As the clock struck twelve, confetti cascaded down from ceilings, and bells rang above your head, you imaged yourself doing a reverse “Cinderella.” This familiar, yet unnamed, New Year’s Eve trick is the act of shedding your former self at midnight, for whom you desire to be. A lot of mental purging had to be done to make this dream a reality. So, now it’s time to put your words to work.
One of the many things restricting us from being where we truly want is the financial burdens we place on ourselves. Most of these burdens are things we don’t need but feel attached to for whatever the reason may be. It may be hard to decipher what you want from what you need. That’s why we put together a list of things to stop spending your coins on in 2020 in order to bring yourself closer to your New Year’s goals.
Expensive Lattes
After a long commute or rushed morning, it may feel like the easiest option to run into your nearest coffee shop and get a six-dollar cup of coffee. Yet, just because it’s easy, doesn’t mean it’s best for us! If you allow yourself some extra time in the morning to brew up a cup in the morning—it’ll save you some coins this New Year. If you’re looking for a quick and easy investment, a Keurig mini is perfect for brewing your coffee in seconds while you’re getting your workday fit together. Remember to think smarter, and not harder.
High Dinner Bills
Of course, you want to go out with the girls or your co-workers this weekend at your favorite spot. Even though your mind is telling you yes, your wallet is screaming NO! Eating out is fine when done in moderation, but what may seem like a harmless weekend could turn into four. Instead of making high dinner bills a habit, make them a treat. Or, if you don’t want to miss out on the fun of being with your friends—try to get something cheap like an appetizer sampler. Trust me, they’ll fill you up like a regular entrée.
Unnecessary Subscriptions
Remember that subscription you just had to have to yet another streaming service, or the one you got a few months back, yet never used? It’s time to kiss these silent wallet killers goodbye! Sometimes we’re subscribed to so many things, we forget what all we’re contributing to. In this New Year, take some time to purge out on all the subscriptions that could be costing you more than you think! Remember, one music streaming or movie streaming service will give you more than what you need!
Face Masks
All is fair in love and self-care. Yet, is spending tons of cash on three different face masks really self-care or an easy spending habit to write off. Yes, we all love a good face mask—but do you really need a shopping cart full of them? Find something that works for both you and your skin type and live happily ever after with it and a relieved bank account.
Food Delivery Services
Everyone has those nights where they’d rather order a basic meal on a food delivery app to prevent the hassle of making their own meal or jumping in their cars to pick something up. Yet a $12 meal can easily turn into $26 dollars after taxes, delivery fees, and service fees are added. To prevent this sneak-attack of your wallet, practices such as meal prepping for the week come up useful and affordable. Besides, putting a little extra work in at the beginning of the week to ensure that you aren’t blowing money on simple meals is a sacrifice worth making.
Name-Brand Clothing
It’s not what you wear, it’s how you wear it! Trends are something that die within time, but style is something that never fades. Name-brand clothing is not a necessity needed to keep fabric on your back every day. Thrift stores and online sites like Amazon Fashion have the cutest pieces for the cheapest of prices. You don’t have to spend a million bucks to look like it, you just need a million-dollar attitude for execution to make your dressed-up dreams come true.
Gym Membership
Is that gym membership you signed up for last year off last year’s resolutions still burning a hole in your pocket? Girl, give it up. Sometimes we’re too busy for the gym, and that’s totally okay. Yet, that doesn’t mean to hold onto something that eating at your pockets because you feel that it will one day become useful. There are plenty of ways you can get the exercise in at-home with cheap work-out equipment or even using items in your home. Health isn’t a hard task, it’s a disciplined one that should work for you.
Expensive Makeup
Do the Sephora cashiers know you by face and name? Do you find yourself spending countless hours wandering down aisles filled with pricey foundation and endless shades of red lipstick? If you answered yes to these questions, there’s a good chance that you’re spending way too much cash on makeup—or at least spending more than you must. Who says drug store makeup is taboo? It’s affordable, gets the job done, and is always there when you need it. If that isn’t a friend you can count, we don’t know what is!
Bottomless Mimosas
Yes, the sacred Brunch tradition—is more than likely killing your pockets. We know that it’s never fun to miss out on the clinking of endless glasses across the table filled with your girls, but your wallet could use some tending to. The best alternative to this situation is to head over to your local grocery store and get some ingredients to make your own mimosas. A self-made woman can make anything happen, even if it’s your favorite daytime drink!
Salon Waxing
Pretty hurts…your pockets. That monthly appointment to make with all the things you think you need waxed can add up over time. Even though it seems unfair to break up with your wax lady, your coins will thank you in the long run. Yet, in life there always is that “silver lining.” Local stores like Target and Walmart can carry some of the best “at-home” waxing kits for affordable prices. Although it may take some practice and built-up pain tolerance, your at-home wax can’t be as bad as your bank account when you’re finished.
Remember that the most important step to success is sacrifice. In order of balance, you must give in order to receive it. Even though we may feel attached to each and everything we spend our cash on, all connections aren’t necessarily good. Let go of (shopping) baggage this year and invest in yourself.
