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People share 15 real ways they escaped living paycheck to paycheck

"Be willing to accept that you might not be entitled to the lifestyle you have."

Image via Canva

People reveal their financial strategies for no longer living paycheck to paycheck.

Living paycheck to paycheck is becoming the norm in the United States. According to the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, more than half of Americans live paycheck to paycheck. It is a financial reality that has many looking for financial solutions and frugal living habits to get ahead.

On Reddit, member @_DontStayTheSame_ posed the question: "How in the hell do you escape living paycheck to paycheck?"

People who have figured out how to successfully avoid living paycheck to paycheck chimed in. These are 15 of the best financial tips and advice they offered.

 save money, saving money, paycheck to paycheck, frugal living, finances Money Invest GIF by Sara Dietschy  Giphy  

"Take everything I have done pre 35 and do the exact opposite. Only use your credit cards for things you will be able to pay off quickly. If you are buying a car and thinking "That is close but I can do it" for the payment, find a cheaper car. Do what you can to live below your means. If you are a smoker, quit." —User Unknown

"Living below your means is key." —@Orual309

"Better advice would be to find ways to improve your income but live below your means while you do so you can save up enough to improve your situation long term. Too many people raise their lifestyle with their income without ever taking the time to set themselves up for long term financial stability. That’s how you get people making six figures but somehow still living payday to payday. Obviously if you only make enough to survive until your next pay there’s nothing you can do financially to fix that, it has to be some other kind of change enabling you to make more money like going to school or just applying for better jobs." —@Sparcrypt

 for shizzle, for real, money saving tips, save money, money advice Colin Jost Snl GIF by Saturday Night Live  Giphy  

"I might get some hate for this but... Live with your parents or only rent a room. Yes rent is expensive as hell and it sucks but sometimes you gotta suck it up and just get roommates. Easier to live with roommates than paycheck to paycheck in my opinion." —User Unknown

"Be willing to go back on lifestyle to fix your financial picture. Be willing to accept that you might not be entitled to the lifestyle you have. People think overspending means fancy cars, vacations, and expensive properties, but it doesn’t. It can mean buying a boring commuter car and a house. The baby steps are the first thing:

  • $1000 emergency savings, and a budget. Look back through your transactions for months to see what you actually spend, don’t just guess at your categories.
  • all consumer debt paid off. You should never be carrying a credit card balance. That’s a financial emergency, so if you are, save only $1000 for an emergency fund and put all else toward that debt.
  • 3-6 months of expenses saved in a savings account or no-risk investment with immediate liquidity (this is $15,000 for me, for 3 months, for example.)
  • minimum retirement targets met, most importantly taking any employer matching
  • invest for other goals like property, children, etc., depending on your needs

Once you’re there, you can use whatever is left over after those savings strategies and your expenses as a discretionary fund. A lot of folks spend discretionary before they have the baby steps accomplished, and it keeps them in debt and living pay check to paycheck, or waiting for that next big cash infusion from something like refinancing their house. The key is discipline. It’s tough, it really is. Seeing the 5 figure deposits to my bank account and knowing that it’s already spoken for can be tough because it’s tempting to want to spend it on a nice car (I’m a car enthusiast) or some other hobby thing, but I know I can’t do that." —User Unknown

 car, financial advice, affordable car, car payment, cars dance dancing GIF by Real Canadian Superstore  Giphy  

"We are literally about to pay off two cars. Both payments total about $900 a month all together. I didn’t want two car payments at one time, but we both needed a more reliable car at the time. That’s not horrible for two car payments, but it’s going to free up $900 a month for us…. Which is amazing considering my wife is now stay-at-home with a baby. We have started cooking at home, avoid eating out at all costs, only drink home-brew coffee, use grocery points for cheaper gas. I’ve started taking my trash and recyclables to the dump myself, we have cut Live-TV and every streaming and subscription platform we don’t use at least once a day. We don’t, nor have we ever, lived paycheck to paycheck. It’s just nice to save money. The only thing we are splurging on now is a cleaning lady once every two weeks for $140." —@MockASonOfaShepherd

