My Best Frugal Tactics For Stress-Free Budget Living (2024)

November 4, 2013

My Best Frugal Tactics For Stress-Free Budget Living (1)

I’m a veteran of frugality- when I started this blog in 2011, I was a broke graduate student in a new part of the country and my financial situation changed dramatically overnight. To survive my first year in Chicago, I had to live off of $800 of income a month and sometimes, it wasn’t pretty.

I learned a lot about living frugally, but more importantly, I learned to live frugally in a more sustainable way, without burning the candles at both ends. It’s easy to go gung-ho about frugality when you’re on a tight budget, but like any new routine, you can’t overdo it, or you’ll end up miserable.

1. Frugality Isn’t About Deprivation

Many of us turn to frugality as a way to reign in our spending to combat debt, overcome a job loss, or to finally save up for that emergency fund. Frugality is a lifestyle, not an austerity program- if you make too many changes too quickly or completely suck the friendly out of “budget friendly” you’re going to burn out and rebound- hard.

I’m all about short term challenges or “spending fasts” (as And Then We Saved coined the term), that give you serve as a short term “spending diet,” but like all things, you must spend and save, in balance. Have a goal, an end game and always schedule in rewards along the way.

2. Good Planning Trumps All Else

Poor planning will be your frugal undoing. This applies to meals, travel, gifts and unanticipated expenses. Many folks focus on the budget itself, but creating good meal plans at the beginning of the month will be key to saving the most time and money. Stock up on your essentials- meat, pasta, canned goods and snacks while they’re on sale and filter them into the plan to capitalize on sales and avoid any weeknight hunger pains that could coax you into ordering takeout when you’re tired and out of food.

Having an emergency fund is also key. You can’t always plan every trip or a new set of tires- life happens and you may not be able to get the best deal in a pinch. The key to living frugally is being prepared, if you can’t get something on sale, at least pay for it in cash!

3. Schedule In Guilty Pleasures

If all you can afford to treat yourself with is one dinner out a month or hiring a cleaning lady once in awhile, but it will make you feel jubilant- do it. Make room in your budget for something worth saving for that’s a wee bit smaller than your biggest goal. If your giant goal is to pay off $20,000 of debt or save $5,000 for an emergency fund- it could take you months or years to pay off.

While you work towards the big goal, schedule in perks for each major milestone and make sure it’s NOT frugal. This means that while you clip coupons and kick tush with your grocery bill and cut your transportation costs like a ruthless penny pincher- your reward should make you feel, well, guilty! A guilty pleasure could be a mani/pedi, a new pair of shoes, a budget-busting trip to Target or a fancy dinner. Whatever makes you feel a wee bit guilty, that’s what you should treat yourself with!

4. Get Your Saboteurs On Board

Saboteurs aren’t backstabbing frienemies, they’re actually the ones we love who might not understand that you’re cutting costs and trying to live more authentically with your frugality. Saboteurs can be anyone from a coworker who wants to go shoe shopping during lunch, or your honey who likes to throw extra items in the cart when he knows you’re on budget.

A simple conversation can suffice some unintentional saboteurs, but usually the worst ones are the ones who “see no harm” in carrying on as if it were business as usual. Just like a partner or parent might buy someone junk food who is trying to lose weight, some show they care by spending money or wanting you to “just have fun this one time” while batting their eyelashes and putting another DVD in the shopping cart. If you have to, don’t take them shopping with you or do your best to distance their influence on your behavior without having to distance them from your life entirely.

5. Find Resources & Barter For Help

When I was a graduate student in Chicago, I realized that having a car was a big expense that wasn’t paying off- I took the train downtown to work (since parking downtown was $16 a day even in our building) and could walk to class. I got rid of my car to save money, but I made a mistake- I didn’t have a backup plan for what I would do if I were ever in need of a car.

