I have been giving a lot of thought to consumption in all forms (more on that later), but after a recent conversation with a friend on how expensive groceries are, I thought about all of the ways we work hard to save so we can spend on the “splurges” that align with our family ethos. Here are 5 things we can do right now that pay dividends in the long run:

Before we get into the ways to save, let’s first nail down a few ideas to maximize the success of your saving spree:

1. Set a timeframe. Do you want to try it for a week? Maybe you’re really looking to analyze your spending habits and are ready for even bigger savings so you can lock down a whole month. Only you know what goal/ timeline will serve you best.
2. Wants vs. needs. Before you get started, jot down a list of what you believe to truly be your needs. Be stringent! It will help you reflect later on on the items that you think are a “need” in the moment but didn’t make the original cut and are therefore not on the menu during your challenge.
3. Set some rules. Are there certain areas you can lob off the top before you even begin? I’m looking at you, Starbucks. Maybe it’s preemptively eliminating trips to Target during the challenge, no flowers during your Trader Joe’s run, no treat matcha whilst out running errands. Any guidelines you can definitively give yourself ahead of time will set you up for success.

Now that you have your own ground rules, here are five ideas from us on finding more ways to save:

hit the unfollow button

And if that seems too harsh, you can always “mute” instead. This could be a friend who always has the latest and greatest new {insert trigger of choice here} that makes you feel less than. Or the influencer who is constantly pushing “great buys” that you “have to have”. For me it’s the skincare guru showing me a new cure-all that will suddenly make me glow like an angel and reverse my skin’s age by at least a decade 😆. We all have something. So if you’re finding that you’re spending more than you’d like to, or being heavily influenced, press pause, and consider even temporarily taking a break from social media ((which will reap far more intrinsic rewards than just the savings you’re after)).

unsubscribe

In that same vein of unfollowing, unsubscribe to the store emails that hit your inbox when you’re at your most vulnerable. It’s like they can sense when you need a dopamine hit in the early afternoon and suddenly you’ve added a whole new quilt set to cart because the bedroom needs another refresh. Think of it this way, less emails, less time wasted, less money spent. You can always subscribe again in a few weeks if you miss it, and maybe they’ll even throw in a discount code.

delete the app

For us, it’s amazon. That app has a chokehold on me. They make it so darn easy for us to buy in one-click and have it delivered the same day. Might I recommend adding your “needs” to subscribe and save so you won’t run out of the essentials, and then temporarily deleting the app during your spending pause. You can always access your account on a laptop, and this way it’s not right in the palm of your hand every time you get a little whisper that you’d like a new colorway of those running shorts, or that juicy book a friend just recommended. Think of how much you’ll save when you let the impulse pass and you can see if the want turns out to be something that stays on your radar, or becomes another would-be discarded purchase you forgot to send back during the return window.

subscription review

This one is going to take a few extra minutes than the previous prompts, but it’s going to pay you back big time. Right before you delete amazon for a bit, head to the “account” tab, then down to “memberships and subscriptions” and check on all of the services you’ve signed up for. Are you using them often? Is the price still worth it to you? When I did this I discovered a learning channel that I had purchased for our son that he was no longer using, along with a couple of subscribe and save items that I had a back stock of and no longer wanted to arrive as often as they were. We also saw we were still paying for HBO when I thought I had canceled it. Think about what other services you’ve signed up for. A quick scan of your Apple ID, credit card or bank account may help locate these. When I did this step, I found out a local car wash was charging us monthly even though we’d only been once and did not sign up for their membership.

notice your spending triggers

Lastly, take stock of that feeling you get when you buy something, and better yet, before you buy. Oftentimes, we buy to fill a void we’re feeling elsewhere. We’re looking for a feeling, not another belonging. I’ll use an example that has plagued me for a long while. I love to buy workout clothes. A few years ago I had a number of brightly patterned yoga pants, thinking it would make me excited to exercise. Maybe for some, that philosophy might actually have some weight behind it. But having a cute set didn’t make me want to work out any more. Actually working out made me want to work out more because I felt the fruits of my labor. Whatever it is that you’re attempting to illicit from the purchase, try finding that feeling before or working for it in a new-to-you way.

And when all else fails, click on this. You can’t unsee it. I get sick to my stomach when I think back to my days in commercials and working on television thinking I had to wear something new each day or the viewers would know I repeated outfits. I would much rather spend a little more now on a quality, classic piece I’ll wear for a decade, than a fast fashion shirt I’ll wear for a season.

Happy saving, kind friend! It’s another avenue to your well + joyful life. I’m doing it alongside you!