Everyone likes to have some money in their savings. I am someone who feels an enormous amount of security from always having an emergency fund on hand. We don’t all have high paying jobs, especially those of us in University or living that post grad lifestyle. So, we need to get creative about our money habits.
For me the solution to saving thousands has been simple. Spend less! Only buy what I need! Live below my means!
There are some little things we can all do each day that make a long lasting impact on our savings accounts, here are just a few.
In this post I am going to share with you the things I have stopped buying to save thousands of dollars over the last few years!
SPECIALTY COFFEE
I am a huge caffeine fan, I love my coffee and I love my tea! What I do not like is spending $6.00 on a hot drink from Starbucks or some other coffee shop. When I was in University there was a Forbidden Flavours Coffee Shop right on campus and it was far too easy to grab a coffee on the days I was exhausted. But, this added up pretty quick and to be honest I am a huge fan of my own coffee (hehe.)
Instead, I invested in a nice Contigo to-go cup that kept my coffee warm for hours and started bringing it with me daily. You can find so many great coffee mugs at places like Walmart, Amazon, and most local grocery store tend to have a small section of them on hand!
Like I said, I love my coffee! However, at $6.00 a day it is just not worth it. I highly recommend making coffee or tea from home if you can!
CABLE
The best thing about cutting cable out of the budget is that you don’t miss anything! Cable is pretty pricey each month but there are cheaper options such as Amazon Prime Video, subscriptions such as Hulu, and of course NETFLIX, which is my personal go-to.
If you are serious about saving money then cutting cable is a great way to do it. I highly doubt you’ll miss it, especially when there are so many other streaming options out there.
PAMPING MYSELF – Hair and Nails
This is not one you have to do – if you totally love getting your hair coloured and your nailed freshened up then by all means keep doing you!
I have never been big on the pampering myself thing and it has really helped in terms of saving money. I do like to brighten up my hair about once a year with some highlights but I am not a go once every 8 weeks kind of girl. I started asking my hair dresser to do a low maintenance colour on me. I typically get some form of blonde balayage and keep my roots my natural colour so it grows out seamlessly. Going once or twice a year is more than enough for my hair and saves me tons of money. I have also had the added benefit of learning to love my hair for the colour it is naturally and becoming comfortable with it not always being perfect – this is a major win!
If you are someone who likes to have your nails done try investing in an at home nail kit to make it happen!
GOING OUT TO EAT
You probably hear this one all the time, it is because cooking from home saves you lots of money! I know how challenging this can be, especially in your twenties when all your friends are going out to eat. You could by all means go but eat beforehand and just grab something to drink when you are out.
VARIOUS FORMS OF ENTERTAINMENT
Going to the movies and checking out live music festivals are just some examples of entertainment you might do. It is so important to go out and spend time with friends but instead of going to the theatre and spending $15 on a movie ticket why not invite friends over for a movie night and air pop some popcorn?
Not only will this save you some money, you don’t even have to leave your house and you can just wear your sweats and comfy T!
EXPENSIVE MAKEUP
I gave up wearing expensive makeup a long time ago. We all love good quality products but when I simplified my style and routines I gave up the super expensive name brands and only started buying what I needed.
On a good day I will throw on a coat of mascara and a little bit of concealer. This keeps my makeup bag neat and tidy and my bank account happy.
It is pretty easy to want to buy the next best product but if you are trying to put some money into savings then controlling this type of spending is highly recommended.
GYM MEMBERSHIP
I have been fortunate enough to have had a gym membership included in my University tuition! However, that chapter ends this year and I contemplated getting a gym membership. While I am a big believer in staying active I think we can still engage in this lifestyle without spending $60 a month on a membership.
This is especially true if you aren’t on a strict gym schedule. If you don’t make it to the gym at least 2 or 3 days a week maybe consider kicking this membership to the curb.
Youtube is an excellent resource for homeworkouts and it is completely FREE!
NO SPEND DAYS OR WEEKENDS
Feel like giving yourself a bit of a challenge?
Why not try having a few no spend days or even a no spend weekend?
This is something I do all the time! If it is a no spend day that means I spend absolutely no money!! I don’t run to the grocery store for an after supper snack, I don’t do online shopping even if I see deals, I even don’t go grab gas if my car is needing it. I am in the strictly no spend mindset on these days!!
NEW CLOTHES
If you know anything about me, you will know that I have a simple style. I like tonal clothing, certain fabrics, but also smart and classy fashion. Go check out my Pinterest if you want to see what my style is all about!
As a teacher I need business casual clothing because that is what I wear 5 days a week and I am also someone who likes comfort so my weekends consist of me wearing a good pair of leggings. With that said, I rarely buy new clothing! I use to be someone who had no problem dropping $500 on a new wardrobe but now I would NEVER!
Try shopping at thrift shops or buying from Instagram thrift shops! This will save you tons of money and you can still find amazing pieces as well as name brand items. You just have to be willing to take the time to look for them.
Not buying new clothes has honestly saved me tons of money in the past few years!
What have you stopped buying to save money this year?
This post has taught you about places not to spend your money so you can save thousands.
stay kind.