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We are all looking for simple ways to save money and cut costs, but we may not always know how to go about that. One of the easiest and most powerful money saving tactics I have learned is what to stop spending money on.
There are so many things in life that we can’t avoid spending money on – gas, food, a place to live, healthcare, and the list goes on and on…
But, there are more things that we CAN stop spending money on to save more money and be able to reach our financial goals.
27 Things To Stop Spending Money On Right Now
My challenge to you is to choose a few things from this list to stop spending money on right now. Don’t try to tackle the whole list at once, start with baby steps and cut a few things out at a time.
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Fast Food
Stop wasting money on fast food. It’s bad for your health and your wallet. Try these super simple meals you can cook at home for less than $2 per serving.
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Coffee out
Make your coffee at home and avoid spending money and the long lines!
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Water bottles
Fill up a reusable water bottle anytime you are headed out, so you won’t be tempted to buy a water bottle.
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Cable
Cut cable and enjoy Netflix for less than $10/month.
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Newspaper
I love supporting the newspaper as I know it’s going out of style, but I totally understand why it is going out of style. You can read the newspaper online, print coupons, and search for anything online.
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Convenience Foods
Quit buying the individual snack size bags, or sliced fruit. Buy the cheaper, bulk option and divide it yourself to save.
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Gas Station Snacks
Keep your home stocked with snacks, and be sure to grab some and fill up your water bottle before you leave the house. Then, you won’t be tempted to grab expensive snacks from the gas station.
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Late Fees
Stop paying late fees on your bills! Set up a bill pay checking account, transfer money to that account each paycheck, and have your bills auto draft from that account. No more money thrown away on late fees!
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New clothes
I love new clothes, but I don’t love the price tag! Shop secondhand at thredUp or a local thrift store. If secondhand is not your thing, try a discount store or only shop clearance racks.
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Car washes
Skip the fancy car wash and wash your car at home. I count this as a workout too!
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Gym Membership
Unless you really get your money’s worth, cancel your gym membership. Go for walks in the park/neighborhood and do free workout videos from YouTube at home.
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Expensive Date Nights
I love date nights, but I don’t love blowing our budget just for a date. There a plenty of free and cheap date night ideas!
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Name Brand Products
This is a super simple way to save a lot of money! Quit buying name brand products, and switch to store brand. You’ll barely notice the difference, but you will surely notice the savings!
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Anything you aren’t 100% sure you’ll use
Do you ever buy something, questioning if you will really use it? Hint: Don’t buy it! Delay the purchase and see how you feel in a couple days about it.
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Getting your nails done
Skip the nail salon and give yourself a mani/pedi at home. You could buy nice nail polish and a whole pedicure set for the price of one pedicure. And it will last you a lot longer!
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Great deals just because it’s a deal…
Guilty! It’s hard to pass up a deal, but even if you find a deal, you are still spending something on it. So, you find a great deal for $5, but that’s still $5 you weren’t planning on spending. Grab a great deal every now and then, but don’t feel like you need to grab every deal you find.
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Fancy planners
I love planners and being organized, but they can get super expensive. Grab a simple planner or just use a piece of paper each week.
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Brand new furniture
Have you been furniture shopping lately? Nice furniture is very expensive! I love shopping secondhand for furniture, and refinishing it to make it new again. Older furniture is usually made really well and you’ll be recycling, too!
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Lunch out
Pack your lunch and enjoy reading, running errands, or planning your goals instead of going out to lunch. I love to use my lunch hour to relax or get something done.
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Breakfast
Along the same lines, stop spending money on breakfast out. I know breakfast is so important, so make some breakfast freezer meals that you can grab and reheat. So much cheaper!
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Anything that isn’t on the list
When you head to any store, make sure you have a list. And stick to that list! If it’s not on the list, don’t get it.
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“Just because you have a coupon” items
I love coupons, and I’m guilty of buying something just because I have a coupon. Whether you are at the grocery store or the mall, make sure you are using coupons only on items you were already going to purchase.
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Food you won’t eat
You might find a great deal on bulk oatmeal, but if you don’t eat oatmeal, then you would be wasting your money. Same thing if you buy a bunch of fresh produce in hopes of eating healthy, but if you won’t eat it, it will be wasted food and money.
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Someone to mow your yard
If you are serious about saving money, you may have to give up some luxuries and start doing more things yourself, like mowing your own yard.
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House cleaner
Same as mowing your own yard, clean your own house to save money. These regular costs really add up, so you’ll save big over time!
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Magazine and monthly subscriptions
Have a stack of magazines you are never going to read? Cancel the subscription! I love monthly or quarterly subscription boxes, like StitchFix and Book of the Month, but the costs can really add up. Cancelling these monthly subscriptions can free up a lot of money over time.
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Bank fees
If you notice a bank fee on your statement, call your bank and question it. Find out how to avoid those fees in the future and ask for it to be waived.
There you have it! 27 things to stop spending money on right now!
Choose a few to work on right now, then work on more. It’s hard to cut a lot of things out at once, so start with baby steps here and work on just a few at a time.
I think you’ll notice some big savings! Make a goal and a plan of how to spend or save the money you save by cutting these costs. You could plan a vacation at the end of the year, save it all to help pay your mortgage off early, save it for an emergency fund, or whatever other goal you have in mind.
Managing your money well is the most crucial part of budgeting.
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