Have you ever had someone try to turn you onto a "brilliant" money saving hack . . . only to try it, and think . . . this is NOT worth it. At all.
There's a forum where people are talking about the "frugal" things that did NOT work for them. Here are a few . . .
1. Making your own laundry detergent. "It's only worth it to make it in large quantities, but then you have to store it all somewhere." One person says, buy it, but be careful to only use the correct amount, so it lasts longer.
2. Buying in bulk, especially if you don't have a big family. "It's fine for shelf-stable or frozen items . . . but if you end up throwing any of it out, it wasn't worth the 'savings.'"
3. Couponing. "It just takes so much time, and most stores already advertise deals or loyalty promotions without a coupon requirement." Some people also mentioned going to multiple grocery stores, for the cheapest price on items.
4. Lowering the thermostat. "Keep it as low as you can . . . but I'm not going to freeze my butt off all winter. It impacts my mood, motivation, and productivity."
5. Holding onto unnecessary stuff to POTENTIALLY re-use later. "Don't be a hoarder. Sell it, donate it, or trash it. The clutter is not worth the headache."
6. Capturing water from the shower and sink to use for other things. "If you're doing it to conserve because you're in a drought area, it's fine . . . but just to save on your water bill? It isn't worth the hassle."
7. Cheap toilet paper and paper towels.
8. DIY projects. The ones you'd need to be a LICENSED professional to do for someone else, "like haircuts, plumbing, tree removal, most major home repairs."
9. Reusing Ziplock bags. One person just said, "Nope."
10. Flying Spirit Airlines.
(Reddit)