Saving money doesn’t have to be hard. Here are nine simple frugal living tips everyone can do now.
A lot of people think that living frugally means being cheap and giving up all of life’s little pleasures—and while that might be true for some, I don’t believe it has to be that way.
Instead, I think frugal living is about being mindful of your finances.
Sometimes this means choosing quality over quantity (which will save you money in the long run), sometimes it means choosing to go without, and other times it means choosing to spend on something that adds value to your life.
You want to make your money work for you. After all, you’re probably working hard to earn it! Don’t waste it on little things that don’t matter. Instead, save it so you can have more of what really counts.
Here are some simple frugal living tips to help you get started.
How Can I Be More Frugal?
If you want to be more frugal, the key is to start thinking about the big picture. Stop wasting your money on things you don’t need and instead, think about your priorities and goals.
For example, buying lunch every day might not seem like a big deal, but over a year it could add up to thousands of dollars. Does that feel like money well spent? Or are there better, more meaningful ways you could be using your money to create the life you want?
This mindset shift is the first step to being more frugal. Reflect on your long-term goals more often and you’ll naturally start to make smarter choices with your money.
Here are a few simple ideas to inspire you but remember, this is just the beginning! If you want to live frugally, then keep your eyes open every day for opportunities to save.
9 Simple Frugal Living Tips
1. Buy only in-season groceries
This is a simple way to save money, and as a bonus, you’ll eat better too!
Next time you go grocery shopping, pay attention to what fruits and vegetables are in season. They’re usually cheaper and fresher than exotic or off-season produce (which is generally stored for long periods or imported).
It might take a bit of getting used to because we’re so used to eating whatever we want all year round, but I encourage you to give it a try. Have fun with it and look at seasonal eating as an opportunity to try new recipes and get creative in the kitchen.
2. Buy in bulk and freeze
Your freezer is a money-saving machine, so make sure you’re using it to the max.
Keep an eye out for sales on meat or fruit and vegetables. Anytime there’s a special offer on something you know you’ll eat, buy in bulk and save it for later. Just be sure to check what foods can be frozen and also, don’t buy anything in bulk unless you know for sure you’ll definitely use it. Remember, it’s not a deal if it never gets eaten.
Related Post: 10 Clever Ideas That Will Help Organize Your Pantry
3. Shop at thrift stores
This is one of my favorite frugal living tips, and if you’re not already doing it, you’re missing out big time.
These days, thrift stores are gold mines. There’s so much fantastic stuff, and a lot of it still has the tags attached. I highly recommended that you check out secondhand shops first before you buy anything new.
Pro Tip: If you can’t find what you want locally, be sure to check out online thrift stores like Poshmark or even eBay. You’ll probably pay more than you would in a local shop, but it’s easier to find exactly what you’re looking for, and you’ll still save compared to buying new.
4. Make your own coffee at home
Ok … you already know this one, right? But just in case you need a reminder, stop paying five dollars every day for coffee. The markup on most drinks is huge when you consider that you can make your own at home for just a few cents.
Of course, I’m not saying that you should completely stop buying fancy drinks from your favorite coffee shop (I’m not ready to give mine up completely either), but it should be a special treat and not an everyday occurrence.
5. Make and use a grocery list while shopping
One of the annoying things about grocery shopping is that it’s hard to keep track of what you’re spending. If you’re not careful, random things end up in your cart, and you don’t realize what you’ve gotten yourself into until you see the total at checkout.
By then it’s often too late … after all, no one wants to return groceries. Instead, be smart and shop from a grocery list. It’s a simple tip, but it works—you’ll save money and you’ll save time (which is almost the same thing).
Pro Tip: I love the AnyList app for my grocery list. It’s free, easy to use and you can share your list with someone else. This is great for us because my husband often does the grocery shopping (but never remembers a paper list!).
6. Remove cable or other unnecessary bills
When was the last time you reviewed your monthly bills? Is there anything you’re paying for that you don’t really need?
Cable TV is an excellent example of this. It’s SO expensive nowadays and is it really necessary with so many cheap streaming services, like Netflix. Odds are, you can get plenty of entertainment for less (or even free) so give cable or any other outdated bills the boot!
7. Unplug appliances when you’re not using them.
This is a simple frugal living tip that’s also good for the earth.
When you’re not using something, unplug it. It turns out that plugged in appliances are like energy vampires. They suck small amounts of electricity around the clock, even when they’re not in use.
I know it feels like a pain to unplug them, but honestly, once you get into the habit it’s not too bad. It will save you money in the long run plus it will also protect your electronics from power surges. (Outside the US, many countries have a switch that allows you to turn off your outlets, so you don’t even have to unplug!)
8. Learn DIY and try to reuse or repurpose
DIY is often cheaper than ready-made items and it’s not hard to do. For example, you can quickly learn how to create your own beauty products, household cleaners, detergents, etc. at home through various online tutorials.
Also, try to give a new life to old things in your house. For instance, you can reuse your old plastic/glass containers to store small stuff like nuts, nails, screws, etc. in your garage.
These are just a few easy suggestions, but really, the possibilities are endless. Start by resisting the urge to buy new things, and this will force you to get creative with what you already have.
9. Use cashback apps, freebies and coupons
There are so many ways to get things for free or earn cashback with minimal effort. Here are a few lists you might want to check out:
What are the simple things you do to live frugally? We’d love to hear your tips, so let us know in the comments!