2025 Reset: strategies for living below my means
2025 Reset: Strategies for Goal #1
In my previous post on resetting for the new year, you may have noticed that I went out of my way not to use the word “resolutions.” That’s because I’ve never had any luck sticking to them. Instead I prefer to use the term “goals” since it describes my aspirations for the year. Whatever the term used, it helps to have a gameplan to tackle them. Here are some strategies that I plan to utilize:
Reduce Food Expenses: Food and eating out was the second highest expense after our mortgage in 2024. It’s no secret that food costs have increased in the last few years so the struggle to stick to a food budget is real. To help curb food expenses, I plan to reduce eating out to 1-2 times a week. To set myself up for success and to resist the urge to get takeout, I plan to freeze a few meals that can be easily reheated or make sure I have a couple of quick and easy entrees in the freezer at the ready for those nights when we just don’t want to spend time in the kitchen.
I’ve also begun meal planning around weekly sales. Downloading grocery store apps makes it easy to check out weekly deals and is a budget friendly way to meal plan.
Implement a low-buy year: If I’m serious about living below my means, then this strategy is a no-brainer. I will only allow myself to only purchase clothing and apparel if I need to replace something. New home decor is out, but I will allow practical household items, to replace older items. For example, I know that will need to replace a couple of cooking utensils soon. Not buying clothes will be tricky. My body has changed during menopause and my clothing size is a moving target. I’ll allow myself to purchase only an item to replace something if it no longer fits and only if that item is an essential part of my wardrobe, a workhorse piece and if I can find at a reasonable price.
This low-buy challenge has led me to rethink social media and the impact it has on my spending habits. As much as I love to scroll through my favorite fashion and home decor Instagram accounts and view You Tube videos for styling inspo, if I’m being honest, I’ve made several purchases due to being influenced. In addition, and if I’m being really honest, my social media consumption has fed into my own feelings that my clothes or my home isn’t good enough. Not to mention, I’ve lost a sense of my own personal style. I’ve already deleted several retail apps and unsubscribed to a few content creators that seemed to focus on hauls or regularly featured “new in” from retailers. I will continue to follow creators that focus on styling rather than purchases. And it’s not lost on me that as someone who writes a blog, that I could potentially contribute to this influencer dynamic. My intention is to encourage finding joy and appreciation in the things we may already own. Most future styling posts will feature items that I already own.
I will also unsubscribe to the thinking that clothes are an investment. While I will also try to find the best quality within my budget, clothes are NOT an investment, for me at least. I know there are examples of some highly sought out designer pieces that have high resell values, but those are exceptions. Investments are stocks, bonds, real estate, higher education. I prefer to invest in my retirement.
Rethink my relationship to money: Growing up, money was tight especially after my parent’s divorce. I remember my mother struggling to make ends meet and moving from apartment to apartment. As an adult, I felt compelled to create a lifestyle for my family to make up for what I believed I didn’t have. I’ve been slowly letting go of this mindset, but as I look towards retirement, I plan to double down and begin to embrace smaller, intentional living. In practical terms, that means finding joy in the small moments and things that matter rather than spending to fill a void.
I hope you find this helpful. Please share any tips for living within our means. And stay tuned for updates on how this all goes.
Cheers to a prosperous 2025!
F&F
