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Living Well On A Budget: 50 Practical Tips From Frugal People Who Have Mastered The Art Of Saving Money (New Pics)
If you have other hobbies than your work, food, and sleep, you might have stopped to think about how to save money for things that bring you joy. Or maybe sometimes, you would like to get yourself a more expensive but quality product that will serve you better and longer. Well, for some people, frugal living is the answer.
Though frugal living can have a negative connotation, it does have its perks. To save money does not mean exchanging everything that you consume for a cheaper version of it. Most of the time, frugal living contributes to more sustainable living, like buying better quality clothes at thrift stores instead of fast fashion. Or, planning your meals instead of eating out every day, which also benefits your health. However, in some cases, you literally cannot afford something and have to improvise with what you already have.
So today, Pandas, we have selected some tips from the subreddit r/Frugal that might help you save an extra buck or just reevaluate what is actually important for you so that you can spend your income more wisely.
More info: frugalrules.com
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
I Love The Library Most Because It Saves Money
trollingergirl 1 year ago
In some libraries, you can also have some good quiet time for yourself, or read a book with your child, all in peace. Some libraries even have board games or other games. Ours even has two computers to do homework or research and such, if you cannot do this at home.
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#2
We Have Sent The Same Card For Nearly 20 Years
#3
4 Months Ago, I Planted Some Sprouted Potatoes In A Small Pot On My Balcony. Here's My First Harvest!
To learn more about frugal living, we’ve reached out to frugalrules.com, a blog started by John Schmoll, which later evolved into an online community that covers topics such as attacking debt, investing, frugality, financial products and tools, financial literacy, and much more.
“I had $50,000 in credit card and student loan debt when I graduated from college. At the brink of bankruptcy, I was forced to look for ways to cut back and save so I could apply money to my debt. That continued when I got married, and we still live frugally today,” John said.
After John managed to pay off his loan, he was inspired to help others manage their expenses more wisely.
#4
We Live In Northern Canada, Land Of Runaway Food Prices. Some Of Our Harvest Saved For Winter. What Started As A Hobby Has Become A Necessity
#5
I’m An Avid Reader And Have Saved Over $8k Using The Library This Year
trollingergirl 1 year ago
And isn`t it wonderful to read books and enjoy them, books that you would never have been able to afford? Like really grand books about architecture, or art (you know, the so called coffee table books?) Or to binge read, say, 2-3 books over the holiday or the weekend, just for the sheer fun of it? Or the luxury of bringing back a book, after having read just a few pages and realizing you don`t like it, without having the feeling to read it out of a sense of duty.
#6
Ex Wife Was Gonna Throw This Out So I Refinished It. Happy With The Results
Since not everyone is well acquainted with frugal living, people still have misconceptions about it being cheap or that you clip coupons all day. “Many people hear frugality, and they think you reuse dental floss or paper towels and that you can't do anything fun. That's not the case, especially with the former. We explain that we do fun things, but that we're purposeful with our spending to allow for us to do those things and not give us frugality,” shared John.
John continued explaining how they balance saving money and living a fulfilling life: “We focus on what's important to us and what areas we're fine cutting back on to find a balance. We encourage readers to not view frugality as an all or nothing approach, but to identify those things they want to save on so they can spend on things that matter to them."
#7
The Perks Of Having A Connection To A Local Egg Farm. They Sell Eggs Commercially, But The Biggest Ones Don’t Fit In Their Cartons And They Sell Me A Dozen Of Them For $2! Most Are Double Yolkers
#8
Found These Pretty Plates And Mugs Sitting By The Trash Collection Area!
#9
One Year Ago Today I Made This Cremation Casket When My Dad Passed Shortly After Being Diagnosed With Cancer. The Cheapest Cremation Box Shown To Us Was $850cad, I Made This For $120. Don't Let Funeral Homes Hit You When You're Grieving
Inflation is a major concern for people who prioritize frugal living as it can significantly impact their ability to save money and stick to a budget. Kayla shared that this is the most popular topic among their readers and they are curious about how to deal with it. “We speak with readers all the time looking to deal with rising costs. Finding ways to cut down on entertainment costs is also popular. We get many of our ideas from speaking with readers or following the news,” wrote John.
