How to Save Money Without Being Overly Frugal

Find a healthy balance that works and keeps life enjoyable

As life gets more expensive every year, it also gets harder to save money. Sometimes you feel bad when you save a lot.

Most of us just want to spend freely. We don’t want to think about money too much because it’s draining. We already face money problems at every corner.

• Want to go on a vacation?
• Move to another city?
• Start a new hobby?
• Get married?

You’ll need money for those things.

The other day I was looking at racing bicycles. I like the idea of cycling more in addition to my running. I looked at the bike and the gear needed. It would set me back about $3000 for a good bike. I’m not that passionate about cycling.

But that doesn’t mean we should stop doing new or fun things just because they cost money. Instead, you can spend on things that you really want. And then save wisely with these tips.

Money-Saving Tips to Save Your First $1,000 (or more)

Look, we all know we need an emergency fund. And the ideal emergency fund would be enough to cover at least 6 months of expenses (or a year, if you want to be more secure).

But if you go into saving thinking;

“I’m going to save $10K in a few months…”

You’re more likely to get discouraged. Saving is a habit. And just like any habit, we can make it stick by keeping it as easy as possible.

So start with a smaller, easier goal. If you don’t have money saved, aim to save $1K. Even if you’re in debt, you can save a thousand bucks gradually. Once your finances start getting better, you can increase that amount.

Here are some easy, practical steps to save money without being too cheap.

Create a concrete saving goal

See why I placed a specific amount above? Because we can lose sight of our savings when we don’t have a concrete goal.