I still order my latte with oat milk. I still swing by my favorite coffee spot a few times a week. And no, I don’t feel bad about it. Because despite the long-standing “cut the lattes and you’ll retire early” advice, that was never the thing wrecking my budget.
Like a lot of people trying to build healthier financial habits, I started with the obvious: track my spending, look for leaks, try to save more consistently. But it wasn’t until I zoomed out and rethought how I was managing my money—not just what I was cutting—that I started to see real results.
Turns out, saving more isn’t about guilt-tripping yourself over small joys. It’s about spotting the big picture patterns that matter, automating better decisions, and being smarter about the choices you make often—not obsessing over $5 ones.
So no, I didn’t break up with my coffee shop. But I did find smarter ways to shave off hundreds of dollars without feeling deprived. Here's what actually worked—and what might help you save more too (latte in hand).
Where the Latte Shaming Falls Flat
Before we get into what I did do, let’s talk about what I didn’t. The latte-shaming narrative—made famous by a generation of financial gurus—rests on this idea: if you just cut your small daily indulgence, you’d magically unlock wealth.
But let’s do the math.
If you buy a $5 latte five times a week, that’s $25 a week or roughly $1,300 a year. Now, could that money grow over time if invested? Sure. But for many of us, the occasional latte is not the core issue. It’s our fixed costs—like housing, car payments, subscription creep, or mindless online orders—that quietly eat up far more cash.
According to a 2023 Bankrate survey, over 74% of Americans say they’ve felt financially stressed due to high recurring expenses—not daily splurges. That stress comes more from rent increases, rising grocery bills, and forgotten subscriptions than from grabbing an iced matcha on your lunch break.
So instead of slicing into the moments that actually brought me joy and energy, I focused on smarter ways to optimize the parts of my budget that were bloated, inefficient, or just plain forgotten.
1. I Reviewed My “Fixed” Expenses—and Found Room to Breathe
One of the most impactful things I did was revisit the expenses I’d previously filed under non-negotiable. You know the ones: phone bill, internet, insurance premiums, memberships. They’re set-and-forget, and that’s where they quietly become budget sinkholes.
So I pulled up the last three months of bank statements and highlighted every recurring bill.
Then I asked:
- Am I using this?
- Can I lower this?
- Is there a better deal?
The results were surprising:
- I switched to a lower-cost cell phone plan and saved $35/month
- Negotiated a lower car insurance premium with a quick phone call—$22/month saved
- Paused two streaming services I wasn’t using—$25/month saved
- Canceled a fitness app I forgot I had—$14/month saved
That’s $96/month shaved off with zero lifestyle impact. Over a year, that’s $1,152.
According to U.S. News & World Report, the average American spends about $219 a month on subscription services—many of which are underused or forgotten. Reviewing them quarterly can uncover significant savings.
The key here was this: I wasn’t cutting joy. I was cutting noise.
2. I Paired My Savings Goals With Triggers I Could Feel
Here’s a weird but effective trick: every time I made a savings-conscious choice, I moved the difference into a “Victory Fund.”
Example: I chose to walk instead of taking a $12 Uber? That $12 got moved to my savings account. Said no to a new pair of sneakers I didn’t really need? $80 to the Victory Fund. Made lunch at home instead of eating out? Another $15 in.
It’s behavioral psychology in action. By connecting a positive choice with an immediate reward, I made saving feel more satisfying—and visible.
Over time, this practice helped me build awareness of my choices. Instead of just “spending less,” I was consciously redirecting that money toward goals that mattered.
Some weeks I only moved $20. Other weeks, $100. But after a few months? I had saved over $500 without any spreadsheet stress or budgeting guilt.
3. I Used Automation to Get Out of My Own Way
Before this shift, I had a bad habit of waiting to “see what’s left” at the end of the month—and then saving whatever scraps remained. Spoiler: there were rarely scraps.