The rising costs of basic necessities like food, housing, and healthcare can make it difficult for individuals and families to make ends meet, particularly those with fixed incomes or limited financial resources. In addition to inflation, entertainment costs are also a key area of focus for frugal living enthusiasts, who are always on the lookout for affordable and creative ways to have fun and enjoy leisure time without breaking the bank. By staying informed about the latest trends and strategies in frugal living, readers can stay one step ahead of rising costs and stay on track toward their financial goals.
#10
Mom Always Said “Don’t Waste Your Money On Stupid Books!” So Here’s My Collection Of Fully Thrifted/Donated Stupid Books
trollingergirl 1 year ago
There are lots of frugal book lovers out there! I do this too, in our village (Germany) we have a weatherproof closet outdoors, where you can take books for free. You can also donate books. Volunteers exchange the assortment weekly and make sure that there are not too many or too few books in the cupboard. It is always worthwhile to stop by, sometimes you can find antiquarian books. Wonderful!
#11
Can't Afford A Home Or Yard For My Kid, So I Built One With A Pool And A Sandbox On Our Tiny Patio
#12
I Needed Something To Hold My Shampoo/Conditioner Bars, So I Made This With Chopsticks Leftovers
The frugal living movement has undergone significant evolution over the years, with an increasing emphasis on mindful consumption and reducing consumerism. John shared her thoughts on the future of this movement in the coming years: “We see it moving more towards living a purposeful lifestyle. Frugality is often mistaken for being miserly or spending on nothing. That's not the case. We hope to encourage readers to see you can have balance and that frugal living gives freedom, not total restriction."
#13
We Get Our Kids To Design Labels For Home Made Preserves To Give Away As Gifts At Christmas
#14
My Lesson For Today: Check Prices Carefully! We Found These In The Regular Meat Section Today And The Price Was Honored!
#15
I Recently Had A Very Large Tree Collapse In My Back Yard. Rather Than Paying The Arborist Several Hundred Dollars For Stump Removal, I Turned It Into What Is Now A Very Fertile Vegetable Garden
HangryHangryHippo 1 year ago
Found the response on the original post: "Pumpkins, sunflowers, and some garlic in the middle you can’t see"
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over it already 1 year ago
A better idea, actually. There's no way this vegetable garden above is going to thrive without a lot of selective pruning - it's way too crowded for anything other than flowers or herbs imo.
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Chris O'Quinn 1 year ago
We have a stump in our front yard. We put nuts and seeds on it and use it as a bird feeder.
yellowphantom 1 year ago
You are lucky you don't have an HOA that makes you get rid of it. They always seem to have it in for stumps!
Marilyn Russell 1 year ago
Doubtful - cilantro doesn’t look like that and doesn’t like full sun.
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#16
Replaced Luggage Wheels For 13 Bucks
#17
$8 Worth Of Food At My Local Discount Grocery Yesterday (Pennsylvania, USA)
#18
Refinished My Old Bag Instead Of Buying A New One
#19
This Redditor Turned Their Old Jeans Into Pot Holders. I Think They Look Great
#20
I Had So Much Fun Making These Cartoon Gift Wrapping! Inspired By The Borderlands Videogame
#21
Needed A Flat Dryer Rack But Don’t Have Room For One So I Repurposed These Tension Curtain Rods That Were Headed For A Garage Sale Otherwise. It’s Not Much But I Love It
#22
New Skill Unlocked! I've Been Learning How To Sew And Altered The Neckline Of This $3 Shirt I Thrifted
#23
Low Effort, Try A Food Processor Or Butcher Knife, But Cute, Frugal, Earth-Friendly Fall Confetti
#24
Bought 30 Pounds Of Bananas For Super Cheap
trollingergirl 1 year ago
This is wonderful. Bananas are healthy (for most people) and make you satisfyingly full. They contain: Minerals such as potassium and magnesium, Trace elements. Vitamins, especially vitamin B6 and vitamin C. Carbohydrates (in the form of starch), which are converted into sugar during ripening. ... Dietary fiber such as cellulose, lignin and pectin. Also, you can always use a banana for scale :-)
#25
Picked Up This Moldy, Broken Vanity For $25 And Only Bought New Knobs And Feet. Now I Have A Piece Of Solid Wood Furniture
#26
Cutting Open The Makeuptube To Use It All. Had About 10 Days Worth Left
#27
Made Professional Looking Candles From Babybel Wax, And Old Tuna Cans
#28
13 “Empty” Lotion Bottles Clam-Shelled Produced 36oz That Would Normally Be Tossed. I Can’t Be The Only One Out There, Right?
