For the longest time, I thought saving money meant saying goodbye to fun. No more eating out, no more online shopping, no more little “treat yourself” moments. Basically, no more life.
Turns out… that’s not true at all.
I didn’t have to stop living — I just had to stop leaking money in places I didn’t even notice. Once I looked at my spending habits, I realized I was wasting a lot on stuff that didn’t even make me happy.
So I made some changes. Nothing extreme. Just a few things I stopped buying — and it made a huge difference.
1. Daily coffee runs
Yeah, I know. The classic one.
But seriously, I used to grab coffee from a cafe every single morning. €3 here, €4 there — it added up to almost €100/month.
Now, I just make it at home. I bought a cheap milk frother and some decent coffee beans, and honestly? My homemade coffee hits the same (and I can drink it in my pajamas).
Still treat myself once a week, but not every day.
2. Fast fashion and “sale” clothes
This one hurt a little.
I used to love scrolling through sales and grabbing a shirt or hoodie “just because it was cheap.” Problem is, half of that stuff sat in my closet, tags still on, never worn.
Now I only buy something if:
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I really like it
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I know I’ll wear it more than 5 times
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It fits with what I already own
Buying fewer clothes, but better quality ones, saved me money and cleared my closet.
3. Random tech gadgets
I’m a sucker for gadgets. Wireless this, smart that — most of which I barely use after the first week.
Now I give myself a 3-day rule: if I see something I want online, I wait 3 days. If I still want it after thinking it through, and I have budget for it, I get it. If not, it was just impulse.
Most of the time, I forget about it by day 2.
4. Food delivery every other day
I love food. Who doesn’t?
But I was spending way too much on delivery — like €150 to €200 a month. And most of the time it wasn’t even good food, just convenient.
Now, I meal prep 2-3 easy things per week (nothing fancy — pasta, chicken, rice bowls), and only order delivery when I really crave something specific.
Suddenly, I’m saving money and not feeling gross from greasy food.
5. Apps and subscriptions I forgot I had
This one shocked me. I went through my bank statements and found I was paying for:
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A meditation app I hadn’t opened in 4 months
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A second streaming service I didn’t need
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A random online course I never finished
All together? Around €35/month. I canceled them and haven’t missed any of them.
I now check all subscriptions every 3 months just to make sure I’m not wasting money in the background.
Bonus: Things I still spend on without guilt
Just to be clear — I’m not about cutting everything. I still spend on:
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Spotify (music keeps me sane)
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A gym membership I actually use
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Cheap nights out with friends
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Little gifts for people I care about
Why? Because those things make life better. And budgeting isn’t about being miserable — it’s about being mindful.
Final Thoughts
You don’t need to stop living to save money. You just need to be a little more aware of where your money is going.
I stopped buying stuff that wasn’t adding value, and I didn’t feel deprived — I felt relieved. Like I finally had control.
Try it. Go through your last 2 months of expenses. I bet you’ll find at least 2–3 things to cut out with zero pain.
Your wallet (and probably your mental health) will thank you.
