Woman lists all the things she 'goes cheap on'

"Nobody knows, and it really doesn't make a difference."

3 min read

August 30, 2024 - 11:12AM

The Everyday Items I’ll Always Buy Cheap—And Why You Should Too

Lifestyle

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"These are some things that I typically refuse to spend a lot of money on," an Aussie woman begins her now-viral TikTok clip.

Katrina Matias, a fashion and beauty content creator, says she will often buy the cheaper version of certain household, fashion and beauty items, "provided they do the job."

Her clip has clearly resonated with many who are looking to save money too, and has now racked up over 170k views.

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Image: TikTok

Things she will go cheap on

"Number one is handwash and body wash," she explains. "As long as it cleans what it needs to clean, I literally do not care."

She even says sometimes she prefers the cheaper ones, as brands like Dettol and Palmolive are antibacterial and "aren't just there for looks."

The following two things on her list are white T-shirts and jeans.

In terms of T-shirts, her reasoning is that they will never look crisp for a long time, whether they cost $300 or $30.

And with jeans, "denim is denim" in her mind, so she focuses more on how they fit and says she can often find cheap jeans that fit well.

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Toothpaste also gets the budget treatment for Katrina, and she joked that if she's ever caught dead buying expensive toothpaste, just know she has "sold her soul to capitalism."

As for phone cases, she says that her indecisiveness prevents her from investing a lot of money in them as she regularly changes her mind.

For face wash, Katrina uses one that costs just $13 and works well for her skin, so she doesn't see the need to spend a lot of money on the latest "boujee" face wash.

The next thing on her list is shampoo, which she admits is a bit controversial for someone with bleached hair, but she's been using Head and Shoulders for around 10 years, and her "quality of life has not diminished at all."

Last but not least, Katrina says she's bought the same Maybelline mascara from Priceline since she was 13, and it's never failed her.

"Could not agree more"

In the comments, many people praised her low-maintenance approach.

"Financial queeeeen" someone wrote.

"Agree with your list," shared another.

"Could not agree more," a third echoed.

After the success of her first video, Katrina double-downed and shared another list of things she refuses to splurge on.

It included gel nails (a "buff, shape, polish" will do), work lunches ("I'll always bring my lunch to work") and trendy items ("they will likely go out of fashion quickly").

The content creator also mentions that she won't buy expensive sunglasses as she is likely to lose, scratch, or break them.

Brand new cars are also "the biggest waste of money" to her, as are $200 bikinis, $40 lip balms and getting her makeup done.

Things she won't go cheap on

You might be wondering what she does spend money on, and don't worry, she's made a video for that too.

Gym and fitness classes make the cut as she sees them as an investment in her health and wellness, something she'll appreciate when she's older.

Next is coffee, as "it brings me joy, and I like the routine."

"Activewear and underwear are the most worn things in my closet, so they are also the most washed things. I really want them to be of good quality and last the test of time," she adds.

"I'll buy Lululemon because it still holds up after lots of washes."

Image: TikTok

Bedsheets are also a luxury item Katrina doesn't mind saving up for — "You sleep in your bed every night. I want that thread count. I want that silky feeling."

And, if she has the money to, she'll always try to buy good quality food and produce.

In the future, Katrina says she won't mind using her money to purchase good-quality jewellery and watches as it's something she'll pass on to her kids.

She also lists laser hair removal, travel, wardrobe staples, suitcases, dentistry, hair dying and tech as other things she's willing to part ways with her money for.