FRUGAL LIVING: 11 EASY MONEY SAVING TIPS

1 – Analyze where your money is going 

I think that one of the most important things you can do to save money is to understand your spending habits.

Before doing anything else, you must know exactly where your money is going each month. Otherwise, you won’t be able to take action to cut useless expenses.

Sometimes, we don’t realize that we may be spending 100 dollars a month on coffee. Or maybe, it’s 300 dollars we spend eating out in restaurants.

It is okay to do so if that makes you happy. But if your goal is to save money, it may be time to reconsider your spending habits.

It is also important to analyze your bank statements to make sure you aren’t being charged for unwanted services. 

2 – Cancel unused monthly subscriptions 

A majority of people pay for a subscription of some kind every month.

It can be for streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime or Spotify, gym memberships, magazine subscriptions, or extra TV and Internet services.

We can get a lot of value from those services, but many people have at least one or two subscriptions they don’t use enough.

If you find yourself with a gym membership that you barely use, maybe it isn’t worth paying for it. They can be very expensive and you might feel guilty about not going there enough.

If this is the case for you, cancel this membership and find alternative ways of exercising that you enjoy more and that are cheaper. You can exercise without spending any money.

The same principle applies to other subscriptions!

For instance, if you watch Netflix every day and barely have time to use your Amazon Prime account, consider only keeping Netflix.

Saving those extra dollars every month can add up and it is a significant amount of money saved over the years.

Also, get into the details of how much money goes out of your bank account each month and where it is going.

It can be useful especially because you might have a subscription you have forgotten about.

3 – Eat at home

I know many people love eating out several days per week.

I understand them because going to restaurants can feel like a treat and who doesn’t like eating good food?

However, having this habit can be expensive in the long run. You can end up spending hundreds of dollars per month just for eating out.

Try to cook your meals at home as much as you can. It might also be healthier since you know what ingredients are in your meals.

Restaurants often add a lot of salt, sugar, and fat into their food.

Buying your ingredients yourself and preparing your meals at home will be much cheaper.

Another thing we may forget is that drinks at restaurants are excessively expensive, whereas, at home, it’ll be a fraction of the price.

If you don’t want to give up on eating out, try at least to order food without drinks. You will see a huge difference in your bill at the end.

4 – Try free or cheap hobbies 

Some hobbies or activities can get expensive, especially if you do them regularly.

A great money-saving tip is to try to swap your expensive activities for free or cheap alternatives!

Of course, it will depend on what you like to do in your free time. But reassess everything you do and look for better options.

Maybe instead of going to the movies several times a month, go once a month.

You can organize movie nights with your friends instead of going out.

Do you love shopping as a hobby? Try replacing it with other activities that you may be passionate about but have never taken the time to do them.

Discover new hobbies you have always been interested in.

Are you interested in photography, art, or playing an instrument? Do you love reading, hiking, writing, or knitting?

There are many possibilities for you to try that don’t cost anything.

Swap some expensive activities that don’t bring you a lot of happiness and try new things instead.

It is a great money-saving tip and it can even positively contribute to your fulfillment!

5 – Unsubscribe from mailing lists

Chances are companies are trying to sell you their products and to do so, they are bombarding you with tempting emails.

They are sending you discount codes and other incentives to make you buy their items.

They don’t want you to forget about them, and they make sure you keep spending your money on their products.

It can be very difficult to unsubscribe from your favorite brand’s mailing list because you think you might miss out on an opportunity.

But if you want to stop shopping impulsively and save money, I highly advise you to unsubscribe from any mailing list.

This way, you won’t be tempted to shop online as much and your inbox will be a lot cleaner and easier to organize. 

6 – Look out for bank fees 

This one is one of the easiest money-saving tips!

A lot of banks are overcharging their clients for certain services that maybe aren’t worth it. Make sure that you aren’t paying high fees for a credit card that you don’t even use.

Analyze whether or not you have penalty fees because you didn’t pay off your consumer debt on time.

Go to your bank and ask them to remove you from any unused and unnecessary banking services.

Banking fees can add up without us knowing. You will save a lot of money if you carefully reassess what you need.

Also, if it is possible for you and if it doesn’t cost you anything, consider switching to a cheaper bank.

