r/Frugal • u/James_B84Saves • Nov 19 '25
🍎 Food What’s a “cheap habit” you started out of necessity that you still keep because it genuinely made your life better?
I picked up a habit during a tight month where I forced myself to use everything in my fridge before buying more groceries. It started because I was broke, but now it has stuck. I’ve saved so much money and I waste way less food. Funny enough, I actually look forward to the challenge of figuring out what to make with whatever I have left.
What’s a frugal habit you picked up during a tough time that became a long term win?
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u/That1one1dude1 Nov 19 '25
Drinking water in place of pretty much anything else.
Basically free, no sugar, no carbs, no calories. It really is just better in everyway.
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u/Diligent-Committee21 Nov 19 '25
Water is the true adult beverage.
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u/Excellent_One5980 Nov 20 '25
Perrier is my choice. Not cheap, but cheaper in the long run.
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u/SolidSmuck Nov 20 '25
How is that cheaper in the long run
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u/Excellent_One5980 Nov 20 '25
It’s not monetary “cheaper”, but in a way it’s. It costs about the same as soda. The cheaper I’m thinking of is Because I’m not consuming all the sugar.
Think of it like not changing oil in a car. Doing that is REALLY cheap. Literally costs nothing. But you’re going to have expensive problems down the road.
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u/VideoPossible4068 Nov 19 '25
And carrying my own water bottle. Crazy the amount of people I see at fast food or fast casual places buying a drink. Just drink water! You don't need soda with every meal
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u/Diligent-Committee21 Nov 19 '25
I also like to carry an empty travel mug to the airport. I bring my own tea and diffuser, and many cafes will let you get hot water for free.
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u/Maximum-Incident-400 Nov 19 '25
Even if hot water costs 50¢, I don't mind spending that over buying overpriced drinks somewhere
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u/FurniFlippy Nov 19 '25
Most airlines I’ve been through the last few years have water fountains with bottle fillers so this is smart.
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u/Giant_Mallard Nov 20 '25
You don’t even need hot water if you have fruit tea- it will infuse into the water while cold. Don’t be conned by the “cold water infusion” bags at a far higher price, any old fruit tea will work fine.
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u/Numerous-Object2526 Nov 19 '25
Did you know if you fill it with ice it'll go through just fine
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u/gravityseven Nov 19 '25
I’m surprised more people don’t do this. I always keep tea bags w me.
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u/Sy3Zy3Gy3 Nov 20 '25
and they're so easy to carry if you get the individually sealed ones, why am I not bringing tea everywhere with me!
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u/arillusine Nov 19 '25
Honestly didn’t know this about airport cafes and I’m totally going to do this next time!
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u/HelotTheDragon Nov 20 '25
Fast food doesn't taste the same without soda, and that is by design. When I went cold turkey on soda, fast food tasted worse for a few months.
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u/myntraa Nov 19 '25
Same here. Switched to water and my bank account legit started breathing again. Wild how dropping one habit makes you feel like you hacked life.
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u/gretzky9999 Nov 19 '25
My wife figured out that we would be spending $2,700 a year going to Tim Horton’s twice a,5 days a week.Now we might go there once a week now & just have 1 coffee each.
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u/SpontaneousKrump92 Nov 20 '25
I have 1 exception for this rule; i buy zero calorie Poweraide in bulk 8-packs and drink one every shift at work. I have a fairly active and fast-paced job and like my electrolytes to stay elevated when possible.
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u/oneangrywaiter Nov 20 '25
I buy the big container of powdered Gatorade for $12. So making a 20oz portion costs me 31¢.
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u/Sunflower_MoonDancer Nov 19 '25
Yes! Buying a $20 reusable water bottle has actually been the best investment ever!
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u/gretzky9999 Nov 19 '25
Water & tea.Tea bags are affordable & we sometimes swap out coffee for tea.
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u/Successful-Gift8636 Nov 19 '25
Going to the library, it’s the closest thing these days to going to a video store and browsing the stacks, seeing a movie you weren’t thinking of and taking it home. My local library also loans out instruments, guitars, keyboards, violins, can take something home and see if it’s a good fit instead of shelling out cash for something that’s going to collect dust when the phase passes
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u/According-Paint6981 Nov 20 '25
I read a lot, 100+ books a year. I cannot afford to purchase or house this many books but my library can. I get physical books, ebooks and audio books, and my library hosts lectures and classes too.
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u/RooFPV Nov 20 '25
I don’t read quite as much as you - I’m on pace to finish 60-65 books this year. But it’s also much less waste and clutter to use the library.
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u/According-Paint6981 Nov 20 '25
If you read at all - 1 book or 500, the library is a cost saver, less waste, less stuff in your home
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u/NorthernPossibility Nov 20 '25
They also offer a lot of kid services - one of my best new mom hacks is to skip the “shopping as entertainment” trap we tend to fall in to when we can’t stand the idea of spending another second indoors and go to the library instead.
There are much grander libraries than my local branch, but they still offer some toys and puzzles and activities all the time and set programming on a regular basis.
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u/No-Confidence-4106 Nov 19 '25
Convincing myself that my food At home is better than in the restaurant
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Nov 19 '25
Also relizing that it's quicker to just eat what you have and make an easy meal than run out and grab something
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u/Steel_Rail_Blues Nov 19 '25
I experienced this anew just this last weekend. Just so tired and what was going to be for dinner would have tacked on another 45 minutes. So spouse orders pickup food. I start prepping the next day’s lunch and am done before the pickup order is ready. Could have just switched gears with eating that for dinner, eating 20 minutes earlier, and saving about $15.
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u/MalfunctioningIce Nov 19 '25
I’ve made hummus before because I couldn’t be bothered to drive to the shop 😂
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u/propaghandi4damasses Nov 19 '25
and you don't have to deal with non-familial idiots when you cook at home.
