Frugal Living Tips That Help Save Money While Still Enjoying Life

All vegetables have a different shelf life, but many fresh veggies don’t last very long, even if stored in the fridge. But the good news is that eating your vegetables in a vacuum will help them last longer before spoiling, which is great for anyone looking to eat vegetables without grocery shopping every day. And who in the world has time to do that? Not us; that much is for sure.

This is one of those life hacks that any perceptive Ikea shopper has probably already figured out, but we’ll go ahead and talk about it anyways, just in case this went under your radar. For some unknown reason, big mirrors cost a lot more than smaller mirrors. We’re guessing this has something to do with how they’re produced. But there’s a way to get that big-mirror feel without breaking the bank: buy a bunch of smaller ones.

Gone are the days of food going bad while you sit idly by. All you need is a whiteboard marker and your fridge, which can probably double as a whiteboard! It’s a nice feature that fridges have that not many people know about. Every time you go grocery shopping, write down everything you bought and erase/edit the list as you consume the items. So, what are you waiting for? It’s so easy; go ahead and scribble things on your fridge!

Okay, this may seem a little bit unintuitive at first; after all, aren’t real towels just expensive, fancy alternatives to paper towels? Think again. Thanks to the beauty of online shopping, you can now find cheap, affordable towels. Take the woman who snapped the photo below as an example: she bought 150 of these small towels for $30 online. That was six years ago, and she hasn’t spent a cent on paper towels since.

It’s no secret women like stealing oversized clothes from the men in their lives and styling them to their liking. And this woman came up with something extra special; she decided to turn her boyfriend’s unused shirts into cute little dresses for herself, which look absolutely stunning! We love this because it’s incredibly creative and resourceful. There’s no reason not to repurpose clothes like this if you have the skills and time.

There’s an incredible amount of things in this world that exist in some kind of marketing limbo; they’re way too good just to throw away but too bad to be able to sell at full price. So, the next time you go rummaging for vegetables at the farmer’s market, try asking for the “bad” batch. It’s even worth trying out this trick at your local grocery store.

People should always do this little life hack, given just how easy and accessible it is, but some people just don’t know about this trick. We’re here to break the news to anyone who has yet to hear it: the international aisle at your grocery store probably has some of the same ingredients as other aisles but is cheaper. The high-quality ingredients in this section of the store cost way less due to their lack of branding.

The unfortunate thing about your most beloved belongings is that they have an expiration date. Come to think of it, pretty much all things in life have one. Now, while this morbid fact may be enough to spoil a good mood, rest assured, we know a way to combat the deadly effects of time. At least when it comes to your bag. Rit dye will make it look fresh and new as the day you got it!

The thing about raising kids is that you keep having to buy them stuff. This is because children need an incredible amount of toys to get by and because they keep outgrowing the things you just bought. These things could be clothes, but they could also be pricier, like furniture. When it comes to baby cribs, however, there is a way to prevent them from going to waste once your kids grow out of them.

It seems as though the older you grow, the more you seem to care for and form strong opinions about vacuum cleaners. We’re not sure why this happens, but it’s true nonetheless. But, as your taste for vacuum cleaners grows more refined, you will also spend more cash on refined pieces of vacuum cleaning technology. So, why not give your vacuum cleaner a DIY upgrade instead of blowing a ton of money on a new one?

If you’re anything like us, you mop your house at least once every 1 to 2 weeks, if not more. And you’re probably tired of having to buy all those expensive cleaning products that always seem to last a minuscule amount of time before ending up in the trash. That’s why you should make your own cleaning tools. This young lady, for instance, knitted her own reusable Swiffer pads.

It’s weird how some things that have no apparent use at all can turn out to be useful in some cases. If you’ve ever spent a fortune on makeup removal, you should probably listen up: why not use pieces of old fabric as makeup removers? They’ll do the job just fine, you probably have some in your house already, and you’ll save a lot of money. It’s a win-win-win situation.

Well, take a look at this pretty thing. Good thing you drank all that wine because all those wine crates you hoarded all this time were always meant to turn into a bookshelf. Good on you for thinking so frugally and so far ahead. That’s definitely the mark of a healthy mindset right there. And if you didn’t buy enough wine for this hack, just pop by your local liquor store and ask to snoop in their recycling bin.

