Do you ever get the feeling that everyone else is able to save money but you can’t? Maybe you’re bouncing from one method to another without being able to find something that really sticks. That can be so frustrating. You need to feel successful with saving in order to keep doing it. So, when you’re struggling, it’s best to start small. Here are 5 tiny frugal actions even you can take to save big.
5 TINY FRUGAL ACTIONS EVEN YOU CAN TAKE TO SAVE BIG
In this post I’m going to share some easy ideas for saving money that anyone can do. Yes, even you!
I suggest you try one frugal action at a time and make it part of your habit and routine. Then, once you have the hang of it, you can add another one in.
Soon, your money saving ball will be rolling, and you’ll be ready to take it up a notch.
Let’s get started.
SAVE YOUR LEFTOVERS
Leftovers are amazing!
They already cooked and delicious – basically a prepared meal, excepted prepared the exact way you want it to be.
You can read my love letter to leftovers here.
Here’s the best thing about leftovers: They save you money!
By eating leftovers and serving them to your family, you’re significantly cutting your food costs.
Consider it.
If you have one night a week in which everyone eats leftovers for dinner, that’s one less dinner you have to buy that week.
And if your family starts to eat leftovers for lunch too, your savings will skyrocket.
Oh, and also that’s food you don’t have to cook!!
A whole night that you don’t have to make dinner. 15 minutes of your evening saved (or of your rushed morning) that you don’t have to make lunches.
What is better than that?
TURN OFF THE LIGHTS
This is such a simple thing. But I know we’re all guilty of leaving on lights we don’t need.
When you leave a room, turn the light off.
If the sun is up and shining, open your blinds and skip turning on the lights altogether.
How does this save you money?
It will reduce your electric bill.
Your electric bill isn’t a set amount, but instead it is based on how much electricity your family uses.
So, by turning off the lights you’ll be using less electricity and saving on your electric bill.
Want to slash your electricity costs even more?
Read this post: 3 Tips to cut your Electric Bill in Half
SHOP AROUND
When you need to buy something, don’t just grab it off the target shelf of order it on Amazon.
Compare prices.
Find out where that item is sold for the cheapest.
Here’s an example of how I do this in my life:
I have several grocery stores in my area and I have lots of options for where I want to shop.
We buy 2 gallons of organic whole milk every week. My toddler drinks a lot of milk!
Since we buy so much milk (it’s actually the only grocery we always need to buy) I started comparing prices of milk.
Here’s what I found:
- Target – $5.99
- Stop & Shop – $5.99
- Whole Foods – $5.99
- Trader Joe’s – $5.49
Where do you think I buy my milk? Trader Joe’s!
With two gallons each week I’m saving $1 a week, and those savings add up.
Of course, I’m not driving too far out of my way to shop there. You don’t want to use a ton of gas and time to gain 50 cents of savings.
But what if you’re buying a bigger item?
Then, you’ll want to expand your search and really make sure you’re getting the best deal.
I used a note on my phone, but here are some other methods for price tracking. Check them out and decide which method will be best for you.
GET CASH BACK
No, this doesn’t mean using a credit card.
Did you know you can get cash back through Ebates every time you shop online? They literally send you a check in the mail.
It is so easy too!
All you have to do is go to the Ebates website and click through their website to go to whatever website you want to shop at (aka Amazon).
Yes, I think even you can handle that.
This cash back can really add up! My last Big Fat Check (yes, that’s really what they call it) was for over $200!
And for all the details of exactly how Ebates works and how to get the most cash back read this post.
FREEZE YOUR FOOD
This might be the easiest tip of all. Just put your food in the freezer before it goes bad.
Sometimes you might have to put the food into a freezer bag before you freeze it, but sometimes you can just throw it right in the same container it came in.
If you can’t do that, I don’t know what to tell you.
Freezing your food allows you to cut down on food waste and food costs.
Do you have to clean out your fridge full of unused rotten food before you go grocery shopping? How much could you save if you weren’t throwing away all that food waste each week?
You really could freeze just about everything. Fruits, veggies, milk, cheese, meat.
Here is a guide to freezing food to get you started.
EVEN YOU CAN DO THIS!
These 5 tiny frugal actions are so simple that I know you’ll be able to start doing them today!
Start by saving your leftovers. Make it a habit to turn off your lights. Compare prices as you shop. Get cash back on things you were going to buy anyway. And start putting your food in the freezer instead of throwing it in the garbage.
You can absolutely save money with these tiny frugal actions.
Start today!
Psst… Want to save even more? Hop on my email list here. It’s my favorite place to give you money saving tips and insights that I just don’t share anywhere else. Plus you’ll get lots of free financial tools just for signing up.
Don’t click away so soon! Keep reading and stay awhile! Here are some of my best posts:
7 Frugal Habits that will Save you Thousands
3 Tips to cut your Electric Bill in Half
The Beginner’s Guide to being Frugal
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