In France, where I live, many online banks offer the same services as traditional banks but have very low banking fees.

This is also something you may want to check if it could be a great alternative for you.

7 – Use cheaper means of transportation

If you need to go somewhere in town, try to walk there instead of taking your car. Walking is free and you’ll be exercising at the same time.

Having a car implies that you will spend huge amounts of money each month, maybe uselessly.

Having a car requires you to purchase gas. But, you’ll also need to pay for parking, maintenance fees, and insurance.

From time to time, your car will break down and you’ll need to spend money to repair it.

All those fees add up whereas walking will cost you nothing. Riding your bike is another cheap alternative to driving.

If you are going somewhere further away, consider taking public transit.

Depending on where you live, this alternative can be quicker and cheaper since you don’t have to pay for gas and parking.

Not to mention that it’s a more eco-friendly way to travel!

Anyway, try to reduce your car usage as much as possible if you want to save money.

Does your family own two cars when you actually need one? In this case, why not sell one of them? You could get some decent money back.

8 – Buy things second-hand

In previous blog posts, I already wrote about how second-hand shopping is a great way to help the environment and the different reasons why it can save the planet.

But shopping second-hand can also save you tremendous amounts of money!

I love buying things second-hand and have been doing it for years. You can find everything you want on second-hand shopping websites.

You can buy clothes, books, games, furniture, appliances, technology…

Even better than buying second-hand books, I recommend that you get a library card so that you can borrow books for free.

Thrift stores are a great option as well to find cheap second-hand things.

One of the cheapest ways to buy second-hand is to go to a garage sale. Many items can be priced for less than a dollar which is a real bargain.

The major downside I think is that you have less choice and don’t always find what you need. But it is worth going to see what is available.

You never know, you might stumble upon the exact thing you were looking for and pay a fraction of the price!

Shopping second-hand is one of my favorite money-saving tips! It can help you, especially if you are trying to pay off debt or save for a trip or a future house. 

Read more: 14 things to look for at thrift stores and buy used

9 – Repurpose things

This one is a great example of how being thrifty and sustainable every day saves you money.

Try to repurpose things that you don’t use to make new things that you would otherwise need to buy.

For instance, if you need a new pair of shorts, you can easily cut an unused pair of jeans into shorts.

This way, you can give a new life to an item and avoid buying something new. I think this may be one of the most efficient money-saving tips!

If you need glass jars, reuse the ones that come with your food. If you need a reusable bag, try creating one with an old t-shirt or an unused pillowcase.

T-shirts are great items that can be repurposed in various ways. You can turn them into cleaning rags, reusable bags, and tank tops. You can also make reusable cotton pads to remove your make-up or sew dishcloths with them.

Repurposing things you already own will save you a lot of money in the long run!

10 – DIY 

Making your own products can often be a lot cheaper than buying a finished product.

For instance, try to make your own multipurpose cleaning solutions with one or two ingredients like white vinegar and baking soda. Those two ingredients are super cheap, healthy, and good for the environment.

It’ll save you a lot of money since you don’t have to buy multiple cleaning products to clean each surface of your home.

You can also easily make skincare products such as face masks and creams, or even homemade natural laundry detergent.

The great thing is that buying a few ingredients separately will generally end up costing a lot less than buying an industrial product.

If you are handy, you can try to build furniture as well. With just a few pieces of wood and some tools, you can make a table, shelves, or a bed frame.

Look for tutorials online and do it yourself if you want to save money because furniture can get expensive. 

11 – Use things up

I think that this tip is one of the most over-looked money-saving tips!

In our societies, many people tend to buy new products before they truly need a new one. I highly suggest that you use up the things you already have before buying a new version of the same item.

I think the majority of people do it with food. If you want to save money, don’t buy a new pack of cereals before you eat the one you have in your kitchen.

Finish up what you have so that food isn’t piling up unnecessarily. You will save money and this will also prevent food waste from happening.

This tip can be applied to all categories of items. For instance, don’t buy new socks before you have worn down the ones you already have.

You don’t need a pack of new pens when you already have dozens at home. Finish your shampoo bottle before getting a new one.

Use up the things you own, it’ll save you money and your home will feel a lot more minimalistic as well!