Hi, my friends! Wabi here!
Today, I want to talk about how we can save money.
We usually spend too much on what we don’t need! So how can we save?
Just stop wasting! Right? It’s easier said than done. I know!
Here are some of the most effortless ways to change today to save $$$ over time! Let’s get started!
1. Stop Buying Coffee Every Day
It’s just your mind telling you that you need coffee. It is routine that you’ve been doing it for a long time.
But do you need it?
Do you crave it that badly?
Do you drink the coffee you bought?
Ask yourself these questions, and you may be surprised that at least half the time you buy coffee is just the habit of doing so or “feels like” it is helping.
As a healthy habit, drinking water first thing in the morning is much better than a cup of coffee. Also, moving your body a little will wake you up more than a cup of coffee.
Lastly, making one at home is much more economical if you still need one.
Starbucks Caramel Macchiato Venti is $4.65. If you are drinking every work day, that’s roughly 20 days. $4.65 x 20 = $93.
Imagine putting that money away for investing in something like Acone. You are not only saving money, but have your money to grow!
2. Unsubscribe app subscriptions
How many subscription apps do you have? It might be only a few dollars a month when you purchase these. Now, how often do you use these apps?
We love watching Star Wars on Disney plus BBS shows like Dr. Who and Good Omens on Netflix. But then, after the season is over, we go months without watching anything. During that time, we had $15 monthly subscriptions we paid without even thinking about it.
It’s time to clean up your subscriptions and eliminate those recurring charges!
You can use apps such as TRIM to check and stop unnecessary spending.
3. Stop Eating Out / Take Out Food So Much
Cutting your food expenses as much as possible is the fastest way of saving money.
When you are hungry, you can’t think clearly. Especially about saving money!
The key to success is to make a weekly plan, so you won’t mindlessly grab food, or go out without thinking too much.
If you still want to eat out, or take out food, use coupons, and special deals wisely. A little hustle like that could save you a lot $$ in the long run.
4. Turn Off Your Cable
Have you noticed the cable company gradually increased your plan, fees, and whatever else that’s unclear in the bills?
When you call them to negotiate, these “fees” are there but not there at the same time. They can change it in a second!
Sometimes, you can get the best deal by switching around two or more cable companies every so often. Once you do that, they are in a position to try to get a customer. Then you will get the best and the most current service available.
5. Stop Buying Drinks at The Restaurants
The tip culture makes everything more expensive. The waiters want you to buy drinks and dessert so that they will get higher tips. In the old times, people only tip for good service. But after COVID hit, everyone became generous, and even fast food places started to ask for tipping. Something isn’t right here.
People feel sorry for those with low wages, but shouldn’t restaurants pay their workers decent wages in the first place?
I was grateful for having great food without tipping when I traveled to Japan. We ordered a lot of food for a family of 3, which was less than $35 in US dollars.
Well, we might not be able to change the tipping culture. However, you can save money by not ordering drinks at the restaurants.
6. Don't Buy Stuff Just Because It's On Sale
It’s so tempting to pick up something on sale at the store while your purpose of visiting is entirely different.
The marketing strategies work! But we must still be aware of it and not fall for it. At least not too often. While you may save a few bucks by buying things you always buy on sale, you may be buying something you don’t need.
The key is to decide not to refrain from buying anything impulsively. Making a little room to think will change your spending habits.
7. Planning Ahead
People tend to buy more when they can’t think things clearly.
Especially if you need to pick up something at the last minute, you may buy more just because you don’t have time to think. For example, you have some sort of event you need to attend. You’d like a new dress, shoes and a purse to go with it. It would be fun to look around if you have a lot of time to do so. But if not, you may have to run through shop after shop to find something fit to the occasion. Then, probably you’ll end up buying multiple purchases thinking “Well, I will return it later.” But, time passed, and forgot to return the item. Now, you spend not only on a new dress but an extra one.
Believe me! I’ve been there!
I figured that the key is to plan ahead. List up what you have at home, what you need to add on, then take time for it. That will save extra spending for sure.
The same thing applies to grocery shopping. When you know what to cook, it’s easy to pick up the ingredients. When you don’t know, or/and are hungry, you’ll be buying so much more than you actually planned.
If you are really bad at it, you can also implement the meal plan. So that you know what to get exactly at each grocery shopping.
8. Care About Brand Names
Do you care about the name brands?
As for fashion, you need to dig deep into whether they are worth that value they state. Sometimes, they do have the top quality. If so, that’s that. But in many cases, the value and the price don’t match.
If you pay over $100 for a t-shirt, you are probably paying for their rent.
High Price = Quality is a myth.
The same things for food.
Sometimes, they make the same items in the same factory and put different labels for non-brand and name brands. You somehow believe the name-brand thing is worth more. But that’s not necessarily true.
Asses what you care about so you don’t have to waste your resources on things that don’t have that much value.
