Want to double your savings by 2026? Financial blogger Humphrey Yang offers 6 tough tips, and the key is not to skimp on that $5 at Starbucks, but to tackle the major expenses.

His core logic: Rent, transportation, insurance, and food account for 80% of household expenses, and small changes can save big money. For example, he personally negotiated rent discounts by signing a long-term lease + 2 weeks of free rent, which can save a considerable amount in a year. Insurance is the same; by making a few calls to compare quotes, many people can save $300-500 a year, but too many are too lazy to do it.

The ultimate trick: reverse budgeting. First, deduct the target savings from your salary (for example, if you earn 4500 a month, save 500), leaving 4000 as your living expenses. Does that seem insufficient? Then you need to analyze your spending data from the past three months to identify areas where you can cut back.

Set a savings goal of 20% of your salary (the average savings rate in the U.S. is only 5%). Even reaching 15% is good. Break big goals into smaller ones: Want to save an additional 7500? That means saving 625 a month, or 156 a week—smaller numbers reduce psychological pressure.

The last move is to open a "vault account," locked away with different banks and complex passwords, only to be touched in emergencies. Out of sight, out of mind; saving money means it won't be misused.

In simple terms, don't waste your energy on small amounts of money, focus your efforts on the big expenses.