7 Money-Saving Hacks Every Woman Needs Save More, Stress Less

Let’s face it: how people manage their finances look like a game of whack-a-mole. Just when you think everything is okay, a new expense emerges. Over the years, I have assisted numerous women in managing their finances, and I have recognized the subtle yet opportunistic financial traps that creep up on all of us as we try to live our lives. Fortunately, you don’t have to be a financial expert to fix the problem. Its simpler than you might think and with a few changes, I will help you keep more of your money without the hassle of complicated instructions.

The first time I monitored my spending, it was astonishing to discover how much I was losing to “quick” produces deliveries that ended up costing over $25 or impulse buys on Amazon. Does this resonate with you? In this article, I will explain how most women’s struggles stem from lack of financial education rather than a shortage of income and offer seven proactive techniques to help overcome the traps. These tips, whether you’re looking to expand your savings or already living paycheck to paycheck, will become a helpful resource so keep reading. So, let’s grab on to our coffees and dive in deeper.

1. Take Off the Shopping Apps (Yes, Really)

Having so many shopping apps like Shein and Temu can turn your phone into a gold mine. Admitting to Janet’s Herald’s all-consuming digital shopping extravaganza of reckless spending is the pivotal first step to taking control. Surrendering to the Britney Spears “Oops! I Did It Again” style will etiquette shopping carts transform your phone into goldmine as packs of cards get literally unrestrained from store secured slots. Fabled Amazon’s solver apps and these apps sit smack center of the Wallet Automation Equators and seem to Google the groove go banners. “Set Your Cart Policy To Buy One Get One.” Snapchat flashes make half off set your cart policy set to buy 1 get one. As a prize for not buying stuff online duels my girlfriend and I placed bets on who can refrain from buying unnecessary things. The outcome for us: everyone won their self-respect that ballooned, the Amazon culture shock combined level clicked Shocking hundred saved hundreds of bucks having and easy breaching.

What to do: Delete the apps. Not only the card information—come on, you’ve probably memorized those bits by now. Deleting the app gives you a moment to pause between craving and purchasing. If you absolutely need it that badly, you can still order it from a browser, but that extra step gives your brain time to think twice. Bonus: unfollow the Instagram accounts that lure you with “must-have” offers (like those Zara haul videos you are constantly coming across). 

2. Ditch the $25 Burrito Habit 

This scenario sounds familiar: you are completely drained after a busy day, the kids are finally asleep, and cooking feels like the most daunting task ever—the equivalent of scaling Everest. You decide to open Uber Eats, and to your surprise, they happen to have a “two-for-one” special. Before you know it, you are staring at a bill that totals $25 for a single burrito after all the added fees and tips. Tips! My partner and I were shocked that we racked up over $300 a month in food delivery—$4,000 a year! And to be honest, the burritos weren’t even that great.

What to do: Pick one or two meals a week and budget for them as “treat” meals. Easy and quick options, such as frozen pizzas or prepped ingredients for stir-frys, are ideal for the rest of the week. If craving takeout, make it a rule to order only if you’re willing to go out and pick it up to avoid paying for delivery. Pro tip: follow accounts like @budgetbites on Instagram and get great meal ideas that won’t put you in a delivery trap.

3. Break Up with Fast Fashion 

That closet full of clothes you wear only once or twice a year is an issue we need to address. Research indicates women utilize only 20% of their closet—meaning a whopping 80% of their clothing budget is simply wasted. I used to fall for those “new season” hauls on social media, thinking I needed to keep up. But making Shein or Zara bust sales through highly trend driven fickle purchases is nerve-wracking both financially and environmentally.

What to do: Attempt a 30 day “cooling off” period prior to purchasing new clothes. Make a list of items you want (such as those stylish jeans) and revisit the list after some time. More often than not, the intense desire fades away. When you do decide to purchase something, choose to invest in good quality pieces that stand the test of time such as durable boots or timeless blazers. Also, consider visiting thrift stores for poshmark or thred up. This not only cuts down costs, but provides a sense of relief from the fast fashion spending cycle.

4. Curb the Avalanche of New Kids’ Toys

If you have kids or nieces and nephews, you already know how simple it is to make them hap py by purchasing yet another toy. Only to find a 7-year-old with a VR headset looking bored out of his mind playing with an old Lego set, happens to my partner too. It suddenly dawned upon us that we were trying to compensate for busy weeks and feeling absent by buying them. Let’s face it, children don’t need entire toy stores within arm’s reach.

Set a preset rule where for every new toy purchased, one has to be donated or passed on—the goal is to reduce clutter in a child’s room. But offering them as gifts teaches children to treasure and cherish what they have. Rather than spending money, trying going to the park or having a bake day; they are cost-free activities that your children will remember for a long time.

5. Cancel unrecalled subscriptions

Forgotten memberships are the worst. The little $9.99 ones lingering in your bank account are tiny vampires slowly draining your bank account’s lifeblood, and you don’t know it. Once I realized I was paying for a gym app I had long since stopped using and a streaming service I barely touched, I opened my eyes to all those “small” charges and my hundreds of dollars’ worth of annual expenses.

What to do: List all of your accounts and find every membership or subscription linked to them, like spending trackers. Eliminate anything that isn’t regularly used or brings joy, and yes, Marie Kondo your subscriptions. If you’re on the fence about making the cuts, think about it this way—would you rather this money be in your bank? Spoiler: you probably would.

6. Curb Impulse Spending in Grocery Stores

I would often swing by the store after a gym session or a walk, thinking I would only buy a small snack. Before I knew it, I had spent upwards of $30 on products that were not necessary. Eventually, my partner and I tried to track our “pop-ins” and were amazed by the results—sparing hundreds of dollars a month on non-essentials even through a stocked fridge!

What to do: Adhere to a strict grocery schedule accompanied by a list of essentials. If you feel the need to pop by skip the impulse buys by keeping a healthy snack like a granola bar in your bag. Always peak into your fridge or pantry before heading to the store, chances are you will realize that the $15 “quick” purchase is actually unnecessary. Bonus: meal-plan around the ingredients you already have to optimize the budget.

7. Take a Fresh Look at Beauty Products

I understand—those Instagram ‘influencers’ make using twelve serums in a skincare routine seem very alluring. The reality is using ‘luxury’ mascara for $60 or piling on moisturizers you never finish is an absurd way to spend your hard-earned money. The bitter truth is that many beauty products expire before they can be fully utilized, and let’s be honest here—you do not need an entire drawer of products to look stunning.

What to do: Adopt a “one in, one out” rule: don’t buy a new lip product or serum until the old one is finished. Stick to a simple cleansing and hydration routine with only a handful of products. Many drugstores brand dupes for more expensive items exist that work just as well—seek them out. Check out @skincarebyhyram for reputable budget-friendly skincare.

Following your finances doesn’t mean you eliminate everything you enjoy; it simply means you are spending your money more intentionally. To put it into practice, set a smaller goal, like choosing one or two tips to implement for a month. Perhaps log off that retail app or cancel a long-forgotten subscription. You will be surprised how much you manage to save without feeling restricted. It all adds up, allowing for financial investment into your goals—be it vacation, a side hustle, or simply calming your mind. You can do it, and I’m here to support you.