Best Frugal Living Tips: 150+ Frugal Living Tips To Start Today

I’m sure you’ve heard it’s the little things in life that count. You know what? It’s true. Knowing what it takes to live frugally or “thrifty’ as some say is something that can significantly impact your life in a positive way.

Being aware of some of the best frugal living tips is one of the easiest ways to save yourself a ton of money or maybe even get yourself out of debt.

If you’re new to this whole frugal living thing you may be asking what’s the difference between frugal and cheap? Let me begin by saying there’s a HUGE difference.

Living frugally is when you live your life with intention. You assess the bigger picture and are resourceful with your spending so that you can have more of the things you really care about. By maximizing your money you’re able to fund your life long dreams.

Living cheaply is just that… cheap! One who saves money at the expense of another.

For example, I would NEVER EVER dream of leaving less than a 10% tip when dining out.- (Don’t worry my standard is 20% , I’ve done my time working as a server;)

But if a person “forgets” to leave a tip at a restaurant that’s just plain right cheap.

Cheap and frugal people both love to save money, but frugal people will not do so at the expense of others. Cheap people use price as their bottom line; frugal people use value as their bottom line.

When a person decides its time to start saving money or get themselves out of debt there are tons of things they can do to accomplish this.

But lucky you, you don’t have to scour the internet for hours for the best frugal living tips because I’ve gathered them into one huge master resource right here

Table of Contents

What Does Frugal Living Mean?

The definition provided by Wikipedia for frugality is this: The quality of being frugal, sparing, thrifty, prudent or economical in the consumption of consumable resources such as food, time or money, and avoiding waste, lavishness or extravagance.

Got that? In a nutshell frugal living is simply giving up things that aren’t necessary to get to where you want to be in the future.

Learning to be frugal is about focusing on what you want your future to look like. Do you have an emergency fund so that you don’t have to worry about things later in life? Are you staying out of debt and able to pay all of your bills each month?

Frugal living isn’t about being cheap! It’s also not about deprivation or sacrifice but more about discipline.

Depending on your own life circumstances and long term goals, your idea of frugality may be a bit different to mine. That’s TOTALLY ok.

To begin this whole frugal living thing, pick a couple frugal living tips from the list below and see if they work for you. If not, ditch them and try a couple new ones.

For me, I make my own coffee at home, I bike to work rather than driving, and I never order a dessert while dining out.

The reason for this is because I find saving small amounts of money each and every day adds up to a big savings later on. I’d rather allocate my money to bigger dreams for longterm payouts

Frugal Living Tips To Save Money On Food

Meal plan
Set a food budget
Eat at home
Use up all leftovers
Pack your lunch and snacks for work
Grow your own food
Purchase food in bulk
Have meatless Mondays
Check the clearance sections
Use a Shopping App like Ibotta to save money on groceries
Invest in a deep freezer
Use a crockpot Instapot to cook food, always make enough for leftovers
Substitute ingredients in recipes if you don’t have the item
Buy produce in season.
Meal prep to save time and money
Grow your own herbs with this
Make your own stock from veggies and chicken and turkey carcasses
Save money on your groceries by checking the unit price
Cut your grocery bill in half by doing some of these things
Stock your pantry when you find things on sale
Stop going through the drive thru
Stop (or just cut back) on your favorite alcoholic beverage
Buy chicken or turkeys whole and divide/ slice the meat yourself
Can or freeze seasonal fruits and veggies
Only buy organic for the dirty dozen
Try 5 Dollars Meals to help you meal plan affordably

Frugal Living Tips To Save You Money Around Your House

Install energy saving lightbulbs
Save money on electricity by reading these tips
Invest in energy saving appliances
Fully load both clothing and dish washers before starting them
Turn off lights when you leave a room
Use cozy blankets to stay warm in the winter
Install a low flow water conserver
Soak your fruits and veggies in a water/vinegar bath instead of running tap water
Use a device like this to decrease phantom electricity – easily turn off all appliances with one switch
Adjust your thermostat a couple degrees up or down depending on the season to save a bit of electricity
Purchase energy efficient thick curtains to keep the heat in or out.
Don’t block air vents
Regularly change air vents so they function properly
Run your appliances during the night to save money on electricity
Don’t buy single use products like paper towels
Invest in weather stripping to keep the hot/cold air where it should be
Keep your freezer full to save on energy costs

