"I Did A No-Spend Year": 48 Ways Frugal People Saved Serious Money In 2024
One thing about me is that I love a good money-saving tip, and I'm often posting lists full of crowd-sourced tried and true frugal advice. Now that 2024 is coming to a close, here are the best money-saving ideas I rounded up this year:
1."Get obsessive about unit pricing and make your meals around whatever you can buy in bulk. Some of the larger cuts of meat can also be really helpful. Sometimes I can get a 15lb loin of pork shoulder for as low as $1.30/lb. Basically, anytime you see something for well below market rate, just buy it and figure out the rest later."
2."Another thing that helps is making purchases on your supermarket website/app. It's kind of a game, you keep adding stuff and make sure it doesn't go above your allocated budget. Here in my city, there are stores where doing a purchase online and doing a curb pickup won't charge you any additional amount. And this is an extra advantage because there will be no temptation to buy extra items if you just go and get everything loaded up in your car!"
3."I don’t allow myself to buy anything unless I am willing to let something go. Goes along with my anti-clutter and anti-consumerism."
4."One morning, when I had some downtime, I went through my email and unsubscribed from basically any email list I was a part of. All of it. Not only has this completely cleared up my inbox, but I no longer get tempted by sale days, coupon codes, etc. It has helped curb impulse spending immensely!"
"I subscribe when I’m waiting for a sale and then immediately unsubscribe once I bought what I had been eying.
For places I shop at more frequently, I have Gmail filter out the promo emails and send them directly to my trash. Then, when find I need something from one of my subscribed stores, I search my trash for a sale or coupon. That way, I’m completely in control; it happens on my terms. Plus, the trash clears itself every 30 days, so I won’t be bothered by old promotions!"
5."Using rewards credit cards. We actually hurt our credit by never using credit cards. We had no history of regularly paying them off. So, now we use a card that works for us and pay it off every month."
6."Make an email address just for stuff you know you will be attacked by spam. And then request insurance quotes/bids. You’ll get a ton of offers that you can choose from. But will be nailed with emails for the rest of your life. Use this same email for similar things over the years."
—u/HulaMonkee
7."No single serve (like applesauce, drinks, snacks) things at home. Ounce for ounce, it always costs more."
8."Use the envelope method for groceries and my fun money. It makes me pay attention to how much money I'm spending and what I'm spending it on when I have to count out the cash."
9."I switched my savings from my account I've had literally forever to a high yield savings (4% apy or something). It's not an account I can easily withdraw from, so that money is sitting safe. I went from getting like a single cent from my money every month to $30 or so."
10."If you see something you like but don't know the cost of it — in your head, assign a price you'd be happy to pay for. When you find out the price, see how much you still want it if it varies greatly from the price in your head."
11."I have started to go through all drawers, cabinets, wardrobes, etc, having a clear out. Not only have I discovered things I'd forgotten and organized things in such a way that I know how much of everything I have, but it's illustrated to me where I was making impulse purchases that I regretted. That's helped me stop repeating those same mistakes. For example, I am done with eyeshadow, I've never really 'got' how to do it, I end up looking awful, and I've chucked the lot out; it wasn't a matter of finding the 'right palette,' it's just not for me!"
12."I often met up with friends at restaurants, just by default, and that got really expensive, even when they weren't that special. I started volunteering ideas of just meeting for dessert (instead of a drink and meal), going for a hike, or just meeting at a park to sit and chat. The whole point was to just be together, so no one really paid attention to the switch, and they were actually a little glad not to have to plan the outings themselves. My budget is happy about it!"
13."Soup Sunday. I take my leftovers from the week's dinners and make soup every Sunday. I keep three portions fresh for that week's lunches and then freeze the rest. As of today, I have around 50 portions of miscellaneous soups in my freezer for easy-to-grab lunches. I've been doing this for just over a year and I figure I've saved over $4,000 with this alone."
14."Get an electric blanket and put it under you on your bed this winter season. Saves a shitload on heating the whole house. Just make sure to read the blanket safety instructions."
"I took someone’s advice on here and bought a heated mattress topper. So damn nice."
15."My best decision after having kids was getting a CSA (community-supported agriculture) box subscription. That’s a local farm box every week, with varied produce based on what’s growing that week. It’s an amazing value, and my local CSA didn’t increase prices in the past two years, which is amazing. I get to pay for the share amount that I want, i.e. a share for four to six people, and the produce is fresh and locally grown. I pay $34 a week this year for enough produce for four to six people, and that’s incredibly helpful for our grocery bill. We use part of our tax return to pre-order our share for the entire year, and it’s just an amazing financial benefit for our family."