Some cutbacks will feel great- if you weren’t using that TV in another bedroom, selling it will feel freeing. Other times, cutbacks might cause a problem- but being prepared by pooling resources will reduce hassle and prevent burnout. For instance, selling my car saved me thousands of dollars in maintenance, parking fees, city and state registration and gas- but if my pug, Ralph needed a vet visit and it was snowing outside- a car would have been a blessing. In those instances, I had to call a cab or rent a car, but being able to reach out to someone who could swap favors for free would have been so much better.

Get creative on what you can do without, and who you could rely on if you needed those services. Perhaps it’s time to sell your DVD collection that’s collecting dust- but if you ever do want to watch movies, could you borrow from a friend, a library or rent? If you’re planning on cutting out fast food or takeout, would a friend of family member be willing to do a potluck with you once a week so you’re not boring yourself to death with the meals you always make at home? Be sure though to give as much as you get, and make it fun!

My Best Frugal Tactics For Stress-Free Budget Living (2)

If you had one piece of frugal advice, what would it be?

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18 comments so far.

18 responses to “My Best Frugal Tactics For Stress-Free Budget Living”

  1. My Best Frugal Tactics For Stress-Free Budget Living (3)Jessica says:

    If I had one piece of frugal advice it would be that you need to remember why you’re trying to save money. If you’re doing it just to do it, you’ll get sick of it. If you are working to pay off debt, watch your progress and measure it regularly so you can see you’re making changes for the better.

  2. My Best Frugal Tactics For Stress-Free Budget Living (4)Jessica says:

    November 4, 2013 at 10:34 am

    If I had one piece of frugal advice it would be that you need to remember why you’re trying to save money. If you’re doing it just to do it, you’ll get sick of it. If you are working to pay off debt, watch your progress and measure it regularly so you can see you’re making changes for the better.

  3. November 4, 2013 at 12:23 pm

    Great tips! My one piece of advice would be to remember you personal goals and not be influenced by those around you. They may not have they situation that they appear to. Accepting and being “ok” with taking a different path is a great way of getting caught up in the “keeping up with Joneses”

  4. My Best Frugal Tactics For Stress-Free Budget Living (6)em says:

    November 4, 2013 at 2:45 pm

    Some great tips I am working on saving a deposit for my first house at the moment I accept that I will be renting rather than buying but I still need to make sure I am saving to be able to afford any emergencies after I do find somewhere.
    x

  5. My Best Frugal Tactics For Stress-Free Budget Living (7)Ashley says:

    November 4, 2013 at 3:13 pm

    I am all about visual reminders but getting your significant other on track with you is crutial!

  6. My Best Frugal Tactics For Stress-Free Budget Living (8)Jenny McDonald says:

    November 4, 2013 at 3:19 pm

    My best advice for doing the frugal grad student thing would be to plan out your partying. Having a few drinks at home before heading out for an all-night celebration definitely helps cut down on cost, and that way you don’t have to sacrifice your social life to live on a budget. Not the classiest of money-saving tips, but a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do!

  7. November 4, 2013 at 7:16 pm

    You hit the nail on the head with this post, girl! I think Dave Ramsey said it best- “live like no one else, so you can LIVE like no one else.” My husband and I just went on a 2 1/2 week vacation to Europe and paid cash. It was so worth all the budgeting!

  8. November 4, 2013 at 9:25 pm

    It’s all about the attitude you approach frugality with. Too many people think of frugality as limiting their options, rather than thinking about frugality as giving you the freedom to achieve your goals.

  9. My Best Frugal Tactics For Stress-Free Budget Living (11)Amy says:

    November 6, 2013 at 8:02 am

    The 2 biggest ones for me are planning – meal planning so that you eat healthy, low cost meals all week are essential, and scheduling in treats. If you have lived frugally all week you can treat yourself to a nice meal once every now and then.

  10. My Best Frugal Tactics For Stress-Free Budget Living (12)Laura says:

    November 6, 2013 at 9:18 am

    I always advise my friends to hide their credit cards if they’re tempted. Putting it away even for a day or two when you’re going out and have to use cash really helps!

