You spend $30 on Chinese takeout for just yourself on Monday. On Tuesday you bought a $5 latte. You finally purchased all the items in your shopping cart and spent $102 on Wednesday. Silver lining, you got free shipping. Thursday you went to the new craft cocktail bar. You bought yourself a drink and then a round for your friends and then another drink. You don’t even remember the final tab because you hadn’t eaten and tend to tip a little more when you are slightly buzzed.

What was Friday? You went grocery shopping and bought some green smoothies to make up for Chinese food you have been eating all week. That organic, gluten-free, and dairy-free smoothies cost an arm and a leg at $6.99 a bottle for 5 bottles. Didn’t spend any money Saturday but Sunday was brunch day. Mimosas or bust.

Have you ever thought about how much money you’re just spending? Or where your paycheck is going? Random Amazon orders, takeout, eating out, drinks, and etc. add up rather quickly. Diets are no fun when it comes to food, but when it comes to spending, a diet can help you control how much money leaves your wallet.

1. Assess your cash flow.

How much money is spent on necessary bills and expenses? Spotify, subscription boxes, and the gym membership that you don’t use do not count. Rent, insurance, transportation, phone, internet, food, and other services you rely on a daily services Including what you aside for savings, calculate exactly how much is needed each month. Write a list of all of the services and places you habitually spend money on but aren’t necessary. If you don’t know, go through your bank and credit card statements. Calculate the total amount of your spending. Once you get over the sticker shock, it’s time to come up with a plan.

2. Cut out the unnecessary for 30 days or more.

Now that you are conscious of how you’ve been using money, it’s time to trim the fat. That list of places, events and activities you unnecessarily spend just became the things you are cutting out of your life for at least 30 days. Try not to spend money on anything but bills, transportation and groceries. Start with 30 days but try to stretch it to 90 days to develop a pattern on conscious spending.

This is a great time to think about your financial goals. Since you’re not eating at the neighborhood hotspot you need a grocery list for each week. If you’re used to a fast-paced lifestyle, look for free things to do. Or better yet, work on your to-do list that seems to never get done. Clean out your closet, read books or be a tourist in your own city.

3. Selectively add what you genuinely miss spending money on.

Once you get past tour allotted time you might notice you don’t really miss the things you thought you needed. The things you really missed, like your Spotify subscription, can be added back into your expenses. Even if you’re eating out or shopping again, be more thoughtful of your purchases and consumption. Less is really more.

string(3052) "
You spend $30 on Chinese takeout for just yourself on Monday. On Tuesday you bought a $5 latte. You finally purchased all the items in your shopping cart and spent $102 on Wednesday. Silver lining, you got free shipping. Thursday you went to the new craft cocktail bar. You bought yourself a drink and then a round for your friends and then another drink. You don't even remember the final tab because you hadn't eaten and tend to tip a little more when you are slightly buzzed. 
What was Friday? You went grocery shopping and bought some green smoothies to make up for Chinese food you have been eating all week. That organic, gluten-free, and dairy-free smoothies cost an arm and a leg at $6.99 a bottle for 5 bottles. Didn't spend any money Saturday but Sunday was brunch day. Mimosas or bust.
Have you ever thought about how much money you're just spending? Or where your paycheck is going? Random Amazon orders, takeout, eating out, drinks, and etc. add up rather quickly. Diets are no fun when it comes to food, but when it comes to spending, a diet can help you control how much money leaves your wallet.
1. Assess your cash flow.
How much money is spent on necessary bills and expenses? Spotify, subscription boxes, and the gym membership that you don't use do not count. Rent, insurance, transportation, phone, internet, food, and other services you rely on a daily services Including what you aside for savings, calculate exactly how much is needed each month. Write a list of all of the services and places you habitually spend money on but aren't necessary. If you don't know, go through your bank and credit card statements. Calculate the total amount of your spending. Once you get over the sticker shock, it's time to come up with a plan. 
2. Cut out the unnecessary for 30 days or more.
Now that you are conscious of how you've been using money, it's time to trim the fat. That list of places, events and activities you unnecessarily spend just became the things you are cutting out of your life for at least 30 days. Try not to spend money on anything but bills, transportation and groceries. Start with 30 days but try to stretch it to 90 days to develop a pattern on conscious spending. 
This is a great time to think about your financial goals. Since you're not eating at the neighborhood hotspot you need a grocery list for each week. If you're used to a fast-paced lifestyle, look for free things to do. Or better yet, work on your to-do list that seems to never get done. Clean out your closet, read books or be a tourist in your own city. 
3. Selectively add what you genuinely miss spending money on. 
Once you get past tour allotted time you might notice you don't really miss the things you thought you needed. The things you really missed, like your Spotify subscription, can be added back into your expenses. Even if you're eating out or shopping again, be more thoughtful of your purchases and consumption. Less is really more.
"

Spring is in the air — and while you’re clearing out closets and scrubbing the back corners of the kitchen drawers, why not do a deep clean on something that really weighs you down? We’re talking about debt. Yep, those sneaky credit card balances, student loans, Buy Now Pay Later plans, and subscriptions that keep

Attention fellow thrifters! Raise your hand if you’ve ever experienced buyer’s remorse over some of your past secondhand shopping. *Raises both hands, high.*  One of the many benefits when it comes to thrifting vs. shopping high-end retail, is that it saves you a ton. With this in mind, it’s easy to get carried away with

Everyone says the economy’s healthier than ever, but some of us still find it necessary to make that paycheck stretch…and stretch…and stretch. The better we understand our spending habits, the better we can manage them. Living frugally can benefit you in many ways. You’ll grow more self-reliant, creative, and resourceful as you learn to make

In the 1980s movie Little Shop of Horrors, the protagonist Audrey fantasizes about owning a house of her very own. She doesn’t ask for much: just a simple one-storey place with a washer, dryer, and bedding will do.  And while this moment in the film is intended to satirize the American Dream by underlining how

Tax season can absolutely wreck your life for a few weeks, especially if the very thought of anything math-related makes you break out in a rash. (No? Just me?) But regardless of how overwhelming organizing all your receipts and deductions may seem, the process can be made a million times easier with the help of

By Massimo Tornambe Scott Disick, aka “Lord Disick” has gained fame and a devoted following since his appearances on the reality show, Keeping Up with the Kardashians. Disick is renowned for his expensive taste in clothes, cars, and women. The question that millions of fans are asking is: where did his fortune come from? Scott

Despite the fact that late-stage capitalism is an amoral hellhole driven by a borderline religious belief in the sanctity of brands, we would never, ever suggest that anyone should shoplift from big-box stores, or even imply that doing so is morally okay or a victimless crime. But hypothetically, if we were to give any tidbit

In this month’s Money Journal, Celia is organized and disciplined yet enjoys her life “to the Max” Welcome to Money Journal, a monthly Paypath series that examines how Americans really handle their finances. Our participants keep a journal of their earnings, spending, and savings (if any), then share what it’s like to live in their

Trying to cancel your gym membership can be more tiring than actually attending that kickboxing class you keep skipping. Getting out of your gym contract can be so tough that people are going to great lengths to avoid paying any penalties. After going into debt living a lifestyle she couldn’t afford, this woman forged fake

You Lose $20K Each Year Just For Being a Mom You may not know this, but there was a time when smoking was considered “liberated” behavior for women. There was a cigarette company Virginia Slims that was created specifically to attract female smokers during the bad old 1970s. The slogan was “You’ve come a long