16."Take care of your teeth!! I can't emphasize this one enough: brushing and flossing regularly will save you tens of thousands of dollars in later dental care."
17."For online shopping, leave it in the cart. If you come back to it multiple times and think, 'Yes, I need/want that,' get it. Most of the time it’s not necessary and I’ll remove it or orphan the cart."
18."Rounding up. When tracking my spending, not only was it easier to tally, making me more likely to do it, but by rounding numbers up, it was also better because I tended to underestimate things and overspend."
"This is huge for me. My natural inclination is to only look at the first number — so $49.99 is remembered as 'like $40.' This is actually how most people operate and is why stores price things like this. Rounding up solves this and is likely truer to your spending."
19."Pay in cash when I'm hanging with friends. Automatically limits my drinking and spending to what's in my pocket."
20."This sounds counter-intuitive, but giving myself permission to spend the extra money on semi-prepared fresh foods has actually saved me money. Examples include buying bagged coleslaw mix instead of having to grate cabbage and carrots, fresh pineapple chunks, marinated ready-to-cook chicken, etc. I am less inclined to stop and get food on the way home from work if I know I can just throw some tasty chicken in the air fryer and stir some dressing into the slaw mix. I actually eat more fruit and veg this way because most of the work is done."
21."Being very careful about what auto-renew or subscription services I have. Not to say I have no services; I’m just very careful not to put things on autopay. Honestly, a lot of folks have services they don’t use or only use a few of the features. I try to pay things in full so I can just not renew the next year if I decide I'm done with the service. I will also check my existing services and see if they offer what I want. Or I just do without. With everything becoming a subscription these days I try super hard to have as few as possible!"
22."I sat down and made a budget. I realized I had been lying to myself for decades. I am now getting back on track, and it’s painful and joyous all at once."
23."Community events, for sure. My city library offers fun adult craft nights for free once a month. It's fun to meet new people and just relax. So far, I've taken a canvas painting class, a clay project class, and also a free sound bath/yoga class. Also, if you have a city library card, there's an app called Cloud Library to rent audiobooks and ebooks for FREE."
"I haven’t heard of Cloud Library, but I use Libby, and it’s great! I highly recommend taking advantage of getting a library card."
"Kanopy and Hoopla come with many libraries, as well. Movies and more e/audiobooks. Also, city passes to cool places."
24."During the pandemic, I got in the habit of ordering everything I needed from Amazon the moment I thought of it. I felt so embarrassed by the daily parade of packages. I now buy things one day a week."
25."I always shop at the dollar store first, before the grocery store. They have really good products and many name brands, and they cost a fraction of the price at the grocery store."
26."It's better to buy used old quality stuff than new quality stuff. Because new stuff isn't meant to last, even if it's good quality. It doesn't mean the same nowadays. Quality jeans now last maybe 2-3 years, while jeans bought 20 years ago still hold up."
27."Buy the sample size first before you commit to the full product. This has saved my ass on shampoos I didn't like, makeup, sunscreens, and even food. Buy the small portion size first, then, if you like it, buy the bulk saving size."
28."I did a no-spend year on clothes. It was way easier and more enjoyable than expected. I made myself 'shop' my own closet and discovered so many cool pieces I’d forgotten about. Other than to replace essential things that get worn out/fall apart, I really don’t need any new clothes. That was a liberating discovery."
29."I grow micro plants and herbs in my kitchen when veggies are expensive in winter. I invested in a plant table, which also allows me to start my own seedlings for the garden."
30."On payday, I put away for savings in an instant- or easy-access savings account. I spent a bit of time working out how much of my paycheck goes on regular bills and expenses and then set up a standing order to put most of the rest into an instant-access savings account the day after payday."
"I find I spend less on impulse buys because there's less in my account, but if I have a big or unexpected expense, I can easily move money back out of savings to cover it using online banking.
"Before I started doing that, I'd find myself spending my whole pay every month and relying on a credit card even for big costs I knew were coming up (e.g., car insurance)."
31."Switching to an old-school razor blade razor instead of the plastic ones. Shaves fantastically, lasts forever, and razor blades are incredibly cheap."
32."Start to see trash as your money. You pay for everything in your garbage, whether it’s landfill bound, recycling, or even compost."
33."Adding insulation to my attic and air-sealing my house. Yeah, it certainly helped our power bill, but the increase in comfort is much appreciated as well."