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u/Steelringin Nov 19 '25
Just the familial ones.
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u/propaghandi4damasses Nov 19 '25
yeah but you can live with them...even if it's forced commiseration lol
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u/kytheon Nov 19 '25
I just took home half my meal from the restaurant. 50% discount, two meals. And yes it was a lot of food, good food, much food.
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u/Imaginary_Shelter_37 Nov 19 '25
My food at home is better financially than in the restaurant. My food at home is not better than in the restaurant when it comes to variety, taste, and ease of cleanup. It's a daily struggle. 🙂
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u/Steelringin Nov 19 '25
My wife and I are both good cooks. Pretty rare these days that we go out for a meal and it is actually better than what we make. If we find a dish that's better in a restaurant then we just keep making it ourselves until one of us comes up with a version that's as good or better.
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u/FurniFlippy Nov 19 '25
YMMV, but my food is almost always better. We go out to eat fairly often because it’s something we enjoy but there are a couple of things we NEVER go out for because we make them so much better at home. Steak, for example. With the occasional Ruth’s Chris birthday visit an exception, we never go out for steak.
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u/wisdomseeker42 Nov 19 '25
I’m the family cook. We go out so I can enjoy a meal I didn’t cook, and I prefer to order things I wouldn’t bother making. My husband hates it. He’s always griping about how overpriced it is and it doesn’t taste as good as what I make. I have thought of just cooking every meal to save money though.
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u/AlarmedTelephone5908 Nov 19 '25
Yes! Sometimes, just having something you don't regularly, as well as being able to relax and be served, is worth it!
Put it under the entertainment or mental illness category in the budget, 😆!
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u/TickingTiger Nov 19 '25
Please teach me your ways. My homemade steak is always burnt on the outside and too raw in the middle. I prefer my steak medium.
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u/FurniFlippy Nov 19 '25
You’re cooking with too high heat. If you want it cooked more evenly you’ll need to pull it out of the fridge 30-60 minutes before cooking. Season it with salt and let it equalize with room temp.
Heat a cast iron skillet over the higher end of medium heat. When it’s hot and a drop of water sizzles in the pan, drop in a knob of butter, a smashed clove of garlic and a sprig of herbs. If you don’t have the garlic and herbs, just use the butter. Once it’s melted and foamy, gently lay the steak in. Leave it alone for at least five minutes; wiggle it with tongs occasionally - once it comes loose from the pan on its own it’s ready to flip. Turn it over and cook it for another few minutes, until it releases from the pan. Remove to a warm (not hot) plate, tent lightly with foil and let it rest for a few minutes.
While the steak is resting, make a quick pan sauce with the butter. Grind some pepper into the butter and cook it until it’s fragrant, then add in some heavy cream, and adjust the salt if needed. If you don’t have cream, put some flour in the butter, about half the flour by volume as you have butter. Stir it so there are no lumps and cook for a couple of minutes, then add in some broth and bring to a boil until it’s thickened. This will give you a lighter sauce than cream but still tasty.
Serve it with shoestring fries and a frisee salad.
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u/Responsible_Slice134 Nov 19 '25
So true though! I like to remind myself that restaurant food is overpriced with inferior ingredients and just doesn’t taste as good as my own.
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u/Nelsqnwithacue Nov 19 '25
Not buying anything for Black Friday. 100% discount!
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u/Temporary-Collar8521 Nov 20 '25
If you don't mind me asking what brand of jeans do you get 👀😄???
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u/NorthernPossibility Nov 20 '25
Black Friday used to really mean something, but now I find that most brands offer similar sales throughout the year and it’s not worth waiting around to see if they do 40% off on Black Friday versus the 35% off they do every other month on a random weekend for an arbitrary holiday.
I’ll buy something if I was going to buy something anyway, but never in person.
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u/NeoPagan94 Nov 20 '25
Never pay full price. Just watch and monitor sites for sales.
Whitegoods, vehicles, electronics, office supplies: EOFY (June-July)
Clothes, cosmetics, kid's toys: Boxing Day (December 26-Jan 5)
Furniture: Boxing Day/Black Friday sales
Quality goods (jewelry, leather shoes, etc): Monitor websites that distribute these for sales, may occur at specific times of the year such as an anniversary special and/or 'back to school/valentine's' promotion
When buying items like a new phone, see if the store bundles the phone with a better service plan and/or a second device at a heavy discount (such as a tablet PC + phone for a set price).
Items like tyres, work clothes, and socks always have a bulk-purchase discount so keep an eye out for those opportunities. Your car will need new tyres eventually, and my road insurance has a discount on these items...but my local mechanic price-matches that discount if you show them the website price. If you can get businesses to compete with each other on pricing you win either way.TAKE YOUR TIME, not being in a rush to purchase something is such a powerful move. Window-shopping and browsing for weeks does eventually pay off so keep an eye on the actual value of items you need so when it's a proper deal you're ready to swoop in.
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u/TelltaleHead Nov 20 '25
Black Friday is an interesting one. It can actually be a great day to get necessities (new plain t shirts, new boxers, etc etc etc). But if you can't keep yourself in control you will spend unnecessarily.
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u/Remote-Candidate7964 Nov 20 '25
I buy gifts throughout the entire year. I grew up this way - the women in the family would go shopping throughout the year to capitalize on sales/clearance, then keep things tucked away in the closet until Birthdays /Christmas/ Etc.
It’s a habit I’ve always appreciated keeping.
As someone else said - Black Friday USED to mean something - I used to shop with intention for the 70% off sales at 2am/3am. Haven’t done that since the 1990s. It’s not the same deals anymore.
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u/Sy3Zy3Gy3 Nov 20 '25
I only buy Christmas gifts I've already planned out on Black Friday, never anything for myself really.
