20 WAYS TO LIVE A FRUGAL LIFE WITHOUT ANYONE NOTICING

 

Today I have some tips for you on how you can cut back on your finances and save money. We are a family of 7 living on one income.  When my husband took a 30% pay cut, we were really forced to reevaluate our lives.   We were able to cut back on a few things that really helped. And honestly, we felt it, but outside of our home, no one ever really noticed. And now, we are used to it and would never go back. If you feel like your in the situation where you just really need to save money, this list will give you a few great places to start. You can still live your life; you’ll just be saving money while you do it.

20 TIPS TO LIVE A FRUGAL LIFE WITHOUT ANYONE NOTICING

1. THE VERY FIRST THING YOU SHOULD DO, WE DID IT AND NEVER WENT BACK

Cut the cable! I know I have mentioned it before, but that’s because you will save a huge chunk of money. With all the technology these days, you won’t miss it at all! You can read more about how you can cut the cable here. Or check out the Fire TV Stick  this is the streaming device we love to use the most. We were so happy with it, we now have two of them. Also, with over 147,000 reviews and almost five stars, I would say it must be worth it! 🙂

2.  CUT UP YOUR CREDIT CARDS

Yup, those credit cards will take a hold of you and ruin your financial life. We didn’t have many, but the interest rates were crazy and they are just too tempting. We no longer have one and I rip up every offer we get in the mail. You learn to live without them! I don’t care what anyone says, you do not NEED them.

3. CUT YOUR CELL PHONE BILL

You don’t have to cut it out completely, but you can cut your bill down significantly.  This service right here saved us $1680 a year! And we were able to keep our smartphones.

 

4. STOP BUYING CLOTHES AND SHOES YOU DON’T REALLY NEED

Think about how many dresses or shirts you already have. Do you really need more right now or do you just want more? If you don’t need it, don’t buy it. Sometimes situations will come up where you need something new to wear, like for a wedding or a really important interview. If this happens, give yourself a set budget on what you can spend. Then check local thrift stores first, then check stores like The Ross, Marshalls and TJ Max.  If you don’t have any luck there, check the clearance racks at your favorite shops. You will be surprised at what you might find!

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5. START MAKING SNACKS HOMEMADE

We all get the sweet tooth sometimes.  You can make simple homemade cookies or homemade brownies, this is not only cheaper, its better for you and there is nothing like a freshly baked cookie and a cup of milk. We like to use these Silicone Ice Pop Molds With Attached Lids to make homemade popsicles or yogurt bars.

6. STOP TAKING YOUR ENTIRE FAMILY OUT TO DINNER

Notice that I didn’t say stop eating out altogether. The reason for this is because I think having time with my husband is important. Occasionally we will sneak away and do a cheap dinner somewhere together. We have five boys so this doesn’t happen very often, but if it does, I’m ok with that. However, taking a family of 7 out to dinner is outrageous. That had to stop.

7. START AN EMERGENCY FUND

This one is probably the most important. If you haven’t already, you need to start an emergency fund. A big thing these days is people like to use their credit cards as an emergency outlet. A credit card is not for emergencies! This will only create more debt and more stress. For the longest time we didn’t have an emergency fund at all, now it is at the top of my priority list. Click here to download your free Emergency Fund Tracker. 

8. SHOP ONLINE WHENEVER YOU CAN

Especially if you live where the cost of living is higher. Like New York  City or Dallas, TX. (These two cities rank in the top four most expensive places to live.) You can find some great deals online. If you are an Amazon Prime Member, you get access to sales before others and you get free 2-day shipping! Shopping online will keep you from overspending and from wasting gas!

Here is a bonus for you! You can try Amazon Prime FREE for 30 days. 

9. USE COUPONS OR FREE GROCERY APPS TO SAVE ON ITEMS YOU USE REGULARLY

If an item you use regularly goes on sale, stock up and save yourself money in the long-run. You can maximize the sale by using paper coupons or free grocery apps that offer coupons.  My favorite grocery app that has saved me $100’s of dollars is IBBOTA . You can add special coupon deals directly to your grocery store card or easily upload your receipt. I also love using this site here to print out coupons. Coupons are updated every month and I am always able to find something I use. Plus, it is completely free for you to use.

10.  UNPLUG ELECTRONICS

The standard Desktop Computer, even when on standby, depending on the price per a watt, could add around $5 a month to your electric bill. Do you have a 60″ Plasma TV? If you use your 60″ Plasma TV for 5 hours a day, this can add up to $10 a month to your electric bill. This doesn’t include using any additional electronics with it like the Xbox One S.  Don’t forget about smaller TVs and other game systems, they all add up!

