Frugality is one of the most freeing habits that anyone can adopt. Cutting back on your expenses frees up money for you to pursue a dream, whether that be home ownership or early retirement.
To be honest, frugality has a bit of a bad reputation. People think being frugal means a life of rice and beans, or never going out to see a movie again. That doesn’t have to be the case! Frugality is fully customizable. You can cut back in areas that don’t matter much to you so you can grow in the areas that do. Everyone’s frugal life will look different.
I’ve outlined three habits that anyone can adopt. No matter your lifestyle, your income, or your ultimate goals, these three frugal habits can fit into your world.
Use Everything Until The Last Drop
Once you spend money on something, use it until the bitter end. Scrape every last bit of toothpaste out of the bottle, stretch that shampoo for one more shower . Waste not, want not is the motto of the frugal person. This is such an easy thing to do, too. You’ve already gone out and brought these items into your house. Now you’re just making sure you get the best bang for your buck.
There are easy ways to make things go for longer. Air dry work out clothes and bras so they maintain their stretchiness and fit longer. Add a little water to your shampoo and conditioner bottles to get one more wash from them. Repair items that have rips or stains and start using them again. Reduce, reuse, and recycle the things you already own and you’ll save money.
Pick Up a New at Home Hobby
It’s easy to spend money when you’re bored. Whether it’s a trip to the movies or to the mall, you can blow through cash just looking for something to do. Frugal people are big into hobbies that are free.
Free hobbies are everywhere, and they run the gamut. Instead of vegging out in front of the couch, start a puzzle. If you’ve got some window space, you can buy seed packets for a few dollars and start an herb garden. You can learn new skills on Youtube, everything from sewing to woodworking. I fixed my own toilet once with the help of Youtube videos!
Picking up a habit that you can do at home will keep your mind and body engaged, and will keep you from spending money to entertain yourself. What did you love when you were a kid? What are you fascinated by? Use your local library, Youtube and the internet as free resources to get you started on forming a new hobby.
Entertain at Home
This one is pretty obvious, but it’s also a huge money saver. When you stay at home instead of hitting the bars or traveling out of town every other weekend, you’ll save big bucks.
Make your home somewhere you want to be. Keep it neat and clean, and decorate in a way that makes you feel happy. Plants, natural light, and paint are cheap ways to brighten up an apartment.
Easy nights in at home are movie nights, game nights, or cooking lessons with friends or partners. Once I attended a pancake and coloring book party at a friends house, and it was a blast! Instead of spending $50 on a night out, buy $9 pancake mix and a few $1 coloring books and have a fun night at home!
Adding in these frugal habits to your weekly routine is guaranteed to save you money. Even if you entertain at home only twice a month, that’s two nights of saving money! If you can get every last drop out of your toothpaste and have to buy one less bottle a year, you’ve saved yourself money and still kept your teeth pearly white.
Small changes are easier to adapt to, and they make up big changes in the long run. What are some of your almost-invisible frugal habits?