Smart & Simple: Tips on Frugal Living That Truly Work

Living a frugal lifestyle doesn't have to mean sacrificing enjoyment, quality, or comfort. In fact, it can be incredibly rewarding. Whether you're trying to cut costs, reduce waste, or simply stretch your budget further, adopting frugal habits can help you feed your family well, live creatively, and gain financial peace of mind.

Frugal living isn't just for times of financial hardship-it's a mindful, sustainable way of life that encourages you to make the most of what you already have. As someone who genuinely enjoys making things from scratch and re-purposing leftovers, I can say it's not just economical-it's fulfilling. Here are practical tips and ideas to inspire your journey toward smarter, simpler living..

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What It Really Means to Live Frugally

Frugal living doesn't mean living like a monk or depriving your family of comfort and fun. It means being intentional with your money and possessions. Before making a purchase-especially on non-essentials-ask yourself:
"Do I truly need this, or do I just want it in the moment?"

By learning to pause and question your spending, you can avoid impulse buys, resist fleeting trends, and instead focus on long-term savings and satisfaction. Living frugally is about aligning your purchases with your values-not giving up joy, but finding it in simpler ways.

Frugal Grocery Tips

• Meal plan around sales: Check weekly flyers and build your meals based on what's on sale.
• Buy in bulk (when it makes sense): Items like rice, beans, oats, and toilet paper are cheaper long-term.
• Use a price book: Track the best prices on frequently bought items so you know when something is truly a deal.
• Shop the freezer aisle: Frozen veggies and fruit are just as nutritious and often cheaper than fresh.

Cook & Eat Smarter

• Use leftovers creatively: Turn roasted chicken into soup, rice into fried rice, etc. See our leftover recipe ideas.
• Cook from scratch instead of buying processed foods.
• Bake your own bread and freeze extra slices.
• Use a crock pot for cheap cuts of meat.
• Make your own sauces, mixes, and spice blends.
• Bake snacks and desserts at home.
• Stock your freezer with meals and ingredients.
• Re-purpose stale bread for croutons or breadcrumbs.
• Save scraps like bones and veggie ends for homemade broth.
• Buy cheese in blocks and shred it yourself.
• Learn how to season with herbs and spices.
• Grow your own herbs and vegetables if possible.
• Check out more grocery shopping tips.

Homemade Household Products

• DIY cleaning supplies: Vinegar, baking soda, lemon, and castile soap can clean nearly anything. Add essential oils like tea tree or lemon for a natural scent and added power. Download our free homemade cleaning recipes book here.
  
• Re-purpose old clothes as rags: Save on paper towels.
• Use bar soap instead of body wash: It lasts longer and is usually cheaper.
• Line dry clothes: Saves energy and prolongs the life of clothing.

Utility Savings

• Unplug unused electronics: Phantom power adds up.
• Use LED bulbs: They last longer and cost less to operate.
• Lower your thermostat: Even 1-2 degrees can lower your heating bill.
• Wash clothes in cold water: It's just as effective for most loads.

Budget-Friendly Fun

• Swap instead of buy: Trade books, toys, and clothes with friends or neighbors.
• Movie Night at Home: Borrow DVDs from the library or stream free content.
• Restaurant Discounts: Check for coupons online or call ahead for specials.
• Frugal Travel: Plan a year ahead and save $5 weekly-$260 adds up fast!
• Free Events: Look for community festivals, hikes, and free museum days.

Money-Saving Lifestyle Habits

• Start a small garden: Even a few herbs or tomatoes save money and taste better. See our gardening tips.
• Buy secondhand: Thrift stores, consignment shops, Facebook Marketplace.
• Repair before replacing: YouTube can teach you how to fix almost anything.
• Limit subscriptions: Cancel what you don't use regularly-apps, boxes, services.

Using Rebates and Coupons

One thing we all have to do is buy groceries! I wanted to share with you three ways I have found to save on shopping.

Now a days I swear by these two rebate companies Rakuten and ibotta. And a newer one called Fetch, where you can use all of your shopping receipts.

Rakuten Shopping

If you buy anything online you need to sign up for Rakuten. By shopping through their links you get cash back on purchases made at many websites. I do it whenever I shop and the little bits certainly add up. It is free to sign up so it is worth doing.

Ibotta Shopping

Ibotta is an app for your iphone. You unlock different rebates for grocery items some as easy as milk and bananas. Go to the store and when you get home scan your products and take a picture of your receipt. I decided I'd try them out and within a few months I was able to buy gift cards for my son's upcoming birthday. Then I was hooked!

If you sign up and redeem a rebate within 2 weeks. They'll give you $10. It is worth it just for the free $10!

