Chasing the Fionist Dream

Photo by Nataliya Vaitkevich

Sometimes a little bit goes a long way. While this is often true for joyful things like compliments, makeup, or food coloring, it is also true for spending. And while an individual purchase might not cost that much, repeated purchases add up quickly. While not every item on this list might be relevant to you, we’re sure that you can find something that works for you. 🙂

1. Stop (or considerably limit) buying beverages. All of them. This includes coffees out, soft drinks, bottled water, and any other beverage that comes ready to drink. Thankfully, we live in a country with perfectly safe and potable tap water. Filter it, flavor it, or carbonate it if you wish. Brew coffee or tea in it. Better for you, better for your finances, and better for the planet.
   
   
2. Stop buying lunch at work. Bringing leftovers from home or prepping a salad or sandwich in the office costs a fraction of the price of a bought lunch. We’re not saying to never buy lunch, but while each time may seem like no big deal, it adds up quickly.
   
   
3. Stop paying the ticket price. This is the land of haggling, sales, and gift cards. Why pay full price for something when you don’t have to? There are so many ways to save money when you buy things.
   
   
4. Avoid impulse buys. And while we’re on the topic of purchasing things, how often do you find yourself buying things you didn’t plan to buy when you woke up that morning – or weeks prior? Those impulse buys definitely add up.
   
   
5. Get out of overdraft and credit card debt. These types of debt are some of the most expensive types of loans out there. So not only do you not have money to get back into the black, they charge you an additional 10-20% on your minus too.
   
   
6. Use your car less – or get rid of it entirely! Back when we had a car, we felt like we were always spending money – and time – on it. Gas, insurance, cleaning it, inspections, repairs, and more – not to mention the cost of replacing it, which we thankfully never got around to doing. We save so much money now, even with using a car-share from time to time. Even if the car-free lifestyle wouldn’t work for you, walking, carpooling, and public transportation when you can all can help you save money. Downsizing from two cars to one also makes a huge difference.
   
   
7. Quit smoking, playing the lottery, or any other addiction. Not only are these things expensive, they’re bad for your health too. For every pack of cigarettes or lottery ticket you don’t buy, put the money in a fund instead. You’ll be surprised to see how quickly the money adds up.

Which of these things do you find yourself doing? Which other behaviors should we add to this list?

Like what you see here? Subscribe so you never miss a post.