10 Money-Saving Secrets That Are So Good, You’ll Want to Keep Them to Yourself

Everyone loves sharing their frugal living tips, but there are some that have become overused and ruined because so many people know about them. When everything is posted on social media and could go viral, there are no secrets anymore.

Frugal Tips That Are Ruined

Girl with piggy bank
belchonock via DepositPhotos.com.

People who are always frugal are worried that if certain frugal tips “get out, ” they will be ruined.

For example, many people believe that coupons were destroyed by the show Extreme Couponing.  Everyone started doing it, and now extreme couponing is much more difficult.

While visiting a popular frugal community, they volunteered these ten frugal tips they are worried about being ruined by others.

1. Thrifting

woman going Vintage shoe shopping
Image Credit: gabriel11 via DepositPhotos.com.

Thrifting. Several noted that the stores are catching on, and finding buried treasure is more challenging. The rise of the for-profit thrift store is already destroying it.

One noted that EcoThrift and The Goodwill search online for each item’s value before setting a “competitive price,” marking it, and putting it on the floor.

Another mentioned that thrift flippers pick all the good stuff and sell it on the Facebook marketplace, Craigslist, and flea markets for a profit.

2. Restoring Furniture

Repairman with tools
Image Credit: pressmaster via DepositPhotos.com.

Restoring old furniture is another concern because several pieces are purchased and then flipped for online stores or sellers who now want the corrected value of the furniture because they “know what they have.”

 

Several people despised that people painted solid wood with “hideous colors.” One added, “It bothers me when they call them antique. They might have been until you ruined them!”

3. Estate Sales

Bearded man attending yard sale asking about the price of pink tea cup
Image Credit:
Dmyrto_Z via DepositPhotos.com.

Estate sales were discussed heavily as something already on the verge of being ruined. From more people discovering them to estate sale auction house companies marking everything up, people complained that they’ve changed.

 

However, others alleged they still find good finds if they go early and the estate sale is hosted by a family, not the housing companies.

4. Buy Nothing Groups on Facebook

Group of happy friends shopping
Image Credit: macniak via DepositPhotos.com.

Buy Nothing Groups on Facebook. You may only sometimes get the item, but many admitted to getting many amazing things gifted to them from their local buy-nothing and other giveaway sites.

Additionally, people regift items they no longer need, so it helps with frugality and decluttering. Some people attempt to get every item posted in these groups which can be annoying. However, they’ll be banned if they get caught reselling free items.

 

5. Flea Markets

Successful shopping. mature man looking casual in surprise with present
Image Credit: stetsik via DepositPhotos.com.

Flea markets are popular among many frugal people, and they are concerned they will become destroyed like so many other treasures. One person explained that she explicitly wants people to avoid the ones that require haggling and only accept cash.

6. Ethnic Grocery Stores

Black woman, shop and grocery for organic, food and happy for shopping
Image Credit: PeopleImages.com via DepositPhotos.com.

One expressed concern over people finding Asian grocers. She elaborated the one next to her had reorganized the shelves, labeled the aisles with English, and increased prices by half on several items.

 

Another suggested that any ethnic-themed store, including Hispanic and Middle Eastern, is cheap for food staples like rice, beans, and spices.

 

7. Sportswear Lifetime Warranties

American Football Player running upfield
Image Credit:
yobro10 via DepositPhotos.com.

Columbia, North Face, Jan Sport, Patagonia, and L.L. Bean were mentioned as incredible at honoring sportswear lifetime warranties. Several people shared instances when a zipper broke or something had a rip or a tear, and the companies fixed or replaced it without hassle.

People worried that if too many people take advantage of this, then the companies will get more strict about what they will honor.

8. Thrift Store Frames

Happy friends at holi festival
Image Credit: ArturVerkhovetskiy via DepositPhotos.com.

Artists volunteered that they love purchasing framed art at thrift stores, removing the “crummy art” and replacing it with their own. Somebody explained that they buy cheap paintings to rip the canvas off and repurpose the stretcher bars to stretch their own canvas on.

9. Libraries

Young blonde woman holding book in front of face
Image Credit: Light via DepositPhotos.com.

Libraries are excellent places for free entertainment and other things. In addition to books, many have movies, music, and toys; some even have tools to check out. While everyone agreed they love the idea of people reading, crowded libraries and waiting longer to check things out wouldn’t be fun.

 

10. Rotisserie Chicken

woman holding chicken in both hands
Image Credit: 9nong via DepositPhotos.com.

Finally, people confessed to already being fed up with the rotisserie chicken lineups at warehouse club stores. They called it a “Black Friday-style lineup near the chicken case.” One said they watched somebody load up on ten at once while she grabbed her one.

The 20 Things People Used To Cheap Out On, But Now They Swear By The Expensive Versions

woman with cheese in mouth
Image Credit: avgustino via DepositPhotos.com.

When budgeting and saving money, trying to cut corners wherever possible is tempting. However, some items are worth investing in due to their better durability or quality compared to their cheaper counterparts.

The 20 Things People Used To Cheap Out On, but Now They Swear by the Expensive Versions

22 Unconventional Side Hustles That Can Make You More Money 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?

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

10 Extreme Cheapskates Tips That Are Honestly Great Tips For You 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.

10 Extreme Cheapskates Tips That Are Honestly Great Tips

Sorry Millennials, These 20 Skills From The 90s Are No Longer Relevant

Millennial Hipster Girl Holding an Audio Tape Cassette and a Pencil
Image Credit: nicoletaionescu via DepositPhotos.com.

The 90s saw a tremendous shift in technology, and many skills that were once essential have become irrelevant in today’s world.

Sorry Millennials, These 20 Skills From the 90s Are No Longer Relevant

Eye Rolling Intensifies: 28 Boomer Comments Gen Z and Millennials Can’t Stand

Senior beautiful couple standing together
Image Credit: Krakenimages.com via DepositPhotos.com.

Older generations love giving advice and telling younger people things. While there are plenty of life lessons to learn from older people, young people are tired of hearing some of what boomers have to say.

From OK Boomer To Eye Roll: Gen Z and Millennials Are Sick and Tired of These 28 Boomer Comments

 

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.