Tips on Frugal Living

These tips on frugal living will help you save money and feed your family well. Whether you are trying to cut costs or just want to save some extra money, making your own sauces and using up your leftovers will help you do this.

Living a frugal lifestyle doesn't have to be a necessity, some people, such as me, enjoy making things from scratch and finding ways to use up what we have. I find not only is it healthier for you and the budget, frugal living can be enjoyable.

Living Frugally Ideas

Following tips on frugal living does not mean depriving yourself or your family by purchasing only the bare necessities and living like a Buddhist monk. Instead, frugal living means asking yourself prior to purchasing a non-food, non-hygiene item: "Do I really and truly need that"?

Wanting something because it is the latest fad or because purchasing it satisfies an emotional craving are not good reasons to spend money that has been integrated into a budget intended to reduce household expenses.

With so many ways to save money, everyone should be able to incorporate some kind of money-saving ideas into their lifestyle. Tips on frugal living encompass everything from shopping for groceries to saving money on landscaping your yard.

Homemade Is Cheaper

Although being frugal may take more time, it pays in the end and saves you time as well. When making certain items at home, you will often find that recipes for homemade items are "bulk" recipes, which means you have enough to last for a long time.

Making Dryer Sheets

Take several old wash clothes and dip them in your favorite liquid fabric softener. Ring them out and let the clothes air-dry. The next time you need to dry a load of laundry, toss one of the cloths into the load. These homemade dryer "sheets" are reusable several times before they need dipped into softener again.

Spot Carpet Cleaner

Suggesting white vinegar as an excellent, all-around household cleaner is on most lists of tips on frugal living. To make a carpet cleaner, mix baking soda and white vinegar together until they form a paste. Using an old toothbrush, scrub the paste into the stained area. Allow the paste to dry before vacuuming the residue. The stain and odor associated with the mess should be gone.

Diaper Wipes

These homemade diaper wipes costs around 60 cents to make and last longer than store-bought brands.

1 roll of paper towels
2 tablespoons of baby oil
2 tablespoons of baby bath
2 cups boiled water, then cooled
Old diaper wipe containers
After tearing off paper towel sheets and folding them into a wipe container, mix ingredients into a measuring cup and pour this mixture over the towels in the container. Towels will readily absorb the liquid and using an airtight container will keep towels moist for weeks.

Tips on Frugal Living --Entertainment

Eating out or seeing a movie is definitely a budget-breaker, especially if it involves a family of four or more. Did you know you could borrow many DVDs free from your local library? Check out your library's website and discover what films they have. If someone is borrowing the film you happen to want, you have the ability to reserve the film, meaning that when someone brings it back, it automatically goes to you.

If you want to eat out at a restaurant, check that restaurant's website for coupons or specials. Call your local restaurants to see what sort of specials they are advertising.

Plan a vacation at least a year in advance. Look for discounts, coupons, hotel packages and other ways in which you can save on your destination. Get an old jar and put five dollars in it every week. In one year, you will have vacation gas money.

Ditch the Credit Cards

Tips on frugal living always include the highly recommended suggestion of eliminating all credit cards except for one major card, such as VISA or MasterCard. Get rid of all department and gas store cards because those carry the highest interest amounts and you really do not need them. Having just one card will greatly reduce the money you spend on interest and teach you to resist impulse buying. This type of buying is where department store credit cards make most of their profit.

10 Tips on Being Frugal

1. Buy non processed food. Not only is it much healthier but those convenient box packages are more expensive than if you made it yourself.
2. Make your own bread. If you don't have a large family, slice the whole loaf and freeze. Take out slices as you need them.
3. Buy cheap cuts of meat and cook them on low and in a crock pot. You won't know the difference once it has cooked for 6-8 hours.
4. Make your own sauces and mixes.
5. Bake your own goodies. It tastes better, is better for you and cheaper.
6. Use the freezer to stock up on meals and ingredients.
7. Save your bread that is stale for croutons.
8. Save chicken bones, vegetable ends and stems for making broth.
9. Don't buy shredded cheese. Buy the chunk and shred it yourself at home. If you don't think you can use all of it divide it into portions and freeze.
10. Learn how to use spices and herbs.
11. A great way to save on your groceries is to grow your own! 
12. Make your own homemade cleaners recipes.
    
    

More Frugal Cooking Help

Low Budget Meal Ideas

Homemade Mix Recipes

Homemade Sauce Recipes

Frugal Grocery Shopping Tips

Kids Lunches

What to do with those leftovers

Freezer Cooking

5 Kitchen Staples to Stock your Kitchen

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