Did you know that shopping releases dopamine (nature’s feel-good hormone) into your brain? Turns out, clicking “checkout” can literally create a high that your body wants to keep chasing. No wonder it can be so hard to reel in spending! But luckily, if you want to learn how to stop spending money, there are plenty of effective strategies you can use to take back control.
This detailed guide breaks down strategies in the following categories:
- Immediate steps to take
- Long-term solutions
- Mindset shifts
- Practical systems
Let’s dive in!
Table of contents
How to stop spending money: Immediate steps to take
Looking for some fast fixes that can help you curb irresponsible spending? Here are some of the most effective strategies you can use.
Remove temptation from your environment 🙅
We live in the era of temptation and convenience.
To start, there are ads literally everywhere you turn. You see ads when you search the internet, scroll social media, check your email, listen to music, watch a video, tune into a podcast, or even drive down the street. It’s a constant barrage of companies tempting you to buy things.
Fighting this temptation is hard, especially because it’s easier than ever to buy things.
If you want to buy something, you can literally open your phone, check out in a few clicks, and get the product in days (if not hours).
We’ll be honest…you probably can’t escape temptation entirely. But you can definitely fight back. Here’s how:
👉 Delete shopping apps: Apps sit on your home screen and shout, “Open me!” every day. No, literally. Your apps send you notifications if you stop using them. They’re too sneaky to say “open me”, though. Instead, they say things like “check out our new products”, or “here are some new recommendations you might like”. You can fight back against this temptation by deleting shopping apps entirely.
👉 Unsubscribe from marketing emails: Let your emails build up for about a week. Then, go through on a weekend and mass-unsubscribe from all of them. If you want to stop spending money, then you don’t need whatever these emails are selling to you.
👉 Unfollow companies on social media: Most major brands post content dozens of times per day. By following them, you’re subconsciously getting nudged to buy their products every time you go on social media. Eliminate this temptation (and clean up your feed) by unfollowing them.
👉 Log out of shopping websites: Again, you can cut down on temptation by logging out of common shopping sites. In extreme cases, consider pausing or deleting your accounts entirely.
👉 Delete your credit or debit card from internet search engines: It’s harder to shop if the internet doesn’t automatically remember your credit card information.
👉 Lock your credit or debit cards: Putting a temporary lock on your cards can be a helpful way to cut off spending entirely. This is a great way to cancel any unwanted subscriptions.
👉 Avoid browsing online stores: Many people love to shop online, even if they don’t plan on buying anything. But this is like a gambler going to Vegas just to see a show. Be wary of “casual browsing” and try to redirect your attention elsewhere if you find yourself adding things to your cart.
Once you’ve eliminated unwanted temptation, consider implementing the 24-hour rule for non-essential purchases.
Implement the 24-hour rule for non-essential purchases ⏱️
The 24-hour shopping rule is when you wait a full day before buying anything that isn’t a need.
If the day passes and the purchase still feels worth it, then go for it. But more often than not, your desire to make the purchase will drop. This strategy works particularly well for in-person shopping.
💡 MoneyLion Tip: This rule could be more effective with a longer waiting period, like 48 hours, a week, or even a month.
Use cash for discretionary spending 💵
Did you know that it’s easier to spend money when you’re not paying cash?
No, seriously. When you’re physically separated from your cash (like by a credit card), it’s easier to spend money. It’s called mental disassociation, and it’s a common psychological reason for overspending.
Why do you think casinos require you to use chips instead of cash? You’d think twice about betting an actual $50 bill. But a fun, brightly-colored chip? Let it ride!
Luckily, you can use this trick in reverse by using cash for your discretionary spending. By paying cash for everything, you’ll be more conscious of how much you spend.
One of the easiest ways to go cash-only is by withdrawing your weekly “fun money” in cash each week. Once you’re out of cash, the fun’s over.
You can go one step further by using the envelope method.
Use the envelope method for variable expenses ✉️
The envelope method, also known as cash stuffing, is where you divide your money into different categories, stick the cash in labeled envelopes, and only spend what’s in each envelope.
Here’s an example of how you could cash-stuff different envelopes:
- Envelope #1: Rent
- Envelope #2: Utilities
- Envelope #3: Groceries
- Envelope #4: Savings
- Envelope #5: Fun money
Cash stuffing is super effective because it helps you visualize where your expenses are going and makes it nearly impossible to overspend. When the cash is gone, it’s gone. No more paying with a credit card and hoping you’ll have more money a month from now.
We hope you found a few of those immediate action steps to stop spending money valuable. Now, let’s discuss some longer-term solutions to curb spending.
Long-term solutions: Budgeting and planning
If you want to learn how to stop spending so much money, then you can’t avoid budgeting. Let’s explore step-by-step details for how a budget can help you stop spending.
