Living a frugal lifestyle is something that can benefit you in a number of ways. Everyone can benefit either by finding inner peace or financial stability. There are some that have made it a way of life and those that are making the attempt for the first time. It can be a bit confusing at first but it doesn’t have to be.
You can begin to live a frugal lifestyle rather simply by focusing on the reason that you want to live more simply. Whether you had a reduction in income or you just want to save more money you can live a more conservative lifestyle without feeling as if you’ve stopped taking care of your most basic needs.
Living simply is the first step to being frugal. Today there are numerous things that cause distractions and stress. Do you really need a cell phone for every family member and a home phone? Your children don’t need a cell phone at the age of five. Reducing unneeded expenses and using your skills will help you to live more frugally.
Re-Budget
When you begin the efforts to live a frugal lifestyle you’ll have to examine the items in your budget completely. There will be things in the budget that you need and some things that you don’t. Internet is a luxury unless you work from home. The bill can be anywhere from $20 to $60 a month. If you work from home try a cheaper provider so you can still get your work done; if you not cut it off and use the access provided at the local library. Then continue to see how you can reduce your expenses.
Take advantage of coupons, sales and second hand shops for everything from food and household items to clothing. You can purchase your groceries on sale in combination with coupons instead of paying full price for everything because you’re in a hurry. Plan the shopping trips. You can purchase used clothing and other items that you use around the house each day for next to nothing.
Do It Yourself
Planting even a small garden in your yard or in a few containers can save you some money on food purchases. Learning to make your own household cleaners can save you money. Vinegar and water works well for cleaning the windows, instead of paper towels use an old newspaper. Baking soda and peroxide can help to remove some stains from clothing which will aid in living a frugal lifestyle.
Patch Clothing
When your clothes get hole in them it isn’t necessarily time to throw them out. You can sew them or put patches on your pants to make them last a little longer. While you may not want to wear the clothes that you have patched up to work you can wear them to work around the house. Think of all the money you’ll save if you reserve clothes for work and clothes for home. You won’t be messing up your work clothes and you can clean the yard in comfort.
Eat at Home
Instead of stopping for breakfast or going out to lunch at work eat at home or pack a lunch. When you make dinner the night before make a little extra and set it aside for your lunch the next day. This will help you to save the money you would have spent eating out and make your budget stretch farther.
There is the added security of knowing that you can get by without the excess that attracts so many people to debt. You will feel more peaceful knowing that an unexpected occurrence isn’t going to throw you off track financially. The benefits of your savings account increasing are also seen with a frugal lifestyle.
When it comes to living a frugal lifestyle you have to start slowly. There are numerous ways that you can live simply. Remember truly being frugal does not mean sacrificing quality to save a few pennies. It means making wise choices to get the most for your dollar.
