Recently, u/88r0b1nh00d88 asked the people of r/Frugal to share the money-saving hacks that have helped them save the most cash, and they did not disappoint. Here are some of the top-rated replies:
1. "Put stuff in a virtual cart. Leave it. Mull it over for a few days. The urge usually passes, and that's when I realize it wasn't a real need and something else — boredom, insidious advertising, etc."
2. "I am dying my old black clothes black. It's great. Stuff looks like new, even though I had those pants for 14 years."
3. "APS. Always Pack Snacks. Bonus points if you cut up fruit rather than toss an orange in your bag, as you’re much more likely to eat it that way. I'll also make like three dozen muffins at a time and freeze them."
4. "Gaming the Kroger gas points program to save on gas. Before the massive price jump, I regularly paid less than 50 cents a gallon, and was proud to show anyone who'd listen that I had, more than once, paid less than 10 cents a gallon."
5. "This is more environmental than frugal, but I started using kitchen towels instead of paper towels for most tasks. A roll of paper towels used to last me two weeks. Now I buy a three-pack once a year."
6. "Woman here: A menstrual cup is a one-time expense that may last for up to 10 years. I've had mine for five years and really I had known about these since my early 20s. Also, a safety razor. I think I paid like $15 for mine and a 250-pack of replacement razors. It's been five years and still haven't had to buy more."
7. "I've saved myself thousands by doing my own car maintenance and repairs. Started with zero knowledge and was driven by pure spite."
8. "We keep two 5-liter bottles by the shower and fill them up before taking a shower so we aren't wasting the running water while waiting for the water to be hot enough. We then use this water to mop the floor and water plants. It has actually reduced our water bill quite a bit and helps us save water."
9. "If you’re in need of kitchen items, check out public estate sales. Items like dishes, coffee mugs, cooking utensils, flatware, etc. are often sold in box lots, which frequently can be picked up for $1–$2 per box. Plus, you often get older items that are much better quality. I pick out what I want and donate the rest. They’re perfect for someone setting up a new apartment."
10. "Hang-drying clothes helps them last longer."
11. "Having spares. You have a toothpaste, or a tin of coffee or whatever. The next time it goes on sale, you buy it, even if it's next week. Then, once you finish the first and open the second, you watch for sales again."
12. "Any meds that I have to pay for out-of-pocket, I ask the doc to prescribe the generic ones."
"It also helps to ask for samples. You're not going to get a sample of a common antibiotic or anything, but places like OB/GYN offices have samples.
My wife's OB/GYN gave her such a huge pile of samples for a medication she was prescribed that it was over half a year before she needed to actually fill a script for it. Saved us around $700 if I recall right."
13. "Being environmentally conscious. You’d be surprised with how much overlap there is between frugal and sustainable living. It’s the mindset more than anything else that cuts down my expenses. I buy secondhand. Catch public transport. Gone vegetarian. Learned to repair clothes. Compost to feed the garden that feeds me. I use soap bars rather than liquid soaps that come in plastic containers (they last waaay longer). I buy quality clothes and electronics that last longer. I use my library rather than buying physical books. And most importantly, I’ve stopped buying plastic garbage I don’t need."
14. "Definitely growing our own veggies and herbs! I dry the herbs and use them all winter."
15. "Joining local Buy Nothing and secondhand groups. I've basically outfitted most of my house and garden for free or very cheap thanks to them. Furniture, kids clothes, plants, etc. The quality is actually better than most newer bargain crap, plus it's better for the environment. As a bonus, when I am done with something I just pass it on, and it stays out of a landfill."
16. "Cutting my sponges in half. There’s nothing a whole sponge can do that a half can’t. It’s easily the most simple frugal thing I’ve done that literally doubled the life of a product."
17. "Honestly, one of the things that made a huge difference for me is weighing my food — mostly meats and seafoods. By eating proper portion sizes, I'm saving a TON of money. Turns out one chicken breast is like two to four servings. A bag of frozen shrimp would get eaten in two or three meals but sticking to 100-gram portions, I'm stretching that a lot further."
18. "Eating vegan has saved me a ton of money. I don’t eat a lot of specialty 'vegan' products. The majority of my diet is beans, rice, vegetables, fruits, oats, peanut butter, etc."
19. "About once a year, I go through all of our monthly expenditures and see if I can get a better deal on anything like cellphones, internet, insurance, etc. Also, if there are any monthly memberships of any sort, I cancel whatever we don't use regularly. I usually end up saving at least a hundred dollars a month!"
20. "Using curbside pickup through my local grocery store app. My account is connected, so I get points and can apply discounts from the ad. But the main takeaway is that I have removed all temptation to buy things I don’t need! It probably cut my grocery bill at least in half at this point."
21. "Switching to pay-per-mile car insurance."
22. "Budgeting with cash envelopes. Having a budget for everything has been the ultimate frugal hack. Do I want to spend my $60 food budget on a takeout dinner or go wild at an outlet store and get two weeks worth of food?"
23. "Stop getting gas on Friday or over the weekend. Prices ALWAYS go up for the weekend."
24. "Do chores when the electricity rate is lower. It costs me almost five times less during off-peak hours. Look up when your off-peak times are. It varies by time of year."
25. And finally, "Pet insurance. Hands down has saved me thousands of dollars."
What's your best money-saving hack? Tell us all about it in the comments.
And for more posts about life and money, like how in the world a rent increase of $855 is even legal, check out the rest of our personal finance posts.