Easy Ways to Save Money That Won’t Make You Feel Like You’re Doing Without

Picture this: looking at your bank account and seeing a big number earmarked for spending on something that you’ve been working toward for a long time. Ca-ching! So great! But the working toward part (scrimping and counting pennies and the like) isn’t all that much fun for most of us. Luckily there are some proven ways you can save money that won’t make you feel like you’re living without.

If you don’t actually have to do the savings part — and don’t ever see the money as available when you get your paycheck — it’s not quite as painful to save money. So set up automatic transfers to your savings account before the money even gets in your hands.

From small things that stack up (like daily coffee and tea splurging) to pricey purchases like cleaning supplies, you can actually save a lot of dough making things yourself. Just try not to choose things to make that will cost you a lot of money upfront for tools and materials.

→ Save Money, Have Fun & Learn How to Make Something From Scratch

Or at the very least, resist the urge to get so passionately enthusiastic about a new hobby that you feel like you’ve got to have the newest, most expensive tools. From hiking to reading and more, find ways to spend your free time that won’t cost you money.

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Speaking of free hobbies…you’re not buying tons of books to read every year, are you? If you are, considering substituting a book store trip or two with some library trips to save a little dough relatively painlessly.

Do you choose the path to and from work that has the most tempting coffee shops? Have you subscribed to every email newsletter from all your favorite home decor and fashion stores? You can help save yourself from unnecessary purchases (yes even if they seem like a good deal!) by just taking the temptations out of your everyday life. You won’t know what you’re missing (or not buying because you’re trying to save money).

Swaps — for books, clothes, music and more — aren’t a new idea. But they’re still not really used as often as they could be. You are probably stylish and fashionable…which means you probably hang out with other stylish and fashionable people…everyone use each other for free swaps of cool stuff they don’t need anymore! Turning it into a party is another way to have a free fun hobby, too!

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