I use 3 simple tricks to help me spend less money. Simple as that!

Spending less is a very broad term so let’s find a way to narrow things down. Reviewing your budget is the best way to understand where your main expenses are but it doesn’t always tell the truth. A budget can be skewed by whoever controls it, and sometimes the person in control likes to push percentages further than they can stretch.

My favorite way to get to the bottom of spending, is actually calculating every purchase at the end of the month. Tracking spending and keeping receipts doesn’t work for me, so I peruse my online banking and probe the statements like a boss. You might be surprised to find you spent way less than expected, but you also might be surprised to find you spent an extra $25 on fast food after nights out with friends. Damn those nights we can’t remember. (Not me though because I stay home every weekend and watch Netflix)

Never the less, here are 3 tricks I use to spend less…

1) No-spend on 4/5 weekdays

This might sound hard, but in reality, it’s extremely easy. I keep myself busy with activities and plans during the week that are cost-free or I have already paid for. I leave one weeknight open for gas, grocery, and dining out experiences. Before I had this rule I was always spending for such lackluster reasons. I was bored, I was hungry (because I was bored), I didn’t want to make dinner tonight, and I needed to go see a new movie. Well that’s changed. Because I make my breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day, I am saving so much more than the average full-time employee.

2) Expect the unexpected

Any Big Brother fans reading? No? Okay. What I mean by this is that I am always prepared for unexpected expenses that would regularly force me to spend more money. This could be a birthday celebration, a car part needed, you had a bad day and really needed some pizza, etc. Expenses you weren’t ready to pay for, but you had to. By putting coins and leftover cash that I have into mason jars, I automatically have a miniature emergency savings fund. This fund is for small emergencies that are not going to bust your savings. They’re merely going to put you over budget for the month, and that is not an option.

3) Pretend I have less money than I do

What if you had $1,500 in your bank account, but you told yourself and all of your friends that you only had $500? You’d probably start to believe it, wouldn’t you? If you completely forget about that other $1,000 you probably wouldn’t spend more than the $500 on your mini weekend getaway, because you know you wouldn’t have enough to pay for other purchases once you got home. So why don’t we do this more often? If we don’t need every cent of our paycheque then why do we spend it? Instead, let’s spend less.

Well, I hope you’ll consider giving these 3 tricks a go. Finding unique ways to motivate yourself for a financial goal can always give you something to look forward to. Can you make it 4 days this week without spending money? If you accomplish this once, who knows how many times you can do it? The possibilities to save and stay on budget are endless. The key? Finding what works best for you by trying as many options as you can.

PS: my obsession with gif’s will never come to an end.

What are some of your tips to spend less?