How do you remain frugal? Offer advice here

Lately I've been being super frugal in an attempt to actually save money. Here's what I've been doing:

• Car pooling
• Completely stopped dining out
• Leave my debit card home
• Bring lunch to work. Split my meal into two so I am full longer
• Buying soap in bulk
• Not purchasing any items other than those for survival
• Fixed the rubber soles/side on my shoes with glue
• Using grocery bags for garbage
• Stopped driving for the sake of driving. Only going to where I need to be, if I don't need to be somewhere I stay home

Add to my list!!! How frugal are you and what do you do that helps you save a buck?

Coupons. LOTS of them. Shop only on sales.

Get married. lol!!!

Pay with cash. I spend less when I am forced to actually hand over the money rather than pay with invisible money on my card.

Grow some self control and be able to tell yourself no. That goes into the "buy only survival things" category, but it really applies to everything. Did you really need those Debby cakes? Stuff like that. Buying off brand works wonders as well, instead of buying Borden milk get Great Value. Don't buy artisan anything, the cheaper the better.


It also helps to think rationally when buying too. If it comes down to you paying more for a larger weight of something? Divide the price by the weight. The lowest number is actually the best buy. You get more for your money. ;)


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grow a garden, it saves a lot of money especially when you start from seeds

The way you drive can make a huge difference on your gas. COAST as much as possible. I don't mean cruise control, I mean letting off the gas on the way to red lights and easing up to speeds.

Save grocery bags for trash bags. Turn off AC when your not home. That may not apply to you but its big here in AZ.

- Grow a garden: tomatoes, eggplants, lettuce, and peppers are super easy to grow in most locations. If you can't grow them outside, lots of things can still be grown in your window.
- We let the poultry free range the back yard instead of mowing it - less food costs for the birds, and free fertilizer, means more free eggs, and less eating out!
- Not mowing the backyard also means lots and lots of free dandelions/catsears. Did you know they make great salad, tea, coffee replacement (roots), and the flowers are DELICIOUS with a sprinkle of salt, oregano, and coated in flour, then fried in olive oil for a quick, free, easy snack. Make sure they have not been sprayed with pesticides or animals :)
- Take some time getting to know different spices/flavors.. you can do quite a bit with beans and rice, that don't have to be bland/boring.
- Walk the dog instead of a gym membership
- Trade services for goods (e.g. I'll mow your lawn if you drive me to X)
- Make your own coffee every morning... spend a couple dollars on a bag or tub of coffee/creamer to last 2-3 weeks ... OR spend $2-$4 on each coffee in the morning?
- Similar to the above, buy the drink packet mixtures to add to bottles of water... they are only a couple dollars for several bottles worth of flavored drink.
- If you have the time and space, raise your own rodents for your herps.
- The above suggestion on driving is definitely a good one. I get a couple extra miles per gallon when I drive, compared to when my boyfriend drives ;)
- Also great suggestion with the AC/Heater - in the winter, get used to blankets, in the summer, open the windows, and adjust your blinds according to the time of day.
- Be kind and helpful to those you interact with regularly. Go out of your way to lend a hand, and it will come back to you. I'm not saying run yourself ragged with kindness.. but when you are helpful to others, others want to help you too, or at the very least, will think of you first when they decide to get rid of an awesome bookshelf or couch :)

Having a membership to Sam's Club or Costco can be a big savings, too. It's the only way to fly in terms of buying breakfast cereal, for example, and if the Sam's or Costco near you has a gas station, it's worth the yearly cost of membership just in gas savings. (I find that the Sam's near me is usually 8 cents/gallon or better cheaper than the nearby gas stations, and that adds up surprisingly fast, presuming you're not driving significantly out of your way to get there.)

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Originally Posted by Spookitie

The way you drive can make a huge difference on your gas. COAST as much as possible. I don't mean cruise control, I mean letting off the gas on the way to red lights and easing up to speeds.

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This can be huge. The difference between cruising at 70 vs cruising at 60 can be several miles per gallon, depending on your car. Also, regarding coasting, if you're driving anything built reasonably recently with a manual transmission, the engine control computer will actually shut off the fuel injectors while coasting (in gear, foot completely off the gas, the car's momentum keeps the engine turning rather than the engine moving the car), meaning that whatever distance you travel while coasting is actually free, at least in terms of gas.

Cash Diet.