Best Frugal Living Tips to Simplify Your Life!

Updated June 23, 2020

Some say frugal living will work wonders on your life and finances, others say it’s the first step to becoming a penny-pinching miser!

But you don’t need to go to extremes or sacrifice your social life to be frugal! It’s possible to get your finances in order and enjoy the things you love!

And that’s what we’re here to help you do! Let’s spend a few minutes talking about what the frugal life means and then check out some of the best frugal living tips out there!

What is a Frugal Lifestyle?

Some people have a negative view of frugal living because they see being frugal as being miserly or Scrooge-like.

But there’s one important difference…

A miser is a money hoarder. They’ll skip simple comforts and even basic necessities because they’d prefer to keep the money! So it’s easy to imagine them sitting in a dark, unheated room, eating cold oatmeal in the middle of winter.

But a frugal person isn’t a money hoarder, and frugal living is not about sacrificing your quality of life. In fact, it’s just the opposite.

The frugal lifestyle is about being more resourceful, less wasteful, and spending intentionally on the things you value most.

What Are The Benefits of Frugal Living?

The #1 benefit of a frugal life is that you’ll live within your means and be able to build the financial life you want!

But there are several other things you’ll love about it as well!

You Can Build an Emergency Fund Faster

If you know who Dave Ramsey is, you’ve probably heard his recommendation to start an emergency fund. But if you’re like most people, that’s easier said than done!

By living frugal, you’ll be able to save more money and build that emergency fund a lot quicker!

Get out of Debt Faster

When you live a frugal lifestyle, you’ll have more cash available to pay your debts. And paying more than the monthly minimum will reduce your interest payments and get you out of debt faster!

Start Investing for Retirement

Many people put off investing because monthly expenses and debt payments eat up most of their paycheck. But once you lower your expenses enough, you can finally start investing for your retirement.

Invest in Yourself

You may have wanted to take a class or start your own business, but you never had the money to do it. Well, learning to live frugally can free up the cash to make it happen!

Live More Creatively

To make the most of your frugal lifestyle, you must nurture your creative side! You’ll find new uses for old items you normally throw away. And you’ll find new ways to do things that don’t require spending money!

Less Stress

Thirty percent of Americans are constantly stressed about their finances. When asked most say it’s because they don’t have an emergency fund and they can’t handle any unexpected expenses.

But once you find frugal ways to save, you’ll be able to end paycheck to paycheck living, save money, and reduce your stress.

How does that sound? These are just some things that our best frugal living tips can do for you!

How to start a frugal lifestyle?

Your new frugal life can start today with one small step.

Like deciding to reuse an empty bottle instead of throwing it out. Or learning how to clean your windows with household supplies instead of buying a special window cleaning product.

The point is, there doesn’t need to be a grande overnight transformation. And there shouldn’t be, or your new lifestyle may overwhelm you!

Just take one small step at a time!

Keep in mind that not every frugal living idea works for everyone!

You may be able to reduce your restaurant spending easily, but your foodie friends struggle with it. Or you may not want to give up trips to the salon, while your friend doesn’t mind doing her own hair!

Frugal living isn’t one size fits all!

The goal is to maximize the things that are important to you while minimizing the things that aren’t.

With that in mind, we’ve found some of the best living tips out there! Take a look and see what works for you!

Protip:   If you’re trying to figure out how to have a frugal life and maximize your savings, start buying your clothing at thrift stores like Goodwill and the Salvation Army. 

These organizations are amazing for simple frugal living and were crucial even for people trying to live frugally during the Great Depression!

Best Frugal Living Tips For Food & Groceries

A great way to save big is to find frugal living tips for grocery shopping.

If you’ve ever wondered to yourself “How do you eat frugally while living on a tight budget?” The best method is to stick to a grocery list when you go out and purchase food.

But also check out these best frugal living tips for even more ways to save.

1) Make a Shopping List

This one may seem basic, but it’s crucial!

We often go shopping when we’re hungry or we find something we want that’s not on the list. When that happens you can kiss your food budget goodbye!

Going to the store with a grocery list, and actually sticking to it, is a great way to reduce your grocery spending.

2) Be Frugal by Saving With Coupons

We all get junk mail. And I’ll admit that I often throw it out, but sometimes I see a few frugal and thrifty  coupons   that catch my eye.

Those coupons are as good as money if you normally go shopping for the things they’re selling.

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3) Use Cashback Apps

Besides using paper coupons and sticking to a grocery list, cash back apps like Ibotta and Checkout 51 can help you save as well.

By signing up with these apps, you can earn money on items you normally purchase.

Before going shopping at your favorite grocery store, browse the Ibotta and Checkout 51 apps to see what offers/coupons are available.

