Best Frugal Living Tips To Save Money In 2025

Get Free Stuff

Did you know that you can get free products for your word-of-mouth recommendation? Be a tester and get stuff you need without spending a dime. You can get quality products for free to review, like skin and hair care products, cleaning supplies, clothes, software, and rewards. Ibotta is a free app for product testing and coupons. You can get a full cost rebate when you buy products and submit your receipts to Ibotta.

Sell Extra Stuff

Selling extra stuff and renting out extra space are practical frugal living tips for beginners. Decluttering not only creates space but also generates income. Platforms like Facebook Marketplace, Etsy or eBay make selling items straightforward. Additionally, renting out extra space, whether a room or storage area, can turn unused areas into revenue streams. You can repurpose the newfound home space for profitable ideas like renting it out.

Rent Out Extra Space

Do you have an extra room in your house? You can turn the extra space into a money machine by renting it out. No extra space? Rent out your home when you’re on vacation, family reunion, or for any period you’re not home.

There are other ways to make money off your space without letting people stay at your house. For instance, you can rent out your space as a storage room. Store At My House can be a great company to work with to provide renters storage space. You can make an average of $150-$500/month as passive income renting out your garage if you don’t have a car to park there.

Start Thrifting

Thrifting is a crucial frugal living tip to get quality products while saving money. You can get things from outfits, accessories, home decor, furniture, designer items, and everything in between at a lower price. 

The thrift store isn’t the only place to get gently-used items at incredible prices. You can haggle over the costs and get quality products. Thrifting can be fun to save money and create a unique personal style as someone trying to be frugal. On top of all that, you can feel great about items you buy while thrifting because you’re reusing and recycling. Win-win!

Lower Entertainment Expenses

Cable TV can cost up to $130+ per month, depending on the cable plan and the provider. This can be a lot of money when trying to be more frugal.

Lowering entertainment expenses is a timeless frugal living tip and trick. Cutting down on cable TV costs and exploring cost-effective streaming services aligns with frugal principles.

Cook At Home

How often do you dine out or order delivery? If you’re one of the 60% of Americans ordering delivery once a week, you’ll spend about five times more on eating out than cooking at home.

Frugal living can help you snowball more positive changes, such as eating healthy. Cooking at home is an opportunity to prepare healthy meals for you and your family. Try meal planning to avoid food waste and save money. A great first step is checking the food you already have before going to the store for more groceries.

Stick To Your Grocery List

Have you ever bought something that you hadn’t budgeted for at the grocery store? Impulse buying can drain your finances, and most of the time, you end up buying stuff you don’t need. Creating and sticking to a grocery list is a vital frugal living tip to save a ton of money.

Try ordering ahead with Instacart or the Walmart app to avoid splurging on extra goodies. You can start saving money on groceries. Saving money on groceries is about cutting costs, not cutting coupons. Do you know you can start saving $100 or more every month? Follow these easy steps.

Learn To DIY

Another excellent way to live frugally is to learn to do most things yourself. Whether you’re crafting, building, or repairing, tackling a DIY is one of the best ways to save money. Do you need more shampoo or soaps, or conditioners? You can check out online tutorials on frugal living tips and tricks on how to make your cleaning products at home; it’s cheaper, and there’s less chance of unwanted chemical exposure.

What about home projects? There are plenty of online tutorials and TV programs on any DIY project you can imagine. Some DIY projects you can handle include landscaping, home renovations, repairs, and crafting. Do you need to overhaul a closet or the entire house? You can hire a dumpster and remove the junk or take things directly to the dump instead of hiring cleaners.

Plant Your Produce

Save money on groceries by farming your produce. Frugal living tips for beginners include frugal gardening as an excellent way to use scrap food waste. Plant the seeds from produce you’ve cleaned and use other food waste to create compost to produce organic fertilizer for the garden.

Nothing is more rewarding than farming your food. Use plastic containers, egg cartons, clamshell containers, or eggshells to start your seed. You can find these items at home, so you don’t even have to buy them.

Eat Seasonal Food

Incorporating frugal living tips and tricks like consuming seasonal produce can be a double win.

Eating seasonal produce is cheaper compared to purchasing off-season fruits and veggies. It’s also better for the environment. Since the food doesn’t have to travel far to get from farm to store, there’s less pollution. Seasonal food is often more plentiful and nutritious, unlike the food in the stores sourced internationally.

