Many people have clever ways to save money that don’t necessarily require a strict budgeting routine, and while budgeting can certainly do wonders for your finances, the process isn’t tailored to everyone’s tastes.
There are many ways to save money, but sometimes all you need to do is put the extra cash in a safe place and forget about it.
A neurodiverse woman shares three ways she tricks herself to save money.
Budgeting is a valuable tool, but it doesn’t work for everyone. @nhonsworld on TikToksaid that because many systems, such as budgeting, are designed for neurologically normal people, she adopted her own money-saving habits to boost her savings.
“I’m pretty self-aware, so I’ve learned to work with my quirks instead of against them,” she said.
1. I hate cash, so I save it instead of spending it.
“I hate hugs [cash]”It feels so gross and dirty. I don’t want to use it or go to the bank to deposit it,” she said.
By leveraging her discomfort with cash, this woman saved $1,314 alone.
2. She uses the lack of permanence of objects to her advantage
Object persistence, According to Verywell Mind:is the ability of a young child to understand that something exists even if they cannot hear or see it. The woman said she struggled with this ability, and would quickly forget it existed if it was out of sight.
While this pattern can lead to frequently losing important items or starting projects that never get completed, it can also be used to your financial advantage.
“Every time they receive cash, they put it in their safe and forget about it until the next time they receive cash, and the cycle continues,” she said.
As the saying goes, “out of sight, out of mind.” Then she takes it a step further.
3. She combines her interest in arts and crafts with her savings challenge.
“I’m currently working on the 100 Envelope Challenge, which is numbering 100 envelopes from 1 to 100,” she explained.
Then, they fill each numbered envelope with the corresponding amount of cash. When all 100 envelopes are filled, they will have accumulated approximately $5,000. They decorate the envelopes with stickers and seal them with wax to prevent them from being opened, making the process exciting and fun.
“I’m supposed to fill out the envelopes regularly, but I’m lazy so I just fill them out in batches whenever I feel like it. Also, I often end up filling them out too much rather than filling them out accurately,” she added.
Not only is this a fun activity, but it also promotes a productive way to exponentially increase your assets without breaking the budget.
This method may not work for everyone, but you can use it to develop your own savings system.
By following this unique money saving method, this woman has already filled 50 envelopes.
If you can master the art of budgeting, then by all means use it, but if you find it too time-consuming or confusing, you can benefit from focusing diligently on other ways to save money.
For example, I put any cash or change I find or receive into a cash bag and store it somewhere safe and out of sight so I can continually add to it without spending it.
It’s important to note that just because you can’t adapt to a particular neurotypical routine doesn’t mean there aren’t other ways to achieve success.
Neurodiversity means that some people think and process information differently than others, which comes with advantages and disadvantages.
Francesca Duarte is a writer for YourTango’s news and entertainment team based in Orlando, Florida, covering lifestyle, human interest, adventure and spiritual topics.
