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Being economic with your money and resources isn’t something that you should be ashamed of. Quite the opposite! Throwing wastefulness in the bin and embracing frugality, thriftiness, and creativity are the way to go—especially if we want our wallets and our environment to reap the rewards.
The r/Frugal subreddit, a community housing nearly 1.9 million savings-minded members, encourages people to take a different approach to spending. Using our heads more instead of opening our wallets wider, lies at the core of their philosophy. We’ve collected some of the best life hacks that will help you budget better and help protect our lovely Planet Earth at the same time.
Waste not, want not, so let’s get scrolling. Upvote the hacks that you found to be the most useful and if you’re feeling generous, share some of your own frugal-living tips, dear Pandas.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
I Work At A Travel Agency, And When We Have To “Destroy” Our Outdated Maps, I Reuse Them As Wrapping Paper
RELATED:
#2
Girlfriend And I Wanted A Large Mirror On Our Wall, But Didn't Want To Spend $$$ So We Found 6 Small Closet Door Mirrors On Sale For $4 Each
#3
I Saw A Previous Post Which Used Old Maps As Wrapping Paper, So Here Is My Old Music Used As Wrapping Paper!
The ‘Frugal’ online community lives by the motto, “Waste Less—Gain More!” And they’re absolutely right: there’s lots to gain from living less wasteful, more flexible lives.
“Frugality is the mental approach we each take when considering our resource allocations. It includes time, money, convenience, and many other factors,” the subreddit mods describe what their community is all about. Active since March of 2008, r/Frugal has since then entrenched itself in Reddit and formed a very sizeable niche for anyone and everyone who wants to embrace a more economic, less wasteful way of living life in the 21st century.
#4
Enjoying The Porch Of Our New Home, Where We Live Rent Free As Caretakers Of A Wildlife Sanctuary. Eight Hours Of Labor A Week In Exchange For What Would Be At Least $1300/Month
#5
Didn't Want To Waste The Failed Films So I Turned Them Into Little Paintings
#6
Don't Pay For Scientific Journals
TTorrest Author 3 years ago
Here to be a party pooper: Just please don't download *novels* for free off pirate sites. That's stealing.
In an interview for a previous Bored Panda article, I had a chat about saving on food costs if you’re a fast-food lover with Jake Butler from ‘Save the Student,’ a UK-based organization that advises students on how to make their money go further.
According to Jake, we have to talk about the obvious—you can save the most money on fast-food and takeaways by learning to say ‘no’ to tasty treats and cooking solely at home. However, not all hope is lost, dear Pandas!
You can make a lot of your fave fast-food meals at home. The best parts are that it’s way cheaper and that you have complete control over the nutritional value.
#7
Money Is A Bit Tight Right Now So I Made Some Homemade Halloween Decorations. Turned Out Pretty Good, I Think
#8
I Made Shelves Using Recycled Thrift Store Speakers
#9
My Wife’s Great Aunt Has Been Saving On A Birthday Card For 35 Years With Her Friend As They Just Send Each Other The Same Card Back And Forth To Each Other Every Year. How Cool Is The Card And The Story That It Has Created?
ellie angel urban 3 years ago
My Grandfather would gift my Grandmother the same Christmas card every year for many years. It was awesome because it had all the messages he'd written to her over the years for Christmas. Was really sweet.
“The good news is that you can easily recreate your favorites at home for a fraction of the price. It's much healthier this way too. Google is definitely your friend here as you can find fakeaway recipes from a number of sites. During the lockdown, McDonald’s even released instructions on how to make their famous breakfast egg McMuffin at home,” Jake from ‘Save the Student’ told Bored Panda that we don’t have to live without tasty food even if we’re saving money.
#10
Our Canning Haul For The Year, Still Have To Do Apples Yet. All Home Grown Veggies
Jo Davies 3 years ago
I also do this. Have a large veggie garden and I can freeze, pickle, make sauces to freeze and prepare for cooking and freeze. Also make my own frozen chips (French Fries) which are much better than store bought. Veggie peels and bones are made into stock. Saves a fortune, healthier and less waste.
