In the era of influencers and influencer culture, where everyone’s trying to sell you something or the other, or convince you that you need to up your game, you need to know how to save money. As an Instagram influencer myself, I’ve outlined and penned down the following tips for you to go easy on your wallet:

Make lists of things you want. Then, categorize them as things you need or don’t need.

If you feel you need it, then think of all the things you already have and see if you already have something that can substitute for that. If you already have a substitute, then cut it off your list. What you are left with at the end of this process, you can go ahead and buy.

One tip that I always try to practice lately is telling my self, “If you’re not thinking about that thing you want after two weeks, you don’t want it, you were just influenced.” And it has saved me a lot of money and the guilt that comes with not liking something when it finally arrives.

Keep track of your spending habits.

Are you going to those places to eat out where a lot of influencers go? Are you buying from a lot of those shops that the influencers promote? If you are living a heavily influenced life to the point of religiously following influencers then you probably need to unfollow those people who only bring out the side of you that wants to spend money.

There’s also the option to mute or hide such accounts. Some desi influencers tend to belong to the upper-middle-class or the elite class. And even then, most of the products they advertise are gifted to them. Are you sure you can afford all that?

Invest in a capsule wardrobe with items that mix and match

I usually shop for clothes and think about how they would look on my Instagram feed. This creates a whole urge to stand out and sometimes spend money on clothes that are of low quality. It is thus wise to invest in a capsule wardrobe with items that mix and match and can add to the versatility you are looking for, even if those individual items are repeated. As long as it’s all good quality stuff.

Being aware of where your money is coming from and going will help you make smart decisions.

If you feel like you want to eat out, remind yourself of all the expenditures in the upcoming days that you might need money for. It is always a good feeling to have money in the pocket, than out of it. You can practice this with the things you put in your shopping carts online and IRL.

Look for apps that have discounts.

Make a list of such offers and keep them handy. As for other items, you should remind yourself that most stores have bi-annual or quarterly sales. It is much better to save money to spend on those sales than buy them full price. I am not saying hoard, just plan better usage and span out.

Keep cash on you and entrust someone else with your finances

For someone who knows they’re spendthrift and has the tendency to spend more money, you can allow yourself to carry a designated amount of cash, and hand over the credit/debit card to a family member or a friend whom you trust. Spending through a card might feel like the cash in your pocket is safe, but the money in your bank account is not. Plus, having cash at hand always helps make wiser money decisions because of the solidity of the money leaving through your hands.

Give yourself constant reminders

Remind yourself every day:

  • I don’t need to get the new collection, I already have enough clothes.
  • I don’t need to eat outside when there is enough food at home.
  • I don’t need to spend money on things I want because I already have the things I need.

In the end, you have to remember: you are allowed to spend the money you have. No one is asking you to be frugal. All you need to remember is that you can spend your money however you want, just be more mindful of the money you have already spent, or might need to later.

Have any more tips? Let us know in the comments.

About the Author: Haseeb Sultan is an Instagram influencer. You can follow him here.