Frugal living is all about making the most of what you have and spending your money wisely. It’s about being resourceful and finding ways to save money without sacrificing your quality of life.
There are many ways to live a frugal lifestyle, but it ultimately comes down to making smart choices with your money.
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9 frugal living tips for 2022 and beyond to get you started on your journey to frugal living
1. Use apps to track your expenses and save money
If this is what you look like when trying to setup a budget I suggest you read this for some useful tips 😉
Get a good (affordable) smartphone, if you don’t have one already and install a budgeting app.
For example, Mint is a great app that allows you to track your spending and create budgets based on your income.
It also provides you with advice on how to spend less and save money on particular expenses such as food, utilities and travel.
A few other examples of similar apps are: EveryDollar and YNAB (You Need A Budget). Many of these kinds of apps also have web versions that you can use on your computer so your budget is synced all over and easily accessible when something to buy catches your eye.
If you spend more than you earn each month it is a good idea to set a budget and try to stick to it.
2. Buy second-hand items whenever possible
There are lots of great websites and apps where you can buy and sell used items. This is a clever way of getting high quality products for a fraction of the price.
You can also sell those unwanted items taking up space in your house on there and make a few bucks while you are on there.
The goal is to lead a simple and frugal living even when you can afford an extravagant life. You can also search for free or cheap activities that you can do in your community or in your area for entertainment and recreation.
Also read: 37 Ways to Repurpose Common Household Objects
3. Read books about frugal living and budgeting tips and tricks that can help you save even more money
Getting educated on this topic is a really great idea, since it can save and even make you a lot of money in the long run.
Some examples are The Simple Dollar by Trent Hamm, The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey, The Non-Consumer Advocate by Dana Turner, and Money: Master The Game by David Bach.
Books can be a great source of inspiration and ideas for how to live a more economical and sustainable lifestyle.
Look around at second-hand bookstores and online. Or just buy them straight from Amazon or other online stores to save yourself some time.
4. Watch videos about frugal living tips and read articles on personal finance topics online
Many of us don’t enjoy reading books about dry topics like personal finance, we prefer reading fiction… So for those people there is YouTube, blogs and podcasts to watch, read listen to and learn from.
Get educated on these important topics with engaging visual and audio content.
These sources are also really good for you to learn some skills so that you can do more things for yourself and save some money. That leads us to the next point, DIY.
5. DIY frugal living tips for the 2020s
Do It Yourself, doing it yourself can lead to a great sense of fulfillment and save you a lot of money. Minor repairs, painting and building furniture are some things you can do for yourself. You can also decorate your own place by making some art or other decorative pieces that you like. Here are some DIY crafts and decorations on Pinterest.
Now, there are certain things that you should rather get professional help with, especially if it is too far out of your comfort zone or area of expertise. Don’t try to save money and end up making a bigger mess than there was to begin with.
Making your own food can also be far cheaper and healthier than getting ready made meals and take out all the time. Sometimes you are tired, or just lazy, that’s fine… order some take out, save time and don’t worry about it.
But it really is best to buy and make healthy food. This is where our next point on meal planning and grocery lists comes in.
6. Start planning your meals and shop with a grocery list
By planning and shopping with a list you will go to the grocery store with a clear goal and only buy what you went in for, rather than wandering around aimlessly. When you wander around the grocery store aimlessly you tend to buy things you don’t need.
Not having a list or plan wastes time and money, since you are buying things you don’t need and walking around without knowing what to buy. Another tip is to eat before going to the grocery store, this will stop you from buying snacks. And take some reusable shopping bags along rather.
Once again, apps are the best thing for this since you tend to forget lists, but very rarely your phone. Getting some meal plan and shopping list apps can really help you on your way to simple and frugal living. Remember, this doesn’t need to be difficult, technology is a tool, choose to use it to make your life simpler.
There are many meal planner apps available, but some popular ones include Yummly, Paprika, and Mealime. The same goes for grocery list apps, but here are a few that we really like: AnyList, Out of Milk and Bring! This won’t just save you time and money, it might save your health too!
Another option is to use a meal service or grocery delivery service, this might cost a bit extra, but if you have more money than time, rather exchange that bit of convenience and time for the cost of having your food made and your groceries delivered.
Frugal living is not just about saving money, it’s about being frugal with all your resources, the most valuable of which is time.
Cable TV offers a lot of variety, but so does Netflix, Amazon Prime and other streaming services. Rather switch and share one or 2 subscriptions with friends or family members, it’s far cheaper and you can take your access with you where ever you go
8. Frugal transport
Have a look at what it costs you to get around, see where you can save and make a plan. If you are close enough to the amenities you often use or your workplace, rather walk or cycle if it’s safe enough to do so. If not, carpool, use a ride sharing service or public transport.
This might not seem so great, but remember, every time you get in your car you are adding to the wear and tear. Gas, car services and tires are expensive!
You are occupied when driving, but when you are commuting or carpooling you can often sit and relax, catch up on some reading or just watch or listen to something entertaining.
If you can afford it, a self driving car can also help with the found time aspect of using public transport. In the future it could even make you some money while you work, if you are comfortable with having your self driving car taking others around.
This could also help you a bit with the stress of driving in city traffic, which can be quite infuriating. Walking or cycling is good for your health and the environment, if you care about that 🙂
9. Change your mindset about money and frugality
The stories we tell ourselves and others about why we do or don’t do things are often preposterous, and we know it. A lot of the reasons we give for doing or not doing things are nothing more than excuses.
Change these stories and you will find many ways to be frugal with your money.
Frugality is not just about saving money or leading a bare or cheap existence, it’s about using your resources wisely. These resources include your time, money, attention and will power. Remember that it’s best to plan for the things that can happen and saving yourself the need to exercise will power all the time.
Something that can really help in this regard is choosing your friends carefully. If your friends tend to spend a lot on expensive trips, restaurants, accessories, cars and other items, you will be tempted to do the same. There’s nothing wrong with going to expensive places, especially on special occasions, but doing this often can lead to serious financial strain.
Buying high quality items is often best, since they tend to be more durable and we tend to look after expensive things better, therefore they last longer.
Don’t confuse high status luxury brand names with quality. Their items are often good quality, but that’s not what you are paying for, you’re paying for the status that comes with the brand not the quality of the actual item.
To conclude
Widen your perception of frugality beyond just money, be clever and use the tools and technology around you to reduce the amount of effort you need to put in to lead a frugal high standard of living.
In the 2020s you can choose how you use the incredible tools at your disposal, whether it be the internet or the devices that we use to connect to it.
Getting married is also a major part of life and making a living, have a look at these 35 Cheap Wedding Ideas and make sure you don’t go overboard.
Also read:
Budgets for beginners: A guide to creating and sticking to one
15 Cheap Wedding Ideas to save thousands
Why Is It Hard To Save Money? (2 reasons)
Best Wedding Reception Order of Events for Your Big Day (4 steps to planning)
9 Frugal living tips for 2022 (and beyond)
10 Top Tips for Planning a Wedding on a Budget You’ll Love
P.S. Want to know when our next post lands and get our free ebook on how to live frugally? Then click the link below.