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StitcherAs we welcome 2026, it’s time to leave behind spending habits that quietly cost us more than we realize. In this episode, we’re breaking down 26 sneaky money habits we’ve cut from our lives to save in the new year. Some may be familiar, some might sting a little, but all are meant to help you on your financial journey.
We love a good deal and a low price, but it shouldn’t be at the expense of buying low-quality items we’ll regret later.
Paying for Convenience, Not Value
Jen and Jill touch on the things that feel easier or more “premium,” but quietly drain money without actually improving life. This includes coffee pods, Starbucks habits, unlimited phone plans, travel add-ons, bottled water, printer ink, and gym contracts. Because these things make us think we’re paying for convenience or quality, when most of the time, we’re just paying more for the same outcome—or maybe less. They suggest choosing simpler, cheaper options that actually meet your needs.
Subscription & Unworthy Upgrades
One of the easiest ways companies and brands quietly take money from us is through subscriptions and upgrades. These are the sneaky monthly charges and constant “newer is better” messaging that add up fast without us noticing. Streaming services, influencer subscriptions, AI tools, credit monitoring subscriptions, subscription boxes, phone upgrades, seasonal décor, and hobby shopping all fall into this trap with small charges that feel harmless on their own but quietly drain our money over time.
Jen and Jill suggest keeping only what you actually use. Rotate subscriptions instead of stacking them, cancel after free trials, use free versions when possible, delay upgrades, and skip spending on things that don’t add real, everyday value.
Stuff That Turns Into Clutter and Regret
Another category Jen and Jill encourage people to stop buying are items built to be replaced, ignored, or tossed over time. These purchases aren’t sustainable, and buying more doesn’t mean using more, in fact, most of it ends up unused. This includes fast fashion micro hauls, tech accessories, trendy kitchen gadgets, new particleboard furniture, brand-new toys, disposable cleaning products, and trendy supplements.
Instead, Jen and Jill suggest buying fewer things, choosing quality over trends, and reusing whenever possible. Go secondhand first, stick to multi-use basics, skip unnecessary backups, and spend only on items that will actually be used long-term and truly improve daily life.
What’s something you’re going to keep buying in 2026?
Jen’s top 3 are alcohol, coffee, and daycare. While Jill’s is gum.
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Bill of The Week
Thanks Eve for sharing your bill about 2 ACTUAL BILLS – artist, writer, conservationist 70yo Bill AND Chilly billy in 80’s offering food at local farmers markets
Thanks so Much for Listening!
Thanks so much for listening. We love love love reading your kind reviews of our book Buy What You Love Without Going Broke and we especially loved this one from:
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A kind and thoughtful approach to personal finance
Jen & Jill have a popular podcast (Frugal Friends podcast) that has seen countless episodes, dozens of interviews, and growth over the last few years. The heart of the podcast is values-based spending (AKA, allocating room in our budget for things YOU value). That's what Buy What You Love (BWYL) is all about, and it SHINES.
From the audiobook where Jen & Jill read in tandem to the stories from friends of the show, BWYL is a labor of love and a thoroughly researched novel that will help readers everywhere get a handle on their personal finances and their values.
If you're looking for a step-by-step plan to payoff your debt, this isn't the book. What this book IS about is community, spending and saving in accordance with your values, and looking at the whole person and big picture so that we can form good money habits for the rest of our lives, and not in the short term.
If you want to check out our monthly challenge community head to frugalfriendspodcast.com/club to see what challenge we have coming up next.
Keep leaving us reviews on iTunes or Stitcher, and sending the screenshot to reviews@frugalfriendspodcast.com. And don’t forget to share your favorite quote from the episode by using the hashtag #FrugalFriendsNote. 😉