Living a frugal life means making sacrifices, but it also means saving more money in the process. The average person can use different frugal habits to transform their finances from being broke to having more money for savings and investments. Here are 16 frugal habits to transform your finances.
1. Make a Meal Plan
Trying to save money starts with a plan. A meal plan for the week allows you to buy, prep, and plan what you eat. It is known of this on these fly things and going grocery shopping when you are hungry. It uses self-discipline to create a plan to maximize the food in your refrigerator and save you money.
2. Embrace Minimalism
As we age, we tend to collect things. That may not always be a good thing when trying to make space, go and move, or even downsize. More stuff means there are more problems. The less you have to keep up with. It means the less you have to spend money on. Keep things simple and embrace minimalism.
3. Take Cold Showers
Did you know that 40% of the energy used in a month is from taking hot showers? By taking cold showers, you can save anywhere from $50-90 a month on electricity bills. How much money you can save by switching how you shower is incredible. Save some money and switch to a cold shower.
4. Make Coffee At Home
Buying coffee at Starbucks every day can eat up your monthly budget. If you are going to work every day and pay $3 for a Tall latte, that can amount to $15 a week and $780 a year. Making coffee at home and bringing it to work can save you a good bit of money.
5. Eat Out Less
Going to restaurants has become expensive. Food costs are up with inflation, servers want tips, and then there are added taxes. Buying food from grocery stores and cooking it yourself can be cheaper and healthier. Do you like pizza? Make it at home. It is that simple.
6. Turn Off Your Lights
One big thing people do is leave their lights on. Lights can be a huge energy suck, which can negatively affect your electricity bill. It is best to turn off your lights and save that money. Every little bit helps.
7. Do No Spend Challenges
Habits are something that makes us who we are, and often we have some bad habits that need to be broken. Do a no-spend challenge and see the money you may save. Many people start the new year with no spending challenges. These challenges help you to realize what you do not need to buy and the power of saving.
8. Shop at Local Markets
Local markets may have better deals than grocery stores. You can arrive an hour or two before they close, hoping to snag a better deal. It is a great way to find good deals and help local farmers.
9. Eat Less Meat
Meat can be a costly part of any meal. If you eat less meat, you will find that groceries cost less. Eating less meat can save you some money on your budget. A study showed that if you eat less or no meat, you could save close to $700 a year or even more.
10. Ride a Bike
In society, driving a car is the norm. You sit in a car to work, do errands, and do anything else that may need transportation. If you cut down those driving and instead use a bicycle, you will begin to feel the health benefits and save money on gas and maintenance on your vehicle. Opt for a bike and start saving money.
11. Buy Used Products
People like to buy brand-new items, but if you can buy used, you may get great quality at a low price. Facebook and other places have marketplaces for selling used items. You can also join Buy Nothing groups that give away things for free. If you can get great deals, pay less on used ones instead of buying new ones.
12. Walk More
Walking is one of the most healthy habits you can have. Instead of driving everywhere, use your two legs to go from point A to point B. You will start to see more savings in your pocket and a better healthy you.
13. Use The Library
The library has fantastic benefits. It hosts many books you can check out and not have to buy. The other great thing is that they have computers and free wifi. If you want to save on the internet or need a computer, the library is a perfect spot. Save on books and the internet by getting a library card.
14. Sell Unused Items
If we want to make some money on the side, we should routinely go through the items in our house to see if they are being used. The more clutter you may collect, the less space.
15. Ditch Cable
Cable cutters have been around for years, and now it is like everyone is ditching cable for streaming. If you want local channels, you can go to Amazon and purchase antennas and hook it up to your TV. You can also go to streaming and have one account and borrow accounts from others. It is a win-win.
16. Travel In the Off Season
Most people take vacations when everyone else would. People travel during the summer when kids are off for the holidays or around Christmas time. Opt for traveling in the off-season. Instead of the summer leave a month earlier and coming back. The off-season has fewer tourists, and prices are usually lower.
Start Changing Today
Frugal living is not just saving money but also having quality items at lower prices. You can spend a little money to enjoy life. Use these frugal habits to transform your finances.
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I’m Steve. I’m an English Teacher, traveler, and an avid outdoorsman. If you’d like to comment, ask a question, or simply say hi, leave me a message here, on Twitter (@thefrugalexpat1). Many of my posts have been written to help those in their journey to financial independence. I am on my journey, and as I learn more I hope to share more. And as always, thanks for reading The Frugal Expat.
