Creating a More Frugal Lifestyle

Tips for Living on Less with What You Already Have

Feb 28, 2008 Venice Kichura

As the econony grows worse, it's more important than ever to learn to live on less. Besides saving money, you'll also be living a more green lifestyle.

While tightwads used to be the target of jokes, being cheap is getting trendier. A more positive label is “frugal living”. Or, even more radical are the “Freegans.” A newly coined term for thrifty, Freegans are people who go beyond cheap, opting to live outside a society obsessed with consumerism. Besides choosing a simpler lifestyle, Freegans live “green” as they cut back on producing garbage that's later dumped into landfills. Promoting less waste, they buy less, using only what they need. Some even rummage through garbage cans for their things, including salvaging food.

If you caught a recent Oprah show (February 27th) , you may have been shocked over the young professional couple (a doctor and engineer) who not only shop at thrift stores, but also scrounge through grocery store dumpsters to furnish their home, as well as even recover discarded food.

Granted, this is extreme. But perhaps they have a message. Do you yearn to live a simpler life, spending less money, living on less? You probably don’t want to go as far as the Freegans. But if you’re looking for a more frugal lifestyle, here are a few tips.

Reuse It

Besides living within your means, being frugal is also reusing things not just a second time, but until it’s no longer useable. In other words, find creative ways to recycle everyday household items. Of course, a familiar example is the ordinary sandwich bag. But this can apply to numerous other items such as food containers, glass jars, and so on. For a longer list, check out Rescue Items - A to Z.

Make Your Own

Creative moms everywhere are saving money by creating new items from old ones. Whether it’s making your own Baby Wipes from old T-shirts or plastic bag containers from old tissue boxes, nothing gets thrown in the trash unless it’s totally useless. With a little creativity you can come up with your own inventions. Not only will you be saving money, but you’ll also be throwing less garbage away, cutting back of your own trash.

Do It Yourself

The more services you can do yourself, the more money you can earmark toward your savings. For example you can….

• Haul your own garbage
• Be the family barber
• Change your oil
• Eat more at home
• Do your own hair and nails

Trade Services

• Pet sitting - Rather than pay a kennel, trade with a friend or neighbor who has pets similar to yours. Not only will you be saving money, but your pets will get to stay in their own home.
• Babysitting - Trade child care rather than paying a hunk of your paycheck to a daycare center.

Saving Money on Holidays and Special Occasions

Make your own greeting cards and use old magazines, newspapers (such as the comics) and aluminum foil for wrapping paper. Save those old Christmas cards for next year’s decorations and gift tags.

Saving on Vacations

A Florida vacation may seem more appealing in winter, but if you want to pay a lot less, then go off-season (April through October). And, with spiraling gas prices, re-evaluate your vacation plans. Instead of spending money traveling to faraway places, choose vacations closer to home. Or better yet, just stay home and see the local sites.

When you start living more frugally yourself, you'll not only be saving money, but will also be setting an example for others to follow. Rather than preach, people are more impressed by what you do than what you say. In other words, a simple, more frugal lifestyle is more "caught than it is taught."

The copyright of the article Creating a More Frugal Lifestyle in Green/Simple Living is owned by Venice Kichura. Permission to republish Creating a More Frugal Lifestyle in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Stretch a Dollar By Living with Less