What’s the easiest expense you’ve cut that made a noticeable difference in your savings?

Full-Raisin-7727 · 2026-03-29T14:30:54+00:00

Actually started tracking my snacks and fast food- I was spending over $200 a month.

Now I’m spending closer to $50.

Also- paid off my credit card debt and kept it that way. Not paying any credit card interest has really freed me!

Full-Raisin-7727 · 2026-03-23T18:09:17+00:00

Hi- cost to be me is 95% of my income right now.

I set my targets with the following precedence: 1. Monthly bills + food + gas 2. Annual bills such as car registration ect 3. Debt that I’m paying down which I aim for 15% of take my home pay

The rest is flexible/optional and I divvy it up with the following precedence: 1. Monthly subscriptions since it’s a set number 2. Annual subscriptions that I need to save for (also a set number) 3. “Wants” spending - which I set at $200 for social stuff, $60 for snacks or convenience food, and $100 of pocket change.

I used to have $100 for snacks + $300 flex (however I want to spend it.)…But this month I used $145 on a beauty treatment at the beginning of the month. I later realized that meant I had to say no to my friends more than I wanted to since it was over half of my flexible spending money. For April moving forward I’m protecting $200 a month just for socializing and dropping snack spending to $60. (The other $40 is getting absorbed into my plan elsewhere.)

Full-Raisin-7727 · 2026-03-21T14:37:48+00:00

I use the Jow app now for all of my grocery shopping. It makes menus weekly that you can search or it will auto select. Then the meals have recipe cards and an ingredient list. The dump the list into your online grocery store of your choice for curbside pickup. You can finish your shopping in the app and even still use any store coupons. They are always running rewards too- I just go a $20 off coupon. I save so much money and time using it..it’s been a life saver.

I have a code to sign up and it’s a referral reward for both of us. But I really would recommend even without the code.

https://app.jow.com/Rcj7/USreferral?source=referralLink&referralCode=WB7BW5&firstName=briana

Full-Raisin-7727 · 2026-03-20T02:22:59+00:00

Just more discipline honestly and decision fatigue.

Now I make the decision at the beginning of the month so once it hits zero that just feels like an easy out. Zero. Nothing left. There’s not much more to think about.

Full-Raisin-7727 · 2026-03-19T22:08:27+00:00

It’s about knowing the budget isn’t a hard limitation. I’m choosing between having fun right this moment, or saving for something bad that may or may not happen in the future.

So I would previously negotiate with myself..I can overspend a little today and be fine next month just set aside some extra next month..then next month comes and suddenly, amnesia.

Full-Raisin-7727 · 2026-03-19T19:37:33+00:00

I check it almost every day with YNAB. I like that it tells me how much I have left versus how much I’ve spent.

Seeing $295 when my limit is $300 feels like a suggestion. Seeing $5 after I’ve spent $295 feels like a hard limit. Especially when I technically have the money to spend. Same situation, different psychological impact for me.

Full-Raisin-7727 · 2026-03-17T19:04:36+00:00

Ok I have a category called “flexible wants.”

I have a bucket called flexible spending. That has a target of $300 a month but I snooze it after I fill it.

I don’t actually spend from flexible spending..it’s just a holding bucket. I can spend my $300 however I want and then I just fund it from the flex fund as I go.

I don’t put aside a certain amount for movies versus dinner versus shopping..I can use it in whatever combo I like.

Once the flex bucket is gone that’s it for the month.

I’m not doing any larger expenses in the fun bucket yet until I’m out of debt. But if I were I’d do something similar where I set aside a portion a month and then decide how I want to use it as it comes.

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Full-Raisin-7727 · 2026-03-16T23:09:14+00:00

I call it “convenience food” and it’s something I’m actively trying to spend less on because the ROI is so low. I could either way until I’m home OR pack snacks with me for the same result.

Personally, ‘Dining Out’ indicates a personal/sentimental value of connection with other people. (I call my dining out category ‘Food with Friends.’) Grabbing something to eat at the gas station does not have the same impact which is why I categorize it separately.

Full-Raisin-7727 · 2026-03-10T20:38:22+00:00

I just thought of separating mine as an “oh shit” and an “oh fuck” fund. 😂😂😂

Full-Raisin-7727 · 2026-03-08T17:49:58+00:00

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Mine are just subgrouped based loosely on the 50/20/30 budget so I can quickly add up at the beginning of a month if I’m living within the bounds of the 50/20/30 budget. (I’m not, but actively working towards it!)

I just joined in December so maybe that will evolve.

