Over 60 Frugal Living Tips to Help You Save Big Money (2024)

Frugal Living

Looking for ways to save money? Check out these 60 frugal living tips that can help you save big… plus find a FREE frugal living guide.

Let’s face it, we all want to save money. I’ve been interested in living a frugal lifestyle since college and I have read a ton of articles on the subject. Since then, I’ve gotten married, bought a house and have four little boys! We definitely practice a lot of these frugal living tips in our own lives and I want to share my favorite frugal living tips to help you save, too!

FREE Frugal Food Guide!

Over 60 Frugal Living Tips to Help You Save Big Money (2)

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How do I live a frugal life?

Being frugal is not necessarily just pinching pennies and stretching your dollars. It’s being financially responsible and making the most of things you have.

Living frugally doesn’t mean that you will never have fun or splurge on anything. It’s living within or below your means to make the most of your money.

What are the benefits of frugal living?

Living a frugal life will keep you from being a slave to your money. It will give you the freedom to do what you want with your life, which is one of the big reasons the tiny house movement is so popular – imagine what you could do with low or no rent/mortgage payments!!

Retire early! This is another benefit of frugal living. You can choose when to retire instead of working until you are old enough for social security (if it’s even there for us at that time, anyways!). It can help you live comfortably well before typical “retirement age”.

Another benefit is having more money to save or invest. Having a fully funded emergency fund is a goal of ours, and pinching pennies now is helping us move toward that dream (right now it’s going toward debt!). You also will have less stress about money, because you won’t be living paycheck to paycheck, except in certain circ*mstances.

Over 60 of the BEST Frugal Living Tips

Do as much as you can yourself.

  • Make your own laundry & dish soap
  • Make your own cleaning products
  • DIY Baked Goods
  • Make your own convenience mixes
  • Cut your own lawn
  • Repair everything you can on your own (Youtube is your friend!!) -car -clothes -appliances
  • Take your lunch to work
  • Grow a garden and plant fruit trees and bushes
  • Handmade gifts
  • Take your coffee with you from home instead of buying it out
  • Dye your own hair and do your own nails (Youtube it or have a friend help)
  • Cut your kids’ hair yourself
  • Make your own smoothies and juice instead of buying it
  • Do your own taxes (it’s a pain but so worth it!)

Save money on food.

  • Weekly Meal Planning
  • Plan for Leftovers
  • Budget-Friendly Recipes
  • Switch to water instead of buying drinks
  • Work at recreating restaurant favorites at home
  • Have kids? Take advantage of all the Kids Eat Free promotions!
  • Use a slow cooker to tenderize cheaper cuts of meat and save electricity

Save on heating and cooling your home

  • Bundle up before turning up the heat
  • Seal your windows and doors (tip: use plastic wrap!)
  • Buy a programmable thermostat and set it to save money when you are not home

Reuse everything you can

  • Freeze leftovers for later (DIY frozen dinners!)
  • Freeze vegetables for soup and fruit or greens for smoothies
  • Turn leftovers into compost and use it for the garden

Give up what you don’t really need

  • Cable (use Netflix, Hulu or Amazon Prime)
  • Gym (work out at home!)
  • Combine trips in the car to save on gas
  • Cut down on dry cleaning – don’t buy dry clean only clothes and start cleaning most things on gentle in the washer or by hand

Buy in bulk or on sale

Buy used, rent or borrow

  • Buy secondhand clothes
  • Rent a prom dress
  • Rent tools you don’t use often

Find free or cheap things to do

  • No Spend Challenges
  • Budget Friendly Family Activities
  • Free or Cheap Date Night Ideas
  • Visit the library – free books and movies

Trade services or goods

  • Trade babysitting with friends to make date night even cheaper
  • Start or join a monthly freezer meal club to share the meal planning burden with others
  • Consider starting a clothing exchange or toy exchange with other parents you are friends with

Always buy some items at places like the Dollar Tree

  • Gift bags and tissue paper
  • Greeting cards
  • See a comprehensive list here!

Don’t shop unless you need to, and always shop for deals

  • Shop online and make sure you are getting the best deal (use ebates and also use an app like honey to find the best promotional codes!)
  • Look for things like “oops” paint, clearance flooring, etc when you know you will want to remodel your home
  • Check the outlet stores and scratch and dent stores when you need large items

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Whew!! That’s a lot of ways to save money! Have any frugal tips that I’ve missed? What are some ways YOU save money? Comment below!

