Unbelievably Simple Frugal Hacks Smart People Swear By—And You’ve Never Heard Of Them Before!

Unbelievably Simple Frugal Hacks Smart People Swear By—And You’ve Never Heard Of Them Before!

The Frugal Living subreddit has been around since 2008, and currently has 2.2 million members. It explains frugality as “the mental approach we each take when considering our resource allocations” and “includes time, money, convenience, and many other factors”. Common topics on the page are electronics, pets, budget, recycling and zero waste, food shopping, appliances, auto, cooking and cleaning and organizing.

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According to a 2021 survey by Personal Capital, frugality might be becoming more mainstream among Americans. 90.4% of respondents believe they have frugal spending habits, with many of them claiming to be cutting back on entertainment, dining out and traveling. The most common reasons cited for trying to be more economical were saving for future investments, having a lack of savings and needing a rainy day fund for unexpected costs. Although the majority of respondents say they have no problem sticking to their budgets, 36% of them admitted that they find themselves “fighting the urge to splurge either all the time or often”. The pandemic has also increased many of their financial fears, with 64% of them feeling anxious about another potential lockdown or economic shutdown to help maintain the spread of Covid-19. 

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One difficulty advocates for frugal living seem to encounter is the negative connotation some have with the word. Overall, 59% of Americans consider being frugal a positive thing, but about a quarter of them still view it in a negative light. Baby boomers, in particular, seem to have the least positive view of frugality. But despite what they may think about the word, American consumers as a whole have cut down on spending since the pandemic began. 36% of them say they’ve reduced their spending on non-essentials, 29% report spending less on essentials, and 20% say they’ve cut down on both.

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Clever People Are Sharing Their Best Tips To Living More Frugally For me, I never buy anything full price anymore. It may take a certain personality type to do this, but with a little preparation, and research, a deal or sale could always be found. This is especially true with online stores and the different apps, coupons, rebates, and etc you can easily find. I believe the only time I buy stuff full price is when I need the item in a hurry.

therealrayy , Artem Beliaikin Report

Though some may have found themselves adopting more frugal habits out of necessity during the pandemic, they have still been able to see positive effects from their lifestyle changes. 59% of respondents reported having increased time with their families, and 49% say they’ve gained more flexibility with their work. 24% even said they’ve received more enjoyment out of life, and 21% say their ability to travel has increased due to saving money. While it may have been hard at times to make dinner at home and fight the urge to grab takeout or watch a movie in their living rooms rather than taking a trip to the cinema, I’m sure the extra money in these Americans’ pockets will make it all worth it.   

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Clever People Are Sharing Their Best Tips To Living More Frugally If you must buy something on Amazon, ALWAYS check the Amazon Warehouse deals. Usually, they willl sell the same item in a dented box for 2/3 (or less) of the original price. It says *used* but it has never even been opened. This has saved me a ton of money over the years.

redboxmike , wickedmonday Report

Clever People Are Sharing Their Best Tips To Living More Frugally Avoid buying new what you can buy used, like furniture, clothing, appliances, cars, houses, tools, etc. Reduce, reuse, recycle, re-purpose what you must buy. Take public transportation, car pool, walk, bicycle. Good luck!

anon , Ksu&Eli Report

Clever People Are Sharing Their Best Tips To Living More Frugally Do no spend week. It’s an exercise in how much fun you can have without spending money. Use up the stuff in the freezer. Finish that craft project. Sort through the closet and purge.

inkathebadger , allysphotos Report

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Being frugal has more benefits than simply finding a little extra money in your wallet, though. In fact, it’s not always about spending as little as possible. Sometimes it’s more important to invest in products and services that will last a long time, rather than opting for the cheapest option that inevitably will need to be replaced. For example, the Frugal Living subreddit has dozens of images of appliances and electronics with captions boasting that they’ve been in use for over a decade. It may seem scary to make investments at the time of purchase, but part of being frugal is thinking long term. If that pair of headphones comes from a trustworthy brand and will still be functioning in 10 years, it might be worth spending a little extra.

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Clever People Are Sharing Their Best Tips To Living More Frugally Paying off your credit cards should be number one priority considering the interest rates. Meal plans seem to help people save. When I see something I want to buy I usually try to wait a month to see if I still want it then; usually I don’t. Saves me from a lot of unnecessary purchases.

Rudysnow , swell Report

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Clever People Are Sharing Their Best Tips To Living More Frugally Plant a vegetable garden with only high yield veggies like green beans, okra, squash, zucchini , etc. It is only necessary to purchase the seeds one time because you can harvest them from the veggies. You can then make your own baby food, eat fresh veggies with your meals, and partake in a highly stress relieving activity. It is a win/win

HERMANNATOR85 , funnelhead Report

Another factor those who are passionate about frugal living want others to consider is sustainability. Buying products that will stand the test of time is one way to do this, but there are plenty of other ways to reduce waste. Buying second hand furniture, appliances, vehicles and clothing is budget friendly and reduces waste. If something isn’t broken, there’s no need to replace it. But when something is broken and needs replaced, it can probably be replaced with something that’s been gently used. And when it comes to applying a mindset of frugality to your energy consumption, it’s a win win for your budget and the planet. Reducing electricity and power usage in your home will cost you less money and drain less resources from the Earth.

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