If you’re anything like most millennials, it can feel like budgeting is impossible. With not much income and a seemingly unlimited stream of expenses, how can a young person make it work? As it turns out, with just a little planning and strategy, you can survive and even thrive on a tight budget. Here are seven financial strategies to live well while staying within even the narrowest of means.

7 Financial Strategies to Live Well

1. Always Negotiate

Whatever number it says on your phone bills, medical expenses, cable bills, or almost anything else doesn’t have to necessarily be what you end up paying. Make sure to call and ask about discounts, plan changes, or anything else that can save you money, whether it’s on recurring or one-time expenses. Sometimes simply inquiring can open up opportunities – and the worst they can say is no.

2. Keep a Record of Your Spending

This is the tough one. No one likes to see the end result of all those receipts they crumple up and throw away, but it’s crucial to understand your spending before you can change it. Keep track of all (and we do mean all) of your spending for a week or two, and examine it closely. Do you really need that $4 daily latte? Can you bring your lunch to work? Can that opening night trip to a movie theater be replaced by Netflix? You’ll find all sorts of unexpected ways to save.

3. Avoid Fees Like the Plague

Out-of-network ATM fees are one of the biggest avoidable expenses that many people have. Each trip to that machine at the 7/11 can cost up to $4. In addition, even having a checking account can cost money! Examine no-fee alternatives to these problems, whether it’s joining a credit union or just making sure you have enough cash on hand to avoid random ATMs.

4. Do It Yourself

Many products that we buy or projects we undertake have cheaper alternatives that we can make or do ourselves with a little bit of effort. Whether it’s making your own laundry detergent or cleaning (or even renovating) your own home, a DIY spirit can save you big bucks.

5. Have an Emergency Fund

One of the most important financial strategies to live well is to make sure you’re prepared for emergencies. Have a low-interest savings account. The people at Living Well, Spending Less suggest keeping at least $1,000 in the account at all times.

6. Limit Spending on Presents

We all love giving our parents, friends, or partners that expensive gift that wows them. But that kind of gift-giving can lead you into big debt. Set a low limit on how much you’re willing to spend on presents – you can be thoughtful and kind on any budget.

7. Don’t Forget to Have Fun

With all of this saving and budget-watching, it’s important to keep things fun. Make sure to build small splurges into your budget – we suggest around $15-$20. If you do these occasionally, they can actually be inspiration to keep going during the hard slogs.