Being smarter about money doesn’t have to be all-or-nothing. Try these small adjustments

I would be in hog heaven if I had a Milk Dud for all the times I gave up sugar.

I have the best intentions when I make my “done with sugar” proclamation after finishing off a pint of ice cream or a bag of peanut M&Ms, but it doesn’t last. It is too much and too unrealistic. So before you declare that you are going to adhere to a strict budget, save 20% of your salary and never again buy anything off the internet, let’s take a breath and be realistic. Make plans for adjustment rather than austerity.

If you want to increase your savings, make it automatic. If you are starting from zero, try to begin at levels that are not so aggressive that you will give up. Invest in your company’s retirement plan at least to their match. The government subsidizes this through tax savings, and your company gives you an automatic return equal to the match.

If you want to begin funding 529 plans for the kids or savings plans for you, have monthly amounts automatically withdrawn from your checking account. Consider round-up programs like Acorns where you can invest a monthly dollar amount as well as glean the round-ups from your credit cards. Their $3 monthly charge can be a lot as you are starting out, but in time, the forced savings should prove worth it.

To spend less, there are four things you can try: intending, avoiding, pausing or contracting.

Budgets get blown up by not controlling our impulses. If you set a daily intention on spending, you have a good chance of honoring it. You can quit lattes, but those savings disappear when you mindlessly buy something you don’t need. Less time on the internet will mean fewer purchases. Rather than regularly jumping on shopping sites when the mood strikes, pick a time during the week when you visit the websites. Once there, take a break before each purchase. Stimulus/pause/response will cut out some of your impulsiveness.

And if all else fails, make a Ulysses contract. You don’t need to strap yourself to the sails, but if the Siren calls of spending seem unavoidable, make a pact to reward yourself with something you really want by sticking to the agreement. And tell a friend or partner about it.

Austerity programs are often duds. Adjustments can be far sweeter.

Spend your life wisely.

Ross Levin is the founder of Accredited Investors Wealth Management in Edina. He can be reached at ross@accredited.com.