You ever scroll Instagram and see someone sipping espresso in Italy… while you’re sipping store-brand coffee in your work hoodie?

Same.

A couple years ago, I had to make a choice: keep spending like everyone else or start saving like I actually wanted something different.

So I made some changes—nothing extreme, just intentional.

Here are the three things I stopped buying that gave me my passport power back.

💄 1. Impulse Beauty Buys at Target

I used to “pop in for toothpaste” and walk out with a $76 bill—mostly skincare and bath stuff I didn’t need.

Did I need another lip gloss? No. Did I want to smell like a coconut cupcake all summer? Sure. But I had to ask myself: would I rather look glowy now or glow up in Greece?

What I did instead:

• Made a beauty capsule kit I actually use
• Unsubscribed from promo emails
• Used up what I had before buying more

🧠 Savings in 6 months: $400+

☕ 2. Daily Coffee Runs

I know. This one hurts. But $6 lattes 4x a week = nearly $1,000 a year.

That’s half a round-trip ticket to Thailand.

What I did instead:

• Bought a $50 milk frother
• Started making iced lattes at home
• Saved my splurge for actual sit-down cafes while traveling

🧠 Savings in 6 months: $500+

👚 3. Fast Fashion Hauls

Retail therapy was my love language—until I realized my closet was full of cheap clothes I didn’t wear.

I was buying trends, not outfits. And it showed.

What I did instead:

• Created a 10-piece travel capsule wardrobe
• Shopped secondhand or resale apps
• Reminded myself that travel photos > outfits anyway

🧠 Savings in 6 months: $600+

✨ TL;DR: Travel Is Possible (But Not If You Keep Buying Stuff You Don’t Love)

When I stopped spending mindlessly, I started living intentionally.

These three little shifts gave me over $1,500 back—and a plane ticket to somewhere I’ve been dreaming about.

🛠 Tools I Used

• 💸 Rocket Money – to cancel subscriptions I forgot about
• ✏️ Notion Budget Tracker – to plan spending in advance
• 💳 Chime – to separate travel funds from daily money