Woman Shares 7 Money Saving Tips For 'Regular People' Who Are Already Living Frugally
Canceling your luxuries isn't good advice when you don't spend on luxuries in the first place!
lovelyday12 / Shutterstock A lot of us are struggling financially at the moment — and with that struggle has come tons of unhelpful and tone-deaf financial advice from people who seem to have plenty of money to begin with. One TikToker has had it with all that.
She shared 7 money-saving tips for 'regular people' who are already living frugally.
Thankfully, economic conditions are slowly starting to improve. But that doesn't mean things have gotten easy for many rank-and-file Americans. And if you go on the internet trying to find money-saving tips, you're likely to be exasperated by suggestions that don't seem relevant to anyone actually pinching pennies.
Case in point: the video that got Diana, known as @depressiondotgov on TikTok, rolling her eyes with suggestions like canceling your gym membership. If you could afford a gym membership would you even need money-saving suggestions in the first place?! So she compiled seven tips that have helped her, a normal person with a normal income.
1. Don't go shopping.
This may seem obvious, but the TikToker pointed out an often insidious habit that can trip us up — all those shopping apps on your phone, including the ones for takeout.
"If you can't control yourself with something like Uber Eats, for example, don't have it on your phone because that will literally add up so much," Diana said. "Even if it doesn't seem like that much, it is a lot of money if you continue to do that on a regular basis."
Case in point: I ordered McDonald's on my phone last week (I needed chicken nuggets, let me live) and by the time the various fees and tip were added it cost NINETEEN AMERICAN DOLLARS. Nineteen pieces of American legal tender!!! For McDonald's! Delete those apps!
2. Embrace your natural beauty.
Roll your eyes if you must (I did) but she's got a point. Beauty standards are social constructs anyway. Who needs 'em! Or as Diana put it, "You don't need to get your nails done all the time. Trust me, I'm fine and I still feel like I have feminine fingers. Okay?"
She also suggested thinking about what you really want to spend extra money on if you have it.
"Do you want to spend it on nails, or do you want to spend it on an experience? Or better yet, do you want to put it away in savings?" she asked.
That might help with motivation.
3. Check on subscriptions you might not realize you have.
We've all fallen prey to the dreaded sign-up for a week, end up with a year okey-doke (which incidentally will be illegal when I'm named dictator. That's a promise!)
"Chances are there's several that you can get rid of," the TikToker said.
And don't forget about streaming subscriptions, which all together now often cost as much as cable. She suggested an easy way to cut your streaming bills by a ton: Pick a show, cancel every other platform, finish that show, cancel THAT platform, then sign up for another and watch something else. Tedious? Yes. But it's so much cheaper.
4. Get to know your personal style in both fashion and home decor.
Here's another one where social constructs will get you in trouble! "Don't give into trendy stuff," Diana urged. "Don't buy something just because it's what's current. Because really, you have to think about, what do I actually like?"
This way, when you need to replace something in your house or wardrobe, you can ensure you're buying something you actually like that you won't feel the need to replace again any time soon.
5. Develop patience when it comes to the things you want.
Yeah, it's a downer, but it's sound advice: "Be comfortable with the idea that you may not have everything you want in this exact moment, because that's just the way life is," Diana advised. "We have gotten too dependent upon … instant gratification."
"It is okay to not have your apartment perfectly planned out and have every piece that you want at this exact moment … It is okay to not spend money on things until you can actually comfortably afford to do so."
You'll appreciate them more that way, too.
6. Party at home instead of going out on the town.
The TikToker admitted this "might be controversial," but it's true — alcohol and nights out add up really fast, even if it's just a drink or two here and there.
Photo: bbernard / Shutterstock.com
That doesn't mean you have to be a hermit — invite friends over for some food, drinks, and conversation. She pointed out that you can "have a better conversation and get closer" at home anyway.
7. When you need to hire a service provider or need a repair, do your research.
Unfortunately, expensive problems don't have the manners to wait until we're more financially flush, so chances are your car will need a repair or your dishwasher will break at the worst possible time.
Diana recommended doing your research, as it can go a long way to saving you money. Using a recent spate of car repairs as an example, she detailed how she "tried to learn the average cost of each thing to make sure [she] wasn't getting taken [advantage of]."
None of these will make you rich overnight, but they might help you save a few bucks every month — and in this economy, that can go a long, long way.
John Sundholm is a news and entertainment writer who covers pop culture, social justice and human interest topics.