Updated: September 9, 2020
When most people hear the term frugal living they instantly think of depriving oneself and buying cheap items that nobody really wants.
Living frugally in 2020 is more about thriving and living your best life. Many people get interested in frugal living because they are trying to survive.
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What is Frugal Living?
Frugal living is not what you might think. It is not going without or buying cheap. Living the frugal lifestyle simply means spending less by being resourceful and not wasteful.
Like most lifestyles, there are different levels of frugal living. If you are ready for extreme thrifty living you can study frugal living tips from the Great Depression.
By studying the extreme frugal living tips of this era you can learn to live a cheaply as possible. But rest assured that you do not have to go to extremes with frugal living to make a difference in your life.
You can live a frugal life without depriving yourself of the things that make you happy. Living frugally simply allows you to spend less to create a life that makes you and your family happy.
Frugal living teaches you to make wise choices with how you spend your money. There are many frugal living books that you can read that will get you started on your frugal living journey.
The key to frugal living is learning to live well with less.
Frugal Living Benefits
Living frugally has many benefits. The most obvious is saving money and financial stability.
There are also hidden benefits to frugal living. The frugal lifestyle reduces stress. Money issues are one of the top stresses for Americans. Living frugally can eliminate money worries.
Living the frugal lifestyle also relieves you of clutter. You learn that less is more and you appreciate the important things rather than the number of things in your life.
Frugal Living Tips for 2020
In the list below you will find 50+ frugal living tips to have you not only survive but thrive in 2020. These tips will help you save money in all areas of your life.
Frugal Living Tips to Save Money on Food in 2020
- Purchase Frugal Foods
- Make Frugal Meals
- Get Cashback using Ibotta
- Implement meal planning
- Stop Eating Out and cook at home
- Purchase a deep freezer
- Set a food budget
- Grocery shop once a week
- Create a Grocery Shop List
- Only buy what’s on your Grocery Shopping List
- Buy generic brands
- Grow your own vegetables
- Buy pantry staples in bulk
- Eat less meat
- Keep a price log
- Shop the perimeter of the grocery store
- Eat healthy foods
- Drink water instead of sodas, tea, or fruit juices
- Eat leftovers
- Pack your lunch instead of eating out
- Grow your own herbs & spices
- Take your own coffee to work
Related Post: How to Cut Your Grocery Bill – 7 Simple Tips
Frugal Food Tips
Download your free copy of our 25 Frugal Food Tips to help you stay on budget below.
Frugal Living Tips to Save Money on Utilities in 2020
- Turn down the heat
- Turn off the lights when not in use
- Use sunlight to light rooms during the day
- Unplug unused appliances
- Line dry your clothes
- Hand wash your dishes
- Wash your clothes in cold water
- Do full loads of laundry
- Repair leaky faucets
- Repair running toilets
- Install energy-efficient light bulbs
- Cut the Cord – Watch TV without cable or satellite
- Drop your landline
Frugal Living Tips to Save Money When Shopping in 2020
- Use Rakuten when shopping online
- Save money on clothing, restaurants, and travel with the Dosh App
- Use Amazon Prime to save on shipping
- Check prices on Amazon before making purchases
- Buy used items on sites like Craigs List, LetGo or PoshMark
- Use a price comparison app like ShopSavvy (Available on iOS, Android)
- Don’t shop to make yourself feel better
- Make homemade gifts
- Buy clothes out of season
Frugal Living Tips to Manage Your Finances in 2020
- Create an easy to maintain Budget
- Start saving money
- Track your spending – try a daily expense tracker
- Make extra money with a side hustle
- Sell stuff on LetGo
- Have a no-spend day each week
- Carpool when possible
- Use Groupon to save on outings
- Establish an Emergency Fund
- Manage your finances with a Finance Planner
Ultimate Frugal Living Tips and Hacks for 2020
If you’ve made it to the end of this post then you are really serious about living frugally. You will get a lot of value from this video from Slay This Debt YouTube Channel.
Leave a comment and share some of your favorite frugal living tips.
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you misspelled frugal in the second suggested paragraph
Thanks!
Quite interesting blog. I m interested in a few of the tips and will give it a try. The number one for me is stop eating outside food and eat more home cooked meals.
Thanks Richa! Eating out is a big one for me too. I’m not a fan of cooking but I’m getting better and even have started to prefer a home-cooked meal.
I love some of these tips about tools like daily saving trackers and selling stuff online…I’ll have to check them out!
These are really great tips. For me, I save a lot of money by being mindful with my purchases, not eating out often, & sticking to a list when grocery shopping. I’m looking forward to applying some of your suggestions in the next few months!
-madi xo | http://www.everydaywithmadirae.com
Thanks Madi!
Great post. Pinned it to read later for ideas to implement.
Thank you!
Thanks for the ideas. I am always looking for new ways to save money!
Glad we could help Mary. 🙂
I’m always looking for ways to live frugally. This seems like a great way to do it. Thank you for the tips, I need this so I can focus my spending on more beneficial things.
Glad you found these tips helpful Chloe!
I am going to argue the “shopping the perimeter of the store ” concept. In the middle aisles of the stores there are such gems as dried beans and rice,pasta and sauces, spices to make your foods tasty, frozen and canned veggies and fruits to have handy for a quick meal. And frozen pizza! Not to have as a staple, but for those days that we will all have that are crazy busy/no time to prep a meal. Don’t forget the clearance section. This morning, I went to the local grocery store and bought a four pound bag of Red Cargo rice for $2
Judy, you’ve made a very good point! You can find some gems in the middle aisles. And if your local grocery store has a clearance section that is definitely something you want to check out. Thank you so much for your valuable feedback. 🙂
If you occasionally want food from a restaurant, get take out. You’ll avoid the high cost of a beverage, and the extra expense of leaving a tip.
Thanks Jean!