5 Ways Women Can Reduce Their Spending

Prioritize 👏 Prioritize 👏 Prioritize

People are always amazed at how I’ve managed to save so much money as a 22-year-old and can afford the things I do now as an independent woman.

The look on their faces is always hilarious. To me, it seems simple… but the more I learn how little my friends have in their bank accounts, the more I realize that my own habits are not the way most people spend…

Women want to reduce their spending but then you ask them if they’re willing to make a few simple changes in their life and they frown.

With the right mentality, you can embrace a lifestyle with less until you can afford more. It‘s not as awful as it sounds!

1. Paint Your Own Nails

$50 every 2 or 3 weeks for an acrylic fill?! Or a gel manicure?? Couldn’t be me.

Even if it’s once a month, there’s a good chance that by the time you add up the total price PLUS the tip, you will be spending at LEAST $50. If you’re getting a mani and a pedi, then your total is definitely going to exceed $100.

$100/month times 12 months =$1200/year.

Would it be nice to get your nails done frequently? YES. BUT,  you just don’t need it… Especially when you can easily do it yourself. No, it may not come out perfect the first few times, but you will get better at it eventually, just like any other skill.

You might even find it enjoyable or therapeutic! The secret is that you have to make it fun.

Play some music, light some candles, or invite a friend over and do each other’s nails! Then, you won’t have to worry about painting the other hand with your non-dominant hand!  😉

2. Cook.

It’s fun!  Stop eating out and picking up lunch at Whole Foods every day. The expenses add up and food prices are only increasing these days…

Watch a few YouTube videos, put on some “Barefoot Contessa,” and teach yourself something new!

Of course, we don’t always have time to make the most extravagant meals, but that doesn’t mean you can’t whip something up in no time! Pinterest is a life saver! 

3. Spend a Night In Instead of Going Out

The amount of money we spend when we go out, whether that be at the mall, the club, or restaurants, is incredible.

There are so many fun things you can do with your friends or even by yourself that don’t cost anything. Spend time in nature and connect with your soul… Do some yoga with friends at the beach and bring snacks (or wine 😉).

The best part is it’s FREE and beautiful!

4. Don’t Go to Tulum

I get it. All your friends are going, you want to show off on the ‘gram, and it’s a beautiful place to relax, party, and get high on toad venom, but let’s be real:

You can’t afford it. 

Yes, the experience will be “amazing,” but if you’re truly focused on saving your money so you can get a beautiful car or move out of your parents’ house after college, you will have to prioritize.

Tulum or Independence?

Tulum or Debt?

You decide.

Tulum will always be there. You can always visit in the future.

I’m using Tulum as the example here but the same applies to all trips and vacations. At a minimum, you’ll be spending $1000 to go anywhere these days. It’s an experience that you will have forever, but again, if you have bigger goals for yourself in mind (like moving out or starting a business), then you have to be frugal sometimes.

You will thank yourself in the future, I promise!

5. Track Your Expenses

What are you spending your money on? Everyone has their own financial “bad habits” that they can work on. What are yours?

Start paying attention to where you spend the most money and what you can do to reduce it. That might be food, cosmetics, clothes, entertainment, Ubers, or alcohol.

Try and cut down where you can. Everything adds up.

Always ask yourself, “Do I really need this?”

What can you do to reduce your expenses?

When inflation keeps increasing and our salaries don’t, we have to be extra careful during these (very) trying economic times.