#11
Been Using My Great Grandfather's Razor For A While Now. Decided To Clean And Polish It This Morning. Most Frugal Way To Shave. Blades Are Dirt Cheap! Before/After
#12
Both Of Our Children Used This Crib For The First 2.5 Years Of Their Lives. Trying To Get Another 5 Years Out Of It!
“The good news is that the ingredients for most of these recipes aren't too pricey and you can still hunt for bargains to make the dish cheaper. Buying in bulk is always a winner too when it comes to saving money so it's a great idea to get together with friends and maybe take it in turns to make your favorite fakeaways,” Jake said.
According to him, the essence of creating takeaways at home lies in the seasoning! “Salt and pepper won't break the bank, but they can make or break a meal. Don't forget that sugar can take a dish to the next level too.”
#13
Wedding For Under $3k USD. Dress For $15 USD. This Was Right For Us
Here's our cost breakdown. Only the daughters needed shoes. I did my own makeup, but purchased a few high quality items. Our marriage license cost includes the cost to have a mailed copy of the marriage certificate. Ring cost does not include the engagement ring. Thanks to Covid, we stayed well under budget. Full disclosure: we're having a destination wedding (vow renewal) in Oct 2021 with just immediate family, where we're paying for accommodations for all 25 people. I'd be happy with just our Covid wedding, but we are fortunate enough to be able to do both.
Venue (Park):$0.00- Justice of the Peace:$130.00- Marriage License:$70.00- Photographer:$200.00- Floral:$34.00- Attire: $258.53 (Bride $15.00, Groom $52.64, Son $52.64, Daughters (2) $138.25)- Makeup:$70.00- Rings:$1,986.88
Total $2,749.41
#14
I Asked My Local Farm Stand If They Had Any Damaged Produce They Couldn't Sell. They Gave Me All Of This For Free!
Jo Johannsen 3 years ago
Never hurts to ask. Offering something in exchange would be neighborly.
#15
I Recently Lost A Lot Of Weight And Had To Replace My Whole Wardrobe. I Didn't Want To Throw Away Old Clothes That Still Had Some Kind Of Life, So Here We See 11 Leggings, 9 Tank Tops, 1 Top, And (Part Of) One Skirt Repurposed Into A Rug
Freya the Wanderer 3 years ago
I was about to write essentially the same thing. If Kitty approves, it's a winner.
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Juliana Daigneault 3 years ago
I guess, but this is a second life and you are still saving what you paid for. Not saying you shouldn’t donate clothes
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Gabby M 3 years ago (edited)
You could have also donated them to a homeless/migrant shelter. But the rug is really cool too. I like the design.
Marlowe Fitzpatrik 3 years ago
My thoughts, but maybe she did donate most of it but some stuff wasn't good enough for donation. Sometimes you have clothes with tears or some unexplained spots on them and you just can't give them away. It's way too small a rug for ALL her clothes to be in there ;-)
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ispeak catanese 3 years ago
Anyone else try to measure the cat's tail? I came up with 11 inches +/-
Anthony Nizza 3 years ago
I was going to say that's a really long tail!!!
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Chris Creighton 3 years ago
Omg my parents made rag rugs when I was growing up. What memories. I didn't know how poor we were.
Brian Bennett 3 years ago
I would like this but no talent me. If I made it the cat would leave, I'm afraid. Good job well done!
... 3 years ago
The skirt maybe. But giving your old leggins to charity, umm.. no.
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Dorothy Cloud 2 years ago
Oh, I remember that kind of rug. My Mom & Grandma made them. It was fun to find our clothing in the rugs!
Lord Mysticlaw 3 years ago
My family passes clothes round and round since there's always someone gaining weight and losing weight and kids growing.
SunofSpringtime 3 years ago
To everyone else that suggest to donate the clothes, most of donated clothes got thrown away in the end. Sometimes because of the poor quality, but most of the time because too much supply and much lesser demand. Bye creating the rugs, at least they're being used.
#16
Check The International Foods Aisle For Spices. Price Difference Of Two Aisles Over At My Local Grocery
Marcellus the Third 3 years ago
No, leave the supermarket and go to the 'immigrant' minimarket.