Upcycle

Upcycling is an excellent way to use old or unwanted items creatively, and it helps reduce waste by reusing household items that would otherwise be garbage. Recycling breaks down waste to create a product, and upcycling creatively transforms a by-product. 

Why buy home accessories when you can upcycle? Make beautiful home accessories with old stuff you have lying around. Do you have old pallets? You can upcycle them into outdoor seating or a beautiful home bar. You can also look at Habitat for Humanity for cheap materials you can use in upcycling projects. With some practice, you can repurpose junk into beautiful crafts and home decor items.

Drop The Single-Use Items

Single-use items are pretty common at home for many of us. Not only do they cost a lot of money, but they are also a menace to the environment. 

Swapping single-use products, like plastics, for reusable materials is another vital frugal living tip. Metal cutlery can be the best alternative to plastic ones, and you buy them from your local thrift store, online, or from Habitat for Humanity.

These products are cost-effective and reduce garbage. Do you make your cleaning products at home? Reuse spray bottles by refilling them when they’re empty. Many reusable products are high quality; you won’t need to replace them frequently. For example, you will save a couple of dollars every time you refill your reusable water bottle.

Additionally, non-plastic packaging and storage materials are non-hazardous. They don’t leave a bad taste, making them safer for keeping consumable products like food and water.

Be Content

One of the biggest struggles a beginner to frugal living faces is embracing mindfulness and minimalism. Having less stuff can make cleaning easier and offer you free space to enjoy your home. Also, choosing to spend your money on essentials only can lower your expenses and help you hit your saving targets.

Cut Down Subscriptions

Take a closer look at the monthly subscriptions you’re paying for, like streaming services, magazines, or gym memberships. Assess which ones you genuinely use and enjoy the most. Consider canceling those that you rarely use or finding more affordable alternatives. This can free up extra money every month that you can put towards your savings or investments. 

Wondering how to live very cheaply? Cutting down on unnecessary subscriptions is a great place to start for frugal living.

Try Meatless Meals

Incorporate more plant-based meals into your diet. Meat can be expensive, and opting for protein-rich alternatives like beans, lentils, and tofu can help you save money on your grocery bills while still getting the essential nutrients your body needs. 

You don’t have to go fully vegetarian, but even a couple of meatless meals a week can make a noticeable difference in your budget.

Embrace Free Activities

Embracing free activities is not only a frugal living tip but also a way to break habits that keep you poor. Consider hiking, having picnics in the park, attending local art exhibitions, or participating in community events. These options can be just as fun and fulfilling as more expensive outings, and they won’t strain your wallet.

Use Cashback Rewards

Make the most of cashback rewards offered by credit cards or shopping apps. Whenever you make a purchase, check if you can earn cashback on it. These rewards might seem small for individual transactions, but they can add up over time and provide you with extra funds that you can either save or invest.

Negotiate Your Bills

Don’t hesitate to negotiate with service providers like cable companies, internet providers, and insurance companies. You might be surprised by how often they’re willing to offer you a better deal or a discount to keep your business. A simple phone call or email could result in lower rates, helping you save money on essential services.

If you feel your efforts are futile, you can also take help from some bill negotiation companies like Bill Trim who negotiate the amount of your bills for you. It is a company that helps you lower your bills in any category. With their negotiation skills, they try to get your bills to the lowest amount possible. With their professional negotiator, you can lower your bill amount 2x a year.

They monitor your bills before the due date, and if they catch a price increase, they try to get a lower price before they auto-pay your bills through your linked bank account.

Plan No-Spend Days

Designate specific days of the week or month as “no-spend” days. On these days, challenge yourself to refrain from making any unnecessary purchases. It’s a great way to become more mindful of your spending habits and to recognize when you might be spending money impulsively. Plus, it can be a fun challenge to see how creative you can get with finding free activities or using items you already have.

Buy In Bulk

For frequently used non-perishable items, consider buying in bulk. Purchasing larger quantities can lead to significant savings over time, as the unit price is often lower. Staples like rice, pasta, canned goods, and cleaning supplies are good candidates for bulk purchases. Just make sure you have adequate storage space to avoid wasting food or other items.

