75 Ways to Pocket More Cash: Frugal Tips to Save Money

In today’s fast-paced world, many people are looking for ways to save money and live a frugal lifestyle. Whether you’re trying to pay off debt, save for a big purchase, or simply reduce some of your expenses, there are many small changes you can make to your daily routine that can add up to big savings over time.

In this blog post, I’ve compiled 75 frugal living tips to help you live more frugally and save more money. From grocery shopping to entertainment, I’ve got you covered with practical tips you can implement immediately. So, let’s dive in and start saving.

What is Being Frugal?

Being frugal means you are careful with your money and only spend it on things that you really need. A lot of people think that being frugal is the same thing as being cheap, but it’s not. 

Cheap people will buy the cheapest option no matter what, even if it’s something they don’t need. 

Frugal people will only spend their money on things that they need and will find ways to save money on the things they do purchase. Being frugal is about being smart with your money.

What’s the Difference Between Being Frugal and Being Cheap?

When it comes to spending money, there are two main approaches: frugality and cheapness. 

Being frugal means being mindful of your spending in order to save money, while being cheap means always opting for the lowest-priced option, regardless of quality or long-term cost. 

So, which is better? Well, it depends. If your goal is simply to save money in the short term, then being cheap might be the way to go. However, if you’re looking to save money in the long term, then frugality is usually a better approach. This is because frugal people are more likely to invest in high-quality items that will last for years instead of opting for the cheapest option that will need to be replaced sooner. 

So, if you’re trying to decide between being frugal and being cheap, it’s worth taking the time to consider your goals and how you want to approach saving money.

Why Being Frugal is Important

For many people, being frugal is a matter of necessity. Living on a tight budget often requires making difficult choices about where to spend money. 

However, even those who are not financially constrained can benefit from being frugal. When you are frugal, you learn to appreciate the things you have and to make do with what you have. 

You also learn the value of money and how to be careful with your spending. In a world where consumerism is rampant, learning to be frugal can be a refreshing change of pace. And who knows? You might even find that you enjoy it. 

75 Ways to Pocket More Cash

Save on Cable / Satellite 

• Negotiate: Try negotiating a lower price with your provider.
• Downgrade: Choose a lower-tiered package with fewer channels.
• Cut Premium Channels: If you have all of the premium channels like HBO, Showtime, and others, you can save $20 a month or more by canceling them.
• Ditch DVR: If you have a DVR receiver, you could save $10 to $15 a month by getting a standard receiver instead.
• Cut the Cord: The best way to save on your cable or satellite bill is by getting rid of it altogether and going with a couple of streaming services.

Save on Groceries 

• Buy Dry: Buy beans and rice for cheap, filling meals.
• Shop Produce in Season: Buy produce in season from the farmers’ market.
• Buy in Bulk: Buy packaged and canned goods in bulk. If you have a freezer, buy family-sized packs of meat and split them up into smaller portions.
• Skip Frozen Meals: Frozen meals cost more. Instead of buying frozen lasagna or pizza, make it from scratch to save money.
• Use a Store Reward Card: If the store offers a reward card, sign up so you’ll save money.
• Shop With a List: Always make a grocery list to avoid unplanned purchases.
• Avoid Prepackaged Foods: Things like shredded cheese or pre-cut veggies can be expensive. Instead, buy block cheese and fresh vegetables. 
• Use Cash Back Apps: Apps like RebatesMe, Ibotta, Checkout51, and Fetch Rewards offer cash back for scanning your receipts.
• Buy Generic: Name brands are much more expensive, so consider guying generic or store brands.
• Shop Every Other Week: Instead of shopping weekly, consider every other week. This reduces the chances of buying unnecessary items and saves on gas.

Save on Credit Card Interest 

• Pay in Full: Pay your balance in full each month to avoid interest.
• Consolidate: Apply for and take advantage of balance transfer offers to reduce interest.
• Negotiate: Consider negotiating with your creditor for a lower interest rate.
• Personal Loan: Consider a low-interest personal loan to pay off any high-interest credit cards you have. Just make sure not to use your credit cards after they’re paid off.

Save on Insurance 

• Increase Deductibles: If you have enough in your emergency savings, you can save money by increasing your deductibles.
• Evaluate Your Coverage: If you have a really old vehicle, you may want to consider dropping extra coverage like collision. Consider the age of the car and if the extra coverage is worth what a total loss would be. You could be wasting money.
• Shop Around: If your insurance seems high, shop around for lower rates, especially if you have a good driving history.
• Bundle: Many insurance companies offer discounts to bundle your home and auto insurance.
• Review Your Policy: If you used to commute back and forth to work, but now you’re working from home, contact your insurer for a lower rate. If you’re only driving your car once a week, you should be eligible for a discounted rate.

Save on Cell Phone Service 

• Skip Upgrades: Most cell phone providers reel you in by dangling the newest devices in front of you every couple of years. This keeps you locked into their contract and also costs you a lot of money. If your current device still works, there’s no need to upgrade. Save yourself the extra money.
• Remove Insurance: If you’ve had your phone for more than two years and it’s paid off, save money by removing the insurance.
• Switch to Autopay: Depending on your carrier, you can save $5 to $10 per month by enrolling in autopay.
• Change to Prepaid: Most cell phone carriers offer cheaper prepaid services. You can easily save $20 per month or more just by switching to prepaid.
• Shop Around: Depending on your provider and the coverage you have, you may be able to find cheaper service by switching providers.

