Frugal Living for Your Family’s Budget
Frugal Living doesn’t just happen overnight. You have to be willing to sacrifice and make adjustments if you want to impact your family budget. Not every household has someone bringing in a six-figure income. Living well on a modest salary can be a challenge, but it certainly isn’t impossible.
You’ve scaled back a few of your expenses like other blogs or books have told you to do, but after a month or two, you start realizing that your frugal living efforts are not making a big impact on your finances. Despite all your efforts and sacrifices, you’re still struggling to make ends meet and now you begin to ask yourself if this lifestyle change is still worth it…
I know, it can be frustrating but don’t give up just yet!
I want to show you how to incorporate more frugal living tips into your life and save money without having to count pennies every day.
These frugal living tips you’ll find here will help you save a lot of money each year while still enjoying life. Use these frugal living tips to beef up your emergency fund, pay off debt or pay for your dream vacation and more!
Try these frugal living tips for living well, regardless of the size of your income or bank account:
- You do not Have to Keep up with the Joneses. The social world can be a highly competitive sport, and it’s completely normal to strive to maintain appearances with the neighbors.
- When a neighbor purchases a new car or remodels her kitchen, the urge to start making comparisons can be strong. Take control of your life and resist the temptation to compete with others. After all, relationships are what is most important, and not more stuff!
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- Focus on the real necessities and set aside the extras you’d like to have in a perfect world. It takes practice, but anyone can rise above this type of thinking. This simple exercise will make you happier and more grateful for the things you already have.
- Think smaller. Everyone seems to be under the impression that bigger is better. However, by making a conscious decision to live in a smaller home, more money will be available to spend on more meaningful purchases.
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- Many families have already made this decision, as evidenced by the trend in new construction. For the first time, the average square footage of new residential properties has decreased.
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- Others are living successfully in apartments, condos, or even tiny houses. Perhaps you could downsize a little and focus on being happy and content.
- Cook at home. Eating out is one of the quickest ways to ruin your budget. Cooking at home can be just as good, but it does take some practice. Consider purchasing a good cookbook and experimenting with some new recipes.
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- Groceries are always going to be cheaper than eating out.
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- Instead of meeting friends out for dinner, invite them over. You can even request they bring a dish or dessert to share. We love hosting friends at our home. It’s an easier way to get to know them and have deeper conversations when you are not in a crowded restaurant under time constraints.
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- At-home dinner parties are a great way to be more social and keep some money in your bank account. Be creative with it ad switch up themes with your menu.
- Shop in the classifieds and at thrift stores. Stay out of the department stores and malls as much as possible. In many instances, secondhand items are 99% as good as new and they’re a fraction of the cost. Keep an eye out for great deals.
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- If you’re not in a hurry, you’re likely to find exactly what you need and save a ton of money in the process. Nobody else needs to know where you purchased your furniture, car, or clothing.
- Check out the local library. Instead of purchasing movies or books that you’re likely to only use once, try borrowing them from the local library for free.
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- Some smaller libraries may have a limited selection, but most libraries are part of an interlibrary loan program with other area libraries. You might find that even your small local branch can find just about anything for you.
- Go outside. Many outdoor activities are free or inexpensive. Take a trip to the local beach or park. Go hiking. Nearly every area has its own type of natural beauty. Kids love to get outside and explore new places. For the cost of little gasoline and a few sandwiches, your family can have a great day. How can you beat that?
Frugal living doesn’t have to mean being miserable. Although it might require extra thought and planning, it can be very simple to live well on a modest income.
Frugal Living Tips on the Next Level
If you are really ready to take it up a notch, check out my friend, Rachel’s vlog. She is a pro at budgeting and I have learned so much from her. I am not on her level yet, but you can get some really great value and tips by checking out this Youtube video.
You can also find her page Linin’ up Ducks here. Be sure to give her a follow! Rachel talks a lot about minimalism, budgeting, cleaning & organizing, and Intentional Living. I think she is pretty much an amazing human.
Thank you Linin’ Up Ducks
Add an Extra Stream of Income
Another tip that makes a big impact on your family’s budget is adding an extra stream of income. This is one of my favorite things I love about side-hustles, especially for moms. I can be a work-from-home mom and still contribute to my family’s budget with the income I receive from my side hustle.
Are you looking for an opportunity to earn extra money while still maintaining your time freedom? I have the answer that has worked for me, and you can read all about How to Become a Farmasi Beauty Influencer from this post. Please comment or email any questions about this and I will be glad to talk it through with you.
Consider how you can incorporate these tips into your current lifestyle. You might just find that you can live an even better life than you are now – on less money!
If you have been thinking about creating a less is more type of lifestyle, I encourage you to also check out this blog post!
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