Career & Finance Fridays

There is a gigantic difference between earning a great deal of money and being rich.

Tired of ending every month in the hole with no idea where your hard-earned money went? It may be time to re-evaluate your spending.

In a recent Reddit thread, users shared their best tips for quickly and easily spending less money. They range from practical food-buying tricks to reframing the way you think about your finances.

We pulled out some the best and highlighted them below.

1. Plan out and cook your own meals. Dining out often is a huge money drain. —MrTimSearle

2. Clean out your fridge and pantry. You'll find good food you didn't know you had. —InsaneRay

3. Buy in bulk the things you would normally buy.You'll get more for your buck. —cjs3

4. Opt for non-canned goods. Fresh produce and dried beans are typically cheaper and healthier than canned items. —BellabitchTheStrange

5. Try the grocery store brand. If you like the taste, stick with it, and you'll save money. —Colonel-Rosa

6. Stop buying microwave dinners. The mark-ups are crazy. You could make better, healthier meals for less. —yawrn

7. Don't buy more groceries than you actually need or can keep. Throwing away food is the same as throwing away money. —nowgetbacktowork

8. Use a slow cooker. Throw in some veggies, beans, and meat, and you'll have lunches and dinners for the whole week. —i-hear-banjos

9. Make your own coffee. Those $2 to $4 coffees add up. —StickleyMan

10. Bring your lunch to work. You'll cut your lunch tab in half or more by making it yourself. —ILikeLampz

11. Stop buying bottled water. Use a glass or refill a bottle with tap water for free. —Cam_Harris

12. Don't go out to drink. Drinks with dinner can add $10 or more a person, and a night at the bar can easily cost $40. —typographicalerr

13. Track your expenses for a month. Using a tool like Mint.com or simply keeping a running log will help you see how much of your income is spent frivolously. —elderbio

14. Set goals. If you have a plan to stock money away in an emergency fund, for example, you'll think twice about spending on superfluous things. —Newmoney4me

15. Buy quality items. If you skimp on the important things, you may spend more in the long run. For instance, spending $30 on shoes every six months costs more than spending $60 on a pair that lasts years. —tahlyn

16. Think of your spending in hours instead of dollars. If you make $10 an hour, then that $2 cup of coffee is 12 minutes of your life. You may decide it's not worth it. —Koketa13

17. Before you buy something, ask yourself: What impact is this purchase going to have on my life? That can put an end to impulse spending. —_yertle_the_turtle 

18. Change how often you spend on indulgences.Rather than give them up entirely, limit the frequency. For example, if you go to Starbucks daily, try going weekly, and if you go the movies weekly, try once a month. —stringliterals

19. Put half of your paycheck into savings. It forces you to figure out how to live on less. —ntran2

20. Always pay off your credit card at the end of every month. You avoid paying interest and get in the habit of living within your means. —nova_cat

21. Set up auto transfers on your bills so you're never late. Late fees are a waste. —nowgetbacktowork

22. Get checking account alerts on your phone or opt out of overdraft protection. Otherwise, you'll pay steep fees for overdrafting your account. —nowgetbacktowork

23. Spend your money where you spend your time, and cut the rest. If you're a runner, you need good shoes, and if you spend a lot of time in the car, you should invest there. This kind of thinking helps you trim the superficial stuff that does not add value to your life. —GreyFoxNinjaFan

24. Wait at least two days before buying anything over $50. You may no longer want it or forget it altogether. —Newmoney4me

25. Trade cable for Netflix. You'll have access to more TV shows and movies than you can watch for just $7.99 a month. If you like to watch sports, go to the bar or a friend's house. —Newmoney4me

26. Ask your Internet provider if it has any promotional rates. You could see your rate drop by as much as $20. —Aerospacing_Out

27. Cancel magazine and newspaper subscriptions you don't read. Many people will let them stack up instead of picking up the phone to cancel. —mrhoopers

28. Compare rates of local electric companies. You may no longer be getting the best deal available. —Aerospacing_Out

29. Wear a sweater in the house, and turn down the heat a couple of degrees. Over time, you'll save on electricity. —MrTimSearle

30. Rethink your cell phone plan. Are you paying for more than you use? Switching to Straight Talk or a similar plan could significantly drop your bill. —Aerospacing_Out

31. Get car insurance quotes. Companies competing for your business may quote you a lower rate. —Aerospacing_Out

32. Look into refinancing your car or home. You could see your payment immediately drop. —Aerospacing_Out

33. Frequent the library. Get books, movies, and music for free. —AnnabellBeaverhausen

34. Buy your clothes from the thrift store. Chances are, no one will be able to tell the difference. —Newmoney4me

35. Ride your bike to work. Not only will you save on car or public transportation costs, you'll be healthier. —Colonel-Rosa 

Money & Finances

What’s one thing you can’t justify spending money on, but would love to have?