Let’s all be honest for a second…

I am a total shopaholic.

I spend money like nobody’s business. Take me to a mall, and I could probably spend the entire day there. Any sort of sale is my kryptonite. Who’s with me?

As fun as shopping can be, spending all my money on clothes, shoes, and food isn’t really practical (bummer, I know). Most of the money hacks I had been told growing up were never really applicable or helpful for me. Suggestions like opening a savings account–while a good idea–weren’t really the best options for a broke college grad like myself. But when I learned these three money-saving hacks, honestly guys, my life changed.

First, download a money-saving app. I use Digit.

Saving money for me is as hard as trying to go to the gym every single day. I’m awful at remembering to put money away and as an adult, some savings accounts require a minimum balance which can be impossible to maintain.

That’s why I love the Digit app. Essentially, the Digit app allows you to set savings goals and then Digit will periodically take money out of your account to put towards those goals. Goals range from student loan payments, credit card debt, vacation funds, and more. I use Digit mainly for the Rainy Day fund and rent savings!

My favorite part about the Digit app is that you can limit how much money it takes out a day. For example, on my Rainy Day goal, I only let Digit take $5 maximum a day from my checking. While it might not seem like a lot, I managed to save almost $1000 in just about 6 months without even noticing I was saving at all!

While Digit has not sponsored me (hit me up, Digit!!) you can use this link to get an automatic $5 towards your savings goals!

Second: only use cash when you go shopping.

Some of you may already be doing this, but when I go shopping I try to always use cash. When I bring a debit or credit card, it’s harder for me to picture how much money I’m actually using. With cash, I have given myself a specific amount I’m allowed to spend and I can see it disappear as I’m paying for things (and leaving with more and more bags!). I’d still recommend bringing a backup form of payment in case of any issues or emergencies, but generally, this should keep you from draining your bank account!

Finally, make yourself a personalized budget and schedule.

Anyone have bills pop up out of nowhere? I’ve definitely had this happen more times than I’d like to admit. Writing out your bills and when they’re due is a super efficient way of staying money-conscious. A personal budget makes it so easy to visualize the money that you owe and when you will need to pay it by. When you create your own budget, you can also see exactly how much leftover spending money you have either weekly, monthly, or daily–however you decide to organize!

And those are my three favorite money-saving hacks! I hope that they’re helpful for you and keep you money-conscious. If you use them, be sure to tag @girlmeetsnewyorkcity on Instagram or Twitter to let me know!

Yours Truly,

Erin