Over 60 Frugal Living Tips to Help You Save Big Money (3)
Over 60 Frugal Living Tips to Help You Save Big Money (2024)

FAQs

What's the best example of frugal living? ›

15 Frugal Living Tips
  • Tip 1: Differentiate between Luxury Spending vs Necessary Expenses. ‍ ...
  • Tip 2: Make Cuts in Your Spending. ...
  • Tip 3: Cap Your Spending. ...
  • Tip 4: Keep Receipts and Track Spending. ...
  • Tip 5: Think Twice Before You Buy. ...
  • Tip 6: Learn How to Bargain. ...
  • Tip 7: Reuse and Recycle. ...
  • Tip 8: Find Thrifted Furniture.
Jul 25, 2024

How can I save money when I am already frugal? ›

Ten Frugal Habits to Save Money
  1. Track Spending.
  2. Automate Your Savings.
  3. Save Loose Change.
  4. Compare Prices & Comparison Shop.
  5. Avoid Spending Triggers.
  6. Shop Second Hand.
  7. Save Windfall Income & Use a Spending Rule of Thumb.
  8. Institute a Waiting Period.

How to be frugal but not cheap? ›

15 Tips for Living Frugally Without Looking Cheap
  1. Eliminate monthly subscriptions.
  2. Shop for new insurance.
  3. Reduce prescription costs.
  4. Buy used items.
  5. Rent, don't own.
  6. Purchase at the right time.
  7. Buy high-quality products.
  8. Enlist your friends.

How to live frugally on one income? ›

Living on a one-income budget
  1. Assess your financial situation. Start by understanding your current financial status. ...
  2. List fixed expenses. ...
  3. Track changing expenses. ...
  4. Differentiate needs vs. ...
  5. Set financial goals. ...
  6. Create an emergency savings fund. ...
  7. Allocate for savings. ...
  8. Start a debt repayment plan.

How to live extremely cheaply? ›

12 Tips for Frugal Living
  1. Choose quality over quantity. ...
  2. Prioritize value over price. ...
  3. Use credit wisely. ...
  4. Declutter regularly. ...
  5. Use a budget to guide your spending. ...
  6. Know the difference between wants and needs. ...
  7. Be a savvy consumer. ...
  8. Prioritize your values.
Oct 17, 2023

How to be frugal like a millionaire? ›

8 Frugal Habits That Will Make You a Millionaire
  1. Live Below Your Means.
  2. Never Pay Full Price.
  3. Cut Out Unnecessary Expenses.
  4. Rent or Sell Your Current Possessions.
  5. Leave the Cash and Plastic at Home.
  6. Don't Waste Money on "Get Rich Quick" Schemes.
  7. Go Green.
  8. Get a Side Gig.
Feb 28, 2016

How to live on very little money? ›

Tips to help you live below your means
  1. Create a plan for your money. The act of assigning a job for every dollar can be empowering. ...
  2. Automate your savings. ...
  3. Pay yourself. ...
  4. Live off one income if possible. ...
  5. Look for ways to lower your discretionary expenses. ...
  6. Reflect on your financial habits. ...
  7. Drive used. ...
  8. Pay less interest.
Jul 10, 2024

What is toxic frugality? ›

Frugality is the practice of being wise with money and avoiding wastefulness. It's a virtue that many people admire. It fosters responsible financial habits and can lead to a more sustainable life. But there's a darker side to frugality that can be detrimental to our quality of life. This is known as “toxic frugality.”

What is the lowest income to live on? ›

States Requiring the Least Money to Earn a Living Wage

Rounding out the top five least expensive states to live are Oklahoma, Alabama, Kansas and Arkansas, all requiring less than $47,500 to earn a living wage.

Can you live on $1,000 a month? ›

Living on $1,000 per month sounds impossible. For many, it might be. But it can be done with some strategic planning, intentional action and the ability to compromise. You won't be able to do everything you want to do when living on only $1,000 per month, but you can make it work.

What is a comfortable income for a single person? ›

An individual needs $96,500, on average, to live comfortably in a major U.S. city. That figure is even higher for families, who need to earn an average combined income of about $235,000 to support two adults and two children.

What is an example of frugal? ›

For example, a frugal person might buy a $99 coffee maker that will last a decade instead of a cheap $15 coffee maker that may not even make it a year. They may spend more up front, but the goal is buying items that last and consuming less overall.

What is a frugal lifestyle? ›

512. 11. Rather, a frugal person keeps an eye on their spending and does not take on more debt than is necessary. In fact, this is a trait many millionaires possess. According to Thomas Corley, who studied rich people's habits for five years, wealth is built by avoiding lifestyle creep and focusing on frugality.

What are examples of frugal Behaviour? ›

Common techniques of frugality include reduction of waste, curbing costly habits, suppressing instant gratification by means of fiscal self-restraint, seeking efficiency, avoiding traps, defying expensive social norms, detecting and avoiding manipulative advertising, embracing cost-free options, using barter, and ...

How can you tell if someone is frugal? ›

10 Signs You've Mastered the Art of Frugal Living
  1. You Budget Consistently. ...
  2. You Prioritize Needs Over Wants. ...
  3. You Actively Save Money. ...
  4. You Have Little Consumer Debt. ...
  5. You Opt for Sustainable Options. ...
  6. You Make Intentional Spending Choices. ...
  7. You Prioritize Functionality. ...
  8. You Do It Yourself.
Jan 5, 2024

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