3 Money-Saving Moves I Plan to Make Before 2023

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KEY POINTS

  • I'd like to give my savings a boost before 2022 wraps up.
  • Changing my approach to cooking and the holidays could have a big impact.
  • I'm looking at canceling a meal delivery service for the next several months, and planning to be more conservative with spending for Thanksgiving and holiday gifts.

These changes could really add up.

I'm thankful for the fact that my savings are in a decent place as we near the end of 2022. Considering that inflation has made just about everything cost more this year, that's not something to gloss over.

At the same time, I read the news and know full well that a recession could strike in the new year. And so now's a good time to do what I can to boost my cash reserves. Here are some changes I plan to make in the coming weeks to allow for that.

1. Canceling a meal delivery service

My busy work and parenting schedule leaves me with very little time to cook during the week. And while I try my best to cook on weekends, when those get filled with soccer games, birthday parties, and other obligations, it can be hard to find time to whip up meals in my kitchen.

Ever since the start of the school year, I've been falling back on a meal delivery service that sends me frozen dinners I can heat up in six minutes or less. That service has really helped me out tremendously, and it's made it so that we don't have to resort to McDonald's or other such unhealthy grub every time we need a quick meal on the spot.

But now that outdoor sports are taking a break with the arrival of shorter days and colder weather, I hope to be able to spend more time at home. And that means it's harder to justify the added expense of that meal delivery service. So my plan is to cancel it for the remainder of 2022 and probably the first few months of 2023.

2. Scaling back on holiday gifts for my kids

I love celebrating the holidays and seeing the look of joy on my kids' faces as they open their gifts. But my children are a bit older now, and they're at a point where they're able to better appreciate the value of experiences. As such, I plan to scale back on actual presents so we can conserve cash for things we can do together as a family.

3. Not going overboard for Thanksgiving

My husband and I typically host Thanksgiving every year, and I'll admit it -- we're those people who aren't happy unless the table is overflowing with food and there are numerous dessert and beverage options to choose from.

This year, we plan to take it a bit easier for Thanksgiving. Rather than make 12 different sides, we're going to limit our list to those that are usually the most popular among our guests. Doing so might not only save us some money, but also, help ensure that we aren't forced to spend the seven-day period following Thanksgiving eating nothing but stuffing and green bean casserole.

There are certain expenses I refuse to cut back on. I won't, for example, cancel my cable plan (even though it's gotten expensive), because watching hockey is one of my favorite things to do and cable makes that possible. But I do feel that I can cut these expenses without too much of a negative impact on my life. And so I might as well do what I can to save some more money before 2022 comes to an end.

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