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The Best Thrifty Hacks To Lower Your Living Costs According To These Folks (39 Examples)
Interview With Expert
At this point, it’s quite common to encounter news or stories about rising prices. It’s also increasingly evident how prices at stores seem to climb right before our eyes. So, it’s natural to start thinking about money-saving techniques.
This article is packed with ideas for that, that were shared by netizens. And not only that, it also contains insight from a woman, and a couple, who embraced the so-called “thrifty lifestyle.” So, let’s dive in and explore the knowledge this piece has to offer, shall we?
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Photocopied every single textbook in university to avoid buying $200+ books
Tele Avision 16 hours ago
I did that back in the 80s. For extra money, I sold photocopied Textbooks to classmates. I love how many of these so-called "Life Hacks" have been around forever. I guess every generation discovers their genitalia and thinks they have discovered something new.
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#2
Oh my Goodness!!! I can’t even begin to count the number of things I’ve done to lower my cost of living but I will try! 1. Stopped going to Starbucks on the way to work! That saved me $20.00 per week!!!
2. Use the Wal-Mart pickup app to get groceries!!! Now, I just get what I order and not all of the impluse things I would get because I wasn’t sure if I had one!! Then I got home and found out I already had 2!!!
3. Cutting my Cable TV!!!! I bought a Firestick & have Amazon Prime Video!!! What more can you want???
4. Buying Meat from Costco & breaking it down into dinner sized portions & putting the rest in FoodSaver Bags & freezing the rest. This way, I have my dinner for several nights with...
#3
Change my work schedule to get in at 9:30 and leave at 6:30 after rush hour, to save gas (and stress) on the commute home.
It seems that in recent times the cost of living is getting more and more expensive. And that isn’t so far from the truth – apparently in the last few years it skyrocketed by around 30% in most places. This encompasses groceries, fuel, energy, everything. Since the main victims of it are people’s wallets, it’s natural to look for ways to make it a little bit less scary.
For inspiration, you are welcome to look through today’s list. It has been compiled from ideas netizens shared in internet corners like Quora. You’ll find plenty of pieces of advice from learning to cook to photocopying books, so at least some of them might be possible to fit into your lifestyle.
#4
In 1967, while shopping with my mother, she saw a faux leopard coat she loved, but couldn’t afford. My parents were depression era married and blue collar. I was married, expecting my first child. Hair styles were elaborate then, with high French twists, and I had mine done every Saturday at a salon. That hair style wasn’t brushed out until the next Saturday, but that’s another story. It cost $5. Anyway, unbeknown to her I put that coat into lay away for six months, paying $5/week. I stopped having my hair done to do it. I gave her that coat for Christmas that year. She wore it until she died at 91, 2007, forty years later, still loving that coat. The best money I ever spent. I had the best mom. Still miss her.
#5
learn to cook. Buy a bread maker and make your own bread. Repair your clothing. Take care of your car.
#6
I just spend money on essential items like food and medicines, and only get other things if something needs replacing. There are no luxuries in our home.
At the same time, we wanted to look a little bit deeper than just simple advice, so we decided to talk to some people who have mastered a thrifty lifestyle.
Two of these people are Angie and Jeff from ThriftyLivingTravelFreedom. They revealed that the adoption of a thrifty lifestyle came from them valuing freedom over things and status: “We have found that our thrifty ways afford us so much financial freedom in our lives.”
One of the ways they save money is by brewing coffee (with their 17-year-old espresso machine) at home instead of buying it at cafes, and they strongly advise others to do so too.
They also shared some other examples, for instance about grocery shopping. In their experience, having mostly vegetarian food at home proved to be an effective method. They also primarily shop at Aldi, which is famous for its cheap prices, shop only according to their list, pivot it toward less expensive items, and do their best to not waste any food, as they said it would be equal to “tossing money in the trash.”
