Many people believe it’s difficult to save money. They rack their brains looking for unique ways to cut costs, not realizing there are many opportunities to save right in front of them. Many of these options are old-fashioned ways to cut costs that anyone can use. Here are ten frugal ways to save money you can start using today.
Table of Contents
Use the Library
No list of frugal tips is complete without a mention of using your local library. Your library offers a wealth of opportunities to save money.
Beyond the obvious of checking out books, many libraries offer free movies, CDs, and much more. Furthermore, many local libraries offer additional resources to save money, from entertainment options to workshops.
Learn Basic Sewing Skills
Having a few basic sewing skills and a sewing kit can help you to extend the life of your wardrobe. Knowing how to sew a button onto a shirt, fix a hem, or repair a rip means that you can wear those items for even longer.
Buy For the Long-Term
It can be tempting to just get by with the least expensive version of whatever item you need. However, if it’s something you are going to use often, you are better off buying a quality item that will last.
You will be wasting money if you have to keep purchasing the same item over and over again to save a buck in the short term.
Try Your Hand At DIY
Learning how to do it yourself might not be the appropriate answer for everything that needs to be fixed and maintained around your home, but it is certainly appropriate for some things.
There are online video tutorials for many projects that will take you through the process step-by-step. You can save a lot of money by doing some things yourself.
Pay In Cash
Paying for your goods and services in cash instead of swiping your credit or debit card makes you really think about what you are spending.
You can literally see the money slipping from your hands, so it makes you consider whether or not you actually need to make that purchase.
Make Your Own Cleaning Products
There is no need to spend nearly $10 on cleaning sprays and products at the store. You can make a homemade spray cleaner with a 50/50 mixture of vinegar and water that is just as effective.
Need some scrubbing power? Just make a paste with baking soda and water, and scrub away.
Learn Proper Preservation
Learn proper food preservation techniques. In the days of the Great Depression, nothing went to waste, and you can get there as well.
Learn how to freeze, can, and dehydrate food and properly store it so that you can use it for the long term. There are lots of tutorials that will take you through the process.
Don’t Buy Disposable Products
Stop wasting money on disposable products! Don’t buy paper towels and napkins that you can only use once. Instead, invest in quality cloth napkins, towels, tablecloths, and hand towels that you can wash and use again and again.
Save old t-shirts and socks and use them for cleaning cloths in place of paper towels.
Shop Second-Hand
Yard sales and your local thrift stores are great places to look for second-hand items that still have plenty of life left in them for a significant savings over buying new.
You can find everything from clothes and shoes to lamps, kitchen appliances, and furniture second-hand.
A Little Dab Will Do
When it comes to manufacturer’s suggestions for how much product to use, they can be rather generous. This is done so that you will go through the product more quickly and need to buy more.
When it comes to items such as cleaners, shampoo, conditioner, and toothpaste, a little dab will do you. You can also add a little water to the bottle to get the last of those products out of the bottle.
35 Proven Ways to Save Money Every Month
Many people believe it’s impossible to save money. Or, they think saving $20 or $50 a month won’t amount to much. Both are incorrect. There are many simple money-saving tips that can add up to big savings. You just have to start one, then another, to increase your savings.
Ways to Save Money Every Month
I Need Money Now!
Are you in a cash rut and need money quickly? Don’t take out a loan. Here are 19 ways you can get cash today to make ends meet.
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Saving money at the store is as simple as using your phone. Better yet, you can redeem savings for free PayPal money or gift cards. That’s a win-win.
15 Best Coupon Apps to Save Money
How to Save Money On Groceries
It can be a challenge to keep grocery costs under control. With a little planning you can cut costs and not sacrifice what you want.
How to Save Money on Groceries
I’m John Schmoll, a former stockbroker, MBA-grad, published finance writer, and founder of Frugal Rules.
As a veteran of the financial services industry, I’ve worked as a mutual fund administrator, banker, and stockbroker and was Series 7 and 63-licensed, but I left all that behind in 2012 to help people learn how to manage their money.
My goal is to help you gain the knowledge you need to become financially independent with personally-tested financial tools and money-saving solutions.
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