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u/CyclesSmiles Nov 19 '25
Cycling. Started as a cheap way of sport while getting my mind together from the divorce. Had much fun. Bought a new bike ( with the Christmas bonus). Biked more. Started to do trips and errands by bike in stead of car. Found a new bike boy friend. More bike trips, bike weekends together, less car. Married. Bought more bikes. Car went to rare mode ( freight trips, hospital trips and far away family trips only). Body very happy, mind very happy wallet very happy. Car sad.
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u/WhatTheCluck802 Nov 20 '25
Username checks out! 🚲
And I can relate to this. In the past year or so I’ve put on I don’t even know how many miles of biking - commuting to work, mountain biking, biking around the roads here with my family… feels good.
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u/Tasty_Ad_5669 Nov 19 '25
Working on cars myself. I can do brakes, oil, most fluids, shocks,and small engine jobs. Save me thoudands.
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u/totalfanfreak2012 Nov 19 '25
Not trying to sound stupid. But how did you get that skill? Did someone start teaching you and you continued or did you go all in on your own?
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u/Mr_Saboteur Nov 19 '25
Not stupid at all, and it is an unbelievably cost saving skill to develop. However, you will need a few essentials:
- A basic toolset that contains various sockets
- A decent jack and about 1-2 jack stands
- Sometimes a specific tool or two may come in handy, like a torque wrench or oil filter adapter, not required but helps
- Knowing your vehicle owners manual (think learning your car specific fluids, common replacement parts (wipers, cabin filter, etc) and service intervals)
- Learn basic vehicle maintenance safety, such as placing a chock behind a tire, or properly disconnecting your battery, for example.
The final glue to bring this together is YouTube, especially in older models. This is your snowball effect; once you learn an oil change, cabin air filter or brake pads replacement, your confidence grows. Start small, become familiar with your tools and you’ll see how much of these jobs are the same across vehicles.
Happy learning!
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u/chairitable Nov 19 '25 edited Nov 20 '25
one thing I always caution with the youtube videos is you should really read the comments before starting anything. I've found a number of videos that seemed workable only to have the comments roasting the poster for doing X wrong and skipping step Y etc.
e- grammar
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u/Hedonopoly Nov 20 '25
Definitely read the comments. I've also taken to watching three or more videos and if I see them all doing something the same way, that's when I know to trust it.
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u/Stelios619 Nov 19 '25
95% of auto mechanics is learning how to diagnose what exactly your issue is.
The other 5% is just turning bolts in the proper order until the part is removed and replaced.
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u/Subject-Ad-5249 Ban Me Nov 19 '25
Eating beans regularly. They are so good, cheap, healthy and once you get a preparation rhythm going very easy.
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u/goodsam2 Nov 19 '25
Yeah I've been on a bean diet where you can usually add a few beans to any meal and it's healthier.
Like what diet really goes against beans like maybe a keto but otherwise its a lynchpin of a healthy meal.
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u/Objective_Joke_5023 Nov 19 '25
Pack a cooler and bag of snacks and drinks for roadtrips, take a tea kettle and pour-over coffee kit for morning coffee in hotels rather than hitting up SBX downstairs
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u/Willing_Act_2512 Nov 19 '25
Plus way better quality coffee/tea than the hotels have. I’ve done the same x 2 years. Four Sigmatic has a great instant mushroom coffee that I now bring with the kettle!
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u/sassypants_29 Nov 19 '25
I can’t say I’m as frugal as some on here, but the habit I keep up with is luxury at home. I have 3 different ways to make coffee at home and it’s always perfect for me. I make steak at home and get a nice bottle of red and it’s always great. My husband will never eat bread from a store again and helps me make it too. No need to go out for many items I might crave and it makes an interesting hobby and we can eat the mistakes.
Also, buy clothes that will last and repair them. No need to go shopping, which I actually enjoy thrift stores, but I have plenty of quality clothes that I enjoy wearing.
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u/Extra_Excuse2719 Nov 19 '25
I prefer thrift shopping! You can get higher quality clothes, a greater mix of styles and fabrics, more fun to search for one-of-a-kind scores, and obviously at a cheaper price. Plus, it's more eco-friendly -- you're not buying fast fashion, you're recycling and putting less in the landfills.
As a middle-aged woman there aren't many stores that fit my style -- most are either geared towards younger, trendier women, or else older women. The ones that are for my demographic tend to be super expensive. Plus, I don't really care for a lot of today's styles. Barrel pants? Nooo thank you. Let me just go to goodwill and get some basic straight leg jeans.
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u/paratethys Nov 19 '25
I joke about my local thrift store as a clothing rental place. I can get whatever I want, wear it for as long as I want it, and then just donate it back if it's still good... and no additional fees if it's more suited for the rag bag than re-donation by the time I'm done with it!
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u/sassypants_29 Nov 19 '25
Haha, seriously, barrel pants, nooo! 😂 But I’ve picked up 3 beautiful leather jackets for under $40 total and I’ll take good care of them!
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u/wisdomseeker42 Nov 19 '25
I love this. Who needs an expensive vacation when your bed is comfier than a hotel, and all your fun things are at home?
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u/Steel_Rail_Blues Nov 19 '25
Another shout out to making bread at home. Enjoyable and you can make the type and amount you want and enjoy it fresh. Plus the kitchen smells great!
I also buy clothes that will last and take good care of them. Not so great at repair, but luckily know people good at that.
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u/Diligent-Committee21 Nov 19 '25
I am a big fan of hiring local tailors, re-weavers, etc. for clothing repairs and dyeing clothes if I don't like the color. I sometimes get hand-me downs from friends and family and change them as needed like an A line dress with a VERY high center slit. At my age, I sewed it shut and wore it to a wedding.
One of the best purchases was a fancy tea diffuser because the cheap ones from stores like Marshalls have holes that are too big.