#7
Spending money is always a fun for me and I love to spend , however once when I wanted to save some money , I parked my car for long time and I used to go to office by walk . It saved me some money also my health was better then before because of everyday walk . It was a good experience then .
#9
We took to hand-washing over using the laundromat. Damn washer/dryer were $2.50 apiece! Got ourselves a laundry plunger and a drying rack and did that [thing] the old-fashioned way for about a year.
Kelly Scott 10 hours ago
The washers at my laundromat are $14 for the largest load and 64 cents per 5 minutes to dry, besides being a round trip of almost 50 miles. This is why I go once a month. I have no place to wash clothes inside nor any room for a dryer rack. Besides, clothes would take a week to dry in my place in winter since I turn the heat off at night to save money.
Additionally, the couple doesn’t shy away from thrift stores and capitalizes on in-store coupons and sales. Yet, these “cheap” living methods let them live a rich life, full of travel, which they consider to be the most rewarding thing coming out of all of it.
Another person Bored Panda talked with was the owner of the Instagram page @thrifty__living. Her growing up in a thrifty household led to her understanding the value of money and that the value doesn’t always lie in designer brands or fancy things: “We were taught that there are more important things in life that money cannot buy, so why waste it on things that are not as important?”
Talking about her strategies for thrifty living, the page owner revealed she loves couponing apps, as they let her family save on everyday expenses and groceries. Just like our previous interviewees, she also loves thrift shopping, since there she manages to find amazing clothes and home goods.
She added that living frugally has become a form of a fun game for her. “I love to see what I can get for as little money as possible. My family jokes around with me about the money I make shopping or the free items I get from the store, but they're very supportive of it.”
#10
Went from renting an apartment to co-living (renting a room in a house which has 3 other occupants). Saved a ton of money.
#11
We stick to a zero dollar budget each month, with my husband and I basically giving ourselves an allowance for the month.
We buy off brand things where we can.
We use hand me downs for our son’s clothing, given to us by my brother or a friend.
My husband likes to shop at thrift stores for his clothes.
We pack a lunch each day for work rather than eating out or ordering food.
We use coupons and shop to stock up during sales (Safeway has great sales!).
And probably many other things as well!
#12
What’s the cheapest thing you’ve ever done to save a buck?
I cook enough for 2 meals, then put aside one portion to freeze. I use empty plastic margarine containers to freeze the food in.
I reuse the plastic bags from bread.
I always take my own plastic bags when I go shopping. I reuse these time and time again.
Thanks for the A2A, Adam.
Yet, it should be noted that thrifty living can present its own challenges. As @thrifty__living pointed out, some underconsumption enthusiasts tend to clutter their homes with cheap but relatively useless stuff, which in the end makes their lives only harder.
Angie and Jeff said that for them the biggest challenge is that with this lifestyle you have to make peace with the fact that sometimes you’re not going to be trendy and some people might even judge you for it. When something like this happens, the couple reminds themselves of what kind of freedom (especially for travel) it gives them, and this ends up outweighing all the negativity.
After all, life should be about what is best for you personally, not about what others think is good for you, shouldn’t it?
Check out the Instagram page of our interviewee @thrifty__living and Angie & Jeff's website, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube!
#13
I frequently salvage failed auto parts, disassemble them, and attempt to refurbish them. Many times I've been successful, so I e got a lot of spares for various vehicles. I also routinely fabricate odd tools. Most mechanics can relate. Why spend $ on a tool when I can make one to my own liking. Also, there are many occasions when there isn't a tool available to do what you need, so fabricating becomes a necessity as well as frugal.
#14
Collect condiment packets whenever I go out then squeeze or dump them into my old containers so I appear to be a normal person to anyone who asks for condiments at my house.
