Becoming Frugal, Starting at the Beginning!

Being frugal can eventually become second nature, but you have to start somewhere! My biggest tip for becoming frugal is to start out slow! That way you can learn what frugal tips work for you. Everybody is different and nobody is wrong.

Frugal Food

• Couponing is the easiest way to start your frugal journey. If you are not ready to jump completely into couponing then start with the magazine All You, and internet printables. Both have high value coupons that are easy to get. You can move on to newspaper coupons if you find that you like and my couponing post will help you with organizing tips!

• Saving your leftovers will save money, and you can even make new meals out of some leftovers. I have quite a few Dinners under $10 recipes that are healthy and delicious!

• One of the biggest questions I am asked about frugal living is if you can be healthy on a frugal budget. My answer… of course!! Nutritious meals can be served on a budget. You can even get organic on a budget (here are seven organic tips to help you out). Shopping at ethnic stores and farmer’s markets can also help. I love to make my own yogurt and baby cereal and both are cheap and super healthy!

Frugal Entertainment

• You do not have to give up going out and having fun! Get an Entertainment Book (you can get one now for only $4) and use the B1G1 coupons to save lots of money. You can also use Restaurants.com to buy gift certificates for less! Of course, you do not have to go out to have fun! Young children love all kinds of activities including cloud watching and making your own restaurant!

Frugal Living

• Do you have a home? Read about weatherproofing tips, how to save money on a garden, and using a kill-a-watt to save money.

• Learn how to save money on your heat, save money on your air conditioner, and save money on your phone bill.

• You can save money during the holidays too! Use a gift box to save money on birthdays and Christmas. There are lots of frugal ideas for Valentines Day and I have a couple of fun kids crafts you can do at Easter. You can use these Memorial Day travel tips anytime of the year 🙂

• Do you have a baby? There are lots of ways to save on a new little one! I love using my cloth diapers, but if they aren’t for you then there are ways to find disposable diapers on the cheap. You can also sign up for freebie parenting sites and you will get lots of coupons and samples. If you do not want to breastfeed then you can still save money on formula. Remember to start your Upromise account to help pay for your little ones college!

Extra Income

• Sometimes you need to bring in a little extra income. I use Swagbucks to pay for Southwest plane tickets. I use Refund Cents to help alert me to great refunding deals. IRazoo and Cashcrate brings in a little extra spending money. If you want to earn more than what those sites can bring you then you can always sell on ebay or become a mystery shopper.

Remember, it’s never to early to start saving because a penny saved is MORE than a penny earned!