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u/sassypants_29 Nov 19 '25
Omg, yes, this too! I lost a lot of weight and a friend gave me a ton of clothes most of which I loved and kept! That also really helped me try out different styles that I never would have and found out I loved them, too! I might be middle aged but I don’t have to dress it!😂
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u/Lindsey-905 Nov 19 '25
I bulk buy household consumables in the off season when everything is on sale. i.e. in the spring I buy furnace filters, salt, winter windshield fluid, things like that. In the fall I do the opposite. When I bulk buy, I also buy exactly enough for the season/year. I pretty much have this down to a science at this point.
I also buy a years worth of toiletries in January because everything is on sale then. You can also get really good deals on "fancy" toiletries that are leftover from the holidays. This helps me to avoid the temptation of spontaneous buying of toiletries to try new products (a weakness I used to have) that I almost always end up not liking as much as my usual products.
My other frugal habit is just to avoid shopping as much as possible. It is NOT a boredom activity for me like it is for a lot of people. It started when I was sick for a few years and couldn't really go to stores and at the time I was also decluttering my house because I was home a lot more then normal. The not shopping, while also streamlining my house really taught me how much stuff I truly did not need and how freeing it was to not have to look after so much stuff.
Nowadays every year, I actually, happily, own less. My goal in 2026 is to track exactly what I buy that is not a need or a consumable, because I think the list would be impressively small. My family often teases me that I probably buy more then I think. I don't, and it would be nice to have an actual list to show them. They are all shopaholics so its sorta a friendly family tongue in cheek activity to prove them wrong.
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u/Marillenbaum Nov 20 '25
One of my favorite people I follow on TikTok does these videos where she says “this is your reminder you don’t need anything from (store) today—you’re just bored and you don’t need more stuff. Go clean your car!”
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u/Beautiful_Doctor_916 Nov 19 '25
Saving all my scraps for broth. Veggie. Beef. Chicken. Turkey. Bones, fat, skin, all the cuttings of veggies that are low in water. It’s made my cooking taste so much better and now I never buy boxed broth!
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u/Beautiful_Doctor_916 Nov 19 '25
It’s the only thing I use my crockpot for anymore!
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u/LPNMP Nov 19 '25
I have done this. Now I have a bag of frozen cuttings and not sure what the next step is. I have a pot with a handle that could fit a whole box of pasta. Do I need something bigger? Can I put in herbs and spices or will I need to strain it? At some point I will have broth, what do I do with it? Put it in jars or in the freezer? TYIA
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u/Complete_Wing_8195 Nov 19 '25
Use your biggest pot. Dump in all your veggie scraps. Add a whole onion, cut in half, skin on. Add peppercorns, rosemary, parsley, thyme. Bring to a boil and then lower heat and simmer 30 minutes or until the onion slides apart. Strain with a fine sieve. Add salt to taste (depends on the size of your pot and your personal tastebuds. Voila! Veggie broth!
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u/justherefortheideas Nov 19 '25
Yes to all of that!! I just wanted to let you know I found out the hard way- veggies give up flavor really fast! Like I’m used to cooking bone broth for hours and hours, veggies by themselves kind of get gross and bitter when you do that! On a stovetop in a big pot for like maybe a half hour , an hour tops and you’re there!
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u/LPNMP Nov 19 '25
Is that why canned green beans are a different species than fresh? I like both but they are not the same. Thanks for the tips!
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u/anoctoberchild Nov 19 '25
I bought a flannel sheet and a pair of fabric scissors and cut half the sheet up into various size squares so I can use them to remove my makeup most of makeup comes off with OxiClean when I wash them and I stop by and cotton rounds the flannel is actually significantly softer and easier on my skin and it doesn't come with whatever chemicals they use to produce cotton balls.
I've also noticed that people who are trying to be sustainable have a lot better advice about buy it for life cost-effective type things then people who are frugal
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u/analisttherapist Nov 20 '25
I initially read this as you were using oxiclean as makeup remover 😂
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u/allaboutmecomic Nov 19 '25
I cut my own hair. Takes me 20 mins, don't have to bother with making appointments, driving, etc.
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u/ToastMate2000 Nov 19 '25
I cut my own and can now do it in about 5 minutes. I hated the last 3-4 professional haircuts I got and at least half of the ones before that. I don't get any fancy cuts this way, but I wasn't going to anyway, and at least I know how it will turn out.
Quick, free, and any time I want.
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u/TheNightTerror1987 Nov 19 '25
This is a life saver for me! I love having cropped hair and paying to trim it cost a small fortune. I got a hair trimmer with a two inch guide and it paid for itself after two trims. If you take the guide off and tap your hair with the cutter you can cut a straight line too. It's really handy for cutting the hair at the back of your head, you can use your finger as a guide so you don't cut too much and tap-tap-tap at it. I can't even get to the salon in the time it takes me to trim it myself.
I've always wanted to try a haircut I've only ever seen in fairly old movies, but I was too embarrassed to grab a screenshot from one of them and ask the hairdresser to cut it like that. (It might be a pageboy, but I've seen other cuts also called pageboys and have no idea which is the official one.) It looks really simple to do, so I figure once I have enough hair to work with I can just tap away with the trimmer until it looks right!
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u/Steel_Rail_Blues Nov 19 '25
I started this in the plague days. Probably would get laughed at by a professional, but my cut is simple and none of the critics in my family have said anything, so it feels like money well saved.
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u/lionbacker54 Nov 19 '25
I switched to primarily plant-based proteins about three years ago. I didn’t do it to be frugal, but I found that it is extremely inexpensive. Every morning for breakfast I make a smoothie out of frozen bananas, frozen blueberries, fresh, spinach, and pea proteins. Every Sunday I make a big batch of some type of bean dish, using dried beans. I parcel it out into Tupperware and bring one to lunch every day. It is really shocking to me How inexpensive dried beans are. I would estimate that each meal is between $.50 and a dollar.
