20 Tips to Live a More Frugal Lifestyle in Today’s Difficult Economy
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by: marketing@uzap.com
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Living in the
speaking. In an article dated
$3.20 per gallon and it is intended to rise over the next month.
Equally disturbing, the U.S.
Department of Labor reported 63,000 jobs were cut in February 2008 alone.
Words like “recession,” “deficit,”
“stimulus package” and even “economic crisis” have people wondering what the economical
condition of this country will be like weeks, months and years down the road.
What can we do as consumers during
these troubled economic times?
Essentially, we have to do
more with less. On other words, we have to be frugal and smarter with our
spending. Living a frugal life is somewhat subjective because people are very
set in their lifestyles. So, frugal to one person making $70,000 could be quite
different than someone making minimum wage. However, the overall mindset is the
same. We need to examine our lifestyles and make meaningful changes which start
with determining monthly expenses and setting a budget to adhere to.
After determining your
budget, check out these suggestions to help get you started living a more
frugal lifestyle:
1.) Buy used items instead
of new ones. Use a site like www.UZAP.com which
offers free listings to do just this.
2.) Borrow a book from the
library instead of buying a new one.
3.) Swap videos with friends
for movie nights.
4.) Accept hand-me-downs and
likewise, pass them on.
5.) Consider do-it-yourself
projects instead of hiring out, such as washing your own car.
6.) Make the next birthday
card you give instead of buying one.
7.) Coupons, coupons,
coupons! Collect them and use them.
8.) Plan your weekly meals
around what is on sale at the grocery store and stick to your plan.
9.) Go to yard sales for
cheap finds and to buy items cheaply and re-sell them on sites like UZAP.com.
10.) Purge old things you
don’t use/wear anymore and either sell them or donate them. Others will benefit
from this and you will too, either financially or by feeling good that you
helped someone in need.
11.) Ask yourself if you really
need to purchase brand names or if you can accept buying generic labels.
12.) Buy in bulk and save. Freeze
bulk foods like meats and veggies that you won’t eat that week.
13.) Eat at home as much as
possible. Taking a family of four out for dinner even once a week could cost
the same as eating at home for four or more nights. Get the kids involved in
planning and preparing the meal to make it more exciting for everyone. Apply
this strategy to your job and brown bag it there too.
14.) Schedule a leftover
meal night each week.
15.) No one says you have to
stop exercising, but do you really need a membership at a fitness center? For
what you probably pay in monthly fees, you can buy bands, balance disks or
stability balls and work out in your own home.
16.) Plan ahead and do all
of your errands in the same area all at once. Especially with the rising gas
prices, don’t take two trips to the same place two days in a row if you can
avoid it.
17.) Re-consider your modes
of transportation. Can you walk the distance to perform an errand? Maybe you
can make it part of your exercise routine and knock out an errand and a workout
at the same time. What about public transportation? It might be cheaper to
commute this way than to drive your own vehicle.
18.) Replace your expensive forms
of entertainment with forms that don’t cost a lot of money. How about a game
board night with friends, a potluck supper or a play date at the park?
19.) Get involved with your
community to network and learn other ways to live on a dime.
20.) Cut back on spending!
Watch your monthly budget and stick to it.
I
already know what you’re thinking…being frugal takes time! Who has the time for
all these things? As mentioned before, it is subjective. The more things you
can take on yourself and borrow, trade or buy used, the more money you will
keep in your pocket for the rising gas prices and beyond. Consider spending
time performing these tasks (making a birthday card, performing a
do-it-yourself project, etc.) in the presence of others. Maybe you can kill two
birds with one stone and spend quality time with your children/loved ones while
performing these things. And you will be teaching them a valuable lesson too.
About the Author
Candy Osborne is a marketing
consultant for Internet-based companies and a former journalist. One of her
clients, www.UZAP.com is perfect for people
trying to be more frugal since users can buy, sell, trade, lease or donate
goods and services for free.
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