  11. My Best Frugal Tactics For Stress-Free Budget Living (13)Tina says:

    November 7, 2013 at 9:45 am

    I love your frugality posts! Keeps me on track-

  12. My Best Frugal Tactics For Stress-Free Budget Living (14)Neti* says:

    November 7, 2013 at 1:25 pm

    Great tips and advice. I have been unemployed for three years now and Thank God for my family’s support. I had paid off my car loan and stocked away enough funds to tie me over for 1 year but not 3. I have been a savvy shopper for a long time and never pay full price for anything including my car, but I have learned that being Frugal does not mean looking for a handout. I work with what I have and depend on my son for the bare necessities. . .that investment has really paid off! LOL.

  13. April 30, 2014 at 4:49 pm

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  14. My Best Frugal Tactics For Stress-Free Budget Living (16)Thomas says:

    January 13, 2015 at 9:23 pm

    Making money on the side will really help. 🙂

    • My Best Frugal Tactics For Stress-Free Budget Living (17)Shannyn says:

      January 14, 2015 at 3:27 am

      Definitely agree with that!

  15. My Best Frugal Tactics For Stress-Free Budget Living (18)Vanda M. Orsini says:

    September 14, 2015 at 9:51 pm

    Great posts and advice on Living Frugal. I have been living frugal for a long time (single parent) and then lost my job 3 years ago.

    Here’s some tips which might be helpful.
    * Make your healthy dinners stretch, bring the leftovers for lunch.
    * Buy in bulk, for example toilet paper at Costco, share the membership with a family member. I share mine with my brother.
    * Sign up for e flyers, check for the deals, loyalty cards like Shoppers Drug Mart (Canada) are great. You keep saving, and accumulate points, and then wait until its worth spending when the store has the promo to redeem points and earn more points. I have purchase a lot of cosmetics for about $12, when it would have costed over $100.00.
    *Have a part time job where you get a great discount. I work for a US furniture/housewares store and get a 30% off but once a year I get 45% off. That’s when I purchase my sofa! Awesome.
    I have so many ideas and useful points, but I am running out of room.
    Cheers, Vanda

    • My Best Frugal Tactics For Stress-Free Budget Living (19)Shannyn says:

      September 14, 2015 at 10:14 pm

      These are all great tips! Have you ever thought of starting a blog? 🙂 Thanks for sharing!

  16. My Best Frugal Tactics For Stress-Free Budget Living (20)Mary says:

    November 9, 2016 at 5:35 pm

    Huh?

My Best Frugal Tactics For Stress-Free Budget Living (2024)

FAQs

What's the best example of frugal living? ›

What are some tips for being frugal?
  • Create a budget and stick to it. Being frugal begins with this tip. ...
  • Shop around for the best deals. Buy what you need from the first store you see, but don't just go to the first one you see. ...
  • Buy used instead of new. ...
  • Make your own stuff. ...
  • Repurpose and recycle. ...
  • Be patient.
Aug 22, 2023

How can I be financially stable with low income? ›

Tips to save money on a low income
  1. Save what you can. Saving as a practice is not dependent on how much you earn. ...
  2. Save first. Save first, spend later. ...
  3. Open a savings account. ...
  4. Start a budget. ...
  5. Settle debt. ...
  6. Lower housing expenses. ...
  7. Lower car expenses. ...
  8. Spend less on food.

