Budgeting is hard, but if you’re trying to live a frugal lifestyle then it’s easily one of your most important tools. Having a solid budget and understanding how it works will help you make sure you know where your money is going and even help you stretch it to meet your goals. While there are plenty of things to be said about creating the perfect budget,...
While it’s easy to remember that at the heart of frugal living lies your budget, which you should be following to a tee, sometimes it might seem like your efforts are still falling short. If you’ve tried stretching your budget, and cutting it again, and you’ve maybe even tried a few different budgeting methods, but you still find that you don’t...
Frugality is definitely not for everyone. It can be a hard, but rewarding, path to walk. While the financial benefits of frugality (like being debt-free and saving for the future) are pretty obvious, there are some non-financial benefits that most people don’t actually consider. Being frugal will reduce your stress Frugal living means living without the money-related...
Too often in today’s society, people get caught up in material items and try to keep up with a standard of living that they can’t afford. Or, even if they can afford it, creates a life filled with clutter and items that just don’t bring any lasting satisfaction. In the past, even with our parents generation, people seemed to be okay with having...
Being frugal is, for some people, a choice. For others, however, it’s something of a necessity. If you’ve got a large family and you’re looking for ways to be a bit more frugal, then it can sometimes be hard to figure out where to make cuts and how to still live a frugal lifestyle. While every family is a little different, here are some ideas to...
While making a budget and sticking to it is undeniably important, I’ve always had the thought in the back of my mind that it’s weird how we go about it. We put a dollar amount on the amount of money we hope to bring in each month, then plan accordingly— for those of us living paycheck to paycheck, that isn’t exactly ideal. What happens when you...
Winter can be one of the most expensive times of the year for most people. Aside from the pressure to spend on the holidays, the cold weather means that we’re all having to find ways to heat up the home enough to make it livable. However, while your best bet for long term energy savings is to insulate and make home improvements, there are some temporary frugal...
Being frugal is definitely not for everyone, but once you get in the habit, it can be a hard thing to break. If you’re truly frugal, then you’ve probably experienced friends and family giving you odd looks. However, it’s okay. Know that when people look at you oddly when you do these things, you’re definitely not alone. 1. Using coupons and...
At some point, we all find ourselves looking for ways to save a few dollars. It could be that you have been trying to live outside of your budget and it’s finally catching up with you, it could be that money is just a little tight, or maybe you’re saving up for a nice vacation or big purchase. Regardless of the reason, if you’re looking for a way...
Off-brand items, despite the slight stigma that comes with them, often taste basically the same as their more expensive counterparts. While there are some foods that have a noticeable difference in taste, things like sugar really aren’t any different. But how do you know which ones to stay away from and which to always go for? Well, I tested it out for you,...