How to Spend Less Money When Things Are Expensive
Introduction
Two articles give advice on how to spend less money. Prices for fuel, electronics, and other things are high. This is because of problems in the world and new rules. The advice is about food, energy, and other spending.
Main Body
The first article is from WIRED. It says prices are high for many reasons. The conflict with Iran makes gasoline more expensive. A shortage of parts makes electronics cost more. New taxes on imported goods make them cost more. A financial teacher named Tiffany Aliche says the economy goes up and down. She has seen many ''worst times'' before. She says to stop reading bad news. Remove social media apps from your phone. Use only less addictive apps. She also says to look at your credit card bills. Find things you do not need, like subscriptions. You can stop them. She calls this a ''ramen noodle budget''. She also says to make a plan for very hard times. For example, move in with family or get a roommate. You do not have to do it now. Other tips from WIRED staff: use credit card points for travel, use a smart thermostat to save energy when you are not home, buy used electronics from stores like Apple, use Facebook Marketplace for furniture and baby things. Use apps like Too Good to Go for cheap restaurant food, Libby for free library ebooks, and YNAB for budgeting. One person says to use a bag that can change into a backpack to avoid airline fees. Another says to buy food in big amounts and freeze it to not waste. The second article is from Metro. It talks to a professor of consumer psychology, Cathrine Jansson-Boyd, and a CEO, Oisín Hanrahan. Jansson-Boyd says people shop the same way every time. They go to the same stores and buy the same things. This makes them spend too much. She says to look at all the food in your kitchen before you go shopping. Do not buy things you already have. Set a strict budget. Use supermarket apps to see the total cost as you shop. Hanrahan says to buy store-brand products instead of name brands. These are cheaper. Buy frozen fish. It can be 50% cheaper than fresh fish. Buy whole vegetables and garlic. Do not buy cut or minced ones. They cost more. Jansson-Boyd says to change recipes. Use spices and ingredients you already have. Do not always order the same things online. Compare prices at different stores. She says Aldi was the cheapest supermarket in the UK in February 2026. Other tips: use a shopping basket, not a trolley, to buy less. Check the price per unit, not just sale signs. Do not buy in big amounts if you cannot eat it all before it goes bad.
Conclusion
Both articles say the same thing. If you change how you shop, you can spend less money. Plan what you buy. Compare prices. Do not waste food or things. The advice is different for food, technology, and travel. But the main idea is the same. You can spend less by changing your habits and using tools.