100 Frugal Habits to Live By, If You’re Trying to Save Money (2024)

Shifrah Combiths

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• Cook a meal instead of going out.
• Double a meal you’re cooking and freeze half.
• Save chicken scraps and vegetable scraps so you can make your own chicken stock.
• Make your own salad dressing.
• Make your own iced tea.
• Make your own lemonade.
• Make your own popsicles.
• Don’t buy pre-packaged snacks; apportion them yourself.
• Use a reusable lunch box rather than plastic baggies.
• Invest in a quality water bottle instead of buying bottled water.
• Swirl out the extra sauce with a bit of water to get out every last drop when you’re cooking.
• Go through your fridge weekly to use up or freeze anything that might be going bad.
• Get comfortable with inexpensive vegetarian meals to save on the cost of meat.
• Meal plan.
• Grow your own herbs.
• Grow your own vegetables.
• Bake and decorate your own cakes or cupcakes for celebrations.
• Wash your own lettuce (rather than buying pre-washed).
• Cut your own veggies (rather than buying pre-cut).
• Cook whole chickens rather than buying chicken parts.
• Stretch meat by making soups, pastas, and bowls with it.

• Protect your phone with a good case.
• Mend your socks.
• Sew the button back on.
• Refinish leather purses, wallets, shoes, etc.
• Repair the broken shoes.
• Deep clean the carpet you’re ready to toss.
• Re-cover the upholstery.
• Use a de-piller to make clothes look new.
• Clean out your drains to avoid costly plumbing issues.
• Refinish your ruined table.
• Polish and clean your leather shoes.
• Re-sole your worn shoes.
• Buy new inserts for your shoes.
• Dye faded or stained clothing rather than tossing it.
• Learn new skills so you can do your own simple car and home repairs and maintenance tasks.

• Use boxes (shoe, cereal, etc.) for storage rather than buying containers.
• Use water from washing the lettuce to water your plants.
• Repurpose sauce or condiment jars for storage.
• Save leftover coffee for making iced coffee.
• Compost to make your own fertile soil.
• Use coffee grounds as fertilizer.
• Use distilled white vinegar to clean.
• Use baking soda to clean.
• Use dish soap to clean.
• Use rags—made from old clothes or linens—rather than paper towels.

• Use the library for books, movies, e-books, and audio books.
• Make wall art out of book pages.
• Make plant babies instead of buying new plants.
• Make plant babies as gifts.
• Use spray paint to change the color of your frames/lamps/small furniture/plant pots.
• Give yourself a pedicure rather than going to the salon.
• Swap babysitting with a friend rather than paying for child care.
• Make your own glass cleaner.
• Plan a staycation rather than a vacation this year.
• Take your own “school pictures” rather than paying for the package.
• Take a road trip instead of flying.
• Split a meal rather than buying two entrees when eating out.
• Don’t order drinks if you’re eating out.
• Always find a “kids eat free” promotion when dining out with your children.
• Start your plants from seed.
• Save seeds from your flowers for planting next year.
• Wash the car at home.
• Exercise at home rather than the gym.
• Make friends with your neighbors and help each other by lending and borrowing tools, watching each other’s pets when you’re out of town, etc.
• Take advantage of free community programs such as outdoor movie nights, library book clubs, etc.
• Consider a capsule wardrobe.

• Turn off the lights.
• Unplug unused appliances.
• Turn down the heat.
• Turn down the A/C.
• Run your appliances at night.
• Wash your clothes in cold water.
• Use a turbo cycle on your washer whenever you can.
• Hang dry as much as possible to avoid dryer costs.
• Set a timer for your showers.
• Hand wash delicates to preserve their life.
• Cut the tubes of sunscreen, makeup, and lotion in order to use every single bit.
• Drive the speed limit to save on fuel and avoid costly speeding tickets.
• Keep your tires properly inflated to maximize fuel efficiency.
• Switch to LED light bulbs.
• Make sure your home is energy efficient by checking the air seals around windows and doors.

• Shop only when you have a list of things in mind and don’t stray from the list.
• Buy used clothing when possible.
• Use shopping portals to accrue extra mileage points.
• Always pay off the balance on your credit cards.
• Budget, budget, budget.
• Cancel all unnecessary subscriptions, digital and physical.
• Check rotating cash back categories on your credit cards.
• Use the cash envelope system.
• Make your returns ASAP so you don’t forget about them.
• Always ask for a price match, when applicable.
• Check for coupons before buying something.
• Bundle your errands to eliminate unnecessary driving.
• Buy used cars.
• Whenever possible, invest in quality products that last.
• Consider buying refurbished items. For example, a refurbished laptop, stand mixer, coffee maker, vacuum cleaner, etc.
• Buy in bulk when it makes sense (sales, cost is actually cheaper, you have the storage space, etc.)
• Use cash back companies like Ebates or Ibotta.
• Have and maintain an emergency fund for unexpected expenses.

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