What are 5 ways you can be more frugal in your own life? ›

So, we put together our 15 favorite frugal tips to live by that are also super simple and easy for anyone to use.
  • Tip 1: Differentiate between Luxury Spending vs Necessary Expenses. ...
  • Tip 2: Make Cuts in Your Spending. ...
  • Tip 3: Cap Your Spending. ...
  • Tip 4: Keep Receipts and Track Spending. ...
  • Tip 5: Think Twice Before You Buy.
Jan 19, 2024

How do you live an extremely frugal life? ›

12 Tips for Frugal Living
  1. Choose quality over quantity. ...
  2. Prioritize value over price. ...
  3. Use credit wisely. ...
  4. Declutter regularly. ...
  5. Use a budget to guide your spending. ...
  6. Know the difference between wants and needs. ...
  7. Be a savvy consumer. ...
  8. Prioritize your values.
Oct 17, 2023

What are examples of frugal Behaviour? ›

They budget carefully, allocate a predetermined portion of their income to savings and investments, and do not exceed it. They save up for big purchases, prefer to buy with cash (as opposed to credit), and keep an emergency fund for times of need.

What are three example of frugality? ›

Example of Frugality

Listed below are examples of frugality: Saving money from my school allowance. Checking my available money before buying things. Have a budget of monthly expenses.

What is the 50 30 20 rule? ›

The 50-30-20 rule recommends putting 50% of your money toward needs, 30% toward wants, and 20% toward savings. The savings category also includes money you will need to realize your future goals.

What salary is considered financially stable? ›

The median household income in the U.S. is just under $75,000, so it makes sense that the largest proportion of those surveyed (45%) said that it's possible to be financially stable by earning between $50,000 and $100,000 a year.

What is a frugal mindset? ›

Having a frugal mindset means you value what you have and what you've done to attain it.

How to be super thrifty and frugal? ›

50 frugal money-saving tips
  1. Plan meals. Meal planning is essential if you want to spend less money on your food shop. ...
  2. Choose cheaper recipes. ...
  3. Make a shopping list. ...
  4. Don't shop when you're hungry. ...
  5. Visit cheaper supermarkets. ...
  6. Buy supermarket own-label products. ...
  7. Eat less meat. ...
  8. Buy in bulk – but only if you'll use it.

Is it smart to be frugal? ›

Humans are riddled with money fears, anxiety, financial FOMO, and every other negative feeling under the sun. But being frugal can ease financial stress significantly. Because when you spend less money, you can naturally avoid debt, create a bigger savings pile, and otherwise build more financial security in your life.

What is the $27.40 rule? ›

Instead of thinking about saving $10,000 in a year, try focusing on saving $27.40 per day – what's also known as the “27.40 rule” because $27.40 multiplied by 365 equals $10,001. If you break this down into savings per day, week, and month, here's what you're looking at in terms of numbers: Per day: $27. Per week: $192.

How do I stop being a cheapskate? ›

ALLOW ME TO OFFER YOU 8 WAYS TO KILL YOUR INNER CHEAPSKATE LEARNED FROM MY OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.
  1. Acknowledge Your Inner Cheapskate. ...
  2. Admit how spending makes you feel. ...
  3. Face Your Fears. ...
  4. Celebrate Good Spending. ...
  5. Set Non-financial Goals. ...
  6. Set a Saving Budget (and Don't Go Over It) ...
  7. Set a Spending Budget (and Don't Go Under It)
Oct 4, 2016

What is the difference between cheap and frugal? ›

Frugal is Always value. Frugal is always being resourceful in order to save; prioritizing for having more of the things you really care about. Those that are cheap are afraid to spend in order to cash in on saving cash short term and will often suffer inferior quality.

What is a frugal lifestyle? ›

Frugal living isn't about being cheap; it's about being resourceful. It's finding ways to save where you can — whether via coupons, freebies or DIY hacks — so you can focus your money and attention on the things you value, whether that's saving for a comfortable retirement, traveling or living a debt-free life.

What is an example of being frugal in environment? ›

Reduce, reuse, and recycle.

Keeping the three Rs in mind is one of the best ways to minimize your environmental impact. Don't buy as much stuff as possible, reuse everything you can, and recycle everything you can.

What is the meaning of frugal life? ›

Definition of 'frugal' frugal. (fruːgəl ) adjective. People who are frugal or who live frugal lives do not eat much or spend much money on themselves.

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