You work hard and save as much as you can, and of course you deserve to indulge every now and then. Here are a few thrifty tips to help you avoid overspending on necessities and, in turn, maximize your savings for things that are more worthwhile.

1. Map out your meals. It can become a bad habit to order takeout or grab lunch instead of brown bagging it. Map out your entire household’s meals at the beginning of each week, allowing for the occasional lunch out or dinner in, in order to maximize your grocery trips and make a restaurant visit all the more worthwhile.
2. Stay aware of your utilities. Utilities like your cell phone or electricity are essential, but that doesn’t mean that you should pay for them blindly. Instead of using an automatic withdrawal system for each month’s bill, analyze how much you’re spending on each utility and barter with the service for a better deal if you feel that you’re being billed unfairly.
3. Buy off-brand or discounted. Sure, things like your favorite yogurt or those new designer shoes require a bit of brand loyalty, but there are a number of areas in your home or pantry where you can be thrifty without much notice. Opt for store brand groceries where you can, use generic household cleaners, and buy clothing when discounted.

Beware These 9 Common Overspending Triggers [Daily Worth]
Our House: Common Overspending Traps to Avoid [Well Heeled Blog]
Overspending On Sale Items – How To Avoid The Traps [Miss January]

CC-BY-SA-2.0/Flickr/401k2013

Pinterest operates like an online bulletin board that can help you to discover new things and then save (or “pin”) them to your own personal boards. The social media site contains a wide assortment of yoga tips, apparel ideas, and workout videos submitted by Pinterest’s community of yogis, which makes it a wonderful resource to help you improve and organize your practice. Here are two of the best yoga-related Pinterest boards to follow.

Yoga
Pinterest’s main yoga board is filled with inspiring quotes, sequences, and asanas from yogis all around the web. From leg-sculpting sequences that will build strength in your lower body to early morning vinyasa flows that will help you to start your day off right, these yoga pins will help you to build your practice even when you’re not on your mat.

Mind Body Green
Mind Body Green’s yoga board contains all of the popular health website’s best yoga-related content, all organized in one easy-to-navigate space. Browse pins like "A Guide to Warrior 1," "4 Yoga Poses to Help Unlock Your Hidden Emotions," and "10 Things a Beginner Should Know Before Giving Up On Yoga" to help even the most novice yogis find their inner chi.

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr/Robert Bejil

We hope everyone has a happy and safe Labor Day!