Podcast Summary: Frugal Friends Podcast

Episode: 17 Things That Are a TOTAL Waste of Money for Women
Hosts: Jen Smith & Jill Sirianni
Date: October 7, 2025

Overview

In this engaging and relatable episode, Jen and Jill break down 17 commonly marketed products, services, or habits that women are pushed to spend on—only to end up wasting significant money. The hosts reinforce that frugality is not about deprivation, but about reexamining spending and minimizing purchases that do not actually add value to your life. Their goal: help you recognize what’s genuinely valuable, identify “money leaks,” and empower listeners to potentially save up to $14,000 a year by avoiding these common money wasters.

The conversation is sprinkled with humor, lived experiences, expert stats, and actionable tips, making it both practical and motivating.

Key Discussion Points

Defining "Waste"

• Waste = Anything you buy and don’t use, or underuse—regardless of whether you originally valued it.
• "If you value it and you purchase it and you don't use it, it's still a waste." — Jen (04:03)

1. Groceries Not Consumed

[05:02]

• Americans waste an average of $728 per person, per year in uneaten food.
• Tip: Meal plan and meal prep using what you already have.
• Memorable quote:
  "The biggest way to cut down on food waste is to make a meal plan and then follow through with that meal plan." — Jen (06:02)
• Real-life example: Jen bulk preps meals with existing ingredients to avoid waste and cooking fatigue.

2. Credit Card Interest & Fees

[08:03]

• $1,155 per person, per year wasted on credit card interest, annual fees, late fees.
• Use rewards only if you pay in full each month; otherwise, it’s a loss.
• Pro tip: Call to remove a late fee; sometimes it’s automated and easy.
• Quote:
  "I literally didn't even have to talk to a person... we've forgiven this fee. Oh, my gosh!" — Jen (10:40)

3. Personal Care Products & Services

[11:03]

• Single females spend $690-$1,441/year; roughly $150 a year is wasted on unused products.
• Includes makeup, skincare, hair products, and unnecessary services driven by insecurity or trends.
• Gentle reality check:
  "This is one of those insidious ones you don't really think about. But it is costing us about $150 a year." — Jen (12:56)

4. Impulse Buying (Online, In-Store, In-App)

[14:08]

• Average of $3,768 spent per person per year; about 60% of impulse buys are regretted, equating to $2,260 wasted.
• Most people don’t return regretted items, amplifying waste.
• Reflection: Take a 90-day transaction inventory to identify your impulse patterns.
• Quote:
  "Not all impulse buys are wastes of money... Unfortunately that is not the majority." — Jen (14:49)

5. Apparel, Jewelry, Accessories

[16:23]

• $810 spent annually per person; 30% of purchased clothing goes unworn (≈$240 wasted).
• Tip: Calculate “cost per wear” before buying.
• Jewelry piles up unworn.
• "Do you want it to be a dollar per wear?... That of help us before we make some of these purchases.” — Jill (17:41)

6. Too Much Housing

[18:13]

• Americans buy 50–100% more house space than residents in other high-income countries.
• For a standard-size new US home, $1,110 per person, per year is effectively wasted on underused space.
• More space = higher heating/cooling and maintenance costs.
• Quote:
  "There is nothing else you can do that will have a bigger change than where you live." — Jen (23:42)

7. Cable, Satellite TV, and Streaming

[26:01]

• $223/year per person on average.
• 42% forget about at least one subscription; “zombie subscriptions” cost about $300/year.
• Jen’s real-life moment:
  "I just canceled four [subscriptions] last week." (26:56)
• Use a transaction inventory to root out unused subscriptions.

8. Buying New Cars

[28:09]

• New cars lose 16% value in the first year—$5,600 on a $35K car.
• Car trauma is real, but buying lightly used (3–5 years old) can offer safety and savings.
• “If housing is the number one choice you can make for your personal finances, your car is number two.” — Jen (30:58)

9. Video Games

[31:49]

• $27/year average per person, $9/year typically wasted, often through games or accessories that go unused.

10. Unused Televisions

[33:10]

• Average household has 2.5 TVs; $51/year wasted due to early upgrades or unnecessary second/third TVs.
• Tip: Wait longer to upgrade; TV tech improves and prices drop over time.

11. Unused Tickets/Entertainment Passes

[35:30]

• $951/year spent on entertainment per household; 10–20% ($27/year) is wasted via unused passes or bulk deals.