Save the ones you’re interested in and take a picture of your receipt after you make the purchase.

Sign up for Ibotta and Checkout 51.

4) Meal Planning

Planning your meals days in advance will help you reduce your grocery store spending and be more frugal.

You can list out a family meal planning at the beginning of every week. It’ll take some time and effort to do, but you’ll end up making better use of what you have, and you won’t need to go shopping for quick meals after work!

But meal planning can take a lot of time! What if someone else could do the meal planning for you? That would be amazing, right?

Well, someone has  it. They’re called $5 Meal Plan.

With $5 Meal Plan, you’ll have a list of affordable and delicious meal plans every week. You won’t have to spend any of your weekends planning a week’s worth of meals.

Sign up for $5 Meal Plan today and try it out!

5) Use What’s in Your Pantry And Freezer

Many of us go to the grocery store, although our freezers and pantries are already stuffed!

Take an inventory of what you have in your home and try to use as much of it as possible before going grocery shopping for something new.

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6) Eliminate Impulse Purchases

One of the best frugal living tips to eliminate impulse purchases is to shop online at Amazon or other online stores.

Why? Because the more often you go to the store, the more likely you are to buy items you don’t need!

In fact, the average consumer spends $5,400 on impulse buys alone!

Another thing I’d recommend is to have your purchases delivered.

With Instacart, you don’t need to jump in the car and drive to the store and be tempted by those Oreo cookies because someone else will do the shopping for you!

7) Set a Food Budget And Pay With Cash

Another way we end up doing too much food spending is by not setting a budget. Because it’s all too easy to grab more than you should from the supermarket if you haven’t established a limit.

To prevent this, purchase your food with cash only, and don’t use your credit card!

Buying with cash will make you very aware of what you can and can’t afford.

Budgeting is one of the best money-saving tips we used to start being frugal.

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8) Minimize Food Waste

Americans waste about a pound of food per person per day!

And I’d bet that a good portion of that wasted food was leftovers.

To reduce food waste, be careful not to shove leftovers to the back of the fridge where you’ll forget them! 

Also, nearly 40% of the food wasted is fruits and vegetables. Part of the reason for this has to do with improper storage of fruits and vegetables.

Learning the best way to store your foods can really help to keep them fresher longer. An item I’d recommend to help with this is the BluApple freshness preserver.

And of course, the longer you can keep your foods fresh, the more savings you’ll see!

9) Grow Your Own Garden And Save Money

Planting your own garden is one of the best frugal living tips you can implement for saving money.

This is one of my favorite tips for living frugally, and I think it’s worth the effort! Not only can you save trips driving your car to the supermarket, but it’s free food!

10) Get Discounts With Honey

Honey is a free app that runs in your web browser’s background and automatically applies promo codes whenever you buy something online.

Try out Honey for free today and let it help you start spending less.

11) Buy in Bulk

Buying in bulk at Costco is one of the ways we save money. While you do have to pay more overall, most items are lot cheaper per unit and can help you save money.

To get the most of it, to make sure you buy those items that you always need and use. Staples like paper towels, garbage bags, toilet paper, coffee, etc. This will help you save big.

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12) Stop Buying Bottled Water And Get a Filter

Constantly spending money on bottled water can get expensive.

To save money on drinking water, consider purchasing a water filter or one of those 5-gallon jugs. The water filter cartridges can last anywhere between 6 and 12 months depending on how much you use it. And you can fill your 5-gallon jug for just a few quarters.

13) Make Your Coffee at Home

Most of us love our morning coffee, but buying it every day may be expensive.

Instead of buying from a coffee shop every day, buy your own coffee maker and our favorite ground coffee to make it exactly the way you want it. This will save your budget and give you a new appreciation for excellent coffee.

Another excellent option is to get free coffee.

14) Buy Store Brand or Look For Products on Clearance

We all have our favorite name brands, but the store brand is often a cheaper option. And usually, the quality is pretty good too!

You can also check for products on clearance for a great deal.

Related Post: 25 ways to reduce grocery spending 

15) Don’t pay For Convenience Packaging

When you buy processed foods, you’re paying for all the packaging as well.

For example, a single large tube of Pringles will be cheaper than packages containing multiple snack-size Pringle tubes.

So, try to avoid foods with excess packaging to save money.

Best Frugal Living Tips For Electricity

16) Use Fans to Reduce Electricity

Instead of blasting the frosty air all summer long, you can set your thermostat at a slightly higher temperature and use a fan to stay cool and use less electricity.

A ceiling fan can make a room feel up to 10 degrees cooler, while only using 10% of the energy as your AC.

So, keep those blades turning and save money on your electricity bill!

