7 Unique Ways to Start Being More Frugal
Being frugal has always come naturally to me. I’ve never been one to have the latest fashion or buy all the new gadgets. Plus, living in a smaller home and switching to a one-income family has really opened my eyes to items we don’t need to be spending our money on. Here are 4 ways to start being more frugal.
*note: post has been updated and now has 7 tips 😉
Simple and Cheap Cleaning Products
There is a cleaning product for everything and I’m telling you that you don’t need them all. Really all you need is vinegar, dish soap, baking soda, and essential oils. You can clean pretty much anything with these 4 items.
Plus, they can be used for multiple things, which is always a bonus if you are looking to clear out some clutter. Stop buying those chemical-filled cleaners, save some money, and make your own. Some examples would be DIY glass cleaner or DIY dryer sheets.
Learn Your Style and Quit Fast Fashion
Our house is not a 100% minimalist home, but I do live by a lot of the philosophy, starting with my wardrobe. No, I don’t only wear black and white, I’m not that extreme, but I have learned what I like and stick to it.
I have gone through the process of going through my clothes 3 times in the last year and I have also bought fewer clothes in the past year than any other year. Each time I have a clear-out I am more honest with myself than I was each time before. I get rid of what I am truly not wearing and keep my favorites. I have truly found peace in my closet through these clothing declutters.
It’s been a process, but in the end, it has saved me money over the course of the year. I now only want pieces I know I will enjoy and I always check to make sure it will fit. I don’t buy trendy pieces, because I know I won’t wear them. If you can figure out your style you will be more happy with your wardrobe and won’t constantly feel the need to buy more clothes.
Read more minimalist tips here!
Start Decluttering
This goes with the above idea. After I went through and purged my wardrobe I thought it would a good idea to do this to my whole how. I know this seems like a stretch, but this has helped me save so much money!
My eyes have been opened to all of the things I was spending money on and not using. I have now learned what my spending triggers are and what I don’t really need to buy. I’ve made a list of 101 things to declutter right now! Check out that list and see if there are things you are wasting your money on.
Be More Mindful and Less Wasteful
What do you constantly use that you can save on? One example might be paper towels. I use paper towels for everything! I’m constantly grabbing them to clean up the kitchen counter, dust the coffee table, wipe my daughter’s face. The list goes on and on.
I have to be very mindful of my paper towel use or I’ll use a whole roll in 2 days. To help with the problem I invested in some different types of cloths. I got some cheap cleaning cloths from the Dollar Tree, plus these microfiber cloths from Amazon. I do my best to reach for these when cleaning the house instead of a paper towel.
There are many, many ways you can save around the house by being more mindful of your decisions.
Do you really need to spray cleaner on the counter or can you just use water? Do you need to turn up the heat or air conditioner, or can you put on a comfortable jacket or wear less?
Learn How to Go Without
I’m willing to bet that there are a lot of purchases you have made that could have waited until you actually needed them. We often feel like we need something right now, but that is not always the truth.
For example, I have “needed” a new pair of shoes for a while now. I could really use some casual tennis-shoes because my current ones are just old and worn down. However, we have been on a tight budget and shoes just weren’t in the cards.
I have made do without them by… wearing all of the other shoes I have.
Going without really is more doable than you think. Save a little money each month until you have extra cash to buy that new item. Or do like I did and wait until your birthday rolls around. Now I will be getting something for my birthday that I actually need and it won’t clutter up my house.
Meal Plan
Meal planning will without a doubt save you a ton of money. You make a plan for each day, write up a grocery list that fits that plan, and only buy groceries from that list.
Also, before you make your meal plan, check out your pantry and refrigerator and plan meals based on what you already have.
In general, planning anything saves you money while impulsivity will not.
Grow Your Own Food
Last, of all, I want to encourage you to grow some of your own food. Spring is around the corner so now is the perfect time to start thinking about this. Salad leaves such as spinach or romaine would be a great place to start.
Salad leaves are one of the easiest things to grow yourself. You can even cut leaves off, and the plant will continue to grow and produce more. Spinach seeds are less than a dollar, while a bag that will last you a week is 4 dollars.
If you aren’t brave enough to start with seeds get a small plant from a nearby nursery. This was one of the first foods we ever grew. It was very low maintenance and provided us with tons of tasty greens. You can even freeze them and save them for when they are out of season.
I will say that in some circumstances growing your own food can start to get expensive but if you find simple things to grow that are easy to take care of, it will help you save money
Thank you!! Need More Help?
Thank you so much for stopping by and reading my tips.
Before you go… I mentioned a lot of printables in this post. You can grab all of these from the free printables library. This would include a monthly budget tracker, 101 Things To Get Rid Of, meal planning tools, and much more.