The thing about dogs is that while they care for their toys, as in they often have a favorite toy out of their other toys, they’ll also make do with most of the toys you’ll get them. Scratch that; they’ll probably love any and all toys you get, given enough time to adjust. That’s why you could cheap out and make yourself a new dog toy out of all your dog’s previous toys.

If you’re the type that has a lot of homegrown veggies just hanging around in the backyard or sitting there idly in the fridge, you may want to consider canning all those bad boys and leaving them up for display like this. It’ll increase their shelf life by quite a bit, and you’ll be able to keep tabs on every one of your homegrown treasures. Doesn’t that sound great?

Dish sponges are notoriously some of the most practical items you could own. Like, seriously, the amount of uses these things have is incredible. What could these small, insignificant pieces of ragged sponge offer, you ask? Well, we’ll tell you: these things are great for some spring cleaning madness! Especially when it comes to the bathroom, these things are great for scrubbing toilets. Kinda gross, but it’s true.

So while this life hack is something everyone can do, some people will be better at this than others. Some are just naturally gifted at home-improvement projects. That, however, doesn’t mean you can’t try remodeling a bit of furniture yourself! As they say, practice makes perfect. A little tip for when you do try: get some adhesive paper! You’ll save money on both a professional (as this is as easy as a DIY remodel gets) and on expensive material.

The thing about growing green onion chives is that you can do it from the comfort of your own kitchen. You don’t need to have a special garden or some sort of space specifically designed to grow vegetables; those green onions will grow anywhere. When it comes to growing green onions, the only thing you should be worried about is cutting off their ends and putting their roots in water.

Anyone who has ever been in a stable, long-term relationship knows that date night is some sort of a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it’s a great way to reinvigorate your relationship and inject excitement into your day-to-day life. On the other hand, date nights tend to be quite expensive. So, why not save money by coming up with frugal but fun activities, such as this at-home wine and painting date?

The thing about office chairs is that they really shouldn’t be that expensive, but companies know just how desperate people are to avoid back aches at all costs, even if it means splurging a few hundred dollars on a cutting-edge office chair. But, truth be told, you don’t really need something that expensive. You could just use a high-quality pillow and a pillow case on a regular, non-office chair.

We didn’t know that you could use bed slats in this fashion. Who would have thought you could use those bed slats to craft your own handmade spice rack? This is certainly one of those life hacks that require a certain skillset and affinity to carpentry, but where there’s a will, there’s a way. Pretty much everyone can build him or herself a spice rack out of bed slats.

Okay, so we hate to be the ones to state the ugly truth, but maps are definitely a thing of the past. Satellite technology, GPS technology, modern smartphones, public Wi-Fi, and other recent developments in navigation technology have made maps pretty much obsolete as long as you have an internet connection. So what is one to do with all the maps lying around one’s house? That’s easy – use them for gift wrapping!

Have you ever gotten fed up with paying rent? Ever had enough of the hustle and bustle of modern urban life? Well, we may have just the solution for you. You should probably consider moving to the woods! Now, while this may seem daunting, moving to the woods today isn’t the same as it was a hundred years ago. For one, plenty of programs will let you live rent-free in the woods.

Any berry enthusiast will willingly tell you just how expensive all their favorite berries are. We’re not sure why all these little pieces of fruit are so costly, but we certainly can’t deny that they are. So, our little loophole about berries is to pick them ourselves by hand. Yeah, you can do that! There may be some berries growing on trees or bushes in your vicinity.

To all Barnes & Noble enthusiasts, we know you love books; you’ve made that pretty clear. However, we also know of a place with even more books, like, way more books. They pretty much have every important book ever written. Also, check this out: all those books are on sale! You can get them for free! What is this amazing place we know about? Well, it’s called the library; ever heard of it?

Okay, so we’ve definitely heard of people decorating their houses with all kinds of forgotten and forsaken junk, such as wooden planks, crates, and whatnot. We haven’t, however, ever heard of someone building a table out of trashed shipping pallets he found somewhere. That is, however, exactly what this guy did, and it is certainly a first for us. It’s definitely creative and inspiring. It goes to show just that you can make a lot from a little.

