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Written by Deb Kingsbury
Living on a 36-acre off-grid property in northern Arizona, Deb and her husband Jeremy embrace sustainable living through solar power, rainwater harvesting, and a passive solar home built with recycled polystyrene block. A freelance writer and editor, Deb grows food in raised beds and a greenhouse and is an avid hiker and backpacker. A long-time search & rescue volunteer, she has published two novels and previously homesteaded on the East Coast.
Deb's Tips For Frugal Living
Yes, I know, there are a gazillion web pages about how to save money ... and here's one more.
Budgeting and saving have always been important to me, and I was taught to do so from an early age. I remember sitting at the kitchen table with my parents from the time I was in my single digits, listening to and watching them review the family budget. When I eventually started adulting, that experience—and work and some good luck—led me to a comfortable though fairly frugal lifestyle, which is now happily off-grid, too.
To me, keeping a budget is a big part of the equation. Looking at ways to cut down on expenses is also really important to this more sustainable way of living, so I thought I'd put together my own list of suggestions.
A Favorite Frugal Quote:
Use it up.
Wear it out.
Make it do.
Or do without.
This saying was used frequently during the Great Depression.
Money-Saving Ideas
From pinching pennies to potentially saving thousands
Here are a bunch of suggestions to consider in the "spend less" category. Many (or even most) of them may fall into the "duh!" and "that's old news" categories, but it doesn't hurt to review once in a while to see where you (or, speaking for myself, I) can do more.
So, in no particular order, here's my brainstorming session of ways to save money, ranging from big changes to very, very small tweaks and some with links to more information:
Shopping: Groceries & More
We've all heard this one: Buy in bulk (as long as you know you'll use it all). That doesn't mean you have to go to a Sam's Club or Costco—even at your regular grocery store, both edible and non-edible goods are often cheaper per unit when buying larger packages. This might include toilet paper, dry goods like rice, beans and pasta, garbage bags, etc. A good sale can be a good time to buy in bulk. That said, check those per-unit amounts to ensure you get the most product for your money. Here's an article from US News about the best items to buy in bulk.
Another "we've heard this a million times" suggestion: Eat in more and out less. Obviously, eating out less often can save a LOT. If you go out twice a week, maybe cut down to once. If once a week, try for every other week. (To me, it's more of an event or treat when we do it less often.)
When you eat out, consider places where you can order and pick up at the counter. This can save on tips. (I know, I know: We're pressured a/k/a prompted to tip even at the counter these days, but it's up to you if you want to.)
If going to places (i.e., food vendors) that charge a fee for using a credit card, take enough cash instead. An extra quarter here, 50 cents there, can add up. Sometimes, there's a percentage fee for using a credit card (I've seen as much as 3%).
Bring a bag lunch to work. I know it's tough, but don't go out to eat or order in. Go for a walk during lunch if you need to get out for a bit.
Take advantage of happy hours and two-for-one deals. At one local shop, we can get two smoothies for the price of one between 4 and 6 pm. (Better yet, we save even more when we make them at home in our blender.)
Shop with a list and make lists by recipe. Don't impulse buy. (This applies to things other than groceries, too.)
Plan meals around what's on sale at your local grocery store and farmers market. On a related note: shop what's in season.
Cut down on processed foods and cook from scratch (which is healthier anyway). A crock pot or Instapot (<--we use ours almost daily for various types of cooking) is a great way to cook with little effort. And the leftovers can last for a few days.
Avoid pre-cut or pre-packaged foods like pre-chopped vegetables or individually wrapped snacks; they are often more expensive than buying whole.
Buy store or no-name brands (unless the name brand is less with a coupon or store special).
Use store-specific apps (i.e., we use Safeway) to add deals and coupons to use with your loyalty card number and earn rewards you can redeem for cash savings.
Use cash-back apps like Ibotta, Rakuten, and Honey to earn money back on both in-store and online purchases.
Cut out soda pop. Even diet soda. It's just not good for you (I actually lost weight when I cut out diet or calorie-free sodas). Maybe have it as a treat once a month if you really miss the bubbly stuff.
Make coffee at home. Those stops at the coffee shop or drive-through coffee places can add up fast.
Shop at second-hand stores for more than just clothing. Sometimes, the stuff is new.
Forego the expensive shampoos and conditioners. Personally, I find the cheaper stuff is fine for my sensitive, curly hair. (These days, I use zero-waste solid hair care products with paper or cardboard packaging to avoid plastic. Given how long they last, I save money over bottled products.)
Don’t buy bottled water. Filter from your sink (if necessary).
