This is the second half of my post on how to save money by being frugal. If you need to refresh your memory on the first 10 please click here but hurry back as I have 10 more suggestions for you below.
So, you’re already on your way to a less expensive life because you’ve been following the first 10 Ways to Save Money by being frugal. Maybe you’ve began to shop at vintage stores, cook for your friends instead of going out for expensive cocktails and buy grocery items in bulk to save money. Well, there are more hints and suggestions I can share with you. We all know saving money and cutting back is not much fun, but think on it this way – the more money you save on the necessities and day to day living, the more you have for treats.
Here are 10 More Eminently Sensible Ways to Save Money by Being Frugal.
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1. Be Holiday-wise
Maybe you think you can’t afford a vacation in the current economic climate. Cut the cost of your yearly holiday dramatically by planning a little bit more. This year, why not visit family or friends instead of booking into expensive accommodation, or doing a house swap? You could even couch surf in a city you’ve always wanted to go. Get outdoors with a trip to a cabin or camp – you will have an adventure for a far lesser price!
2. Make Home Brewing Your Next Hobby
Brewing beer and cider at home is far cheaper than buying it, and it is far more fun! Home brewing is easy to do and kits are available in most cities and online. When you adopt this hobby as a way to save money, you won’t compromise your lifestyle, you will benefit from it! Invite your friends for parties and tasting days, where you can judge different drinks and choose a winning brew.
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3. Be More Frugal with Coupons
You know those vouchers and coupons that you keep but never seem to use? Well start using them! It might be a fuel discount, a two-for-one deal at a restaurant or a special service rate, if you use vouchers and coupons regularly then your savings will add up. If you are buying more and more online, before you checkout check coupon sites for special offers – it costs nothing to look, but the result may save you money.
4. Subscribe or Read Your Magazines Online
Instead of paying for your favorite magazines when you see the latest issue on the stand, why not subscribe to them online to get a huge discount on the overall cost? Better yet, use your internet to look on the magazine’s websites, and you’ll be less tempted to splurge on the more expensive paper product every issue.
5. Share Food between Friends to Be More Frugal
If you are growing some fresh produce in your garden you are probably already saving on your grocery bill. An even better way to utilize your home growing and save money is to swap your produce with that of your friends and neighbors. You can offload your excess of one vegetable and get something different in return, meaning you’ll need to buy even less at the market and there will be less wasted produce.
6. Don’t Hire, Borrow!
When you’re trying to save money and be more frugal, the local library is your best friend. Instead of hiring DVDs and buying new books, borrow them from your nearest lending library. Membership is usually free and you won’t pay a cent to borrow armloads of books, movies and television series (unless you forget to return them in time!).
7. Rear Your Own Chickens
To save even more money on your grocery bill, keep a few chickens in your backyard. When you want to be more frugal without sacrificing life’s luxuries, raise chickens and cross eggs off the grocery list each day. If you have the space and time to rear chickens, your happy hens will provide you with fresh, healthy eggs for years to come,
8. Cut down on Food Wastage by Using More Food
Plan your meals to prevent food wastage and save leftover meat and vegetables to make tasty stock. Bulk up your favorite meat dishes with healthy and delicious beans and lentils. Get your fill of inexpensive food items like porridge, rice and pasta and be portion wise, making sure that you don’t cook too much.
9. Bring Your Lunch to Work
If, however, you do happen to cook too much for dinner, it’s not a problem. Just bring a serving to lunch the next day! In fact, a great way to save money is to bring your lunch to work every day. Not only will you save stacks of money each week, you no doubt be eating healthier by having home-cooked meals. There’s no reason to compromise your lifestyle, though. Allow yourself a store-bought treat every second day, and make one day of the week a special lunch buying day, when you can eat with a friend at your favorite lunch spot. You’ll look forward to the day and the week will go much quicker.
10. Be More Frugal by Making Your Own Cleaning Products
Supermarkets have isles of expensive, chemical-loaded cleaning products that you really don’t need. Instead of buying multiple products for the various areas around your house, save money and make your own cleaning products from tried and tested ingredients that cost far less money. Bicarbonate of soda and vinegar are two of the best cleaning products around. Look online for ways to use cheap household products to clean every surface of your house. If you are going to still buy from the store, buy multi-purpose products rather than those designed for a specific use.
While there are countless ways to save money, it can be difficult to commit yourself to too many things without sacrificing your lifestyle. But, as is the case with rearing chickens and brewing your own beer, there are also lots of ways to be more frugal that might just improve your lifestyle, happiness and sense of wellbeing. I’m not suggesting that you adopt all 20 of my Ways to Save Money by Being Frugal but there will definitely be those you can carry out without too much pain.
Have any readers found that, in discovering ways to save money, they have also discovered new ways to be happy?