When it comes to financial considerations, and the question of how to improve our individual financial states, a lot of the emphasis on ways to make more money.

Common topics include things such as ways to get promoted at work, or side-hustles that can yield great financial results in relatively short periods of time, or — for the more tech-savvy — technical analysis for bitcoin investment.

While there’s certainly nothing wrong with making more money (it’s actually a pretty great, when it comes down to it), the other half of the financial success equation is often neglected. That part of the equation is, of course, saving the money we do make and preventing wasteful spending.

When it comes to saving money, eliminating certain key negative habits can have a disproportionate effect in rescuing us from ourselves.

Here are some bad habits to let go of in order to start saving more money.

Binge drinking

Everyone knows that binge drinking has terrible health consequences, on a variety of fronts. The liver and kidneys take a beating, the hormonal systems of the body are thrown completely off balance, brain cells die, emotional stability deteriorates, and so on, and so on.

And of course, all of that is to say nothing about the stupid things we often get up to when drinking — falling off tables, chain-smoking, and getting into fights all come to mind.

But, of course, alcohol is a social lubricant that helps people get outside of their own heads and feel relaxed and outgoing for a while, so its popularity is likely to continue indefinitely.

Nonetheless, working to cut back on your alcohol use and improve your confidence and social contentment in other ways, is one of the most health-affirming things you could do for yourself, as well as being a tremendous method of cutting costs.

Because, in addition to everything else, alcohol is just plain expensive.

Compulsively jumping between paid apps and services

In the heady days of the internet era in which we currently find ourselves, there are a virtually unlimited number of subscription-based, paid apps and web services on offer, all promising to make us happier, healthier, or more productive in one way or another.

Now, of course, many of these apps and services do in fact live up to the hype, but you need to become focused enough to try out one or two at a time, for a decent length of time, before hopping around to others.

While each expense may (tend to) seem relatively minor in and of itself, when added together, Netflix, your favourite yoga app, Amazon Prime, and LinkedIn Premium all contribute to significant monthly costs.

Going out, or making any purchases, without checking your budget

If you don’t have a budget set up, or if you don’t refer to your budget before every serious expense, or night out on the town, you’re missing out on one of the most essential money-management tips out there.

Incidentally, this is precisely where certain web services, such as Youneedabudget.com are truly useful investments.

A budget is a way of maintaining financial awareness with everything you do, and allowing the more plan-oriented parts of your psyche to have their say in your spending habits. Don’t overlook your budget.