Stealth Savings: Ways To Trick Yourself Into Growing Wealth
Written by
Cindy Lamothe
Edited by
Zuri Anderson
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Let’s be honest — saving money isn’t always fun. Between daily lattes, weekend plans and the occasional “I deserve this” splurge, watching your balance grow can feel impossible.
But what if you could trick yourself into saving without even noticing?
These stealthy money moves are designed to help you build wealth quietly in the background — no budgeting burnout required.
Pay Yourself First (Before You Even Notice)
Jeffrey Hensel, broker associate at North Coast Financial, said that tricking yourself that you saved can be done by automating guilt.
“Which is to have money transfer out of your checking account every time any income arrives, so as to never have the illusion that you have that extra money to spend,” Hensel said.
According to CBS News, one key advantage of automating your savings is the potential for consistent growth through compound interest. This simple habit forces your savings to happen automatically, removing the temptation to spend what you don’t actually “see.”
Over time, those small, consistent transfers add up, quietly growing your wealth without requiring willpower or a strict budget. It’s like setting up a stealthy money-growing machine — one that works while you focus on living your life.
Reframe Every Dollar as an Opportunity
“The second alternative would be to reform spending in opportunity terms,” said Hensel.
Instead of thinking about money as something to be spent, try seeing each dollar as a choice between opportunities. Every purchase becomes a trade-off: Do you want this latte now, or a bigger vacation later? That streaming subscription might feel small today, but over time, those dollars could be funding your dream trip, a new skill or a future investment.
“Thinking of the abundance of spent money today in terms of lost future potential as $300 from present spending can reveal a more planned way of spending matters,” Hensel added.
Develop Friction Around Unnecessary Purchases
According to Hensel, developing friction around unnecessary purchases is another stealthy move.
He advised committing to 24 hours before a checkout or manual moving out of savings — and then buying — provokes a cooling-off forcing exposures to impulse behaviors.
“Fortune hardly ever befalls, it is earned by invisible training. The optimal financial systems will ensure saving is passive and spending is annoying,” Hensel said.
The key idea is simple: Make saving effortless and spending slightly inconvenient. Over time, these small hurdles add up, building financial habits that quietly grow your wealth without feeling like a sacrifice.
Think of it as setting up a system where your future self is rewarded for patience, and impulsive spending becomes the harder, less tempting path.
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