35 Topnotch Frugal Living Tips
Are you living paycheck to paycheck with no money left over? These topnotch frugal living tips will help you learn to live frugally so you can enjoy life.
*Post contains affiliate links. Click here for more on what that means.
Why does it sound so bad to call yourself a tightwad or cheap? Aren’t these words the same as frugal?
I can honestly say I’m proud to call myself frugal. I’m happy that I don’t have to live paycheck to paycheck and can live comfortably.
I don’t bother buying anything unless it’s on sale. If it’s a major purchase, then I do my research first and compare prices everywhere I can.
And if there’s a coupon you better believe I’ll be using it!
Living a simple life can bring us contentment. Believe it or not, we can be happy without a ton of money. Here are 35 frugal living tips that will help you live a comfortable frugal life.
Saving on Food and Groceries
- Plan your meals. Pack your lunch for work and eat out less. Learn how to meal plan and stick to your budget.
- Buy foods in bulk and freeze. You can also cook meals ahead of time and freeze them.
- Make a grocery budget and stick to it.
- Clip coupons and use rebate apps while grocery shopping to get cashback.
- Shop the sales flyers.
- Have meatless meal nights and eat more veggies.
- Join your favorite restaurant’s mailing list. If they have a rewards program sign up for it.
- Have a freezer meal exchange party. Gather friends, family, and neighbors and have them prepare and bring over a freezer meal. Exchange meals and recipes.
- Buy generic.
Save on House and Home
- Cut the cable. Try Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime if you prefer to binge-watch and watch movies.
- Make your own cleaning supplies. Try a no-sew lavender sachet to freshen your closets and drawers.
- Cut up old t-shirts to use as rags.
- Get books at the library. (Find out how to get books free or cheap)
- Check the library for movies, too.
- Fix any leaky windows. Fix places that drafts are coming in to save money on electricity.
- Unplug unused appliances and devices. Even when not in use these still draw small amounts of electricity when plugged up.
- Switch to energy-saving light bulbs or LED lights.
- Upcycle and reuse as much as possible.
- DIY as much as possible and learn to do your own repairs.
- Turn the heat down in the winter and bundle up.
- Fix leaky faucets.
- Turn off the water while brushing your teeth.
- Hang your clothes out to dry instead of using the dryer.
- Stop using paper products.
- Make your coffee at home.
Save on Everything Else
- Skip the gym. Go for a walk around the park or ride your bike around town. For rainy days, I walk indoors with Leslie Sansone’s walking videos.
- Skip the movie theater. Have movie nights at home. Make a pizza together as a family and spend the night in watching movies.
- Pay bills on time if possible to avoid the late fees.
- Plan staycations like a zoo or museum close by.
- Have no-spend weekends.
- Do your own nails.
- Color your own hair.
- Make your own gifts.
- Buy used clothing.
- Carpool.
What are some ways you live frugally?
Looking for more money-saving tips? Check these posts out:
30 Ways to Make Extra Money
Save Money with These Vinegar Hacks
20 Ways to Spend a Money-Free Weekend
20 Unique Ways to Save Money
How to Make Money Cleaning Your Home
Wow they are so helpful. Thanks for sharing
Thank you so much! ?
This post brought to mind many moons ago when I saw, The Cheapest Man In America” in the Johnny Carson Show.
He was an old retired man with his wife and he showed how he saved money. Once a toothpaste tube was used up, he’d cut the top off and split it in the middle. On the sides are enough toothpaste to use for a few more days.
He and his wife would sit on their front porch with a pack of 2 ply toilet paper. They saved the cores and would roll 2 rolls out of 1.
He was quite frugal!
LOL! Yes I’d say he was quite frugal! I don’t think I’d go that far, but that toothpaste thing… haha 😀
He earned his title lol!
I love a good frugal tip, thank you Michelle! Xx
You’re welcome! 😀 Glad to help!
Great row of tips! We can save more from frugal living, thanks Michelle!
Thank you so much! 😀
Great tips, we can all save some money!
Thank you so much! 🙂
I mostly save on grocery by sticking to a certain budget..I also shop different things from different stores. Thrifty is one of my thing as well to go for inexpensive items for the house. All your tips are great Michelle, as always.
