Frugal Tips That Save You Money Every Month - Retro Housewife Goes Green (2024)

Applying frugal living tips to your life can save you money every single month. Use that money to pay off debt or to go on that vacation you’ve wanted to go on!

Living more frugally is something that is always on my mind. I hate wasting money, always have. Even as a kid I was a saver, that’s how I was able to afford to buy a purebred puppy on my own as a kid.

As a homemaker, I make it part of my job to help us save money every month. I want the money I earn working-at-home and my husband’s paycheck to go as far as possible. We love to travel, try nice restaurants, go to events, and all of those kinds of things. By saving money each month we are able to do these things we enjoy.

It’s amazing how quickly small things add up. Most of these tips won’t save you a ton of money on it’s own but if you pick several things on the list you can start saving a lot of money.

Frugal Tips That Save You Money Every Month

1. Start meal planning. Meal planning helps prevent food waste and helps you know when grocery shopping what you really need.
2. When ordering online use Ebates to get money back and find great coupons. It’s totally free and when you join you get a $10 bonus after you use it for the first time. I got almost $15 back when buying some gifts the other day.
3. Buy generic products when possible. This can save you so much money and most of the time the generic versions are just as good as name brand.
4. If you eat organic food join Thrive Market. They have a great selection and really good prices. Their brand of products are also very well priced and high quality. I like to use the app on my phone and price check while grocery shopping. If I find something on my list is cheaper at Thrive Market I add it to my cart and by the time I’m done grocery shopping I have my Thrive Market order ready to go.
5. Have your friends over instead of eating out. You can make the main dish and have each friend bring a side or dessert. Everyone will save money and it can make for a nice relaxed evening.
6. Get rid of cable. With so many ways to watch shows online now, you can save a lot of money. My husband and I haven’t had cable for over a year and don’t miss it at all.
7. Make your own laundry detergent. We all use a lot of laundry detergent and the cost can really add up. Making your own is very simple and can save you a lot of money.
8. Use your public library. Libraries are underused these days. Many not only have books but also have audiobooks, movies, and more. If you are only going to read a book once don’t buy it, even on Kindle, check it out of your local library instead.
9. Stop buying coffee. An occasional coffee out won’t break the bank but they add up if you get them often. Making your own special coffees at home isn’t hard and not only saves money it also reduces waste.
10. Use cash back apps when grocery shopping. These apps allow you to take a photo of your receipt and earn cash back for some of the items. Many even give signup bonuses.
11. Start a side-hustle. There are some great ways to make a little extra money at home. This is especially helpful if you are saving up for something big like a vacation or a new car.
12. Plan ahead for the holidays. Having a plan in place and your gift list written can help a lot with making the holidays more affordable. When you plan ahead you can start watching for sales on items you know you need, saving a lot of money over time.
13. Line dry your clothes. Dryers use a lot of energy so line drying instead can save a lot on your electric bill. The sun also naturally whitens your whites and can help remove stains.
14. Use coupons, but use them correctly. Don’t just buy things because they seem like a good deal if they aren’t on your list or can’t replace something on your list you aren’t really saving money. However, if you use coupons for things you are buying or meal plan around coupons, you can save a lot of money. You can even coupon while eating organic food!
15. Start a garden. While you may have to spend a bit to start the garden over time it will help you save money on your food budget.
16. Stock your freezer with homemade meals. Having meals ready to go in your freezer can help stop the urge to go get fast food or takeout when things get busy.
17. Shop at Aldi. This is one of the ways I’ve been saving lately. The other day I got organic grass-fed beef, organic milk, and some brioche buns for only $11. They are always adding more organic and natural products so it can be a great place to stock up on some basics. Don’t forget your own bags, buying those bags can really add up.
18. Use Amazon Prime for things you need in bulk and when possible use Subscribe and Save.We buy so many things on Amazon, it saves us a lot of money and is so convenient. Just be sure to price check because not everything is cheaper and prices can change.
19. Create a routine. This may seem like a strange way to save money but the right routine can make a big difference. A routine can prevent eating out and be doing other things that are convenient but cost more. Also adding things like a baking day to make your own staple food items to your routine can save a lot of money.
20. Take advantage of free and cheap local events. Even my small town has tons of great cheap and free events. The bigger the town you live in the more events you will likely find but just about anywhere will have some events, especially in the summer.
21. Make homemade gifts for friends and family. Handmade gifts from places like Etsy are very trendy but many of these types of gifts are really simple to make yourself and much cheaper.
22. Use a savings account. I’m always shocked to hear how many people keep their savings in their regular bank account. Interest rates are higher on savings account so for the money you aren’t planning to use soon, it will earn you a lot more money.
23. When you go out, go during happy hour. My husband and my favorite restaurant have a great happy hour menu, it includes some great drinks and half price on our favorite appetizer. It’s often earlier than we want a meal but we will go get a drink and the appetizer and enjoy that for awhile until we are ready for our main meal. You can also just have a drink and appetizer and then eat your main meal at home, the best of both worlds.
24. Learn a new skill. Learning how to do something like sewing, cook, repair things, etc… can help you save money by not having to hire things out as much, eating at home more and making things last longer.
25. Join free reward programs for the places you shop. They really can add up over time. You will often also get coupons and other discounts.
26. Start having some of your date nights at home. There are lots of fun ways to have at home date nights that will save you money but still allow you to connect with your partner.
27. Use a toaster oven to cook. Toaster ovens are great for cooking a lot of foods. They save money because they take less time to heat up than ovens, use less energy, and heat your home up less as well. This is especially useful during the summer.
28. Get rid of unused memberships. Are you not really using the gym? Get rid of your membership and find exercisesto do at home. Same goes for subscription boxes that don’t excite you anymore, places like Sam’s Club if you aren’t using it, and so on. If it’s something that is meant to save you money track it for awhile and see if it really is, if not ditch it.
29. Start a frugal blog, this is not only a great side hustle but it’s encouragement for you to try new things you can share on your blog.
30. Shop your local farmers’ market. Getting your food straight from the source cuts out the middle man and saves you money. You also get fresher food and help support your local economy.
31. Get a home energy audit. Many electric companies offer these for free if your’s does it can save you a lot of money. They will help you find where you are wasting energy so you can make your home more efficient. If you can’t get a free one there are a lot of great resources online for doing it yourself.
32. Use what you have. If you are anything like me you can sometimes end up with a surplusof things. I have a lot of crafting supplies but I’m often tempted to buy more. I have made myself a rule that I need to use a lot of what I have first.
33. Downsize your home. If you are looking to move anytime soon consider a smaller home. Most of us have more space than we need and a smaller home means a smaller mortgage and smaller utility bills.
34. Go meatless oncea week. Meat can be expensive, especially pasture raised meats. Skipping meat once a week is easy and budget friendly. Also will help you find new dishes to try.
35. Make your own cleaners. It doesn’t take much time to make your own household cleaners and it can save a lot of money. It also allows you to know what you are using and feel better about using the products around your family.

With these tips, you will start saving a lot of money every month! Be sure to also sign up below for my mailing list, I often send out notices about special deals and other great frugal tips.