50 Ways to Spend Less $
Being strategic with your money is one of the most POWERFUL ways to:
Stress less
Create exciting opportunities for your future
Give yourself the FREEEDOOMMMMM to spend on the stuff/people/places/ideas that are *ACTUALLY* important to you.
Here’s 50 ways to stop wasting your money on sh*t that doesn’t make your life better - so you’ve got more dough for the stuff that DOES.
*Keep in mind : What matters to me is different than what matters to you - so as always - take what speaks to you and leave the rest.
1) Use Cash: Fool-proof way to stay on budget! I find this especially helpful for categories like “fun money” and groceries. Once it’s gone, it’s gone.
2) Buy Second-Hand: Everythingggggg. Some of my favourites are: clothes, books, storage baskets, toys, technology and shoes.
3) Stop Buying Sale Items: If you’re buying something off the sale rack there is a 98% chance that it wasn’t on your list, you don’t need it and it won’t make your life better.
4) Volunteer: The perfect budget-friendly pastime. Your money stays in your pocket and you make the world a better place.
5) Try a No-Spend Challenge: There are sooooo many options for these. You choose a length of time (a weekend, a week, a month) and commit to not spending any money during that period.
You make the rules - so you may decide that the challenge excludes all regular living expenses PLUS one of your “cannot-live-without” regular purchases.
We did a no-spend month while paying off our debt and it was LIFE CHANGING. It’s also fun to keep a list of stuff you want to buy - you might be surprised that by the end of the month you don’t need as much as you thought you did.
6) Meal Plan: Planning your meals means less food waste (yay) and reduces the chances of going over budget (double yay).
7) Shelf Cook: Before you create your meal plan, check every corner of your fridge, pantry and freezer and START THERE. This ensures nothing get’s wasted and you aren’t buying food that you already have. #usewhatyouhave. You can also check out my post on saving money on groceries.
8) Stay Organized: Everyone goes off-schedule from time to time - totally get that! BUT the less likely you get caught running late or making a last-minute purchase, the easier it is to keep your budget on track. Anticipating what you’re going to need in the future makes planning for it sooo much easier. And less stressful :))
9) Workout at Home: I just searched ‘no-equipment home workout’ on YouTube and 4908689203 videos came up. Also, no travel time to the gym :)
10) Drive Less: Walking or biking instead of driving saves you gas and wear and tear on your vehicle - plus its better for you AND the earth.
11) Sell Your Old Stuff: Ok ok ok this one isn’t exactly ‘spending less’ - but making extra cash from selling your old stuff means more money in your pocket..
We keep our “marketplace” money separate and we use it for things we didn’t budget for - sometimes a treat take-out night, and sometimes new running shoes for the kids. This fund is a GREAT cushion. Selling old stuff is also SUPER satisfying. If you like this one, try creating a specific sales goal for the year. You might be shocked at what you can make!
12) Meal Prep: As little as one hour of meal prep each week can make a HUGE difference. The easier you make eating well at home, the less likely you’ll be tempted to eat out. Meal prep also ensures groceries get eaten, instead of wasted. Start with something easy like chopping fruits and veggies for snacking, or making a couple of dinners for the freezer.
13) Be Grateful: This one sounds small - but it can bring MASSIVE change. The more you appreciate every small thing that you have, the easier it is to see that you already have everything you need. When you look around your house and reeeeally appreciate your favourite rooms and your favourite chair and how the sun hits the wall in the morning….or when you take the kids to the park and you reeeeeally focus on the sound of their laughter and the fresh air in your lungs….all of the things that you thought you needed - really aren’t that important anymore.
14) Get Outside: Free parks, free playgrounds, free trails, free exercise. Getting outside is AMAZING for the soul - and bank account. If you’re looking for more reasons to get outdoors check out 1000 Hours Outside.
15) Utilize Free Trials: We have done this for soooo many things…..music, tv, satellite radio, gyms and meal delivery services.
16) Borrow/Lend: Before you buy something (ESPECIALLY items that are only used periodically) check and see if anyone you know has one you can borrow. Some great examples are large cleaning equipment; specialty kitchen items (can I say bundt pan?); special occasion clothes (weddings!); pretty much ALL baby items; tools; books; birthday decor; maternity clothes and jewelry.
17) Move Debt to Lower Interest Rates: If you’re carrying any debt make sure you’re being charged the lowest interest rate possible. If it’s a large debt, this can save a ton of money over the long term.
18) Be Mindful of Utility Consumption: Become mindful of the timing of laundry, what time you turn your Christmas lights on, the type of thermostat you use….small changes can add up. Many utility companies offer subsidies for updating to more energy efficient equipment.