Create a detailed budget 🧾
A budget is a detailed plan that helps you monitor your income and expenses. Without a budget, you won’t know how to curb spending. Here’s how you can create one:
👉 Track your fixed expenses: List and organize your bills that stay the same each month, like rent, car payments, insurance, and subscriptions. These are the non-negotiables that form the backbone of your budget.
👉 Track your changing expenses: Now do the same for expenses that fluctuate like groceries, utilities, dining out, and gas. Monitor these expenses for about a month to understand your average spending. This is usually where you have the most flexibility to save.
👉 Establish your total monthly expenses: Add up your fixed and changing expenses to see exactly how much you’re spending each month. This is your baseline; it shows how money your current lifestyle costs and is the basis for how to lower your monthly expenses.
👉 Identify areas to cut back: Look closely at your expenses and identify non-essential expenses to cut. Look for categories like takeout meals, unused subscriptions, or unnecessary products. Small cuts across several areas can add up to significant savings.
👉 Create an actionable plan to cut your spending: Decide which expenses to reduce and by how much, then set clear rules for yourself. For example, maybe limit dining out to twice a month or set a weekly grocery budget. The more specific and realistic your plan, the easier it will be to stick to it.
💡Learn More: How to Save Money Fast: 20 Tips and Tricks
Tracking all of this information manually can be really difficult. This is where MoneyLion can be incredibly valuable.
MoneyLion links to your bank account, analyzes your spending, and you can create a custom budget in 2 minutes – all for free!
Pay your savings account first 💸
Want to know a cheat code that almost guarantees you’ll reach your savings goals? Pay your savings account first, before paying any bills. Here’s what we mean:
- Set up an automatic deposit for your savings: Want to save $500 per month? Just set up an automatic withdrawal that will help you reach that goal, like $125 per week or $250 every other week.
- Adjust your spending: You’ll have to be careful to spend less in other areas, since the money is getting withdrawn from your paycheck right away.
- Hit your goal: With an automatic withdrawal set up, it’s nearly impossible to not hit your savings goal.
Most budgets work by paying your bills first and saving what’s left over. This flips the script: Save first, spend what’s left over.
👉 How Much of Your Paycheck Should You Save?
The pay your savings account first strategy has been particularly effective for MoneyLion user Steven W., who posted this in the MoneyLion community:
“Treating my savings like a bill that has to be paid has started to really help me save for the future I want.” – Steven W., MoneyLion User, July 30, 2025
MoneyLion offers a convenient marketplace to compare high-yield savings accounts from our trusted partners that could help grow your money.
Track every expense 📝
Another effective strategy to cut your spending is to track every expense.
While this might seem a bit excessive, it’s a foolproof way to figure out exactly where every dime of your income is going. If you don’t know what your expenses are, you won’t know what to cut.
You can turn this into a daily habit by writing down your purchases whenever you spend money. This helps you pay more attention to when you spend money.
Plan your meals 🍕
Planning your meals in advance can be one of the most effective ways to cut back on your food spending.
Decide what you want to eat for the upcoming week, get your groceries, and then stick to your plan. This helps prevent those last-minute Doordashed lunches that turn a $15 sandwich into a $30 expense, after taxes, fees, and a tip.
Shop with a list 📋
Want to learn how to stop overspending? Bring a list with you when you go shopping.
Aimlessly strolling up and down the aisles is a recipe for seeing items that you didn’t know you needed (AKA impulse buying and overspending). You can also prevent overspending by avoiding megachains that sell everything and sticking to smaller stores with limited products.
Create the list before you go to the store, and if a product’s not on the list, it doesn’t go in the card.
How to not spend money: Mindset shifts
Cutting down on your spending is a much bigger psychological battle than most people think. Let’s explore a few mindset shifts that you can make to stop spending money.
Focus on experiences over things 🎢
Research from the University of Texas shows that spending on experiences instead of possessions has a much bigger impact on your overall happiness. The reason? Experiences live longer in your memories than material possessions do.
Years from now, you’ll probably still look back fondly on trips, memories with friends/family, or date nights. But that new pair of shoes? You’ve probably already donated them.
Spending money on experiences over things can be a much better way to get more value out of your budget. Especially when you focus on cost-effective experiences (more on that later).
Whenever you feel the urge to spend, try and redirect that energy to a free event or activity, particularly something new. You’ll save money, and potentially even end up feeling more rewarded.
Practice gratitude for what you already own 🙏
If you have hot running water, a bed, and a good pair of shoes, then you’re already better off than a large portion of the world.
You can curb spending by practicing gratitude for what you already own. When you find yourself longing for something new, pivot your thinking to being grateful for the things you already have.
Calculate purchases in hours worked ⌚
Thinking of purchases in terms of “hours worked” can make it much easier to reevaluate purchases.
For example, if you earn $15/hour and want to buy a $150 pair of shoes, you’re essentially swapping 10 hours of your hard work for those shoes. Are they still worth it? They might be! But maybe not.
