Living Frugally – 50 Simple Ways To Save More Money

Let’s face it. Adulting isn’t exactly something you’ll describe as “a walk in the park”. Especially when it comes to things like money.

With the increasing strain we see on our pockets each day, the need to manage our finances better, is only becoming more and more evident.

A lot of people emphasize the importance of increasing our cash flow, and earning more money. And of course that’s a great idea, but another just-as-important concept, is the ability to manage the money we actually do get.

If you’re looking for tips to help you manage your money a little better, and be able to save more at the end of the week/month, then this is for you.

In this post, you’ll discover over 50 simple and easy ways to help you save more money. They cover different aspects, like shopping, food, bills, personal care, and so on.

These frugal tips will help you minimize your expenses where possible, and put more money in your pockets eventually.

Let’s get right into it.

50 Simple Tips To Help Save More Money

These 50 tips are divided into 4 main categories

1. Food
2. Shopping
3. Bills & around the home
4. Personal care and Others

Food

So there’s this really cool thing called staying alive, and as it turns out, food is one very important thing that helps us do that.

Because of this, food expenses often take up a reasonable portion of our monthly budget. Fortunately, there are a couple of things you can do to reduce your food expenses, without, you know, giving up the stuff of life.

Here are some cool ways to save money on food

1) Follow A Meal Plan

For anything to be successful, it needs a solid plan. Same goes for your choice of meals. If you want to cut back on unnecessary food spending, drafting out, and following a well-structured meal plan is the first step to take.

A good meal plan makes it easier to choose the best foods for yourself way ahead of time, and also lets you plan properly, based on what you currently have available.

If you’re new to this, fret not. You can check out our complete beginners guide to meal planning to help you get started. Also hop over to our resources page, to download our FREE meal planner printable to help you out.

2) Cook At Home

I’ll admit. Ordering your favorite foods online, or at the drive-thru is super convenient. But unfortunately, it also costs more. One way to lower your monthly food costs, is to cook your own food at home.

Don’t worry about being a professional chef or anything like that. There are lots of amazing recipes you can follow, and tons of helpful cookbooks that’ll make your meals taste like something straight out of a 5-star restaurant.

And with proper meal planning and prepping, cooking at home won’t even feel like a chore.

3) Make Your Coffee At Home

For a lot of people their coffee is their daily switch. As a beverage we consume almost every day, and in some cases, multiple times a day, it can eventually add up to big expenses down the line.

A good way to save money on coffee without having to give it up, would be to make your own at home. Not to mention it’ll be easier to customize it to your specific preferences.

There are different ways to go about it. Here’s a guide from Coffee Affection, on some of the cheapest ways to make homemade coffee.

4) Cook In Batches

Spending tons of hours in the kitchen each day isn’t exactly something I think any busy person looks forward to.

5) Take Advantage Of Seasonal Produce

A lot of food items become cheaper during their season, since they’re more readily available. Taking advantage of these cheap seasonal produce, and adding them to your meal plan, can help you reduce your food expenses during that season.

And with the vast amount of recipes you can find online relating to that specific produce, you won’t have to worry about things getting boring or repetitive.

6)  Make Use Of Leftovers

Proper meal planning can help you reduce the occurrence of leftovers. However, even if you do have leftovers, you don’t necessarily need to toss them away.

There are lots of amazing recipes you can make with your leftovers, that’ll taste just as good as new. Here are some delicious leftover recipe ideas to try out.

7) Process Your Own Food Where Possible

Processed food often tends to be more expensive. If you want to save some money when doing grocery shopping, one way to go about it is buying the unprocessed version and doing the processing yourself.

For example, getting a block of cheese will be generally cheaper than getting shredded cheese. Same goes for things like cauliflower and riced cauliflower, zoodles, and so on.

If you have the spare time and necessary equipment (like a spiralizer, food processor etc.) to process these at home, then go for it.

8) Pack Your Own Lunch

Eating out for lunch is more or less the default thing for most people, especially when you’re working away from home. But as we know, restaurant/store-bought food often tends to be costlier than homemade ones.

One brilliant way to save money on food, is to pack your own lunch. With a good meal prepping strategy, you’ll be able to enjoy a wide variety of yummy meals with just a little bit of work.  

If you’re looking for some easy, tasty and healthy lunch recipes to take to work, here are 25 incredible meal prep lunches I’m sure you’ll love.

9) Invest In A Mini-Garden

The cost of veggies can add up over time. One way to mitigate this cost, is to plant your own veggies in a mini-garden. If you have a little bit of yard space that can be put to use, a mini-garden is a great idea.

10) Go for Cheaper Alternatives

11) Consider Going Meat-Free

Shopping

Now this is where the bulk of our expenses go. We need to be frugal here if we’re looking to save some more money. Here are some tips to help you out.

