When the Savings Aren't Worth It, Part 1

There are several areas of my life where I could be saving money but choose not to.

1. Lightbulbs - I really hate compact flourescent bulbs. In fact, I even hate regular light bulbs. Both make my surroundings feel cold and cheap. I pay a premium for GE’s Reveal bulbs that emulate the quality of natural light (these are the purple-tinted bulbs). Yes, they really do look better and make my home feel homier. One of my friends has suggested only using energy saving bulbs in places like the pantry or the garage where the quality of the light isn't important or where lights tend to get left on for long periods of time by accident.

2. Frequent Visitor Cards - I cannot stand carrying around those buy ten, get one free cards that you get at various food and beverage establishments. I would even go so far as to say that I resent the companies who distribute them, because they’re just not that great of a deal. Personally, I make purchases at these places so infrequently that it’s not worth it to me to take up the space in my wallet for two years so that one day, I might save $4. However, if I were a frequent customer of one of these businesses, carrying the card would definitely be worth it.

3. Jeans - I almost always spend $60 + tax each time I buy a pair of jeans. I wear jeans every day, so I want them to be comfortable and reasonably in style. I’m not willing to cut corners here.

4. Shopping at Wal-Mart - I can’t support this company no matter how much I might save. Locking in employees overnight and preventing employees from unionizing are not things I’m willing to vote for with my dollars. I’ve read The Wal-Mart Effect, so I know that like it or not, my wallet benefits from Wal-Mart’s low prices. And I will admit that I do shop at other stores that have questionable business practices. But I have to draw the line somewhere, and I feel that Wal-Marts prices are too low and don’t reflect the true cost of the goods they sell.

What are some ways that you could be saving money but choose not to?