10 “OVERINDULGENT” Expenses to Cut Before the Recession Hits

Right now it feels like everything is getting more expensive. Groceries, gas, even your morning coffee's going up. If you've been staring at your bank account wondering where all your money is going you're not alone. With whispers of recession and rising tariffs pushing prices even higher it's easy to feel like your budget is bleeding from a thousand little paper cuts. So if you're feeling overwhelmed behind or just sick of wondering why your paycheck doesn't stretch like it used to this video it's for you. But here's the truth that most people won't tell you. Cutting back doesn't start with your spending it starts with your thinking. Because if you try to fix your budget without resetting your lifestyle it's like bailing water from a sinking ship with a teaspoon. Hello my friend if you're new here my name is Sarah and I'm the owner of frozenpennies.com I'm a financial coach and the author of the international best-selling book Fundamentally Frugal. Link below. After helping thousands of women through my blog and my coaching reset their lives and budgets I can tell you this works. So if you want more support like this hit subscribe and let's get into it. Now in this video I'm not just going to give you a boring list of where to cut back although those wonderful lists do exist on this channel. Today I'm going to walk you through the psychology why are spending spirals out of control during times like these and the specific 10 places your money is quietly leaking out every single month. I can tell you that that number four that's a struggle for me too. Then I'll show you the five simple steps to reset everything your habits your mindset and your money so you can feel calm in control and ready for whatever happens next. Stick around to the end to get those actionable steps. Number one subscription creep. Here's the fact most people have no idea how many subscriptions they're actually paying for. It's the gym you never go to, the meditation app you used once, the streaming services you don't even like anymore. These tiny auto renewals can easily drain a hundred dollars or more every single month without you even noticing. But when you start actively canceling what no longer adds value you reclaim power over your money and the surprising part you won't miss them if you're not using them anyway. Subscriptions are designed to beset it and forget it because companies rely on inertia and your tendency to avoid friction. Psychologists call this the status quo bias. We stick with what we're already doing even when it's not in our best interest. Hitting cancel feels like a loss but in reality it's a gain of control. Grocery waste. If you've tossed out limp produce or forgotten leftovers you're not just wasting food you're wasting cash. But here's the thing grocery waste isn't about being a bad planner it's about not having a system. When you shift to meal planning based on what's already in your pantry and your freezer you stop overbuying. You make smarter choices. You reduce waste and you save more than you think often 50 to 100 a month if not more. Our brains overestimate what we'll want to eat later. This is known as planning fallacy. We shop based on good intentions rather than what we actually use. By planning backward from what we already have we short circuit that bias and reduce both waste and regret. Takeout and dining out. We all need convenience sometimes especially in a busy season but when takeout becomes a default not the exception it quietly drains hundreds from your budget. That Friday night pizza night it adds up. Instead reset with a weekly fake out night. Get it? Instead of takeout fake out up. Recreate your favorite meals at home. It's fun satisfying and a powerful reminder that you can have luxury without overspending. Takeout isn't just about food it's emotional relief. It's a reward after a long day or a buffer when you're just plain exhausted. That's emotional spending and it works short term only but replacing it with an equally satisfying ritual gives your brain the same dopamine hit without the bill. Impulse Amazon buys one click. That's all it takes. Amazon designed engineered this to make you shop without thinking but when you delete the app remove the save cards and use a wish list instead you interrupt that impulse. The result you still get the things you need but not the 17 random things you forgot you bought. The difference is hundreds of dollars saved each month. Impulse buying triggers a chemical hit of dopamine. Our brain loves that quick win. Retailers exploit this with easy checkout and fast delivery. Introducing even a 24 to 40 hour pause. The cool-off period brings back logic online and lets emotions settle so you are making decisions with clarity. Clothing and self-care. You don't need a new wardrobe you need a new perspective. When you start shopping your own closet building a capsule wardrobe and using thrift stores creatively you realize that style has nothing to do with price tags. It's about confidence and curation not consumption. Knowing your colors makes this easier. New clothes provide a quick identity boost. When we feel uncertain or out of control we buy things to fix our image. But real confidence comes from intention not accumulation. Simplifying your style quiets the inner noise and reinforces who you already are. I'm not saying you shouldn't look nice and feel beautiful, look stylish, have great nails, get highlights but do so on a budget and be practical. Have the money set aside or line in your budget. Quick story. I had my color analysis done. It was a little bit expensive about a hundred hundred and forty dollars but what it taught me was the best colors on me having to do with hair color, eye color, skin color and so what I've been doing is going through my closet. Now I need to get rid of stuff anyway. I have a lot of things in there that just don't fit so I'm going through it anyway and what I'm doing is I'm pulling out the colors that make me feel good and look the best on me. Now this is about spending a little bit of money to make yourself feel a little bit better in a way that's budgeted. Now I know that I don't need more clothes. I just need to wear the clothes that are right for me. The colors like the kelly greens and the deep reds and the royal blues those brighter deep winter colors make me realize that I have all of the clothes that I need in my closet already and when I do go thrifting in the fall with my mom I know that those are the colors I should be looking for. Utilities. Rising energy costs hit hard but you