20 ways to cut your spending and meet your budget goals

It can definitely be a hassle, but tracking your spending is the first step in taking control of your financial habits. Use an old-fashioned notebook, or a spreadsheet, or invest in a budgeting app like Mint or YNAB that will connect to your bank and credit card accounts to keep an eye on all the cash you're sending out each month. 

If your goal is to get your finances together in 2023, you're going to have to set some big goals, and that means making some tough decisions. Whether that means streamlining your vacation budget or eating out less, set those rules early in the year — and stick to them. 

If you subscribe to every streaming service on the planet, now is a great time to figure out which ones you're actually watching and stop wasting your money on those you don't. The same could be said for gym memberships you don't use and subscription boxes that are filling your apartment with clutter. 

"No-buy" days, or days on which you make a plan to spend as little as possible, have become very popular in recent years among frugal folks. The goal is only to buy what you have to and avoid any extraneous expenses, which at the very least, will help you be a little more thoughtful about the money that you're spending. 

Even with food prices on the rise, dining out is almost always more expensive than staying at home to cook a meal. And that doesn't mean ordering pizza or having sushi delivered via PostMates. Instead, buy the groceries you need for each week and make a meal plan using them. 

Everyone's got a lot of bills these days, and remembering when to pay them on time is a struggle. Set up your payments to draft from your bank account automatically on their due dates, and you'll both stop worrying about when your car payment is due and save money on late fees and interest. 

Most of our email inboxes are flooded with tons of sales, deals, and discounts, which almost always result in spending more money, not saving it. Take a few hours one day to unsubscribe from these emails or filter them to a folder that you can easily ignore. 

If your closet is overflowing, there's no better time than the present to make a decision to stop buying new clothes. Take inventory of the items you do have, especially those that still have the tags attached or haven't been worn, and make a plan to wear, donate, or sell your cast-offs for extra cash. 

If you're seriously looking to get out of debt, it's probably not time to play the credit card points game. Use cash to pay for most, if not all, of your purchases, and save your credit cards for emergency expenses until you've got a good-sized nest egg. 

Figure out which of your credit cards or loans has the highest interest rate, and pay it off first. You'll still need to make monthly payments on your other debts, but making bigger payments on those with high-interest rates first will help you save a lot of cash in the long run. 

If you're spending too much money on your social life, get creative and look for ways to have fun that don't involve spending a lot of cash. Keep an eye on free events in your area, hit happy hour instead of eating a full-price dinner, or head to a new park or museum for a good time that's also budget-friendly. 

Most of us consider putting gas in the car as a necessary expense, but it doesn't necessarily have to be. Look into public transit options in your area or stick close to your neighborhood for a few weeks when you can, and put the cash you would've otherwise spent on gas in a savings account. 

Buying lots of books can get pricey, and often, it's completely unnecessary! Your tax dollars already pay for your local library, which is packed with books and other resources that you can borrow for free. If you don't want to bother with physical books, many libraries offer access to eBooks and audiobooks, along with magazine subscriptions and other media. 

Thanks to one-hour delivery and two-day shipping, many people shop online almost mindlessly, ordering things that they don't even remember until they show up on the doorstep sometimes. Give yourself a strict monthly budget for online shopping, maybe $50 or $100 if you're really looking to save cash, and stick to it. You'll be surprised at how much money you'll save long-term. 

Whether you're looking for a kayak or a new cookie pan, it's almost certain that someone out there has one that they're not using that they'd be happy to offload on the cheap. Before you head out to the store to buy something new, check sites like Facebook Marketplace and Mercari first. Often, you'll score a like-new item at a steep discount. 

It may seem old-fashioned, but sticking to cash can really help reinforce exactly how much money you're spending. Leave the debit card at home when you're headed out for dinner or meeting a friend for coffee and plan to be in cash. You might be surprised at how much cash you spend. 

If you tend to impulse shop, give yourself some time between finding an item you want and actually making the purchase. Set a 24-hour waiting period before you add it to your cart. If after a day you still really want the item, buy it. You'll often find that the urge has passed once you've had a little time to think about it. 

Should you find yourself in need of a specialty tool or item you only plan to use a few times, look into whether or not it's possible to rent or borrow that item instead of buying it. Check with friends and family to see if they've got what you need, or scout out a wide range of rental options, including tools from Home Depot or fancy dresses from RentTheRunway. Don't sleep on your library, either — many loan out everything from laptops to musical instruments. 

Sticking to a strict budget can be really, really grueling, and that's why you should have a little cushion in your budget to have fun. Everyone needs a treat now and then, whether that's an iced coffee to perk up after a long day or delivery pizza on a night when you're too tired to cook. Establish a small budget for "fun" money, and make sure to splurge from time to time to make your budget journey sustainable. 

When it comes to curbing your spending, it's important to set your goals reasonably. If you try to spend $0 for an entire month, you're likely going to get bored and end up blowing a ton of cash on stuff you don't need. Paying down debt and building savings is a marathon, not a sprint, and setting yourself up for success from the beginning is a great way to build a sustainable path forward.