We went from being aggressive savers for big goals like our first home, to those who save to protect our finances. That might reflect in what moves we were able to make, but I hope this is is just a source of inspiration for whatever boat you may find yourself in.

We moved back home.

This might not be an option for everyone, but as the largest expense on most of our budgets, you must look for cost-savings here. Call your landlord, call your insurance company, call all of your utility providers. Most people/companies are just as eager to keep your business as you are to stay. In fact, I do this about once a year with all my utility providers, pandemic or not. Simply give a call and use a phrase like “when reviewing my budget” or “this is not in my budget right now.” It’s a magical phrase whether it saves a couple of bucks or a significant chunk.

We took this to the extreme. We were planning on moving into our first home next, not back in with my parents, but the world had other plans. In March of 2020, knew my husband wouldn’t be able to find comparable, safe work any time soon, and with our rent (and utilities) in the Bay Area being $3,000+/month we knew that was the largest expense we would be facing. We took advantage of my indefinite work-from-home position and packed up for Southern California. We knew we would have the flexibility to return if needed, but even if this thing only lasted for two months, we would save $6,000 and not touch our emergency or down payment savings. Here we are five months in and we’ve saved $15,000 and it doesn’t look like we will be moving out before the new year. We are very fortunate that my parents were able to offer us this cost-saving opportunity and if you have an opportunity to “buddy-up” with parents, relatives, or even friends, now is the time to do so. (Even if that is just on a Netflix subscription!)

Rightsize your car insurance.

My car has literal spiderwebs on it. I went from a modest 1-hour commute a day, to nothing. My husband was even more drastic cutting his 2-hour commute entirely. Make sure to take a few minutes to call your insurance provider to update your projected usage and mileage to better reflect how much time you are actually on the road these days. While a few companies are already issuing credits, there is still more to save. We were able to reduce our 6-month rate by $200 in addition to the ~$20 monthly credits we have been receiving.

Goodbye memberships.

I know there is a debate between continuing to support your local small gyms, classes, daycares, etc. My two-cents here is that if you have the income to do so, continue, but that’s often not the case when you come to read an article like this. There is no shame in putting yourself first. Cut the gyms, cut subscription boxes, and try to pair up with friends on streaming services. Prioritize between wants and needs and get hacking.

Cut entertainment budget.

This one happened naturally, unfortunately. There is not much available to do these days. No movies, no concerts, even dining out is not an option for us. Dining out was our largest “entertainment” category spend because we loved to use date night to experience new restaurants. Ironically all the “free” stuff is what we still can do. Get outside. Have a picnic, go to the park, take a hike. Try and flip your mindset from spending money to just staying busy. It’s not the most fun, but you can still find fun in the free activities.

Spend more time to save more money.

Finding deals and saving money takes more time. But when you lose your job, you have a lot of time to look for another position and time to make sure you are not squandering your savings.

I keep up on all my credit card rewards. My travel rewards cards (Chase Saphire Reserve) are shifting to offer their customers some kind of value in the absence of travel. Now I get 5x points on groceries and I can get free Instacart Express membership. I also get a free year of Doordash Dashpass which we are using to fill the hole of our date night routines. Take the time to read those emails and check bank statements. For me, free deliveries came at the cost of switching my payment method from ApplePay to entering my credit card information.

If you also keep up to date HabitualHeart.com, you will know we are expecting. News flash! Babies are expensive. I checked in with insurance to see what we could get covered and a big one was a breast pump for me, but also check for areas of savings or expenses that can be directed to an HSA or FSA card. Just because you lost your job, does not mean that you will lose what you have already contributed to a health savings account. You will have to spend it before the end of your insurance year, so it is very important you find ways to smartly spend.

Also, if you are on the market for any big-ticket items, make sure you check for secondhand-savings or sales. Facebook Marketplace is quickly becoming an easy and abundant marketplace for nearly everything. Also, install apps and plugins like Honey and Rakuten to make sure you are finding the best codes and getting cash back on necessary purchases. I even go so far as to add items to my carts to watch for price changes or get “cart completion” coupons. (Sharing some not so secret knowledge from my past in e-commerce.)

