37 Frugal Living Tips to Save You Money Every Month

Living a frugal life is a great way to save money, pay off credit card debt, create an emergency fund, and get ahead financially. In today’s economy, it’s more important than ever to find ways to reduce expenses and live within your means.

Living a frugal life doesn’t mean giving up everything you enjoy. There are many different ways that you can save money while still living a comfortable life.

So, if you want to live a more frugal lifestyle and learn to spend less money, these best frugal living tips are for you.

What Does Frugal Living Mean?

Being frugal means living a lifestyle where you make deliberate choices to live with less, prioritize spending on what’s necessary, and avoid unnecessary expenses. It’s about being resourceful, budget-conscious, and avoiding waste. 

When you live frugally, you focus on saving money, reducing debt, and increasing your financial independence by maximizing the value of every dollar you spend. 

Frugal living can involve things like meal planning, DIY projects, using coupons, buying second-hand items, and reducing energy consumption. 

The ultimate goal of frugal living is to live within your means while enjoying a fulfilling life.

Benefits of Frugal Living

Frugal living has several benefits. A few of them include the following: 

• Saving money: By living frugally, you can reduce your expenses and save money for emergencies, retirement, or other financial goals.
• Reduced stress: Financial stress can have a negative impact on your mental health, and living frugally can help you avoid it by giving you a sense of control over your finances.
• Increased mindfulness: Frugal living requires you to be more mindful of your spending, which can help you make more deliberate choices and appreciate what you have.
• Better for the environment: By consuming less, you can reduce your carbon footprint and help protect the environment.
• Improved creativity: Living frugally means finding creative solutions to problems, which can help you develop new skills and hobbies. 

Tips for Saving Money

1) Create a Budget 

Creating and sticking to a budget can help you save money each month by helping you become more aware of your spending habits, prioritize your expenses, and plan for the future.

2) Air Dry Your Dishes

The dry cycle on a dishwasher uses a significant amount of energy to heat the dishes and evaporate the water. This energy consumption adds to your electricity bill, making it more expensive to use the dry cycle than air drying.

3) Use Cold Water

Using cold water can save money by avoiding the extra cost of heating water by using cold water instead for things like washing clothes and dishes. 

4) Swap Ground Beef for Ground Turkey

Swapping out ground beef for ground turkey can save you money because ground turkey is often cheaper than ground beef. Ground turkey is also a leaner meat option, meaning you can use less of it in your recipes and stretch your dollars further by using less meat overall in your meals. 

5) Keep Shades Drawn in the Summer

Keeping the shades in your home down during summer will save you money because your air conditioner doesn’t have to work as hard to maintain a comfortable temperature, reducing your energy bills. 

6) Start Meal Planning

Meal planning can save you money on your grocery bill by allowing you to make a list of the ingredients you need for each meal and only buying those items at the grocery store. Doing this helps to prevent impulse buying and lets you plan ahead and take advantage of sales and discounts. Meal planning also helps to cut down on food waste.

7) Take Shorter Showers

Taking shorter showers is a simple way to save money. When you take shorter showers, you use less water, which means you’re paying less for the water you use. You’re also saving money on your energy bill by using less hot water.

8) Unplug Electronics

Unplugging electronics can save you money on your energy bills because even when turned off, many electronic devices still draw small amounts of power, known as standby power or “phantom” power. Standby power consumption can add up over time, increasing your electricity usage and bills. 

9) Find Free Entertainment

By taking advantage of free sources of entertainment, you can still have fun without breaking the bank. Having a library card is a great way to find free entertainment because it gives you access to a wide range of books, movies, music, and other resources that you can borrow without having to pay for them. Having movie nights or playing board games are also great ways to have fun without spending money.

10) Cut the Cable / Satellite Cord

Cutting the cable or satellite cord can save you a ton of money because it eliminates the need to pay for the high cost of monthly subscriptions. Instead, you can opt for streaming services that offer more affordable pricing plans and allow you to choose only the channels or content you want to watch. 

11) Combine Errands Into One Trip

By mapping out your trip and combining errands into one trip, you can save money because it reduces the amount of fuel you use and therefore saves you money on gas.

12) Hang Your Clothes to Dry

Air-drying your clothes instead of using your dryer can reduce your energy bill because it uses no electricity or gas. Drying racks are really inexpensive and a great option for those with no clothesline. 

13) Buy Generic

Buying generic or store brands can be the best way to save money on everyday items without sacrificing quality. Many generic products are made with the same ingredients or materials as their brand-name counterparts and don’t have the added cost of branding and advertising.

14) Use Cash Back Apps

Using cash back apps like RebatesMe or Ibotta can save you money because they offer you a percentage of your purchase back in the form of cash or free gift cards. Every time you buy something through the app, you get some money back that you can use for future purchases or even save up over time. 

15) Adjust the Thermostat

Lowering the temperature in the winter or raising it in the summer can reduce the workload on your HVAC system and ultimately lower your energy bills. Using a programmable thermostat can help automate this process and ensure that your home is at a comfortable temperature when you’re there and conserving energy when you’re not.