"For the TV and streaming, I do one service a month and my cell phone comes with Netflix as a perk. Each month I subscribe to one service for only one month, and watch everything I want on that service. When that ends I let it expire and don't renew. I switch to another one for the month and watch everything there. I get a new collection each month to binge and it doesn't cost me any extra unnecessary money." —User Unknown

"Also, learn to use Excel. Being able to visually see where your money goes, all at once, can make your spending make a lot more sense." —@valvilis

 excel, excel spreadsheet, spreadsheet, budget, budgeting Heart Love GIF by Microsoft Cloud  Giphy  

"Just buy more money, it's not rocket calculus." —@faceeatingleopard

"This. Also don’t order out much. 1 fast food meal everyday of the week (depending on where you go) could have you spending an extra $100 a week that could’ve been spent at the grocery store instead. Learning to cook is cheaper than fast food easily." —User Unknown

"Meet people, work hard, get lucky. Marry someone who is financially reliable and life is half as expensive. Switch jobs every 3 years because your raises probably won't keep up with the market. Be mindful of your finances. Avoid credit card debt if you can." —@cavemanfitz

"Look into a career whose skill sets will always be in high demand. I pursued my Airframe & Powerplant Certificate. Now I can save and invest. It even made my income-earning ability Covid-proof. Yes, I got laid off a week and a half after starting a new job at a major airline. But 6 weeks later (thanks to my A&P), I got an even better-paying job as a Maintenance Technician at a 3M plant. I bought my first house in 2020. In 2022, I reapplied at that major airline and got hired as a contractor. I took a temporary, and minor, pay cut. Then I got hired direct 6 months later. I’m making a very good living and I’m able to travel the world. For the folks that say 'not everyone can do that'… I started this journey in 2016, making $12/hr at McDonald’s, and renting a room. So I’ve walked in the same shoes as many of the folks that say it’s impossible. No, I don’t have any kids. But I did graduate A&P school with a guy in his early 40’s with 3 kids. From day 1 of enrolling in A&P school up to this very day… I had to keep a strict budget." —User Unknown

 budget, budgeting, smart money, money advice, finances finances gif Giphy  

"I made a budget and update it every 3 months to see what it costs to run our family. My goal is to 'pay myself' each paycheck, which is considered savings. The budget generates two numbers. One for expenses plus luxuries, i.e. eating out, alcohol, hobbies, gym etc the other is my expenses without the luxuries in case I ever had to leave my job etc. By putting aside an amount each pay I've aimed and achieved saving 6 months worth of expenses without luxuries. Since doing that, I've then started to make additional payments to my superannuation account/ retirement fund that I can't touch until I retire. Since making the budget it's been an eye opener on where our money goes and how much we can save by cutting out stuff that isn't really worth it. It has also allowed my not so financially minded wife understand our position and gets her buy-in when we set targets for emergency savings or goals for buying stuff for the house or amounts for holidays. It's not full proof and we still have times where most of the pay goes out to expenses that can't be avoided like bills and rates that might all come in at once but its definitely made us feel more in control and enthusiastic about saving." —@CallSignVip3r

"You can't "save" your way out of poverty. Budgeting won't solve the problem. Those are just platitudes told to placate the masses. They empirically do not work, but the freak exceptions make good 'feel good' stories. Networking or advancement are the only ways out. Networking works best, advancement takes too long, and is far more probability-reliant. Beg everyone you've ever known for job opportunities. Be shameless." —@EmbarrassedVolume

"Rich parents, good health." —@Legitimate_Field_157

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Pop Culture

24 brilliantly attainable ideas for side jobs that can make you an extra $2,000 a month

It’s a huge factor in creating real financial freedom.

Photo credit: Canva

Nearly all of us could use some extra cash.

So many of us, even those with full-time jobs, are looking for ways to make a little extra money. It’s vital not only for these challenging economic times, but it’s also a huge factor in creating real financial freedom. This is certainly something most millionaires have figured out.