19) Track Spending: This works for both past spending AND future spending.
If you’re in the early stages of creating a budget/tracking, reviewing the last 3-6 months of spending in each category makes it easy to see where the money is going and any potential ‘leaks’.
Once you’ve established a budget, monitoring current spending is effective for keeping yourself on track. Come up with a simple system that you KNOW you will stick to. To start, make broad categories. For example, at the beginning of each month we take out a lump sum of cash for 'consumables’. This includes groceries, toiletries, small household items, school pizza days, etc. This makes tracking the overall budget less onerous.
20) Home Haircuts: This has saved us a TON. There are sooo many easy tutorials online. It’s way easier than you think and no waiting in line :)
21) Eat at Home: Meal planning and meal prepping are amazing to encourage eating at home - but we also incorporate at-home treat nights.
We used to get take-out every Saturday night but it started to become too expensive to do weekly. So on weekends we try to make FUN at-home dinners. This helps to feel less like we were missing out. Some easy ones are: make-your-own pizzas, nachos, hamburgers and fries, tuna melts and chili dogs.
22) Live Without: North Americans have become accustomed to wanting something and buying it. Immediately. But what if you just…went without? Even just for a little while. See how it feels.
When we started trying this we noticed three things:
we need wayyyy less than we thought we did
we became grateful for every little thing we had
shopping is a time sucker!
This one might feel strange at first but it’s worth a try! You might just find it to be life changing.
23) Accept Hand-Me-Downs: Hand-me-downs are LIFESAVERS for kid stuff (and everything!). Once people know that you are open to hand-me-downs you are likely to receive some amazing new-to-you gifts. Remember to pay it forward when you are done with items too.
24) Reduce Banking Fees: Why are these so darn expensive right?! It’s worth a call to inquire about any promo deals !
25) Ignore the Jones’: Comparison is a KILL-JOY!!! Comparing yourself to people who you THINK have got it all; is the worst. When you find this happening remind yourself to stay. in. your. lane. With practice, you will become so focused on your own success/goals/happiness that you won’t even notice what the neighbours are up to.
26) Do a Contentment Challenge: Ok this is one of my faves! Take any part of your house (or life!) that you’re feeling ‘blah’ about and for zero dollars make it feel new and amazing. Some examples…
Wardrobe: Take EVERYTHING out of your closet/drawers, get rid of what you haven’t worn in the past year and any damaged hangers, clean the inside of the closet, re-hang/fold items by category and step back to enjoy. Bonus points for using baskets/homemade drawer separators to keep items tidy and organized.
Kitchen Pantry: Take everything out, scrub it down with your favourite cleaner, create labels for categories, throw away all expired food, give away food that you know you are never going to eat, decant items into pretty jars and then put everything back in - and voila!
Living Room: Deep vacuum rugs then let them hang outside to air out, repair/touch-up damaged furniture/baseboards, move furniture into a new configuration, add new decor items from a different room, change up the artwork and then sit down in your ‘new’ room to enjoy a hot bevy :))
27) Unsubscribe: ….from email lists and social media accounts that encourage spending/newness/shopping. ALSO unsubscribe from memberships that you aren’t actually using. You will feel FREEEEEE.
28) Remind Yourself of the Opportunity Cost: Every single purchase has an opportunity cost. If you buy that sweater, that’s $40 less to go towards the car you’re saving for, your retirement account or a hot date. Sometimes it’s totally worth it! Sometimes it’s not. This is a quick mental check to make sure you are filling your life with the things that matter the most to YOU.
29) Make Shopping Lists (and take them with you): And not just for the grocery store! When shopping for clothes or gifts - or anything - have a list and budget so you stick to what you ACTUALLY need. It’s sooooo easy to get side-tracked and end up buying extras you don’t need (they design shopping that way!).
30) Homemade Gifts: You don’t have to be crafty! Every single person has SOMETHING that they can make. A few ideas:
One year I got Scott a deck of cards and wrote something I loved about him on each one.
When I see a magazine or newspaper article (or even a little quote) that reminds me of someone in my life, I cut it out and then mail with their birthday card.
Kids also love getting mail - sometimes we add pages of tattoos or stickers that we have in our craft bin. They think it’s the best!
Homemade food is ALWAYS a hit - especially for new moms! If you aren’t a cook, a tray of cut-up fresh fruit would be amazing.
For my birthday my mom came over and weeded our gardens - best gift I received by far!
It’s the thought that counts - FACT.
31) Get Rid of Debt: If you’ve got debt (been there done that), get rid of it. Here is my post on how we did it fast.
32) Drive Old Cars: The older, the better!
