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Frugal Life Hacks at Home: Save Money and Enjoy Every Day

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Everyone wants to save money, but how can you do that without cutting corners? With a little bit of work, it's easy to save money on groceries, cleaning supplies and other home-related purchases. As a frugal living expert, I'll share my frugal life hacks that have saved me thousands of dollars. From regular, everyday money-saving practices to extreme frugality tips, there's something you can learn regardless of your financial situation.

Read on to learn about the top frugal life hacks to start doing at home.

Introduction to Frugal Living

What is Frugal Living?

Frugal living is the process of saving money smartly. It means finding ways to save money and resources so you are more efficient with both. For example, a frugal person will shop at a thrift store first instead of going to a retail store as they know they may be able to find the same item for much cheaper.

Aside from the obvious benefits of saving money, here are other benefits to embracing frugal living:

Appreciating life's simple pleasures
Getting creative with finding low-cost or free entertainment experiences
Feeling a sense of satisfaction from saving more money
Having fun shopping at thrift stores and attending clothing swaps

Who Can Benefit From Frugal Living?

Anyone can benefit from frugal living. Even if you have a steady and relatively high income, practicing frugality is fun. I've personally experienced an immense sense of satisfaction when finding cheaper ways to do something.

Frugal Life Hacks: Extreme Ways to Save Money

Financial Frugal Life Hacks

Maintain a Detailed Budget

Budgeting is the number one way I've been able to save 50% of my income since I was 24. Create a template showing:

How much money you make after tax each month
Your fixed expenses such as a monthly car payment and mortgage payment
Variable mandatory expenses such as groceries and your electricity bill
Variable discretionary expenses like takeout, gym memberships and subscriptions

Practice frugal living by committing to reducing one or more non-essential purchases per month. I personally made a commitment to reduce my takeout spending by $100 in 2020. Over 2 years, I saved nearly $2,500!

Frugal Life Hacks at Home Save Money and Enjoy Every Day - Budgeting

Pay off Credit Card Debt Monthly

While it may seem obvious to many, paying off your credit card in full and by the due date is a simple way to save money. You'll avoid paying unnecessary interest accrued from skipping or delaying payments.

Delete Card Details from Online Stores

Online shopping is already tempting. Saving your payment details on your favorite merchant's website can cause you to spend more as you'll be one step closer to hitting the 'order' button. Reduce the temptation to spend by removing your card details from each merchant you've purchased from.

Avoid Bank Charges

While some bank charges cannot be avoided - for example, e-transfer fees - there are ways to avoid them. Opt for no-fee checking accounts over ones with fees. Some banks may need you to keep a minimum balance in your checking account, so do your research and find an option that works best for you.

Eco-Friendly Frugal Life Hacks

You can be frugal while helping out the environment. Read below for my top tips on how to do so. I've saved hundreds of dollars by following these steps.

Use Reusable Shopping Bags

Instead of paying 5 cents or more per plastic bag, invest in a few reusable bags and bring them with you on every single shopping trip. If you spend $0.50 on plastic bags per shopping trip and you go shopping twice per week, you'll save over $50 per year. While not a substantial amount for many people, if you combine various frugal practices, you'll save a lot in the long run. Plus, you'll cut down on plastic waste.

Repurpose Old Items

Do you have an old dress that you no longer wear but are looking to get a new tote bag? Repurpose that old dress. Cut it up and sew it to make a bag. Other common and fun ways to repurpose old items around the home include:

Reusing mason jars for special events
Covering and painting old cans and turning them into stationery holders
Saving plastic containers for storing nails, screws and other items on your garage shelves

I've saved hundreds of dollars by doing things like turning old skirts into tote bags and using old t-shirts as cleaning rags instead of buying disposable sponges. Small frugal practices add up over time!

Eliminate Bottled Water

Buying bottled water can add up to hundreds spent per year. Invest in a reusable BPA-free water bottle that you can refill on the go.

Opt for Emailed Bills

Switch your bills from being mailed to being emailed. You'll also save time by not having to grab your letter opener - you read your emails daily already, don't you?!