But it can be hard to figure out what that side hustle could be. It's even harder still to know whether or not the effort we put in will pay off in dividends. Many of us have a distorted concept of “passive income,” thinking that the side hustle we choose will require zero effort at some point. Unfortunately, other than investing, that’s not entirely true.

However, there are definitely ways to drum up side hustles that make sense with your lifestyle, that draw on your own interests, skills, and values, and truly add to your life, whether they be through acts of service, reselling items online, or creating new items (be they artistic or practical).

You can see this reflected in the answers given when someone on Reddit recently asked, “What’s something you do on the side that makes real extra money?” This OP added that they were hoping to raise an extra $2000 a month, and people were quick to be candid about how doable that really is. As someone pointed out, "$2K/mo is really more like a second job than a side gig" in terms of how much time and effort is needed.

Still, there are some pretty unique and time efficient ideas below, like private baseball coaching and being an elderly companion, that could get someone close to $500 a week.


Here are some of our favorite responses:


1. "I sell rare house plants on the side. "

"If I want some money for a spa or date night, I’ll just chop and propagate some plants for an easy $300-$500…Rare alocasias, monsteras, and anthuriums. There are a ton of people who collect, trade, etc. It’s my hobby, which has made it so easy to turn into a side hustle. Best part is it’s all cash."

side hustles, side gigs, side hustle ideas, side gig ideas, high paying side gigs, best side gigsA woman selling plants.Photo credit: Canva

2. "Election work."

"Literally in 14 days this year, I'll gross $6,900. Long days, easy peasy work."

3. "I host bar trivia."

"It's usually three hours a night, and it makes me about $150 a night (plus tips). I'm actually trying to make this my full-time job; I enjoy it so much. It's not hard to buy trivia games or hook up with an existing company. I am independent and write my own games that I try to sell on the side."

4. "I have a kettle corn pop-up."

"I do fairs, festivals, pumpkin patches, and can turn $300 of product and space rent into $6k+ sales in a day. Some states require [a food or vendor license] but in my popcorn is exempt from licensing because of its very low risk for foodborne illness."

5. "Landscaping."

"Cash under the table, you dictate how many jobs you want to take on, and you can focus on one specific neighborhood to limit gas mileage. A mower, trimmer, blower, and small trailer will all pay themselves off in three weeks. It’ll beat you up a little, but it’s rewarding work. It’s also extremely straightforward. As long as you do what you’re supposed to do, the customer will be happy. Don't target people with complex yards. Drive through the neighborhood and find someone who's obviously over a month behind on mowing their lawn. Knock and offer to do it for $40. Tell them you'll come back every two weeks if that works for them. Get to a point where you've got 10 or so yards on rotation and you can knock them out in a day. $400 for a day's work every two weeks, under the table. Do more or less depending on how much or little you want to make."

side hustles, side gigs, side hustle ideas, side gig ideas, high paying side gigs, best side gigsA man trimming bushesPhoto credit: Canva

6. "I used to flip furniture on Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace.

"I did have to invest in a small trailer and a good cleaner. But I would get free or cheap furniture. Clean it and spruce it up. Sell it for a couple hundred bucks. Mostly couches."

7. "I make cosplay props for people."

I use my personal social media, and I have a commissions page on Ko-Fi. People will see what I usually make and ask me if I am able to make a certain prop. I will then make an agreement with the customer before starting the work."

8. "I put up and take down Christmas lights on weekends and evenings from October to January."

"$24k a season is very doable, but you gotta be able to haul and carry ladders, confidently and safely climb up and down ladders, and be OK with working in the wind and rain in the coldest part of the year. It isn’t glamorous, but it can be a nice chunk of extra money."

9. “If you're even a little handy, you can make good money as a handyman in elderly neighborhoods."

"My dad started out just helping neighbors with hanging curtains, painting bathrooms, etc... after about a year he was busy enough to quit his full time job and just work for himself. You don't need a lot of tools or an expensive truck, but if you can operate a drill, swing a brush, and are good with old people - there's good paying work out there for you.”

