Being thrifty is on trend, but that’s not the only reason people are falling in love with their thriftier side. They’re discovering more about themselves, what’s important in their life, and what’s really worth something to them. Are you curious about reconnecting with your inner thrifter?
Here are five ways to start today.
Define Your Financial Goals
“Financial goals” is maybe even too lofty here; what are your life goals? What matters to you as it relates to money? The only way to connect with your inner thrifter is to establish a reason for it to exist.
Once you realize that having enough money to retire in thirty years is extremely important to you, you’ll find ways to make space for being more modest with your money in your day-to-day.
Track and Analyze Your Spending
Any good budget starts with an understanding of how you’re currently spending your money. Most people throw plastic down and worry about it later. But to engage with your frugal self, you’ll need to hold up a mirror to your spending habits.
Take at least a month and jot down all of your spending. Notice where you spend more than you’d like. Because it’s only once you realize the problem that you can start to fix it.
Make Thrifting Fun
Most people (ourselves included) would argue that thrifting is inherently fun; it’s the modern-day treasure hunt, and you get to save money. But serial spenders might not see things that way, which means they’ll have to make thrifting enjoyable for themselves.
For example, if the concept of spending your weekend shopping for clothes in a brick-and-mortar store makes your skin crawl, opt for shopping online instead. There are tons of ways to save with online shopping, even if you might shell out a bit more for shipping. If it can break you of the habit of spending significantly on newfangled designer products, then that’s already a win.
Be Patient
Patience is a virtue that pays in the long run. Most people won’t hesitate to give in to their impulses and purchase something on a whim. But that’s no way to become a thriftier person: you should be doing the opposite.
Ask yourself why you even want to buy the thing in the first place. Wait days or even weeks before making big purchases. Even taking a brief pause to breathe is better than nothing. Practice patience and you’ll find your thriftier side in the driver’s seat much more often.
Embrace That Can-Do Attitude
Let’s say there’s a pair of jeans you love, but there’s a hole that needs mending. Previously, you might have skipped right past this diamond in the sale rack — but what about the thriftier you?
If all it takes is a quick YouTube tutorial and a trip to the fabric store, you might be getting a stunning new pair of jeans for a fraction of the retail price and learning a new skill while you’re at it. When others say DI-why bother, you say DI-why not?
