We don’t know about you, but for us saving money can be a challenge. Even though we’ve simplified our wardrobes, there are so many new experiences to be had (FOMO is real). Cue Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany’s: “No matter what I do, there never seems to be more than a couple hundred dollars in the bank.” For help adulting, we turned to the wisdom of successful entrepreneurs and new-thought leaders for ways to cultivate more abundance in our lives. Read on for their tips and tricks, and let us know about some of your own!
- Track your unexpected income. Ernest Holmes, the author of The Science of Mind, offers this trick for attracting more abundance: Create a list of all the unexpected income you receive throughout the day. This could be a friend buying you coffee, saving money on a utility bill (or by using a Goodshop coupon!), getting free childcare from your parents, etc. You’ll be surprised by how items on this list start adding up, once you start paying attention to the things you didn’t have to pay for. This will also open your mind to the various forms—aside from monetary—abundance can take. Centers for Spiritual Living, which are non-denominational, new thought churches that follow the teachings of Holmes, will typically donate 10% of their unexpected income. Even if you’re not a churchgoer, you can come up with creative ways to allocate the money you saved throughout the week—or put it all into savings!
- Practice gratitude. Similar to the unexpected income exercise, notice the stories you tell yourself about your finances. Is your mentality rooted in lack or abundance? “If the feeling of abundance seems out of reach, let’s first acknowledge that many of us have a lot of financial fear and insecurity—not only because of our upbringing, but also because of the stories of the world,” explains Spiritual Teacher and Author Gabrielle Bernstein. Her solution? Witness the blocks keeping you from your abundance -attracting mindset, forgive the limiting beliefs or negative thoughts, and choose again. “Maybe you catch yourself staring into a boutique window thinking, ‘I wish I could afford that great pair of boots,'” suggests Bernstein. “Right away you have to choose a new thought (for example, ‘I’m grateful for what I do have, and I choose not to focus on my lack’).” Make gratitude a priority by journaling daily about all the things you’re grateful for, and watch them multiply.
- Treat your money with respect. Along with Bernstein, B-School Founder and Entrepreneur Marie Forleo agrees that how you treat your physical money matters. They both suggest being mindful about how you store your cash and change. Rather than stuffing it into your wallet or crinkling up your bills, clear out your wallet and align them nicely. Forleo even picks up change she spots on the ground, no matter how small, as a sign of respect and reverence for her income. Additionally, consider splurging on a wallet that you love and that brings you joy (a la Marie Kondo).
- Play the prosperity game. Esther and Jerry Hicks, who are known for sharing Abraham-Hicks teachings, such as the “Law of Attraction”, offer this playful approach to increasing your earning capacity. Each day, imagine the Universe has issued you a check (i.e. $1,000 on Day 1, $2,000 on Day 2, and so on) that you have to spend completely. Get creative about what you would spend this money on, and physically write out the checks via an old checking book or listing transactions in your journal. “Most people offer their vibrations almost exclusively in response to what they are observing, but by playing this game, you will find yourself reaching for new ideas, and in time, you will feel the expansion of your own desire and expectation,” explains Hicks. “In doing so, you will benefit by shifting your point of attraction.”
- Plan your shopping trips. After you’ve decluttered your closet (and life) is the time to be extra mindful about what you bring into your cleared space. Create a wish list of things you desire to buy to avoid impulse buying. Give it time, and notice if these are items you really want or if it’s something you feel like you have to buy. Do some research before going somewhere you know you’ll be tempted (we’re looking at you, Target) to find exactly what you’re looking for. This where we come in handy: We’ll help you stay up-to-date on all sales retailers are having, and even donate to your charity of choice. So all you have to do is add your savings to your unexpected income list—and savings account.