10. "I work as an ad model."

"All kinds of ads. Internet, TV, print. Work is sporadic and irregular, which means you'd better have solid income from a main source. But a little $500-$800 check from time to time sure comes in handy. "Generally, one can set up an account for a small annual fee on places like castingnetworks.com or actorsaccess.com. Specifically, it would be better if you would connect with a local talent/modeling agency. They will also ask you to sign up for a talent website, and you’re going to need professional photos. Spend money on THAT, for sure. Good photos are critical!"

side hustles, side gigs, side hustle ideas, side gig ideas, high paying side gigs, best side gigsTwo models posing.Photo credit: Canva

11. "I did Rover for three years, boarding dogs in my home."

"I made $11k a year consistently. Month to month could vary widely, $0-$2k, but I always finished the year the same. But you really should have some experience and be an actual responsible person, because dogs are living beings and deserve proper care. You also need to account for things like Rover fees (20%), taxes, insurance, supplies, and licensing laws. You will end up working all holidays because that's the busiest season for dog sitting, and you'll need to commit your schedule months in advance."

12. “Over ten years ago I started my own hummus business."

"Took a bit to get started but once I was accepted to different farmer’s markets, I made pretty good dough. But omg setting up a tent and tables at 5:30am on weekends was not fun after a couple of years. It was called Bean There, Done That and I had tons of creative flavors (and punny names).”

13. "I started a YouTube channel a few years ago, and now it’s actually pulling in between $1,500 and $3,000 a month!"

"It’s nuts!!! It was just a hobby. I talk about tech stuff. I review computers, network-attached storage systems, and occasionally a tech company I follow pretty closely. My channel name is the same as my Reddit name. It did take several years before money started flowing, but now it's a pretty great side hustle because it's something I would do for free anyway."

side hustles, side gigs, side hustle ideas, side gig ideas, high paying side gigs, best side gigsA Youtuber creating contentPhoto credit: Canva

14. "I participate in focus groups and research studies."

They're a pretty cool way to spend a couple of hours, and they usually pay $150-$250 a pop. I do this with several research companies in my area because most of them only let you participate once every few months. So, if you keep filling out questionnaires and screeners with various research companies, you can rotate through them and get picked more often. Using this method, I participate in one or two studies per month. I've actually been grinding hard on applying for research studies for the last few months to pay off my credit card debt. Been making some pretty good progress!"

15. "Deliver pizza for a local place under the table."

"You can do pretty good Friday night through Sunday."

16. "My very first month of donating plasma, I made $900."

"Paid for my three-and-a-half week road trip last summer to Canada. I only do it once a week now because the center closest to me changed their hours, so I get $40 a week instead of my usual $100, but that’s still an extra $160 a month I put back into savings that doesn’t have to come out of my normal paychecks, it’s just extra. So that’s nice. I do miss the $400 months, though."

side hustles, side gigs, side hustle ideas, side gig ideas, high paying side gigs, best side gigsA handy man coming in for repairsPhoto credit: Canva

17. "None of these enterprises have made me two thousand a month individually, but all of them combined have equaled that over many months of production."

"Edible mushrooms. Microgreens. Composting worms. Compost. Vegetable plant starts. Cloned fruit trees. I've been doing these for years, and I sell directly to consumers, no restaurants or middlemen."

18. "I make about $120/hr coaching baseball lessons."

"I’ll spend a weekend with 10 lessons coaching middle school to college athletes. I also charge $75/month to program throwing/pitching training. This can be 10-30 pitchers a session, ranging from high school to professional. It’s about 5-15 extra hours a week."

19. "I used to sell my artwork online, it was a good $15,000 to $20,000 a year."

20. "I work freelance in the arts."

"I’ve done a decent job advertising my own business and have developed a side hustle doing social media marketing for other small businesses. Writing posts, finding imagery, and scheduling the posts in advance. The amount of actual work varies from month to month, but the retainer fee does not, and it’s made my life much easier and more predictable."