So I flipped the script. I picked a fixed amount I could reasonably save each pay period—$150—and set up an automatic transfer to a high-yield savings account the day after my paycheck hit.
I treated it like a bill: non-negotiable and automatic.
This strategy, known as paying yourself first, has been around for decades—and it works. When you don’t see the money, you don’t miss it. And when your savings happens on autopilot, it builds quietly and consistently.
According to Investopedia, automating your savings can help reduce decision fatigue and improve financial consistency—especially for people who struggle with budgeting or impulse spending.
Six months in, I had nearly $2,000 socked away—without having to budget down to the dollar. That savings gave me more peace of mind than skipping any latte ever could.
4. I Reframed My Spending With “Return on Joy”
One thing that helped me resist the pressure to cut fun spending altogether was this simple question: What’s the return on joy for this expense?
A $5 latte? High return. I love the ritual, it boosts my mood, and I often do my best thinking during those slow sips. A $60 impulse buy on Amazon? Usually low return. A restaurant dinner with a friend I hadn’t seen in months? High. Monthly delivery subscription I forgot to cancel? Low.
This lens helped me let go of the binary thinking (splurge = bad, saving = good) and get clear on what actually added to my life.
When you’re trying to save more, it’s easy to fall into the trap of deprivation. But the most effective financial changes happen when you focus on value, not just price.
5. I Stopped Treating Every Expense the Same
This was a game-changer: I started categorizing my spending into three simple buckets.
- Fixed Needs – Rent, bills, groceries
- Intentional Spending – Travel, hobbies, dining out, gifts
- Mindless Spending – Late-night shopping, forgotten subscriptions, stress buys
No spreadsheets, no apps. Just a quick check-in once a week to see where my money was going—and how it felt.
The goal wasn’t perfection. It was awareness.
Every time I spotted mindless spending creeping up, I’d pause and ask what I really needed: rest? connection? a walk? That moment of clarity helped me curb the urge to “soothe with spending” and redirect energy in healthier ways.
Over time, my intentional spending increased while my mindless spending dropped. That shift alone helped me save an extra $150–$200 per month—without feeling like I was missing out.
6. I Made One-Time Decisions That Saved Me All Year
Finally, I leaned into the power of one-time choices that save you again and again.
Some wins:
- Switched to a credit card with 2% cash back—earned $250 last year, just for spending smart
- Bought reusable versions of products I used constantly (goodbye, paper towels and batteries)
- Negotiated a better internet plan—then set a reminder to renegotiate again in 12 months
- Built a grocery list template based on my go-to meals—cut my grocery bill by $40/month
These weren’t big, flashy changes. But they were smart, low-effort moves that made a lasting difference.
Because here’s the truth: you don’t have to hustle constantly to save money. You just need to stack a few smart systems and decisions that do the heavy lifting for you.
Wealth in Focus
Audit your fixed costs quarterly. Don’t assume they’re set in stone. Renegotiate, cancel, or downgrade anything you’re not actively using.
Automate savings before you spend. Paying yourself first makes saving consistent—and takes willpower out of the equation.
Track spending by intention, not just category. Differentiate between joyful, aligned spending and default, mindless spending.
Use triggers to reward good choices. Redirect saved money into a separate account or fund to create positive feedback loops.
Optimize for repeat savings. Prioritize one-time changes (like switching cards or canceling subscriptions) that save you over and over again.
Cutting Lattes Was Never the Point
Saving money doesn’t have to mean giving up the little joys that make life better. For me, it wasn’t about saying no to oat milk or skipping dinners with friends—it was about paying closer attention to the things that weren’t adding value, and building habits that made better choices easier.
So if you’re tired of financial advice that feels like it came from someone who’s never looked at your actual budget (or your actual life), know this: it’s entirely possible to build real savings without giving up the things you love.
You don’t need guilt. You need clarity, a few smarter systems, and a strategy that works with your life—not against it.
Because the goal isn’t just to save more—it’s to spend better.