Pass up a really good deal if you don't need it. Just because something is selling at half-price or a buy-two-get-one-free deal, consider whether it's something you need or really want.
Swap/barter on Craigslist.org, for example. (Look for your state and city, and then the bartering section. There's also a free section, and you can post what you're looking for, not just what you have.)
Check out Freecycle.org for free stuff in your area.
Instead of buying gifts, consider making or doing things for people. This might include cleaning their home or car, doing some yard work, or a helping with a home improvement project. You might cook them a nice meal or bake them some goodies. You can give homemade gift coupons for things you'll do for someone rather than buy stuff. The ideas are endless.
Energy, Gasoline, & Water Savings
It may be a no-brainer, but it's easy to forget: Turn off the lights when you leave the room.
Turn off strip switches when electronics aren't in use. Turn off the smart TV, the cable or satellite TV box, and Blu-ray players, for example. While we're now completely off-grid, running on solar power, we notice a significant difference in our battery charge each morning when we turn off strip switches at night before going to bed.
Unplug battery chargers and electronics that operate by remote when not in use because they still draw power when they're off. You can also buy a device that will do this for you and that you can control remotely, such as a Smart Plug Energy Saving Power Strip, which will stop drawing electricity when the gadgets are off and pay for itself within a few months.
Shut down the computer when it's not in use.
Use compact fluorescent or, better yet, LED bulbs.
Turn down the thermostat a few degrees and wear fleece, down booties, etc. Put an extra blanket on the bed. Maybe try fleece or flannel sheets. According to the Alliance To Save Energy, for every degree you lower your thermostat, you can subtract 5% from your energy bill. I read that a programmable thermostat will save more than twice its price in a year as it adjusts the temperature for you when you're away or asleep.
Use a clothesline in nice weather instead of the dryer.
Pull shades and close blinds at night to help keep in the heat in winter, or vice versa, to keep the sun out and the house cooler during the summer. Even better, if you're building a new home, go passive solar!
Seal any air leaks in your home with caulking or weather stripping to keep warm air in during winter and cool air in during summer.
Consider turning down your water heater. 120 degrees Fahrenheit is plenty hot.
Wash your laundry in cold water instead of hot and reduce the energy use by 50%.
Set your dryer to the moisture sensor instead of the timer. This can decrease your energy use by 15%.
Insulate your water heater by wrapping it in an insulating blanket. You can save as much as 10% per year on your energy bill.
Take shorter showers. (I know, this is a tough one.) Or maybe turn the water off while shampooing or soaping up.
Test your toilet for leaks by putting a drop of food coloring in the tank. If the color appears in the bowl, your tank is leaking, which could mean you're wasting as much as 200 gallons of water each day.
Wash dishes only when the dishwasher is full. Or wash in the sink and use a drying rack. (We use dishwashing time as good conversation time, or we sing!)
Use xeriscaping to save water, maintenance, and time. Read more about xeriscaping on WikiHow.
Use a drip system to water outdoor plants instead of a hose or sprinkler. Water early in the day or evening to avoid excessive evaporation. Install a timing system if necessary. Consider using rainwater collection and/or graywater if you can.
Gasoline & Transportation Savings
When and where you can, bike or walk instead of drive. It's good for you, too!
Drive the speed limit. Speeding wastes gas. It's a fact.
Accelerate evenly; don't take off like a bat outa Hades. Also saves gas, I hear.
Make sure your tires are properly inflated. This too makes for more efficient gas consumption.
Avoid idling your car for extended periods; turn it off if you'll be stopped for over a minute.
Regularly maintain your vehicle, including oil changes and air filter replacements, to ensure it runs efficiently and uses less fuel.
Compare gas prices in your area. There are websites where you can check, including GasBuddy.com. And if you're in the market to change vehicles, at least buy slightly or gently used. I highly recommend hybrids (our Prius averages 55 miles per gallon) if you're not ready to go all-EV.
Plan your errands for the shortest, most direct route. Don't backtrack from one place to another. Yet another gas saver.
Carpool for work or play.
Save on Services
Do your own oil changes.
Clean and detail your vehicle yourself. What a concept!
Cut out cable or satellite TV. (I know, for some folks, this is impossible.) Or at least consider dropping premium channels and movie channel packages.
Bundle services (i.e., cellphone, internet, streaming). Some companies give you a bulk discount.
Sign up for cell phone family plans. Compare family plans by various cell companies at MyRatePlan.com.
Swap pet-sitting with your friends or friends of friends.
Take off your shoes and save on (or avoid) carpet cleaning.
