In that past year, I’ve given up a lot of little luxuries in the interest of budgeting my money better and saving up for more important goals. It was extremely difficult at first to quit some of these habits cold turkey. However, as time has gone on, I feel much freer, healthier, and happier living without these 4 items that I used to consider staples in my life.
1. Soft Drinks
It’s crazy to think that I used to go to the store and put milk, tea, fruit juice, cokes, etc. all in my cart. I absolutely love juice, and well, soft drinks are pretty delicious. So, I never thought twice about purchasing them. Once my husband and I really started to focus on budgeting our money, these little extras went away. Today, having a soft drink is a special treat, something I might get when out to eat at a restaurant instead of always having them in my fridge. For the past year, we’ve stuck to coffee and hot tea in the mornings and water during the rest of the day. Also, we get the little added bonus of living in the Caribbean so we often pick fresh fruit from the yard and make juice. I can’t really count how much money we’ve saved by cutting out the extras, but I know it’s an easy fix if you’re on a tight budget.
2. Smart Phones
I’ve now gone a solid 13 months without a smart phone, and yes I know it’s sad that I know the exact number. This was the absolute hardest thing for me to give up. For weeks after I turned it off in favor of the cheapest phone in the store, I seriously had phantom phone pains. Every time I was in a waiting room, I’d reach to surf the net on my phone only to realize I turned it off. It took a full 6 months before I broke this habit. It made me realize how much time I spent on my phone. I feel like I’ve gained back hours every day, and miraculouslyâ I can still run my blog and my freelance business without it.
3. TV
This one really goes without saying. We all know that we can live without watching TV; it’s just that few of us actually do it. I have personally enjoyed getting rid of my TV. Whenever I want to watch a show, I just catch it online. It’s as simple as that, and it saves me a good chunk of change every month.
4. Beauty/Spa Treatments
Now, I realize that this one in particular is more directed towards the ladies, but gentlemen I know you like your nice haircuts too. It’s incredible how much money all of us spend on items in this category. Highlights for your hair, pedicures, eyebrow waxing, etc. all add up. I’m not saying to let yourself go or anything, but many of these maintenanceâ costs can be fixed by yourself. You can even learn how to give your significant other a decent haircut after a little bit of practice!
Of course, quitting all of these things at once might be a bit much, so I recommend slowly weaning off of one at a time. Once you do, you’ll not only have hundreds of extra dollars a month but you’ll also feel healthier and more relaxed.
I’m sure these are not the only things that you can find to cut out of your monthly routines. These are just a few that I have personally dealt with. What are some of the things you’ve given up that others can’t seem to live without?
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