33) Declutter: Decluttering un-used, un-loved items from your life helps you see all the AMAZING things you already have. Also, it prevents you from accidentally purchasing items that you already own (that are buried in boxes).
34) Repair/Maintain What You Have: Next time something breaks, ask yourself whether it can be repaired rather than replaced - often its a simple repair and saves a TON of cash.
35) Use (out) What You Have: It’s easy to get in the habit of replacing items because they have become “old”. Even though they work perfectly! Instead of replacing things before their end of life, think about WHY you are replacing them. Does it still work? Will a new version enhance your life? If not, maybe it’s worth keeping a little longer….
36) Consume Budget-Friendly Content: Soak in every morsel of budgeting inspiration you can find - social media accounts, videos, articles, books - let it all sink in. Surround yourself with people and voices that support your new habits.
37) Open Communication: Chances are, trying to change your spending habits is going to impact the people in your life. Whether it’s your parents, your spouse, your friends - whoever - be open with them about your goals and the new habits you are trying to create.
38) Work Together: Take #37 one step further - work as a team toward your financial goals. When you’re working WITH your partner or children or whoever is in your life, the burden isn’t just on you. Creating new spending habits is soooo much easier with the support of loved ones. And it’s the perfect opportunity to teach little ones about the value of money.
39) Plan Activities Based on Your Budget: If you know that you have $30 to spend on “fun” each month then you know that you need to plan around that - and come up with creative ways to stretch each dollar. Make your entertainment/activities fit within your budget, not the other way around. And when it comes to activities with friends and family, don’t feel obligated to attend something that is outside your budget. Chances are you aren’t the only one concerned about the price tag!
40) Maximize Gift Cards: Gift cards have been a savior for us the past few years. When we are lucky enough to receive a gift card we maximize it as much as possible. For example, a gift card to a book store could be used for gifts for our parents, the kids’ Christmas gifts and stationary items for school. Instead of just blowing it all at once, be strategic and forward thinking about items you may need over the next month or year.
41) Focus on the BIG stuff: Small shifts in spending can add up to large change. However if you’re really serious about changing your finances, take a hard look at the large expenses in your life. Is there room to downsize anything? Your home or car, reduce your commute or childcare expenses? Remember to think big!
42) DIY: Once again, no need to be handy. DIY can include a bunch of things - home repairs, small sewing jobs, gifts, yard work, cooking, home decor….
43) Soak in the Little Kid Stage: If your kids are young chances are they need very VERY little. Last night my four year old played with a flashlight for over an hour. Little ones don’t need toys or fancy clothes or organized activities. They need fresh air and love. Both free :)
44) Have a Minimal Home: The less “extras” you have in your home, the less items that you need to spend money repairing, replacing and maintaining. This also provides more space for you to appreciate and use what you DO own.
45) Dream: Get in the habit of pausing to dream about the beautiful and amazing ways your life is changing as you move closer to your goals. Imagine specific details - future family holidays, retiring early, the dream kitchen you are saving up for, purchasing your first home - whatever is deep in your heart. This will allow you to stay focused on your goals - AND it’s super fun!
46) Go to the Library: The unsung hero of life on a budget. Free books (that you can return and never have to declutter!), free kids’ activities, free movies, free audio books, free magazines, a free Saturday morning outing - our library even lends out passes to our local beach - whaaat?
47) Wash Your Clothes Less: Within reason obviously ! Over-washing wares out fabrics more quickly. And using the washer and dryer less reduces energy costs.
48) Think GREEN: In almost all cases, spending less is better for the environment. And vise versa. e.g. re-usable cloths instead of paper towels; walking instead of driving; going to the park instead of shopping; eating at home vs take-out; repairing vs replacing - the list goes on and on…
49) Stop Buying…….: Stuff that is difficult to repair; stuff that is hard to store; stuff that isn’t on your list; stuff that doesn’t make you squeal with excitement; and anything that isn’t moving you closer to your ultimate goals and dreams.
50) Spend Time with Seniors: Have you ever met someone over the age of 80 who doesn’t love to save a buck?! Seriously - senior citizens (i.e. your grandparents, neighbours, family friends) are some of the BEST inspiration for living a simple/frugal life. New phones and trendy clothes are wasted on them. They are also great reminders of how quickly life flies by!
Ok guys - that’s it! I hope that helps. I hope that inspires you.
Changing spending habits can be hard (I HEAR YOU) - but it’s soooooo worth it. And once you start practicing it gets SO much easier.
If you’re looking to spend less on the un-fun stuff, and more money on the stuff that LIGHTS. YOU. UP. - choose one item above and start today.
You won’t regret it, I promise.
Mary Ann K. xo
