I’m A Frugal Shopper: Always Include These 12 Items on Your Shopping List

Living frugally is all about looking for the best way to improve our financial well-being. And this usually means finding deals wherever we can. However, since being frugal is not equal to being cheap, we focus on getting value for our money.

This means buying items that may save us money either in the short run or in the future. These items may not be cheap. I scouted the social media platforms in search of things frugal people have that save them money. 

Library Card

In library. Pretty blonde woman standing with books in library.
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With the advent of new ways to access information, people have stopped visiting the library. And this could be the reason they do not know that the library has great things to offer that may help you save money;

  • You can access audiobooks on the Libby app if you have a library card
  • You can get free passes at zoos and museums (a great way to save an occasional $15 or $20)
  • You get access to free movies through the Hoopla and Kanopy apps using your library card
  • Some libraries offer free printing services (no need to pick a hammer to bash your printer when it runs out of ink unexpectedly)

Freezer

Shocked young woman and handyman with open mouths looking at freezer
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People who have freezers at home swear by how much they save on food and meat products. They buy these products at discounted prices in bulk, repackage them at home, freeze them, and consume them whenever the urge to eat meat arises. Others prep their meals and freeze them. They will always have meals ready to be reheated on the go. 

Mattress Warmers

Top view of young beautiful woman dreaming in bed and relaxing at night. High angle view of woman with closed eyes sleeping well at home in the dark.
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It may work the same way as an electric blanket and can come in handy during the cold winter season. It is also a pet magnet, and this could be a plus or negative, depending on if you love animals.

Toaster Oven

Toaster oven in natural environment..
Image Credit: Luis Echeverri Urrea/Shutterstock,

A toaster oven is a great replacement for the normal oven when you are heating small food portions. It saves time and energy. Some people say that it can also act as a dehydrator for the fruits and vegetables you do not want to go bad. Others say it can be a good air fryer replacement.

Tools for DIY

Repairman with tools
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No one appreciates tools like a person who loves DIY. The right tools can make all the difference. They will help you save money when doing quick, basic replacements around the house. Use YouTube and other online resources to conduct research for the DIY projects. You can also rent or buy secondhand tools that you do not use too often.

Motion-Activated Light Switches

woman changing lightbulb on ceiling.
Image Credit: Andrey_Popov/Shutterstock.

These are fun to use and make it easy for people to move from one room to the other without worrying about flicking light switches on and off, especially if their hands are full. They also save energy in the process and can be used in any room or corridor.

Electric Car

Line of Tesla electric car chargers with cars on charge at a motorway service area on a clear autumn evening in warm light from setting sun.
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The only limitation people have found in these cars is the distance they can travel on full charge. However, some companies are working round the clock to increase the limit. Electric cars are great cars for town runs and short-distance drives. 

Vacuum Sealer

Vacuum strawberries packaging for long-term storage.
Image Credit: Vova Shevchuk/Shutterstock.

A vacuum sealer removes all air inside the packaging bag, making it easy to store the contents without worrying about them going bad. Ziplock bags are okay, but they sometimes suffer from freezer burns and may spoil the food contents in the long run.

Online Grocery Deliveries

close-up view of young woman shopping groceries on online supermarket with her mobile phone.
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Some people say they prefer this service to walking into a grocery store for several reasons;

  • It prevents impulse purchases
  • They can use coupons and save some money
  • Some have same-day deliveries
  • Great for people who make bulk orders and do not want to drive to the mall to pick them

Insurance

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People may assume that insurance is an obvious thing to have, but that is not the case. Good insurance is important and can save you a lot of money in the long run. You may be forced to pay a lot of money when you get into an accident without insurance. Insurance also helps people to sleep well at night.

Instapot

Housewife cooking with multicooker
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Jim_Filim via DepositPhotos.com.

If you love cooking dried beans or grains, you can save energy and money by using an Instapot. Cook in batches and preserve them inside a freezer, and you will be good to go. Is it worth buying an Instapot? If you cook at home often, then it may be!

Cash-Back Credit Cards

Happy curly woman shopping online with credit card and laptop
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This is a good option for people who are financially responsible. Different cards have different rewards for various types of purchases. You can have cards for different reasons – such as insurance, phone bills, electricity, gas, shopping, etc. Here are tips to get the maximum cashback on these cards;

  • Pay off the balances monthly to prevent the interest charges from canceling the benefit.
  • Do not buy anything you won’t be able to pay off at the end of the month – pretend you are using cash to avoid impulse purchases.
  • Save up for big purchases.
  • Although this may not work for everyone, having a cash-back credit card can save money and help to improve your credit rating if paid on time.

People Who Grew Up Poor Share The 20 Ultimate “Poor” People Hacks

homeless woman.
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Life’s thrown us a curveball, and our bank accounts might be staging a rebellion, but fear not! We’ve got something up our sleeves- a treasure trove of tips and tricks that will have you grinning ear to ear as you outsmart the very concept of scarcity. Being broke? It’s not a limitation; it’s a canvas for creativity!

People Who Grew up Poor Share the 20 Ultimate “Poor” People Hacks

20 Of The Worst Mistakes You Can Make In Your Life

Computer stress, night office or man with crypto finance crisis, bitcoin stock market crash or NFT investment mistake..
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Life is like a roller coaster- it’s filled with exhilarating highs, nerve-wracking lows, and unexpected twists that can leave us hanging upside down. We all make mistakes along the way, right? Because at the end of the day, we are only human!

20 Of The Worst Mistakes You Can Make in Your Life 

15 Tips For Frugal Living On A Tight Budget

Man in a hat as a cowboy.
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If you are looking for tips for frugal living on a tight budget, this post is for you. 

Being on a tight budget means looking for even the slightest opportunity to save money. It could be saving to clear your loans, for a bigger purchase, or even for early retirement. 

15 Tips for Frugal Living on a Tight Budget 

12 Frugal Hacks That Make All The Difference

Portrait Of A Mature Woman Smiling.
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A Reddit user who started the frugal journey with his wife a couple of years ago wanted to know the frugal hacks people had that made all the difference.

According to the OP, shopping grocery sales every week and planning their meals helped cut their bill from $250 to $100 per week. Other users shared their stories about frugal hacks they had that made some difference in their lives. Here are some of the best ones.

12 Frugal Hacks That Make All The Difference

14 Frugal Living Tips To Learn From Warren Buffett

Warren Buffett, chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway is interviewed after the annual Berkshire Hathaway shareholders meeting held at the CenturyLink Center in Omaha, Neb. on Saturday, May 2, 2015.
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Legendary investor Warren Buffett is one of the wealthiest people in the world and, for a time, was the wealthiest. It might surprise you, then, to learn that Buffett is a proponent and practitioner of frugal living and always has been.

14 Frugal Living Tips To Learn From Warren Buffett 
 

This article was produced and syndicated by A Dime Saved.

Hi! I am a millennial mom with a passion for personal finance. I have always been “into” personal finance but got inspired to start my blog after a period of extended unemployment. That experience really changed the way I viewed my relationship with money and the importance of accessible personal finance education.