34."Rice, beans, and lentils mixed into regular meals can make your expensive meal items go further. Try lentils with taco seasoning and have taco night. Also ridiculously cheap!"
35."Menstrual cup and menstrual underwear. I never even feel that I'm on my period anymore."
36."Cutting the tops off tube containers like face wash, lotion, etc., and scooping out the rest of what is left has been a big money saver! You’ll be amazed at how much is still left once it stops squeezing out. To keep the product from drying out, slide the cut piece down onto the area where you made the cut."
37."I shop around for my insurance every January, since it's the beginning of a new year. I also do my health checkups and major car maintenance. One year, I actually saved $200 on my insurance by switching to another company."
"Same! I’ve found that loyalty gets you nothing. I change between the three major car insurances once a year to keep the same rates. Otherwise, they just keep jacking up the rates for absolutely no reason."
38."I have been able to keep my grocery costs down by only buying what is on sale in the weekly ad or for which a digital coupon is available. This is especially handy for produce — this week there were great deals on oranges and apples but not grapes, so that’s what I bought. I can’t always get what I want each week, but if I am patient, then it will eventually go on sale. I also make a lot of stuff from scratch like breads and pizza and cookies, which saves a ton of money."
39."Go through your receipts and look for patterns — packaged foods, treats, impulse buys, etc. Keep notes of your food waste. Gather all the food clutter in your home and eat your way through it. By the end of these steps, you'll know exactly what your non-frugal food habits are."
40."Whenever I grocery shop, I ask for a receipt, and I evaluate the five highest-priced items. I ask myself whether it was necessary and worth it. Usually, those higher priced items are proteins (meat) or a gluten-free food. Also, consider that sometimes buying the bigger thing is cheaper."
41."Look for staples in cheaper places. For instance, buy rice in 25-kg bags at an Asian market — way cheaper than the grocery stores. The key to saving in the modern capitalistic market is to have the willingness to walk away, and to do that you need to be flexible. If you just have to have a specific item a specific way on a specific day, you will pay dearly for it."
42."Pick a store and get really good at using their rewards system. I just don't have the time or energy to be going to a bunch of different places. We go to Safeway and Costco — Trader Joe's maybe once a month for wine and snacks. I have had the Safeway app for years, and at this point, it gives me deals on stuff I buy. I know it is far from the 'cheapest,' but it's a clean store with a layout I am very familiar with. With the app deals, I feel like I get within striking distance of some of the cheaper places."
43."Watch who and what you follow on social. I unfollowed a lot of influencers who were overconsuming. I love following the ones who teach you to shop your closet."
44."I have learned to repair almost any home appliance. YouTube is a lifesaver and has literally saved me thousands of dollars. Furnace, AC, dishwasher, oven, washer, dryer, and sump pump — I have fixed them all."
45."Make use of your local public library. They have books, DVDs, video games, puzzles, etc. All of these things are free! They often have free programs you can attend as well. Mine is hosting a free escape room this week. Some libraries also circulate unconventional things. Mine has car check engine code readers, bubble kits, binoculars, telescopes, and a ton of other things!"
46."If you're thinking about buying a new appliance (like an air fryer or a slow cooker), check the local thrift stores and garage/yard sales first. You can sometimes pick up an expensive appliance for just a few dollars. 'Used' often means they tried it once and didn't use it after that. I've gotten a brand-new air fryer still in the original box for $5."
"Facebook Marketplace is a nice spot for slightly used appliances."
47."Never buy treats at full price. Obviously, the most frugal thing to do is not to eat out at all, but if you want to incorporate the occasional treat into your lifestyle — date night, etc. — just don't do it at full price. Use local discount coupon books, go to the Ben & Jerry's Free Cone Day, get the birthday club freebies on your birthday, and use fast-food app discounts. Our local burger place has a two-for-one special that comes up every six weeks or so. We don't always use it, but now that we know it exists, paying full price seems so obnoxious that we never do!"
48.And finally, "If you’re a sucker for fast food, make sure you have options at home that are easy and good. My go-to is Trader Joe’s freezer section. At ANY time, I can have decent orange chicken, chicken teriyaki, Indian food, chicken wontons, or a variety of other options. Yes, they are more expensive than making them from scratch. But they are easy, fast, and delicious, and in the throes of my hungry cravings, I will actually choose them."
Did you start a new money-saving habit or try a new frugal tip in 2024? Are you making a money-related resolution in 2025? Tell us all about it in the comments!
