A lot of people ask me how I’m able to live solo and the answer is I was forced to get creative.
I really wanted a house for personal reasons. And I made it happen.
Even though it wiped me out financially for a while.
But in the process, it taught me how to spend less and now nothing feels impossible. I know myself a lot more and I definitely feel more in tune with my values which has made me naturally spend less out of alignment.
But once I got in tune with my values, I naturally started to spend less out of alignment.
Extreme frugal living, no-spend challenges, and slashing costs are tools that work too but I don’t like staying in a state of survival mode too long, which is where feminine energy comes in.
Saving isn’t impossible. But if you’re looking for ways to spend less money in this economy, you’ll have to stretch yourself and get a little creative.
5 Ways to Spend Less Money Without Feeling Restricted
1. Create Before Reaching for Your Wallet.
Overconsumption in all forms drains you of your natural creativity.
I used to get addicted pretty easily to the dopamine hits from shopping or scrolling, but both left me broke and with no energy for hobbies.
So I started creating. It helps to do things that I actually enjoy, like writing. Every morning, I’ll write down a journal entry, an outline for a blog post, a recollection of my dreams, anything.
But that doesn’t mean you have to be an artist.
I also love container gardening, baking, and photography for all the feel-good “dopamine” effects.
3 Ways to Create Before Buying
- Cook meals using pantry staples and items nearing expiration before going to the store.
- Mix vintage clothes in new ways to create fresh outfits instead of buying new wardrobe pieces.
- Shift your energy to creative tasks like organizing or reading rather than browsing online shops.
Creating is an affirmation of self as a source of abundance and energy to manifest the life you want, rather than mindless consumption for external validation.
2. Buy Quality That Feels Good Long After.
A lot of us have lost the art of patience, thoughtfulness, and quality. We replaced craft with convenience, and the costs have become apparent ever since.
One of the biggest examples is food. There is a certain energy, care, and preparation of food that has declined over the years.
I’ve even noticed some of my favorite local places to eat start with fresh ingredients, but once they have a steady stream of customers, they will slowly replace them with processed options. And raise the price by 25%.
So now I’m more intentional and creative about the holistic experience of food.
I indulge in happy hours at higher-end restaurants or splurge on my favorite steak dinner once in a while for the memorable experience. I’m even thinking about hosting dinner parties with friends and family.
The difference is that now I actually look forward to meals, while fast food or chain restaurants leave me heavy and drained.
Once you feel the shift in experience, spending less doesn’t feel like deprivation. It feels like an upgrade.
3. Receive More by Using What’s Already Around You.
I think one of the biggest pitfalls of a scarcity mindset is that when something is free, people think it’s less valuable.
People talk about how much they don’t have but don’t realize their problem isn’t a lack of resources. It’s a lack of creativity.
This is not me saying to pick yourself up by your bootstraps to escape harsh economic realities. But what I am saying is that there are still free community resources out there that people barely take advantage of.
The library is the biggest resource in plain sight to make your dreams come true. For free. Even digitally.
For example, I never considered buying a home because I just assumed it was out of my reach. I was living on a single income and had no idea about the homeownership process. But with my determination and research, I:
- Took a free homebuyer’s education class at my local Goodwill community center.
- Found a real estate agent through a program my employer provided.
- Utilized Buy Nothing groups to furnish my place before I could afford decor.
- Researched YouTube to save myself over 3K in my first year as a homeowner for small home repairs.
Obviously, there is a lot more to being a homeowner.
But an abundant mindset doesn’t assume that you can’t do something because of a perceived lack of money.
Creative problem-solving teaches you that when you desire something, take advantage of all that’s available to make it happen.
4. Let Your Financial Peace Become Your Glow-Up.
Even if you’re struggling financially, never let what you’re going through show.
When you lock in because you’re finally sick of not living the life you want, you no longer have time to spend money because time is of the essence now.
The focus becomes being the best version of you. This means cutting out BS and distractions. It means waking up, going to work, going to the gym, eating, and going to sleep. Read books. Rinse and repeat.
Life might look boring for a while, but it keeps you focused on the prize.
Investing in yourself is one of the best ways to spend less money in a world built to distract you from your purpose.
You also start to see abundance isn’t just money, but in all forms, whether health, mindset, emotions, etc., which all will need to be regulated.
Intention becomes the natural default when you make yourself the highest priority.
5. Find New Ways to Feel Rewarded.
Systems are how I saved over 10K without trying.
Before I had self-awareness, I would mindlessly consume for the dopamine hit that it gave me and felt guilty.
Once I gained self-awareness, I realized I didn’t have to change myself; it was my system that needed an upgrade.
I used automated savings strategies to grow an emergency fund without hardly noticing. But once I started to see it grow over time, saving almost became addicting.
Every time I didn’t give in to the impulse to shop, I would transfer $100 to my savings instead. If I had money leftover for the month, I would transfer the difference.
How do you stop yourself from spending what you save, you ask? Create friction.
I have a main bank account for bills and small expenses, but my emergency fund is in a separate high-yield savings account, and any extra discretionary money gets transferred to a credit union.
There’s something about money just being out of sight, out of mind that makes me forget I have it, which has been one of the most effective ways to spend less money.
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This Post Has Shown You 5 Ways to Spend Less Money Without Restriction
Spending less money doesn’t mean restriction and shame have to be tied to it.
Once you slow down and become more intentional about what you consume, it almost starts to feel like self-care.
Truly invest in experiences and things that nourish you mentally, emotionally, and physically.
And once you’ve experienced that shift, you don’t crave convenience in the same way anymore.
You crave care, presence, and moments that feel like they were made just for you.
