People Online Share Their Best Hacks To Live Frugally

Kasia Mikolajczak
jar with coins
Unsplash | Sandy Millar

I have to be honest with you I've always been pretty frugal. Don't get me wrong, I do like to spend from time to time, but I'm very selective about what I spend my money on, that's for sure. It must be because I grew up in Eastern Europe.

Therefore, I often look for helpful ways to stretch my dollars, and that's why I was thrilled to find a Reddit group called Frugal Living full of people like me. So I thought you might appreciate a few tips from folks who have the money-saving game all figured out. Check it out.

These Mop Refills

crochet reusable Swiffer refills
reddit | u/Lumpriest

I have to admit I do love my Swiffer. But I feel bad about buying those one-time use refills. Plus it also adds up as they're not that cheap. So I really need to do what this lady did and crochet a reusable refill like this.

This Natural Air Freshener

fresh rosemary used as air freshener in the shower
reddit | Rayquellen

Here's the thing about air fresheners: They're not always that good for you, even if they are made with natural ingredients. Also, why would you keep buying it when you can come up with something much cheaper and healthier. This lady grew lavender in her garden and now uses it to freshen up her bathroom. What a genius idea, right?

This Chicken Coop Idea

chicken coop made with a trampoline
reddit | u/bekiroo

Who here loves fresh eggs? There's nothing like it, huh? So if you ever thought about starting your own chicken coop (um, thinking about it as we speak), then check out this super cool concept. How fun is that?

This Dyson Rescued From The Curb

broken Dyson vacuum somebody fixed
reddit | u/kittyquestion303

Honestly, you never know what you can find on someone's curb. Sometimes it's a bunch of duds, and sometimes you'll really luck out. This person found a so-called broken Dyson, opened it up, cleaned the clogs, and voilà. Good as new. OMG!

These Vegetables You Can Regrow

veggies in a basket
Unsplash | Markus Spiske

Is it just me, or did food prices really go up lately? So what can you do about it? For starters, you can start your own garden. That's what we did this year. You can regrow things like green onion, celery, lettuce, garlic, ginger, potatoes, herbs, and even mushrooms.

This Used Tech Hack

hand holding iPhone
Unsplash | Bagus Hernawan

Okay, I like tech gadgets as much as the next person. However, buying them new is so expensive. But there are ways you can save good coins if you look for resales. Sites like Craigslist, Kijiji, or eBay work well, or you can also get a refurbished item straight from big box stores like Best Buy.

Save On Gas With Costco Membership

man filling up gas in his car
Unsplash | sippakorn yamkasikorn

Speaking of prices going up, how about gas? I mean, what is going on with that? Gas prices are pretty crazy right now. One way you can save on this expense is by getting a Costco membership. Gas is much cheaper at Costco stations, so it's worth it.

This Soap Tip

bar of soap
reddit | Reddit | OilPhilter

If you still use a bar of soap, do you throw it out when it gets small? I don't. Instead, I collect a few of them and squeeze them together. Or you can just press it onto a new bar as this person did.

This Christmas Tree

Christmas tree made out of books
reddit | turquoise404

Sure, you can go out every year and get a real Christmas tree. You can also buy a plastic one. But why not get a little more creative? This person decided to build one out of their books, and it sure looks festive enough, huh?

This Little Library Idea

neighborhood library made out of old microwave
reddit | u/thompsonc12

Speaking of books, do you like to share yours when you finish reading them? If you do, then consider setting up a neighborhood library. These folks came up with a cool way to make one for only $40 instead of spending over $300 to build it. How awesome is that?

This Tie Dye DIY

brown tie dyed sweater
Imgur | Imgur

"Found a $128 Free People sweater with a dark stain for $15! I covered it up with dip dye, new favorite sweater!"

If you can think creatively, you can fix almost anything. I love how this sweater turned out here.

This Raised Garden Bed

raised garden bed made out of old fence
reddit | u/DanielRJonesWrite

"Many thanks to those who gave me advice on turning my old fence into a raised garden bed. It’s not perfect, but I love it!"

Will you take a look at that? What a neat idea to use an old fence to build a garden bed, huh?

This DIY Sidewalk

DIY sidewalk made with glacial sand
reddit | u/jmaugs

"Built my own sidewalk with glacial sand dug up from the side yard and leftover base rocks used during home construction."

You don't say? I would never have thought of this idea, but I like what I see here.

This Grocery Shopping Hack

meat in freezer safe bags
reddit | u/firelitdrgn

"I finally understand why people buy large cuts of meat when it goes on sale. Quit job for school, trying to be more frugal, and we got two large-top roasts for buy-one-get-one-free and processed it/cut it up at home ourselves. Now we have meals for days."

Bonus if you get the food saver system so you can eliminate freezer burn.

This Reusable Ziploc Bag Idea

Ziploc bags that was washed
reddit | sneaky313

Okay, call me crazy, but I don't like to throw out anything unless I have to. That's why I reuse my Ziploc bags. I only get rid of them if I store raw meat in them. Otherwise, I wash them and reuse them at least a few times.

This Wedding Dress Hack

woman wearing thrifted wedding dress that cost her only $20
reddit | u/frootrollups

Even though I did spend quite a bit on my wedding dress, frugal brides know better. Many have opted to shop at second-hand shops where you can find a real bargain. This lucky bride found a dress at the Salvation Army for only $20. Yes, you heard that right — only $20. Wow!

This Mailing Hack

hand holding white envelope
reddit | u/babyholdmyhand

"Frugal tip: If you get any bills mailed to you — save the free envelope that comes with it for future use."

OMG! This sounds simple enough, so why haven't I thought of that? Seriously. What the heck is wrong with me? Ha, ha!

This DIY Rug

rug made out of scrap fabric
reddit | Rayquellen5

Why spend money on a new rug when you can reuse stuff around your house? That's exactly what this lady did here. I think this is such a neat idea. What do you think of that, huh?

So, what do you think about these frugal living tips?

Leah Remini from The King of Queens saying "I'm being thrifty."
Giphy | TV Land

Do you already implement some of these ideas here? I'm definitely starting to step up my ways to save money even further. One of those ways is by having an outdoor veggie garden. And we also try to buy some meat in bulk so we can freeze it for later. After all, money doesn't grow on trees. Am I right?