Shopping with Fetch

Another great way to save on your grocery bill is similar to ibotta but you take a photo of ALL of your receipts and get money back. When using Fetch every receipt will earn you 25 points but according to the items you have bought you can earn even more points. Your accumulated points will get you cash back or gift cards. Sign up with my referral code (71D4AQ) and get 100 points for your first receipt. Download the app here to get started.

Hope you find that helpful!

Low Cost Recipes

Do you ever have those months were you just feel like money is flying out the window? This month seems like I was spending money right and left as I've been putting money towards 2 kids getting new glasses, orthodontist bills, birthdays, doctor visits and normal everyday needs.

I feel like my credit card was on fire so I'm sitting down now to come up with a list of low cost frugal meal ideas that maybe we can just take it easy on the grocery bill this month.

Potatoes, Eggs, Tuna are all at the top of my list when it comes to easy meals that don't cost a lot as well as making things from scratch.

Breakfast

• Fried potatoes with scrambled eggs
• Homemade bread with jam
• Egg sandwich
• Homemade Oatmeal
• Smoothies
• Homemade pancakes or waffles
• Homemade scones
• Homemade muffins
• Breakfast burritos

Lunch/Dinner

• PBJ
• Egg salad sandwich
• Tuna salad sandwich
• Panini sandwich (fillings with what you have)
• Tuna Caesar salad
• Cheese Quesadillas
• Tacos
• Spaghetti
• BLTs
• Grilled cheese sandwich
• Homemade Tomato soup
• Salad with boiled eggs or/and tuna
• Chicken salad (with leftover rotisserie meat)
• Rice and beans mixed with salsa and cheese
• Egg drop soup
• Chili hot dogs
• Chili mac
• Baked potatoes
• Chef salad with lunch meat and boiled eggs
• Tomato Goulash
• Chili
• Roasted Veggies in the oven (potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, turnips, zucchini etc.)
• Homemade Pizza or pizza toast
• Tuna casserole
• Chicken casserole
• Taco Salad
• Lunch meat wraps

30+ Frugal Meal Ideas

More frugal recipes here:
Dinner
Lunches
Breakfast

Using Leftovers in Recipes

These leftover recipes will help you know what to do with yesterday's dinner or give you some ideas of what you can fix once and eat twice. If you are planning ahead for using leftovers for another dinner, take off what is needed for the next meal before serving. For example, if you are using part of a roast chicken for a soup recipe, take off what you need before serving the remainder of the chicken meat for tonight's dinner. Sometimes I like to cook a little extra knowing I can use the extra for dinner the next day. If you do this it will leave you with a day of little prep work at dinner time.

1. Grilled or baked chicken breasts- Chop extra chicken and add a can of cream of chicken soup with a little milk. You can make a homemade sauce also. Serve over cooked rice or noodles.


2. Leftover rice- Create fried rice by adding green peas, shredded carrots and soy sauce into a skillet. Push all your food to the side of your pan and add 1-2 eggs. Beat and allow to cook several minutes until set. Stir into rice. Add more soy sauce, as needed. Learn more about cooking rice.


3. Meatballs- Create a quick dinner with leftover meatballs by adding tomato or spaghetti sauce to your meatballs and serving on a french roll or hoagie bun.  How to make meatballs.


4. Pork roast- Shred your remaining pork roast and add salsa and shredded cheese. If you like spicy food add one can of green chilies also. Mix together and serve on tortillas. Top with sour cream if desired.


5. Roast beef- Add barbecue sauce to your leftover shredded roast beef and serve on wheat rolls or by itself. Learn how to make roast beef.


6. Sloppy joes- Place your leftover sloppy joes in a casserole dish. Top with green beans and layer mashed potatoes on the top. Sprinkle with cheese and bake 15-20 minutes until warm and cheese is melted. Here is our favorite sloppy joe recipe.


7. Roast beef-Shred leftover beef and make a simple au jus for a french dip sandwich.


8. Roast chicken- Add leftover shredded chicken to a basic chicken noodle soup or try this delicious recipe for Chicken Chowder. Try this crockpot roast chicken recipe.


9. Mashed Potatoes- Top a shepherd's pie with leftover mashed potatoes.


10. Make fajitas or soft tacos with leftover beef or chicken. Add chopped peppers and onions and saute.


11. Take your leftover meat and vegetables and create a spring roll.

If you are sick of leftovers for the week, create a casserole with your leftovers, or freeze as is for future dinners.

Frugal Living is a Lifestyle, Not a Limitation

Ultimately, frugal living is about being resourceful, mindful, and grateful. You don't have to go without-you just learn how to go without wasting. When you bake your own bread, reuse old containers, or grow your own basil, you're not just saving money-you're gaining satisfaction and self-reliance.

Whether you start small by cutting food waste, or dive in by making all your own cleaners and gifts, every step counts.

Don't forget to download our free homemade cleaning recipes book here.

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