I quit my job last March due to mental health reasons. I’m not gonna lie, it was one of those impulse decisions that we often make – since I literally did not think it through. I had zero savings, no backup plan but still, it was one of the best decisions I’ve made.
I’ve felt A LOT better. No more panic attacks and everything felt lighter.
But the downside of doing that though is we went from living with two salaries to living with one (Yikes!) and since I was the one earning more, we really had to make drastic changes if we want to make the ends meet.
So, in the hopes of making it work and of course give our budget a little wiggle room, I decided to sit down and really look – I mean REALLY look at where and what we are spending our money on.
Doing that was a life changer. I’ve realized that we’ve spent so much money on things that we “want” or we “think” we need instead of spending it on the things that really mattered.
That’s why today, I have decided to gather 9 things that most people waste money on – things that can easily be avoided for you to start saving more money.
So, whether you want to pay off a debt or save up for a family trip, cutting off these things can help you achieve that. Check them out!
Stop being brand specific
I am seriously guilty of this! I’m not going to lie, I’m still brand specific when it comes to a few products that I really need (items that are really working for me) but for other things, like things that we use frequently, I opt for store brands or basically anything that is on sale or if I have a coupon for it.
I was so surprised by the amount of money that we are saving on our groceries every month by doing this.
Stay on top of your finances and track your spending effectively with the help of this Ultimate Finance Printable Planner
Cleaning supplies
I was never your do-it-yourself kind of gal. But then I’ve realized that we spend hundreds of dollars each year just for cleaning supplies alone when in fact we can just easily whack one at home.
Trust me, vinegar and baking soda can work like magic. Now, I create my own counter cleaner, toilet cleaner, and even my own home air fresheners. They’re super easy to create, cheap and chemical free! That’s definitely a win-win for me.
I’m planning to write a roundup of DIY home cleaners, you can pin this article, so you can come back to get the ingredients or you can simply sign up for the newsletter, I’ll keep you posted!
Cable
I mean what I say — choosing to cut our cable subscription has helped me save hundreds of dollars. We can still watch TV, we just chose to find a cheaper alternative — like Netflix or Hulu.
Doing this may seem hard for some people but once you try it, it is really not that bad. It’s still entertaining and we don’t have to pay 100$ a month for it.
Stop buying items in small portions
You may think that you’re saving money by buying those small items but in the long run, you’re really spending more than you’re saving. I used to think that buying that small bag of pretzels, or buying that small bottle of shampoo would save me money but it ended up costing me more.
So, now I’ve decided to buy products in bulks – especially for those items that we frequently use. Like, shampoo & conditioner and we just refill our current containers – this definitely saved us money!
You can do this with food too — stop buying food portions and start buying in bulk – especially if they are on sale. Then you can plan your weekly meals around them.
Stay on top of your finances and track your spending effectively with the help of this Ultimate Finance Printable Planner
Stop eating out
I admit, eating out or getting takeout can seem very appealing especially after a long stressful day, when you just don’t have the time and energy to prepare a meal but doing this with your family constantly can also become very expensive.
So, this is where we started to learn weekly meal planning and we even cook in bulk too. It saves us money, time and it reduces our cravings for getting takeout – since we can just easily get something out of the freezer and pop them in the microwave.
Stop buying your coffee to go
In our family, coffee is a necessity. We just love our morning cup of joe – it gives us the energy that we need to push through the day. We would be lost without it (that may sound dramatic but it’s true) so giving up coffee is certainly impossible.
We may not be able to stop drinking coffee but we can stop ordering our coffee’s to go. We invested in a good coffee maker —helped us save a couple dollars every day!
Stop buying to impress
No matter how many times we deny it to ourselves, oftentimes, the reason why we end up buying something expensive is to impress people.
Yes, it makes us feel good – no doubt in that. But if you want to save money, you have to make smart choices. That means buying the things that you really need and stop buying the things that you think you want.
Stop looking for confirmation and acceptance in the society. Remember, that you are enough.
You don’t have to impress people with material things. Live a life that you want, don’t base it on the things that other people want.
Shaving gel
This one is definitely not a necessity — we have so many different alternatives. Why not use your conditioner instead? I mean you already have it, right? It seriously works and it will save you money.
Stop over & impulse buying
Always, always shop with intention. This is where the list and weekly meal plan comes in. I’ve realized that going grocery shopping without really knowing what we’ll be cooking for the rest of the week, just leads to me over buying.
We pretty much always end up wasting food, which means, we’re wasting money.
Now, before we go grocery shopping, we always make sure to create a weekly meal plan, make a list of what we need and always stick to it. That’s the most important part – sticking with the list!
If you want to start cutting your spending and save more money, you always have to look at what you’re buying. Be aware of where your money is going and make smart choices.
