A frugal way of life is now for many the only way they have to live. Being new to being penniless…sorry frugal, can be daunting. How are you supposed to manage, how do you save money on everyday stuff and how on earth is it like a normal life? here are a few tips. You don’t have to start at number 1 and plow your way through them unless you want to of course. Pick what you can do easily then add others when you can.
1 – It no longer pays to be brand loyal. It uses to be once you found your brand of baked beans you liked you only ever bought that brand. These days that brand isn’t the only one making nice baked beans. Living a frugal life means your more interested in the cost of the baked beans. Store brands are normally the cheapest but don’t take that as law and always keep an eye on all the prices. Tip – Read – The Minimalist Budget: A Practical Guide On How To Save Money, Spend Less And Live More With A Minimalist Lifestyle Kindle Version
2 – Meat can be so expensive. Quite often the most expensive bit of the grocery shop is the meat. if shopping at the end of the day you can sometimes pick up meat that’s been reduced. Another option is to go vegetarian once or twice a week. There are very good meat alternatives but a lot of meals can be made just minus the meat. Vegetable curry, vegetable stir fry etc.
3 – Shop with savvy – when your grocery shopping doesn’t buy the first item you see. Shops tend to put the items they want you to buy at eye level as they know that shoppers are generally in a rush and lazy. But the item at eye level isn’t always the cheapest option. Make a habit of looking above and below and always check the price per unit. Tip read – The Money Diet – revised and updated: The ultimate guide to shedding pounds off your bills and saving money on everything! Kindle Version
4 – Plan meals. Planning out your meals for the week helps you buy just what you need at the shops. But it also helps on busy evenings. When you see you have a busy evening coming up you can plan a slow cooker meal instead of reach for the takeaway menu.
5 – Budget – Ye sit had to be mentioned at some point as its the main thing of living frugally. But when you are sorting your budget try to include in it a budget for fun stuff. Just because you have to be frugal doesn’t mean you have to be boring. By including a fun category in your budget means it’s something that’s attainable to you instead of thinking its out of your budget. Tip read – Living life on a Budget (Save Money On Groceries): Practical Money Saving Tips (1) Kindle Version
6 – Loose second-hand snobbery. When you need or want something doesn’t automatically go for new. Check out second-hand shops and put the word out to friends. Second-hand isn’t always rubbish and saves you pounds too.
7 – Clear out clutter. Quite often as life goes by we don’t realize how much stuff we accumulate. Have a good look around and decide what you actually need. Have a good clear out and the stuff that is in good condition sell it on to others.
8 – Check bills and suppliers. Paying bills by direct debit is so easy for busy people. But that is what the companies are also hoping, you forget, can’t is bothered to check and slowly the prices increase. It’s a good idea to check your not paying too much, ideally before you renew. Check out comparison sites and check you’re not paying too much for things.
Few More to Read on Your Kindle ..
Frugal Stuff that Works: Real Life advice from the ladies of our Forum
Frugal is the New Fashion: How to be Thrifty in a World of Economic Uncertainty
8 Fantastic Easy Tips for Being Frugal
This is a very good overview for frugal newbies.
I only have one MINOR discussion point. In #1, you state that the cost of the baked beans is more important if you are trying to live the frugal life. I have adopted the frugal lifestyle because it tries to strike a balance between the cost of living and quality of life as opposed to being concerned about cost only. I have been trying store brands and saving a nice amount in the process. But in a few cases, the store brand was not as good or better than the brand name product. This is where you have to balance out quality versus cost.
I also completely agree with #8. Even when you automate your bill payments, you must check the statements for any new costs or fees that cause the costs to creep up.
Thank you for the overall review.