Are you new to being frugal, saving money, and conserving resources? There are plenty of articles online about being newly frugal but unfortunately, they are often filled with non-specific advice like “Eat your own food” and “Don’t be afraid”. But what about some SPECIFIC advice to save money? Here are some of my own personal go-to tricks to save money and live better.
Grow Your Own Microgreens
What are microgreens? These are basically spouts of plants like beans, chickpeas, sunflowers, wheatgrass, and much more. Microgreens are frugal because you buy the seeds in bulk and place them in pots or trays with minimal soil but plenty of water.
These greens sprout within 9 to 12 days (except for certain varieties like chickpeas which take a few extra days to grow) and are harvested when they get to be a certain size–but you do NOT wait for them to become fully grown.
That’s the best part of microgreens; these plants grow quickly indoors or out, require little except watering, and they are incredibly nutrient-dense. Anyone trying to eat at home more and eat processed food less deserves to look into growing microgreens.
Bake At Home
How much did you spend at Starbucks when you didn’t JUST order coffee? That pastry case is soooo tempting, but when there are recipes on the internet that include three-ingredient brownies (consisting of mashed sweet potatoes, cocoa powder, and almond butter) you KNOW you should be looking into these healthier options to make at home.
Newly frugal people suddenly discover the joys of baking when they are looking for those initial cost-cutting methods and it’s a great way to settle into your new lifestyle.
Baking at home can make a great family event or date night. You can find plenty of three-ingredient recipe resources online including Tasty.
Try A Money Challenge
Money challenges are great ways to kick start a newly frugal lifestyle. One money challenge you might not have seen before, because I just now made it up, is the “Buy one, save one” money challenge which basically requires you to save your receipt from the week’s fast food purchases, Starbucks indulgences, and other food-related spending.
You total up your weekly receipts and put the same amount you spent that week into a savings account.
You may find that this money challenge tells you a LOT about your spending habits as well as pushing you to spend less on food and coffee. And for those who find their Starbucks habits to be a big source of spending during the week, our next advice is likely the best.
Buy A Travel Mug And Keep It Filled
Coffee or tea, it does not matter. Using a travel mug for your morning caffeine brewed at home (and if its large enough, your afternoon coffee, too!) and you will find yourself saving anywhere from $20 to $60 per week depending on the amount you normally spend at coffee shops and bakeries.
This is the sort of thinking it takes to adjust to being newly frugal, and some people find that once they start cutting corners on their spending, it actually becomes fun to find new ways to save. But the idea is not to be too hard on yourself while you’re doing so–you want to enjoy your life, not endure it!
Joe Wallace specializes in personal finance, military affairs, and consumer protection topics. Since 1995, his work has appeared on Air Force Television News, The Pentagon Channel, ABC and a variety of print and online publications. He is a 13-year Air Force veteran and collects unusual vinyl records, which gives him an excuse to write the vinyl blog Turntabling.net.
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