14 Frugal Living Habits To Save Money Everyday

2. Take time out for your mental health

Very often people's poor money habits are a reflection of their mental health. People spend money to feel better, and enter a cycle of spending and anxiety.

Try to pay attention to your mood and money spending patterns and focus on your mental health so you can manage your money more productively. Finding free or inexpensive hobbies is a great way to start.

3. Regrow your own veggies

You can regrow some of your veggies using portions of the original vegetable, usually the parts you would otherwise throw away. Just take a veggie scrap and sit it in water in your kitchen until it starts growing roots, then plant it in soil.

Now you can either decide to only eat those particular vegetables from your own garden, or just use that to spend less on those items at the grocery store.

4. Drink more water instead of juices

What I love about this one is that it's healthy for you too. The average household spends $15-20 on fruit juices, sodas, and sugary drinks every week. That's about $80 a month on beverages alone, and as we know, most of them are full of added sugar and no nutritional value.

Juice is not as filling and does not have the fiber of an actual fruit, and it is unreasonably expensive. If you live in an area with drinkable tap water, that is free and so much healthier for you.

5. Avoid late fees

I know paying your bills on time is easier said than done, but if it is already hard to pay your bills, imagine how much harder it is to pay your bills along with a bunch of $20 late fees.

To make sure you are staying on schedule, try setting up automatic payments or putting the bills on your phone calendar and setting reminders in advance, or even multiple reminders.

6. Renegotiate your insurance rates

Each year you get a notice from your insurance company about the renewal of your insurance, which tells you what your premium is going to be for the upcoming term.

That is the perfect opportunity to call your insurance agent and find out if there are any discounts available.

Many insurance companies offer discounts if you have been with them for a while and have been accident-free.

The premium might also be reduced if you set up auto payments. Just ask!

7. Invest in good quality cooking pans

The quality of your pans affects your meals so much. I have had cheap pans that would cause my food to cook unevenly or to burn.

My favorite pans for economical cooking are cast iron skillets, they last for generations and have the added bonus of adding iron to your food which is an essential nutrient for your body. Plus, as you use them, the oil gets cooked into the pan and it becomes more and more non-stick.

8. Don't buy clothes just because you like them

Try to only buy clothes to replace something you already had or to specifically add something you need to your wardrobe. Otherwise, you end up with more clothes than you need, many of them go unused, and you find pieces with the price tags still on them after a year.

9. Follow your clothes' washing instructions

According to the US Department of Labor, the average household spends almost $2,000 per year on clothing.

However, it is possible to keep the clothes that you have for many years to come, mainly by washing and drying them properly. Just flip over the tag and follow the washing instructions. Sometimes breaking the rules is worth it, like not spending extra money on dry cleaning, but do it mindfully.

10. Heat and cool the human, not the home

Whenever possible, focus your home's heating and cooling resources on the individuals instead of the rooms. You can use space heaters instead of running your central heating, and run an oscillating fan to keep you cool in the summer months.

Of course, sometimes you need to turn your system on to prevent the pipes from freezing, but in most cases those individualized options can help keep those energy bills down.

11. Turn off the tap when you're brushing your teeth

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, leaving the water running while you are brushing your teeth wastes about four gallons of water. With four people in the house, that adds up to over 11,000 gallons down the drain in just one year, and you are paying for all that water you are not using.

12. Drive as efficiently as possible

I know some of us like to be speed demons on the road, speeding up only to have to stop two seconds later at a red light anyway. Maintaining a steady speed and avoiding braking too hard are two things that can help you conserve your fuel and reduce unnecessary wear and tear on your car, leading to more frequent and costly repairs.

13. Avoid single-serve snacks

Remember that the full size or larger bags of chips, cookies, raisins or any other snacks are way cheaper, and you can then separate them into reusable, resealable bags, or even better, small containers with lids.

For instance, a 13 ounce Great Value bag of chips costs about $0.23 per ounce, whereas the 18 count bag costs about $0.43 per ounce.

14. Take advantage of sales to shop ahead

When you see gift-worthy items on sale, purchase them then for upcoming birthdays or Christmas gifts. Try keeping a list of whoever you need a gift for in your phone or your wallet, so you can just check that person off and then keep the gifts that you buy in a centralized location in your home for when the gift giving time comes.

Frugal living habits

I hope that these tips will be helpful for you. What frugal habits have you incorporated in your life? Share in the comments!

Next, check out my 8 Simple Tips for Grocery Shopping on a Budget.