21. "I started a cleaning business."

"It was very easy, and I did it on Saturday afternoons. I just posted my contact info, services, and prices to local online communities. I worked for a young, wealthy couple cleaning a condo two to three times a month. I got around $600 extra per month for just a general cleaning. I also now include move-out cleans, which can get me $400-$600 per job. It's not huge cash, but it helped me kick a car note down from $24k to $16k. And that was with one client."

side hustles, side gigs, side hustle ideas, side gig ideas, high paying side gigs, best side gigsA cleaning teamPhoto credit: Canva

22. "During the winter, I sell 3D-printed ornaments and make between $100 and $300 a week for the first two to three weeks of December."

"I specifically target the last-minute crowd and get most of my work through word of mouth. Production cost per ornament is $1.04. It takes me under an hour to make/edit the model, and then it takes 5-8 hours to print, but that can be done while I'm sleeping. I charge between $15 and $25 for an ornament. Last year, I also started selling name ornaments for $5 a pop, but they take under two hours to edit and print, so they're easy to make in large batches. These customers also tend to message me throughout the year, so I make around $600 during the Christmas season and $20-$100 other months. So kinda $20 here and there with a big yearly payout."

23. "Real estate Photography."

"It's usually $150 per house, $300 if it's a large property, and I need to use a drone. It takes about an hour to shoot and less than an hour to edit. I usually do two to three houses throughout the week. I'll stop on my way home from work, then on Saturday, I can group appointments by location. My busiest Saturday was seven houses. It's really easy. You just need a camera capable of HDR and a lens with a wide angle. I use a Nikon 16-24mm and a tripod."

24. “I do side work car repairs."

"And by repairs I mean mostly just brakes. To get 4 brakes and rotors done at a shop today is typically around $1000 or more, because they up-charge parts and labor. I am able to do it for people for around $600. I charge $300-400 in labor (for 2 hours of work), and the parts just cost what they cost. So I save people a few hundred dollars and I make a few hundred myself. Sometimes I do one of these a month. Sometimes I do a few of them. I would like to get one a week, cause then I could legit get an extra $300 a week.”

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Family

'Thrown into adulthood without a map': Americans share why they live paycheck to paycheck

"Lord help you if you don’t have dental insurance and need root canals."

via Canva/Photos

A woman and her husband doing their bills.

It’s a little tricky to determine how many Americans live paycheck to paycheck because the term is vague. Some people, who have plenty of money in savings, say they live paycheck to paycheck because they spend all of their money before their next check arrives. However, they make ample contributions to their savings accounts and are in good financial shape. Others genuinely spend every dime they make and have very little savings to deal with an emergency.

How many Americans live paycheck to paycheck?

The Federal Reserve found that 54% of Americans have emergency savings to cover three months of expenses, and Bankrate found that, while 59% of Americans are uncomfortable with their level of emergency savings, 34% are living paycheck to paycheck. According to CNN, the paycheck-to-paycheck problem isn’t getting any better. The drastic increase in the cost of living since the pandemic has a growing number of people living paycheck to paycheck.

A Reddit user recently tried to understand why so many people in the wealthiest country on Earth are financially stretched thin.

broke, bills, paycheck to paycheck, scared woman, finances, american lifeA couple who needs financial help. via Canva/Photos

Why are Americans living paycheck to paycheck?

“At first glance, it seems obvious: people just don’t make enough money, right? But the more I read and the more conversations I had, the more I realized that income is only one piece of a much bigger puzzle,” they wrote. “For a lot of Americans, the real issue is a mix of rising living costs, debt, and—most importantly—a lack of financial education. Most of us aren’t taught how to manage money. We don’t learn how to budget, save, plan for emergencies, or even think long term. Schools rarely touch on it, and if our families didn’t model strong financial habits, we’re basically thrown into adulthood without a map. So people just figure it out as they go — often by trial and error. And when that ‘error’ is maxing out a credit card or missing rent, the consequences are heavy.”

