Why Most People Struggle to Save (And It’s Not Their Fault)

If you’ve ever felt guilty about not having more money in savings, you’re not alone—and you’re not necessarily the one to blame.

In a world where you’re constantly told to “just stop spending” or “make your coffee at home,” it’s easy to believe that saving money is all about self-control and skill. But the truth is, most people aren’t struggling to save because they’re irresponsible. They’re struggling because the system wasn’t designed with their success in mind.

Let’s break down why saving is so hard—and what you can do about it.

1. The Cost of Living Has Outpaced Wages

Over the past few decades, living expenses have skyrocketed—housing, childcare, groceries, health care—while wages have barely kept up. If you feel like you’re working hard but still can’t get ahead, it’s not your imagination. Many households are stuck in a cycle of paying bills and covering necessities with little (or nothing) left over.

If you’ve followed me for a while, you may have noticed that I had to start doing bookkeeping as a side hustle this year. That’s because even though my family is 100% debt-free, we are a one-income family that has felt the pinch of a higher cost of living. So no one is immune to this reality. But it’s all in how we respond to this reality that determines if we succeed with building our savings and improving our finances.

Fix it tip: Start small. Automate just $10 a week to savings, even if it feels like nothing. Building the habit matters more than the amount.

2. We Were Never Taught How to Manage Money

Let’s be honest: personal finance wasn’t part of the curriculum for most of us. I still remember when I was in college and I was required to take a “life 101” class that my professor said that the key to being successful financially was to never put groceries on a credit card…little did that professor know that I was already having to put groceries on a credit card at 19. If you never learned how to budget, track spending, or plan for the future, you’re not “bad with money”—you’re under-resourced.

Fix it tip: Take back control by educating yourself. Start with one small action, like reviewing your last month’s bank transactions or listing out your fixed expenses. And check out finance-related books from your local library.

Here are a few recommendations:

The Simple Path to Wealth by J.L. Collins

Getting Good with Money (shameless plug for my book ) by Jessi Fearon

The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey

Buy What You Love without Going Broke by The Frugal Friends Podcast

3. Marketing Makes Spending Easy (and Saving Hard)

Think about it: we’re surrounded by messages telling us to buy, upgrade, and “treat ourselves.” You’re not weak for being tempted—it’s literally someone’s job to make sure you are.

Fix it tip: Create spending “speed bumps.” Wait 24 hours before making a non-essential purchase or remove your saved payment info from shopping apps. Also, unfollow anyone on social media who causes you to want to spend. You can always refollow them once you’ve detoxed from overconsuming.

4. Lifestyle Creep Is Real

As income grows, so do expenses—and not always intentionally. It’s easy to gradually spend more without noticing, especially if it feels like everyone around you is doing the same.

Fix it tip: Practice “value-based budgeting.” Spend on what matters most to you, and cut the rest guilt-free. Your budget should reflect your priorities, not peer pressure.

5. Saving Feels Pointless When You’re Drowning in Debt

For many, saving takes a backseat to paying off loans, credit cards, or past financial missteps. But saving—even just a little—matters more than you think. It helps break the debt cycle by giving you a buffer next time an emergency hits. You’ll literally never be able to break the debt cycle if you don’t ever have cash available for when emergencies happen. Think about it. If you’re car won’t start and it ends up costing you $1,500 to fix it, and you don’t have the cash, then how are you going to pay for it? Chances are you’ll use debt. You’re just digging yourself deeper and deeper into the debt hole. If you want to get out, it starts by saving up a Starter Emergency Fund.

Fix it tip: Start a mini emergency fund, even while paying off debt. $500 is a powerful goal to start—it’s enough to handle unexpected expenses without a credit card. Once you reach that $500 goal, increase the goal to $1,000, and then from there, $1,500. And so until you have at least one month’s worth of living expenses saved in a Starter Emergency Fund.

It’s Not Your Fault—But It Is Your Move

We live in a system that makes saving hard, but you’re not powerless. And we’re not victims either. We can jump back in the driver’s seat at any time and take back control.

Start with one small step. Track your spending for a week. Set up an automatic transfer, no matter how small. Or choose one expense to pause this month and move that money to savings instead.

Remember, you don’t need perfect circumstances to make progress. You just need to start.

What’s one small step you’ve taken to make saving easier? Share in the comments—I’d love to hear your story!