Over 60 Frugal Living Tips to Help You Save Big Money (2024)

Frugal Living

Looking for ways to save money? Check out these 60 frugal living tips that can help you save big… plus find a FREE frugal living guide.

Let’s face it, we all want to save money. I’ve been interested in living a frugal lifestyle since college and I have read a ton of articles on the subject. Since then, I’ve gotten married, bought a house and have four little boys! We definitely practice a lot of these frugal living tips in our own lives and I want to share my favorite frugal living tips to help you save, too!

FREE Frugal Food Guide!

Over 60 Frugal Living Tips to Help You Save Big Money (2)

Grab this FREE guide to feeding your family for less!

How do I live a frugal life?

Being frugal is not necessarily just pinching pennies and stretching your dollars. It’s being financially responsible and making the most of things you have.

Living frugally doesn’t mean that you will never have fun or splurge on anything. It’s living within or below your means to make the most of your money.

What are the benefits of frugal living?

Living a frugal life will keep you from being a slave to your money. It will give you the freedom to do what you want with your life, which is one of the big reasons the tiny house movement is so popular – imagine what you could do with low or no rent/mortgage payments!!

Retire early! This is another benefit of frugal living. You can choose when to retire instead of working until you are old enough for social security (if it’s even there for us at that time, anyways!). It can help you live comfortably well before typical “retirement age”.

Another benefit is having more money to save or invest. Having a fully funded emergency fund is a goal of ours, and pinching pennies now is helping us move toward that dream (right now it’s going toward debt!). You also will have less stress about money, because you won’t be living paycheck to paycheck, except in certain circ*mstances.

Over 60 of the BEST Frugal Living Tips

Do as much as you can yourself.

  • Make your own laundry & dish soap
  • Make your own cleaning products
  • DIY Baked Goods
  • Make your own convenience mixes
  • Cut your own lawn
  • Repair everything you can on your own (Youtube is your friend!!) -car -clothes -appliances
  • Take your lunch to work
  • Grow a garden and plant fruit trees and bushes
  • Handmade gifts
  • Take your coffee with you from home instead of buying it out
  • Dye your own hair and do your own nails (Youtube it or have a friend help)
  • Cut your kids’ hair yourself
  • Make your own smoothies and juice instead of buying it
  • Do your own taxes (it’s a pain but so worth it!)

Save money on food.

  • Weekly Meal Planning
  • Plan for Leftovers
  • Budget-Friendly Recipes
  • Switch to water instead of buying drinks
  • Work at recreating restaurant favorites at home
  • Have kids? Take advantage of all the Kids Eat Free promotions!
  • Use a slow cooker to tenderize cheaper cuts of meat and save electricity

Save on heating and cooling your home

  • Bundle up before turning up the heat
  • Seal your windows and doors (tip: use plastic wrap!)
  • Buy a programmable thermostat and set it to save money when you are not home

Reuse everything you can

  • Freeze leftovers for later (DIY frozen dinners!)
  • Freeze vegetables for soup and fruit or greens for smoothies
  • Turn leftovers into compost and use it for the garden

Give up what you don’t really need

  • Cable (use Netflix, Hulu or Amazon Prime)
  • Gym (work out at home!)
  • Combine trips in the car to save on gas
  • Cut down on dry cleaning – don’t buy dry clean only clothes and start cleaning most things on gentle in the washer or by hand

Buy in bulk or on sale

Buy used, rent or borrow

  • Buy secondhand clothes
  • Rent a prom dress
  • Rent tools you don’t use often

Find free or cheap things to do

  • No Spend Challenges
  • Budget Friendly Family Activities
  • Free or Cheap Date Night Ideas
  • Visit the library – free books and movies

Trade services or goods

  • Trade babysitting with friends to make date night even cheaper
  • Start or join a monthly freezer meal club to share the meal planning burden with others
  • Consider starting a clothing exchange or toy exchange with other parents you are friends with

Always buy some items at places like the Dollar Tree

  • Gift bags and tissue paper
  • Greeting cards
  • See a comprehensive list here!

Don’t shop unless you need to, and always shop for deals

  • Shop online and make sure you are getting the best deal (use ebates and also use an app like honey to find the best promotional codes!)
  • Look for things like “oops” paint, clearance flooring, etc when you know you will want to remodel your home
  • Check the outlet stores and scratch and dent stores when you need large items

___________________

Whew!! That’s a lot of ways to save money! Have any frugal tips that I’ve missed? What are some ways YOU save money? Comment below!

Over 60 Frugal Living Tips to Help You Save Big Money (3)
Over 60 Frugal Living Tips to Help You Save Big Money (2024)

FAQs

How can I save money when I am already frugal? ›

Ten Frugal Habits to Save Money
  1. Track Spending.
  2. Automate Your Savings.
  3. Save Loose Change.
  4. Compare Prices & Comparison Shop.
  5. Avoid Spending Triggers.
  6. Shop Second Hand.
  7. Save Windfall Income & Use a Spending Rule of Thumb.
  8. Institute a Waiting Period.

How do seniors live frugally? ›

Downsize for Savings

Downsizing also provides an opportunity to sell or donate household items that are no longer needed. You may be able to save money by using family and friends and renting a truck instead of hiring a moving company because you'll have fewer belongings than you did before retiring.

How to live extremely frugal? ›

12 Tips for Frugal Living
  1. Choose quality over quantity. ...
  2. Prioritize value over price. ...
  3. Use credit wisely. ...
  4. Declutter regularly. ...
  5. Use a budget to guide your spending. ...
  6. Know the difference between wants and needs. ...
  7. Be a savvy consumer. ...
  8. Prioritize your values.
Oct 17, 2023

How to retire and live cheaply? ›

Consider selling your home and moving to a smaller house or condo. You'll save money on property taxes, maintenance and utilities. If you're still a two-car family, retirement is the perfect time to whittle that down to one, since it will save money on gas, insurance and maintenance.

