How to Kick Bad Habits and Save Cash
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Many of us have bad habits, financial or otherwise – from Smoking to a Posh Coffee or Magazine on the daily commute, lots of little spends can soon add up. . .
Here’s how to kick them in 30 Days
Sometimes we can have bad habits that we know about. Everyone knows that smoking is bad for your health and bad for your wallet. However, sometimes bad habits might not be so obvious, or we might be fooling ourselves into not admitting how much they are actually costing us
Giving up something you enjoy is never easy but sometimes the benefits, both to your health and your finances are worth it. Starting on a set date can give you time to prepare for the challenge and giving yourself a time frame such as 30 days means that even if there are small hiccups along the way you can take a step back, regroup, and start again.
Giving up Smoking
Smoking is one of the most costly habits of all – both for your wallet and for your health. It’s estimated that 9.5 million adults in the U.K smoke and spend on average £250 a month to get their nicotine fix. Giving up smoking is incredibly difficult but preserve and you’ll reap the rewards in terms of both health and finances. Studies show that those who can give up over a 30 day period tend to kick the habit for good – which is why Stoptober is so successful
Here are my tips for successfully giving up the cigarettes for good.
- Cutting back is a good place to start – if you often chain smoke while watching television ban yourself from smoking inside and go outside every time you need a cigarette – you may find that you simply can’t be bothered and begin to cut down without even realizing it.
- Delay your first smoke of the day – write down the time you have your first cigarette and try to delay it further and further each day, even if it’s only by a few minutes.
- Try Vaping –Vaping is much better for your health and for your wallet. Those who vape spend considerably less on their habit each month and while there is the initial cost of the vaping kit itself to consider, as juices are so cheap you’ll soon recoup the difference. When you add in the benefits of portability and ease of use, it’s easy to see why vaporizers are an incredibly popular way to consume herbs, cannabis, and more. A vaporizer heats herbs and other substances until they release their active components into a vapour that is then inhaled. The primary advantage over smoking herbs is that plant material is not combusted.
Forgoing Your Morning Caffeine Fix
Dropping into the local Starbucks or Costa on the way to work each day can quickly become a habit that adds up to lots of money spent over the course of the month. Humans are absolutely creatures of habit and if you find early starts hard work I feel you – I’m so not a morning person either! Plus if you’re anything like me, one coffee can also turn into one coffee and a very large slice of cake on a regular basis.
Here are some ways to start cutting back on that daily caffeine fix and hopefully save some cash along the way.
- Cut Back – If you’re used to a daily coffee try cutting down a day at a time, week by week.
- Take your own – Nescafe Azria actually has a range of ‘on the go’ coffee cups which could be cheaper compromise.
- Go Smaller – Downgrading from a Large to a Small or even switching to tea could really help you save.
- Get ‘Appy – There a loads of Apps that offer Free coffees – Try O2 Prioirty Moments for Cafe Nero and the Wantu app from Three for Costa.
- Get Coffee For free: See my post on how to get your daily coffee fix for free
Give yourself a month to kick the habit and you might be surprised at how much money you save.
Buying Lunch
Another easy habit to get into is buying lunch each day rather than making it and taking it from home. While life can be hectic and mornings aren’t always easy – taking your own lunch to work could save you as much as £1000 a year. It doesn’t have to be soggy sandwiches and unhealthy crisps either there are plenty of ways to pimp your lunch and still save cash.
- Aldi Vs M&S – If a fancy M&S lunch is your thing it might be worth seeing if there’s an Aldi nearby instead. They have a range which is remarkably similar and comes in at a much better price.
- Sunday Prep – There are plenty of lunch box foods that will keep for several days in the fridge. If you can’t get into the habit of packing your lunch the night before, try having a prepping session on a Sunday afternoon and prepare a few days worth of food at a time so you can grab and go during the week.
- Look out for offers – if you really can’t kick the lunch fix habit entirely, remember an occasional treat is fine and may even help motivate you further. Plenty of lunch places have loyalty schemes and special offers that could help you save money while still having a treat.
See my post on Super Thrifty lunch box ideas for ideas on how to spend even less.
Small savings can make a huge difference. . . Don’t give up
Just implementing these three changes could save you as much £2600 a year or just over £200 a month, which is a huge amount. Think of all the things that money could be put towards – a new car, a luxury holiday or even debts if you have them. I’m also not saying you should attempt all of these at once – gradual changes over a long period work much better than trying to do too much all at once, and you’re much more likely to be successful.
Have you given up anything recently to save money?