Over 1,100 people shared why they’ve lived paycheck to paycheck. It’s sad to see so many people struggling, but it paints a clear picture of a complex problem. We collected 13 of the best responses to the question: “What is the main cause of Americans living paycheck to paycheck?”

13 reasons why Americans are living paycheck to paycheck

1. One emergency to the next

"Bills. Lord help you if you don’t have dental insurance and need root canals. Which will always be followed by car repairs or home maintenance. There goes the emergency savings account."

"THIS !!! I was just starting to feel good! Caught up on bills, saving for emergencies, finally contributing to my retirement then a random light flashes on my Car dashboard. There goes all the emergency money I built up ………sigh it’s just always something."

2. Scarcity mindset

"For me it is largely scarcity mindset from a childhood of poverty. I learned that money doesn't stick around. If you have $100 then you need to spend it on what it needs to go to or something else will 'eat it.' Some fee, or unexpected cost will always be around the corner, and there is never enough money to do everything, so spending us constantly triage."

"This is 100% the difference in the mindset of poor people and rich people. Poor people think of money as just something to spend. Rich people think of it as something to accumulate and put to work for themselves."

broke, bills, paycheck to paycheck, scared woman, finances, american lifeA couple looking at bills/via Canva/Photos

3. The system sets people up

"The overall system sets people up for becoming interest and profit generators for wealth holders of all kinds. The power is completely lopsided, and the rules are set up to deliberately turn customers into cash machines. Regular folks aren't equipped to protect themselves from it, thanks to taboos around talking openly about money and finances as well as the finance industry's slick bait, hook, and land tactics."

4. Car payments

"Sooo many people buying waaaaay too much car. Everyone needs a huge luxury SUV for their three-person family, apparently. Or a giant truck because they're towing once a year. What makes it even worse is that those more expensive cars have more expensive maintenance and repairs and tires and gas bills. You also see people do this with houses. So many posts from people trying to justify buying a much larger house than they need and trying to make the financials with. 'How much house can I afford?' instead of 'how much house do it really need?'"

5. The rent is too high

"Rent has gone thru the roof and in order to get approved to live anywhere or buy your own home, you need to make 3x the rent. The grocery list that would cost you $50 5 years ago now costs you $100. God forbid you have a medical problem."

"I was going to say it's primarily rent and groceries for a lot of folks. Rent is really high a lot of places for pretty basic dwellings."

broke, bills, paycheck to paycheck, scared woman, finances, american lifeA woman who has run out of money.via Canva/Photos

6. Paycheck to paycheck is a broad term

"Because there is no standard definition of paycheck to paycheck. A lot of people who live 'paycheck to paycheck' have a ton of deductions for things like 401k and IRA along with spending on non essentials like expensive car payments, private schools, etc."

"This is a good point. I considered myself 'paycheck to paycheck' because (and I'm working on changing this) I literally get my account to 0 before each paycheck. Yes, that's after 401k, savings, paying off debt, and other luxuries like getting my nails done and steaming services. But you make a good point that if I locked in and cut all "extra" I would not be paycheck to paycheck in the slightest. Compared to growing up where when my mom paid most of the bills, we would have like $3 left for anything else. That's paycheck to paycheck."

7. Constant emergencies

"If emergency items stopped happening, I could actually save something. Medical bills, dental bills, car repairs, home repairs, just when we get a bit saved it goes to something else."

"Every. Single. Time. And it’s always the exact amount that I have in my savings."

broke, bills, paycheck to paycheck, scared woman, finances, american life, purseA woman who has no money.via Canva/Photos

8. Healthcare costs

"For me it’s healthcare that makes me live paycheck to paycheck. I have had two random emergency surgeries in the last 3 years. With a 10k deductible on my health insurance I’m 20k in debt and having to make $400 payments per month on it on top of my $490 a month premium. Before that first surgery I was debt free and doing ok. I have now accumulated about $5000 on a card too just trying to keep up with bills."