Negotiate with your service providers (internet, cable, phone) for a lower rate. If they know you're considering leaving, they may offer a discount. Just be really friendly when you do it. You know, the catching more flies with honey concept.
Recreation, Travel & Entertainment
Look for free festivals, free days at local museums, and free tours. I find out about these in our local paper online, on fliers around town, and our city's website. National parks have free days, too.
Take up hiking and walking. It's a fun pastime that's good for you and pretty much free.
Cross-country ski and snowshoe instead of paying to downhill ski or snowboard. (I know, some folks would say that's blasphemy.)
Use the public library instead of buying books and magazines. You can usually check out movies from the library, too. Some libraries have a sales area where books and magazines cost less than a dollar.
If you go to the movie theater these days, go to the less expensive matinees. But don't buy those uber-expensive munchies! (Sneak in your own if you need a snack.)
Swap books, CDs, DVDs, and games with friends. That means fresh stuff for everyone without having to buy anything.
When traveling, try to do so in the off-season, and also look into bundling your airfare with a rental car and/or lodging. This can save hundreds of dollars compared to purchasing these services separately.
Stay at campgrounds instead of hotels. (To me, it's more fun anyway.) Looking for free campgrounds and RV parks? Check out FreeCamping.net.
If traveling internationally, make sure you use a credit card that doesn't charge a foreign transaction fee OR an annual fee. If you don't have one that fits the bill, get a new card that does, particularly one that also offers rewards points (cash back is my pick). Capital One Quicksilver is a card that offers cash back plus no foreign transaction fees and no annual fee.
More Ways to Save More Of Your Hard-Earned Money
....in your bank account, your wallet, and maybe even your mattress
Household & Personal Care
68. Use washable rags instead of paper towels. You can make rags out of old clothes instead of throwing them away.
69. Use cloth napkins instead of disposable paper napkins.
70. Sew and patch clothing. Sometimes you might want to downgrade a piece to pajama status or work clothes (the kind of work where you get dirty), but might as well make the stuff last.
71. Wash clothing inside-out to make it wear longer. (This one comes from my husband, who swears it makes a difference.)
72. Reuse gift bags and decorative tissue paper from gifts you receive.
73. Have your teeth cleaned at a college or university with a dental program. Sometimes, this is free.
74. Get your hair cut at a beauty school. Sometimes, this is also free.
75. Cut your own hair or learn basic skills like trimming bangs or beards to save on salon or barber visits.
76. Cut out (or at least cut down on) lotions and perfumes and any other unnecessary toiletries. (Do most of those pricey skincare products do anything other than smell nice?
77. Have a friend who wears the same size clothing and/or shoes? Maybe do a clothing exchange occasionally instead of buying new stuff.
78. Use mail-order prescription programs. I've found I can get a three-month supply for a single month's copay. CVS has this program. So does AARP, to name just a couple.
79. Request generic medications instead of name brands. If you don't ask for it, sometimes you don't get it. Make sure your doctor indicates that the generic substitute is okay on the prescription.
80. Make your own cleaning supplies with simple ingredients like vinegar, baking soda, and lemon juice.
Financial Management & Bills
81. Pay bills online to save postage, not to mention avoid late fees. Often, companies offer discounts when you sign up for auto-pay for recurring bills, like cell service, internet, TV providers, etc. We get a monthly $10 per line discount from our cell provider for being on auto-pay.
82. Sign up for paperless bill statements. Some companies give you a small discount each month for doing so.
83. Pay off credit cards at the end of each month, but get the cash back rewards. (We make several hundred dollars a year this way, and we use our cards only for things we'd buy anyway, such as gas and groceries.)
84. If you carry a balance on your credit cards, call your credit card company and request a lower rate. If you don't get what you ask for, shop around for a different card.
85. Keep your checking account balanced so you know how much you've got in there and won't bounce checks. Those fees are expensive!
86. Avoid using out-of-network ATMs. Plan ahead to avoid the fees.
87. Make sure you leave enough in your bank account to avoid possible fees for falling below an average monthly balance. If necessary, put that amount in the account, but don't record it in the register to pretend it isn't there. Or, rather, use no-minimum-balance, no-fee accounts. Check with your bank to see what type of account or combination of accounts and the required minimum balance you must maintain to avoid fees.
88. Set up automatic transfers to your savings account to build up an emergency fund without thinking about it.
89. Consolidate your debts. Here's some information on WikiHow: How to Choose a Debt Management Program.
90. Consider raising your auto insurance deductible to save on premiums. Think about how much your car is worth versus how much coverage you have. You don't have to carry full coverage if your car is paid off.