Walk or Cycle to Work

If you live close to work, commit to walking or biking there. If you live in an urban area with a decent public transportation system, consider if you even need a car. This is an expense that can cost you thousands of dollars per year. Instead, consider alternatives like going down to one vehicle and carpooling with your partner or carpooling with a coworker.

Wash Clothes in Cold Water

Wash your clothes in cold water instead of hot and save up to $50 a year on your electricity bill. Again, not a life-saving amount, but $50 or $100 saved here and there adds up.

Line Dry Clothes

Instead of relying on a dryer, line-dry your clothes. Did you know that in many parts of the world such as countries in Europe and Asia, owning a dryer isn't common? Take the extra time to put on some music and hang your washing on your balcony or in your backyard. I've reduced my electricity bill by nearly $100 a year simply by line-drying my clothes.

Grocery and Bill Frugal Life Hacks

Plan Meals in Advance

Planning what you're going to eat in advance will save you tons. When you have a meal plan and stick with it, you'll be a lot less likely to order takeout or need to visit the grocery store multiple times. Instead, you'll be able to visit the grocery store once a week (maybe twice), reducing the risk of purchasing stuff you don't need.

Bring a Shopping List

Always bring a shopping list to the store! When you have a list, you'll be a lot less likely to buy items like snacks and drinks you don't need.

Compare Prices

Don't visit the grocery store without comparing prices at 2-3 grocery stores. If you have a car and each store is close to each other (say, 2-4 km away), Find the cheapest price of each item and spend the time visiting each store to find the cheapest item.

Check Expiration Dates

Before you visit the store, clear out your fridge, freezer and pantry. Check the expiry date on labels and commit to using items that are due to expire this or next week in your meals this week. Be sure to repurpose leftovers. Don't throw them away (throwing money away as well!). I like to set aside twenty minutes or so on a Saturday to clean out my kitchen. Committing to the same time every week has made me develop a good habit of cleaning out my kitchen regularly.

Choose Generic Brands

Instead of buying the name-brand can of soup, opt for generic. It's just as tasty and cheaper. Next time you're at the grocery store, look below and above eye level - typically where the cheaper items are placed. I save nearly 20% on my grocery bill simply by buying generic.

Buy in Bulk

Buy larger packages of food and items. Generally, larger packages are cheaper. While you're spending more in the short term, you'll save more in the long run. Common items I've purchased in bulk that have saved me tons include larger cans of beans, frozen fruits and vegetables and toilet paper.

Negotiate Your Bill

If you've been a loyal phone or internet customer for a while, call your provider and request a discount. There's no harm in trying! I've saved nearly $200 per year on my internet due to a loyalty discount I received on my internet bill. I received the discount by simply calling up and asking for it!

Extreme Frugality Tips

While the tips I've provided are everyday ways to save money, if you're serious about saving more in the short term, you can try some extreme ways to save money.

Completely cutting out takeout and dining expenses
Cutting your internet bill and only using the internet at cafes or libraries
Banning yourself from using the air conditioning in the summer
Turning down the heater a few notches and putting on another sweater
Using one lightbulb and moving it around the house

While these money-saving tips will help you in the short term, I don't recommend doing these for too long. If you're living stingy too long, you may end up going on a spending binge (like I have in the past!). You'll also spend a lot of time just to save a few dollars which can be spent on other pursuits like spending more time with family and friends taking on a side job. Remember: there is a difference between being frugal vs cheap.

Conclusion: Frugal Life Hacks at Home

There are so many different frugal life hacks that will help you save money. Try one or two out. Once you've gotten a handle on them, incorporate more frugal hacks into your daily routine. Before you know it, being frugal will become second nature!

About the Author

Janita Grift is a frugal living expert and owner of Frugal Fun Finance. With over four years of personal experience finding and trying out the best ways to make and save more money, she's eager to share her knowledge. She shares her top tips on making money, saving money and frugal living at Frugal Fun Finance. Janita's strategies have helped her save thousands of dollars towards goals such as funding investments and taking trips all over the world. She hopes her tips will help you reach your goals as well!