#17
Built A Table Out Of Shipping Pallets Left For Trash Outside A Shipping Center! Total Cost: $23
#18
To Whoever Shared Wine And Painting Date Night Idea - Thank You!
#19
I Built A Chicken Coop For Free Out Of Materials From Craigslist
#20
Beaded And Appliqued This Rust-Stained Dress And Wore It To A Wedding
#21
Pet Tip (Oc): Save All Semi-Viable Parts Of "Dead" Dog Toys, Order Some Replacement Squeakers, And Make A New Super Fun Franken-Toy!
#22
I Made A Two Piece Outfit Out Of This Men’s Shirt I Got For $2.50 At Salvation Army
crazy_cat_notAlady 3 years ago
wow! that's $2.50 and heaps of talent. i got $2.50, but zero talent. I'd probably just end up with a pre-loved shirt in my closet till I decide to sell it for $.50 or give it away. (speaking from experience)
#23
About 6 Years Ago I Ditched Paper Towels And Switched To Cotton Shop Towels. I Bought 150 Off Amazon For About $30. They Have Been Life Changing For Staying Frugal And Eco Conscious! I Keep A “Garbage Can” In My Kitchen To Separate These Out And Wash When Full With Hot Water, Detergent, And Bleach
Roe Rainrunner 3 years ago
I use them. But I keep asking myself: Is "washing them in hot water with bleach" really better for the environment than paper kitchen towels?
#24
Couple Years Back I Ripped Out A Deck For My (Now Passed) Great Uncle. My Grandpa And I Saved The Pieces For When Eventually I Could Have My Own Back Yard! We Just Built It Today! Free Wood And 5 Hours Of Work!
#25
My Husband Loves Berry Jam, But Berries Are Quite Expensive This Year, So I Decided To Forage Instead Of Buying, And Picked Over 4kg. Of Them
Rikke Visby Wickberg 3 years ago
Remember to only pick, what you need. Those coming by after you would also like to pick some.
#26
Some Cheap Rit Dye Made My Old Backpack Look New Again
#27
The Tool Set Gift I Got My Dad For Father's Day Was Heavy And Awkward To Wrap Traditionally, So I Bought A Small Tarp And A Pack Of Colorful Bungee Cords To Act As Gift Wrap And Ribbon! Practical And Only Cost Me $10!
#28
Oh The Life Of An Electricians Wife, Forced To Strip For Extra Cash!
Brandy Grote 3 years ago
Copper is about $3 a pound. Stripping the coatings from wire scraps is a mindless task. Great way to make a few extra bucks!
#29
I Combined A Broken Hockey Stick And Rake Into A Much Stronger Rake. Is This A Win?
#30
Spent $2 On 4 Heads Of Garlic Last Fall, Now I Have Over 70 Heads Of Garlic All Braided Together
1. Separate the heads into cloves
2. Plant in dirt 6ish inches apart in the fall
3. Wait until summer when the leaves start to die back
4. Harvest and braid into beautiful vampire necklaces
#31
Lowe's Employee Here: My Manager Told Me To Throw Away Bags Of Seeds Because We Needed Floor Space For Other Products. I Asked For A Deal And Got Each Back For 3-5 Cents. Regular Price Is $1.09-$2.49 269 Bags For Retail Price Of $646.59. I Payed $5.40
#32
Not Paying For Expensive Spices Shelf. Instead, My Boyfriend Made This From Old Bed Slats. Jars From Mustard, Jams Etc. To Keep Homemade Seasoning Blends
Kirsten Kerkhof 3 years ago
Clumsy me would take out one and knocks five others clean off the shelf ...
#33
Whenever I Get A Dish Sponge That Is Past Its Lifetime For Washing Dishes, I Always Cut It In Half And Then Retire Those Sponges For Household Cleaning Around The Bathroom And Other Dirty Areas. Cutting In Half Make Sure That They Never Get Used For Dishes Again
Jo Johannsen 3 years ago
I cut the new ones up into 4-6 pieces. If they get so gunky washing them isn't worth the time, water, and effort, toss it and grab the next one. Note: you usually do the scrubbing with the force of two to three middle fingers, so why use a scrubber the size of your whole hand?