What is the 50 20 30 budget rule? ›

The 50-30-20 rule recommends putting 50% of your money toward needs, 30% toward wants, and 20% toward savings. The savings category also includes money you will need to realize your future goals.

How to save money on almost everything? ›

What Is the Best Way To Save Money?
  1. Set goals. Set savings goals that motivate you, like saving up for a house or going on a dream vacation, and give yourself timelines for reaching them.
  2. Budget. Make a budget and make saving a necessary expense. ...
  3. Cut down on spending. ...
  4. Automate your saving. ...
  5. Pay off debt. ...
  6. Earn more.

Can I live on $2000 a month in retirement? ›

Retiring on a fixed income can seem daunting, but with some planning and commitment to a frugal lifestyle, it's possible to retire comfortably on $2,000 a month.

What does an average older 65 household spend most of its money on? ›

Unless you own your home and you've managed to pay off your mortgage, housing will be your biggest retirement expense. The BLS report found that, on average, people 65 and older spend $18,872 annually for housing. This represents 36.2% of your annual expenses.

Can you live on $2000 a month? ›

Living on $2,000 per month is doable, but you won't be able to live just anywhere. This is important because at the time of writing the average Social Security benefit paid is $1,701 per month.

What's the best example of frugal living? ›

What are some tips for being frugal?
  • Create a budget and stick to it. Being frugal begins with this tip. ...
  • Shop around for the best deals. Buy what you need from the first store you see, but don't just go to the first one you see. ...
  • Buy used instead of new. ...
  • Make your own stuff. ...
  • Repurpose and recycle. ...
  • Be patient.
Aug 22, 2023

How do I train myself to be frugal? ›

15 Frugal Living Tips
  1. Tip 1: Differentiate between Luxury Spending vs Necessary Expenses. ‍ ...
  2. Tip 2: Make Cuts in Your Spending. ...
  3. Tip 3: Cap Your Spending. ...
  4. Tip 4: Keep Receipts and Track Spending. ...
  5. Tip 5: Think Twice Before You Buy. ...
  6. Tip 6: Learn How to Bargain. ...
  7. Tip 7: Reuse and Recycle. ...
  8. Tip 8: Find Thrifted Furniture.
Jan 19, 2024

Where can you live well on $3000 per month? ›

5 Awesome Places to Retire on $3,000 a Month or Less
  • If You Want to Be Near the Beach: Gulfport, FL.
  • If You Desire Access to Arts and Culture: Duluth, GA.
  • If You Want to Be Close to a Transportation Hub: Alton, IL.
  • If You Crave the Outdoors: Coeur d'Alene, ID.
  • If You Want to Live Someplace Totally Foreign: Malta.
Jan 27, 2024

Where can I retire on $800 a month? ›

Insider Monkey Score: 14 Banyuwangi, Indonesia, emerges as one of the best places to retire with no savings, blending low living costs with mesmerizing natural beauty. With living expenses between $700 to $1,000 a month, it appeals to those seeking an economical retirement lifestyle.

Where can I retire on $2000 a month in the United States? ›

The IRS will begin processing tax returns next week
RankingCityMonthly Expenditures
1Lake Charles, Louisiana$1,566.43
2Lansing, Michigan$1,610.05
3Cincinnati, Ohio$1,629.13
4Shreveport, Louisiana$1,637.09
24 more rows
Jan 22, 2024

How do people save money fast? ›

How to save money fast
  1. Set a budget so you understand your savings capacity.
  2. Cutting out unnecessary expenses in the short term can improve your cash flow and therefore give you more opportunity to save.
  3. Consider setting up a goal-specific savings account so you can regularly monitor your progress.

How to live frugally on one income? ›

Living on a one-income budget
  1. Assess your financial situation. Start by understanding your current financial status. ...
  2. List fixed expenses. ...
  3. Track changing expenses. ...
  4. Differentiate needs vs. ...
  5. Set financial goals. ...
  6. Create an emergency savings fund. ...
  7. Allocate for savings. ...
  8. Start a debt repayment plan.

How do you save when you don't make enough money? ›

SHARE:
  1. Focus on small changes in various budget categories.
  2. Automate your savings into a high-yield savings account.
  3. Earn interest on your checking account.
  4. Use those three-payday months to save more.
  5. Keep a budget.
  6. Shop around for insurance rates.
  7. Refinance your mortgage.
  8. Find a way to save on rent.
Oct 19, 2023

How can I save money without going broke? ›

You can learn more about apps that automate savings and decide if they're a good fit for you.
  1. Count your coins and bills. ...
  2. Get discounts on entertainment. ...
  3. Lower your car costs. ...
  4. Bundle cable and internet. ...
  5. Switch your cell phone plan. ...
  6. Reduce your electric bill. ...
  7. Lower your student loan payments. ...
  8. Cancel unnecessary subscriptions.
Mar 26, 2024

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Golda Nolan II

Last Updated:

Views: 5797

Rating: 4.8 / 5 (58 voted)

Reviews: 89% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Golda Nolan II

Birthday: 1998-05-14

Address: Suite 369 9754 Roberts Pines, West Benitaburgh, NM 69180-7958

Phone: +522993866487

Job: Sales Executive

Hobby: Worldbuilding, Shopping, Quilting, Cooking, Homebrewing, Leather crafting, Pet

Introduction: My name is Golda Nolan II, I am a thoughtful, clever, cute, jolly, brave, powerful, splendid person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.