have more control than you might think. Lower your thermostat by just a couple of degrees. Washing with cold water and unplugging unused electronics can shave down your bills significantly and when you layer up in winter or run fans instead of blasting AC in summer you keep comfort without sacrificing savings. Now we tend to underestimate small reoccurring costs a concept known as mental account bias because a few degrees on the thermostat doesn't feel like a change we just ignore it but when you make these choices visible and track the impact you rewire how you perceive value. Transportation. If you're working from home or hybrid it might be time to rethink how many cars your household actually needs especially if you have two car payments sell one and buy a used car for cash not something fancy just reliable and practical. Cutting back on gas insurance and maintenance can even slightly can have a major impact. Start by combining errands carpooling when possible and questioning whether that second vehicle is still worth it. Car ownership is often tied to identity freedom status and independence. It's symbolic spending but when you reframe your car as a tool not a trophy it becomes easier to make rational decisions and reduce unnecessary costs. Household supplies. You likely have enough toilet paper cleaners and shampoo to last for months. Take inventory before shopping challenge yourself to use what you have you'll be surprised how long you can go without buying more and when you're ready to restock try making simple DIY cleaners with ingredients like vinegar and baking soda it's cheaper and it's healthier. Stocking up on household supplies can make us feel prepared even powerful especially during uncertain times but often it's scarcity mindset playing out in disguise. Pausing consumption and practicing the use it up reframes sufficiency and calms anxiety. Gifts and celebrations. Celebrating doesn't have to mean overspending when you lead with thoughtfulness instead of cost your gifts and traditions actually become more meaningful. Write letters, create photo books or host potluck parties. You'll save money and make deeper memories. We equate spending with love especially during birthdays and holidays that's cultural conditioning but neuroscience shows that experiences and meaningful connections generate more long-term happiness than material gifts ever could. A quick story my granddaughter is turning six this month for the last few years I've been picking her up on her birthday and going to the bookstore. We get chocolate milk or coffee and a cookie and then we buy some books for her birthday. It's something she's looking forward to every single year and this year is no exception. This year is super special because she's learning to read so she gets to pick out books that she can actually read. Entertainment. Fun doesn't have to be expensive. Libraries, free local events and at-home game nights can bring more joy than pricey outings. When you start prioritizing creativity over convenience you realize that the best experiences often cost nothing. We default to convenience based entertainment because it's easy and familiar but novelty connection and play are what actually boost moods. When you shift your definition of fun you open up a deeper satisfaction without spending more. Let's go over the steps. Step one do a 30-day spending audit. Start by printing out those last 30 days of transactions. Highlight everything that wasn't necessary. Yes even those small charges. This is about data not shame. You can't fix what you don't see. If 30 days feels overwhelming start with one week. Use categories groceries, entertainment, dining out, subscriptions, etc. Tally up the totals to get a visual of where your money is going. Seeing it visually on paper brings emotional clarity and can be a turning point for so many. Step two identify your leak zones. What are your top two or three areas of overspending? It could be takeout, online shopping or excessive grocery trips. Label them. Own them. These are the pressure points where you'll see the fastest improvement. Think of this like finding the slow punctures in your budget tire. You don't have to fix everything at once just start with the biggest leak and focus there. If you're overwhelmed ask what's the one category that feels out of control lately. Step three create a reset budget. Now that you've got clarity it's time to rebuild. Don't patch the old plan just throw it away and start from scratch. What are your actual priorities? What gives you peace of mind? Design a budget that reflects the season of life and leaves room for inflation, savings and yes even a little fun. Use a simple tool pen and paper, spreadsheet or an app like YNAB or EveryDollar. Include a category for emotional spending flex fund or buffer fund whatever you want to call it. This isn't just numbers it's about building a plan that supports the life you want not punishes you for one that you have. Want a simpler way to get started? I've Step four choose three frugal habits to practice. Start small maybe you cook at home five nights a week, unsubscribe from store emails or switch to cash for groceries. Focus on these three habits master them then add a little bit more. Don't just choose habits attach them to daily routines or a trigger. For example I plan meals on Sunday mornings with coffee or I put five dollars into savings every time I skip takeout. Habits stick when they're anchored to real life. Step five track your progress weekly. This isn't the glue that holds your reset together a weekly check-in just 10 minutes helps you course correct early. Stay motivated and celebrate wins before the month is over. Keep it simple use a notebook and no app or a whiteboard track one thing what went well what didn't didn't what's next. Budgeting is emotional work so give yourself credit for effort not just outcomes. Progress builds momentum. To wrap this up here's my big idea a lifestyle reset isn't about deprivation it's about direction. The world might feel super unstable but your finances don't have to. When you reset your spending from a place of clarity and confidence you take control of your life no matter what's happening around you. This is your moment to shift and there's no better time to get started. If this reset resonated with you don't forget to like share subscribe and let me know in the comments what you're cutting back on first or where you're still struggling. And if you're ready to go even deeper I've linked a video right here that walks you through building a frugal lifestyle from the ground up. I'll see you there.