Sometimes you can look at your spending month after month and feel like you’re always coming up a little bit short. In some situations, it might be more of an income problem—maybe you need to think about a part-time job to get through a season. But in more cases than you might expect, cutting spending in small ways across the board can make a huge difference over time. Here are 15 easy ways to cut spending to help you stay within your budget more consistently.

15 Easy Ways to Cut Spending

Avoid the Dollar Spot at Target

I totally understand the temptation. Throwing a few things in your cart that only cost between $1 and $3 doesn’t seem like much, but if you do that every week, you might be spending hundreds of extra dollars on things you don’t really need.  For some of us this also means not wandering through the clearance sections too…

Skip the drive through coffee

It’s convenient to be able to grab a cup of coffee when you’re out and about, but even the cheapest options are going to run you a couple dollars. Spend a few minutes planning ahead and take some coffee with you in an insulated mug. Over time, the savings will add up.

Cancel subscriptions

You may have magazines that come each month that you don’t want, or you may have apps or other services that you never use. In any case, it’s worth it to consider if there are any you don’t use, or even if there are any you do use but don’t really need. Think about both digital subscriptions and physical subscriptions like magazines, as well as things like music and tv streaming services.

I haven’t tried it yet, but many people have found Rocket Money to be a helpful service when it comes to finding and canceling unnecessary subscriptions.

Don’t buy non-essential grocery items

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