• 1. Snack with your daily coffee
  • Or the daily coffee
• 2. Any hair, skin, bath, or body product
• 3. Makeup
• 4. Novelty food products
• 5. Clothing
• 6. Anything brand name
• 7. Alcohol with dinner
• 8. Ubers or taxis

https://thefinancialdiet.com/25-effortless-beauty-hacks-that-help-me-cut-back-on-waste-save-money/

• https://thefinancialdiet.com/use-excel-formulas-super-quick-budget-changes/

https://thefinancialdiet.com/3-specific-ways-i-wish-id-fixed-my-money-fears-issues-sooner/

• https://thefinancialdiet.com/20-people-on-the-thing-theyve-stopped-spending-money-on-in-2019-whether-they-miss-it/

“I follow a simple rule I learned from Warren Buffet: if you kept buying useless items, then one day you will be required to sell your most important things.” – Aftab

• things to know how to cook
  • dan dan noodles
• ARTICLE IDEA: guilty pleasures i cut out of my life that helped me save over $1000 this month
  • coffee, pastries
  • postmates/uber/stupid subscriptions
  • unsubscribing from sales
  • not getting my nails done
  • gym/personal trainer
• Summer budget
• beginning meal planning
• I consolidated all my accounts into one online banking account which now earns me a little under 2% interest (roughly $114 a month, 1,000-1,300 a year).
• I redirected the money from my overpriced mutual fund to my Roth 401k which is invested in index funds at a .05% expense ratio.
• I shop at a local grocery only when they have their intermittent 25% or 35% sale on various product categories.
• I swapped chemical and carcinogen-laden products for clean alternatives (some of which are homemade) which are often 70% cheaper. This has also helped clear out my many skin issues and sensitivities.
• I pack a homemade lunch and snack to work 4 days a week.
• I shop for clothes maybe once every five years or more. This is easy for me since clothing and fashion is not a weakness of mine.
• For Christmas and my birthday, I ask for gift cards for places I can’t afford (this takes care of my urge to eat at pricier places like Whole Foods or any other restaurant. I highly recommend slaying your vices by funding them with gifts.
• I lowered my expenses yearly down to 5-10K which allows me to save about 20K a year.
• My lower income bracket has afforded me free health insurance and lower health expenses.
• I share the cost of car insurance with family to lower the price drastically.
• I spend most of my time reading. I use a free public library app called Libby which gives me access to over 10,000 books, including The Financial Diet: A Total Beginner’s Guide to Getting Good with Money.
• I share the cost of Netflix and HBO Go with family.
• I am temporarily sharing housing costs with family which has helped a lot as well.
• I redirect any company grants and raises to my savings or retirement before I even think about visiting a Michelin-starred restaurant.
• I meditate and do yoga daily instead of spending on a gym membership or therapy.
• I set up automatic payments to my monthly bills which prevents incurring late fees and has drastically improved my credit score.
• I listen to finance podcasts to keep me on my toes in terms of money management and keeping track of the stock market.