16) Shop at Thrift Stores

Shopping at a thrift store is a great way to save money because the items sold there are typically second-hand and have been donated, which means the prices are significantly lower than those of new things in traditional retail stores. 

17) Cancel Unnecessary Subscriptions

It’s easy to overlook recurring subscription charges, which can add up over time. By canceling unnecessary subscriptions, you can free up money that can be redirected towards more important expenses. 

18) Increase Your Deductibles

By taking on more risk yourself and increasing your deductibles, you can save money on your monthly insurance costs. Just make sure you can afford the higher deductible if an accident or emergency occurs.

19) Freeze Leftovers

Freezing your leftovers instead of throwing them away can extend their lifespan and have a ready-made meal for later, which means you won’t have to spend money on takeout or other convenience foods.

20) Use an Air Fryer Instead of the Oven

Using an air fryer instead of an oven can save you money in two ways. First, air fryers are smaller and more compact than ovens, so they use less energy. And second, an air fryer won’t heat up your home in the summer like an oven, which means your A/C won’t have to work as hard to cool your home. Therefore, using an air fryer instead of an oven is a great way to save money.

21) Carpool

You can split the gas and maintenance expenses by sharing rides with others, significantly reducing your overall transportation costs. 

22) Use Coupons

By using coupons, you can get the same items for a lower price than their original cost, which helps you to stretch your budget and save money that can be used for other essential expenses.

23) Negotiate Monthly Bills

Negotiating your monthly bills can reduce payments and save money because it allows you to lower the cost of services such as cable, internet, and phone bills. You can save significant amounts of money over time by contacting your service provider and negotiating a better deal or switching to a competitor’s offer.

24) Switch Banks

You shouldn’t have to pay for a bank account, so switching banks is a great way to save money if your bank charges monthly maintenance fees along with ATM fees and other charges. Many online banks don’t have the fees that traditional banks often impose on their customers because they don’t have brick-and-mortar branches to maintain. 

25) Buy in Bulk

Retailers often offer lower prices, discounts, or promotions to customers who buy in large quantities to incentivize customers to purchase more. Buying in bulk can save you money because the cost per unit decreases as the quantity purchased increases. This means that if you buy products in bulk, you will pay less per item than if you were to buy them individually. 

26) Switch to Prepaid Cell Service

Prepaid cell phone service is typically cheaper because prepaid plans don’t require a contract, credit check, or a long-term commitment, so the provider doesn’t have to assume the financial risk of the subscriber defaulting on their bill. Prepaid plans also usually come with fewer features, such as unlimited data, and are targeted toward cost-conscious customers who prioritize affordability over premium features.

27) Turn Off Lights

Turning off lights when you leave a room or when they aren’t needed can significantly reduce your energy consumption and save money on your monthly energy bills.

28) Pack Your Lunch

Packing your lunch saves money because it helps you avoid expensive meals from restaurants or cafes daily, which can add up to a lot of money in the long run. Save eating lunch at a restaurant for special occasions.

29) Install LED Lightbulbs

LED lightbulbs consume less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs, requiring less electricity to produce the same amount of light, resulting in lower energy bills. LED bulbs also last longer than conventional bulbs, reducing the need for frequent replacements and further decreasing costs over time.

30) Use a Crockpot Instead of a Stove

A crockpot uses less energy than a stove to cook food over a longer period of time which save energy costs. Also, the slow and steady cooking process of a crockpot allows you to use cheaper cuts of meat, also saving money.

31) Skip Packaged Convenience Foods

Packaged convenience foods often cost more money because the cost of packaging, processing, and distribution is factored into the price. Convenience can also be a factor in the higher cost because many consumers are willing to pay for the ease of having pre-packaged meals. If you want to save money, skip convenience foods.

32) Grow Your Own Vegetables

The cost of seeds or starter plants is often much lower than the cost of buying produce, saving you money.

33) Refinance Loans

Refinancing your loans allows you to replace your current loan with a new one with better terms and interest rates, lowering your monthly payments and saving you money each month.

34) Use Power Strips

Using a power strip allows you to easily turn off multiple devices at once when they are not in use, preventing them from consuming standby power. Standby power can account for up to 10% of your electricity bill, so using a power strip is an easy way to save money.

35) Have Two Meatless Meals a Week

Beans, lentils, grains, and vegetables are generally cheaper than meat, so having two meatless meals each week is a great way to feed your family for a fraction of the cost.

36) Do Your Own Home Repairs

Doing your own home repairs can save you money by eliminating the need to pay for labor costs. You can also purchase materials at a lower price by shopping around. 

37) Work From Home

When you work from home, you don’t have to spend money on gas, parking fees, work clothes, or meals. You also won’t be putting wear and tear on your vehicle. Working from can save you thousands of dollars a year.

Final Thoughts

Doing little things and incorporating frugal living habits into your daily routine can significantly impact your finances. Implementing some of these hacks and making small changes to your spending habits can save a lot of money over time and improve your financial situation. And the good news is you can save money every month without sacrificing the things you love. 

Remember, being a frugal person doesn’t mean being cheap; it’s about making conscious choices to live within your means and prioritize what’s truly important to you. With these best frugal tips, you’ll be well on your way to a more financially stable future.