Being frugal doesn’t have to be the same as being cheap. Here are six examples of hacks that work for everyone, no matter how you spend your money.
Be Intentional With Your Spending
Intentionality is key if you’re going to save money. Every person, frugal or not, should focus on value over price. This means knowing the difference between impulse buys and things you actually need. It also means choosing quality over quantity.
The practice might initially lead you to think you’re spending more. But if it means you aren’t buying new clothes every few months, that’s much better for your wallet (and the environment).
Be Smarter With Grocery Shopping
There’s a better way to grocery shop, and everyone should be doing it. Start by planning your meals ahead of time, ideally with whatever’s on sale for the week.
Make a list based on your meals and stick to it; the store is filled with pitfalls to get you to spend more than you need. And with grocery bills being sky-high these days, every person needs to be a savvier shopper, even if it means taking extra time.
Audit Recurring Expenses
Most people spend hundreds of dollars on unused or unnecessary subscriptions every month without thinking about it.
A frugal hack? Think about it.
Take some time once a month or once every few months and reevaluate your recurring charges. Ask yourself if it’s still worth it. And if it isn’t, cancel the subscription. Saving money you don’t even want to spend isn’t frugal; it’s just common sense.
Take Advantage of Free or Low-Cost Fun
Many big cities or even suburbs have lots of ways to have fun that don’t cost much. Check to see if your local community is hosting anything like a free concert or if there’s a free museum day.
You can also do more expensive things for cheap, like going to your favorite restaurant during happy hour or on an off-day to enjoy a discount. There are plenty of ways to have fun without overspending if you know where to look!
Automate Your Savings
The people who think saving money is hard are likely making two mistakes: they aren’t budgeting, and they aren’t using automatic transfers. Setting up automatic transfers means you can “pay yourself first” without even thinking about it.
You can even use apps that round up your purchases for more effortless saving. Every person should have a savings account, even if it’s just for emergencies, so this is an excellent way to get started with minimal effort.
Upcycle Old Items
Turn the great things you already have into even greater things! Too often, people buy new and throw away perfectly good things that have the potential to be something more.
This could be something as small as repurposing old clothes into cleaning rags or as involved as using old furniture to build something new. Before you throw something out, do a quick search and see if there’s a way you can spin it into gold.
