When I was climbing my way out of nearly $100,000 in debt, I used every one of these tips — some eagerly, some through gritted teeth. Frugality didn’t come naturally to me.
What finally changed things was the pandemic. With concerts canceled, travel off the table, and the social world suddenly quiet, I knew this was the time to make a big financial difference for my self and my family. For the first time, I had no excuses and nowhere to spend. I was also extremely grateful to stayed employed. I knew this was my window — get out now, or forever stay trapped in debt.
Because trapped is exactly what I’d been. For years I’d been trying to get out of debt the way people try to start a diet on Monday — with good intentions and poor follow-through. I’d pay some down, then overspend, then an unexpected bill would arrive, and I’d find myself right back where I started. The cycle had a gravity to it.
Frugality broke that cycle. It started as a necessity, became a habit, and ended up being one of the most valuable things I’ve ever learned.
Here are 100 frugal living tips that helped me save money and I still use to this day:
1. Automate savings — transfer a fixed amount to savings the day you’re paid, before you see it or spend it. If you have a hard time leaving money to grow in a savings account, open the account with a separate bank that is not linked to your checking account; automate and forget about it.
2. Never shop hungry — a full stomach leads to a smaller grocery bill, every time.
3. Unplug idle electronics — “vampire power” from standby devices can cost $100+ per year.
4. Implement a 24-hour rule — wait a day before any non-essential purchase. Most impulses fade overnight.
5. Cook in bulk — double recipes and freeze portions; you’ll always have a cheap home meal ready.
6. Switch to a no-fee bank — monthly maintenance fees and ATM charges are easily eliminated by switching to an online bank. Credit unions are another great source for doing away with bank fees.
7. Drink water at restaurants — beverages can add 20–30% to a restaurant bill. Water is free and often better for you.
8. Unsubscribe from retailer emails — every promotional email is a temptation engineered by professionals. Remove the temptation. To make things more efficient, use a separate email address if you sign up for retailer emails. Keeps the temptation out of your main email inbox.
9. Wash clothes in cold water — about 90% of washing machine energy goes to heating water. Washing my clothes in the ‘cold tap’ setting is very second nature to me now.
10. Use a high-yield savings account — park your emergency fund somewhere it earns 3–4% instead of 0.01%. Line this up with the first tip about automating your transfers to savings.
11. Meal plan every week — know what you’ll eat before you shop and food waste drops to near zero. If meal planning is not your vibe, stock up on food items that are easy to whip up meals at a moments notice. A good, balanced selection of proteins, carbohydrates, vegetables and fruits.
12. Walk or bike short distances — trips under a mile rarely justify the wear and fuel cost of driving. This is a win-win tips as it will improve your health and well-being, too.
13. Rotate streaming apps — subscribe, binge what you want, cancel, move to the next service. Take it to the next level by subscribing to free apps like Pluto TV.
14. Buy store brands — often manufactured by the same companies as name brands, for 20–40% less. Walmart, Trader Joe’s, Kirkland, Aldi and more offer great store brand items at a fraction of the cost.
15. Fix leaky faucets — a dripping tap can waste 3,000 gallons of water a year.
16. Use cashback apps — Rakuten, Ibotta, and similar apps give real money back on purchases you’d make anyway. While these apps may not make a difference when you are keeping your spending lean, definitely use your local grocery store app to help save money when shopping for groceries.
17. Pack your lunch — making lunch at home five days a week can save $100–200 per month.
18. Learn to say no — peer pressure is expensive. You don’t have to attend every event, buy every round, or split every bill. Also learn to give alternatives to social occurrences, like brewing coffee from home and taking a local walk together.
19. Use gas price apps — GasBuddy and similar tools can find fuel that’s 10–20 cents cheaper nearby.
20. Repair before replacing — a $10 cobbler visit can extend shoe life by years; sewing a button takes five minutes. YouTube ‘University’ is also a great source of information about how to repair items.
21. Switch to LED bulbs — they use 75% less energy and last 25x longer than incandescent bulbs.
22. Don’t use a credit card — Credit card interest rates of 20%+ make debt the most expensive thing you can buy. Using credit cards also comes with spending 12%-18% more than with cash and leads to increased impulse buys.