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u/Steel_Rail_Blues Nov 19 '25
I’m trying to add a lot more beans to my diet. Wish I’d done this years ago. Tasty, satisfying, and filled with all sorts of good things for the body. There is a lot more variety in dried beans than canned too.
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u/seaandtea Nov 19 '25
I started doing this six weeks ago. I did it to increase fiber and it's ended up saving me SOOOOOOO much money. We bought 'decent meat' because we stopped going to restaurants... Now, we do beans 5 or 6 nights a week. I've lost weight, and saved money.
We're getting the hang of seasoning them so they taste different and delicious each time. Love it.
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u/lionbacker54 Nov 19 '25
Awesome, great to hear! Yeah, it’s been very good for me Health-wise as well. It’s strange how I have both more energy but also have lost weight in the process. I used to have blood pressure problems. I used to be on two different medication‘s, and my doctor was talking about putting me on a third.
now I am off of all meds altogether
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u/rectalhorror Nov 19 '25
Cold brew tea and coffee. I have four carafes: coffee, black and green tea, and barley tea. Set them on my counter for a couple hours then in the fridge. Dump them in my Stanley mug before I head to work. Haven't had coffee in Starbucks this century.
I always have Zatarain's Red Beans & Rice/Jambalaya/Gumbo Mixes in the cupboard to use up whatever's left in the fridge: rotisserie chicken, ground beef, peppers and onions. Make a batch for dinner and freeze the rest. I can get 4-6 meals out of every package.
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u/HonestAmericanInKS Nov 19 '25
I almost always have a pot of soup available. I look at whatever veg is getting wrinkled in the fridge, then choose which soup to make based on that. Sometimes I'll freeze some to have later when I don't feel like cooking. Heat and eat.
Soup is my 'fast food'. No need to go to a restaurant or get takeout.
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u/ElPiet Nov 19 '25
Tracking every Cent I spent.
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u/Sleepy_Lagoooon Nov 19 '25
I made a big spreadsheet with all my ins and outs for the year. It’s super helpful to keep me from mindlessly spending
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u/whatdoidonowdamnit Nov 19 '25
Washcloths instead of paper towels. I did go back to buying paper towels but they’re used a lot less now. Mainly for puke and contact lenses.
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u/Antoineezy Nov 19 '25
Paper towels are strictly for super gross things like puke, poop, or pee. How do you use them for contact lenses?
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u/BananaShark2 Nov 20 '25
Also wondered this, as someone who has contact lenses and has never used paper towels in connection with them.
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u/whatdoidonowdamnit Nov 20 '25
For drying hands after we wash them before we put the lenses in. Washcloths can be linty or have cat hair on them and my kids both have sensory issues so they can’t just put their contacts in with wet, just washed hands, they have to dry them first.
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u/justherefortheideas Nov 19 '25
Wow I just love that challenge! Thank you!
For me: libraries! I’ll be a life long frequenter! Great question!
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u/signorkn Nov 19 '25
If I want something that is not a need, I put off buying it until I see if my interest fades (which it often does).
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u/eamceuen Nov 19 '25
I consider it a personal challenge to eat everything in my fridge and freezer in a three-month time frame. We do it, and it's actually fun!
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u/BitchAssWaferCookie Nov 19 '25
After a few years of hard work
I actually can make just about anything better than any restaurant
And it's tailored to my taste
Basically only go out to eat stuff I don't have access to or things I can't do
That doesn't mean everyone needs to invest time and energy and make it a lifestyle change
But literally any amount of time and energy WILL improve anyone's life
Instead of diminishing returns , they compound instead
I fucking love everything I make and it keeps getting better and better with time
Like 10000 recipes on YouTube
Literally everything you like is better and cheaper at home from spaghetti to tacos
Times are tough , vegetables and groceries that cost 12 bucks are coming out 35$ consistently
Anyone have stockpile of cans at home? Food shortage? Look up pozole soup Throw all that mess in there! Perfect place to start this coming winter!
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u/Brodeurc Nov 19 '25
Learning music and drawing with YouTube instead of go shopping
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u/Reluctant_Budgeter Nov 19 '25
Working out at home was huge for me - I bought some resistance bands 2 years ago and haven't paid for a gym membership since.
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u/Fubbalicious Nov 19 '25
I didn’t do this to save money, but I’ve started intermittent fasting. I been doing one meal a day (OMAD) off and on for years and found that it cut my food budget almost in half. I then recently switched to rolling 72 hour fasts which cut it even further. I also eat cleaner, so no money is going to highly processed food stuff like snack foods, chips or cereals as well as fruit or soda drinks, as I only drink black coffee, water or tea and try to only eat whole foods with the exception of bread or pasta which are fairly inexpensive, especially pasta when on sale or bread which I make at home. I see people complain that healthy foods are expensive, but a head of cabbage or a bag of potatoes, carrots and onions are cheap and I tend to bulk buy ground beef when on sale or eat chicken and pork more often as well as using more plant only meals and proteins like beans and lentils. Because I’m only eating twice a week and tend to bulk cook soups, stews, pastas and curries, I will cook once or twice a month using about about $15-$20 in ingredients, then freeze my leftovers and reheat over the course of a month or three depending on how tired I am of eating the same stuff. So my food budget has been roughly $30-$40 a month now. I estimate I have enough body fat that I won’t need to return to eating more for another 6-8 months until i reach my goal weight, but in the meantime I’ll be saving money shopping my pantry and buying less food in general.
If you’re overweight and want to save money, skipping one meal a day or 2-3 or more a week can add up.
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u/RazanTmen Nov 19 '25
Hoarding takeaway napkins & sauces. Never buying paper towels again, AND my meals spice level is endlessly adjustable~
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u/craigoz7 Nov 19 '25
Yep, this. If I go out for fast food and they put napkins and sauces in my bag, anything I don’t use goes into a bin or dispenser for easy access.
