Saving money is a hot topic. We spend so much of our lives working to make money, but no matter what we do it seems to disappear so quickly. If you feel this way, you’re not alone! Luckily, there are plenty of ways to save money and below are some that don’t include the ever popular “give up your daily latte” advice. What’s important is focusing on what you truly want/need to spend money on, and cutting your costs as much as possible elsewhere.

Try no spend days

If we look at how much we spend in a day, it can really add up. Of course, some days are more expensive than others. However, if you can choose one day a week, or even one whole week a month where you decide that you won’t spend any money it can really add up.

Plan meals around what you have

One of the most expensive parts of most budgets is groceries. We spend so much money on food, and most people end up throwing out uneaten food each month. Not only does this create a lot of waste, it’s a huge waste of money. If you’re spending $300 per month and throwing away 10% of the food you buy, you’re essentially throwing away $30 per month. To combat this, try meal planning around food that you already have. Take inventory of what you have in your fridge, freezer, and pantry and find as many meals as possible using those ingredients. When you go to the store you’ll just have to fill in the blanks, cutting your grocery budget and ensuring you aren’t wasting food.

With more people working from home due to the pandemic, it can be hard to find balance. At first it is hard to be productive because you’re not used to working and living in the same space. But with a little work and some healthy boundaries, you can enjoy work from home life.

Get dressed

If your job required you to get dressed a certain way everyday up until you started working from home it might be tempting to abandon that and just work in your pajamas all day. On some days that may be fine, but you may find that getting dressed for the day will help you be a bit more productive. When you get dressed it can put you into work mode rather than lounge around the house mode.

That’s not to say that if you have to wear a suit in the office that you should do the same at home. You can still dress casually, but it’s likely that getting out of your pajamas into something else will help you transition into your work day much easier.

Have a designated workspace

When you start working from home it can be fun to think of all the different places you can work. From your bed, from your patio, the kitchen counter while you make breakfast. And while that’s totally fine sometimes, it’s important to have a designated workspace in your home. This way you will have a set space where you know you can get work done without distraction. Also while working from bed sounds luxurious, finding a more ergonomic position to sit in for eight hours a day will help you out in the long run.