Sometimes saving money isn’t about giving things up but finding affordable alternatives. Here are five frugal life swaps that were easy to make and saved me hundreds of dollars a month.
Black Coffee at Home Four Times a Week
Nobody wants to hear that their morning coffee is holding them back. But let’s be realistic: there’s nothing affordable about stopping for a cappuccino every single day when you can enjoy as much coffee as you want at home for cents on the dollar.
Notice that I say four times a week, though; I think it’s so important to live in a way that feels balanced, so I always treat myself once (sometimes twice) a week, and it still saves me money, plus it feels all the more special.
Packing Lunch for Work As Much As Possible
Another major expense is ordering in for lunch, and I’m guilty of doing it even when I’m working at home with a full refrigerator. Nobody’s perfect, so I still give myself flexibility to enjoy going out with co-workers or a friend.
But otherwise, I meal prep my lunches on the weekend so I can just throw things together and have a healthy, affordable lunch. I try my best to do this with breakfast and dinner too, but again, even just doing one meal a week has made an enormous difference.
Using Cloth Napkins Instead of Paper Napkins
This is one of the less impactful adjustments I’ve made, at least at first glance. But once you start to think about how much I save throughout the year rather than a month, it’s inarguably worth it. I’m in the process of applying this same thing to paper towels and plates.
While I don’t use either often anyway, switching to cloth napkins has made it abundantly clear to me that single-use plastic and paper products are worthless, both in my life and for the world at large.
Accessing Audiobooks Through The Library Instead of an App
I love a good audiobook. I consume them while I’m doing chores, going for walks, and anything else I’m doing that’s a thinly veiled way to avoid work.
But once I did an audit of my monthly expenses, I started looking for alternatives so I could still enjoy my audiobook obsession.
Wouldn’t you know it, tons of libraries and websites have 100% free access to audiobooks; you just have to know where to look and listen.
Making Cleaning Products Instead of Buying Them
I didn’t know how easy it was to make your own cleaning products. It’s basically just three ingredients to create a heavy-duty all-purpose cleaner: vinegar, baking soda, and lemon, maybe with a touch of water to balance things out.
I’m spraying this on everything (within reason), and it’s keeping my apartment clean with no need to buy these overpriced chemical concoctions that leave my home smelling like a museum bathroom. All you need is the spray bottles, which cost next to nothing, and chances are you already have everything else you need sitting around.
