Frugality is an art. But it’s not always implicitly about money.
It’s about your way of life.
Frugal Lifestyle Tips
The best frugal lifestyle tips aren’t money-saving tips like “cut coupons”.
They’re ways of living that save you money in the long term, but might not seem like they’re related to money on the surface.
Today, we’re sharing our favorite frugal lifestyle tips while showcasing how, if you follow them, you can actually save tons of money.
An Organized Life
I have ADHD, and organization is hard. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve bought multiples of the same thing because I lost the first one (or two, or three).
Then, when I bring my new one home, I find the old one in a random pile of junk.
Organization helps.
Not only will you stop buying “extras”, but you’ll also find that you don’t need half of what you have.
That means it’s garage sale time!
Planning
I love planning. Sometimes I love it more than I love doing the thing.
But it’s also essential for a frugal life.
Plans can save you money in pretty much every aspect of your life.
You can save money at the grocery store by planning your meals before you go. Save money on gas by planning your route ahead of errand day. Plan ahead for Christmas by saving money in January, so you don’t have to rely on credit when the time comes.
Everything is better with a plan.
Audits
How often do you audit your spending to make sure you’re not still subscribed to random junk?
That gym membership seemed critical at the time, but when was the last time you went? And they’re still taking money?
Do you even use Xbox Game Pass anymore? When was the last time you read that magazine? Is it worth it to have all those streaming services?
You should audit your subscriptions at least every six months to make sure you’re still getting value out of all the things you’re buying.
Spare Parts
Why throw away stuff when you can reuse it?
The most frugal people find ways to use old towels, ratty shirts, plastic containers, egg cartons, and other random items.
I use old plastic yogurt containers to hold water for art, plastic egg cartons for mixing paints, old towels to clean my floor, and take-out containers for lunches. The habit has saved me money on art supplies, cleaning supplies, Tupperware, and more.
There are all sorts of creative ways to reuse things we’d normally consider trash.
Grocery Delivery
I know I’m going to get hate for this, but hear me out.
Yes, shopping for yourself is cheaper than paying for grocery delivery. And if you have impulse control, it’s the right choice.
Some of us do not, so we need to work around our lack of resolve. Delivery services can help.
If you’re less likely to put random sweets and junk food in the cart while shopping online than you are in the store, grocery delivery can actually save you money.
I know this is a specific example, but I used it to showcase why frugality is more of an art than a science – different things work for different people.
The best frugal lifestyle tip is the one that works for you – even if it doesn’t seem frugal on the surface.
Research
Have you ever impulse bought a big purchase and regretted it later?
I did. I impulse bought a whole house 🤦♀️. Maybe I would have made a better decision with a little more research.
But it’s not just houses. If you’re going to buy anything over a few hundred bucks, make research a priority. Figure out exactly what you want and need, and scour the internet for the best price possible.
Do your research on everything from cars to appliances, gaming consoles to drawing tablets, insurance, computers, printers, and yes, houses.
Leftovers First
Most Americans eat way too much. I think part of it was our parents’ insistence that we “clean our plates.”
We can clean our plates with smaller plates, though.
To avoid overeating and stretch your food budget, put your leftovers away before serving yourself dinner.
You won’t be tempted to eat what isn’t there, right?
Kitchen Sink Dinners
How many of you are guilty of buying all sorts of vegetables, then throwing them away a week later?
It’s a waste of food and money.
Use my favorite waste-reducing frugal tip: make a “kitchen sink dinner” once every few weeks.
Toss all those random veggies into a pot and make a delicious soup or stew. Throw it in the oven with some noodles for a casserole. Fry them in a pan for some stir-fried rice.
You’ll save money on food, learn fun new recipes, and waste less, all of which contribute to a more frugal life.
Plant Life
It may not seem frugal to spend money on plants, but adding greenery to your space can ventilate the air and create a sense of calm.
The calm, relaxing space provides two frugal bonuses.
First, it will reduce the urge to spend money (your space is already great; what do you need to buy?). And second, it will make you want to stay home more and enjoy it (and going out costs money).
Max Your Credit Card Rewards
Some credit cards offer cashback on grocery store purchases.
Make the most of it by buying gift cards for things you need at the grocery store.
Of course, don’t let this frugal lifestyle tip turn into a financial burden. Don’t even try to leverage reward points if you’re not committed to paying off your credit card in full each month.
Switch to Reusable
Our consumeristic culture loves to throw stuff away.
Stop buying paper towels and plates, cloth diapers, and lunch bags. Replace the disposable stuff with things you can use again and again.