11. TRY NOT RUNNING YOUR HEATER OR AIR CONDITIONER

We live up in Maryland and it does get pretty cold here. However, I have tried cutting back on running the heat this winter. We bundle up in sweaters and use blankets. It is actually quite cozy. I do turn the heat on about 69 at night.  During the summer months, our air conditioner runs our electric bill through the roof. I do my best not to run it a lot during the day. Cut back as much as you can.

12.PLAN YOUR MEALS FOR THE ENTIRE MONTH

This is not as difficult as it may sound. There are a lot of benefits to planning your meals out one of them is you will save a ton of money! You can find my meal planning strategy here, along with free meal planner worksheets.

13. INVITE FRIENDS OR FAMILY OVER INSTEAD OF GOING OUT

Do you ever go out with friends or family and your just tempted to pick up the bill? My husband is this way! Maybe your not, but just meeting family out for dinner at a nice restaurant could cost you $30-$40 per a couple. Think about how nice of a meal you could make at home? You can make a nice meal, purchase wine and a movie. Or you could always, have a potluck party and have everyone bring a dish.  Staying in is always cheaper!

14. RUN THE DISHWASHER AND WASHING MACHINE ONLY WHEN ITS FULL

This may be a no-brainer for some. But, it is a total waste of water and money if you run the dishwasher or washing machine when it’s not full. Where we live we get charged by the gallon for water, yes by the gallon. Maybe try handwashing as much as you can. Use these NO ODOR Dish Cloths for washing dishes by hand. They don’t scratch your dishes or absorb the nasty dishwater and you can throw them in the dishwasher for easy washing!

15. STOP BUYING PAPER TOWELS

Paper towels are expensive and a complete waste of money. If I put a roll of paper towels out in my house it will be gone before the next day. A better and more frugal alternative is to use these Huck Towels in place of paper towels. Keep a “yuck bucket” somewhere close by and throw them in the wash when its full.

16. DON’T RUN THE DRYER FOR BLANKETS OR WINTER ITEMS

You can wash your blankets and hang them up to dry. We have a stair railing and I like to hang our blankets over that. This helps with the electric bill, especially in the summer months. You can also use the  Foldable Drying Rack  or this Wall-Mount  Accordion Clothes Dryer.

17. MAKE CROCK POT MEALS AS MUCH AS YOU CAN

Not only are crockpot meals cheaper, it cost less money to run a crock pot than an oven. And its also nice having a meal ready for dinner when you come home! I absolutely love my Ninja 4-in-1 Cooking System. This thing was a life changer!

18. IF YOU LIKE TO GET YOUR NAILS DONE, NOW IS THE TIME TO STOP

To me, it is so expensive! There are so many other things you could use that money for. You can do your own nails at home, for a fraction of the cost. Try using this UV Nail Dryer and this Gel Nail Polish. There are so many different pretty colors and it will last 2+ weeks.

19. DON’T BUY APPLIANCES BRAND NEW

Need a new dishwasher or washing machine? Before you go out and purchase something brand new always check your local classified ads, craigslist and resale facebook groups in your area first! There are so many people who are just wanting to upgrade so they are selling perfectly good appliances for a fraction of the cost. We needed a new dishwasher, we actually purchased one from a couple for $50. The dishwasher was practically brand new and a nice upgrade from our old one. Another example would be, when we first bought our house, we purchased a front load washer and dryer for $200 each.  Nothing was wrong with it, the lady was just moving. The washer lasted us 5 years and the dryer is still going!

20. PURCHASE ITEMS LIKE MAKEUP AND CLOTHING ONLINE THORUGH Ebates

Have you ever heard of Ebates? It is a cash back site, that will give you cash back just for shopping at your favorite name brand stores. For example, if you go through Ebates to purchase makeup from Sephora or Ulta, you get cash back and you can take advantage of online deals that you may not find in the store. You will also save money because you are less tempted to overspend.

BONUS I ALMOST FORGOT!  SELL ITEMS THAT YOU HARDLY EVER USE

Get rid of things you don’t really use. Clean out your closet. I bet you can find something you can get rid of. Take the money you make and put it in your emergency fund! Heres a list of 3 places you can sell your items without leaving your home.

This list may seem small, but if you really sit down and write out how much money you spend on these items, you will see how much money you could really save! There is nothing on this list that you can’t do and you will save a ton of money!

 

No matter what your situation is, you can totally do this! Got any other great ideas? I would love to hear about them! Just leave me a comment below!

Want to save even more money on your monthly expenses? Download the free 70+ Tips below. These tips have saved us $1000’s of dollars! Enjoy!