How to be a Frugal Money Saver without Being Cheap in 40 Ways

To be a Frugal Money Saver: Save on Groceries, Cut down on Entertainment And Dining Out expenses, Buy Used items, Shop during discounted and Holiday Sales Period, Share and Swap Clothes With Friends, Opt for LED light bulbs, Search for Cash Back Rewards and use Public Transport.

Frugality is all about effectively managing your finances and putting a stop to your overspending habits.

A frugal money saver is someone who doesn’t recklessly spend their income but focuses on saving money by comparing deals, looking for discounts, and cutting back on unnecessary expenses. 

How to be a Frugal Money Saver?

Please note that if you are new to the concept of frugality, going head-first in the process can overwhelm you. Try to implement only one or two of these tips into your life for a few months to avoid failure! 

1. Create a Budget
2. Use Coupons
3. Save on Groceries
4. Reduce Monthly Bills
5. Cancel Unused Subscriptions
6. Cut Down on Dining Out
7. Exercise for Free
8. Buy Used Items
9. Share and Swap With Friends
10. Seek Cash Back Rewards
11. Utilize Your Local Library
12. Explore Free Activities
13. Buy Generic Brands
14. Lower Home Expenses
15. Meal Prep at Home
16. Find Free Entertainment
17. Buy Used Clothes and Furniture
18. Swap Items With Friends
19. Use Cash-Back Rewards Credit Cards
20. Be Mindful of Personal Electronics Spending
21. Save Money on Electricity Bill

How to Save Money on Small Things for Frugal Living?

1. Shake off excess water and dip your leg shaver in rubbing alcohol before storing it in a dry place.
2. Swap and rotate your throw pillows and couch cushions every three months.
3. Use half the amount of beauty products like soap, toothpaste, and shampoo.
4. Air-dry your delicates by unplugging your hairdryer and using a clothesline.
5. Maximize your lipstick by using a lip brush to scrape out the last bit.
6. Care for your stilettos by lining the soles with rubber and avoiding consecutive wear.
7. Freshen up your soap bar by airing it before use.
8. Be a rewards queen by signing up for custom beauty rewards programs.
9. Make glam lists to plan your beauty routine effectively.
10. Cook in glam batches by making double-, triple-, or quadruple servings of beauty treatments.
11. Go natural by turning off heat-styling tools and using eco-friendly bulbs.
12. Choose eco-friendly bulbs like LEDs or CFLs for your beauty area.
13. Care for your cosmetics by cleaning or changing makeup brushes regularly.
14. Shop beauty sales by planning your looks around discounted products.
15. Stay in and pamper yourself with a spa night at home.
16. Keep your hands fab by washing them frequently, especially after beauty routines.
17. Don’t store your credit card online for beauty purchases; remove the info from your accounts.
18. Shop post-holidays for beauty hauls, taking advantage of sales.
19. Craft your own beauty treats for personalized and budget-friendly gifts.
20. Choose generic beauty brands to save on toiletries and cosmetics.
21. Check your mascara wand regularly to extend its life.
22. Cut the fat from your beauty routine by trimming down subscriptions.
23. Become a part-time beauty guru by using beauty products mindfully.

What is Frugal Living? 

It’s a common misconception that frugal living is all about suppressing your wants, giving up on joys, and eliminating entertainment from your life. 

If you also think like that, let me clear the air for you! I have realized over the years that frugal living is not about depriving yourself, but making smarter choices with your money so you can have the life you want. 

Avoid buying things that you don’t need, make homemade food instead of buying from the restaurant, look for discounts, and use coupons. You will be surprised how much money you will save by making these small life changes. 

And if you are embarrassed that people will think you are living cheap, know that 92% of Americans believe frugality is attractive! 

6 Tips to be Frugal in 2023

Here are some practical tips on becoming a frugal money saver.

1. Save on groceries 

Grocery is one of the major expenses we do every month, and this is where we mostly tend to overspend! 

Since we are on the topic of simplifying frugality, I will not be talking about cutting down your favorite items from your grocery list. There are countless ways to save a little extra on your groceries without giving up the things you like. 