As a bonus, it’s better for the environment too.
Stay Healthy
The best frugal lifestyle tip is living a healthy life.
Poor health costs us money in all sorts of ways. Doctor visits, copays, prescription meds, and higher rates are only the tip of the iceberg.
A healthy lifestyle will keep us independent for longer, meaning less time in and out of hospitals and care facilities as we age.
In addition, eating a healthier diet is typically cheaper than filling up on junk food and processed products.
Forage
If you live someplace that allows foraging, take a stroll and see what delicious foods you can find. You’ll find fresh herbs, berries, flowers, and even edible mushrooms!
Warning!! DO NOT EAT THINGS IF YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT THEY ARE
Though the world abounds with edible fruits, veggies, and mushrooms, toxic varieties can kill you. Get a book on foraging in your local area to help you identify the things you can eat.
You can also hunt and fish for your own food source.
Budget
Okay, this one is about money.
If you want to live a frugal lifestyle, you need to budget.
But I promise, it isn’t a dirty word. Budgeting is actually awesome! It stops you from blowing money on junk that doesn’t matter and helps you align your spending with your priorities.
Prioritize
Speaking of priorities, the most frugal people know what they want and refuse to spend money on stuff that doesn’t align with their priorities.
So what do you want?
What is worth spending your hard-earned cash on?
When you stop to think about it, you’ll probably realize that junk food, pop, and random knickknacks aren’t it. You’ll want to prioritize travel, adventure, your family, or your cat.
That’s what happened to me. I hardly ever buy clothes, eat out, or impulsively spend money, because I know I’d rather save the money for a cool trip somewhere, seeing my favorite bands live, or healthcare for my cat.
Living a frugal lifestyle isn’t about restricting your spending; it’s about making a conscious decision about what to spend money on based on what matters most to you.
Avoid the Hype
One of the best frugal lifestyle tips I can impart is to avoid the hype.
Nobody needs the latest Apple product, the newest fast fashion, or whatever the cool kids are spending money on these days.
Most of it is hype that won’t matter a year from now, much less five years from now. Why are you wasting money on it?
Don’t Be Cheap
Far too many people confuse cheap with frugal. They are so far apart that not being cheap is actually a frugal lifestyle tip!
Terry Pratchett’s iconic boot theory serves as the best example. The character Sam Vimes in the novel Men at Arms explains it:
The reason that the rich were so rich, Vimes reasoned, was because they managed to spend less money. Take boots, for example. … A really good pair of leather boots cost fifty dollars. But an affordable pair of boots, which were sort of OK for a season or two and then leaked like hell when the cardboard gave out, cost about ten dollars. … But the thing was that good boots lasted for years and years. A man who could afford fifty dollars had a pair of boots that’d still be keeping his feet dry in ten years’ time, while a poor man who could only afford cheap boots would have spent a hundred dollars on boots in the same time and would still have wet feet.
But it’s not just about buying a quality product over a crappy one. Being cheap also refers to how you live your life.
Some folks live miserly existences while saving every penny. They may be wealthy, but they aren’t happy.
It’s not about never spending money; it’s about spending money on things that make you happy.
And that leads us to one of the most underrated frugal lifestyle tips there is:
Find Happiness
Money doesn’t buy happiness (okay, yes it helps, but in the grand scheme of things, it doesn’t).
Yet far too many of us buy junk to fill a void, thinking it will make us happy. It never does.
If you really want to live a frugal lifestyle, embrace the things that make you happy. Splurge on them even.
Because when you spend money on the things you love and discover true happiness, you’ll stop spending money on the stuff that doesn’t matter.
And really, that’s what living frugally is all about.
Avoid Frugal Mistakes
A lot of things that seem frugal really aren’t. These frugal mistakes, like driving across town to save a few cents on gas or stampeding for the best Black Friday deal, might actually cost you more in the long run.
Don’t waste dollars trying to save pennies. Or, as Ben Franklin would say, don’t be penny wise and pound foolish.
A Frugal Life is About Mindset
Notice I didn’t have a lot of specific frugal lifestyle tips. That’s because there is not really one “trick” to frugality.
It’s a mindset shift and a lifestyle choice.
You’re choosing to budget, plan, and audit. You’re choosing your priorities and focusing your spending on them.
These are all active choices that come with a mindset shift toward a frugal (and happier) life.
One day, you won’t even be choosing; it will just come naturally.
You’ll be living a frugal lifestyle, and you’ll be happier for it.