11 frugal habits to save serious money (but still enjoy life)

0:00 Most people think that being frugal automatically means you need to be as cheap as possible. They'll say things like, "Never have a latte out. You shouldn't see inside of a restaurant unless you're working there." And basically, you should spend the rest of your life living under a rock hoarding as much cash as possible. But this completely misses the point of having money. The goal is not to spend as little as humanly possible. It's to stop wasting money on things you don't actually care about in favor of spending more on the things that you do. Now, I'll be real with you. I am frugal, but it's not in the way that you think. I don't clip coupons. I don't strive to buy the cheapest version of everything.

0:34 And I don't feel bad spending money on things to enjoy my life. But I do have a very specific set of rules to keep my spending in check without making it feel like I'm constantly sacrificing. And these habits have genuinely saved me thousands over the years, not to mention helped me get out of six figure debt while still being able to enjoy my life. And this first rule is one of my favorites because it works even if you're lazy. And that is to make being lazy more expensive. Because these days, one of the most expensive things that you'll ever pay for is convenience. And I know you know what I'm talking about.

1:05 It's ordering takeout when you have food in the fridge at home. Getting groceries delivered when you're too lazy to make it to the grocery store. Anything that you pay a premium for that you could be doing yourself. And if you pay for things like lunches out, Uber Eats every single day, then yeah, it's going to get really expensive. But sometimes you kind of want or even need that convenience. So here's what you do. We have a rule now that if we want to order something like takeout, for example, then we have to pick it up ourselves. Because the reason that most of us order takeout in the first place is because we're either too tired to cook or we're straight up lazy, which is fine. But when I counter that laziness with something that's even harder to do, like actually leaving the house to go pick up the food, then you know what?

1:45 I'm going to be more likely to just be like, "Yeah, I do have food at home, and I'm going to cook something from scratch." And that tiny rule has saved me not only hundreds of dollars, but on a lot of calories, too. It doesn't mean that you never spend money on takeout, but it does create some nice boundaries around it so that you don't find yourself overspending there, and you become less reliant on it over time.

2:03 Which takes me into the next rule that has saved me so much money over the years, especially as an eximpulse buyer and former shopaholic. And that is to set an impulse buy budget. And I totally know what you're thinking when I say this. It's like, why would you allow impulse buys in your budget? I thought the whole point was to make sure that we impulse buy less. And yes, you're right about that. But this rule's actually given me an incredible amount of freedom in my budget. Basically, all you need to do is set a number. Whether it be $5, $10, $20, set your limit. And if the item that you want to buy is any amount over that, then you must wait at least 24 to 72 hours before you buy it.

2:42 Anything under that, you can kind of go ahead and impulse buy. But what this did for me was it took away this huge sense of guilt that I had anytime I spent money that was outside of my budget or anytime I felt like a purchase wasn't intentional. As perfect as we want our budgets to be, most of us won't stick to it with 100% accuracy. And when I was trying to be extremely frugal and perfect with my budget, and let's be real, extremely cheap, buying something like a pack of gum or a croissant that wasn't in the budget would send me into a tail spin. The truth is, there's a difference between spending hundreds of dollars on something that you just saw as an impulse buy versus spending money a little spontaneously, whether it be going for a coffee or going to the movies with a friend. And when I realized I could have that freedom in my budget by adding in a few spontaneous impulse buys here and there, that's when I realized I could apply this next rule to my spending, which has low-key saved me hundreds of dollars and on so much clutter in my physical space. And that is to have favorites. This basically gives you permission to buy the things that you actually want. and you know that you're going to use it up because especially in the peak of my shopaholic days, I used to buy things all the time because I wanted to try it because it was the new trend. It was the new launch and it just left me with a whole bunch of stuff that I spent a ton of money on that I never actually used, especially when it came to things like personal care and makeup. But I've spent deliberate time over the years decluttering and using up the things that I already had, which also led me to find my favorites in every category. So, for example, my shampoo and conditioner that I absolutely love is a little bit more expensive, but I enjoy the experience of using it. I enjoy the result, and I know that I'm going to be using up every single drop before I go and buy it again. Or now I know what my favorite t-shirt is the next time I stain it or it gets worn out. I'm just going to go buy the exact same one and wear it until it wears out again. Or, let's be real, until I get like some spaghetti on it or something. That is the inevitable fate of most white t-shirts.

4:36 But the whole mindset around having favorites is that you've given yourself permission to spend that little money there, knowing ahead of time that you're going to enjoy every single moment in using it versus what will end up having you spend hundreds of dollars on products that you may not really like just because you wanted to try them. In my experience, it does three things. It gives you permission to spend a little bit more on the thing that you actually want. It encourages active cost per use and not just theoretical cost per use. because a lot of times we'll tell ourselves that we're going to use something and then we never actually do.