91. Consolidate your auto and homeowners or renter's insurance with the same company, which usually means a good discount. And if your insurance company notifies you they'll be raising your rates, shop around. And let them know you're shopping around because that can stop the increase. It's happened to us. We saved quite a bit by going through an independent insurance agent rather than going directly to an insurance company.
92. Pay auto insurance (usually six months' worth) in one lump sum if possible. Don't pay the fees usually associated with spread-out monthly payments.
93. Pay a little more on your mortgage each month and potentially save thousands over the life of the loan. Your lender can calculate this if you consider making that monthly extra a consistent amount. And/or make one extra payment per year.
94. Use online comparison tools to shop for the best interest rates on savings accounts or loans.
95. Keep a budget! If you have to record your expenses, you're probably less likely to spend unnecessarily and to keep track of where you can save.
Health & Fitness
96. Try to get more fit if you can and need to. This will not only improve your health, energy level, and probably your self-esteem but can cut down on trips to the doctor and medications as well, which equals cost-cutting. It might even cut your health insurance premiums.
97. Use community gyms rather than pricier fitness centers. And/or take up cheaper or free forms of exercise, like running, walking, or cycling. There are often local groups that get together to do these things socially if you prefer company.
98. Use free or low-cost apps for workouts instead of paying for a gym membership.
99. Take advantage of preventative care benefits covered by your health insurance, such as flu shots and annual physicals, to avoid bigger health issues and costs later on. Some insurance companies also offer discounts on services (i.e., gym memberships) or rewards cash on pre-paid credit cards for tracking health goals.
Miscellaneous Tips
100. Grow a vegetable garden or mix veggies with your landscaping. Container gardening is another option. At one time, we spent less than $100 monthly on groceries, most of which were non-food items, while growing much of our own food.
101. Buy at least slightly or lightly used vehicles, not new. This can save many thousands of dollars, which is a no-brainer, I know. You may get a much better deal on the used vehicle you want by buying from a private individual instead of a dealership. Just be sure to have the vehicle checked beforehand.
102. Consider volunteering in exchange for perks, such as free admission to events or meals, which can reduce your entertainment and dining expenses.
103. Try (and try again) to give up expensive habits, especially those that aren't good for you. Or at least cut back a certain amount per week or month. It's a start!
104. Get organized! Being able to see what you have and get to it (i.e., food, clothing, etc.) means you don't go out and buy something you've already got or let things go bad (especially food).
And that's the end of my list (for now). Have any other suggestions? Please leave them in the comments below.
Ways to Save Money: Keeping Track
I've been a dedicated budget keeper for decades, which has helped me save a good amount despite my modest income.
Seeing where your money comes from, where it goes, and how much in any particular category is a real eye-opener and, in my opinion, the only way to properly and effectively manage your finances. It's also a great way to remember to "pay yourself first," as the saying goes—to designate a certain portion of your income directly to your savings account each week or each month before you spend a dime of it.
Budgeting can certainly be done on paper with a ledger book, but using a computer program is much easier once you get the hang of it. It also lets you view reports and graphs to get the big picture more easily, plan ahead, and "play" with the numbers.
A computer budget program will also allow you to reallocate funds from one category to another if, for example, you find you spent less than anticipated in one category but need or want to spend more in another for the month.
Me, I use Microsoft Money, which I really like. However, the program is no longer available for purchase. For that reason, I recommend (and have also used) Quicken. It's very user-friendly and an excellent tool, with many budget groups and categories to choose from, and you can also make up your own.
These are some of the budget groups and categories you might use:
INCOME
**Some categories may be zero, but you might create them if you realize some income in those areas, such as gifts, refunds, and commissions.
Net Salary (spouse) **after taxes and other payroll deductions
Net Salary (me) **after taxes and other payroll deductions
Bank Interest
Dividends
Gifts
Credit Card Rewards
Online Income
Refunds/Rebates
Commissions
EXPENSES
Home
Mortgage or Rent
Maintenance and Repair
Lawn care
Cleaning Service
Groceries
Bills
Cable/Satellite TV
Streaming Services
Internet
Telephone (Cell phone)
Water/Trash/Sewer
Natural Gas
Electricity
Propane
Insurance
Auto
Medical
Homeowners
Life
Auto Expenses
Loan Payments
Gasoline
Maintenance
Repairs
Annual Registration
Auto Club (AAA)
Other Expenses
Dining Out
Clothing
Entertainment
Travel
Fitness Club Dues
Accountant Fees
Property Taxes
State Income Tax (last year)
Federal Income Tax (last year)
Estimated Quarterly Income Taxes
Pet Supplies
Veterinarian
Online accounts (i.e., hosting service, domain names)
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