Why Is It So Hard to Save Money Under 35?

Saving money sounds pretty simple. Spend less than you earn, put some money aside, and repeat. So why does it feel so difficult?

For people under 35, the problem usually isn't that they don't understand that saving is important. Most people know they should be saving. The harder part is actually having money left over at the end of the month.

There are a few reasons for that, and they're not all about being "bad with money."

1. The cost of living leaves less room to save.

Let's start with the obvious one: things are expensive.

Rent or a mortgage, groceries, transportation, insurance, utilities and debt payments can take up a pretty significant part of a paycheck before you've even thought about going out for dinner or buying something online.

This is where some financial advice misses the mark. Telling someone to stop buying a $5 coffee isn't particularly helpful if their rent has increased by hundreds of dollars. There's a limit to how much you can cut from a budget when most of your spending is going toward things you actually need.

That's not to say spending less doesn't matter. It does. But if you're consistently coming up short every month, the answer may not be cutting another $20 from your grocery bill. It might mean looking at the bigger picture: housing, income, debt, transportation and the major expenses that have the biggest impact.

Saving money isn't just about discipline. You also need enough money coming in to have something left over.

2. We're living in a culture of overconsumption.

This one is a little harder to talk about because nobody likes being told they're consuming too much.

But it's worth looking at.

We're surrounded by things we're encouraged to buy all day long. And social media has made this much more noticeable. You see someone's new clothes, their vacation, their kitchen renovation, their skincare routine, their new car or the restaurant they went to last weekend.

None of those things are necessarily a problem. The issue is what happens when you're exposed to hundreds of these examples every week.

Eventually, certain levels of spending start to feel normal.

A new outfit for the weekend doesn't seem like a big deal. Neither does ordering dinner because you're tired, upgrading your phone because there's a new model, or buying something because an algorithm happened to put it in front of you at exactly the right moment.

And that's the part that's changed.

Buying something used to require more effort. You had to go somewhere, find the item and hand over your money. Now you can see something you want, tap a button and have it delivered to your door tomorrow.

That convenience isn't inherently bad. But it makes it much easier to spend without really thinking about the decision.

The problem isn't buying things. Money is meant to be spent, and spending money on things you enjoy is part of having a life.

The problem is when buying becomes automatic.

You're bored, so you shop. You're stressed, so you order something. You're going on vacation, so you need a new outfit. Someone else has something, so suddenly you want it too.

At some point, it's worth asking yourself a pretty simple question: Did I actually want this, or did I just see it?

That question can save you a surprising amount of money.

3. We're trying to balance today with tomorrow.

There's another reason saving can be difficult, and honestly, it's understandable.

People want to enjoy their lives now.

If you're 25, you probably aren't waking up every morning thinking about how much money you'll need in retirement. You might be thinking about travelling, seeing friends, moving into a better apartment, buying a car or simply having some fun.

And you shouldn't feel guilty about that.

Saving everything and enjoying nothing isn't exactly a great financial plan either.

The problem is when every financial decision is made for today and nothing is left for tomorrow.

One dinner out isn't going to ruin your finances. Neither is a vacation or buying something you really want. But if every month ends with your account at zero, eventually your future starts paying the price for your present lifestyle.

That's why saving isn't really about giving things up. It's about giving yourself options.

Money saved today could become a down payment later. It could help you change jobs. It could give you the freedom to take some time off. It could cover an unexpected expense without putting it on a credit card.

You don't have to know exactly what that money will be used for.

You just need to give yourself the option.

So, what can you actually do?

You don't need to stop spending money or suddenly become obsessed with budgeting.

Start by paying attention.

Look at where your money actually goes for a month. Not where you think it goes. Where it actually goes.

You might discover that your biggest problem isn't coffee or restaurants. It could be subscriptions you forgot about, frequent online purchases, an expensive car payment or simply a cost of living that's higher than your income can comfortably support.

Then decide what you actually care about.

If travelling is important to you, save for travel. If owning a home matters to you, save toward that. If having the freedom to leave a job you hate is important, build an emergency fund.

Saving becomes a lot easier when you're saving for something, rather than simply telling yourself you shouldn't spend.

And when it comes to overconsumption, try adding a little friction.

Don't save your credit card information everywhere. Give yourself 24 hours before making a non-essential purchase. Unsubscribe from marketing emails. Unfollow accounts that constantly make you feel like you need something new.

You don't need to become a minimalist.

You just need to make it slightly harder to spend money without thinking about it.

The bigger picture.

People under 35 aren't struggling to save for one simple reason.

Yes, the cost of living matters. But so does the environment we're living in. We're constantly encouraged to spend, upgrade, subscribe, travel, experience and keep up. At the same time, we're trying to build savings for a future that can feel increasingly expensive and uncertain.

That's a tough combination.

But recognizing that doesn't mean you're powerless.

You can still decide what matters to you. You can spend money on things you genuinely value and cut back on the things you don't. You can enjoy your life now while still putting something aside for later.

The goal isn't to spend nothing.

It's to stop spending automatically.

Because there's a big difference between living well and consuming constantly.

And learning that difference might be one of the most useful financial lessons you can learn before 35.