16 Genius Habits of People Who Are Always Frugal

Committing to frugal habits will help you live a frugal lifestyle. Making frugal habits part of your everyday life could save you money in the long run.

Frugal Habits of Smart People

Take some of these frugal habits and try incorporating them into your life. Then, take the money you save and use it to better your life in some way: save up for an emergency fund, give more to charity, save for retirement, or use it to make more money.

People who are successful with money create frugal habits that make saving money easier. They live their life with habits that allow them to save money easily.

Meal Plans

Plan your meals and what ingredients you will need for every meal. This will allow you to use up items you already have, be purposeful about the things you need to buy, reduce food waste, and reuse the food that you cook.

This also allows you to make a shopping list and stick to it- cutting down on impulse purchases and time spent in stores.

Eat at Home

Eating out is a quick way to rack up those food bills. Get in the habit of cooking all your meals at home and packing your meals and snacks for when you need to go out.

Buy Cheap Products

Not every item needs to be top-of-the-line. Many things are worth buying cheaply, especially if they are not used often. Dollar Tree has many products that are not big-name brands but can still work the same magic as name brands.

It’s not just products but cleaning supplies that are regularly used, such as toilet brushes, dish sponges, dusting rags, brooms, and buckets, to name a few, that can all be purchased often at better prices at discount stores.

Eat More Plants

While the traditional American diet goes heavy on meats and chicken, switching to a diet heavy on beans and legumes is significantly cheaper (and healthier!)

Embrace Intentional Minimalism

Fully committing to intentional minimalism is the difference between people who embrace frugality and make it a habit.

Dciedieng to intentionally use less, buy less, and consume less is the best habit you can embrace.

Combine Errands

Save money on gas by combining all your errands in one trip. Making frequent errand trips every week can really add up.

This way, you’ll have one big errand run a week instead of wasting gas and driving around town every other day. If a once week isn’t realistic for you, even taking one or two fewer errand trips than what you are currently doing now will help you save.

Not only will this habit save you money but time as well.

Use Alternate Transportation

Ditching a car and using alternate forms of cheap transportation is a great frugal habit. Walking, biking or using public transportation regularly will save you a lot of money.

Walk More!

Walk more! Seriously, walk anywhere you can. If you have local errands to run, walking can save you money on wear and tear on your car, plus the cost of gas. You’ll also be getting some good exercise, potentially saving you in health costs in the future.

Don’t Upgrade

Whether it’s a TV, phone, or laptop, people are addicted to upgrading to the latest, new models. They tend to upgrade regularly when there is a new release. Look at an iPhone, for example. When the iPhone 13 came out, people rushed to the stores to buy it without even thinking about it.

Instead of upgrading to an 11, 12, or 13, why not upgrade when your phone is slow or doesn’t work anymore? If it works perfectly fine, you don’t need to upgrade to the latest version. With the money you save, you can put it in your emergency funds, investments, or savings.

Always Look for Deals

When you shop, always look for deals. However, don’t rush to purchase, and always weigh your options. Perhaps you can find a better deal with similar product options, the  Same product but in a  different store, or you will figure out a way to not need or purchase the item at all!

Use Coupons and Cashback Apps

Frugal people try to get the best deal on anything they buy. Before you make any purchases, check for available coupons and cashback offers on different sites.

Buy Used Items

Not everything needs to be new and shiny. Get used to buying second-hand items from thrift stores or people you know. Not only will this save you money, but it is also more sustainable.

Avoid Subscriptions

Frugal people avoid subscriptions that constantly drain the budget and encourage them to spend more money. A good tip is to cancel all your subscriptions and then add the ones you miss back into your budget.

Have a Budget

Frugal people make it a habit to create a budget and check it often. They keep on top of their bills and know where their money is going.

Avoid Debt

A great habit is to avoid debt as much as possible. Frugal people only buy things if they can afford them, and if they can’t, they only go into debt if it is necessary.

Use Fewer Utilities

Shut the lights when you leave the room, take shorter showers, lower the temperature on the heat, or raise the air conditioner. Make it a habit to do this every time you leave a room or leave the house.

Frugal Habits

Using some or all of these frugal habits will get you in the habit of living a cheap life and saving some money. Why spend money on things you don’t need when you can spend money on what you need or love?

Before you go, check out Frugality vs. Cheapskate: How To Know When You’ve Crossed the Line 

• 10 Examples of When Being Frugal Crosses Over to Cheapskate  
• 10 Things That Are 100% A Scam but Accepted in Society
• 10 Best Money-Saving Tips People Learned By Being Frugal 

This post originally appeared on A Dime Saved.