Growing your vegetables in your backyard is one surefire way of saving a bit of money if we’ve ever heard of one. You may think this life hack is too much to handle, but it’s a great way to save money while nurturing a new hobby. Plus, you can start with an easy grower! If you have the time and the space for this, we suggest beginning by growing your own garlic.

So, before we go ahead and talk about this hack right here, we’re going to state that if you do decide to do this, you should take extra care and be careful! Copper can go for around three bucks a pound, which is quite a bit when you think about it. Just strip the coating off electric copper wires and get to the good stuff – the copper.

There comes the point in a person’s life where they decide that it’s high time that they got themselves a piece of nice furniture, which is definitely something that most people who first set out to live in their own house, outside their parents’ care, don’t have. That’s because furniture is abhorrently pricey. You could, however, take a piece of worn-out furniture and make it look great through some DIY magic!

Okay, we’re not sure we totally recommend this one, but if you’re especially down on your financial luck or just have an iron stomach, then you could always frequent gas stations at the end of the day and collect all the different foods about to be thrown out. Now, while this may be a bit risky, it is a great way to save a lot of money on food if you do this consistently.

The thing with film photography is that there’s always a risk of your photos turning out completely wrong. That’s just a hazard that comes with the occupation, unfortunately. That doesn’t, however, mean that you can’t do anything with your burnt-out film; you could turn them into the base of your next visual masterpiece! Why not draw on those expensive pieces of film paper? It’s a great way to make the most out of a bad situation.

We guess what they say is really true: they don’t make them like they used to. This life hack is a lifesaver. It’s also incredibly convenient and accessible, as long as you have access to your grandpa’s belongings. Chances are he has a razor or two that he doesn’t need anymore. Now, ignore just how jaded they look; these things were built to last. That’s just how things used to be done.

This is one of those life hacks that have a vast number of perks: firstly, you’ll be able to make a couple of bucks by giving them to places that pay for used cans, such as supermarkets and such. Secondly, you’ll be doing your part for the environment, which is always good. Finally, you don’t need anything to do this, which will motivate you to go on more walks.

The thing about that global pandemic we all had to go through is that it left a hefty amount of new facemasks scattered all around our houses. Seriously, we don’t know a single person who doesn’t have at least 5 of these somewhere around the house. So, instead of letting these things just lie there without purpose, you should probably invent a new purpose for them! Like, why not?

Okay, so this couple came up with a great way to save a lot of money on greeting cards while also inventing a fantastic, romantic gesture. Instead of buying new cards, exchange the same card each time you write to each other. That way, you can check out what you previously wrote in the past. It’s a really cool, affordable, and accessible gesture that just has a certain charm to it.

If there’s one thing that being an adult in the modern world has taught us, it’s that prepackaged food is overpriced. Seriously, we’re not sure why that little sheet of plastic wrapping has to cause such a dramatic pricing spike, but it does. That’s just a fact of life at this point. All the more reason to go ahead and buy unpackaged things and just take half an hour to package them yourself.

Anyone who’s ever had the displeasure of using rakes knows just how ineffective they can be; they also tend to break quite a bit. Do you know what other things tend to break? Hockey stick. These two things are truly a match made in heaven. If you have any broken hockey sticks just lying about, you should probably think about duct-taping them to your broken rake. It just makes sense.

When it comes to preposterous DIY projects that should, for all intents and purposes, cost you a fortune the size of your entire net worth three times over, Craiglist is certainly your best friend. Take this photo of a chicken and secure all of the resources from Craigslist. How much did it cost him? You guessed it, absolutely nothing. That’s right; he made this thing for free! Isn’t that something?

Forget wrapping paper. That is so 20th-century. It just isn’t sheik anymore. Why not give your presents a homely feel with a bit of tarp and bungee cords to wrap them up nicely and tight? Sure, it may not look as good as your run-of-the-mill wrapping paper, but it does have the charm of something you hand-crafted, which is sure to impress some people. It shows you have no problem putting a bit of effort into them.

Let’s be honest: most of our closets are filled with old, ragged clothes we don’t wear anymore. Some of it we keep as memorabilia, and some of it we’re just too lazy to throw out. But we have a solution that’ll put those old pieces to use and add a cute accessory to your home: help yourself to a new rug by braiding together all those old (or new) unneeded clothes.