Does the topic of saving money make you feel a little guilty? You have good intentions when it comes to saving money, but something always comes up. The car needs new tires, the teenager needs braces, the house needs a new roof—and just like that, saving money takes a back seat to life stuff. So you put it off. You tell yourself you’ll find ways to save money once you reach a certain milestone, like when you hit a specific age or get that raise you’re after.

But in reality, you’ll only start saving money when you learn healthy money habits and let your future needs be more important than your current wants—aka when you make saving money a priority. And you don’t need everything to magically line up perfectly before you start saving. There are plenty (and we do mean plenty) of practical ways to save money and breathe some fresh air into your budget.

• Cancel automatic subscriptions and memberships

• Cut down on groceries

• Save money automatically

• Spend extra or unexpected income wisely

• Reduce energy costs

• Check your insurance rates

• Lower your cell phone bill

• DIY . . . everything!

• Skip the coffee shop



• Sell things (that don’t bring you joy)