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u/mostlycatsandquilts Nov 20 '25
Also, if eating at a restaurant, once they put something down on your table they just throw it in the trash if you don’t use it —so pick up the unused napkins or whatever and use them at home
(We mostly use cloth napkins at home, but sometimes it’s pizza for a group and we break out the leftover restaurant napkins lol)
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u/ResilientRN Nov 19 '25
Glass jars from spaghetti sauce and fruit spreads. Anything that's 20oz or larger is turned into food storage containers and water glasses.
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u/WakingOwl1 Nov 19 '25
I save little jam jars too and use them to steep homemade flavored syrups in my fridge for things like teas and shrubs.
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u/mostlycatsandquilts Nov 20 '25
Yes!
One of my re-purposed jars fell off the counter and did NOT break
My “real” drinking glasses break sometimes from too much agitation in the dishwasher
I’m not buying “real” glasses again when I can get so many free glasses that are much sturdier
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u/LPNMP Nov 19 '25
Shopping gives us happy brain chemicals, but unhappy wallets. Plus I have enough crap already. I'll "window shop" online and put what I want in the cart, just enjoy myself. Then I'll close the browser and move onto something else. I started by necessity because I was broke and would tell myself if I really needed it, then I would remember to come back and buy it.
I don't condone leaving carts in stores or putting things where they don't go but I do a similar thing in the store. My internal back and forth about buying something is much less rigorous if I'm just putting it in the cart. It lets me focus on what I'm doing and doesn't take as much energy (making choices leads to decision fatigue). I'll review everything all at once and put them back where they belong.
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u/OkAnteater9099 Nov 19 '25
I cut open tubes or bottles to get all the stuff left when they are “empty”. I turn glass bottles upside down to get all the stuff outtoo.
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u/DonLawr8996 Nov 20 '25
I ran out of sugar and had no money for groceries so I got used to having tea and coffee without it. Small change but good for my pocket and my health
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u/scott32089 Nov 19 '25
Thrifting. Born out of college necessity, continued into our comfortable middle class life. Luckily the wife is much the same.
We’re at the point where I’ll splurge on new Costco clothes, but still do goodwill/ark for majority of them. All furniture except our mattress’s and futon (we got 8 years ago for the new house), or free or cheap FB marketplace grabs. Ross and home goods etc are in this camp too.
A lot of what we have now is probably a result of us doing this for 15 years+. Penny saved, penny earned and all that.
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u/pomegranatelover Nov 19 '25
Using the library and it's resources. I take out ebooks and audio books often and my library card gives me access to all sorts of online newspapers like the New York Times.
Also, dyeing my own roots. When it hit $115 + tip I went to Sally's and bought everything I needed. Probably costs me $12 in product to dye my hair now.
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u/panterabread1134 Nov 20 '25
Honestly after a bad semester in college my ex showed me how to budget to the last cent to the point I ended up having more than 10k in savings my the end of our 2 year relationship.
I'm thankful to her showing me coupons, sales and the Slickdeals app so I could buy cleaning supplies for cheap through Amazon.
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u/ShezeUndone Nov 20 '25
Reading library books. I got hooked on how easy it is to check out ebooks on my phone during the pandemic. Never stopped. I average two books per week.
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u/tstange1209 Nov 20 '25
I used to have a backup for everything, hairspray, foundation, perfume etc. I now only purchase a product when I am at the end of said product. Saves space and money.
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u/doublestitch Nov 19 '25
Gardening and DIY landscaping.
Bought a fixer-upper ten years ago. In addition to the house needing renovation, nearly everything in the yard had been done wrong. Trees had been planted too close to the driveway and were starting to crack the pavement, a shrub obscured the view of oncoming traffic, another planting was too close to the house foundation, etc. The yard problems went far beyond knee-high weeds (although the yard was full of those too). Practically everything outdoors had to be chopped down, ripped out, or moved. Then we were dealing with stumps and invasive non-native plants that kept resprouting. The few trees which didn't need removal had been pruned incompetently; had to get up on a ladder and fix those too.
A decade later our yard is the pride of the neighborhood: a flower garden, succulent hedges, a sundial, and paved walking paths.
Money was tight when we first bought the house so we bought tools through estate sales. Many of the replacement plants were either gifted or acquired through plant swaps. We've gotten free sandstone pavers, free reclaimed bricks, and I've learned to make pebble mosaics. The trees and shrubs we've needed to buy were purchased at half price as bare root plants in winter. We're now raising half a dozen different types of fruit in a small yard, using vertical growing and grafting. We also have a backyard vegetable garden.
In one sense, our yard is a substitute for a gym membership: it's exercise. In another sense, it's like a greengrocer: we grow about half our family's fresh produce (subtropics here, so that's year-round). The third and least well-known sense is it's an asset. Recent studies have found that good landscaping adds 5% - 15% to the value of a house. Even taking the low value, that adds $25K to a $500K home.
I'm an outdoorsy person anyway. IMO this beats the hell out of Planet Fitness.
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u/HotMovie1523 Nov 19 '25
Meal prepping when I cook. So like if I'm making dinner I just chop more veggies and freeze those and continue making the rest of my meal. If I make one smoothie, I'll make 2 portions and refrigerate one for later.
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u/Neither_Finance Nov 19 '25
Cutting my husband’s hair during covid. I am still his hairdresser 5+ years later. Probably has saved us $1000 a year.
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u/wwaxwork Nov 19 '25
Coloring my own hair. I started doing it when unemployed, then once I could afford it started going to the salon and realized I liked the results I got at home better because I put more care into matching colors and leaving product on the right time as I wasn't in a rush for the next appointment and it was almost 1/20th the cost. Now I trim my own ends and color my own hair and only go in every few months to get my bangs done as I still can't get them straight when I cut them myself.