5:06 And three is that it can often eliminate the noise of new products, new launches, and new trends that most companies are really going to try to tempt you into trying. I think it's actually more frugal to spend a little more money on something you know you're going to use versus just trying to find the cheapest thing that you might never. This next rule applies to an expense that I am so glad that I didn't end up getting caught up in, especially as I started making money in my career for the first time. And that is just to never buy an expensive car.

5:35 I just looked up what the average car payment is in 2026, and it has now reached a high of $770 a month. That's expensive on a good day, but truly nothing will eat away at your wealth faster than having a car loan. And I know for many people it is unavoidable, but a lot of people buy more car than they can afford. And not only are those monthly payments now astronomical, you also have interest on those payments and things like vehicle maintenance, gas, and upkeep. So, the rule of kind of not really caring about what I drive has saved me a ton of money. But the point here is, if I gave into the pressure of caring about what other people thought about what I drove, then I would have a depreciating vehicle and a lot less money in my bank account.

6:15 Which brings me into my next rule, and that is to stop trying to do it all. Because I know from personal experience, trying to do it all is what's going to keep you broke. For years, I spent the majority of my disposable income on shopping, trying to buy the latest trends, buying all the latest makeup launches that the influencers were talking about. Not to mention charging things like vacations on my credit cards so I could post it on things like Instagram. One of the biggest lessons I had to learn about frugality and intentional spending is that most of us don't have enough money to do it all.

6:45 So, it's important to really pick and choose what you actually value spending money on. For some people, it will be things like travel, fitness, going out to restaurants, where for others, it could be on fashion, on pets, or on their hobbies. But because a lot of the times income is the limiting factor, you have to be strategic about where you decide to spend that money. If you try to spend it on everything, then likely the thing that's actually important to you is the one that's going to get cut.

7:11 But the moment I reflected on and accepted the three or four categories in my budget that I just knew I didn't want to stop spending money on, that's when it made spending intentionally in those areas a whole lot easier. It wasn't about restricting my budget. It wasn't about trying to buy the least all of the time. It creates a lot more focus in your budget so you can just spend more there and not feel bad about it. And the interesting thing is when you kind of go away from that spending and off your budget elsewhere, you sort of feel bad like, "Oh, I could have spent that money on that thing that I really wanted instead." So, when you start to get into this mindset of intentional spending and weighing the cost and the benefits of where that money is going, it really helps you focus in on what actually matters to you rather than trying to do it all or cut out everything, which is sad. Don't do that. And this next rule of mine is a complete non-negotiable. It's something that I do every single month. It's something I've done every single month for the past 7 years since I started.

8:07 And that is to budget. And I know it sounds so boring and restrictive, but the budget will set you free. It really, really will. No matter your income, too. I get so many comments here of folks saying that like, "I don't make enough money to budget. Why would I budget?" And I'll tell you, if Fortune 500 companies keep a budget, then you need one, too. And if you are on a more limited income, that's when budgeting becomes even more important. I started budgeting as a very first step for me in paying off the remainder of my $120,000 student loan debt. But even after I became debtree and did things like start my business and increase my income, I still budget to this day because what the budget does is it gives my money a plan. When you make a plan for your money, you're the one who's in control.

8:52 You're the one who's telling your money where to go instead of wondering where it all went. And believe me, it's easy to forget until you see your credit card bill and you're like, why did I spend that much on that embarrassing? I've been there. I've been there. You know, a budget doesn't take long to do it all. Once you get it down, it'll take you less than 10 minutes a month and less than 5 minutes a week to track your expenses. But the one rule I have about budgeting to make it easier mentally to do and to stick to is to stop looking at it as a form of restriction. I think the reason most people don't stick to their budget is because they feel like they need to cut out as much spending as possible and stick to it as perfectly as possible when that's not really how it works. I don't know about you, but I love seeing where every dollar of my money is going because it gives me insight on how much my life actually costs, how much I'm actually spending, and where I see opportunities to potentially spend more in certain categories and areas that I can cut. But if you're not tracking your money, you're not planning for it, and you're not paying attention, then you're not going to know any of this, and it's just going to be a lot harder to do. And if you want to get started with budgeting, I have a ton of videos on my channel, and my budgeting template is always available down below in my bio. I think it's really cute, which makes budgeting more fun, and it also tracks things like your mood, your emotions, and your impulsive versus intentional purchases, so you can really unlock the patterns in your spending. And I think it's really helpful. And if you want to support me, you can check it out. But no pressure.

10:14 the best budget is the one that you actually stick to and that you actually use. Next one is a bit more practical, but I do find it makes a nice difference in my budget and just helps prevent any unnecessary spending, and that is to simply audit your subscriptions every month. And if you are budgeting regularly, then you're kind of forced to do it anyway. But I find it's really important to make sure you're auditing the subscriptions that you signed up for to make sure that you're still actually using it and getting value from it. So, for example, last month I signed up for Disney because I really wanted to watch The Simpsons, and I haven't really been watching it that much, so I've canceled it. And with those subscriptions, we really only have one going at a time.

