Saving money and cutting monthly expenses isn’t easy. We often think that if we’d just made a little more money, things would be easier. This isn’t always the case. Oftentimes the more we earn, the more we spend. Here’s 15 things we cut from our budget, and don’t miss at all (mostly).
It takes around 21 days to break a habit. That’s why I recommend, after cutting things out of your life, giving it at least a MONTH before you make any decisions to add it back in. Some things may be hard to give up at first, but after a few weeks, you might discover you hardly miss it at all anymore.
Monthly Expenses We Cut From Our Budget
1. Home Decor Shopping
My all time fav store used to be Home Goods. I’m absolutely in love with Country Living Magazine, HGTV and all things home design. Unfortunately, those beautiful throw pillows and end tables can get pricey. Unless I’m shopping at the Dollar Tree, I’ve had to learn to decorate with things we have. Recycling or repurposing things we have is more environmentally friendly, and more fun.
2. Meat Products
I’ve been eating a plant based diet for over two years now, and loving it. Our grocery bill has been less expensive since I made the switch to banana smoothies for breakfast and simple rice and bean dishes for dinner. Those meat products can add up.
3. Bottled Water
Save the planet while saving money. Purchase a water filter for your tap, and fill up a reusable bottle when you travel. Easy!
4. Coffee Shops
We’ve all heard it over and over again. The few dollars you’re spending at your local coffee shop each day REALLY adds up. Make your own coffee at home if you need it. I drink the FREE tea, and coffee, at my office during the week.
5. Magazine Subscriptions
I mentioned earlier how much I love Country Living Magazine. We used to subscribe to it, but cut it from our budget. It’s helped me be more content. Those glossy pictures of beautifully designed homes was making me feel VERY dissatisfied with our 1,400 square foot modest house with worn furniture and peeling paint.
6. Newspaper Delivery
My husband used to receive the Philadelphia Inquirer. The paper was delivered every Sunday morning. After much discussion, we decided to cancel it. Now my husband buys the Sunday paper at our local grocery store once in a while, and we’ve got much less paper clutter in our house. He reads the news for free online, via his smartphone.
7. Gym Membership
I like to exercise. Really! It makes me feel a sense of accomplishment and lowers my stress level. In Pennsylvania, where we live, it gets cold in the winter. I don’t always feel like going out for a job in freezing cold sleet and snow, but I have been. In fact, I think it’s been helping my fitness improve, and I feel closer to nature.
8. Perfume
I work in Corporate America. My work day consists of cubicles and all the stereotypes that go along with that. When I walk past my female (and male) co-workers I’m often met with billowing scents of perfume. They smell wonderful! However, I realize they’ve spent good money for that scent, most likely. A typical bottle of perfume cost’s around $150.
I may not smell floral, but I smell clean – and that’s all that matters.
9. Candles
Scented candles can get pricey. So can those essential oil diffuser machines. Yes, they smell fantastic, but we’re trying to cut costs here, yo! Ditch these luxuries until you reach your financial goal. It’s just not all that necessary.
10. Cable
We cancelled this a loooooong time ago, and haven’t looked back. Does anyone under 55 still have it? Watching television is something we do less and less as the years go on. But, when we want to watch something we turn on our ROKU, which is connected to our internet. There’s plenty of free content on YouTube, or you can subscribe to an inexpensive service like HULU or NetFlix.
11. Convenience Food
I’ve been packing my lunch, peanut butter and jelly, for years. Literally! If you’ve worked with me in the past you know it’s true. That’s what I eat. I pack either a glass jar smoothie, or a sandwich, and estimate we’ve saved THOUSANDS by not taking the easy way out and purchasing quick bites at fast food chains and workplace cafeterias. Not to mention to health benefits. My kids have never even set food in a McDonald’s. (At least not with me!)
12. Hard Copy Books
I read a lot. If given my choice in free time activities it’d be a good book. Right after jogging, hiking or vlogging (I love YouTube!).
However, these days I read free books on my kindle. There are so many apps now that allow you to check out e-books from your local library, or to borrow audio books to listen to on your phone, that there’s less and less need to actually purchase a book.
13. High End Hair Salons
When our twins were born we bought some hair clippers. I’ve been cutting their hair with it for over seven years! Nope – I never had any formal training. Recently, I even started cutting our girls hair. That was somewhat terrifying the first time, but we all made it through alive.
If cutting your own hair isn’t something you wish to tackle, you can still find inexpensive hair cut shops. Oftentimes you can forgo the wash and dry, and pay less than $15 for a haircut. Most of the time, it looks pretty much the same as if you’d gone to high end salon and paid over $100.
14. Shoe Shopping
Ladies, it’s time realize those heels are HORRIBLE! My mom calls them “victim shoes”, and I suppose I understand what she means. Why do we subject ourselves to tight shoes that force us to walk at an unnatural angle for hours and hours?! Because they look good obviously. But, at what cost? Think about how your feet will look and feel once you hit your golden years? Maybe it’d be best to buy some practical, plus good looking, shoes this year.
Once a year I buy a pair of FatBaby Boots. Yes, they’re kind of expensive, but I wear them ALL YEAR. Pretty much every day to work I’ve got them on.
My suggestion is to find one (or two) pairs of shoes that work well for your lifestyle. Each week I head into the office, and chase after 4 kids every night and weekend. I need a pair of shoes (or boots) that can work in both situation. Additionally, I buy a good pair of running shoes once a year, and that’s it. Done!
15. Disposable Products
Years ago my husband and I cut disposable products from our budget, and never looked back. We use cloth towels in place of paper towels, cloth diapers for our babies, and I use cloth pads in place of disposable tampons or pads. We save thousands of dollars by doing this, and it’s not as gross as you’d think.
In closing, remember you’re cutting things from your budget to SAVE money, get out of debt, or simplify your life. Again, you can always add them back into your budget, if you miss them. Just give it some time to see if it’s something that’s truly important to you. It’s a great idea to try cutting things out every once in a while, to see how it feels. You may find your life more enriching without it.
