Where Smart Saving Grows
Practical ways to save money, cut expenses, and build your savings.
For most of my mid-twenties I operated under the assumption that saving money was something you did after you got a better-paying job. My current salary was for surviving. Saving would come later. The problem with “later” is that it doesn’t have a start date. I kept pushing it out and my savings balance stayed … Read more
I’d tried cutting spending before and it always fell apart around week three. I’d make a list of things to stop buying, stick to it for a while, then have one bad week and go back to everything I’d cut. The problem wasn’t willpower. It was that I was cutting the wrong things. I was … Read more
I’d tried cutting spending before and it always fell apart around week three. I’d make a list of things to stop buying, stick to it for a while, then have one bad week and go back to everything I’d cut. The problem wasn’t willpower. It was that I was cutting the wrong things. I was … Read more
I needed to save money fast. Like really fast. Had $287 in savings. Needed $3,000 for an emergency car repair + security deposit for a new apartment. Gave myself 90 days. Managed to save $2,513 (84% of goal). Here’s exactly what I did, week by week. Why Most “Save Money Fast” Advice Fails Now I will … Read more
Can you really save $500 in 30 days? I saw this challenge everywhere – Pinterest, TikTok, and finance blogs. Everyone claims you can save $500 in a month with “simple tricks.” So I tried it. October 2024. 30 days to save $500. Final result: I saved $447 in 30 days. A little short of the … Read more
I was spending $320/month on groceries for ONE person. That’s insane. So I tried to figure out how to save money on groceries without eating like a college student or giving up all flavor. After 3 months of trial and error, I was able to lower my spending to $170/month. That’s a whopping $150 saved/month … Read more
“Frugal living” sounds miserable, right? I thought so too. It was spending $3,200 and only making $2,900, so something was going to have to give. I didn’t want to be one of those people who reuse tea bags or wash their Ziploc bags (no offence if you do; it’s just not me). After 4 months, … Read more
I spent two years needing an emergency fund before I actually saved one. The delay was not due to a lack of understanding of the concept of saving. Everybody knows you need savings. But knowing and doing are two different things when you are living paycheck to paycheck. Then my car broke down, and the … Read more