Money saving tips you can start today

I was having a interesting conversation with a friend the other day about spending.  What we each choose to spend our money on and what our habits are.  As I get into my mid 30's I've started cutting back on my spending and focusing on the bigger picture when it comes to money.  Thankfully, Erik has a wonderful career and my biz has been very good to me over the last 10 years but it's never to early to be more frugal.  Also I find that the things that I want are always more $$ than I have.  #adulting Over the last year, I've starting making small adjustments on my spending habits and tweaking my spending to put more away towards bigger projects or goals.  Here are some small changes I've made that have created to put roughly $400 back in my pocket each month!  

Do my own nails- sounds not that fun right? I know but hear me out!  I work in the beauty industry and my nails needs to be done or looking clean at all times.  I found that a. I don't care that much and b.  I was spending around $60 a month on nail maintenance with my gel manicures and regular pedicures.  No more!!!!  Now I plop myself down in front of my favorite show at night and give myself a little mani pedi when I need it.  I've collected about 10 nail polishes to cover all seasons and get it done.  Total savings per month: $60

Make coffee at home-I actually prefer sipping my coffee at home during the week but was making a habit on weekends ( my work days) of grabbing a latte and protein box before work.  That would add up to be about $8 each week at least.  $16 if I was doing it both Saturday and Sunday.  Now I brew my favorite coffee, add my almond milk and sweetener, healthy preplanned breakfast and off I go.  I don't have to fret about waiting in the drivethru line and I that money goes straight towards other things.  Total savings per month: $32 ( $8 a week) 

Stop drinking during week- Erik and I made a rule of no more drinking and man has it changed out spending.  This was a surprise one to be honest.  Erik never cared about his wine being nicer but I acquired a taste for a middle of the road costing wine.  We don't drink now outside of the occasionally date night or getaway and are saving roughly $45 a week just by not drinking.  Whaaaa?????  Total savings per month: $180

Cut fresh flowers from my own yard- I love fresh flowers in the house.  There is nothing more cheery than a vase full of blooms on the kitchen table.  I would gather about $12 worth of pretty stems from Trader Joes about twice a month for around the house.  Since Spring is upon us, it's the perfect time to spend that $12 on potted blooms for our yard or porch.  I now can plant my favorites and enjoy them whenever I want.  Total savings per month: $24

Batch meal-I'm not a fast food person but my hubby is.  I live for a grocery list and my hubby likes to walk the aisles for options.  I CANT!  So I made him a deal, if I batch meal for the week for us will he cut down on his eating out and extra grocery trips.  If I'm batching for myself, whats it to me to make double portion?  Nothing!  I budget around $150-$200 on groceries per week which feeds the 4 of us breakfast, lunch and dinner for 6 days.  The 7th day we usually go out as a family.  Some of our go to's are tuna or chicken salad with pita chips for after school snacks, Spagetti, Burrito bowls and Tacos.  I always try and utilize our local produce stand for our veggies to save major bucks.  I can only get away with that budget because I meal plan and make a list like a machine!  I get us all organized on Monday's and we are good to go!  Total savings per month: $75

Comb through my subscriptions- I started combing through my bank statements and noticed a handful of subscriptions I've gathered over the last couple  years.  Yes YEARS I've been paying $3.99 here and $9.99 there for services that we don't use!  NOOOO!  When I totaled them up I was spending about $30 on nothing!  Just throwing it out the window!  Needless to say I cancelled those lingering things that I just didn't need and wasn't using and can put that towards something actually I will use!  Total savings per month: $30

Money talk

As we started getting working on our house projects we worked up a budget to keep our numbers from getting nuts.  House projects can be wallet sucking and we wanted to make sure we weren't getting over our heads ( okay so my husband made me make a budget  ) .  We were getting quotes on our kitchen and our numbers were just a little shy of what was needed for the ideal kitchen we wanted.  This of course pissed me off!  I wasn't mad at anyone but myself!   I was so bitter that I wasn't able to fork up the remainder we needed to get the perfect look I wanted.  I was not thrilled with compromising what I really wanted.   I have a thriving business and really should have had a nice little chunk of money saved up.  But wah, wah, wah  I havn't saved a rainy day fund to be useful in this project.  Well that was just enough fire under my booty to get me in gear to lock down my money big time.  I researched a couple things here and there and a few resources have clicked.  I wanted to share them with you so you can get your fire lit too!  

Digit app: 

How the Digit app looks each day!  

This app is amazing!  It's free which is awesome and literally saves money from right under your nose!  No really!  I've saved over $380 in a month and didn't even know it!   Here's how it works.... Digit tracks your spending habits as well as your deposits made to your checking account.  It asks you how aggressively you'd like to save and then puts aside a little each day into what I like to call a "holding tank".  Some days it saves $4 and some days it sets aside $16 all depending on my spending habits. It alerts you by text every day with sassy little videos and balance updates so you know exactly where you are at.  What I'm loving too is how by being more aware of how I much I can save little by little without even feeling it, it really does sensor down my frivourless spending.  No more nonsense!  I want more GREEN in my wallet for pretty house things!  

Rich Bitch by Nicole Lapin:

I was turned on to Nicole by listening to The Lady Gang podcast.  She is super sassy and beyond practical.  Such a girls girl and really makes things understandable which is why I love her!  She had gotten herself in debt and messed around with money a bit then decided enough was enough.  She got dumped by a boyfriend because she couldn't keep up with their intellectual money talk and she decided that she was pissed and was going to educate herself on how money works and what the best ways to deal with it are.  Basic style!   Her book is full of sass and I want to be her best friend!  She is super transparent and breaks down topics so easily that have been over my head for years! She has 12 simple steps to getting your life together financially!  Major light bulbs have gone off for me in Chapter 1, 3 and 7.  

Now I get it, money talk isn't fun or sexy!  But not having the money to spend on what you really care about isn't fun either!  I find nothing more empowering than knowing where my money is and how I plan to spend that hard earned dough on something that I really love!  I'm anxious to hear if any of you girls are in the same boat and how you are getting your wallet back in check!  Let me know if you try either of these things and how you like them!  Cha ching!!!!