We arguably live in a throwaway culture in the West: instead of fixing or upscaling things, we tend to buy new products. And many of us spend money on frivolous things, left, right, and center. That new phone that just came out? That cutting-edge fashion statement of a coat? We’ve got to have them. Here and now. However, there is a different way to live.
The r/Frugal subreddit is here to save the day (and your wallet). A community of over 2 million dedicated members, it’s a platform for people to share advice on how to live a frugal lifestyle. And it’s been active ever since 2008. We’ve collected some of their best recent thrifty hacks below.
When you’re done enjoying this list and upvoting all of your favorite pics, make sure to drop by the comment section to share any frugal living tips that you might have, dear Pandas. And if you’re in the mood for some more r/Frugal goodness, be sure to check out Bored Panda’s previous article about the online community right over here.
Bored Panda was interested in learning more about frugal living and how to save money, so we reached out to financial expert Sam Dogen to get his take on things. Sam is the author of ‘Buy This, Not That: How to Spend Your Way to Wealth and Freedom’ and the founder of Financial Samurai. He told us that the number one thing that we should be doing is saving more money. Or, as he calls it, paying ourselves first.
"We need to always pay ourselves first by automatically contributing to our tax-advantaged retirement accounts and setting aside a recommended 20% or more of after-tax earnings to save and invest. The more you can make your savings and investing automatic, the better. People are surprisingly good at living on less," he said. You'll find our full interview with Sam below, dear Pandas.
#21 Fall Tip - Lots Of People With Apple Trees Don't Harvest; Never Hurts To Ask!
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221points
“During the lockdown, McDonald’s even released instructions on how to make their famous breakfast egg McMuffin at home,” Jake said that some companies were very friendly in how they treated their customers, empowering them to cook at home.
#22 Instead Of Buying New Skates I Got These Thrifting For 15$. Soaked Them In The Sink With Gentle Laundry Cleaner And Then Got A Permanent Fabric Marker From An Art Store. I Still Need To Get Laces For It Though
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219points
#23 I Restored My Own Headlights Today And Am Pretty Proud Of The Result. Saved Over $100 Compared To Taking It To A Shop
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213points
#24 This Cardboard Box Is Now His Favourite Spot (Super Old Towel Included)
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207points
“The good news is that the ingredients for most of these recipes aren't too pricey and you can still hunt for bargains to make the dish cheaper. Buying in bulk is always a winner too when it comes to saving money so it's a great idea to get together with friends and maybe take it in turns to make your favorite fakeaways,” he said.
#25 Prepping The Garden For Winter. We Pile Mulched Leaves, Add Mesh Or Whatever So The Leaves Don't Blow Off. Then Before The Snow Comes, We Cover With A Black Tarp. The Beds Warm Up Faster In The Spring And The Leaves Compost Down To Make Amazing Rich Soil For Planting
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202points
#27 Zero Cost Urban Garden Project In Northern Canada. Harvesting Daily And Planting Quick Producing Cold Weather Crops Like Radishes, Spinach, Lettuce And Chard
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192points
The secret to good-tasting food, Jake told us, lies in the seasoning. “Salt and pepper won't break the bank, but they can make or break a meal. Don't forget that sugar can take a dish to the next level too.
#28 Didn't Had Bread But Didn't Want To Run To The Store Only For That (We Know It's Never Only For Just One Thing). I Had To Use The Oven Anyway, So... Here Is The Best Looking Bread I've Made In My Life
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188points
#29 My Tried-And-True, Almost Foolproof Method For Growing Endless Green Onions
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185points
#30 Made A DIY Cardboard House For My Bunnies. I Had My Eye On A $70 One On Etsy But This Works Just The Same. Besides Bunnies Don’t Care About Aesthetics
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179points
#31 Repurposing A Damaged Frying Pan, With A Bit Of Paint It's Now A Cool Decorative Bowl
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176points
#32 Found $128 Free People Sweater With Dark Stain For $15! I Covered It Up With Dip Dye, New Favorite Sweater!
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175points
#33 Built My Own Sidewalk With Glacial Sand Dug Up From The Side Yard And Leftover Base Rocks Used During Home Construction
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174points
#34 I Finally Understand Why People Buy Large Cuts Of Meat When It Goes On Sale. Quit Job For School, Trying To Be More Frugal, And We Got 2 Large Top Roasts For Buy-One-Get-One-Free And Processed It/Cut It Up At Home Ourselves. Now We Have Meals For Days
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174points
#35 If You Live In An Apartment Complex Just Check The Dumpster Once In A While. Found A Working V6 Dyson And Just Had To Clear The Roller To Fix. People Throw Away Just About Anything
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169points
#36 Someone Left This Fully Functioning 32” Lg TV Out By The Dumpster. Luckily I Snagged It Before The Rain Moved In
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163points
#37 Does Anyone Else Love Making Frankenstein Meals? Cleaning Out The Fridge And Pantry And Using Up All The Odds And Ends Forces Me To Be Creative And Usually Results In Something Delicious And Unique
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157points
#38 My Favorite Wool Socks Still Had Perfect Tops But Thinned Out On The Bottom, So I Patched Them Up
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156points
#39 Fix For Broken Lid - Drilled A Hole In A Golf Ball And Screwed It On To My Crock Pot. No Need To Dig Up A New Lid. Golf Ball Cost: $0. Screw & Washer: Found In My Tool Box, So $0. Took Me About 10 Mins. New Pot Lid: $30 Or So, Or Replace Entire Crockpot, So Yay!
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145points