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17) Use a Programmable Thermostat

A programmable thermostat is another excellent frugal tips to make sure your AC keeps you cool when you’re home but isn’t working overtime when you’re out of the house.

It works by letting you program what temperature your thermostat is set to during different times of the day.

They’re not crazy expensive either so the average homeowner can afford it.

18) Air Dry Your Laundry

Did you know that washing machines and dryers use an incredible amount of energy? (More than your other appliances except for the AC)

One of the best frugal living tips out there is air-drying your clothes during the day.

If you have a home with a backyard, try installing a clothesline.

With a clothesline, not only help you save money on your electricity bill but with these frugal living tips, you’ll be protecting the environment and taking care of your clothes in a more natural way.

19) Use Drying Racks

Not all of us have backyards, though, and many apartments don’t allow us to hang clotheslines from the balcony.

So, if a clothesline isn’t an option for you, try a drying rack.

I did not understand what a drying rack was until I visited my (now) wife’s apartment for the first time. This frugal item idea doesn’t require any installation and you can use it indoors or outdoors.

Give it a try and get it here.

Related post: Creative ways to save money 

20) Use Woolen Dryer Balls

If you can’t really use clotheslines or drying racks, another amazing money-saving tip you ought to try woolen dryer balls.

These dryer balls can cut your drying time by up to 25%. This means less energy use and less money you have to spend on your electricity bills.

As a bonus, wool dryer balls will make your clothes less wrinkly, so make sure you include them on your shopping list! Get them here.

  Protip: During the summer you’ll want to avoid using the dryer as much as possible because it produces a tremendous amount of heat. Every time you run the dryer, your AC will have to work that much harder to cool your home.

21) Grill as Much as Possible in The Summer

Here’s a frugal living idea that BBQ lovers will enjoy. Grill outside more often!

Every time you use the oven, your AC has to work harder to keep your house cool. Instead, take advantage of the summer months to grill outside as much as you can.

22) Use Blinds to Keep Out The Heat

The summer sunlight can really heat up your home if you let it. Don’t make your AC work harder than it needs to.

Buy drapes to keep the sunlight from heating up your home. It’s also a good tip for saving money on your electricity bill.

23) Save Money by Lowering Your Heating Expense

Depending on where you live during the winter months, heating can play a huge role in your electricity expense as well.

A good idea to be frugal and cut your heating expenses is to avoid using central heating as much as possible.

There are electric fireplaces and portable space heaters that can keep a single room quite warm at a fraction of the cost of your central heating.

Or if you want to stay warm without electricity at all, you can also try an oil-filled heater.

This was the best frugal living tips my wife implemented to cut down electricity expenses while she was living in Spain, and it really saved her tons of money!

24) Close Vents and Doors

By closing the vents and doors in your home, it prevents your central heating from having to warm the entire house. Only keep vents open in rooms that you want to keep warm to cut your heating expenses.

25) Use Surge Protectors

Have you ever walked into your living room in the middle of the night and saw little lights shining everywhere?

This is because most of the electronic devices we have nowadays are plugged in 24/7 and use energy constantly.

Your TV has a standby light, so does your Blu-ray player, your game consoles, computers, not to mention the clocks on your microwave and oven.

To reduce your energy expense, buy a  surge protector, and cut power from these devices when they’re not in use with the flick of a switch.

26) Use Energy-Efficient Light Bulbs

Switching to energy-efficient bulbs is another great frugal way to save on your utilities. Three of the most popular choices are halogen incandescent bulbs, compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), and light-emitting diode bulbs (LEDs).

These bulbs can initially cost more than the bulbs you’re used to, but they use less energy and can save you money.

Another option to save money on lighting is to get a timer. This will ensure that lights are turned off when you’re not using them.

Best Frugal Living Tips For Personal Finance

27) Learn How to Budget Like a Pro

Creating a budget is the first step to get your financial life under control and reach your financial goals. Because without a budget, your finances are at the mercy of your impulses.

Start by writing your revenues and expenses categories. Then, see where you can cut back on spending and try not to go over your budget for each expense. For more information on creating a budget, check out “How to Create a Budget“.

28) Refinance Your Loans

If your debt payments are taking a big part of your paycheck, you could refinance your loans. This tactic could save you a lot if your credit score has improved since you originally took out the loan.

29) Get Cashback Whenever Possible

Whenever you go shopping, take advantage of cashback apps. Apps like Checkout51, Ibotta, and Ebates can help you save extra money whenever you go shopping in the store or online.

30) Bank at a Credit Union For Lower Fees And Avoid ATM Fees

Those big national banks charge a lot more fees than local credit unions. Avoid fees save more money by opening up a bank account at a credit union.

