Most of us don't hold back on buying little stuff that catches our fancy. Most of the time, these are things that we can do without: stuff like your morning drive-thru coffee or magazines to put on top of your coffee table in the living room. We also tend to splurge on activities that are okay once in a while, but when done constantly are excessive, such as lunch-outs with friends from the office, weekend or middle-of-the-week drinking sessions, spa luxuries like facials, manicures, or pedicures, or late night drives for the sake of one's “peace of mind.”
Convenience stores are popping up on every street corner. Businesses that provide services which you can basically do yourself (such as trimming your nails or waxing your legs) are rising because of this notion that we, as a nation, are currently imbibing: That it's okay to spend money just because we have it, even though there are probably cheaper ways to go about things if we just use a little creativity. Some of these include:
- Making your own coffee and bringing it in a thermos to your office.
- Encouraging your workmates to bring food to share with everyone.
- Reading online.
- Drinking at home or at a friend's house.
- Researching on cheaper alternatives to skin care.
- Finding something to do at home instead of wasting gas.
These small changes to your lifestyle can save you thousands of dollars a year.
Again, doing something out of the norm, like going out for a massage, is not bad per se, because we all need to treat ourselves once in a while. But when you go for a massage every night after work, then you are no longer “treating yourself;” you are making this activity a part of your regular routine. Habits like these can hinder you from saving money.
Get out of the consumer mentality
Try to think of ways in which you can arrive at your goal without having to buy or purchase anything. If you save all the money that you would have spent at the cinema for a year, maybe you could use the additional cash for your very own home entertainment system. Always see past the now and invest in things that you can use for your future. This makes your life easier and your purchases more impactful. (Related: Top 10 Great Money Saving Tips.)
With rising inflation rates, uncertainty in job stability, and wages remaining substandard, it's better to start saving now.
Get started on your spending moratorium
Give yourself just enough cash to get through the week, with necessities like gas or food money taken into consideration. By budgeting your money, you can monitor your expenses. If you're feeling up to the challenge, you can even lengthen the time from one week to two or even three weeks before you replenish your cash at hand.
Likewise, learn to be content with what you have and find something to do that doesn't involve spending money. Develop hobbies that are useful, such as cooking (so that you don't need to eat out) or sewing (so that you can fix your clothes whenever they need mending, instead of buying new ones).
Living life well does not have to be encumbered with all these fancy gadgets or luxuries. Better, healthier practices can be found on Preparedness.news.
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