A Painless Way To Save: Learn To Love the “Next Best Thing”

When it comes to stretching dollars, let’s face it. We aren’t looking and/or can’t be looking for the brand names, the top-of-the-line services or the best of the best.

However, we can look for the next best thing.

Depending on your personality, this can be easier for some than others. So, what do you do when you constantly feel like you’re just settling? How do you seek what you can afford without comprising what you enjoy?

Here are some easy tips that make the transition from “best” to “next best” a painless way of saving money and give you reasons not only to accept the next best but to love it.

Look for Another Version of the Same Thing

This could mean buying a pair of jeans other than the expensive designer brand. Or maybe you can find a used pair by your favorite designer on a resale site like Poshmark or ThredUp.

Perhaps you buy a product with fewer options. For instance, do you need the programmable slow cooker, or will a version with simple low and high heat settings be good enough?

Consider your streaming services. Do you really need to pay for the ad-free versions of all your services? (See 7 Simple Ways To Save on Streaming Services.)

Reason to love: You aren’t entirely giving up anything but simply substituting a cheaper version.

Make Your Own (Fill in the Blank)

Think you can’t live without your morning coffee from the shop down the street? You don’t have to give it up. You can just learn how to make your favorite coffee recipes at home.

Paying $4 to $5 for a loaf of bread that only lasts a few days? Invest in a bread maker or, better yet, find recipes for homemade bread that don’t require one. The options here are endless.

Do you love to pamper yourself with store-bought face masks, body scrubs and hair treatments? You’ll find hundreds of cheap recipes using natural ingredients, often from your kitchen, that will feel just as much of a treat.

Reason to love: The ingredients will usually be healthier for both you and your budget.

Substitute Paid Services for Free

Cancel your gym membership and get outside for your exercise or work out following one of the thousands of free workout videos you can find on YouTube.

Stop buying ebooks, audiobooks and digital magazines. Get a library card to check these items out for free using the Libby app.

Could you trade a paid streaming service for a free one, such as Tubi?

Reason to love: You can still get healthy and stay entertained without feeling guilty about the cost.

Shop the Deals & Steals

What’s the next best thing to getting what you want? Getting exactly what you want for a discount.

You don’t actually have to pay full price for that high-end massage, fancy pedicure or fabulous restaurant. Sign up for sites like Groupon.com to find top-notch products and services that are anywhere from 50% to 90% off.

Do a Google search on your hobby and “deals” to see what comes up.

Reason to Love: You can affordably treat yourself occasionally and avoid falling victim to frugal fatigue or a spending spree.

Remember, Half the Time, It IS the Best Thing

Can’t accept buying the store brand of your favorite peanut butter or shampoo?

Remind yourself that, more often than not, items like this are made with precisely the same stuff at exactly the same factory. They just happen to be packaged differently, and one gets a $1 to $2 price increase for the label.

So if you’re used to thinking you’re settling with the next best that isn’t at all what you want, just tell yourself that it probably actually is the best thing. A different label and cheaper price tag just disguise it.

Reason to Love: You aren’t actually giving up anything or any quality. You are getting the best!

Related:

• The Money Pleasure Principle: Take the Pain Out of Saving Money
• 7 Habits of Highly Frugal People
• 12 Steps to a Fabulously Frugal Lifestyle

Reviewed November 2023