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Some money-saving habits get called outdated. Hanging laundry on a rack, borrowing books instead of buying them, wearing hand-me-downs, cooking dinner from whatever was on sale. Plenty of people have written them off as too much work or too old-school. But with grocery bills, utility bills, and just about everything else costing more, these habits are looking pretty smart again. They’re simple, they’re cheap, and they work whether you live frugally by choice or because you have to. Here are 11 old-fashioned frugal habits that are quietly making a comeback. Some will fit your life right away. Others may feel out of touch, and that’s okay. The best frugal tips are the ones that work for you. Hang Your Clothes To Dry Using a drying rack to hang your clothes will save you money on your electric bill. It also makes your clothes last longer, so you need to replace them less often. That’s a lot of reasons to make the switch. If a full rack in the living room isn’t your thing, start with just the heavier items like towels and jeans, which cost the most to dry. Use the Library (For More Than Books) Having a library card is one of the biggest ways you can live cheaply. I don’t buy books anymore. If you have a Kindle or another e-reader, you can download free books from your library’s Libby app any time of day. And books are just the start. Many libraries also offer games you can borrow, discounted passes to museums, and plenty of other free or cheaper perks. If you don’t have a card yet, get one. Wear Hand-Me-Downs My kids and I wear really lovely hand-me-downs. You can trade clothes with other families or shop at thrift stores to find nice things for you and your kids. One trick that helped me: before each season, I decide how many of each clothing item my kids need and only buy that amount. Sales were causing me to overbuy until I set it up this way. Eat at Home and Get Creative We experiment at home. We don’t go to bakeries; we figure out something fun to make with the kids instead. You can make so many meals and treats at home with a little planning and creativity. It costs far less than takeout or the bakery counter, and it turns into a family activity. Stock Your Freezer Keep your freezer full of meals so you don’t reach for takeout when you’re stressed or overwhelmed. When you cook, double the recipe and freeze the extra. Soups freeze well and are perfect for this. Freezer meals are especially helpful before a major holiday or when you’re having a baby. And if you have the space, a large freezer can pay for itself in six months or less. A garage or covered patio works if you have an outlet nearby. Don’t toss those slightly browning bananas, either. Freeze them for cheap smoothies and snacks.
Budgeting for rent starts with the full cost of housing, including utilities, insurance, parking, and other recurring fees. Planning for these expenses alongside savings and everyday bills can make monthly payments far more manageable – Shutterstock Rent has a talent for making a perfectly reasonable paycheck look surprisingly small. The payment arrives every month with the confidence of a bill that knows it gets first dibs, leaving groceries, utilities, savings, and the occasional dinner out […]
Recently I joined a Facebook Group called Buy Nothing. At first, I thought maybe it was a type of bartering platform or re-sell market like Offer Up. Maybe it even had something to do with Buy Nothing Day, Buy Nothing Month, or No Spend November. But, as I read more, I realized the group wasn’t about any of these. The Buy Nothing Project (buynothingproject.org) was started in 2013 by a few ladies from Washington state […]
Buying fresh fruits and vegetables shouldn’t have to take up half your grocery budget. But if you’ve been paying attention to produce prices lately, you know how quickly things add up. A few apples, a container of strawberries, some lettuce, and a couple of peppers can cost more than you expected. And it’s frustrating when you spend that money only to have some of your produce go bad before you get around to eating it. […]
Houseplants brought indoors for winter can carry hidden pests such as spider mites, aphids, and mealybugs. Inspecting and isolating returning plants for several weeks can help prevent infestations from spreading to your indoor collection. Fuss Sergey/Shutterstock Your houseplants have spent the summer thriving on the patio, growing lush leaves and enjoying the warm sunshine. Now that nighttime temperatures are dropping, you’re ready to bring them indoors before the first frost. You carry your favorite plants […]
Free plants from neighbors can carry invasive jumping worms or their tiny cocoons in the soil around their roots. Inspecting donated plants and choosing clean, bare-root divisions can help reduce the risk of spreading these destructive earthworms. VH-studio/Shutterstock Free plants are one of the best perks of having gardening neighbors. Someone divides their hostas, thins out an overcrowded flower bed, or offers you a few extra perennials, and suddenly you’ve saved $50 or more at […]
I recently had the opportunity to join Christine Benz and Amy Arnott for Morningstar’s The Long View podcast. We discussed my new book and a variety of themes relating to cybersecurity, as well as how to keep ourselves (and our family members) safe as we age. Mike Piper: Scammers Are Getting Smarter. Is Your Financial Security Keeping Up? Other Recommended Reading Final Regulations Clear the Path for Debit/Credit Card Payments to IRS from Martha Waggoner […]
California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Democratic lawmakers approved an estimated $14.3 billion in annual tax and fee increases during the 2025-26 legislative session, according to a report from the California Tax Foundation. The changes include a tax on digital software sales, limits on business tax credits and a renewed tax on health plans, with some costs potentially passed on to consumers. Read the rest
Christmas has a way of filling the house with stuff nobody asked for. Somewhere between the advent calendars, the themed socks and the matching napkins, a lot of money goes on things that are used once, ignored, or in the bin by Boxing Day. We’ve been cutting back for a while now in a move … Read more
In 2017, Christopher Tan of Providend said a retirement plan needs three things: a lifelong income, a fully paid house and medical insurance. I turned those three into a 16-bit RPG called FIRE Fantasy. Watch the demo. The post Distilling Retirement Plans To The Irreducible Minimum: From Dreams Into Reality appeared first on Turtle Investor.
One of the most impactful ideas I have heard came from Christopher Tan of Providend. He said that if you reduce a retirement plan to the irreducible minimum, you must have three things. That was back in 2017, a time when resources were scarce and tools were limited. Not anymore. We live in strange and […] The post Distilling Retirement Plans To The Irreducible Minimum: Turning Dreams Into Reality appeared first on Turtle Investor.
EVORETRO claims its archival and acid-free, budget-friendly top loaders could last a lifetime with proper usage and storage. Image source: Amazon This post includes affiliate links. If you purchase anything through these affiliated links, the author/website may earn a commission. Protecting your comic books doesn’t have to be expensive. Whether you’re a brand‑new collector or a hobbyist with many long boxes, budget-friendly top loaders, sleeves, and backing boards are essential tools for keeping your comics […]