Frugal living comes with so many benefits.
Implementing frugality is an excellent way to get your finances under control. These frugal living ideas can make that happen.
While people embrace the lifestyle for different reasons, the motivation is usually the same: to save as much money as possible for what matters most.
Looking to get started? These frugal living ideas will help you hit the ground running.
Create a Budget
You should never operate without a budget. Getting your finances under control is almost impossible without one.
With a realistic budget, you can track the flow of your money and direct it toward your short- and long-term goals.
Make sure your budget reflects both your fixed and variable expenses. List all your variable expenses and allocate a realistic amount to each.
Being realistic and disciplined will help you stick to the budget you create.
Cook at Home
You can significantly cut your monthly food costs by buying ingredients and cooking at home.
Restaurant prices are high, and the total climbs even further once you factor in tips and the cost of driving there.
Takeout is worth avoiding, too. Delivery costs add up fast. A study found that the average American spends just over $1,800 on takeout annually. Even more surprising, a third of that goes toward delivery fees, tips, and premium delivery app subscriptions, not even the food itself!
If you want to save money, make cooking at home a habit. And it’s not just about dinner or breakfast, you should bring your lunch to work too. It makes a real difference.
If cutting out restaurants entirely feels like too much, start by planning your meals for the week. Prepare them in batches and freeze them for easy weekday use.
Buy Generic or Store Brands
It may be time to let go of the name brand you’ve been loyal to for years, especially when it’s costing you significantly more. While this doesn’t apply to everything, it certainly applies to most things.
Pasta is a great example. Name-brand pasta is often much pricier, yet most people can’t tell the difference once it’s cooked. The same logic applies to cleaning products; there’s little evidence that expensive ones actually clean any better.
Pet food, condiments, frozen foods, salt, sugar, and flour are other categories where generic brands often perform just as well.
Use Coupons and Discounts
People who regularly use coupons and shop sales can save an average of 7% on their monthly grocery bills, and that number can climb even higher depending on how strategic you are.
Couponing has changed a lot over the years. In-store flyers and newspaper inserts used to be the go-to sources, but today most people find and print coupons online. Download a few coupon apps and start saving.
Try to see if you can match your shopping list to available coupons to get the most out of them.
Shop Secondhand
Shopping secondhand is a great way to find quality items at a fraction of the cost of buying new.
There’s a wide range of things you can buy used: clothes, bags, shoes, kitchenware, household tools, electronics, toys, furniture, and cars, just to name a few.
Before heading to a store to buy something new, check your local thrift stores first. Online marketplaces and yard sales are also worth browsing; you’d be surprised at what deals you can find.
Cancel Unused Subscriptions
Many people continue paying for subscriptions they never use. A common example is someone who pays for Netflix or another streaming service but is always too tired to watch anything after work. They can never find the time, yet they won’t cancel it.
Then there are the subscriptions people forget about entirely, which is easy to do when payments are automatically deducted from your bank account.
Take some time to write down all your subscriptions and cancel anything you’re not using. This could include cable TV, streaming services, shopping platforms, and gym memberships.
Cut Energy Usage
The average U.S. household paid $122 per month for electricity in 2021, and that figure has climbed with rising energy costs in recent years.
But it doesn’t have to stay that high.
A few simple habits can make a noticeable difference: lowering your thermostat, switching off devices on standby, turning off lights when you leave a room, air-drying your clothes, and taking shorter showers.
These small changes are a solid starting point for reducing your energy bills.
Carpool or Use Public Transportation
A 2022 study found that transportation eats up an average of 13% of most households’ take-home pay. That’s a significant chunk worth looking at.
Consider carpooling with colleagues or friends and splitting fuel and maintenance costs. Public transportation is another good option if you want to cut down on gas, car upkeep, and parking fees.
As a bonus, if you live in a city with bus-only lanes, public transit can actually help you avoid traffic.
DIY Projects
There’s a lot you can do yourself and save money in the process.
It doesn’t have to be anything elaborate, either. If building furniture isn’t your thing, you can still mow your own lawn, paint your walls, fix a leaky sink, shovel snow, or troubleshoot your own appliances.
Learning to handle these tasks yourself can save you a lot of money in professional service fees over time.
Entertain at Home
Amusement parks, arcades, and bowling alleys can be expensive outings. If you’re trying to save, think about how you can have just as much fun at home.
Play board games with family and friends, host a video game night, read a good book, binge your favorite shows, or bond over a home-cooked meal.
If you have a yard, set up a space for tennis, volleyball, or another outdoor game.
Grow Your Own Produce
Start a kitchen garden and grow some of your own food. Find a good spot in your yard, or, if you don’t have one, use pots or hanging crates on a balcony.
Decide what you’d like to grow. Great starter options include cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, raspberries, salad greens, spinach, coriander, radishes, carrots, potatoes, and beans.
Pick a few to start with, get them in the ground, and give them what they need: regular watering and the occasional pest treatment.
Some produce can be harvested gradually; salad greens and spinach, for example, can be picked one meal’s worth at a time. Others, like strawberries and heartier vegetables, are best harvested when ripe and can be made into jams, jellies, or frozen for later.
Start small, learn as you go, and consider upgrading to a greenhouse down the line if you have the space.
Use the Library
Instead of buying book after book, get a library membership and borrow them instead.
It saves money and frees up space at home, which is a win-win if you’re also looking to declutter. Just make sure to return books on time to avoid fines.
Many libraries also lend movies, power tools, sports gear, bicycles, and scooters. It’s worth checking what your local library has to offer.
Exercise Outdoors
Most Americans spend between $30 and $100 a month on gym memberships, and annual memberships can run anywhere from $200 to $1,000, depending on location and amenities.
What if you simply dropped the membership? That money could go toward something that actually matters to you.
Go for morning runs or jogs, hit the trails for a hike, jump rope, climb a flight of stairs, or look up equipment-free workouts you can do at home.
Practice Mindful Shopping
Is shopping one of your hobbies? A lot of people say it lifts their mood but it’s not a sustainable or budget-friendly habit. The rush fades quickly, and the regret usually follows.
Mindful shopping is about buying things more intentionally.
Start by finding other outlets when you’re stressed or bored.
Had a rough day? Watch a movie with family or friends instead of browsing online for something to splurge on. When you do shop, stick to what you planned to buy rather than what catches your eye in the moment.
Always prioritize quality over quantity, and keep gifts simple but thoughtful.
Negotiate and Haggle
A lot of things can be had for less, that is…. if you’re willing to ask. This includes monthly subscriptions, medical bills, car purchases, secondhand items, and services like plumbing, babysitting, and AC repairs.
Sometimes all it takes is a phone call and a polite request for a better rate.
Some people go a step further and use bill negotiation services. Doing it yourself can take time and isn’t always guaranteed to work, but it’s often worth a try.
Read More:
- 6 Common Purchases Frugal People Refuse to Pay For (And You Don’t Need To Either)
- 20 Old-Fashioned Frugal Boomer Living Tips That You Should Still Be Doing Today
- 8 Things the Middle Class Won’t Be Able To Afford in Five Years
