There are so many frugal living tips that you can do. Sometimes it can get overwhelming to know where to start. As someone who spends a lot of time researching and writing about frugal living there are definitely some frugal living tips that I like more than others.
Here are some of my favorite ones that you can use to save money.
Get Freebies From Companies
Companies and organizations give a lot of stuff away for free. Books, samples, and baby gear are just some examples of the things you can get for free.
Start your frugal living journey by signing up to get all the freebies you can. These freebies will help you spend less money on items you are not totally sure you want to buy yet.
When I had my baby, I got tons of free stuff from companies and stores. For example, from signing up for a Target Baby Registry and the Walmart Baby Registry.
Join Giveaway Groups
My favorite frugal living tip is to get stuff for free. I save a good chunk of money by trying to get as much stuff for free as possible.
These groups exist in different forms and on different platforms. Some are part of the official “Buy Nothing” Facebook groups, and some are just WhatsApp or email groups. Some of the many things I have gotten from my neighbors include a bunk bed, table, chairs, dresser, and shelves.
Shop Garage Sales for Old Toys
Garage sales are a great place to get cheap stuff, especially big outdoor toys or toys made of plastic, such as a plastic slide, a toy kitchen, riding toys, etc. These are easy to clean and hold up well, even if a few families use them. Garage sale shopping is a great way to get expensive toys for very cheap.
Cut Down on Meat
Changing your eating habits can help you save a lot of money. Cut down on meat, chicken, and fish in your diet. These are usually more expensive, and you can save money by buying healthy beans and grains instead.
Do Free Fun Things With Your Friends and Kids
You don’t need to spend a lot of money to have fun. There are so many fun things to do that are free or very low-cost. You can have fun at home or get to know your community and your natural environment.
Check some great ideas now: 30 Cool Cheap or Free Things To Do This Summer With Kids
Use Money-Saving Apps
Spend some time signing up for coupon apps and use cash-back apps to save money on things you are already buying. Download as many coupon apps as you can and get some of that money back!
Shop Clearance
When you go shopping, go to the clearance aisle first. When you shop online, look in the clearance tab first. Make it a rule never to pay full price.
Hang Your Clothes To Dry
Using a drying rack to hang your clothes will save you money on your electric bill, make your clothes last longer, and you won’t need to buy new clothing as often. There are many reasons to make the switch!
Play Safe With Credit Cards
Credit cards can be useful tools, and some offer excellent cashback opportunities. You can use cash back to get perks, free gift cards, or even pay your bills.
REMINDER: Only use a credit card if you can afford to pay it off in full. Do not go into credit card debt just to get some perks.
Try To Get Free Electronics
I know this is a long shot, but if you don’t care about the newest and the best, try to find someone who either cares about the latest upgrade or tries to find someone who constantly gets free upgrades. You can then get or buy their phone or tablet for cheap.
For example, my sister-in-law’s phone broke, and the sound did not work well. She was able to get a new one for free, and I took her old one.
For the price of a pair of headphones, I have a perfectly good smartphone. Be creative in how you can do things like this.
Meal Prep
If you work a long day, then all you want for lunch is convenience! That often means buying lunch. Avoid the extra spending by meal prepping in advance; this is healthier for you and will save you money.
You can invest in some good lunch-packing materials (like a Mini Croc-Pot Food Warmer or a Bento Box) to have a delicious, warm meal while working super hard.
Meal prepping for dinner is a great way to reduce the mental load of having to think of dinner at the end of a long day- you won’t be as tempted to order takeout.
Use Your Employer’s 401K or 403B To Invest
Using your employer-sponsored plans to save money for retirement is a great way to invest your money.
This allows you to build investments without ever having access to the money, making it impossible for you to spend it on something else inadvertently.
If you qualify, you will find that many of your places of employment will offer these types of accounts (hopefully with a great match). Take advantage of that and use that money to create a life you love.
Carpool
Do you work or attend school outside of the home? Connect with co-workers and classmates, find out if they live close to you (or are on the way), and form a carpooling group.
Carpooling can save you money on gas and tolls and is also great for the environment!
