Living a frugal lifestyle might feel unnecessarily complicated at times, so today, we’re going to focus on what not to do. Redditors have recently been sharing examples of “tripping over dollars to save a dime,” so we’ve gathered some of their tips and anecdotes below. Keep reading to find a conversation with Toni Graham of Simple Frugal Life, and be sure to upvote the mistakes that you’ll be sure to avoid!
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First, Toni mentioned buying something cheap, in particular clothes, tools, and furniture. “These things do not last long or are not fit for purpose. It is better to save up and buy a good quality item in a sale or buy good quality second hand from a thrift store,” she explained.
Buying food just because it is on sale is another habit that’s not worth it. “This might be a 2 for 1 offer or near date, discounted offer. If it is something you use often and like, that is great, but otherwise these things will languish in your cupboard or freezer and actually cost money as you are not inclined to eat them,” Toni shared.
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The expert also says, “Doing DIY yourself if you do not have the knowledge and skills can cost a lot more for a botched job.”
And when it comes to food, prepping and bulk buying things that you don’t actually like will probably backfire. “Members had bought lots of dried beans or things that will store well, but not things that they actually want to eat,” explained. “Also stashing food and not regularly checking the dates and rotating, regularly ends in wastage.”
Growing food if you don’t have the time or access to recycled materials or second hand tools isn’t very efficient either.
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The expert says not to waste your money buying books on frugality. “Go to the library or look online,” she suggests. Not having pet insurance or holiday insurance can also come back to bite you if something goes wrong.
And finally, Toni says keeping things for special occasion, such as China and clothing, isn’t always worth it. “They rarely get used and you go off them, or grow out of them,” she noted.
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Here are some of the habits she recommends for a more frugal lifestyle: making do and mending; buying high quality items that last a long time; budgeting and meal planning; cooking from scratch and eating what is in season; having absolutely no waste in food, possessions, or resources; making saving money fun, a game, or a challenge; and using what you already have.
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And avoid falling into the trap of using shopping for a leisure activity or because you feel down. “There are so many free leisure activities out there,” Toni added.
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Toni also pointed out that debt can be harmful to our mental health. “Having no debt meant I could pay off the mortgage early, and I felt more secure,” she explained.
“[Being frugal] is good for the environment. It is easier to live within our means,” the expert says. “Being frugal can be empowering. You are not as reliant on supermarkets or other commercial organizations. You are making the decisions about how you spend your money.”
“The less money spent, the less you need to earn. This means more time with family or doing what we want to do,” Toni added.
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“We still like to travel and have breaks away and also try to only buy ethical good quality meat, and free range eggs,” she explained. “We couldn’t do these things on a low income if we didn’t drastically cut down in other areas of our life that are not important to us.”
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