The ones that are like, “Just stop buying avocado toast!” or “Brew your coffee at home and you’ll be a millionaire!”? Yeah money saving, I read them all. And for a while, I genuinely thought I was failing at this whole “adulting” thing because I couldn’t just magically stop enjoying the simple pleasures of life. Like, a $5 latte is my one joy in this chaotic world, okay? Don’t you dare take it away from me. I used to feel like I had to choose between being broke and being a hermit. But then I started stumbling on some actual, real-life money saving tips that don’t suck the joy right out of your soul.
Look, I’m no financial guru. I’m a person who once spent $40 on a candle that smelled “like the forest after a spring rain,” only to get it home and realize it just smelled like… wet dirt. (Seriously, it did. It was a whole thing.) I’ve made every mistake in the book. But because of those mistakes, I’ve learned a few things that actually work. So, let’s talk about the real stuff. The messy, relatable stuff. The stuff that won’t make you want to throw your phone across the room.
1. The “Invisible Money” Method: Automate Everything You Can
This is my number one, hands-down, favorite tip. It’s money saving genius in its laziness, if I’m being honest. You know how you get your paycheck and you’re like, “Woohoo, I’m rich!” for about 12 minutes before it all just… disappears? This hack fixes that.
The idea is to make saving money so automatic that you don’t even see the money in the first place. It’s “invisible money.”
I have my bank automatically transfer a set amount of money from my checking account to my savings account every single time I get paid. Like, a day or two after my paycheck hits. I don’t even see it in my balance. My brain just thinks that my paycheck is slightly smaller than it is. It’s psychological warfare against myself, and it totally works.
I started small. Like, ridiculously small. I think it was $25 a paycheck. I figured, “What’s $25? That’s, like, two fancy coffees I won’t even notice missing.” And guess what? I didn’t notice. But after a few months, I looked at my savings account and was like, “Whoa. Where did that come from?” It felt like finding money in an old jacket. You know that feeling? It’s the best.
Once you get used to it, you can bump up the amount a little. Maybe another $10, then another. It’s a game. A really boring, but effective game. You’re competing against yourself, and the prize is a healthier bank account.
2. The “Meal Prep… but Make It Chaos” Approach
I am not one of those super-organized people who makes 12 perfectly portioned meals on a Sunday. No. I’ve tried. I end up with mushy lettuce and a deep sense of failure by Tuesday. My meal prep is more like… controlled chaos. And honestly, it’s one of the best budget hacks I’ve ever found.
The goal isn’t to be a perfect meal-prepper; it’s to avoid the “I’m starving and now I’m spending $20 on takeout” panic.
So, here’s my version:
- Make a list. Before you go to the grocery store, write down what you actually need. Not just “food.” I’m talking “bread, milk, eggs, that specific cheese I like for mac and cheese, chicken breasts.” It keeps you from wandering the aisles and buying that impulse bag of artisanal potato chips.
- Pick a few “theme” meals. My go-to is “Taco Night” ingredients. You buy ground beef, tortillas, cheese, lettuce. You can use the ground beef for tacos, and then you can use the leftover lettuce and cheese for salads, or toss the meat into a pasta dish. It’s about buying ingredients that are versatile.
- Cook in bulk, but not perfectly. If I’m making rice, I make a lot. I’ll use some for dinner, and then put the rest in a container in the fridge. Now, I have pre-cooked rice for a quick lunch the next day. No perfect portions, just… extra food.
This has seriously cut down my food budget. I used to spend a ridiculous amount on eating out because I was too tired or lazy to cook. Now, I can just whip something up with the stuff I have on hand. It’s not always glamorous. Sometimes my lunch is just a random assortment of leftovers in a bowl. But you know what? It works. It saves money. And it keeps me from spending a fortune on a sad-looking sandwich at the deli.
3. The “Unsubscribe from the Chaos” Rule: Tackle Your Subscriptions
You ever feel like you’re bleeding money from a hundred tiny cuts? That’s your subscriptions. They’re everywhere. Netflix, Hulu, Spotify, that one gym membership you haven’t used since 2019, that weird app you downloaded once and now you’re paying $4.99 a month for… what, exactly?
Do a subscription audit. This is a life-changing financial habit. Sit down, open your bank statement, and just list every single recurring charge.
I did this a few years ago and was horrified, found out I was paying for two different music streaming services, a meal-kit delivery service I paused but never canceled, and something called “Poodle Puppy Paradise” for a dog I don’t even own. I swear. It was a total mess. I just kinda stared at the screen, totally lost it for a second.
Then I started canceling. It felt so good. It was like Marie Kondo-ing my finances. If it didn’t spark joy (or, you know, wasn’t essential like my phone bill), I got rid of it.
You don’t have to get rid of everything. But do you really need three different streaming services? Maybe you can rotate them. Binge-watch everything on Netflix for a month, then cancel it and switch to Hulu for a month. It’s a little more effort, but it saves a shocking amount of money.
4. The “I’m Not a Zombie” Shopping Rule: Never Go to the Store Hungry
This one is simple, but it is brutally effective. You know that feeling when you’re ravenous and you walk into a grocery store? You become a zombie. A mindless, snack-craving zombie who will buy anything and everything in sight. The chips call to you. The pre-made meals sing a siren song. You grab three different kinds of ice cream and a questionable sushi tray. It’s not you, it’s the hunger.
So, before you go grocery shopping, have a snack. A real snack. A sandwich, some leftovers, a banana. Just get something in your stomach so you can think clearly. It’s basic human psychology, and it’s one of the best money saving tips for your grocery bill.
I learned this the hard way. I once went grocery shopping at 7 p.m. after a terrible day at work and bought, I kid you not, a tub of frosting, a box of donuts, and a whole rotisserie chicken. When I got home, I looked at the haul and just laughed. It was so ridiculous. Now, I have a granola bar in the car before I even step foot in the store. It works.
5. The “Wait a Minute” Method: The 24-Hour Rule for money saving
You see something you have to have. It’s calling your name. Maybe it’s a new gadget, a pair of shoes, or a cool lamp for your living room. The urge to buy it is overwhelming.
Here’s what you do: you don’t buy it. You wait 24 hours.
Just put it on a list or in your online cart and walk away. Don’t think about it. For 24 hours. If, after that day has passed, you still feel the same burning desire to buy it, go for it. But more often than not, the urge will be gone.
I can’t even tell you how much money this has saved me, once wanted this really expensive standing desk. And I had it in my cart, ready to check out. I told myself to wait. The next day, I looked at it and thought, “Do I really need that right now? Or do I just need to stand up more?” I didn’t buy it. And honestly? I totally forgot about it a week later.
It’s all about creating a pause between the impulse and the purchase. It gives your logical brain a chance to catch up with your emotional, “I want it now!” brain.
So, yeah. These aren’t the sexiest financial tips you’ll ever read. There’s no secret stock market hack or get-rich-quick scheme. But they are real. They are messy. And they work. They helped me get my finances in a much better place without making me feel like I had to live in a cave and eat dry toast.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to go get a cup of coffee. I earned it.
