What workarounds did people try for "Why can't I save any money despite a steady income?"?

Community members documented 15 workarounds: 1. Reviewing bank and credit card transaction history retroactively 2. Setting up automatic transfers to a savings account as soon as a paycheck arrives 3. Establishing a spending budget and tracking categories 4. Setting up recurring automatic transfers to a high-yield savings account at a separate bank so the money is invisible 5. Using budgeting apps or manual spreadsheets to log every transaction immediately as it happens 6. Switching back to cash and in-person purchases to make spending feel more tangible 7. Paying off buy-now-pay-later debt and stopping its use 8. Setting up automatic transfers to a separate savings account on payday so money cannot be spent 9. Writing down every single fixed expense and creating a small budget for recreational spending 10. Simulating future moving costs by putting aside mock rent and utility payments into a savings account 11. Transferring money back and forth between multiple accounts 12. Using short-term CDs to lock money away so it cannot be spent 13. Using Certificates of Deposits (CDs) to lock away cash and create barriers to spending 14. Setting up automatic transfers or direct payroll contributions to retirement and savings accounts 15. Using high-yield savings accounts (HYSAs)

Why can't I save any money despite a steady income?

Steadily earning money without building savings usually happens because unmonitored impulse spending, forgotten minor purchases, and sudden expenses quietly drain accounts faster than they can grow. This leaves people vulnerable to unexpected emergencies and feeling powerless to account for where years of income disappeared.

Overview

Last updated Oct 1, 2026

People affected6 accounts across 1 forum

Workarounds found15 items attempted

Community agreement26 total upvotes

What people tried

Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.

15 items+ Contribute

Found another way around this?

Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.

1
Reviewing bank and credit card transaction history retroactively
Did this help you?
2
Setting up automatic transfers to a savings account as soon as a paycheck arrives
Did this help you?
3
Establishing a spending budget and tracking categories
Did this help you?
4
Setting up recurring automatic transfers to a high-yield savings account at a separate bank so the money is invisible
Did this help you?
5
Using budgeting apps or manual spreadsheets to log every transaction immediately as it happens
Did this help you?
6
Switching back to cash and in-person purchases to make spending feel more tangible
Did this help you?
7
Paying off buy-now-pay-later debt and stopping its use
Did this help you?
8
Setting up automatic transfers to a separate savings account on payday so money cannot be spent
Did this help you?
9
Writing down every single fixed expense and creating a small budget for recreational spending
Did this help you?
10
Simulating future moving costs by putting aside mock rent and utility payments into a savings account
Did this help you?
11
Transferring money back and forth between multiple accounts
Did this help you?
12
Using short-term CDs to lock money away so it cannot be spent
Did this help you?
13
Using Certificates of Deposits (CDs) to lock away cash and create barriers to spending
Did this help you?
14
Setting up automatic transfers or direct payroll contributions to retirement and savings accounts
Did this help you?
15
Using high-yield savings accounts (HYSAs)
Did this help you?

Tried another approach not listed above?+ Share your workaround ↑

In their words

Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.

r/personalfinance6 people · September 2026 – October 2026

“I stink at saving. For example every time I try to build up my savings I blow it all impulse buying or something comes up.”source ↗

“Last year the most I had saved up was 2k and then I spent it on stuff I don’t even remember.”source ↗

“I’ve tried budgeting but it falls apart once I pay a bill or buy something since it’s not tracked immediately then the trackers get out of sync and don’t categorize my spending right and I cba to fix it.”source ↗

“If I had an emergency and it wasn’t near a payday I’d be cooked.”source ↗

uhwockstar · r/personalfinance · 20 upvotes

“I have ADHD so I find myself struggling to hold onto money.”source ↗

“I struggle a lot because I’m unmediated and just need a little help, seeing it mapped out somehow?”source ↗

rogskata · r/personalfinance · 5 upvotes

“I’m very ashamed of my impulses BUT I have been doing way better the last 2 weeks which is why I’m posting here.”source ↗

rogskata · r/personalfinance · 1 upvotes

“Instead, I have nothing. Quite the opposite. I’m slightly in the red. I have no idea what all that money went toward.”source ↗

“I’m already numb from other experiences this year, but this was the last straw. It would have been easy to save half of it. That was so stupid.”source ↗

whatever_98_ · r/personalfinance

“I have been thinking, should I have 2 bank accounts? One for everyday expenses and one for saving exclusively for my uni fees? But I'm not sure. If I have a separate account with savings that are out of my sight, maybe I will be able to save properly and not spend.”source ↗

Long_Spare_2890 · r/personalfinance

“Being a 21yr old dude, you can imagine that I really suck at saving. Like phenomenally bad.”source ↗

“My main issue is that I'm smart enough to get away with spending all my money, but not smart enough to stop.”source ↗

“I've worked a decent (in this economy) sales job for the past 2 years and have absolutely nada to show for it and I'm tired of it.”source ↗

Ashamed-Fortune-8064 · r/personalfinance

“I find it difficult to save.”source ↗

“after normal expenses and saving $900 a month, I am left with no wiggle room.”source ↗

“I feel like its gotten tighter. How are you all surviving?”source ↗

“inflation has taken a real hit.”source ↗

“This year has been particularly hard. I owed $1,600 in taxes, moved (had to buy new furniture), had expenses after expenses come up.”source ↗

boss_man14 · r/personalfinance

Where this came up

r/personalfinance ADHD budgeting financial anxiety impulse spending inflation personal finance saving money spending habits