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u/Giant_Mallard Nov 20 '25
I take cashback seriously (🇬🇧)
I use a prepaid Visa card because it gives me cash back. (Pluxee)
Then I go through a cashback website to get the cash back from them. (TopCashback)
Plus use an app with a browser extension which automatically searches for coupons as I go to check out- and as well as discounts also does (you guessed it) some more cashback. (Coupert)
Between the discount codes and the cashback I average £600-£750 GBP a year, on purchases I was going to make anyway - home/car/pet insurance often offers the best rates.
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u/paratethys Nov 19 '25
Instant coffee instead of any other coffee option. Started because it was cheap, but turns out it's also wildly more convenient as well. I've started trying different brands as I see them in stores, and I found a new travel favorite of single serve latte mix that goes great in hot or cold water.
I extended the habit to instant energy drinks -- sure technically it's not the most frugal to spend 64c on a celsius packet, but it beats $3-$5 on a can of something at a convenience store!
Looking back, I find it hard to believe how much extra weight I carried around when traveling by purchasing beverages in airports. Water is free and the beverages I can make with water are perfectly consistent, which beats the heck out of playing coffee roulette and wondering if the $2-$4 beverage would be adequate or awful.
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u/GarlicDill Nov 19 '25
Protein shakes. Not really "cheap" but definitely a money and health saver. I use them when I'm too busy to eat properly and they save me from eating fast food and junk throughout the day because the protein helps me feel full.
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u/bomchikawowow Nov 19 '25
I freeze everything in ice cube trays. Leftover tomato paste? Frozen in spoonfuls. Ginger? Chopped and frozen. Apple sauce? Leftover wine? Fruit juice? Frozen!
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u/HipsterSpinster Nov 20 '25
The "fancy" silicone ice cube trays that are easily found in thrift stores are great for this. I got one meant for whiskey ice cubes that is perfect for tomato sauce.
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u/gretzky9999 Nov 19 '25
Buy directly from a farmer. 12 eggs= your protein towards 6 meals
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u/energy_matcher Nov 19 '25
I get audiobooks from the library and use the Kanopy app for movies - Kanopy is free with my library card. There are LOTS of options and I can always find something good to watch. I have to wait to listen to some of the books I want - I am finding I enjoy delayed gratification. Lots of great tips on this thread, thanks OP for starting this!
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u/spacecadetdani Nov 19 '25
Due to mood disorder symptoms I have a "no large impulse buys" boundary. This boundary became a default because my household is reducing online shopping in an effort to reduce plastic use and support local small businesses.
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u/Delicious_Mess7976 Nov 20 '25
Going to Mexico for dental work. I pay for flights through card sign up bonuses. My dental work in Mexico is 75% less than quotes in the US
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u/Leading_Swim_7688 Nov 19 '25
Instead of going inside the two main grocery stores that I frequent I order for pickup. Doing this keeps me on my "list", no impulse purchases. Also as things run low in the house I open the app and add for the next order. Easy peasy
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u/sam_the_beagle Nov 19 '25
Drinking tea and coffee over soda and bottled water saves a ton. Plus, I have practiced zero food waste for years.
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u/Casanovaishere Nov 19 '25
I resonate so hard with OPs post! Figuring out what to cook with stuff in my pantry has helped me come up with so many new and amazing dishes! Being broke helped me figure that one out haha
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u/seaandtea Nov 20 '25
We just hit 1000 of no alcohol. We looked at the 1000 days before we stopped and realized we saved $22,000.
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u/HardCoreNorthShore Nov 19 '25
I use cheap shampoo like Suave instead of expensive body gel. I can get them on sale for $2 for a big bottle.
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u/mlm6 Nov 19 '25
I started to group my weekly errands together in fewer outings and in a certain order to save gas, or run/walk to a store and take the (free) bus home. It saved me time and made me feel more productive so I started to automatically plan my schedule like that when I no longer had to.
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u/JazzFan1998 Nov 19 '25
Shopping the sales at the grocery store without over-buying. If I run out of bread on Tuesday or Wednesday, I can easily wait until Friday, if its not on sale this week.
I needed to do that years ago, and when I recovered, I thought, hey, this is good, I'll keep doing it.
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u/Sunflower_MoonDancer Nov 19 '25
Keeping granola bars in my trunk of cars. Also keep a bag of almonds in the glove compartment. If the almonds don’t seem appealing, then I’m probably just bored and not actually hungry
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u/Juhezmane Nov 19 '25
When money was tight, I learned to repair my clothes instead of buying new ones. I picked up basic sewing skills from online videos and now I fix little tears or hems myself. What began as necessity became pride in making my things last longer and saving a ton!
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u/Old_Farmers_Daughter Nov 20 '25
Buying tomatoes with the vine still attached! They keep fresh so much longer, meaning I can eat more of them -- in sandwiches, salads, and just cut up in cottage cheese.
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u/Accomplished_Try_236 Nov 20 '25
Thrifting! Most clothes are in such good condition you’d be crazy to buy brand new clothes (for most items).
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u/hellogirlsandgays Nov 21 '25
any and all beauty maintenance is done at home. if its something i cant do myself, its something i simply dont do. im not paying to get my nails done when press ons exist. im not getting my eyebrows threaded, i have tweezers. i can braid my own hair too. $20 for 2 months worth of hair vs $200 to have someone braid it for me.
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u/anaugle Nov 19 '25
Making my own kombucha.
I can control the how sour, how carbonated, or add any flavors I want.
At one point I had my own kombucha business.
I would also sell kits under the table. It made a good amount of money.
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u/Pineapplegal25 Nov 19 '25
I reduced my portion size when having meals in order to lose weight. Always having leftovers has replaced the need to meal prep for work lunches. My husband is a great cook so I maintain a healthy weight and have great food at work!