Also, here at KatiesKottage I aim to help women build systems and routines that make homemaking more simple. Be sure to stick around and read more tips.
Read more frugal ideas.
Read my Ebook!
Weekly Meal Planning Made Simple :: Free Meal Plan - KatiesKottage
August 10, 2018 at 1:02 pm[…] meal planning will save you money. With my meal planning strategies, you will learn how to use up the food you have and to shop on a […]
Bailey
March 6, 2018 at 8:01 amSuch an inspiration! I feel like I have so many ideas about how I can save money now.
KatiesKottage
March 8, 2018 at 7:20 pmThank you!
Bailey
March 6, 2018 at 7:59 amThis was so inspiring! I have lots of new inspiration for saving money.
KatiesKottage
March 8, 2018 at 7:19 pmThat’s great! Thank you so much for stopping by! 🙂
Maegan
March 5, 2018 at 8:51 pmI love these tips and would love to read more! We’re hoping to move soon, but I still want to get a few plants that will be simple to take with us. I’ve been trying to reduce food waste in general and cut my own hair recently to save money.
KatiesKottage
March 8, 2018 at 7:19 pmCutting your own hair… that’s brave and awesome! I just never get mine cut. Lol. Thanks for reading. 🙂
Leslie
March 5, 2018 at 7:41 pmThese tips are great! I’m actually going to start heading out to thrift stores, I’m tired of paying $70 for a top! Blah! Hah, this is great advice for everyone really.
KatiesKottage
March 8, 2018 at 7:18 pmYes! I love thriving! I’ve recently started using Poshmark too… mostly for my husband. It works great if you know your size and what you are looking for. I use it buy jeans from brands that we know work for us.
Gale
March 5, 2018 at 11:52 amGrowing your own food CAN be a huge money saver, or it can be a huge waste. Like the year I spent tons on soil and fertilizer and cages and planter boxes just to get ONE tomato (My $20 tomato), and some inedible carrots. But long term, you learn what you’re good at growing and improve and it does become worth the time, effort, and money spent. I find, for the new gardener, herbs have the most yield (are easiest to grow, replace something that is very expensive–especially if you’re buying fresh herbs).
KatiesKottage
March 5, 2018 at 2:48 pmYou are right… the price to get going can be more than buying the food… especially if your plant don’t grow. Spinach was a great option for us because we honestly spent hardly any time on and it’s been a great plant for us. Blackberries have also been extremely easy for us to take care of and we are getting them in abundance each summer. I agree… herbs is also a great place to start.
Misadventures with Megan
March 5, 2018 at 11:42 amwe’ve save soooo much money on cleaning products ever since I switched to some basic essentials! Vinegar is the best and so cheap, especially in bulk at Costco!
KatiesKottage
March 5, 2018 at 2:47 pmExactly! I buy huge bottles of vinegar and giant boxes of baking soda. It last forever and cleans anything!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
March 5, 2018 at 9:11 amThere are always easy simple things we can do!
KatiesKottage
March 5, 2018 at 2:46 pmSo true! Thanks for reading!
Johanne
March 5, 2018 at 7:49 amVery useful tips! I need to take another look at my closet and style, because I think there’s a lot to gain there. We already don’t use a lot of cleaning products, because I feel like you can use each product for a lot of different things!
KatiesKottage
March 5, 2018 at 2:46 pmYep! Once I cleared out my closet and found my style I hardly ever buy any more clothes. It’s weird… Some how I’m content with less clothes.
Rosaura
March 5, 2018 at 7:27 amGreat tips, I really love gardening but haven’t done so in a while. I think I’m gonna start growing my own spinach, lettuce, and tomatoes. I wanted to share your post on Pinterest, but you don’t have a Pinterest button.
KatiesKottage
March 5, 2018 at 2:45 pmAwe man! I should have a Pinterest button! I’m not sure why it wasn’t appearing for you. I will look in to it. Thank you so much for letting me know! Good luck with the gardening. 🙂
The Pretty Platform
March 5, 2018 at 7:26 amThis was excellent. Great tips! I also get rid of anything I haven’t worn in two years. I have simplified my closet by far. And found my style. This way I’m not compelled to spend money on anything else. And although I agree with you on saving, I don’t know how I will ever let go of my paper towel usage. I too use them for EVERYTHING! I just find it more sanitary. The one change I have made on that is to NOT use them to dry my hands. ?.
KatiesKottage
March 5, 2018 at 2:44 pmYes, the paper towel use is hard to get rid of! I have to wash a lot more towels than I use to… because of what you said… it just doesn’t seem sanitary!