Save these tips.
A British woman says she’s saving more than $600 a month by cutting out four simple things she was mindlessly spending her money on.
Chrissie Milan, 25, who lives in London, admitted to being a frivolous spender before a trip to Thailand late last year made her realize just how much cash she was burning through.
“A smoothie cost me $1.30 in Thailand compared to $7.60 in the UK and it was much nicer,” the newly-thrifty Brit told South West News Service.
“It made me think about what I actually need to spend money on at home and also what I am getting in return.”
In January, Milan — who works as a video producer — decided to embark on a “no-spend year,” cutting out unnecessary purchases. She realized there were four distinct categories where she was wasting her money.
First, she realized she was splashing out almost $200 per month on clothes, totaling a considerable $2,400 per year.
With a wardrobe full of wearable items, the Londoner says she won’t be buying another item for the entirety of 2024.
Secondly, Milan was buying a daily coffee on her way to work. Thirdly, she was also purchasing lunch each day she was in the office.
Combined, those two categories came to $300 per month.
Finally, the spendthrift cut out fancy dinners with friends, opting to make meals at home, saving more than $100 each month.
“It is about getting to the root of what’s important,” Milan claimed. “Stripping everything away and starting from zero helps you realize what you miss and what you don’t.”
The Brit says she doesn’t miss going out for dinners with friends, and prefers to undertake cheaper activities with her pals instead.
However, the hardest thing to cut has been buying lunches at the office.
“Things like meal prep and planning ahead gets harder,” she admitted. “I had a few weeks in the middle where I regressed slightly.”
However, Milan looks set to save more than $6,000 in total this year, meaning the minor inconveniences are well worth it.
“The aim is to challenge my spending, so I think the money I save will be best put away for a rainy day or invested,” she stated.
“I want to build a comfortable financial future, I don’t feel the need to blow it on something huge.”