Ever find yourself staring at your bank account at the end of the month wondering where all your money went? Trust me, you’re not alone. Between spontaneous coffee runs, those “just one more thing” Amazon purchases, and everything in between, our hard-earned cash has a sneaky way of disappearing. But here’s the good news: you don’t need to live like a hermit or eat ramen noodles for every meal to save serious money. These frugal living tips are practical, realistic, and actually doable without making you feel like you’re sacrificing all of life’s little pleasures.
In this post, I’m sharing 10 frugal living tips that’ll help you keep more money in your pocket each month. We’re talking real, actionable advice that works whether you’re earning minimum wage or pulling in six figures. Because let’s be honest—everyone wants to spend smarter and stress less about money.
No time to read the whole post?
Here’s the quick version: This guide covers 10 practical frugal living tips that can genuinely transform your monthly budget. You’ll learn how to meal plan like a pro, automate your savings, ditch subscriptions you don’t need, embrace secondhand shopping, master DIY skills, cut utility costs, use cashback apps, plan affordable entertainment, prevent impulse buying, and review your expenses regularly. These aren’t extreme penny-pinching tactics—they’re sustainable habits that’ll help you save money without feeling deprived. Ready to keep more cash in your pocket? Let’s go.
Table of Contents
Why These Frugal Living Tips Actually Work
Look, I’ve tried every money-saving hack under the sun. Some were total duds (looking at you, “make your own laundry detergent from scratch”), while others genuinely changed my financial situation. The frugal living tips I’m sharing today fall into that second category.
What makes these different? They focus on sustainable lifestyle changes rather than temporary fixes. You’re not going to save $500 this month and then blow $1,000 next month because you felt deprived. These tips help you build habits that stick around for the long haul.
1. Master the Art of Meal Planning
Meal planning sounds boring, I know. But hear me out—this one tip alone can save you anywhere from $200 to $400 per month. That’s real money we’re talking about.
Here’s how it works: every Sunday (or whatever day works for you), plan out your meals for the week. Check what you already have in your pantry, write a shopping list based on your meal plan, and stick to that list like your financial future depends on it. Because honestly? It kinda does.
The magic happens when you stop making those 6 PM “what’s for dinner?” panic runs to the grocery store. Those trips always cost way more than planned because you’re hungry and everything looks good. Plus, you’ll waste less food since you’re actually using what you buy.
Pro tip: Cook in batches and freeze portions. Your future self will thank you when you’ve got a homemade meal ready to go instead of ordering that $30 takeout. 🙂
2. Automate Your Savings (Seriously, Do It Now)
If saving money requires willpower, you’ve already lost. Our brains aren’t wired to voluntarily part with cash sitting in our checking account. That’s where automation becomes your secret weapon.
Set up automatic transfers from your checking to your savings account right after payday. Even if it’s just $50 or $100 per month, that money moves before you can spend it on random stuff you’ll forget about next week.
I started doing this three years ago with just $75 per paycheck. Now I’ve got an emergency fund that actually feels, you know, like an emergency fund. The best part? I genuinely don’t miss that money because I never see it in my spending account.
Most banks let you set this up in about five minutes. What are you waiting for?
3. Cancel Subscriptions You Don’t Actually Use
Be honest with yourself: when’s the last time you actually used that gym membership? Or watched anything on that third streaming service you’re paying for?
Americans waste an average of $273 per month on subscriptions they rarely or never use. That’s over $3,000 per year literally evaporating from your account.
Grab your bank statement and highlight every recurring charge. Ask yourself: “Did I use this in the last 30 days?” If the answer is no (or “umm, maybe?”), cancel it. You can always re-subscribe later if you genuinely miss it—but you probably won’t.
I canceled my $180/year premium music subscription and switched to the free version with occasional ads. Guess what? I survived. The ads are mildly annoying for about 30 seconds, then I move on with my life. That’s $180 staying in my pocket.
4. Embrace Secondhand Shopping
There’s literally zero shame in buying secondhand anymore. Thrift stores, consignment shops, Facebook Marketplace, and apps like Poshmark have completely changed the game.
I’ve found brand-new designer jeans with tags still on for $12 at thrift stores. My coffee table? Found it on Facebook Marketplace for $40 when the same style retails for $250. My kid’s winter coat? Consignment shop, $15, worn maybe twice by the previous owner.
These Frugal Living Tips for Beginners often include secondhand shopping because it works for basically everything: clothes, furniture, books, kitchen items, toys, and more.
The key is checking these places FIRST before heading to regular retail stores. You’ll be shocked at what you find and how much you save.
5. Learn Basic DIY Skills
YouTube has basically eliminated the excuse “I don’t know how to do that.” Want to fix a leaky faucet? There’s a video. Need to hem your pants? There’s a tutorial. Car making a weird noise? Yep, someone’s probably posted a diagnostic video.
