The "Soft Saving" Money Hack Lets You Reach Goals While Treating Yourself

"That's where soft saving, a TikTok-viral budgeting trend, comes in. According to Nicole Lapin, financial expert, author, and host of the Money Rehabpodcast, "soft saving" shifts away from the strict budgeting plans of yesteryear and leans into something more realistic. Instead of putting every penny you earn towards long-term goals, the idea is to set aside some coin to have some fun in the moment. On TikTok, many hardcore trends eventually take on a soft version. See: the 75 hard challenge versus the 75 soft, which is way less intense. The same idea applies here."

"In practice, soft saving looks like covering your essentials - rent, bills, groceries, gas - while making sure some of your hard-earned money goes towards things you can enjoy. "Maybe it is a dinner out, a class you love, or a small monthly treat that keeps you motivated," Lapin says. Along with taking care of your essentials, you'll also set aside money for the future - retirement funds, big financial goals, etc. - but you'll take a more laidback or "softer" approach, like setting aside 5% of your paycheck versus 20%. "The key is intention," Lapin says. "Soft saving doesn't mean spending freely. It means spending consciously." It's about avoiding extremes in either direction so you can maintain the all-important work-life balance."

Soft saving reframes budgeting by combining essential expense coverage with deliberate present-day spending and steady contributions toward future goals. Essentials such as rent, bills, groceries, and gas are prioritized while a modest portion of income funds enjoyable activities like dining out, classes, or small monthly treats that maintain motivation. Future-oriented savings continue but at a gentler pace, for example allocating 5% of a paycheck instead of 20%. The approach emphasizes intention and conscious spending rather than unrestricted consumption. Soft saving avoids extremes, supports work-life balance, and adapts strict budgeting into a more realistic, sustainable plan.

Read at Bustle