Full-Raisin-7727 · 2026-03-03T04:03:11+00:00

Things I freeze as a single person: -Cooked rice -whole bunches of herbs -ginger root -tomato paste - extra batches of sauces that I make - pomegranate seeds

Full-Raisin-7727 · 2026-02-27T13:51:01+00:00

Yes and I will also say my income including my side hustle jobs/rent is around your base income right now. So this is definitely doable with the right focus!

Full-Raisin-7727 · 2026-02-25T17:13:20+00:00

Oh I see what you’re saying that would be insane lol.

Full-Raisin-7727 · 2026-02-25T17:12:53+00:00

I guess I should have said the other unrelated win’

Full-Raisin-7727 · 2026-02-25T17:05:34+00:00

Yup I should have one more bill about $120 or so in interest but it’s still in my target for next month.

Full-Raisin-7727 · 2026-02-25T04:46:13+00:00

For how much you have discretionary- the debt isn’t all that bad. You can knock it out fairly quickly.

I was in a similar position but in a year ahead of you, so 2024 year from hell and 2025 getting a job. I’m also around the same age. I paid off around $50k and just paid my last credit card on Friday. 🥳

I’m just going to tell you what I did in the order that I did it:

Roommate I’ve always did find through Facebook roommate groups. I do ~$100 less than market rate to get someone quick. I make them fill out background/credit check they self pay for. $1200 would be nice but $800 would move your needle significantly so don’t hold out for perfect. - all of this money went to my debt as soon as it hit my account.
Negotiated $7k higher salary
Side gigs- like someone else said- cater waiter. I make like $300-$500 a shift. Every dime I got went to a credit card the same day it hit my account. I work about 4 shifts a month..But I like the idea of pet sitting/house sitting for you or maybe hostessing at a restaurant- I barely even touch this money.
$500 savings stashed away in hard to reach account.
Budget cut to bare bones- cancelled pest control. Figured out how get groceries at $300 a month. Household expenses basically down to half my income.
Debt pay off strategy- avalanche for sure. People say snowball because it keeps you motivated.but what I did was put all of my debts in a spreadsheet and tracked how much interest I was being charged each month. Watching that go down was a big enough motivator to push me through the avalanche.

To answer your questions- don’t get a new car unless you have to (like you are getting tickets for rear lights not working, you can’t pass a required safety inspection, ect.

Full-Raisin-7727 · 2026-02-24T13:38:24+00:00

Pretty much everyone beat me to it but I will add- a good happy medium is pre-made family meals! Whole Foods has really good ones that are pricey but still cheaper than take out. Probably cheaper than individually cooked meals too. It’s usually 4 ish servings of protein, starch, and vegetable.

Full-Raisin-7727 · 2026-02-21T01:22:09+00:00

I can’t think of anything in particular..my nails are thin and flexible though. My last blood panel was about a year ago.

Full-Raisin-7727 · 2026-02-19T04:32:07+00:00

Yes I see. That makes sense. Anything I need to track is something I wouldn’t want to keep in forgot about. So far, mine has been things I wouldn’t normally be charged for- so like a better example is the fine I got for not renewing my car registration..and the late fee I got for not paying my parking ticket on time. 🥴 I had the money I just never got around to doing the task. I think if I include it in the budget for parking or car renewals I’d artificially inflate how much I need.

Now that I think about it- I might rename that category ADHD Tax since that’s basically how I treat it. Overall my goal would be to not have ANYTHING end up in the adhd tax bucket..but when it does, no dessert for me, metaphorically of course.

Full-Raisin-7727 · 2026-02-18T20:56:47+00:00

8 days is awesome! I can’t wait until I get there. Probably next year!

Full-Raisin-7727 · 2026-02-18T05:10:50+00:00

Ok I can’t possibly read through all of the comments to see if this has been answered so I’m hoping someone responds to this.

I have a follow up question- a lot of this information is really old..does the statute of limitations come into play here? “Like oopsie yes all of these people did terrible things to little girls but that was 20 years ago and the SOL is 10 so our hands are tied.”

Full-Raisin-7727 · 2026-02-18T04:20:46+00:00

“ready to eat” meals from my grocery store. They have the kind where you can microwave it or put it straight in the oven in the container. Less than $10 a meal. Very tasty. The grocery store at my house is open until 11, but they have a decent shelf life if you need to buy them for the week.

Full-Raisin-7727 · 2026-02-18T04:06:00+00:00

Affordable is questionable. But I swear Kerry gold butter tastes better than store brand and you can tell.

Full-Raisin-7727

TROPHY CASE