Save on Electricity 

• Switch Lightbulbs: Change out all incandescent bulbs with LEDs.
• Use an Air Fryer: Air fryers use less electricity than conventional ovens, plus an air fryer won’t heat up your home in the summer and cause your A/C to work harder.
• Inspect Weatherstripping: Check your doors and windows yearly to make sure the weatherstripping is sealed. Bad weatherstripping can cost you over $100 per year.
• Adjust the Thermostat: By adjusting your thermostat for eight hours each day, you can save up to ten percent on your bill.
• Cold Water: By washing your clothes in cold water, you can save up to $60 per year. 

Save on Clothing 

• Ignore Trends: Trends come and go and can cost money when you can no longer wear them. Instead, opt for classic pieces that never go out of style.
• Consignment Shops: Consignment shops are a great place to find gently used clothing for reasonable prices.
• Avoid Dry Clean Only: Dry cleaning can get really expensive, really fast. Be sure to check the tags and forego anything that needs to be dry-cleaned.
• Shop Off-Season: Department stores start marking down winter clothes in February and summer clothes in July. The longer you wait until after these markdowns start, the cheaper they’ll become. So, if you can wait until April to buy winter clothes for the following year, you’ll save a ton of money.

Save on Electronics 

• Buy Floor Models: Buying floor models or open-box merchandise is a great way to save a lot of money. Just be sure to check them out thoroughly before you make your purchase.
• Time Your Purchase: If it’s July and you’re in need of a new computer, holding off until the holidays can save you a small fortune. The best time to buy electronics is Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and the week after Christmas.
• Skip the Store Warranty: Stores make money by pushing their warranties for their products. Save your money; you don’t need it.
• Shop Around: To make sure you’re getting the best price, it’s always a good idea to compare prices.
• Buy Older: Buying an older model, especially when it comes to cell phones, can save you several hundred dollars. 

Save on Gifts 

• Budget: Create and stick to a gift budget.
• Shop Ahead: Other than electronics, you can often save money buying gifts throughout the year.
• Bake Something: There’s no rule that gifts must be store-bought. Save money by baking treats and giving them as gifts.
• Work Retail: Literally every retail store on the planet hires extra help for the holidays. Working a part-time retail job during the holiday season is a great way to make money for gifts. Also, most retailers offer discounts to employees.
• Shop Clearance: Throughout the year, look for clearance sales. You’d be surprised how much you can save.

Save on Housing 

• Consider a Roommate: If you have a three-bedroom home and you’re only using one bedroom, consider getting a roommate who can pitch in rent.
• Refinance: Depending on how much your interest rate is, refinancing your mortgage could save you a lot on interest and lower your monthly payment.
• Drop the PMI: Review your mortgage, and if you’ve paid 20% or more of your home’s purchase price, you should be able to drop the PMI. This will lower your mortgage payments.
• Rent on Airbnb: If you don’t like the idea of a full-time roommate, consider renting a room a few nights a month on Airbnb.
• Do Your Own Yardwork: If you pay the 12-year-old boy next door to mow your yard every Saturday, that’s sweet. But it also adds up! Save money by doing your own yard work or house repairs.

Save on Eating Out 

• Share Meals: Sharing your food can help you save money, eat less, and avoid waste.
• Do Lunch: Lunch prices are typically quite a bit cheaper than dinner prices. Go earlier to save money.
• Skip Drinks: Save money by getting water with your meal instead of carbonated or alcoholic drinks.
• Go Early in the Week: Mondays and Tuesdays are typically slow restaurant days. For this reason, many will offer specials on these two days to lure customers.
• Check Groupon: Check Groupon for restaurant deals in your area. You can sometimes find savings of up to 80% off.

Save in the Kitchen 

• Skip the Meat: Make one or two meals a week without meat.
• Cook in Bulk: Cooking meals in bulk and freezing the leftovers can be used for another meal.
• Stop Wasting Food: Either eat leftovers or seek recipes to use them in. 
• Make Your Own: Instead of buying salad dressings, dips, and seasonings, you’ll save money by making your own.
• Add a Filler: Add a filler like black beans or oats to your ground beef to stretch it out and make it go further.

Save on Entertainment 

• Host Movie Nights: Skip the cost of a theater by hosting movie nights and inviting friends over. Have friends each bring a different snack.
• Host Pot Lucks: Hosting pot lucks is a great source of inexpensive entertainment. When everyone invited brings a dish you won’t have to worry about spending a lot of money.
• Host Game Nights: As with the two above, invite friends over and have each bring a snack.
• Host a Dessert Night: Invite each guest to prepare a different dessert to bring and serve with coffee.
• Host a Cookout: Hamburgers and hotdogs are always crowdpleasers. Host a cookout and ask friends to bring a side dish.

General Savings Tips 

• Cancel Subscriptions: If you have subscriptions or memberships, consider canceling them. You can work out at home for free if you pay to work out.
• Skip Paid Diets: You don’t need to pay for diets. For instance, you can find free keto recipes all over the internet. Save your hard-earned money and don’t pay.
• Shop With Cash: You’ll naturally spend less when you use cash to shop.
• Switch Banks: If your bank charges you fees, shop around. Plenty of banks don’t charge fees for not having a minimum balance, and some reimburse ATM fees.
• Find Cheap Hobbies: There are plenty of free hobbies like biking, reading, or baking.
• Go Paperless: Some companies will give a small discount for paperless billing.
• Share Babysitting: To eliminate the cost of babysitting, consider starting a babysitting co-op with friends and family members. You can take turns watching each other’s kids and save a bundle.

Final Thoughts

Frugal living is not just a lifestyle. It is a mindset that can help you save money and live a more fulfilling life. With these 75 frugal living tips, you can start making small changes in your everyday life that will add up to big savings over time. 

By being mindful of your spending, you can save money, reduce your environmental impact, and find joy in simple pleasures. Remember that being frugal doesn’t mean sacrificing the quality of life but rather finding ways to enjoy life without breaking the bank.