12) Make A Shopping List And Stick To It

Someone once told me that supermarkets are where Satan practices his temptation skills, and I couldn’t agree more. The moment you walk into a store or supermarket, you’ll see just about everything you like.

Unfortunately, we can’t afford “everything” at the moment. So in order to avoid distractions, or buying unnecessary things, a shopping list is important.

Making one before you head out the house and sticking to it (which is the most important part), will help you avoid unnecessary purchases, and save more money overall.

13) Avoid Impulse Buying

Sure, easier said than done, but still worth saying nonetheless. The moment we walk into the store, we get hit with the temptation to buy just about every cool gadget, dress, or scrumptious-looking food in there.

And the temptation is even more when we shop hungry, tired, or in an emotional state. The best way to avoid impulse buying, is to avoid going shopping when feeling like this.

14) Shop Less Popular Brands

If you’re going for popular brands when you shop, odds are, you’re either going to be paying a little more, or a lot more.

Sure, popular brands may be known for their quality, but there are also a lot of less popular brands which are much cheaper, and still deliver great-quality products. Taking advantage of these less popular brands will help you save money while getting good products.

15) Buy Before The Season

A lot of things get way more expensive during their season. Things like Christmas decorations, winter clothes and so on, often tend to be cheaper just before the season starts, or after the season ends.

Taking advantage of these pre-season and post-season sales will help you save some money, since you’ll be getting the same products, but at a much cheaper price than you would if you bought in-season.

16) Negotiate Prices Where Possible

Mastering the art of negotiation, also known as Haggling, can potentially save you a few good bucks. Some items, in some situations, can be gotten at a lower price than the actual tag price.

Here’s a guide from “Save The Student”, on how to negotiate for the best deals when shopping or choosing a service.

17) Take Advantage Of Coupons/Discounts

A lot of stores offer discounts or coupons to customers. Some can even be found online as well. No matter how small these discounts may be, they can eventually add up, and you definitely want to be taking advantage of them.

If you’re looking for great discount deal and coupon codes online, some good sources include Swagbucks, Groupon and BeFrugal.

18) Take Advantage Of Thrift Stores

Thrift stores give you the unique opportunity to get a lot of stuff at a much cheaper price than you would at a normal store.

Sure, these items may be second-hand, but they can nonetheless serve as a great way to save some extra money overall. Plus, there are actually a lot of good-quality products that can be gotten at these stores. So you certainly don’t want to be missing out.

19) Buy In Bulk

A lot of stores offer discounts when you buy things in bulk. If you’re getting items you know you’ll end up using in the near future, or items you know you have the capacity to store for a reasonable period of time, then go for it.

20) Make A Budget And Stick To It

If you’re trying to control how much you spend each day/week/month, creating a budget beforehand and sticking to it can certainly help you out.

It’s worth noting however, that the budget should be well-planned, and account for all necessary expenses you’ll need to make, or else it becomes less effective.

21) Buy Second-Hand Products

It’s no news that second-hand products are much cheaper than new ones. Going for fairly-used products can save you money on the long run, especially if you get the ones that are in relatively good condition.

22) Rent Instead Of Buy

If you intend on using something only once, or just a few times, and never again, then renting it, rather than buying it upfront is a great idea.

It’ll save you costs on the long run, while still giving you the opportunity to use the equipment for its short term purpose.  

23) Follow The 10-Second Rule

The 10-second rule is something that can help you make better decisions whilst shopping. And you may have even heard some variation of it before. It goes a bit like this.

When you get the urge to buy something, you pause for 10 seconds and ask yourself questions like “how important is this thing to me right now”, “is this something I can do without at the moment?”

If you can’t think of a reasonable justification within the 10 seconds, then you probably don’t need it as much as you think.

24) Carry Your Own Bag When Shopping

Bills & Around the home

25) Use Energy-Efficient Appliances

Our electricity bill, for the most part, depends on the type of appliances we have running at home. A good way to reduce energy costs, would be to opt in for energy-efficient appliances.

From simple things like energy-saving bulbs, and LED lights, to bigger things like energy-efficient refrigerators, fans, dishwashers and so on.

26) Review Your Memberships And Subscriptions

A lot of our memberships and subscriptions, are more or less automatic. Meaning we get billed automatically each month.

Now I’m not saying you should go ahead and cancel everything. But reviewing your memberships from time to time can help you weed out the ones you don’t make use of, which will eventually save you from unnecessary extra bills.

27) Try To Pay Early

Some bills carry an interest when paid late. These interests may be little or not, depending on the situation, but they do add up over time. Paying early can help you avoid these interests on the long run.

And I know this is more easily said than done, especially if you’re working on a super tight budget. But it’s still worth saying. Paying your bills first, before other expenses, can help you combat late payment where possible.

