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Smartphones
It may be convenient and handy to have a smartphone
You could easily convert your current smartphone into having just a telephone plan and forego the data plan instead.
As for checking your emails or going on the internet, is there really a time when we aren’t in front of an easily accessible computer or laptop at work or at home?
I personally live without a smartphone and I have never found a compulsive need to check my emails until I am at work or at home in front of a laptop.
The best thing about not having a smartphone is that no one can contact you to change plans at the last minute on a whim (very annoying) and you aren’t expected to work after hours or reply within a minute of receiving an email.
If you’re considering ditching your smartphone, check out Gazelle. They buy used smartphones and you might be able to cash in with your phone.
E-Readers
You don’t really need an e-reader to read a book. Remember books? You know, things with a spine and paper pages? Well you could just as easily buy a book or go to a library and borrow one without needing to shell out a lot of money for a high-tech device which then requires you to purchase the books in an electronic format all over again.
Avocado Slicer / Pitter
Quite possibly one of the most useless kitchen gadgets around because you could just use a knife to run down the side of the avocado, split it open and then use the knife to take out the pit by hacking into it and twisting it out. It couldn’t be simpler.
Banana Slicer
This is definitely a contender for the most useless kitchen gadget you can purchase because you have to be truly lazy (and rich) to not want to spend the 15 seconds it takes to cut a banana into slices with a knife.
Strawberry Huller
Again, nothing a knife couldn’t solve. It might even take more time to get the huller perfectly positioned on top of the strawberry than it would take to just use a paring knife to take out the hull!
Rice Cooker
A rice cooker is certainly convenient but with the whole idea of the inside being non-stick and Teflon-like, perhaps just cooking it in a pot over a stove is the way to go. It’s ridiculously easy to measure out the rice, the water, throw it into a pot, bring it to a boil and then either let it simmer on a low heat or turn it off completely to let the steam cook it in the pot much like in a rice cooker. It takes about the same amount of time to use a pot as it is to use a rice cooker, with only about 5 minutes of extra work involved and most of it is waiting for the rice to come to a boil.
The avocado slicer is ridiculous! It’s so easy to slice an avocado with a knife. I haven’t used my phone since I reached Australia and I love not having one. My friend gave me her extra phone but I am resisting using it as I feel so free.
Alright, alright… I was all on-board until you mentioned the rice cooker! I grew up in a household without a rice cooker and didn’t even know they existed until I met my husband. Now I can’t imagine cooking without it. That little device is a godsend, lets not even mention the little steamer tray feature. But I suppose for the nature of this post technically it isn’t absolutely necessary in every household. Lol, I had to give you a hard time about it because I literally gasped when I got to the last gadget!
Naomi @RisingNetWorth recently posted…3 Tips to Staying Focused & Productive
Tell me about it. I am addicted to mine and haven’t made rice on the stove in ages, except for a paella thing, that darn near burned!!
Anne @ Money Propeller recently posted…I Spent Money to Save Money
Rice cookers are a cultural thing, I think. Cultures where rice is eaten in quantity and stove space is at a premium, the things are pretty much required. In Japan, for example! 🙂 I also have an e-reader, which actually saves me huge amount of money, as I get e-books free from Amazon and my library does e-books too. Not to mention SPACE!
Ms. LoL recently posted…What am I going to do with my new raise?
As a hard-book addict, they definitely do take a up a TON of space. That’s sweet that your library has eBooks for free.
Anne @ Money Propeller recently posted…I Spent Money to Save Money
Wow, I don’t have any of these things. I still have a flip phone from 2009. I’ve always used prepaid services like Tracfone, so I’ve never had an expensive phone or a contract. I hate commitments! I don’t like kitchen gadgets because they are usually harder to clean than just using a knife or a regular pot. So being lazy and frugal makes me hip? I’ll take it! 😛
kay ~ lifestylevoices.com recently posted…In A Quandary ~
Not a one? Is this the point where I admit I have 3 of 6, and the only ones I don’t have are the slicers and pitters. That said, I probably have equally unnecessary kitchen gadgets in other forms.
Anne @ Money Propeller recently posted…I Spent Money to Save Money
Another simple one is the iPod. Since iPhones came out they have had less and less of a market since an iPhone can do almost everything an iPod can, and there really is no reason to own both unless you use the iPod nano for sports, outdoors etc and don’t want to use a bigger phone
Dan @ Our Big Fat Wallet recently posted…Best of Our Big Fat Wallet – 2014
That’s a really great point, Dan. Now think back to the days when we had massive discmen and CDs to carry around. Binders of discs in the car, anyone?
Anne @ Money Propeller recently posted…I Spent Money to Save Money
I’d go for smartphones. I can’t imagine myself in a day without it. Honestly, I’d also go for garlic slicer! You know the smell it can bring to your hands even after hand-washing.
Jayson @ Monster Piggy Bank recently posted…Merry Christmas Everyone
Ah yes, the smell! I hate the smell sticking to my hands. I’ve found those metal “soap” odour eater bars work quite well, actually.
Anne @ Money Propeller recently posted…I Spent Money to Save Money