Another frugal living tip is to avoid ATM fees by going into your bank to make withdrawals.

31) Use Cash Whenever You Can

It’s a lot easier to spend with a debit card than with cash. There have actually been studies that show paying with cash activates the pain centers of the brain and paying with credit cards doesn’t!

If you really need help to be a more frugal spender, try using cash only.

32) Have a No-Spend Weekend

The weekend is the most dangerous time for our budgets because that’s when we tend to spend the most money.

If your goal is to reduce spending and be more frugal, consider having a no-spend weekend. Even one or two no-spend weekends a month can really make a difference in your shopping habits and your budget.

33) Pay Your Bills on Time to Avoid Late Fees

Utility companies and especially credit card companies often charge large fees when you pay late. Avoid those fees and possible damage to your credit score by paying one time, all the time.

34) Cancel Subscriptions Services You Don’t use

There are a lot of subscription services out there, and most of us have signed up for a few. But if you’re not using all of those subscriptions on a regular basis you’re throwing money away every month.

If you’re paying for gym memberships, magazine subscriptions, a Prim member, or even Netflix and you’re not using them, consider canceling your subscription and saving your money.

35) Create a Plan to Pay Off Debt

It can be a challenge to save some money and live a frugal life while you’re in debt. Credit card debt, student loans, and other consumer debt, usually come with high interest rates that decrease your future income.

Learn how to Pay off debt now so it’ll be easier to reach your financial goals.

36) Shop Around For Insurance

You may have signed up with the same insurance companies your parents have. A lot of people do it but consider shopping around for car insurance and renter’s insurance to see if you can save money.

37) Make More Money

There are plenty of ways for you to make money on the side. Check out these ideas and learn how to earn!

• Start a Blog
• Take surveys
• Get Free Money
• Sell everything you no longer use

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Frugal Living Tips Clothing

38) Shop at Discount Stores And Thrift Stores

Clothes you find at thrift stores aren’t necessarily old. Some things are completely unused. And they always have new inventory for sale at reasonable prices.

39) You Can Use Cash Back For Clothing Too

Ibotta and Ebates partner with many retail stores. So, be sure to check out  Ibotta and Ebates for promotions at your favorite online retailers.

40) Get Free Clothes From Your Family

I’ve done this forever with some of my family relatives. It’s especially useful if you have family members that love to shop and have closets full of clothes they don’t use.

Just let them know that you’re looking for clothes before they donate them.

41) Buy Clothes Out of Season And Basic Colors

If you don’t try to follow the latest fashion trends you’re sure to save money. This is because out of season clothes are usually cheaper than in-season clothes.

Another tip to save more is to avoid trendy colors, they are usually more expensive. Instead shop for whites, blacks, browns, etc.

Bonus Frugal Living Tips

42) Cut Your Phone Bill

I’m willing to bet that your cell phone bill is much higher than you want it to be, right?

Well, some of the best frugal living tips out there are about reducing your cell phone bill.

Instead of having to spend nearly $100 or more (we actually used to pay $260 per month!) how would you like to pay $15 per month?

Then you should check out Mint Mobile or one of the other cheap phone plans on the market.

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43) Visit Your Local Library

Entertainment doesn’t have to be expensive. Your local library obviously has books and movies, but many libraries also have occasional events.

If you’re looking for entertainment options while living frugally, check out your local library’s website and see what’s going on!

44) Watch Movies at Home

Instead of paying an arm and a leg for a trip to the movie theaters, you can watch movies at home with streaming services.

Vudu is a streaming service that lets you rent movies extremely cheaply.

Vudu doesn’t require a subscription and you can sign up for FREE. You’ll only have to pay for each individual movie you choose to rent.

Another option is Hulu. Hulu has a great original series and regularly adds new movies to its library.

These are both great options to get if you’re trying to save more money.

If you want more options, check out our related article for a list of 28 alternatives to cable TV.

45) Get Restaurant Discounts

Living a frugal life doesn’t mean you have to skip the restaurant. But you should always look for the best price! You can check out restaurant.com to see if they have an offer you’re interested in and enjoy a good meal at a discount.

46) Get Discounts on Parks and Attractions

You can also save money on tickets for attractions, theme parks, and other events. This a great frugal living idea if you have kids.

Check out 365 tickets to discover all the deals they have available on their website.

Final Thoughts

There’s really no end to the number of frugal living tips you can come up with if you’re resourceful.

And you don’t need to be Scrooge-like or renounce everything you love to make it happen.

If there are any other frugal living tips that you’ve tried out let us know in the comments below!

Cheers!

Related Post: 25 ways to reduce grocery spending