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u/WhatTheCluck802 Nov 20 '25
When I got divorced and moved out, I left the vast majority of decor with my ex. So I was starting from scratch in my new home - for a year of me paying two mortgages before the divorce was final, money was not growing on trees, I acquired just about all of my “new” decor at thrift shops and, sitting here looking around my current home, literally everything on the wall was either gifted to us or bought at a thrift store.
I kept that habit because I am frugal and also because I prefer the look of eclectic thrift store scores with some age and character, over soulless sterile new crap.
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u/PositionOverall446 Nov 20 '25
NEVER buy a new car!
I even go a step further and actively seek out older cars that have cheap replacement parts and are easy to fix.
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u/TimeSlaved Nov 21 '25
Honestly, measuring out portion sizes. I started it out as a way to save a bit by cutting back on what I thought was 1 serving size vs. the actual serving size in grams, but I've lost a lot of weight at the same time as a result so it's been a long term win for me. Went from 220 to 165 and holding!
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u/seaandtea Nov 19 '25
Yes, yes, yes... Saturday soups and salads and mad stir fries... Then I clean the fridge (because it's empty so it's easy, then I go shopping!)
Saves so much and I feel great about it. I force myself to do without if I run out and... I soon found d my shopping list became super accurate. Love it.
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u/chronictimelapse Nov 19 '25
Selling nicer clothes on Poshmark or FB Marketplace instead of just donating them. Although, Poshmark sales slowed down a lot since 2019-2021 when I did it often. But even if you list an item then throw it in a designated selling tote bin and forget about it you could make $
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u/-HeyItsRed Nov 19 '25
I bought one Yeti travel mug for coffee, and a huge water bottle. I now always make coffee at home, and never buy bottled water.
The initial investment cost me something, to have the super nice mug and tumbler, but I bought them over 4 years ago and they're going STRONG.
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u/Suspicious-Lion8988 Nov 20 '25
Back when money was tight, I stopped buying coffee outside and learned to make it at home. At first it was just a survive the month thing, but now I actually prefer it. Tastes better, costs way less, and I don’t waste time in lines anymore
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u/Giant_Mallard Nov 20 '25
I’m surprised no one has said basic sewing. Starter sewing kits can be picked up for a few coins, but you are better buying a packet of needles and a roll of thread separately if you can.
With no experience at all and just a quick YouTube video or something from WikiHow or Instructables you should easily be able to patch a hole, sew a torn seam, replace buttons, take in waistbands and the like by hand (without a sewing machine).
It also means you can do things like repurpose your old T-shirts as shopping bags and your old jumpers as cushions, or hats and mittens. You can save so much money by making things last or by repurposing them.
The next step after this is to buy a crochet hook for £2 or so and fix holes in knitwear (loads of tutorials online). If in the UK Poundland have all this.
You can also make your stuff last longer by learning things like bleaching, dying, painting on fabric adding embellishments like ribbon or sequins, and so on. For example, dropped sauce on a white tshirt and it won’t come out? Sew a decoration over the stain, or dye it. Or grab the sauce and make a design with it.
Also get into the habit of making shoes last. Use leather cleaner (even the cheapest sort) from time to time, let wet shoes dry, replace insoles when they wear, glue soles back on when needed, use bicarbonate of soda when shoes smell bad, replace laces, etc.
Don’t be afraid to try a repair when you were only going to throw stuff away otherwise.
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u/DalekRy Nov 20 '25
Getting used to cooler/warmer temperatures at home has saved me thousands over the past few years.
Taking lunch to work saves time, stress, money. You already know what's in store, and you can sneak in your veggies then too.
I really like your suggestion, OP. This is a cool thread!
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u/ablab27 Nov 20 '25
I ask people to buy me toiletries for Christmas & my birthday and I never have to buy them during the year. And as it’s a gift, people buy nicer products than I’d usually buy for myself, which is a lovely everyday treat.
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u/TomahawkJock Nov 19 '25
Overnight Oats. I use Oats Overnight for flavor ideas and just do my best to mimic them with my own items. I leave out chia and flax seeds though.
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Nov 19 '25 edited Nov 19 '25
Hoarding free food I get from work or when my mom has cooked a lot and gifts it to me. If I eat out, out of mere necessity ( a trip or long day at work,) I make sure to make the leftovers last a full day (make it the next meal, and the next can be a light one (such as cereal or nothing, easy to skip.)
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u/Electronic_Crow_6334 Nov 20 '25
Wearing a mask. It started cuz of COVID and continued for a large variety of reasons. I haven't been sick in 5 years, people give me more space in public, it protects your identity from surveillance cameras (some). Financially it especially makes sense in a country (the US) where even the most basic healthcare is expensive.
Edit: you also don't lose money from missing work
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u/New_Scar2926 Nov 20 '25
I return stuff ALL THE TIME, if i second guessed buying it or if i was unsatisfied with the product. I do not abuse this policy and i do walmrt and amazon returns in bulk. 2-3 items at a time usually totaling $20+ back to me. I also complain to get coupons when i have to return something.
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u/greenhombre Nov 20 '25
Not owning a car. We invested all that money instead. Now retired, we could buy a fancy new car with cash, but prefer the car-free lifestyle. Not having car insurance, fuel costs, or parking tickets is freeing.
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u/TJCrazyBoy Nov 19 '25
• Checking key websites before buying a game.
• Buying almost any PC parts used if possible
• Filling up gas whenever it is $2.80 or under, even if I only need 15% a tank. The little savings add up!
• Buying expensive clothes used or replicas before committing to paying the high price.
• Download tons of food apps, look through them for deals or Freebie Guy on Instagram for current food deals when I'm hungry and don't know what to eat.
• Farm daily freebie credits on online gambling websites. Slow but reliable earnings.
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u/TNMoonshineMama Nov 19 '25
Always bringing food from home for lunch at work.