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The redditor ‘girlenteringtheworld’ told Bored Panda that the reason she decided to ask such a question was pretty straightforward: “After noticing how much money I saved, I was curious what other people had experienced in their life. I was also somewhat interested in adopting some other things to save money.”
She also pointed out that she’s usually pretty prudent when it comes to handling money, yet it takes effort nevertheless. “In general, I do consider myself to be frugal but, like many others, I am in a battle with hyperconsumerist habits I grew up with and still experience in the current American society.
“I have been trying to implement things like mindfulness and low buys on things I don't need. That said, I do thoroughly enjoy saving money and try to find coupons on everyday essentials (like groceries) whenever I can,” she added.
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Professor of economics Mary Eschelbach Hansen pointed out that your views play an important role when it comes to saving money. One of the three tips for taking better care of personal finances that she revealed to Bored Panda was keeping a positive attitude. “Think about money as a way to achieve your life goals,” she suggested.
According to Investopedia, setting short or long-term goals can help minimize unnecessary spending that often occurs when the money is not set toward something specific. In addition to that, setting goals can help trigger new behaviors, guide your focus and sustain momentum, all of which can boost your willingness to save money.
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Defining your targets leads to the second piece of advice shared by M. E. Hansen, “Keep your life goals in sight. (Try setting your background to a picture that reminds you of your goals.)”
Studies show that steps as simple as writing your goals down can increase the likelihood of succeeding to accomplish them. It is related to external storage and encoding. The first one is a reminder in a physical form that can be easily accessed and reviewed any time, while the second relates to our brain activity and ensures that the information gets stored in our long-term memory.
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“Know where your money goes! Use the budget planner in your banking, credit card, or payment apps to see what you are spending on,” the professor suggested as tip number three. In addition to that, she pointed out that automating your savings is also a good idea.
“If you have the option to 'round up' to savings, use it! Or open a separate account for savings and set up an automatic transfer to it when you get paid,” she said.
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* paper towels → rags, washable sponges, dish towels
* tampons/pads → menstrual disc/period underwear
* toilet paper → bidet + less TP
* tin foil/parchment paper/plastic wrap→ glass storage containers, silicone baking mats, beeswrap/vegan wax wrap
* ziploc bags → stasher bags/jars/Pyrex containers
* liquid detergent → powdered detergent
* liquid shampoo/conditioner/body wash → bars
* liquid hand soap → bar soap
* canned soda/bubbly water → sodastream
* clay cat litter → compostable pine pellet cat litter
* trash bags → bagless/washable bin liners/using packaging like dog food bags for bin liners
* eating less/stop eating animal products
* buying used/refurbished/secondhand
* learning how to store vegetables properly
* growing my own herbs
The OP also shared her insight on ways to save money: “I noticed I'm more likely to overspend whenever I am bored or don't have enough vitamin D. I noticed this after I started going for walks outside, or spending a day taking pictures of flowers at nearby parks. After I noticed it, I started implementing an "outside time" requirement before I buy anything to make sure it's something I actually want, rather than a dopamine-deprived impulse.”
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