Some frugal tips are pretty common knowledge, such as buying generic brands, shopping for things on sale, and eating at home instead of dining out.
However, there are a lot of others out there that relatively few have heard about.
We’ve gathered together some great examples that will help you enjoy a nice quality of life without wrecking your budget.
Happy frugal living!
Get Organized
Create and maintain an inventory of what you have, from pantry items to tools and everything else. This can keep you from buying things you already have but have forgotten about.
Set Aside Random Things You Might Have a Use for Later
Use a separate bin or cabinet for storing and organizing little things left over from previous usage that you might need in the future. An example would be a hex tool that came with a bookshelf you put together.
Get Multiple Lip Balms
This might sound wasteful, but there’s good sense behind it. How many times have you forgotten where your lip balm is and had to buy a new one? Some people get one for work, one for the car, one for the bathroom counter, etc.
Switch to Grocery Delivery
Grocery delivery usually comes with an extra charge, so it might not sound very frugal. However, ordering remotely will cut down on impulsive buying and make you more likely to order just what you need, and the savings will exceed the surcharge.
Research Before Buying
Do some homework before making a purchase, especially a major one. What options are there? Which ones suit your needs the best? What do the reviews say?
Don’t Buy the Cheapest Option
This doesn’t mean you should always buy the most expensive option. It does allude to the fact that sometimes things are really cheap because they’re poorly made or don’t work well. In those cases, you may end up spending more by buying again.
Wait Before You Buy
Unless it’s a need-now item, leave it in your cart or go home and then reconsider in a day or two. If you feel less need for the item, it may have been an impulse buy that you avoided. Also, when you leave something in your cart, you sometimes get an email offering a discount to get you to buy it.
Use Glass Containers for Food Storage
Glass containers are easy to clean. They’re also usually compatible with ovens and microwaves. They stay cold longer, so food is less likely to spoil if you have to take it out but can’t eat it right away. Finally, you can see through them and remember what you put in them in the first place.
Make Extras for Future Meals
When you’re preparing a meal, make enough for two, three, or even more meals. This will save you prep and cleanup time later.
Make Soup
Soup is filling, delicious, and easy and inexpensive to make. It’s also a good way to use leftover vegetables, potatoes, rice, and beans from other meals.
Go On eBay
Sell unused, unneeded, and unwanted items on eBay and other online platforms. This will get you some extra cash and help you declutter.
Add Plants
Plants add beauty to a home, and they’re not that expensive. They also fill spaces that you might otherwise be tempted to fill with furniture, which is a lot more expensive.
Earn Rewards and Points
Use apps and credit cards that return points, cash rewards, travel perks, and other benefits. Apps frequently offer special deals not available to others, and if you pay off your rewards card every month, you’re practically getting paid to use it.
Add Water to the Detergent
A liquid dish and laundry detergent can last a lot longer if you add water to it. It’ll still do its job most of the time, and when it doesn’t, you can just use a little more.
Freeze Food Before It Goes Bad
People throw away a lot of food and milk that expires before they can eat or drink it all. If an expiration date is coming up, you may be able to freeze whatever it is, which will let you use it at some later time.
Reuse the Disposable
A lot of purchases, especially groceries, come in packaging that many people just throw away but which can be reused. For a perfect example, consider the plastic containers that deli meats often come in. You can reuse them to store food, batteries, nails and screws, and so on.
Get a Library Card
Library cards are usually free or cheap. With them, you have access to books, movies, video games, internet use, and more. Don’t forget that there are library apps as well.
Buy an Electric Blanket
An electric blanket can go with you anywhere in your home, and it’s a way to cut your energy bills. That’s because you can warm yourself up without turning the thermostat up, which warms the whole home and costs you more.
Put a Hoodie On
An even simpler way to warm up quickly in a cold room is to pull up the hood of your hoodie. It will trap body heat emanating from your head and get you feeling warmer within minutes.
Install a Bidet Attachment
Bidet attachments are easy to install on most toilets, and they make a world of difference. There’s none of the chafing and abrasiveness of toilet paper, and they’re more environmentally friendly. Plus, you’ll save money by using less toilet paper.