23. Shop with a list — impulse buys are the silent budget killers lurking in every aisle.
24. Use your library for entertainment — DVDs, video games, board games, and passes to local attractions, all free with a library card.
25. Negotiate your cable/internet bill — call and ask for a loyalty discount; providers often give 20–30% off to retain you.
26. Embrace frozen vegetables — flash-frozen at peak ripeness, they’re often more nutritious than “fresh.”
27. Delete saved card info — adding friction to online shopping reduces impulse purchases dramatically. Use this with tip #4 — waiting 24 hours to buy — for an ultra efficient reduction in impulse purchases.
28. Carpool when possible — share commuting costs; even twice a week adds up to real savings.
29. Use a rewards debit card — allows you to earn cash back, points, or travel miles on everyday spending without accruing credit card debt or paying interest.
30. Air-dry laundry — skip the dryer when possible; it’s one of the most energy-hungry appliances.
31. Audit every subscription — list everything you pay monthly and ruthlessly cancel anything you haven’t used in 30 days. Keeping a budget also helps to catch any forgotten subscriptions.
32. Choose lunch over dinner — the same restaurant often charges 30–40% less for the exact same dishes at lunch.
33. Use unit pricing — the bigger package isn’t always cheaper; check the price per ounce.
34. Invest in prevention — sleep, exercise, and a decent diet are genuinely the cheapest healthcare available.
35. Seal drafts — weatherstripping doors and windows is cheap and dramatically reduces heating costs.
36. Buy secondhand first — thrift stores, Facebook Marketplace, and eBay often have nearly new items for 80% less.
37. Use the “cost per use” metric — a $200 jacket worn 300 times costs $0.67 a wear. A $30 shirt worn once costs $30.
38. Run the dishwasher full — partial loads waste water and energy. Wait until it’s full.
39. Switch to a budget phone carrier — MVNOs like Mint, Visible, or Cricket use the same towers for $20–30/month instead of $80+. Prepaid Verizon Wireless is another great option.
40. Take leftovers home — a restaurant meal stretched into two makes the per-meal cost much more reasonable. I frequent this tip in my household because one current meal can easily be split into lunch for the next day.
41. Keep tires properly inflated — under-inflated tires reduce fuel efficiency by up to 3%.
42. Grow a herb garden — a few pots on a windowsill saves $3–5 every time a recipe calls for fresh herbs.
43. Compare pharmacy prices — GoodRx often reveals dramatically different prices for the same prescription within a few miles.
44. Host a potluck instead of going out — great food, great company, a fraction of the cost of a group restaurant dinner.
45. Use power strips — flip one switch to cut power to an entire entertainment center.
46. Shop end-of-season sales — buy winter coats in February and summer gear in September for massive discounts.
47. Negotiate medical bills — hospitals have financial assistance programs; uninsured rates are often negotiable. Always ask.
48. Limit food delivery apps — the fees, tips, and markup can double the price of a meal. Check if your work offers perks, too. Some of the lesser known benefits I discovered from my work – was a year’s worth of $0 delivery fees from GrubHub.
49. Track your net worth monthly — what gets measured gets managed. Even a simple spreadsheet changes behavior.
50. Use free software alternatives — LibreOffice replaces Word, GIMP replaces Photoshop, Google Sheets replaces Excel; often just as capable, always free.
“Do not save what is left after spending, but spend what is left after saving.” — Warren Buffett
51. Rotate proteins — chicken thighs, eggs, canned tuna, and lentils are incredibly cheap sources of protein. Here is my favorite one pot chicken & rice recipe using bone on, skin on chicken thighs that I can buy for inexpensive at my local grocery store.
52. Practice a no-spend day weekly — one full day with zero discretionary spending resets your relationship with money.
53. Lower your thermostat — each degree lower in winter saves roughly 3% on heating costs.
54. Ask for better rates — insurance, internet; companies often lower rates if you simply ask.
55. Take shorter showers — cutting two minutes off your shower saves roughly 10 gallons per session.
56. Travel in the shoulder season — just before or after peak season, prices drop and crowds thin dramatically.
57. Build a capsule wardrobe — fewer, higher-quality, versatile pieces mean less spending overall and less clutter.
58. Use an FSA for medical expenses — contributions are pre-tax; withdrawals for medical expenses are tax-free.
59. Combine errands — plan trips so you’re not making multiple short drives throughout the week.
60. Unfollow aspirational accounts — social media is a comparison engine that monetizes your dissatisfaction. Curate ruthlessly.