12. Underused Recreational Lessons & Gyms

[36:04]

• $58/year per person wasted on unutilized memberships, missed classes, and services.

13. Pet "Extras"

[36:47]

• $378/year average spending; $90/year is wasted on unused toys, fancy treats, unnecessary add-ons.
• Pet costumes are exempt from “waste” according to Jen (“Put your pet in that costume…”).

14. Coffee Shop Habit

[39:00]

• Buying coffee out can mean $1,200/year wasted versus making equivalent drinks at home.
• Reflective question:
  “Why do I need to get a Starbucks every day?... How do I get what I like for less money?” — Jen (39:17)

15. Books & Reading Habit

[40:25]

• Overbuying books, especially those for “BookTok” or hobby collecting—$10/year wasted (conservative), but bookworms may waste much more.
• “You're annotating what, Twilight? You're annotating ACOTAR? Like, what are you doing? Why?” — Jen (40:45)

16. Tech Upgrades

[41:24]

• $425/year average; $200/year wasted on upgrades or devices that don’t work out.
• Tip: Wait an extra year to upgrade phones—compounds to big savings.
• “If you would just wait an extra year and keep your iPhone for an extra year... that's hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of dollars saved.” — Jen (42:08)

17. Takeout You Don’t Really Need

[43:00]

• About $1,000 per year wasted on unnecessary take-out, delivery fees, and uneaten restaurant food.
• Example: Returning a coffee you didn’t like after a day. (“I wanted to prove that I didn’t drink it... Can I get the iced coffee I usually get?” — Jen (43:35))

Memorable Quotes

• “If you value it and you purchase it and you don't use it, it's still a waste.” — Jen (04:03)
• “Not all impulse buys are wastes of money... Unfortunately that is not the majority.” — Jen (14:49)
• “There is nothing else you can do that will have a bigger change than where you live.” — Jen (23:42)
• “Housing is the single most important financial decision you would make besides the person you legally marry.” — Jen (23:59)
• “Do you want it to be a dollar per wear?... That of help us before we make some of these purchases.” — Jill (17:41)
• “You’re annotating what, Twilight? ...Why?” — Jen (40:45)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 05:02 — Food waste and meal prep solutions
• 08:03 — Credit card interest and avoiding fees
• 11:03 — The insidious cost of personal care products/services
• 14:08 — Impulse purchases and tracking your spending
• 16:23 — Clothing, jewelry, and “cost per wear” concept
• 18:13 — The true cost of housing more space than you use
• 26:01 — Streaming, cable, and forgotten subscriptions (“zombie subscriptions”)
• 28:09 — New cars vs used cars; car trauma and the "radical middle"
• 35:30 — Entertainment passes, lessons, gym memberships underused
• 39:00 — Takeout and coffee habits that could save $1,200+/year

Lightning Round: Hosts’ Recent Money Wastes

[49:59]

• Jen: Forgot to cancel a credit card and paid a $150 fee — “a dumb, dumb move.”
• Jill: Lost her apartment key fobs, had to pay for replacements — “feels like a waste.”

Listener Highlight: Bill of the Week

[45:51]

• Listener Jennifer canceled lawn service and bought her own electric mower, expecting $1,500 savings and newfound satisfaction in DIY yard work.

Tone & Takeaways

Jen & Jill are witty, nonjudgmental, and reality-based. They urge listeners to individualize their “waste” based on actual use and value—not outside pressure.
Their message: Intentionality is key. Cancel what you don’t use, rethink your habits, and enjoy the peace of keeping more money in your pocket.

Practical Actions

• Run a 90-day transaction inventory to spot wasted spend
• Meal plan and prep to reduce food waste
• Audit subscriptions and memberships
• Resist unneeded upgrades (tech, cars, TVs)
• Use "cost per wear" before buying fashion
• Rethink everyday coffee and takeout routines
• Consider size/needs before upgrading living space
• Adopt a “just enough” mindset

Final Thoughts

The episode is an insightful, energetic, and non-shaming reality check on where women (and others) are quietly losing money—and how to reclaim it for what actually brings value and joy.

"Let us know in the comments if there are wastes that we forgot or if you disagree with any of our wastes and maybe how much you’ve wasted on things and overcome and now how much you’re saving." — Jen (51:08)

For more resources, budgeting tools, and their book "Buy What You Love Without Going Broke," visit frugalfriendspodcast.com.