Saving money and living with one income is not easy but it’s also not impossible. I’ve learned that with just a few tweaks and changes in our spending habit, we can even end up saving more money than we anticipated.
Your Turn…
What about you? Did you stop buying something in an effort to start saving money? Let me know in the comment section below or send me an email, I would love to hear from you!
I quit my job too in search of better mental health and to pursue our long term vision that we had not been serious enough about. The problem was that we had just begun to travel regularly to see (and take our kids to see things in the world). I was worried that we would have to give that up now that we’re on one income. The great news is that I have learned to buy vacation packages (which has not only made us able to afford better trips to better destinations and with better accommodations for cheaper)! In order to save money (so that we can keep traveling), I cook at home at least 6 nights a week, don’t buy things that I don’t need, and only buy what is on our list. Thanks for sharing an awesome post. ????
I love to save $$!! In fact, its kind of addictive once you start. Here’s a couple we have learned on the journey…wait a month before a large purchase so you can determine if you really need it or its impulse. Then if you still need it, look on offer up or Facebook marketplace. Chances are, it’s there, its just as nice and cheaper! Also, resale shops and yard /estate sales are our friend! If you have never looked, you don’t know what treasures are out there! Also, forget membership clubs…I spent too much there and still ended up at the grocery store! Go to Aldis, you will save on meats and veggies, more than anywhere else!!! Just buy more and freeze it. Enjoy!?
We still had an AT&T wall phone and for local access only (no long distance carrier included), they were charging us $50 per month. We went with Consumer Cellular for $19 per month (5% AARP discount included) and ported our home phone number over to them. Going to a cell phone has a little learning curve to it, but works great and saves big $$’s.
I went to Consumer Cellular too & keep telling everyone to change their cell service! And, if needed, their customer service staff is terrific!
I started to skip lunch to save money.
Love these tips.Thank you! Just what I needed.
When I realized that the gluten free mini-muffins cost $11.99 for 6 (!) at the grocery bakery, I bought 5lb of gluten free flour mix for $12, and made him 12 full size muffins for about $3, and went on to make GF brownies, chocolate chip cookies, Mississippi Mud cake, and various bar cookies, and I still have not used all the flour!
I already do most of what you mentioned. When I find something that I need is out of my budget, I look for a replacement. I just tried to refill a prescription and discovered that my copay had gone from $3.60 to over $100.00. The pharmacy tech checked other coverage and found one at a different pharmacy for $12.00! Help can come from unexpected sources.
The containers are great!! We buy the big packs of chicken and ground beef and freeze them in smaller quantities. We’ve also bought a Keurig and Starbucks K cups (22 cups for under 30 bucks on Amazon), which satisfies my daughter’s picky coffee taste and my budget needs!! There’s only 2 of us, so I didn’t think we were spending that much on coffee until I did a quick calculation and saw that we’d spent over $500 ($10/wk) on Starbucks in 2020 — it adds up!!
I haven’t quit my job but wanted to make a change. With COVID-19, you never know what tomorrow might bring. I am guilty of impulse buying. So I had to think… hmmm I have over 60 designer purses ( at least 25 with tags) so why am I on the coach, Louis, Brahmin etc. site. Yeah Browsing rigghhht! I already gave up Starbucks. That alone was big savings. To-go cups to take coffee from home with great creamer is just as awesome and saves time. Giving the kids money and one thoughtful gift for Christmas was a big saver. Teaching the kids to save as well. I haven’t given up Cable because we need the internet that comes with the package and the bundle VS just internet and phone( need phone for security system) is like getting the cable for $20 with bundle. Started paying bills with credit cards to get cash back and pay it before interest occurs. Amazon is my greatest weakness. But Pinterest / Dollar tree saves me with DIYs.
Oh yes. We started giving grandkids cash vs a gift. Since we live far away, it’s difficult to keep up with their interests & so not to buy duplicates of items they already own. I spent more when buying gifts too, because sometimes cannot resist exciting items.
One thing that has helped me save money on groceries is shopping online. You cannot impulse buy. After you make your dinner list and ingredients you need along with necessities, you order it. What you order is what you get. And you live without whatever you forgot to purchase when ordering. Saves me $50 to $100 a week.
I find that ordering my groceries online and collecting them has cut my grocery budget down hugely. At first I was worried about missing out on in store deals, but I find that I only buy what we need, when we need it. We spend less and waste less
I also buy groceries online. But delivery charges and tips (I’m not selfish) can add up. I watch for time-sensitive delivery charges. Also, wait to to shoppers until they arrive. Cash is always most welcome. I occasionally get the same shoppers … most really do a great job but even better if acknowledged in person.