12 Cheapskate Tips That Will Make Your Friends Cringe (But Save You Money)

Discover how these extreme cheapskate hacks can help you stretch your dollars further and achieve your financial goals without sacrificing the things you love. Get ready to embrace the frugal lifestyle like never before with these ingenious and practical tips!

Extreme Cheapskate Tips To Try

Shocked young woman and handyman with open mouths looking at freezer
Image Credit: IgorVetushko via DepositPhotos.com.

Are there any extreme cheapskates tips that are reasonable? Reddit thinks so. After someone asked for examples of these hacks, they delivered this excellent list of resourceful tips.

1. Use Grocery Bags for Trash

Couple throwing away raw meat in kitchen at home
Image Credit: VitalikRadko via DepositPhotos.com.

If you get free grocery bags when you shop, then save the ones that don’t have holes to use as trash bags. Many people have an excess of these plastic bags, so cut down on waste and save money by using them for trash bags!

2. Line Dry Your Clothes

Baby clothes are drying on the street. Selective focus. nature.
Image Credit: Tatevosian Yana/Shutterstock.

Want to save money on your electric bill? If you live in the right climate, you can skip the dryer and hang clothes on a line instead. This will not only save money on electricity but will also help your clothes last longer.

3. Eat Out Less

couple tipping waitress
Image Credit: PavelVinnik
via DepositPhotos.com.

Everyone loves to eat out. Someone else has to cook, there are no dishes to wash after, you don’t have to grocery shop, and mostly, it’s fast and convenient. But not suitable for your wallet.

 

One Redditor explained, “I used to hate cooking but then found some recipes I could make my own and started food prepping so I could spend fewer days in the kitchen and still eat at home.”

Related: 30+ Best Frugal Living Tips To Help You Save Money Now 

4. Make Your Own Baby Food

newborn baby smiling wearing a baby hat
Image Credit: alenkasm via DepositPhotos.com.

Baby food is expensive and full of sugar. It’s easy to make your own from home. Whatever you cook for yourself can easily be pureed down, and snacks in between are made with pureed fruits and vegetables.

 

One elaborated, “My two children were raised on table food pureed in a food processor and were always on the high end of the growth charts.”

Related: Having a Baby? Here’s How To Save Money on Baby Expenses

5. Rotate Your Streaming

shocked woman watching tv by husband with remote control
Image Credit: VitalikRadko via DepositPhotos.com.

There are many streaming services now, and they all have different shows and movies. It’s hard not to subscribe to all the ones that have shows you want to watch. But while they only range in a monthly cost from $7 to $20, this can add up fast.

 

Someone suggested, “Rotate your services. Get Netflix for a month or two, and watch everything that interests you. Then, move on to Disney, Hulu, HBO, and all the others.”

Related: 10 Best Free TV Apps for Live Streaming or On-Demand 

6. Jobs Can Pay For Schooling

Young university graduate woman isolated on pink background smiling
Image Credit: luismolinero via DepositPhotos.com.

Many in the thread agreed that college is expensive, and while furthering your education can help you get into a career you love, not all of us can afford the cost. However, many employers have a reimbursement program for community college courses.

 

One stated, “This may not help you get your Bachelor’s degree, but it will get you some of your credits paid for so you can save and focus on paying for the classes you need for the field you want to work in.”

7. Credit Cards

black woman happy holding credit card
Image Credit: HayDmitriy via DepositPhotos.com.

Many frugal people will advise against credit cards. However, many credit card companies offer a cash-back incentive. If used responsibly, they can save money and help build your credit.

 

One advised, “Get one with cash back and don’t spend more than 10% of your credit line. Then, pay it back when it’s due and not too early so your credit score can go up.”

 

8. Couponing

Teenage girl in sweatshirt holding credit card and digital tablet
Image Credit: AntonLozovoy via DepositPhotos.com.

Coupons can save a little here and there, but those little pennies can add up quickly. Many noted that if you have witnessed someone in the store at the check stand with coupons, you watch in awe as their total cost drops after the coupons are scanned.

 

“In some cases cooking instead of eating out is cheaper, but with coupons and deals you find, you can get a meal at a restaurant sometimes for less,” one confessed.

9. Thrifting

woman smiling through clothes at thrift store
Image Credit: Krakenimages.com via DepositPhotos.com.

Many people in the thread suggested that thrift stores carry clothes, furniture, entertainment, and more. So buying second-hand can cut some costs. And if you’re a little handy and artistic, you can buy pieces that aren’t quite to your taste but fix them up to your liking at a fraction of the cost of buying new.