Thank you for sharing. Sticking to a grocery budget is so helpful when it comes to saving for food. Shopping different stores is a good idea, too. Thank you so much! 😀
Yes!! I already do a lot of these things. I’m trying really hard to cook every night, and meal plan. I color my own hair, and do my own nails!
I do need to do better at not using paper towels. I struggle with the convenience since I’m always behind on laundry.
An idea would be to have the kids make Birthday/holiday cards instead of buying them. Most end up in the trash anyway.
That’s great! You’re doing awesome at frugal living. 🙂 That’s a really good idea to add to the list!! Thank you for that! 😀
My significant other and I love making our own dinners, usually something fancy that we find in a recipe book. It’s amazing the restaurant quality dinners we can make at home!
That sounds like such a fun thing to do together. ?
I’m all about switching off devices & appliances to save on electricity! Making your own coffee & tea is actually so helpful too – you don’t realize how much money you spend on little things like that over time!
I agree! Sometimes I think “Oh it’s not that much”, but it really adds up!
Great ideas. It is amazing what our library offers. Books, magazines, movies, free classes, even passes to some museums
Thank you! I agree! There weren’t so many options when I was little, but I take advantage of most of them now. 🙂
Excellent tips. It’s amazing how there are so many little things we can do that add up to a ton of savings.
Thank you! I agree! Sometimes it doesn’t seem like it’s a lot, but when you look back on the little expenses over the year, they really add up.
Great tips! Thanks for sharing! And this one fondly reminds me of my grandmother: “Cut up old t-shirts to use as rags.” ?
Thank you! How sweet that she did that! When my grandmother passed away I took home her “craft” tote. In the bottom of the tote there were strips of old dresses that she had cut up that she planned on using for something. I still hold on to those. 😀
That’s so sweet! I also have my grandmother’s crochet basket! ?
Great tips! As a mom, I need to be frugal at all times.
Thank you! I agree! It’s great because you’re teaching your kids about being frugal, too. 🙂
You’re welcome! Trying to teach them the value of money. ?
The cutting cable thing is good until you realize that there are too many subscription services out there now and they are all trying to sign you up for $7.99 to $10.99 a month. If you aren’t careful you’ll lose all the savings quickly! Love all the tips!
I agree! We have Netflix and Hulu and watch them both a lot, but I said no more. 😀 Thank you so much!
I thought I am too thrifty already! Great tips.
Thank you! Good for you!! 😀
I add fresh herbs to a bottle of white vinegar for cleaning…
That’s a great idea! I never thought about that. Thank you for sharing! I’ll have to start doing that.
I just wish I could become a laundry soap dictator and ban all the extremely perfumy laundry soap. Ha! (Joking. Well, kinda!)
These are great tips. I’ve been having no-spend weekends, and it’s really amazing how much money you can save by doing nothing lol
Thank you so much! Good for you for having no-spend weekends. It really helps you save up! Doing nothing can be a good thing. 😀
Helpful tips. Thank you for sharing
Thank you so much!
Awesome tips, Michelle! I pinned it to my frugal living board 🙂 I love seeing what people come up with when it comes to frugal living. So many great ideas to try out!
Thank you so much! I’m always on the hunt for great frugal living ideas. ?
Thanks these are helpful hints.
Thank you so much!
I want to thank you for your support for me and the blog! Out of 150 something followers I struggle to find people to nominate and I feel like I don’t give everyone the credit they deserve. It’s another reason I hate awards … but thank you for your support and encouragement!
Aww thank you for your kind words! I appreciate your support as well!! ?
Helpful tips. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you so much!
this is very helpful I started using more essential oils in my cleaning…
Thank you! I’m glad you found it helpful. I really love using more natural products when cleaning the house. 🙂
I love to read so thank you for the helpful tips
You’re welcome! I’m glad you found them helpful. ?
Great tips!
Thanks for sharing
Thank you so much!
<3
Great tips! I don’t have the patience to coupon. So I need to work on that. And I just threw away a lot of old shirts I could have used as rags???. Now I’m stuck using paper towels!?
Thank you!! I used to be way more into coupons, but it took up so much time. Plus I ended up throwing a lot away. So now I only save what I know I’ll use and save money by shopping what’s on sale. 🙂