Are you looking for frugal living tips to try this year?
It’s no secret that the cost of living is going up. Everyday essentials have started to sky rocket and make us all think back to when things used to cost less.
Living frugally doesn’t mean you have to quit buying things, start clipping coupons, or dumpster diving. Frugal living is about finding creative ways to save money while still adding value to everyday life.
What does it mean to be Frugal?
It means finding what’s important to you and prioritizing those things, and cutting back on other things that you don’t need.
Being “cheap” is about trying your best spend less on everything and anything you need.
So without further todo, lets dive into some frugal living tips that you try!
Cancel subscriptions
When I think of subscriptions, there is a few things that come to mind. TV, apps, magazines, and gyms.
Anything that you don’t need, unsubscribe from.
I have 3 kids, so the thought of canceling Disney+, was scary. While we don’t watch much TV, it was nice to have.
Well now that we haven’t had it for a couple months, it’s actually not used a much as I thought we were using it. (They didn’t even notice it was gone till after a couple weeks!)
Cook everything you can
We all know this one.
But seriously, cook anything and everything you can at home. Try new things, fail and learn.
When I first moved in with my husband, I didn’t know how to cook much of anything without it coming in a box. Now I can cook and bake so many different things!
Buy groceries in bulk, on sale or even the generic brands to save some bucks at the store. Use coupons if you want, and quit buying things that you don’t need. (Write yourself a grocery list and stick to it the best you can!)
Grow your own Food
I know gardening isn’t for everyone, but there are ways to grow some of your own foods, no matter where you live!
How to Start a Garden for Beginners is a great read if you’re interesting in starting a garden!
Growing your food is a hobby that can put food on your table and you literally reap what you sow.
On top of growing your own food, learning how to preserve what you’ve grown is also beneficial.
And even if your garden is only small enough to enjoy fresh, learning how to preserve food you buy in bulk is also another great money saving trick.
Thrift
I like to stop at the local thrift store a couple times a month just to take a look.
You don’t have to buy everything at a thrift store but really, you can find really nice things. And if not, they’re fun to look through sometimes!
If you have an event coming up, maybe try seeing if you can find something second hand before brand new.
Mend Your Clothes
As a farm wife, and mom of 2 boys, learning how to mend clothes has come in handy more than it hasn’t.
Learning how to mend clothes can save you money in the long run by extending the life of some clothing items.
If you don’t know how to do something, look it up on YouTube for tutorials and other helpful information for your mending projects. I have learned many things by watching different videos, even if it’s for the same project.
Line Dry your Clothes
I absolutely love the smell of line dry clothes and sheets. They just smell so fresh.
Also as a busy mom, hanging up the clothes to dry is a calming activity for me.
Other positives of line drying clothes is it saves you money on running the dryer, as well as lengthens the life of your clothing in the process.
Make reusable items
People spend a lot of money on paper products to just throw away. Now I will say there is a time and place for these items, but reusable ones in the home can save money.
Cloth napkins, paper towels, face wipes, ect. are all great items to start with.
You could buy fabric to make these things OR if you have old towels and sheets that have come to the end of their days, cut them up and repurpose them.
Homemade Cleaning Products
Hard to believe, but back in the day as the old folks say, they didn’t have a huge isle of every cleaner you could thing of.
Many women used common household items like vinegar, baking soda, borax, salt, and good ole elbow grease to keep their homes clean.
When you make your own cleaning products using cheaper products, you can save a lot of money.
Cleaning Products 101 is a great resource for learning what’s in your cleaning products!
Use it up, Wear it out, Make it do or Do without
This was a mantra most commonly used in the depression era. People had no choice but to make do or just go without.
This is hard to imagine in our culture now as most things are instant. But, I believe if you gave this practice a go, you could reap a host of benefits.
So the next time you find yourself in need of something, try seeing if there is a solution you could do, without spending money, and see how it feels.
There are many, many more tips out there, but these few are ones my family practices. I hope you find these helpful and maybe try a few out!
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