for years.
I now use vinegar and bicarb of soda for cleaning and it seems to do just as well.
Tights. I hardly ever wear them and have enough should I ever want to.
Sanitary protection because of the menopause. Hurrah! I really resented buying it every month.
Newspapers
White bread, as much as I love a baguette.

I was wondering what kitchen roll is - I've never heard the term, I know it as paper towels. I buy it for stuff where I'm going to get rid of it immediately, like if there's mould on something, but one roll lasts ages.

Tv - started by cancelling sky tv then tv license. It’s been years and years now. Now we have Netflix and free Disney+ from Tesco vouchers.

Fabric conditioner, what a waste of money. It made our towels and cloths non-absorbent.

What tubs of tablets?

Most non- specialist and non-safety critical trades. I’d never pay for gardening, landscaping, non gas safe plumbing, decoration, minor carpentry or minor construction. I can do it myself for less money, less hassle, and less waiting around.

any cleaning product that claims to be for a specific purpose- usually bollocks with the exception of acids for limescale and bleach for bacteria-ridden nooks like plug holes. Otherwise they are made of generic surfactants and disinfectants that you can buy much more cheaply as unbranded goods.

any beauty product without actually proven ingredients like super strong AHAs or retinol

any vitamins, minerals or supplements aside from for my vegetarian fussy eater - never saw any difference in taking them

any branded electronic peripherals like batteries, chargers, connector cables, accessories

most branded new clothing or shoes, exceptions being things the kids buy for themselves with their own savings

haircare at hairdressers - no one has noticed any difference and I look alright

full price meals out, cinema tickets, etc

mostly I don’t mind and don’t feel I’ve lost out, actually.

the one area I find that buying cheap really is akin to buying twice is with DIY products. B&Q own brand is criminally bad, as is cheap paint, garden and DIY machinery, hand tools, etc.

I will also never use a main dealer for car servicing or repair again. Why would I be paying toward someone else’s shiny new car and that massive showroom when I drive a clapped out 14 year old car?!

Sainsbury’s sell bleach tablets.

But if you pour the fat from a roast into a bowl, the juices will fall to the bottom and the fat will set hard in the fridge.Two separate substances.

Mind you, I wouldn’t waste lovely dripping on a bird, they can have peanuts (would chicken dripping be cannibalism?).

Fabric softener (or it main ingredients) are a byproduct of plastic production. That is why everything is less absorbant when you use it on fabric, it coats everyrhing

Same, I mix up my own in a spray bottle.

Also kitchen roll. Most other kinds of disposable cloth / wipe too (use handkerchiefs at home, and don't use cotton wool or any kind of disposable wipe).
Manicures / pedicures.
Buying hair conditioner in small portions - get a 5L one instead (cheaper and more efficient). Same with hand soap, detergent and washing up liquid and various foodstuffs such as peanut butter. I appreciate this is something that people on lower budgets can't necessarily do.
Magazines, especially kids magazines.
Individual birthday cards for kids parties; buy them in a bulk pack.

I never buy kitchen roll, I think it costs a fortune for what it is. Same as others, have a jar for cooking fats. I do add some fat to oats for my chickens. They love it.
I don't use softener on my clothes, hate the smell.
I will spend money on coffee though when I am out