DIY Gifts

Instead of splurging on expensive gifts for birthdays or holidays, try your hand at creating personalized DIY gifts. Handmade presents can be incredibly meaningful and show that you’ve put thought and effort into the gesture. Whether it’s a handcrafted photo album, a batch of homemade cookies, or a piece of artwork, these gifts often hold more sentimental value than store-bought ones.

Engaging in the art of DIY gifts is not just a frugal living tip but a way to embrace creativity while living very cheaply.

Repair Instead Of Replace

Before tossing out broken items, explore whether they can be repaired. Learning basic repair skills or finding local repair shops can help you extend the lifespan of your belongings and save money on replacements. 

Whether it’s a torn piece of clothing, a malfunctioning appliance, or a leaky faucet, fixing things up can be a satisfying way to save money and reduce waste.

Unplug Devices

Many devices continue to draw energy even when they’re not in use. Unplug chargers, electronics, and appliances when you’re not actively using them. This simple habit can help you conserve electricity and reduce your energy bill over time. It’s also a step toward a more eco-friendly lifestyle by minimizing energy wastage.

Use Library Services

Instead of buying books, magazines, or movies, take full advantage of your local library’s resources. Most libraries offer a wide range of borrowing options, including physical books, e-books, magazines, movies, and even educational courses. Borrowing from the library not only saves you money but also encourages a culture of sharing within your community. Plus, libraries often host events and workshops that you can attend for free.

What Is The Difference Between Frugal Living and Being Cheap?

What does the term frugal mean to you? Many people think it is denying yourself things or gifts for your family, never going on vacations, and making yourself and the people around you miserable. Well, frugal living is a way to find the best value and prudently spend money on specific priorities. 

On the flip side, a cheap lifestyle is one where you focus on the lowest price tag without caring about quality. For instance, refusing to heat your home when it is cold or skipping family reunions because you’re penny-pinching doesn’t mean frugality.

Frugality is intentional and prioritizes spending your money on things that matter. Satisfaction and value over time drive your spending habits. In contrast, a cheapskate aims for the lowest price without considering spending impacts. 

Is Frugal Living Worth It?

Absolutely, frugal living is definitely worth it if you want to save money and achieve your financial goals. By adopting a frugal lifestyle, you can reduce unnecessary expenses, make more mindful choices about how you spend your money, and focus on the things that truly matter to you. By making simple changes like cooking at home, shopping for deals, and finding free or low-cost activities, you can save hundreds or even thousands of dollars each year.

Frugal living can also help you pay off debt faster, build your emergency fund, or save for a big purchase like a home or car. By reducing your expenses and living within your means, you can free up more money to put towards your financial goals. Plus, you’ll develop valuable skills like budgeting, DIY-ing, and meal planning that can save you money and improve your quality of life in the long run.

Benefits Of Frugal Living

Frugal living has tons of benefits, but the biggest is allowing you to achieve financial freedom. 

Also, learning to maximize your resources allows you to save and invest more money than you spend. What happens when you have a nest egg and several investments thanks to your frugal lifestyle? You get out of debt and end the paycheck-to-paycheck lifestyle. 45% of Americans are stuck with more and more credit card debt, with 30% seeing no hope of getting out of these debts.

If you struggle with savings, you’re not alone. More than half of Americans wouldn’t be able to handle an emergency that costs more than $1,000, and this means that most people would need a personal loan or credit cards for an emergency.

Frugal living is excellent for the environment, and it might seem counterintuitive, but think about it. Frugal living can help lower consumption and produce less waste. Reusing and up-cycling can cut the need to buy new stuff and make trash valuable. A frugal lifestyle can reduce land-filling and help protect natural resources.

Conclusion

In conclusion, these frugal living tips are a valuable resource for anyone looking to save money, live more intentionally, and achieve financial freedom. Remember, frugal living is not just a passing fad or a trendy lifestyle choice. It’s a smart and sustainable way to take control of your finances and make the most out of every dollar you spend.

By following the frugal living tips that we discussed, you can reduce your expenses, live a simpler life, and ultimately achieve financial freedom. And let’s not forget about the positive impact that frugal living can have on the environment as well.

So, why not give it a try in 2025? Embrace frugality, be mindful of your spending habits, and discover the many benefits of living a more simple and sustainable life. Your wallet (and the planet) will thank you for it in the long run!

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