#15
I don't know which of these has saved most money, but they're all big. I've always shared my home with roommates or family or both. I bought my home in California as soon as I could afford it. (It would now cost about three times what I paid. The property taxes are based on the old purchase price.) I use a bicycle and occasional transit to prevent needing to buy, maintain, fuel, register, and insure an additional or newer car. I did without a car in college. I currently share one older, economical car with my husband. I don't smoke or drink. I don't wear makeup or do my nails. I cut my husband's hair and he cuts mine. We do many basic repairs and maintenance on our car, home, and appliances ourselves. I get most of my furniture and a significant fraction of my clothing secondhand for next to nothing. I purchased a moderately priced phone outright and have a good deal on my monthly phone plan. I pay credit card bills in full and don't carry a balance, so I don't pay interest or fees.
George Costanza 12 hours ago
"The property taxes are based on the old purchase price." That's certainly not how property taxes work in my state. The county assesses the property regularly based on market value. It has nothing to do with what you paid for the home.
#16
One of the things that comes to mind was when I received my 1st cell phone. I cancelled that land line phone, but those wires still had 6 volts running through them. Well, I connected those wires to a vehicle tail light assembly that I had, turning that into a low level night light. I expanded this to have a total of 3 night lights in dark areas of the house. It was free electricity and free light, 24/7/365. This saved me from having to turn on a few lights every night for quite a few years. People that know me say that I am tighter than 2 coats of paint but I don’t know where they get that from!
George Costanza 12 hours ago
Cellphones have flashlights on them. Don't even need a night light - just use the cellphone light to get around in the dark and use teeny fractions of a watt each time.
#17
I live in the center of an European capital. This means No car or parking costs. I have everything I need for daily life within walking distance including work Good and affordable public transport reaching around 100 km in either direction Low-cost air travel within Europe thanks to a well connected international airport A good university locally, so no student loans as I could live with my parents until graduation - it had other disadvantages, but financially it was great Renting not buying. 20% lower monthly cost as rent control keeps the rent from following the cost of loans in the area which have been rapidly rising for two decades.
#18
I cut a portion of cloth from an old T-shirt to cover up the hole in one of my shorts. I don’t immediately go out and buy several new pairs. When I was a teen, I bought decorative cloth patches and had my mom sew them onto my old pair of jeans to make it look brand new. I reuse gift bags that still look good.
#19
Reuse dryer sheets until they are completely cleared of the fine wax that suppresses static.
We can get 4–5 rounds out of one.
Paul Rabit 9 hours ago
I bought those wool dryer balls several years ago and never looked back.
#20
Re: What's the most frugal thing you do to save money?
Probably heating with firewood using a wood stove. Our winters are very cold where I live. My stove keeps my house comfortable for only about $600 a year. That saves between $1000 - $2000 a year.
I do my own cooking and never eat prepared foods which probably saves me $500 or more a year. Much more if you count not going to restaurants, never buying coffee at coffee shops, etc. I stopped drinking alcohol which saves about $1000 a year. I use my computer to access television content for a savings of some $600 a year.
#21
I save paper clips, twist ties and rubber bands.
George Costanza 12 hours ago
I save a few. But after a few they just pile up and make a mess. Only need a handful of each in the house at any time.
#22
I'm not very frugal in general, but I have definitely saved money this year by packing my lunch for work every day instead of eating out. I bag homemade meals in 1-cup servings and flatten them out in the freezer. I have stacks of these things! Very cheap and convenient, plus I've lost 25 pounds. :-)
#23
The local supermarket has trolleys that take a dollar to be used, and give back the dollar when you return it. Extra incentive to return the trolley, but I live in a well-off area and a lot of people still don’t bother.
I started visiting every night about 1am, and managed to make about $10 a night. It paid for groceries until I finally got a job
#25
One time I donated blood in college with a bunch of people before we went to a bar. To be fair, I was going to donate blood anyways, but a cheap buzz was a nice add on.
#27
I didn't want to heat my house in freezing temps in the middle of winter so I slept in a closet in the smallest room in my house with a space heater with my girlfriend at the time. Still with her 6 years later (this was like 4 months into the relationship lol).