"I paid 20% of my take home pay for insurance. Then I pay another 10 to 20% for medical expenses to keep my disabled husband alive. So 1/3 of my income goes towards medical expenses. That's the problem and I can't do anything about it. I have super premium insurance at my job which pays terribly. If I got another job, it might not cover some of the things my husband needs or I might have to work so much that I would have to pay a caregiver."

9. Cost of living is too high

"Never being in a position where you are ahead of all the bills. A person makes $30 an hour, works 20-30 hours of overtime, had a $600-1000 car payment, rent is probably $1500-2000 per mo., electricity bill $140 per mo. month, car insurance $120 per mo. Gas $140 per mo. Phone bill $150 per mo. Food $500-1000 per mo."

10. Living high on the hog

"I’ll take a differing take here then a lot of comments and agree with OP that financial habits are often very poor. I work in a field that has a lot of pretty high income earners in a MCOL city (>80k starting).

"I see a ton of people who complain about being broke that do a lot of the following
  • Order out, especially with apps like DoorDash becoming ubiquitous, they are a massive cost and are well hidden enough that people miss it. Like upping the price of the menu items, most people don’t know the price of the food if you ordered in the restaurant.
  • Cars, both too much car, but also frequently trading vehicles in. Cars have gotten a lot better in the past decade but there is no way I’m trading in my vehicle when it’s paid off, as long as it’s reliable. Safety features would be nice, but not at that significant of a net worth hit.
  • Not putting away money for retirement, even with company matches. Company matches are a huge free return on your investments. Paying more now means paying much less later.
  • General luxuries, I had a coworker state she didn’t match her 401k because she couldn’t afford it, but later said she had very very expensive kitchenware. Lifestyle creep is real, and we are all susceptible to it.
There is a large element to the economy that is completely out of one’s control, but to take all personal responsibility out of the equation misses a big chunk of why we are in such a massive boom and bust with personal debt."

broke, bills, paycheck to paycheck, scared woman, finances, american life, coupleA couple arguing over money.via Canva/Photos

11. Starbucks

"I know you’re being half-hyperbolic, but I had a coworker who spent well over $100 on Starbucks in the morning and takeout/delivery for lunch every week. She was always complaining about money being tight. I’m not a cheapskate by any means, but I’m sure as hell not spending nearly $20 for some shitty meal from Panera delivered by DoorDash when I can pack my own lunch for like $3."

12. Consumerism

"My opinion as an outsider who moved here two years ago from the UK. Seems like money and work work work seems to be the focal point and consumerism is HUGE out here with a lot of waste. Maybe it's the social circle I'm in but it seems like people also spend silly throwing more than what they can afford on loans and cars etc."

13. Daycare

"For me, it is a daycare costs. We have to pay $720 a week for 2 kids in a standard daycare. We did not live paycheck to paycheck before having kids."

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Education

Expert in positive psychology reveals the 8 times 'money can absolutely buy happiness'

Science says money can in fact buy happiness. But there's a catch.

Photo credit: Canva

Because the solution isn't always forgoing the avocado toast.

The phrase “Money can’t buy you happiness” started as a way to remind folks that there’s more to life than meaningless material possessions. But as we all get a little older and wiser, we realize that money absolutely does contribute to a more comfortable and secure life, and while those things aren’t the sole determinant of happiness, they are undeniably huge factors.

Furthermore, experiences, relationships, personal fulfillment, and a sense of purpose—all major indicators of true happiness—can be enhanced by having financial resources.

In other words, as happiness expert Jessica Weiss wrote in her CNBC piece, “Money can absolutely buy happiness.” The problem is “we’ve just been spending it all wrong.”

In the article, Weiss cited the rather well known 2010 study which found that day-to-day happiness rose as annual income increased, up to $75,000 (though perhaps that number has increased to match inflation). Point being: up to a certain extent, larger incomes do, in fact, increase happiness.

