This Post May Contain Affiliate Links

10 Habits of Frugal People

Sometimes becoming frugal can seem elusive, that some people are just naturally born that way and other have no hope of becoming frugal. Being frugal doesn't mean changing your quality of life, it is about changing your mentality to get more out of life. Today we are sharing the ten most important habits frugal people have. We have found areas in a lives where it is easier to be more frugal than others (our vice is dining out), but we try to avoid berating ourselves about it. This list is what we imagine the perfect frugal person to be, in reality, few are going to be perfect at every single element. But the point is the frugality is a journey and that these are some of the end goals to have in mind when planning that journey. 





  1. Frugal people have goals set and often plenty off them. This includes a mixture of short term and long term goals to help guide your budgeting in the present and to ensure the goals are achievable. 
  2. Frugal people have a plan, whether it is a long term plan about saving for a goal or a plan for this weeks budget. Planning is the key to success, and it allow YOU to direct your path towards the goals you have set. They are prepared for kinks in the road and have funds saved for unexpected expenses. 
  3. Frugal people don't care about what others think, they are not obsessed with what the Jone's down the road have or what they might think about them driving older cars. They don't allow what others say to cloud their judgement and prevent them from achieving the goals they have set. 
  4. Frugal people are content in who they are because they aren't constantly comparing themselves to others. Comparing yourself to others causes you to continually doubt your decisions and abilities. They are focused on achieving their goals for themselves and their families. This contentment brings greater happiness into their lives and makes them feel fulfilled. 
  5. Frugal people don't waste food. Careful meal planning and keeping an eye on use-by dates goes a long way to help avoid food wastage. Also don't be afraid to utilise you freezer it is an excellent way to may food last longer and allows you to purchase food in bulk at lower prices. They know how to make the most of left-overs and how to cook in bulk. 
  6. Frugal people aren't afraid to invest in quality. They know that in the long run it is likely to cost less and will bring a greater level of satisfaction. They know the importance of linking purchases to a longer term plan rather than thinking about just needs and wants in the present.  
  7. Frugal people don't purchase without comparing. Impulse buys don't come into the equation, especially when its a costly purchase. A comparison of different options looking at lots of variables (not just the price), lead to sound decisions and quality purchases that are less likely to be regretted in the future. They love to use outlet stores, but will always check they can get it for less. 
  8. Frugal people don't pay for subscriptions they don't use and reassess the value of the subscriptions based on evolving needs. You may have at one point used the children's channels out of the cable package but now you have an empty nest its not worth the extra expense. Likewise, that gym membership may not be getting the use it used to, it may be more worth wise purchasing a piece of gym equipment for home instead.  
  9. Frugal people don't pay unnecessary overdraft or credit card fees. They have direct debits set up for their credit cards so that they pay them off in full at the end of the month. Though thats if they choose to even use credit cards, many would avoid using them all together. They don't have an overdraft set up so they don't feel tempted to use it as it can too easily feel like your money. 
  10. Frugal people know that money doesn't buy you happiness. They know that big luxurious purchases don't bring you closer together as a family and that it is the simpler things in life that bring the best memories. They know the true joy of financial peace is freedom to pursue your life how you choose without being indebted or bound to anyone else (be it financially or ideologically). 


What do you thing is the most important factor to being frugal?


______________________________________________________



    If you are new to our blog, we are all about finding new ways for students and millennials to make and save money. Here are some of our favourite sites and products to help you out:
    • Start a blog. Blogging is our side-hustle just over a year ago we didn't think I would bring us any income . You can create your own blog here with my easy-to-use tutorial. You can start your blog for as low as $3.49 per month plus you get a free domain if you sign-up through my tutorial.
    • Save money with gift cards Whether its for buying clothes, your weekly shop or dining out use Zeek to buy discounted gift cards to get more bang for your buck. 
    • Use Swagbucks for your online searches. Swagbucks is a passive way to earn gift cards. Over the course of a year you could earn $500.  Swagbucks is just like using Google to do your online searches, except you get rewarded “points called SB” for the things you do through their website. Then, when you have enough Swagbucks, you can redeem them for cash, gift cards, and more. Receive $5 for signing up today.
    • Try matched betting. Matched betting is a great way to may easy money online. Despite the name it is not gambling and could see you earn £500-£1000 a month for only a couple of hours work a day see here and here. For your free trial head to profit accumulator or join the Facebook 'getting started' group.  
    • Sign up for a cashback site like Quidco. where you can earn CASH BACK for just spending like how you normally would online. The service is free too! Plus, when you sign up through my link, you also receive a free £10 bonus!

    6 comments

    1. Great collection of thoughts here. It took me a while to realize that I needed to invest in quality if I wanted to be truly frugal, but now we make a point to do it that way.

      ReplyDelete
    2. I agree with all of these ideals. We bought tires for my husbands truck that were for 75,000 miles. It made more sense to buy something that was quality and would last longer, than to buy cheap ones to carry us through and end up buying new ones in 6 months to a year. Great post!

      ReplyDelete
    3. These are all true! I love my goals! Writing them out and thinking about how I will go about accomplishing them keeps me motivated!

      ReplyDelete
    4. I think a lot of these things boil down to the fact that frugal folks think about the consequences of their actions. It's not that frugality doesn't consider today important, but there's always the future in mind.

      ReplyDelete
    5. Ooo I think I like frugal people.

      I think it's really about looking at the bigger picture and aiming for delayed instead of instant gratification.

      ReplyDelete
    6. I think #9 is a frugal people DON'T - but I agree. Getting rid of extra fees is a big deal and helps break the cycles that can keep people in debt.

      ReplyDelete