Frugal Living Tips For Laundry And House Cleaning

Save money on cleaning supplies by making some of your own
Air dry you clothes on a clothes line in the summer
Make your own frugal cleaning detergents to save you money
Decrease drying time by using something like this or just a ball of aluminum to speed up the process
Ditch paper towels and go for something reusable like this microfiber
Wash your clothes in cold water
Wear a pair of jeans a couple of times before washing
Declutter and sell things

Frugal Living Tips To Help You Save Money On Clothes

Purchase clothes during the off season (or at the end of season)
Repurpose clothing- Turn old t-shirts into cleaning rags
Shop with cash or the cash envelope system
Don’t window shop
Learn how to do a basic stitch to repair your own clothes
Focus on value not quantity
Shop at thrift store or consignment
Use shopping apps like Honey

Frugal Living Tips To Save You On Entertainment and Activities

Use websites like Groupon to save you money on activities
Take a hike-enjoy the outdoors
Play card games
Only meet friends for food or a drink during happy hour
Use these tips to save money when going out with friends
Participate in a no-spend weekend with some of these ideas
Picnic at the park
Relax at the beach or park
Create your own spa night at home
Visit a free concert in your local park
Learn something by attending your local library’s educational series
See what’s new at the local farmers market
Have a home movie night by renting them at the library
Cut yours or your partners hair- There are great youtube tutorials
Go swimming, for a run, or go skating
Browse local garages sales or flea markets
Garden
Go fishing
Create a theme night activity
Potluck party with friends
Use your local library or an app like Overdrive instead of buying books
People watch-I think this is ALWAYS fun!

Frugal Tips For Managing Your Money

Take advantage of cash back apps like Ebates and Ibotta
Don’t buy unnecessary things
Have family discussions about your money
Use the cash envelope system to manage your money
Create a budget
Never pay ATM fees
Track your money through Personal Capital
Check your bank statements and bills for any errors
Track where your money goes
Track your net worth
Make Money with Acorns
Create an emergency fund
Avoid late fees
Make extra money with your hobbies
Sign up with CIT bank to get some of the best banking rates

Frugal Living Tips For Bills

Don’t auto renew insurances, find the best quotes each year
Use Trim to monitor your monthly bills
Switch cellphone carriers to one more affordable
Fix your broken stuff, don’t jump to buy new – use YouTube tutorials
Cut cable or reduce to a basic plan
Cancel gym memberships and find free ways to get fit
Cancel subscriptions that aren’t necessary

Simple Frugal Living Tips For Transportation

Drive less- Walk or bike instead
Don’t buy a brand new car. Believe me it’ll be a mistake, I’ve done it
Take advantage of public transportation
Slowly accelerate when driving- abruptly pumping the gas costs money
Stay below the speed limit
Don’t leave your engine idling for too long
Buy discounted gas gift cards
Treat your car with TLC by routine maintenance
Clean out your car to remove excess weight
Download gas savings apps like Gasbuddy
Implement some of these road trip tips while traveling
Be smart about your errands and combine them into fewer trips
Keep tires at the proper pressure to save money on gas
Be aware of toll routes that will require you to pay money
Own one car instead of two
Save up money to purchase your next car by using something like a sinking fund– Don’t finance!
Wash/Detail your own car
Do your own oil changes
Carpool to work or school

Frugal Living Tips For Everyday Living

Eat at home
Pack your lunch and healthy snacks everyday
Stop frequenting the coffee shop make your own
Implement the 48 hour rule before making big money decisions
Leave your credit cards at home
Learn tricks to pay off your mortgage quickly
Never pay full price – find a discount code or ask for one
Learn to say no
Enjoy the outdoors by going camping

Final Thoughts on Living Frugally

I know that this long list of ways to live more frugal may be overwhelming. Perhaps you have some of your own ideas of frugal living.

Please remember living frugally isn’t about deprivation or sacrifice its all about making intentional choices for a better life.

Once again choose a couple of the best frugal living tips and see how they work for you! Curious what my favorite frugal living tip is? My favorite way to save money and live a bit more frugally is by implementing frugal living tips to save you money around your house!

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