#29
My Freebie Fire Pit! Made From Bricks I Got On Fb Marketplace
#30
Made My Own Swiffer Pads With My Brothers Old Sweat Pants
Susan Robinson 1 year ago
I am currently using old underwear that doesn’t fit and socks with holes to dust and bring down cobwebs. I was just going to throw them out anyway, but now they have a purpose. I also use old dryer sheets for the same things.
#31
Neighbor Threw This Awesome Chair To The Curb. One Screw Fixed The Tilt Problem!
Megan Curl 1 year ago
May I call attention to the empty liquor bottle collection? As a homemade vanilla enthusiast, bravo!
#32
Social Media Is Full Of Elaborate, Costly Van Life Builds. Anyone In A Van May Be Frugal, But I'm Too Frugal To Build Mine Like That, Focusing On The Functionality Of It Rather Than The Looks... You Know What? It's Basic, But It's Been Perfectly Awesome For Six Years Now. Frugality For The Win!
#33
U-Pick Farms Are A Great Way To Get Very Inexpensive Produce! 22lbs For $22 And We'll Make Enough Jam For A Couple Years
PandaGoPanda 1 year ago
Home-made jam is lovely, and you can use all sorts of fruit, but you can buy jam almost as cheaply as you can make it by the time you've bought sugar, pectin, utilities, even if you already have the jars.
#34
Put Your Green Onions On Your Windowsill To Keep Them From Going Bad And To Grow An Unending Supply
Celia McReynolds Tinsley 1 year ago
Just make sure to change the water at least every other day or the onions get slimy inside.
#35
Using Pen Springs To Reduce Wear On Your Especially Fragile Power Cables! (Darn You Apple)
#36
My Dryer Has Been Doing Laundry Flawlessly Since It Was Made In 1976
#37
$30 Total Thanks To The “Too Good To Go” App. Plenty Of Baked Goods For The Whole Family And The Rest Will Be Frozen
Fabian Bernard 1 year ago
The only app I'm using. We often get a stack of good cheeses and charcuterie for a few euros
#38
I Broke My Broom Killing A Wasp. A Couple Of Zip Ties + Some Tape, And It's Been Fine For 3 Years
#39
Rip Kirkland Foodservice Foil. We Had A Good 7 Year Run
Mama Penguin 1 year ago (edited)
It lasts a really long time. Mine is more than 2 years old and I still have so much left on the roll.
#40
Just An Example Of Right Place Right Time These Normally Go For Around 9-10 Dollars A Pound In My Area But They Had Just Switched To New Packaging And The Marked The Old Label Down To 99 Cents At My Local Kroger
#41
70 Lbs Of Potatoes I Grew From Seed Potatoes From A Garden Store And An Old Bag Of Russets From My Grandma’s Pantry. Total Cost: $10
#42
Frugal Win: Extended The Life Of My Grubby Looking Converse With A Bottle Of Black Dye!
#43
We Had A Good Run. 20 Years Of Service-Finally Used The Last Of It Today
#44
I Don’t Know Who Needs To Hear This But Mason Jars Will Perfectly Preserve Your Berries For Several Weeks
#45
Maybe Most People Already Do This, But This Is For Those Who Don’t. Put Those Butter Wrappers To Good Use And Grease Your Baking Dishes With The Butter Left Stuck To The Wrapper. You Might Be Surprised How Little Can Go A Long Way
Rachel Parker 1 year ago
Those butter wrappers are grease-proof paper. You can literally use them to line your dish. Use buttery side in towards the cake. Then when it's cooked you just remove the cake which now isn't stuck and peel off the paper.
