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Last month I challenged myself to rethink my eating and drinking habits, but it wasn’t for health reasons. I realized I was spending way too much going out and indulging on food and drink in my expensive city. You can read about this discovery in previous post, where I dive into my monthly beer, wine, and restaurant expenses. I live in a city for a reason. And it’s not to spend money! It’s to enjoy the amazing energy of the city, and have a great time connecting with my loved ones. Many times, that means eating out and having a beer afterwork. But, I saved 500 dollars last month with this simple adjustment. It is easier than you might think!
A great way to visualize your expenses is by using the free tools on Personal Capital (that’s my affiliate link!). I’ve been using Personal Capital for years now and love being able to review where my money is going each month (I’d prefer it if more money was coming in!). You can compare week over week, or month to month expenses. Every now and again, it’s important to take a step back and try an identify areas where you are spending too much, and might benefit benefit by cutting costs. That’s exactly what I did.
So, let’s take a step back together and check out your financial picture and cash flow on Personal Capital. You can pin this post to Pinterest so you can come back to it.
Next, take a look at my post from last month. I made the realization that I’ve been spending way too much money going out in the city. In this post I challenged myself to something that I thought would fairly difficult to accomplish. Read about it here. See you in a few minutes.
I saved 500 dollars last month with this simple adjustment
Welcome back. I did it! Mission accomplished, goal achieved. Last month, Rachael and I decided to make one small adjustment to our routine. As you read in my post “How Often Do You Eat Out In The City“, we decided to make a small change our social routine for one week in April. By doing so, I personally saved 500 dollars!
During the first 3 months of 2026, I averaged over $1,300/month on bar and restaurant expenses. That’s over $328/week, or $43/day! And that didn’t even include breakfast or the meals I ate at home (not to mention the coffee breaks at the local, but expensive, hip coffee shop down the street from work). Yikes!
In April, I decided to minimize this spend trend and start saving some money. Rachael and I are getting married in August, and we need every penny we can get for the wedding!
So what did we do?
Well, we went out as normal in April….for 3 out of the 4 weeks. We had an awesome month. We enjoyed family time, brunches, winery escapes, date nights out, etc. BUT, for 1 week (7 days only), we cooked each meal at home and did not purchase or consume any alcohol. Yes, I even drank work coffee and brought a sack lunch into work each day. Seriously though, one week a month? It really isn’t that hard. Especially if you think about all that cash you can save! Just remember, your social life will be there in 7 days. If you can’t manage a consecutive 7 days, consider staying in Tuesday and Wednesday night each week. That will save you 8 days of restaurant and bar prices a month!
How did the numbers turn out?
Well, see for yourself. I logged onto Personal Capital (remember, it’s free and helpful!), and realized that I only spent $480 on restaurants and alcohol in April!. That’s over $500 less than the average of the previous months! I can honestly say that by not going out for 1 week a month, I saved 500 dollars! Technically, I saved over 500 dollars!
What did I do with that savings?
Well, I put it into this blog. Lol! Blogging is a new found hobby. I am having so much fun researching and writing this financial blog for city dwelling millennials. Furthermore, I truly hope to have an impact and help you DO MORE, SPEND LESS, and MAKE MORE in expensive cities.
Obviously everyone has their own routine and interests. Going out in the city may not be your jam, but. I’m sure there are area in your life that you can reduce spending. Take a step back, look at your expenditures on Personal Capital, and see where you may be able to cut back.
City Side Hustle Recommendations:
If you are looking for a quick and easy city side hustle, check out Survey Junkie (that is my affiliate link)! Go ahead and sign up, it’s free!). You will get paid for sharing your opinion to help brands deliver better products and services.
Do you want to start your own blog to make some extra cash? I may take you a few months to get it going, but it only takes 15 minutes to set it up! Check out this blog post to learn how. If you do decide to enter into the blogging world, I use ConvertKit as my email platform (that’s my affiliate link).
Much Love,
Thomas