#34
Learned This From My Mom. Everytime You Buy Chives/Green Onion Just Cut Most Of It Off And Use Them Or Store Them In The Fridge. Then Put The Roots In A Cup With Half An Inch Of Water. Regrows Back To Full Size Or More Within A Few Days. Can Repeat Up To About 2-4 Times If You Have A Good Batch
#35
I Think You'll Like The Gift I Got From My Frugal Aunt
#36
A Little Cleaning And A $30 Leather Repair Kit, And It's Almost As Good As New!
#37
In An Effort To Make My Iced Tea Obsession Less Expensive And Also In Trying To Be Less Wasteful, I Took The Labels Off Of A Pack Of Snapple Bottles And I've Been Using Them To Make My Own Iced Tea For A While. It's Seriously Has Cut My Drink Cost Down By Like 90%
#38
Finally Figured Out How To Extend The Life Of My Fresh Spinach To Avoid Waste And Enjoy It Longer! Transferring To A Zip Lock Bag After Purchase And Inserting A Folded Paper Towel Reduces The Moisture That Collects In The Original Bag. Still Fresh Weeks Later Instead Of Spoiling Within A Week!
#39
Made Some Cinnamon Sugar Cookies From Leftover Pie Crust
#40
I Used To Throw Away All The Stuff My Kid Gets From Goody Bags At Other Birthday Parties. Now I Recycle Them And Put Them In A Piñata On Her Birthday
#41
My Local Supermarket Sells 'Miss-Shaped' Fruit And Veg For Several Dollars Cheaper Than Regular Produce - Easy Way To Save A Few Bucks, Plus The Packaging Is Super Cute!
#42
Cloths Pins Are $1 For 100 And So Much Better Than Plastic Chip Clips
indiecognition 3 years ago
Binder clips are another good way to do this. Keep a few in your kitchen.
#43
Made A Staircase With Rocks And Repurposed Cement Slabs
#44
I Got Bids From Tile Setters To Do A Backsplash For $2000. I Ended Up Doing It Myself For Under $200
#45
Basically Getting Paid To Exercise, While Helping Clean Up The Neighborhood. Collecting Cans While Getting My Steps In. Frugal Af!
#46
My Frugal Friends, I Just Made My Bathroom Counter Look Like This With An $11.99 Roll Of Adhesive Paper. Now I Wanna Cover Everything With It
#47
Never Buying Bread Again. I Realized I Can Bake About 50 Loaves Of Bread From 50 Lb Of Flour. Mega Savings
Kirsten Kerkhof 3 years ago
My mother bakes all her own bread. The only tip she gives other who want to give baking a try that you will mess up a few loaves in the beginning, and then the occasional loaf because of circumstances.
#48
Always Check The Weight
Andy Acceber 3 years ago
Wow chicken is expensive in Canada! What's the unit of weight they're using? (Where I live in the U.S., chicken breast is frequently on sale for $1.99/lb.)
#49
Psa: It's Time To Oil Your Leather Boots
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What do you think ?
Norah 3 years ago
What I love is that frugal and sustainable go hand in hand. Almost all of these solutions are also less wasteful / more environmentally friendly than the 'expensive' option!
Tracy Wallick 3 years ago
I do my best to be frugal and sustainable, but as someone with several mental illnesses, more than a few of these just aren't feasible for me. Besides not having any sewing talent, when I have a depressive episode, things like pre-cut fruit, donating instead of upcycling (clutter makes my depression worse), or ordering food in are real lifesavers that make my quality of life a lot better than it would be otherwise.
Earl Grey 3 years ago
This took me back to the 1990’s! There was a very popular lifestyle newsletter called The Tightwad Gazette, edited by Amy Dacyczyn, that elevated frugality to an entertaining art form and competitive game. The complete series is available in several volumes and you can find it on Amazon.
Leo Domitrix 3 years ago
I am American, I was raised to live frugally, still do, so please don't assume. Thank you.
Load More Replies...
