As difficult as it may seem, going five days without swiping your credit card or spending cash can really help improve your budgeting techniques. Every day, we aimlessly spend money on things such as that extra cup of coffee to get us through the day, the uber ride for a couple of blocks, and on the bookmark you didn’t need, but you decided to treat yourself. We find simple pleasures in many things, and we can even find pleasure in being more frugal. Here are four ways that I stopped spending during my five-day challenge.
1. Eating Out Less
If you’re broke, busy, and a college student in New York City, not eating out is one of the hardest habits you could ever break. New York City food is expensive but after a long day of classes or work all you want to do is stop by the shop and pick up the food someone already prepared for you. In this case, expense trumps convenience and my bank statements show the proof. In order to break this expensive habit, I did one of the biggest grocery hauls of my life, at the same time I was aware of what deals I could find. By following a proper grocery shopping list I had a lot of ingredients to help me prepare my own home cooked meals which I was able to store away for the following days. Although my home cooked meals weren’t as good as a New York slice of pizza, I was able to find healthier eating habits and spend zero money on my three daily meals.
2. Free Entertainment
Personally, I want to go out every night and take advantage of everything that New York City has to offer. But, with the enjoyment comes the payment. A lot of New York City’s entertainment is expensive so in order to cut some of my entertainment costs without breaking my bank, I found some alternatives. You’d be surprised with all of the free events going around New York City, all it takes is a little bit of research and some good company to join you. I can truly say that some of the best events I’ve been to around New York City were free, which makes it even better.
3. Shopping
In New York we have four seasons, and with that comes the time to swap out our fashion. Shopping for new fashion each month can get incredibly expensive. Often we walk into a shop and are so in love with the newest trends that we immediately fall for the excuse, “treat yourself.” Instead of shopping at brand name retailers there are other options such as affordable department stores and thrift stores. To further completely cut costs from your fashion budget, swapping items with your friends or even people from Facebook groups is a great way to save money and find items that are even more unique.
4. Hobbies
If you love to travel, do yoga, go to the gym, paint, or do any fun activity to relax your mind, it is often worth a price. To completely eliminate hobbies from your life in order to save money is much too extreme. Instead, there are several free events happening around community centers or parks especially when the weather gets warmer. You can also recreate your favorite workout classes at home and for free by downloading free workout apps or watching YouTube videos. If you’re into paint classes, invite some of your friends over and have your own painting studio by buying materials at an affordable craft store which helps to eliminate those extra class fees.
Hopefully, you’re feeling daring enough to embark on this five-day challenge. Set aside a reasonable budget for those five days in case there is something you truly must purchase. After the five days, you’ll learn a lot more about budgeting than you thought you originally did. Although it’s not an easy challenge, it’s worth adapting your spending habits to help you in the future.
