10 Tips For Living Frugally

I have always had this passion to make the most of what we have. I believe that as a Christian, I am called to be a good steward of what God has given me. I am NOT perfect. And in fact, I am constantly finding ways to make improvements because I know I can always do better. But one thing I do know, is that living frugally for me, helps me keep what I have in perspective and helps me to foster an attitude of gratitude!

During a unique time of quarantining due to the coronavirus, I have found myself revisiting the idea of living my life with less. About 5 or 6 years ago, I spent countless hours blogging on my organizing blog about how to live life with less. This is something I always want to live by, though I don’t write about it as much as I used to. So throughout this time at home, I have started to compile a list of ways that we live frugally, and decided to share them with my readers:

1. Do I need it right away?

It is such a simple question, yet it can make a tremendous difference when it comes to saving money and living with less. More than ever, there are options to shop online. It is so easy to click the “Add to Cart” button, isn’t it? But how often have you added something to your cart, but let it sit there for awhile? Or do you even click the “Buy Now” option? I have found that if I let something sit in a cart, whether it be online or even a shopping cart, taking a step back to think if you really “need” the item, is well worth the wait.

2.  Sell on Facebook.

Do you have items in your home that you no longer need? I know I do! Or at least did… One of the best ways to get rid of items quickly, without even having to run to the store, is by selling items on Facebook Marketplace or another online platform. We have sold numerous things this way and how easy it was to just respond to the message, put it on the porch, tell them where to leave the money, and boom. The item is gone and we were living with less.

3. Turn down the heat and turn up the air conditioning.

I know it may seem like such a small thing, but it can make a difference if done throughout the whole season. At least in Michigan, when you turn down the heat and turn up the air, you will see a difference in your bill. Start with a degree or two and increase as you adjust! You might surprised what you’re able to set it at.

4. Cut up credit cards.

How many credit cards do you own? Do you save some just to get a deal when you purchase something from that store? I have one main credit card that I use for everything. I do have a Target RedCard, though I rarely purchase from Target to save the 5%, so I might as well cut it up, eh? And that is it. Only having one card, I know what all my purchases are, the rewards are great, and it helps me not spend more than I need to.

5. Wash your hair every other day.

I am not the person to talk to about this, but I’ve heard this is good not only for your hair, but also will save you money because you are using less product. I am someone who only washes their hair 2x a week, which I know may sound gross, but my hair needs its natural oils, otherwise it will dry out. But on the other hand, think of how much shampoo you would save? If your hair can’t stand to not be washed  every other day or if you work out, consider just rinsing it. It might be worth a try.

6. Make 1 freezer meal a week.

When you are preparing that pasta dish, casserole (or hot dish…), make a double batch. I know it may seem like a lot more work, but in all reality, when you are preparing the meal, it’s not. All you have to remember to do is double the ingredients you buy and grease 2 pans instead of one. This will help prevent you from going out to eat when you don’t know what to make for supper, saving oodles in the end.

7. Skip the pre-packaged.

Have you ever heard the saying, “shop the perimeter”? What that means is at most grocery stores, the perimeter is where the “healthy” foods are stored – the non-prepackaged items. For instance, think dairy, fruits, veggies, breads, etc. But when you think of boxed dinners, where are those often located? In the middle. When you shop the perimeter of the grocery store, it will be more expensive. It’s just the truth. But you will often get multiple meals out of those products and produces. Just another way to save some money! I get it, my daughter LOVES mac ‘n cheese, and ya can’t quite beat the “under $1” box. We eat plenty of it. But think about how much healthier you could eat, shopping more around the perimeter? I know I’ve seen a difference and it has made me think twice about walking down the aisles in the middle.

8. Clean out your closets.

Are your dresser drawers hard to close? Is your closet overflowing? Do you have a hard time finding a hanger to hang your clothes on? One way to live frugally is to get rid of what you no longer need. They say you wear 20% of what you own. You may pull out that random item every once in awhile, only because you haven’t worn it in awhile. But the other 80%? Go through it and clean it out. Sell or donate what you no longer wear and you will find that your decision making process in the morning will go much smoother because your options are less.

9. Cleaning products.

No, this is not an advertisement, but ever since I switched to Norwex’s cleaning cloths, the sheer number of cleaners I use is much less! I use one cleaning bucket and it has all I need, right in that bucket. Being able to use fewer cleaners, not only saves you money, but also time. You know exactly what you need and when, with only just a small bucket to carry it all. Not to mention, there are so many recipes for diy cleaners out there that are much healthier to use! They are cost effective as well, which makes it a win-win in my book!

10. Garden.

You may be rolling your eyes, I get it. Not everyone has time to garden. I used to have a large garden and I’ll admit, I kind of miss it. Now living in the “city” of our town, my space is rather limited. Over the past couple of years, I’ve learned to be creative in order to grow produce. Typically I’ve just used deck boxes and pots to grow a garden, but this year I got smart and put a small garden along our deck railings, our pool fence, along with putting deck boxes along our deck. It’s small, but I’ve been able to grow tomatoes, green beans, peppers, herbs, lettuce, radishes, and peas. I’m not quite sure how it’ll turn out yet, but there are so many options out there when it comes to creating a garden! From a large spread, to one just built out of 5-gallon pails. Yes, you have to buy a packet of seeds, but think of the amount of produce you will be able to gain from it? And the beauty of growing it yourself? Not to mention, our daughter has been begging to do a garden so this has been a great learning experience for her as well.

These are just a FEW ideas on how you can live frugally. I could list 50 more! But let me ask you, what choices do you make to live a frugal life? To be a good steward of what God has given you? I’d love to hear your ideas, so please comment below, send me a DM, or email: kristin.sterk@gmail.com.

God has blessed us beyond measure and I can’t help but want to care for the things he has entrusted to us. For it is all a gift from God!