In list form, because I haven’t the patience to make this more fun. And let’s be honest: lists are most fun.
Keep in mind that my vice is food, gang. I don’t do food or grocery delivery, so I’ve at least got that going for me. But this gal loves to eat, and loves to be outside in the summertime. A financially lethal combination.
So instead of blowing all my money on patio meals, here’s how I’m trying to save in the moment when temptation strikes:
1) Be “better” with groceries.
This isn’t just about buying them. I’m intentionally trying to figure out what I can buy that’s actually going to work for my life and preferences. Because I hate buying food that I never get around to making, or only having the same meal too many days in a row.
So for me, this means buying food and planning for meals that:
- I can prepare quickly
- Doesn’t dirty too many dishes, because my dishwasher refuses to work (yes, I’m the dishwasher)
- Can fuel my workouts, without driving me to boredom
- Is tasty enough that I won’t want to run to the nearest eatery
2) Opt for mindless snacks, but healthier
Instead of reaching for popcorn or chocolate when I need something to munch on, I now have a monster bag of baby carrots in the fridge. Yum yum.
Okay, not a finance tip exactly. But I like to think being healthy saves me money.
3) Stick to meals out that are an ‘occasion’.
All this means is that I can’t just buy food out because I feel like it, or didn’t plan well enough at home.
Eating out at restaurants now requires an occasion: whether that’s catching up with a friend, a girls night out, a parent date, a date date, OR a solo date but at a spot I’ve been really wanting to try for a while. That I also plan for in advance.
Not only has this rule helped me spend more intentionally, but it’s also helped force me to interact with other humans. Which they say is good for you.
4) Stick to 1-2 occasions per week.
1 per week will be easier to sustain once the east coast freezes over again winter arrives. But being that I’m such a lone wolf, I’m giving myself some grace with the occasions this season.
Separately gang, I’ve never been so “outside” in a summer. How do you extroverts do it.
5) Always leave the house with a snack
Because it’s inevitable that whether I’m going to the gym, to a class, to work, to the laundromat, or anywhere that is more than 20 ft from the fridge…I am bound to get a hunger pang. Family knows it. Friends know it. I am what I am.
6) Cap my ‘quick bite’ spending
Yes I’ve been outside and gotten a slice of pizza this summer that was unplanned/ not an occasion. I’m no saint, gang.
But when spending like that does come up, not only do I think it through more, but I also try to set quick limits for myself. Think “Okay self, you can get a snack, but keep it under 6 bucks”. Am I always successful? No. But has challenging myself like this helped me save? Oof yeah.
And of course, none of this work would mean anything if I didn’t have my accountability buddy – my trusty expense tracker spreadsheet – to keep me honest. Get your own, or learn how to build one for yourself.
Simple Tips for a Rich Life 