//  via Apartment Therapy

My name is Cait and I have a money wasting problem. Note: I said money wasting not even spending. How are these two things different? I associate spending with buying things – tangibles. Shopping. Wasting on the other hand, is money spent on something where in the end, you have absolutely nothing to show for it.

And for an example of this, let’s take a moment to look at how much I spent on Uber cabs in July: $270. Do I ever have any real reason to take a cab? No. No, I do not. I live within blocks of every subway line and can even walk to work.

After I recovered from the shock and horror of my excessive Uber spend (I had never before calculated the grand total at the end of a month), I decided to classify taking a cab as a money waster in an attempt to be more conscious of where my money is going each and every month.

I intend for the next few months to be an exercise in simple savings. Finding ways to reduce costs without drastically altering my lifestyle or inflicting some intense budget upon myself that is not likely to work long-term.

In case you’re in the same boat, here are some ideas:

• Skip the Starbucks (I’ve been going 2x a day… it’s ridiculous)
• Walk whenever possible (bonus points for extra daily exercise)
• Set a weekly lunch budget & take out cash at the beginning of the week (yes, I know packing lunch would be more practical but it’s never going to happen)
• Booze less (sometimes we really need a drink or two, but often it’s just a waste of $8-$12)
• Ditch the delivery (delivery food was not meant for one person and the order minimums get me every time)

What are some simple ways you focus on saving and spending less? Any advice or tips for me?