#28
I used a workmate who's in University to register for Adobe products. He has an education email account so I got a bunch of 3 year Subs for freeeeeee.
#29
Let me tell you about the miracle called pasta. For $4.00 I can feed my family of six. If we’re gonna be ballers that week I’ll up that meal to $8.00 by getting some Italian sausage or ground beef.
And the kids only start to bitch about it after the fourth or fifth time in a row!
#30
Not me, but my dad. When he first moved out to California, he was living out of a car for a month or so. Most days, he would go to his local McDonald's, pick out a couple of ketchup packets, and that was his meal for the day. Along with a cup of water. He was super broke for a while.
It's pretty gross.
#31
I was ridiculously broke for a bit after kicking a roommate out but I had most of a flat of Campbell’s Tomato Soup still and I learned how to make bread using flour, salt, baking soda, and water. Also learned how to make homemade crackers. Think I lived like that for three or four weeks!
#32
My workplace had a basket of toilet rolls so I took a few each month (only for the period of 6 months). I only used about 2 rolls in a month.
George Costanza 12 hours ago
That's not "saving money". That's stealing. You were thieving from your work and should be fired.
#34
I walk the dog in neighborhoods that have dog poop bags provided. Haven't bought a roll of bags in 6 mo.
#35
I started an argument with my little brother a day before his birthday so I wouldn't have to buy him birthday present because I was too mad at him. He didn't fall for my BS and still demanded one.
#36
Oh. my, so many things. My husband and my mother used to watch me and say that I must have been in a famine in a past life because of the way I ate, made use of every little scrap of food, clothing, paper, and how I valued, what some might regard, as humble keepsakes. Gone without heat in winter using sleeping bags and our 3 dogs to stay warm. Gone without a working heater in a car while living in Lake Placid (sleeping bags come in handy in both cases). Lived on a bag of masa, water, cheap cheese, eggs occasionally, and salsa for many months. Had no cable tv the entire time I was a single mother. I still can go without tv for weeks. Shopped at salvation army, etc., for clothes, shoes, cups and plates. I have clothes I wore in high school to this day. I’ve never understood people who need new clothes every season. I drink water most of my life as my primary Bev. Public transportation where possible I use every scrap of food I can. I mean, every single sesame seed, every grain of rice, every thing. Nature is my favorite gymnasium.
#37
I did my own orthodontics. I was in my 30's and had a significant gap between my top two front teeth. I washed a rubber band from a newspaper and would put it around my upper teeth for an hour or two each day while studying. I also squeezed on my teeth, but only on a few occasions. My teeth came almost totally together in a few months.
Note: I'm not a dentist and not saying what you should do. I'm just telling what happened, as accurately as I can.
#38
My little girl. The life i lead, the things i do, the blessings i count, are for the promises tomorrow brings, my daughter is the only reason i live today, nothing comes to those who wait. Time is rushing out before you're rushing in. I need to live today, and of course i want more than i can give, but nothing ever lasts forever, my little girl lost her mum, all the shadows and the pain will catch her someday, and i just wanna be there to hold her and tell her I'm sorry. The next year will be tough, my girl is asking questions, but my pain has to be put aside, she has only just begun to live.
What do you think ?
Tele Avision 12 hours ago
To save money, I've been using the same condom for over 5 years. I just rinse it out and re-use it. The lawyers and paternity suits, I think cost me more.
Paul Rabit 8 hours ago
Honestly a lot of these aren't super helpful - I don't think the cost of paper clips and rubber bands is massively impacting the average person's budget.
Tele Avision 12 hours ago
To save money, I've been using the same condom for over 5 years. I just rinse it out and re-use it. The lawyers and paternity suits, I think cost me more.
Paul Rabit 8 hours ago
Honestly a lot of these aren't super helpful - I don't think the cost of paper clips and rubber bands is massively impacting the average person's budget.
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