• Look for grocery apps that offer discounts and special promotions 
• Buy generic items instead of looking for specific brands 
• Buy meat in bulk
• Prepare a monthly or weekly meal plan before heading to the store
• Try to make items like cheese, pizza sauce, alfredo sauce, chocolate syrup, cream, etc. at home 

2. Adopt new usage habits 

Sometimes, the problem lies with your usage habits rather than your spending habits. But what do I mean by that? 

Well, carefully analyze your daily routine. Do you use a little extra detergent while washing your laundry? Or maybe you are washing small loads very often. 

Do you leave the air conditioner on when you go out? Do you still have incandescent bulbs and fancy lights in your home instead of LEDs? 

All these small things and habits can catastrophically ramp up your monthly bills. And the funny thing is, these habits are so casual that you won’t even realize where you are going wrong. 

Here are some tips that will help you efficiently use resources at home:

• Use the correct amount of detergent while washing your laundry (usually 1-2tbsp of liquid detergent per full load) 
• If possible, dry your laundry outside instead of using the dryer 
• Run your dishwasher on power-saving mode 
• Install LEDs all around your house to save on electricity 
• Use a water hose or rags instead of paper towels 

3. Save on prescriptions

There are various prescription medicines that insurance doesn’t cover. If you are taking any of those medications, I know how costly it can be given the rising cost of medication in the US.

According to the Congressional Budget Office, the usage of prescription medicine in the United States is rising like never before. 

Maybe this unusual demand is the reason behind price hikes. But there are practical ways to reduce the prescription costs! 

One thing you can do to reduce the medication cost is to look for generic options. Have a chat with your pharmacist and doctor and see if there is a generic alternative available to your medication. If you are lucky, you will find the same formula in much cheaper packaging! 

There are many brick-and-mortar and online pharmacies that also offer saving cards and discount options. If you use these cards and rewards correctly, you can significantly lower the cost of your medication. 

4. Swap and switch to go frugal 

Since we are only discussing the basics of living frugally, telling you to entirely skip certain things will be unfair. There are countless easily switchable habits and things that can save you hundreds of dollars! 

For instance, you can switch to home-brewed coffee for a change. A single cup of home-brewed coffee hardly costs you $0.3 to $0.50 while a regular cup at Starbucks costs $2-$5. 

If you are a regular coffee drinker, imagine how much money you will save in a month if you switch to home-brewed coffee. 

Another thing I suggest is swapping hotels for Aibnbs when traveling. It saves a lot of your precious money and also offers a more personal experience! 

Here are some other ideas on things you can switch:

• Use homemade cleaners instead of store-bought ones. You will be surprised how efficient vinegar and baking soda can be–even better than some store-bought chemicals!
• Swap babysitter for a family member or friend.
• Avoid using your car for every errand. Try public transport, carpooling, or even cycling if that is convenient. 

5. Use Discounts and Coupons 

Look for store discounts and coupons if you want to get the most out of your shopping trips! 

A brilliant way to get discounts on your purchases is to actively look for store updates and sign up on frugal apps. 

RetailMeNot, Slickdeals, Savings.com, and Groupon are some excellent platforms to join if you wish to constantly get updated on the latest store deals. 

Frugality vs. Cheapness

• Frugality is about making wise financial decisions, focusing on value and long-term benefits.
• Cheapness involves sacrificing quality for the lowest cost, often resulting in dissatisfaction.

As Warren Buffet said “Price is what you pay. Value is what you get.”

Can You Be Frugal Without Being Cheap?

Talking about being frugal without going all cheap, it’s like finding that sweet spot where you’re smart with your money but not squeezing every penny.

Being frugal means making wise choices with your cash, not just pinching every dime.

So, being frugal is hitting the sales, buying quality stuff at a discount, and maybe using coupons without looking like a coupon ninja. It’s not about skipping meals to save a few bucks—that’s just being cheap.

Frugal is when you plan your meals, maybe buy in bulk, and cook at home to save money without compromising on nutrition.

Let’s talk tech, my friend. Frugal is waiting for that Black Friday deal to grab a new gadget at a good price. Cheap is buying the knockoff that dies in a week.

Do you understand?

It’s about being smart, not just tight-fisted.

Pro tip: many stores offer loyalty cards and have reward systems that you can sign up for. This can help you save 30%-50% on your favorite brands and products!