And yet, it can be hard to feel like we are never ever making enough to truly feel happy. Or, we feel guilty about the seemingly frivolous purchases we do make. This is where Weiss’ list comes in. According to her, investing in these eight categories below “actually trigger that lasting and sustainable kind of happiness,” and “benefit your well-being in the long run.”

1. Live Music

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No one who's been to a concert would argue this one. But as Weiss noted, it’s not just about watching performers take the stage. It’s equally about the physical act of singing with one another, which triggers a mood boosting, stress relieving phenomenon known as “collective effervescence.” Using this logic, a cheap night of karaoke or joining a choir group could also do the trick if you can’t necessarily justify concert tickets.

2. Novel Experiences

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Time and time again, experts agree that money is well spent on activities that create positive memories. This could range from a camping trip to, as Weiss writes, simply “painting your nails an unexpected color.”

In her book The Artist’s Way, Julia Cameron similarly writes about “artist dates,” which are carved out moments each week dedicated to nourishing your inner creative being. They can be as lavish or as bare bones as you want. However, unlike Cameron, who urges folks to participate in artist dates alone, Weiss notes that engaging in novel experiences with friends or loved ones “supercharges the happiness effect.”

3. Purchases That Literally Buy You Back Some Time

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Studies show that people with higher incomes experience more “time stress” than others, because they have a limited amount of time to achieve not only their work, but mundane chores and keep up with some semblance of a social life. But some purchases literally buy you some time back, whether that’s an Instant Pot for faster meals or a monthly house cleaning to finally dust off the shelves.

But it’s not just time-saving products which give you back some sanity. From a really good mattress to a well fitting bra (iykyk), certain splurges add so much ease and comfort to our lives that they are well worth the money.

4. Relationship-Boosters

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We are, after all, social creatures. No amount of capitalism is going to change that. In fact, as Weiss noted, our close relationships trump genetics, wealth, and even fame in terms of predicting our overall satisfaction.

And the great thing is, a simple potluck movie night or family hike can do the trick.

5. Acts of Generosity

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A 2010 study reported by Utah State University found that people experienced happier moods when they gave more money away (as long as they had the choice of how much to give). Two years prior, a 2008 study in the journal Science found that those who engaged in “higher prosocial spending,” i.e., spending on others versus themselves, reported “significantly greater happiness.”

You can trust the science, or you can test the theory yourself. Donate to a cause that you’re passionate about, or treat your friend to dinner (a relationship booster and an act of generosity…win-win!), and see how you feel. Odds are you’ll feel pretty good.

6. Small Pleasures

Happiness doesn’t always need to come from big-ticket items. Rather than a lavish two week vacation, opt for a weekend getaway. Or, for the love of god, go ahead and buy a fancy latte without thinking this is the reason you can’t afford a home. As Weiss writes, these simple joys write the brain for "cumulative joy.” Plus, they’re certainly less stressful than expensive splurges.

7. Character building challenges

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Novel experiences are great, but Weiss argues that physically or mentally challenging experiences (think cold plunges, hikes, competing in a marathon, learning new skills) offer a delayed, yet ever-so-satisfying “earned pleasure” of having overcome an obstacle, which increases confidence.

8. Big Plans

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The great thing about committing to booking those vacation tickets is the joy of anticipating the upcoming reward, Weiss notes. “ Your vacation starts delivering happiness the moment you book it, months before you pack your bags,” she writes. This is a great reminder for those of us that procrastinate on actually committing to the trip due to sticker shock.

Bottom line, retail therapy tends to get a bad rap—and not without good reason, as we do live in a society that normalizes constant, mindless spending. But often, the material and experiential value of a purchase harmoniously meet in the middle, and thus impact our happiness in positive ways. Think of a fun clothing item you bought on vacation, that you then wear out to a friend’s dinner and share stories of procuring it, versus something trendy you bought and never wore.

Of course, many companies have long caught onto this idea and sell the promise of an experience with the purchase of their product. Hence why discernment is crucial. But if you’ve been chastising yourself over an event ticket here or a fancy new gadget there, remember that maybe you really are investing in yourself…which is always a worthy investment.

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