Learning basic DIY skills has saved me thousands of dollars over the years. I’m not talking about rewiring your entire house or rebuilding an engine (unless that’s your jam). I mean simple stuff like:
- Basic clothing repairs
- Simple home maintenance
- Oil changes and basic car care
- Hair trims between salon visits
- Simple furniture repairs
Each skill you learn is money staying in your wallet instead of going to a professional for something you could easily do yourself. Plus, there’s something weirdly satisfying about fixing stuff with your own hands.
6. Slash Your Utility Bills
Your utility bills offer surprisingly easy opportunities to save money without drastically changing your lifestyle. Small tweaks add up to $30-$100 in monthly savings.
Switch to LED bulbs everywhere—they use 75% less energy and last way longer. Adjust your thermostat by just 2-3 degrees (you honestly won’t notice). Unplug devices you’re not using because they still draw power. Wash clothes in cold water. Take shorter showers.
I know, I know—this sounds like the stuff your parents nagged you about. But they were right (don’t tell them I said that). These tiny changes have cut my utility bills by about $60 per month without any real sacrifice.
Also, call your internet and insurance providers annually to negotiate better rates. Companies count on you being too lazy to shop around, so they quietly raise your rates. A 15-minute phone call can save you hundreds per year.
7. Use Cashback Apps and Browser Extensions
Free money just for shopping like you normally would? Sign me up.
Apps like Rakuten, Ibotta, and Fetch Rewards give you cashback on purchases you’re already making. Browser extensions like Honey automatically apply coupon codes at checkout. Credit cards with cashback rewards (used responsibly) put money back in your pocket.
I’ve earned over $800 in the past year just from cashback apps and my credit card rewards—and I didn’t change my shopping habits at all. I just downloaded the apps and extension, then used them when shopping online or in-store.
The trick is treating these as bonuses, not excuses to spend more. You’re not “saving money” if you buy something you don’t need just because you’ll get 5% back. But if you’re buying groceries anyway? Might as well get that cashback. :/
8. Plan Free or Low-Cost Entertainment
Entertainment doesn’t have to drain your bank account. Your city probably offers way more free stuff than you realize.
Free concerts in the park, museum free days, hiking trails, community events, library programs (seriously, libraries are amazing now—movies, games, classes, everything), picnics, game nights at home, potluck dinners with friends—the list goes on.
Instead of defaulting to expensive dinners out or pricey entertainment, get creative. My friends and I started a monthly potluck game night that costs basically nothing and is honestly more fun than our previous $50-per-person restaurant hangs.
The average American spends $219 per month on entertainment. Cut that in half by choosing free or cheap alternatives, and you’ve saved over $100 monthly without becoming a total hermit.
9. Implement the 24-Hour Rule for Purchases
Impulse buying is the nemesis of frugal living. We’ve all done it—see something shiny, convince ourselves we absolutely need it RIGHT NOW, buy it, then wonder a week later why we thought we needed it.
The 24-hour rule is stupid simple but crazy effective: wait 24 hours before buying anything non-essential. If you still want it after a day, go ahead and buy it.
Here’s what happens: about 70% of the time, you’ll realize you don’t actually want or need the thing. The initial excitement wears off, and you move on with your life (and your money stays in your account).
For bigger purchases, extend this to a week or even a month. The more expensive the item, the longer you should wait. This single habit has probably saved me more money than any other tip on this list.
10. Review and Adjust Your Expenses Monthly
You can’t improve what you don’t track. Set aside 30 minutes each month to review where your money actually went.
Most banking apps now categorize your spending automatically, making this super easy. Look at your categories and ask yourself: “Does this align with my priorities and goals?”
Often you’ll spot money leaks you didn’t even realize existed. Maybe you’re spending $150 monthly on coffee shops when you thought it was more like $50. Or you’re somehow spending $200 on random Amazon purchases you barely remember ordering.
This monthly check-in keeps you accountable and aware. It’s not about beating yourself up for past spending—it’s about making informed decisions going forward. Knowledge is power, especially when it comes to your money.
Make These Tips Work For Your Life
The beauty of these frugal living tips is their flexibility. You don’t need to implement all 10 at once (that’s overwhelming and you’ll probably give up). Pick 2-3 that resonate with you and start there.
Maybe meal planning and canceling subscriptions are your low-hanging fruit. Great—start with those and watch your savings grow. Once those become habits, add another tip or two.
Frugal living isn’t about deprivation or misery. It’s about being intentional with your money so you can spend on things that genuinely matter to you. Maybe that’s building an emergency fund, saving for a vacation, paying off debt, or just stressing less about money.
Whatever your goal, these 10 Frugal Living Tips will help you get there faster without feeling like you’re constantly sacrificing. And honestly? Once you start seeing your savings account actually grow, it becomes kinda addictive in the best way possible. 😉
So pick your starting point, give these Frugal Living Tips a real shot for a couple of months, and watch what happens. Your future self—and your bank account—will definitely thank you. What frugal living tip are you going to try first?