28) Turn Off Appliances Not Frequently In Use

Sometimes, we tend to leave certain appliances plugged in and turned on, even though we’re not using them at the moment. These could eventually take its toll on our energy bills, especially if said appliances aren’t exactly energy efficient.

29) Take More Showers, And Less Baths

We all value our cleanliness and good hygiene. However, there are a couple cost-effective ways to achieve the same result. One example is the great shower vs bath debate.

Sure, baths are more comfortable and relaxing, but showers use way less water than baths, and can keep you just as clean. Swapping out your baths with showers will help reduce the cost of your water bills at the end of the month.

30) Switch To Cheaper Service Providers Where Possible

This could be your mobile phone service provider, Wi-Fi, cable and so on. If you’re aware of a cheaper service provider offering greater deals that’ll lead to less expenses on the long run, then go for it.

31) Learn How To Fix Things Yourself

Things get damaged from time to time. That’s normal. Fixing these things on the other hand, can sometimes get a little pricey. If you’re looking to save money when it comes to repairing household items or other stuff, then you’ll need to learn to be your own handyman.

There are lots of amazing resources online to help you fix things. Sites like The Family Handyman and iFixit can serve as great resources, even for complete newbies.

That being said, some situations may be way more complex and require the help of a professional. In those cases, I’d definitely advise seeking one out.

But in cases where the items can easily be fixed DIY style, then these resources will serve you well. Plus, you’ll gain a lot of valuable knowledge along the way.

32) Do House/Yard Work Yourself

Yeah, I know. Having to do work around the house sucks. But doing it yourself will save you a bit of cash, that would’ve otherwise been spent paying someone else to do it for you. Plus, if you have the right tools on hand, it can be a lot less stressful.

33) Consider Getting A Roomie

If you’re staying alone, shouldering the cost of rent and bills all by yourself can drain your purse quicker than you’d expect. If you can tolerate an extra person around, then getting a roomie is a great idea.

Not to mention having a roomie can serve as an opportunity to bond with someone else, and possibly acquire new experiences. Hopefully good ones too.

34) Swap Out Paper Towels For Hand Towels

Paper towels are a one-use thing. Meaning once they’re used, they have to be discarded and you have to get another one. If your household uses a lot of paper towels, the costs can add up over time.

A good way to save money would be to swap out the paper towels for hand towels. The latter is reusable and washable, and also generates less trash too.

35) Line-Dry Your Clothes

Your dryer also contributes to a portion of your energy bills, especially if you use it a lot. A great way to save money would be to ditch the machine dryer, and take advantage of the natural heat produced by that giant yellow ball in the sky.

36) Consider Downsizing

If your current home racks up the bills pretty high, downsizing to a smaller, yet comfortable one can help you save a lot of money. Of course, it may be a lot of work at first, having to move and all, but your wallet will thank you eventually.

Personal Care & Others

37) Fix Clothes, Instead Of Tossing Them Away

It’s no news that clothes can be hella expensive. And of course, we all want to look good, and to look our best, so getting good clothes is certainly important.

However, if one of your favorite dresses has a tear, burn, permanent stain or some other issue, it’s helpful to find ways to fix it first, rather than discarding it.

And I know this sounds a bit cheesy, but there are lots of amazing tutorials online that can help you turn a damaged dress into something fabulous.

38) DIY Pedicures And Manicures

Sure, a trip to your favorite spa or nail salon is sure to have you looking fabulous, but it’s also going to cost you some money too. A cheaper alternative, would be to do your own manicures and pedicures.

There are lots of amazing tutorials online. Another option would be to have a friend do yours, while you do theirs

39) Repurpose Old Clothes

40) Partake In Free Fun

41) Swap Out Bottled Water For A Water Bottle

42) Make Use Of The Library

43) Have A Zero-Spend Day

44) Workout At Home

45) Keep Things Simple

46) Host Friends At Home

A night out with friends is sure to be fun. But it’s also going to cost a lot more too. If you want to hang out with your pals, inviting them over is a good way to do that while also minimizing costs.

Plus, it’ll be a great opportunity to show them your superb cooking/baking skills. Plus, you’re probably going to feel more comfortable in your own home, than outside.

47) Book Tickets In Advance

Ticket prices are often cheaper when purchased way ahead of time, than at the last minute. Whether you’re planning a vacation or trip, or something else, getting your tickets early will definitely help you save money.

48) Make Your Own Gifts

Gifts are how we show the people in our lives how much they mean to us. If you want to surprise a loved one, and would like to do so frugally, a good option is to make your own gift.

Not only does it feel more thoughtful and personal, but it can also be cheaper than getting one at the store.

49) Take Preventive Measures

50) Try A Saving Challenge

51) Consider Walking/Biking