 

“If I can wash it, I’ll buy almost anything second-hand,” confessed one. “It’s my go-to for clothes, furniture, crockery, cutlery, linen, décor, and, sometimes, appliances and gifts.”

Related: Why You Should Never Pay Full Price Again: The Top 11 Things To Buy Secondhand

10. Buy In Bulk on Sale

mother and daughter choosing bell peppers at grocery store
Image Credit: VitalikRadko via DepositPhotos.com.

Many suggest that regularly used items like hygiene products, paper towels, etc., should be bought in bulk while on sale. Then, when you’re running low, start “window shopping” around until you spot the deal again and stock up on more.

It can help you never pay full price on items you always use and need. Of course, this can work on things occasionally used as well. Keep a running list of items you may need and purchase them when you see a good deal.

11. Water and Vinegar Cleaner

Man in apron holding kitchen cloth and detergent spray feeling overwhelmed
Image Credit: TheVisualsYouNeed via DepositPhotos.com.

You can create an all-purpose cleaner with a 1:1 ratio of water and vinegar. This cleaning solution kills some household bacteria and hard water spots and cuts through the grime.

 

One user suggests, “I would still add baking soda and dishwashing liquid to the list for a more powerful cleaner, but we don’t necessarily need bleach or other cleaning agents though they are nice to have.”

 

Another agreed, “I use this cleaner a lot, but do your research to see what cannot be cleaned with vinegar, like some clothing, stone counters, etc.”

12. Transportation by Bicycle

quirky woman riding on a bike with a basket
Image Credit: deagreez1 via DepositPhotos.com.

For some, buying a bicycle to get around is not very practical. But for those who live in the city, close to work or shopping, this could be a very inexpensive way of travel. In addition, it saves gas and car maintenance, and you get a little exercise.

Someone stated, “My advice is to get a decent bike used for a few hundred dollars. Initially, it’s more expensive, but you save a lot in the long run.”

23 Side Hustles You Never Considered That Make More Than Your 9 to 5

woman warrior. woman holding sword
Image Credit: Avrora-Andrey via DepositPhotos.com.

Have you ever wanted to make a lot of money from a side hustle and quit your 9 to 5? You may know about the typical side hustles, but I bet you never even heard of these lucrative side hustles!

23 Side Hustles You Never Considered That Make More Than Your 9 to 5

9 So-Called “Frugal” Habits That Are Actually a Waste of Time and Money

woman laying under knitted blanket
Image Credit: serezniy via DepositPhotos.com.

Not everything is frugal! I am sure you have read articles and tips that promote frugal living and give some ideas that are just not frugal! These frugal myths float around and sometimes even cost people a lot of money!

9 So-Called “Frugal” Habits That Are Actually a Waste of Time and Money 

10 Stupid Scams People Won’t Stop Falling For

Doctor in corruption concept with being offered bribe.
Image Credit: Elnur/Shutterstock.

It seems like every day there is a new scam popping up, promising to make you rich or solve all of your problems. Yet, despite the prevalence of scams and the numerous warnings about them, people still fall for them.

10 Stupid Scams People Won’t Stop Falling For

20 Hilariously Outdated Pieces of Boomer Advice That Leave Millennials in Stitches

Hipster style bearded man.
Image Credit: Lemon Tree Images/Shutterstock.

From lectures on frugality to hard work, Baby Boomer advice is never in short supply. But what happens when that wisdom doesn’t seem to fit with the experiences of a millennial? Some advice needs to be left in the past.

20 Hilariously Outdated Pieces of Boomer Advice That Leave Millennials in Stitches 

The IRS Adjusted Its Tax Income Brackets – Are You Ready?

Close up portrait of relaxed black woman has gentle skin after taking shower, satisfied with new lotion, has no makeup, smiles tenderly, shows perfect teeth, stands shirtless against blue background.
Image Credit: Cast Of Thousands/Shutterstock.

Have you heard that the IRS adjusted their tax brackets? The reason behind the IRS adjusting its tax income brackets for next year is tax consolidation, which aims to simplify the tax code. You might have already heard about it.

The IRS Adjusted Its Tax Income Brackets — Are You Ready?

This post originally appeared on A Dime Saved.

Source 

Hi! I am a millennial mom with a passion for personal finance. I have always been “into” personal finance but got inspired to start my blog after a period of extended unemployment. That experience really changed the way I viewed my relationship with money and the importance of accessible personal finance education.