“I can’t go out.” I used to say these words almost every single week about four months ago, when money (or the lack of it) was stopping me from having a social life. Literally. No spontaneous coffee, hangouts, and last-minute plans.

When I finally decided to start saving, it sounded like a good idea, but somehow, every time I received my monthly allowance, it would magically disappear, leaving me with no choice but to spend Friday night at my house. Alone.

For us teens, grabbing coffee with friends, celebrating someone's birthday with a small gift, or going to the movies is important, even essential. It’s helping us stay connected, but at the same time, it also adds up fast. And when that fun money is gone, reality hits.

But don’t worry, I got you! Things actually changed when I started reading more about saving and doing a few things. My financial crisis is finally gone, and I’ll tell you the realistic tips that helped me get out of it.

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Why should you start your savings as a teen?

Obviously, we all want to save money to buy cool stuff. But it's more than just cool stuff. Saving teaches control, independence, and most importantly, it gives us the feeling of security in unforeseen situations. According to Barbara O’Neill’s article, planning our expenses actually makes us feel better, and allegedly, we are dealing with stress more effectively than most people.

So what really helped me to save money?

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1. Plan your expenses

To be honest, planning was not my thing until my friend (who’s also a hasty spender) told me that writing down her finances actually helped her. So I gave it a try. I noted down my monthly allowance and set a budget for each meeting with my friends, each day, week, month, even for transportation. Despite being a non-planner, I have to admit that writing it down made me feel more elastic, especially when I had some unexpected expenses such as a birthday gift or an Uber.

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4. Stop comparing yourself to others

For me, this rule is the most important. Scrolling through social media, you can see influencers doing huge shopping hauls, getting new makeup, or eating in expensive restaurants could make you feel that you need to keep up, but remember, what people post is not always real life. What looks like spending money could also be

• sponsored content (PR packages)
• items they bought just for the post
• just not as fun as it looks

So next time you feel the need to spend just because you scrolled too far, ask yourself if you really want this or do you just feel like you're supposed to. Remind yourself about your goal and don't give up.

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5. Having fun without money

Because some of us tend to be influenced by others, especially online, it's important to remind yourself that you don’t need to spend money to have fun. So here are the fun things you can do without spending money that convinced me that going to restaurants is way less fun than this

• picnics in the park – homemade snack, blanket, fruits, good music, and your friend = perfect summer energy
• clothes swap – gather a few friends and trade items you no longer wear. New outfits = no spending
• read, journal, or start a creative project – especially when you need a quiet reset
• photo challenge day – go around your town or neighborhood and take aesthetic pics for Instagram or a scrapbook

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Remember, saving money might seem hard at first, but money is not going to control you anymore. You're going to be the one with the power. It’s giving you the freedom to say yes to the things that matter.

Freedom to plan ahead and to stop stressing over every little purchase. So stop procrastinating and challenge yourself now!