#46
Don’t Forget Your Free Birthday Food!
#47
Don’t Throw Away Your “Empty” Lotion Bottles
#48
Infant’s And Children’s Tylenol Are Both 160mg/5ml, But Infant’s Is Usually Almost Double The Cost. It’s Just Marketing And The Inclusion Of A Syringe. Save The Syringe Once And Then Buy Children’s
#49
Some Of The Sauces I’ve Hoarded For The Husband. He Has Any Kind Of Sauce He Could Possibly Want For Free
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What do you think ?
Frances M 1 year ago
So many of these frugal tips require you to have tons of freezer space or shelf space. Or to save lots of almost empty tubs/tubs and then mix and match them all together. Frugal? yes. Some of them really useful? Yes. Most of them? No.
James Frail 1 year ago
Or that you have either a special circumstance or jusy plain luck. Having a farming connection or finding a thrifted item? Not applicable to just anyone.
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Oliver Coine 1 year ago
I think some of these people missed the point..And also wasted a bunch of lotion in open air containers. These could be helpful tips; 1. If you need a book,movie,access to a computer - Go to a library. Some five you a free card, some make you pay once but then you have access to literally all of the information you could need. 2. Look up the fruits and veggies you eat daily, there's a good chance you might be able to grow them in a pot right on your balcony. Sometimes you can get starter plants from friends if you're lucky! 3. Buy in bulk and freeze what you don't plan to eat; meat, veggies, fruits. You can easily thaw what you need for the next day and not have to spend extra. 4. Learn to cook at home. Pizza, pastries, hearty meals, etc. If you can do that, you'll not spend 20$ on a pizza, but 3$ on ingredients and even have left overs for the next day! I hope this helps someone.
Green Tree 1 year ago
The free way.to upgrade your home is to deep clean, de-clutter and look at the space with fresh eyes.
Cyndielouwhoo 1 year ago
A couple on here are actually helpful for me, even though my family is pretty frugal, a lot of times these lists only have lame obvious ideas.
BingoMark 1 year ago (edited)
??? May you please explain? I don't get the 'generational trauma' from The Great Depression.
Load More Replies... Frances M 1 year ago
So many of these frugal tips require you to have tons of freezer space or shelf space. Or to save lots of almost empty tubs/tubs and then mix and match them all together. Frugal? yes. Some of them really useful? Yes. Most of them? No.
James Frail 1 year ago
Or that you have either a special circumstance or jusy plain luck. Having a farming connection or finding a thrifted item? Not applicable to just anyone.
Load More Replies... Oliver Coine 1 year ago
I think some of these people missed the point..And also wasted a bunch of lotion in open air containers. These could be helpful tips; 1. If you need a book,movie,access to a computer - Go to a library. Some five you a free card, some make you pay once but then you have access to literally all of the information you could need. 2. Look up the fruits and veggies you eat daily, there's a good chance you might be able to grow them in a pot right on your balcony. Sometimes you can get starter plants from friends if you're lucky! 3. Buy in bulk and freeze what you don't plan to eat; meat, veggies, fruits. You can easily thaw what you need for the next day and not have to spend extra. 4. Learn to cook at home. Pizza, pastries, hearty meals, etc. If you can do that, you'll not spend 20$ on a pizza, but 3$ on ingredients and even have left overs for the next day! I hope this helps someone.
Green Tree 1 year ago
The free way.to upgrade your home is to deep clean, de-clutter and look at the space with fresh eyes.
Cyndielouwhoo 1 year ago
A couple on here are actually helpful for me, even though my family is pretty frugal, a lot of times these lists only have lame obvious ideas.
BingoMark 1 year ago (edited)
??? May you please explain? I don't get the 'generational trauma' from The Great Depression.
Load More Replies...
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