How to curb spending: Practical systems
Okay, what if you’ve created a budget and shifted your mindset, but you still find it difficult to cut your spending? In this case, you might benefit from a more practical system.
Find free alternatives for entertainment 🆓
Life can be expensive. In today’s world, even a simple outing like a small concert or movie can cost $50+. But the bright side is that there are still plenty of activities that cost $0.
Here are a few of our favorite super-affordable activities:
- Go to a library and explore new books or other activities
- Go to an open mic night for singers/comedians
- Learn an instrument
- Travel to cheap locations (or learn how to travel for free)
- Find a new place to watch the sunrise/sunset
- Visit a local beach, river, lake, or park
- Go to a dog park
- Rearrange your furniture for a fresh vibe
- Start a new book (or book club with friends)
- Host a game night with friends
- Visit your local farmer’s market just to browse
- Volunteer at a local community organization
- Go to a free museum, art gallery, or pop-up event
- Visit a local landmark
- Paint or draw using supplies you already have
- Write a short story or poem
- Visit a pet adoption center just to say hi
- Meditate in a peaceful spot
- Go hiking at the coolest drivable place you can find
- Turn your home into your personal haven
That final strategy (turning your home into your personal haven) has really helped MoneyLion user Damita H., who posted this in the MoneyLion community:
“Top tip for saving money: Make your home your haven. We spend too much money when we go outside. Becoming a homebody and making my home the ultimate chill spot has saved me so much money.” – Damita H., MoneyLion User, July 30, 2025
Practice delayed gratification with a wish list 📝
Whenever you want something, get in the habit of adding it to a wishlist. Then, commit to saving up until you feel comfortable making the purchase.
Just like with the 24-hour rule, practicing delayed gratification can help prevent overspending.
Change your social spending habits 🎁
A social spender is someone who makes purchases for others to help boost their self-esteem. Think: that person who insists on picking up a group dinner tab, even if everyone agrees to split. Or, a friend who’s always buying thoughtful, yet unnecessary gifts for others.
Be mindful of social spending and do your best to pump the brakes if you find yourself spending unnecessarily on other people.
There’s a fine line between being generous and digging yourself into a financial hole for no real reason
Reevaluate your social circle 🧑🤝🧑
Here’s an unfortunate truth: If you really want to stop spending, you might need to change who you hang out with.
Whether we realize it or not, our friend circle has a major influence on our behavior, including our spending habits. If your friends are constantly encouraging you to spend, then it might be time to set some boundaries. You can do this by practicing loud budgeting.
Loud budgeting is where you’re open and vocal about your money goals with friends, family, and even on social media. The objective is to articulate your financial goals to others and politely decline social invitations that go against your goals.
👉 Get invited to brunch? Sorry! I’d rather save the money by making pancakes at home. Why don’t you come over for breakfast instead?
👉 Get invited out to the club? Sorry! Drinks, cover charge, and Ubers aren’t in my budget right now. Why don’t we just have some drinks at my place and catch up?
👉 Get invited on a spontaneous trip? That sounds so fun, but I haven’t had time to budget for it, and I’d feel irresponsible using a credit card. Send me a postcard!
Good friends will respect your boundaries, and if a friend keeps pressuring you to break your rules, it may be a sign that they’re not a good fit for you right now.
MoneyLion user Ale M. put it well when he posted this in the MoneyLion community:
“I stopped thinking of my budget as a restriction and started seeing it as a reflection of my values. Every dollar I save or spend now feels like a vote for the life I want. That mental shift helped me pay down $2,000 in debt without feeling deprived – and it’s made my dreams feel closer and more real than ever.” – Ale M., Moneylion User, July 17, 2025
Start Flexing Your Saving Muscles!
Cutting back on spending isn’t about depriving yourself. It’s about prioritizing your financial goals, cutting out potential waste, and directing your spending to areas that are most important to you.
Start small, stay consistent, and remember: every dollar you save gets you a step closer to your financial goals.
FAQs
Why am I addicted to spending money?
Spending money releases dopamine in your brain, so it can create a “high” that your body wants to chase. Explore our strategies above to learn how you can stop spending money.
How do I change my mindset to stop spending money?
You can change your mindset to stop spending money by focusing on experiences over things, practicing gratitude for what you already own, and thinking about purchases in terms of hours worked.
How do you say no to spending?
One strategy is to practice loud budgeting, which is when you vocalize your financial goals to others. This can help make it easier to politely decline invitations to spend when they don’t align with your goals.
How to stop emotional overspending?
To stop emotional overspending, wait 24 hours before making any non-essential purchases. You can also try finding healthier outlets for stress or boredom, like exercising, journaling, or calling a friend. Tracking your spending can also help you spot emotional spending patterns before they spiral.