M O'Connell 3 years ago
Another tip for saving money: don't be a cheapskate when buying lightbulbs. The cheapest LED lamp for a given brightness output is going to be very poorly made (few chips driven at very high current, inadequate heat sinking, etc.) $0.25 can make a huge difference in how long that lamp lasts which helps you and the environment in the long run.
Ka Se 3 years ago
Lots of of these things involve a lot of work and time to work out. Therefore the "real" costs are a lot higher. However, if you enjoy it you should definitely do it.
Marlowe Fitzpatrik 3 years ago
Which ones? Cutting cloth into parts? Putting a ribbon on a pillow-case? Maybe dunking onions in water? Most of these are easy to do for anyone.
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Raven DeathShade 3 years ago
Oh dear, I think I can hear Uncle Sam screaming from the dungeon...this cannot do.
Never Stop Learning 3 years ago
All us "Baby Boomers" raised by our parents that lived through the depression know many, many ways to be frugal. Unfortunately many still choose not to be frugal.
Small Galaxy 3 years ago
And yet you guys didn't teach your kids. Sounds like your parents were decent enough to teach you guys, yet you neglected to pass on the knowledge.
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Leo Domitrix 3 years ago
They're normal for Americans, too. Thank you, from: a big segment of America.
Load More Replies...
Leo Domitrix 3 years ago
Why is everyone so sure Americans don't do this? With few exceptions, everyone I know is into this kind of living, and so were our parents, grandparents, etc. Reduce, re-use, recycle, repair. And I've lived in different regions of the US, so am really wondering why everyone thinks only Americans are wasteful, etc. ...
Load More Replies...
Norah 3 years ago
What I love is that frugal and sustainable go hand in hand. Almost all of these solutions are also less wasteful / more environmentally friendly than the 'expensive' option!
Tracy Wallick 3 years ago
I do my best to be frugal and sustainable, but as someone with several mental illnesses, more than a few of these just aren't feasible for me. Besides not having any sewing talent, when I have a depressive episode, things like pre-cut fruit, donating instead of upcycling (clutter makes my depression worse), or ordering food in are real lifesavers that make my quality of life a lot better than it would be otherwise.
Earl Grey 3 years ago
This took me back to the 1990’s! There was a very popular lifestyle newsletter called The Tightwad Gazette, edited by Amy Dacyczyn, that elevated frugality to an entertaining art form and competitive game. The complete series is available in several volumes and you can find it on Amazon.
Leo Domitrix 3 years ago
I am American, I was raised to live frugally, still do, so please don't assume. Thank you.
Load More Replies... M O'Connell 3 years ago
Another tip for saving money: don't be a cheapskate when buying lightbulbs. The cheapest LED lamp for a given brightness output is going to be very poorly made (few chips driven at very high current, inadequate heat sinking, etc.) $0.25 can make a huge difference in how long that lamp lasts which helps you and the environment in the long run.
Ka Se 3 years ago
Lots of of these things involve a lot of work and time to work out. Therefore the "real" costs are a lot higher. However, if you enjoy it you should definitely do it.
Marlowe Fitzpatrik 3 years ago
Which ones? Cutting cloth into parts? Putting a ribbon on a pillow-case? Maybe dunking onions in water? Most of these are easy to do for anyone.
Load More Replies... Raven DeathShade 3 years ago
Oh dear, I think I can hear Uncle Sam screaming from the dungeon...this cannot do.
Never Stop Learning 3 years ago
All us "Baby Boomers" raised by our parents that lived through the depression know many, many ways to be frugal. Unfortunately many still choose not to be frugal.
Small Galaxy 3 years ago
And yet you guys didn't teach your kids. Sounds like your parents were decent enough to teach you guys, yet you neglected to pass on the knowledge.
Load More Replies... Leo Domitrix 3 years ago
They're normal for Americans, too. Thank you, from: a big segment of America.
Load More Replies... Leo Domitrix 3 years ago
Why is everyone so sure Americans don't do this? With few exceptions, everyone I know is into this kind of living, and so were our parents, grandparents, etc. Reduce, re-use, recycle, repair. And I've lived in different regions of the US, so am really wondering why everyone thinks only Americans are wasteful, etc. ...
Load More Replies...
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