61. Use markdown sections — many grocery stores discount meat and bread near closing time.
62. Perform basic maintenance yourself — changing air filters and wipers takes 10 minutes and saves $40–80 at the shop.
63. Use generic medications — they contain the identical active ingredient as brand-name versions for a fraction of the price.
64. Share entrées — portions are large in most restaurants; splitting one saves money and prevents overeating.
65. Max out tax-advantaged accounts — HSAs and 401(k) contributions lower your taxable income while building wealth.
66. Buy generic for basics — cleaning supplies, paper products, and pantry staples; generic is almost always identical.
67. Camp instead of staying in hotels — a $25 campsite beats a $200 hotel room and often offers a better experience.
68. Pay bills on time — late fees and interest charges are pure waste; set up autopay for fixed bills.
69. Swap with friends — clothing swaps, book exchanges, and toy swaps cost nothing and feel like shopping.
70. Use restaurant apps and loyalty programs — free items, birthday rewards, and app-exclusive deals are genuinely valuable.
71. Clean dryer lint — a clogged lint trap makes the dryer work harder and use more power.
72. Refinance your car loan — even a 1% rate drop on a $20,000 loan saves hundreds over the term.
73. Explore your own city — tourists pay to do things locals have free access to: museums, parks, festivals, and tours.
74. Install a programmable thermostat — set it to cool down overnight and warm up before you wake.
75. Find frugal friends — your spending habits reflect the average of people you spend time with. Check out your local ChooseFI community.
76. Look for free local events — farmers markets, outdoor concerts, food festivals, and art walks are often completely free.
77. Sign up for free yoga classes — many yoga studios offer at least one free community yoga class each week. Some studios will allow you to volunteer a few hours for free classes.
78. Shop around for auto insurance — get at least three quotes annually; loyalty rarely pays in this industry.
79. Order appetizers as meals — appetizers are often more reasonably priced and more than enough for one person.
80. Visualize what you’re trading — that $7 latte cost you 30 minutes of work. Frame every purchase in time, not money.
81. Avoid overdraft fees — link checking to a savings account as a backup or keep a small buffer to prevent $35 penalties.
82. Check nearby airports — flying out of a secondary airport (or into one) can save hundreds.
83. Try happy hour — many restaurants offer deeply discounted food and drinks during off-peak hours.
84. Use in-network providers — checking before an appointment avoids shocking bills.
85. Consider public transit — a monthly pass usually costs far less than gas, parking, and wear combined.
86. Shop the International food markets — fruits & vegetables are often much less expensive with the same great quality as the big grocers.
87. Review statements monthly — catching billing errors and forgotten charges takes 15 minutes and often pays well.
88. Book flights on Tuesdays or Wednesdays — mid-week departures and bookings are historically cheaper.
89. Drive calmly — aggressive acceleration and hard braking can reduce fuel economy by 40% in city driving.
90. Gift experiences, not things — shared experiences are remembered longer and often cost less than physical gifts.
91. Bring your own snacks to movies, games, or events — venue food is marked up 300% and rarely has any nutritional value to it.
92. Write down every purchase for a week — the simple act of recording spending reveals patterns that will genuinely surprise you.
93. Cut the gym membership — YouTube has world-class free workouts. Walking is free. Your body doesn’t care about branding.
94. Define your “enough” — know what spending makes your life genuinely better and resist pressure to exceed it.
95. Read personal finance books — The Millionaire Next Door, Your Money or Your Life, and I Will Teach You to Be Rich are all life-changing, and free at the library.
96. Give intentionally — generous people are often the happiest, but giving effectively and within your means matters.
97. Share streaming services — split the cost with a family member or housemate, legally and within plan terms.
98. Audit your values annually — does your spending actually reflect what matters most to you? Make adjustments without judgment.
99. Celebrate free pleasures — a long walk, a library book, a home-cooked meal with friends; happiness is rarely expensive.
100. Start today, not someday — the best time to get control of your finances was years ago. The second best time is right now.
