Easy Tips On How To Save Money In Your 20s
And to actually take control of your finances.
I am no money expert; I have no background in finance, economics, or anything related to money or numbers.
But I do struggle with money. I am the type that never figured out how to set a “real” budget until her early 20s, the type that didn’t understand how to use a credit card until her early 20s, and the type to get confused when someone starts talking about investing.
But this may be obvious to some, but you don’t need to be an expert at money to take control of your personal finances. The earlier you start to learn and take control of your finances, the better off you’ll be in the long run.
Set a Budget.
Cue eye roll. I get it, this is the biggest saving money “tip” or “hack” that everyone says—but believe me, when I set a budget and started tracking my expenses, aka what’s taking out of my bank account each month, I had a better grasp on my finances and what I actually need to spend money on and what I could cut back on. Start with Google Sheets—it’s easy and simple to set up and it will literally change the budgeting game. Start by tracking your expenses, aka your rent, any utilities, subscriptions, or anything coming out of your bank account each month.
For more information on how to set a budget, learn more from Her First 100K here, an incredible resource!
Track Your Expenses.
Get out your notebook (or Google Sheets) and start listing out what you are paying for each month—right down to your Spotify subscription and whatever streaming service you pay for. Then, figure out what you can stop paying for and the absolutes that you need to pay for. For example, when I realized that I was only paying for my YouTube TV to watch The Bachelor live, I asked myself, “do I really need to watch this live, when I have Hulu (paid for by my parents)?” So, I cancelled it. Reflect on what you actually use on a day-to-day basis. It’s not fun, but it’s helpful in order to save money.
Use Your Savings Account.
And please get one if you don’t have one! Whether you have a part-time or full-time job, set aside a part of your paycheck (it can literally be $100) to put in your savings. Over time, this will build up and you can save for retirement, emergencies, and any other things you are saving for.
Do A “No-Buy” Month.
I’ve seen this become more popular in recent years, and it works! I’ve done this personally, and tbh, it’s not easy to do. But commit to a no-buy month (or week to start it off easy) where you don’t buy anything for a month (except for the essentials like groceries, rent, utilities, etc.). This helps eliminate any unnecessary spending (like your weekly Target runs, Amazon shopping, etc.).
Reduce Your Expenses.
You made your list of expenses that are taken out of your account each month. Try and really commit to reducing your expenses. For example, do you really need to pay for cable AND that streaming platform? Or, do you need to order takeout three times a week AND go to the grocery store once a week? Choose one. Reducing these expenses will help, believe me. You may not want to at first, but it will pay off.
Shop the Deals + Sales.
One thing with this is to get a membership card at most grocery stores—most of these are FREE. (Different than the credit cards they offer.) Try and look at the “cost per product” at grocery stores. Go to thrift stores to shop for clothes. Scan your favorite stores and watch for sales (sign up for their email lists!). This may take time, but it’s worth it and it’s honestly fun!
Check Your Bank Account Weekly.
I cringe every time I need to check my bank account, but this is an EASY tip to take control of your finances and be constantly aware of what’s in your account.
Want more tips?
Check out these awesome and incredible resources from people who actually studied money in college (or anything related to money).
Her First 100K | Financial Feminism & Money Education helps young women, both millennial and Gen Z, take better control of their finances and take steps to financial freedom.
The Financial Diet is a personal finance website designed to redirect the conversation around money; instead of money conversations being boring, you’ll find interesting and engaging articles on the topics of money, personal finance, budgeting, and even some career tips.
Skimm Money: You may have heard of The Skimm newsletter, giving you all the headlines going around the world that day … but they also have a newsletter dedicated to all the headlines around finance and money.