3 Frugal Habits That Could Still Save You Money in September
Ready to make your savings this September impactful enough to remember? Frugal living expert Kate Kaden just shared three powerful money-saving strategies that go beyond typical budgeting advice.
On her YouTube channel, Kaden explained, "Time is money, but also time is energy." These actionable tips focus on reducing what drains your wallet (and just as importantly, your energy).
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Saving this September isn't just about cutting expenses, but rather intentionally removing what doesn't serve you. Start with the three easy ways to financially win this week below.
Declutter Your Home (and Your Wallet)
This month’s assignment: Spend 30 minutes identifying one category of items — paper clutter, duplicate kitchen tools or clothing — and clear it out. Don't overthink it.
In order to stick to saving habits that work, it’s often best to start slow and go for the low-hanging fruit. Kaden knows just where you should get the ball rolling.
"Don't go for your favorites. Keep the favorites," she said. "But let's get rid of the extras that are kind of like fringe."
This means take a little stroll through your house and identify the clutter that's just taking up space that you can purge. Such clutter includes expired items, trash, clothes you don't wear or that stack of New Yorkers you’ll “read later.”
This isn’t minimalism for minimalism’s sake, either. It's more about making room for what actually matters. Plus, physical clutter often leads to financial clutter like duplicate purchases you forgot you already own or keeping items "just in case" instead of selling them for cash.
Cut the ‘Meh’ From Your Monthly Spending
This month's assignment: Review your bank and credit card statements for the past three months. Identify one or two subscriptions or unnecessary grocery items to cut.
Oh, automated payments, you are equally convenient as you are costly if you don’t pay attention. All those subscription services, gym memberships, apps and more that you’ve forgotten about add up fast. However, they're the easiest to eliminate without sacrificing anything you actually value.
That’s why Kaden suggested you audit your autopay subscriptions and memberships, then identify what's not serving you.
"Go through the subscriptions that you've forgotten about. What is no longer serving you? Where's that extra $10 going every month?" Kaden asked.
Don't stop there, as you can apply the same logic to rising food costs. Everyone's grocery bills are high right now, but you're probably buying extras out of habit. Cut the fringe stuff you don't actually eat. Keep your favorites; eliminate the rest.
Reclaim Your Time by Editing Your Calendar
This week's assignment: Look at your calendar, find one commitment you're dreading and cancel it (guilt-free). Protect that time for something you actually want to do.
It may be easy to overlook, but your calendar directly affects your finances.
"Dread leads to less energy, and it leads to showing up without the energy that you would supply if it were something you wanted to do," Kaden said. Worse, you might make poor financial decisions to cope with the stress of all that dread.
Instead, identify commitments that make you sigh in frustration, such as events you said yes to without thinking, obligations you feel trapped in or activities that deplete rather than energize you. If it's not necessary and you can cancel it without serious consequences, remove it from your calendar.
When your calendar reflects your actual priorities, your schedule doesn’t just free up, but you feel free to make that cycle of decision-making continue throughout the year.
This article was provided by MoneyLion.com for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal or tax advice.
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