5 Ways To Spend More Intentionally and Save Money

Being intentional means having a plan and being more mindful about every decision you make. Intentionality also applies to your money. When you choose to be more intentional with your money, you may be able to spend less, save more, and only surround yourself with things that bring you value and joy.

Here are 5 easy ways to start spending more intentionally.

1. Create a Budget

Have you ever tried getting somewhere without knowing where you’re going? That’s kind of what spending money without a budget is like. A budget gives you the knowledge you need to make more intentional decisions about how you spend your money.

The way you budget is up to you. You can go old fashioned with a pen and paper, or you can look into a few of the other available options to help you track your spending, such as The PC Money™ Account . The PC Money™ Account is a new account that works like a bank account you can use worldwide, even online. It earns 10 PC Optimum™ points with every $1 you spend, everywhere you shop¹. It offers personalized savings goals that you can use to stay on top of your budget and spending insights to help you keep track of your daily transactions. The budget is your GPS. It will help you get to where you’re going.

2. Wait It Out

Do your best to avoid impulse buying by giving yourself a “cooling off” period. This can be 5 minutes, a day, or longer. Is it something you really need? Why do you want it? Give yourself space to make clearer, more informed decisions before you buy. You’ll usually keep more money in your pocket that way.

3. Avoid Buying Just Because It's On Sale

So you’re motivated, you’ve got your budget, and then you get that email: “FLASH SALE! 50% OFF EVERYTHING!”. The temptation is hard to ignore.

Do your best to consider how much you really need that new “something”. There’s a difference between getting a good deal on what you actually need, versus buying something just for the sake of it. You may have “scored a great deal”, but that’s money out of your pocket at the end of the day.

4. Stick To The List

A great way to ensure you’re spending with intention is to take time to think about what you actually need by writing a list. This is especially helpful at the grocery store or the mall, where it’s easy to get distracted. Sticking to your list avoids these “deal distractions”, and helps you only buy what you came for.

5. Be Savvy

The PC Money™ Account is a great tool you can use to keep your spending intentional, but still savvy. It offers unlimited everyday transactions² with no monthly fee, and all purchases earn you 10 PC Optimum points for every dollar you spend that can be redeemed at stores that participate in the PC Optimum program. Every dollar that’s not spent on bank fees is more money in your pocket. On the other hand, every dollar of your purchases that is spent can earn points to save towards your next set of essentials later on. That becomes a little extra cash saved just by being more intentional with your money and the tools you use to spend it.

¹Earn 5 regular PC Optimum points plus a bonus of 5 PC Optimum points per dollar of your purchases with your PC Money™ Account. President’s Choice Bank reserves the right to cancel, change or extend regular and bonus points earning rates as of September 30, 2021. PC Optimum points will be deducted for any returns. Account must be in good standing at time of qualifying transaction and awarding of points. Minimum redemption is 10,000 PC Optimum points (worth $10 in rewards) and in increments of 10,000 points thereafter at participating stores where President’s Choice® products are sold. Some redemption restrictions apply; visit pcoptimum.ca for details, participating stores and full loyalty terms and conditions.

²Everyday transactions include an unlimited number of completed electronic fund transfers, withdrawals at PC Financial bank machines, self-serve bill payments and purchases in Canadian dollars. For information about daily and transactional dollar value limits on everyday transactions, and fees for other available transactions/services, and to access all legal documents for the PC Money™ Account, go to your Notification Centre by logging in to your online account at pcfinancial.ca or through the PC Financial mobile app.