Money, I am sure you have noticed, is one of those things that is very good at just, like, disappearing. You know? I’ve been spending a lot of time looking at The Alignment System lately–you know, that character analysis system that originated with Dungeons and Dragons and has become a meme recently, for whatever reason–and money, I think, is on the “evil” side. Saving it is “lawful evil,” in a sterile, big banks kind of way, while spending it is decidedly “chaotic evil,” in, like, a “thowing all your cash away at a flash sale for no reason other than that it is happening and you are bored” kind of way.
If you, like me, are better at the “chaotic evil” side of money matters than the”lawful evil” one –AKA you’re better at spending your cash than stowing it away in your bank account–you might need some help. So, check out these easy ways to not spend literally *all* of your money at once. Trust us–you’ll be glad you did:
Stop Spending One Type Of Currency
Pick a type of dollar bill (a finance expert at The Huffington Post recommends a $5 bill) and ban yourself from spending it. Stick it in a jar and, in a few months, you'll have a sizeable chunk of cash that otherwise would have been spent on stuff you'd eventually forget about. Image source: iStockPrepare Before You Go Out
If you find that most of your spending is on little things that look super appealing to you when you're out and about--like, a latte here, some Chipotle there--try and prepare for it ahead of time. Like, if you know you always get hungry and *need* to stop by the hot bar at Whole Foods on your way home from school, eat before you leave school or bring a snack that you can eat on the way home. If you don't really *need* a coffee, but find that you really want one every time you walk by that cool coffee shop in your neighborhood, try to find a different route. Just thinking about your daily actions and spending triggers can make you more conscientious of your habits. Image source: iStockGive Yourself A Three-Day Wait Before A Big Purchase
Thinking about blowing some serious cash on some clothes or a piece of tech? Try and wait three days before you do it. This can seem like a long time, but this is a good way to figure out if you really want something, and aren't just tempted by an item that looks really cool now, but you won't even think about in a month. (And if it's sold out by the time you get to it, you'll know it wasn't "meant to be." This is what I always tell myself, anyway.) Image source: iStockTake The Hundred Dollar Challenge
Try and hold onto every bit of cash you get, whether it's change, babysitting money, or tips from your job. Once you get to $100, take it to the bank and either deposit it in your savings or ask for a hundred dollar bill. This way, you'll be less likely to blow it all, since single hundred dollar bill tends to look way more meaningful than a few dollars here and there would (plus, Benjamin Franklin looks at you all funny if you spend it on something stupid). Image source: iStockMake Lists When You Shop
Every time you go shopping--for clothes, food, whatever--make an exact list of what you need. This will help prevent you from getting distracted by things you don't actually need (like, a pair of sequin pants when you went out shopping for a dress for your choir concert), and, in turn not spend all of your money on dumb stuff you don't need. Plus, you'll actually appreciate the stuff you do end up buying more this way, too. Image source: iStockSave A Dollar A Day
If you have a job, make sure that you're tucking away at least one dollar every day. You can create a game out of it and save one more dollar a day (like one dollar the first day, two dollars the next, three the day after that, and so on). This isn't a huge amount of money every day, but it's money you're not spending--and, after just a couple months, you'll be almost a thousand dollars richer. Image source: iStockTell Your Friends That You Can't Spend A Lot Of Money
If your friends are in the habit of going out and spending, like, tons of money every time they hang out, and you know you can't keep up with their lifestyle, tell them. It doesn't have to be a big issue--just let them know that you're working on saving money right now and you'd rather do something that's a little less expensive (or free). Image source: iStockAre you bad at saving money? Do you have any good tips for saving money? Let us know in the comments!
You can reach the author, Sara Hendricks, on Twitter and Instagram.
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