Living Well On A Budget: 30 Tips From Frugal People Who Have Mastered The Art Of Saving Money

Don’t buy stuff u don’t need

Don't go cheap on shoes you will be wearing often, and take better care of your teeth.

Once I find an affordable, comfortable, good pair of shoes (or any clothing) I buy many multiples of it onlinewhen the price is right. This way not only you save money, but you save time by not wasting time on shopping.

I have learned to repair almost any home appliance. YouTube is a lifesaver and has literally saved me thousands of dollars. Furnace, AC, dishwasher, oven, washer, dryer, and sump pump — I have fixed them all.

Learn to cook legumes well. It’s much cheaper than eating meat all the time

Make use of your local public library - they have books, DVDs, video games, puzzles, etc - all of these things are free! They often have free programs you can attend as well - mine is hosting a free escape room this week. Some libraries also circulate unconventional things - mine has car check engine code readers, bubble kits, binoculars, telescopes, and a ton of other things!

I base my grocery shopping list around what is on special each week.

This week it was whole chicken, baby potatoes, sweetcorn and some imperfectly-shaped but perfectly ripe tomatoes.

I combine these with items I have already stocked up on from our freezer, pantry, fridge and vegetable garden to form our meals for the week.

All of these are good ideas, but the best (and I mean absolute best) advice for being frugal is having or finding a partner who has the same financial goals. You simply cannot and will not be able to save and be frugal if your partner does not have the same mindset. My wife and I look at our budget radically - do we need every item? Do we really need a second car? Keep this in mind when you’re dating - good luck in the new year penny pinching friends 🙂

If you're thinking about buying a new appliance (like an air fryer or a slow cooker), check the local thrift stores and garage/yard sales first. You can sometimes pick up an expensive appliance for just a few dollars. "Used" often means they tried it once and didn't use it after that. I've gotten a brand-new air fryer still in the original box for $5.

Really enjoying/using/repurposing what you have is a satisfying alternative both to recreational shopping and to buying stuff in general. I've been focusing more on that this past year as I go through a frugal + declutter process, and it's honestly great.

Spend a few dollars at the thrift store, or whatever store and buy some washcloths or rags for cleaning, spills, wiping your mouth, whatever. Stop buying paper towels. I have saved hundreds if not thousands of dollars at this point by literally just switching. You can also just cut up some old T-shirts or towels that you have as well. Better for the environment and better for your wallet.

The only paper napkins we have in the house from the kids birthday parties because it’s themed lol. And we do sometimes take napkins from fast food, restaurants, or to go places.

Watch who and what you follow on social. I unfollowed a lot of influencers who were over consuming. I love following the ones who teach you to shop your closet.

Only drink water. This saved me so much money

Eat down your pantry and freezer. Most people would be SHOCKED at how many meals they really have just sort of sitting around. For example, I have broth in my freezer and red lentils in my cupboard. I can make a red lentil dish (lemony lentils) and it will make probably 6 servings - so a weekend lunch for us and then an easy-to-carry weekday lunch for a couple days. I have beans in my cupboard and frozen ground turkey. I need to get some fresh bell peppers and make a chili. I only like to have that for a couple meals and it makes a TON so I'll freeze several portions for a later date. I have steel cut oats, dried cranberries, and walnuts in the cupboard. I will make up a big batch of oatmeal for the week and just reheat it each morning in the microwave. I have broccoli that needs to be used up, eggs, shredded cheese (several varieties) - I'll be making a crustless quiche to have for a dinner and then two more breakfasts. I have some leftover cooked potatoes - I'll cut them up and air fry them with the chopped up tops of the bell peppers and a red onion to make Potatoes O'Brien to go with the quiche.

I also keep a "scraps" bag in the freezer - onion skins, tops, etc., carrot peels, celery tops, fennel bases and stems, etc. I toss in any herbs that are past prime. When I am ready I make broth with leftover bones (usually chicken but duck and turkey work well, too), all the scrap stuff, and then if I am short on anything (like onions, celery, etc.) I add that in as well. I make it all easy by using a Soup Sock, which is a piece of cheesecloth sewn into a bag shape. I toss the soup sock full of soup ingredients into my instant pot, cover with water, hit Soup and let it pressure cook for 120 minutes. When it is done (and cooled down) I pull out the soup sock, let it drain into a bowl, and I have about 20 cups of gorgeous, delicious, clean broth.

This is a frugal but not free tip: Support your frugal lifestyle with the right equipment and supplies. I just bought a wide-mouth thermos to bring hot meals to work. We use PackIt lunchbags that go right in the freezer and keep things cold until lunchtime. I have specific containers for salads that include a salad dressing container. And I use my label maker to label things for the freezer so they don't get lost or mis-identified (like the time I took out "chicken breast" to find it was actually pork tenderloin!).

Everyone is going to after Christmas sales. I don't. We don't spend. That's the biggest thing. We don't need that stuff. Even if it's on sale. We're not missing out if we don't get the deal. In fact we're gaining. We're keeping our money so we can invest it into our retirement. There's no way in hell we want to depend solely on government social security.

I've been really happy about buying returned items on Amazon. Earlier this year I got a nice coleman pop up cabin tent for $80, originally $200. And just ordered a vacuum for $48, originally $110. If it's only returned and not used, why the hell not?!?!

Budget -- you have to know where you money is going. And I mean like every dollar. Things add up.

I've instituted a system where I buy things on Wednesdays... for absolute emergencies (usually related to my 18m old) I will make an exception. But groceries, gas, Costco, even Amazon... all done on a Wednesday. If I think I need/want something I wait until the next Wednesday and by that point I usually don't need/want it anymore.

Don't go shopping without a list. Keep a list of foods in your freezer, if you can't see it you probably won't use it. Get better at having 1-2 frozen meals on hand.

We eat out once a week. That's it, no exceptions. Work lunches are packed, Coffee is made at home. If I don't want to cook... PB&J sandwiches are fine. I've gotten a lot better at making simple foods at home, it doesn't have to be fancy.

(Might be controversial) Pick a store and get really good at using their rewards system. I just don't have the time or energy to be going to a bunch of different places. We go to Safeway and Costco. Trader Joes maybe once a month for wine and snacks. I have had the Safeway App for years and at this point it gives me deals on stuff I buy. I know it is far from the "cheapest" but it's a clean store with a layout I am very familiar with and with the deals I feel like I get in striking distance of some of the cheaper places. I also haven't had less than a buck off gas in close to two years.

Here’s what I tell myself:

Most people don’t throw their money away in huge chunks but at $1 here, $3 there, $5 here etc.,

Having that mindset helps me not to waste money on frivolous things bc it’s so easy to say it’s only a couple bucks

Check the markdown racks at your grocery. I find cheap cereal, bread and veggies that I can prep and freeze. Go early in the morning and meat going out of date that day is often marked down. Take it home, portion it out and freeze it.

“Unsubscribe and go outside” will be my 2024 mantra