10:49 So, right now, we've signed up for the Premier League. My editor is going to be really happy about that one. But if it turns out we're not using it next month, we're going to cancel it and get something else. I think because they're recurring payments, it's really easy to let those subscriptions slide. But, I think it's important to make sure you're actually using them. And if you aren't, get rid of them. They're not worth it. Because the way I see it, it may not feel like a lot of money. That $18 or $20 a month that you're spending, but it's money that you could be spending elsewhere on things that you actually care about. Whether it be going for a coffee, going to the movies, going to get lunch with a friend. It just forces you to think about where you'd rather be spending that money that's otherwise being spent on autopilot for you. And I did say one of my favorite things to spend money on was food and groceries in my budget. But I do have rules around this. And the way I would like to demonstrate this rule is through this avocado that is beautiful, perfectly ripe, actually starting to get a little bit too soft, which means it's time to eat it. But if I had any more avocados than this in my home, they would go bad and not be eaten. Same with this pint of blueberries that I have here. So, my rule is to not overshop my groceries. But I used to buy a full bag of avocados every time I went grocery shopping, for example, just thinking that like, you know, I'm going to make all these guacamole and beautiful avocado toast and avocado roses and blah blah blah. And no, like they would all sit there. They would all ripen and they would all turn brown and taste like a garbage bag and go bad. So, I stopped doing that. I buy what it is I want to get from the grocery store, but I make sure that I buy reasonable amounts and I actually buy less than I think we're going to eat because sometimes we can't get through it. It does mean that I have to go out and buy produce a little bit more often during the week, but ultimately it does save me money because we're actually eating what we buy before it goes bad. And by the way, I did try putting these in the fridge. I think ultimately we just eat fewer avocados than we think we do. So, I just stopped buying them. But you guys help me so much in the comments. So, let me know if there is a way to not have your strawberries and your raspberries go wet and moldy after one day. I would love to know. And speaking of things like food and eating out, this next thing I feel like has saved a ton of money and probably a lot of our health, it's definitely made me feel better, feel less anxious. I feel like my skin is better, my hydration is better, my sleep is better, and my wallet is better. And that is I quit drinking alcohol. There's water in this. I actually haven't had a drop of alcohol since December of 2022, and I don't miss it. And besides the health benefits, I feel like cutting out alcohol also had a significant impact on my wallet, specifically when we choose to eat out at a restaurant. I've always been told that the biggest money maker when eating out is on the drinks. And it does make a huge difference in the food bill when you do decide to eat out. And I find that money is either better saved or better spent on things like appetizers, which we otherwise wouldn't have spent money on in the past. I don't know. I'd rather eat my calories than drink them. But it's also just nice to not to have that line in my budget anymore, quite frankly. And when it comes to things like spending a lot of money at restaurants, doing things like eating out to spend time with your friends, one way that I feel like I save a lot of money in my budget is by swapping those more expensive nights out with free activities. I feel like a lot of people think that in order to see your friends, you need to spend a lot of money. And I just don't think that's true. There's so many free and fun activities that you can do nowadays to get that sense of community and to socialize. like one of my closest friends, we almost never go out to dinner or do anything that costs money, but we do spend a lot of time doing things like going for runs and that is free and it is so much fun. So, not only are we doing activities that are good for us, but we're getting socializing in and it doesn't cost a lot of money. And if it's not going to do a workout or a run, could it be having a potluck at somebody's house? Or if you're decluttering your closet, you can invite your friends over so they can pick through your stuff. Especially now that things are getting more and more expensive, I think there's just a lot of free and fun things that you can do with your friends that don't cost a lot of money at all. That can also free up money in your budget for other things, too. And I do think one of the best things you can do if you want to focus more on living frugally while still enjoying your life is to just romanticize that. Life might feel really simple and boring, but the way you choose to frame this and how you spend your money doesn't really have to be.

15:04 You might choose to do things like make your coffee at home and take your lunch to work every day to save money for that next vacation you want to go on, but it doesn't mean the beans that you buy have to taste awful or that you're having a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch every day to do it. Unless you want that, no judgment. I love a good PB&J. Just because you're building habits to save money doesn't mean you need to suffer through them. If you're trying to be more frugal, there can definitely be pressure from both extremes. One could be sacrificing the most in order to save the most. And then there's a ton of outside pressure from things like social media that make us feel like what we are doing is not enough. Not fancy enough, not aesthetic enough, not big enough, not expensive enough. But I truly believe that life is made up of the little things that you do every day. So anything you can do to appreciate and enjoy it a little bit more is going to matter. But none of these frugal rules really mean much if you don't have a plan for your money.

15:54 So, make sure you check out this video next where I go through exactly how to budget from start to finish with numbers from my own bank account. And don't worry because it's a lot easier than you think. Thanks so much for watching and I'll see you next week. Bye.