1. Control Your Schedule

You will have meetings set by other team members and that is out of your hands, but you can get ahead of it. Make sure to be looking at your schedule a week ahead and a day or two ahead. If you see that you have a few meetings already scheduled in the afternoon, try and squeeze a meeting that you need in that block as well so you can reserve the morning for solid, productive hours. To do that, make sure you put a block on your actual shared work calendar so others can see that you are unavailable. Likewise, if you know that you like to have lunch every day at noon and enjoy stepping away from your desk or have school pickup at 3, put it on the calendar. It’s your time and you know how to use it the most efficiently.

2. Over Communicate

What you miss in the office is being able to see people and, more importantly, for people to see you. Check-in with those you work with most in the morning, even if it is just a hello or quick update on a project. Not only are you letting them know you are there, you proactively let them know they don’t have to chase you down for something they were going to ask for anyway.

3. Set Boundaries

Just because you are working at home and your computer is always available does not mean that you are always available. Your work calendar and chat service should allow you to set work/do-not-disturb hours that can help establish boundaries. This is very important because whatever expectations set will become the expected. If you’re sending emails at 11:30 pm, people will expect you to respond to emails at 11:30 pm. Do yourself a favor and set your work hours and stick to them. If you have to catch up on something, schedule an email to be sent first thing in the morning. Make sure to let your coworkers know how you like to work at home. I find there are periods of time I need to ignore emails and chat to devote my attention to a larger project. I let them know this and subsequently give my coworkers my cell number telling them to text me if something is urgent.

For workers who primarily work from home, don’t forget you are still entitled to your sick and vacation time. Again, just because you could work any time from any place, doesn’t mean you should.

4. Have a Designated Work Space

Ideally, everyone could have a home office where they have a beautiful desk, chair, monitors, and a total ergonomic setup. Sadly that’s not always the case. Designate a place for your work that you feel most comfortable and productive. Try and avoid distraction zones like the couch and bed, but if these are the best places by default, do something that makes it feel like work time. Get a special lap desk, unplug the TV, make the bed, set out your notebook and coffee. Anything to make you feel like this is time for work.

5. Have a Routine

Just like you would have if you had to commute to the office, have a morning routine. For me, that looks like getting a quick work out while I indulge in YouTube videos (which would normally distract me during the day). Then I take 20 minutes to tidy the house because messes distract me. I take a quick shower, get dressed, let the dog out, make my tea, and settle in for the day. Likewise, you need to have an evening routine to signal the end of the working day and shut that side of your brain off. I like to close my computer, tidy my desk, then take the dog for a walk or tend the garden. Find what works for you.

6. Work with Your Distractions

Speaking of distractions, there can be a lot at home. Probably more than I fully understand, not having kids yet. Do your best to limit distractions. Set up space away from TVs, kids, comfy looking beds and try to focus. Sometimes this is easier said than done, so I allow myself to be distracted in controlled amounts of time. If the dog keeps scratching at the door, I look for the next 10 minutes I can step away to help her get some energy out. If I know it’s the laundry pulling my attention away, I let myself cycle through a few loads and think of it just like getting up to get a snack at the office. If you can squash a distraction by indulging in it for a few minutes, do that over wasting hours letting it take away your focus.

7. Watch Your Tone

When working from home, most of your communication changes from in-person conversations to Slack and email. “How’s that project coming along?” can sound very different than you intended. It’s important to use your “please” and “thanks” and maybe a few smiley emojis just to make sure your tone is overly clear.

8. Speak Up

Speak up both figuratively and literally. First, you want to make sure your set up is properly functioning for all the conference calls you will be having. Have a solid connection or work with your internet provider to ensure stability. Second, make sure you actually speak at every meeting you attend. Even if that is a simple “Hello” or “Thanks, Bye.” Make sure your time on calls counts. Finally, make sure you have everything you need, speak up to coworkers or management about things that you need to work more efficiently. Most of the time these requests are mutually beneficial so don’t be afraid to ask.

9. Take Advantage

Don’t go wild here, but find something that makes the WFH life a little sweeter. Whether that means you get to eat lunch with your kids every day or you indulge in TV time while you eat. Find something small that makes you say “Well, I can’t do that at the office.” For me, it’s honestly being able to be fully in control of the temperature at home. Raise your hand if you know what I’m talking about. It’s a game-changer from the frigid tundra that is my corporate office.

Have any more tips? Leave them in the comments!