Money has the tendency to run out even when you don’t feel like you’ve spent a lot. But it doesn’t have to be a big purchase to drain out the wallet. Minor expenses, such as the daily coffee run or going to a restaurant instead of bringing a lunch box to work, can add up to quite a sum. That’s why it’s important to be aware of your spending.
But some people come to realize how much they’ve spent on activities only when they stop doing them. They often change their habits for unrelated reasons and end up saving money without the intention to. If you’re confused about how one saves money ‘by accident’, check out these stories shared by reddit’s ‘Frugal’ community members.
The user ‘girlenteringtheworld’ asked them what actions ended up saving them money, when that was not the initial goal, and fellow redditors were happy to share. Scroll down to find their answers below, as well as some tips from a professor of economics at American University, Mary Eschelbach Hansen, which she shared with Bored Panda in a recent interview. You will also find some comments from the redditor herself.
#21
Go swimming.
I started it because it's fun and good for my health.
The thing is I only pay 1.80€ for entry, because it's really cheap here.
At home I have a warm water heater, which is running on power.
I am paying 50 Cent/kWh and the warm water heater takes 21 KW.
So showering 15 Minutes are 2.50€.
So I am saving 70 cent on showering and get the swimming free and get shower as long I want without any stress :)
I started it because it's fun and good for my health.
The thing is I only pay 1.80€ for entry, because it's really cheap here.
At home I have a warm water heater, which is running on power.
I am paying 50 Cent/kWh and the warm water heater takes 21 KW.
So showering 15 Minutes are 2.50€.
So I am saving 70 cent on showering and get the swimming free and get shower as long I want without any stress :)
47points
“I would like to add that finding things you enjoy doing could save you more money than you think it will, and you should definitely take a leap if you're debating it,” the redditor said. “If you like baking, start making your own bread. If you like experimenting with your style, shop your own closet and see what hidden gems you already have.”
#22
I learned how to fix things.
Yeah, grew up wanting to tinker and mess around with stuff, but it's only been recently that I'm realizing just how much money I've saved by doing my own repairs. Fixing phones, small appliances, computers, broken s**t around the house, etc.
I even recently saved a family member over $100 for replacing a broken screen on their phone :)
Caveat: I did have to invest in tools/supplies initially and over time. But they've easily paid for themselves by now.
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44points
#23
Buying a new (used) car. Was really just tired of my car being in the shop all of the time. Bought a new car which resulted in a slightly higher monthly payment at the time, but was pleasantly surprised when my insurance cost was basically cut in half. Of course there were maintenance savings as well, but that wasn't really my main goal.
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40points
#24
I quit drinking alcohol. Alcohol is expensive, going out to eat and having a few drinks is expensive, trying new breweries or wineries is expensive, spending a Sunday afternoon at a bar is expensive. Thankfully I never had to pay the cost of a DUI because that's REALLY expensive. Cutting the one thing saved thousands a year in associated costs.
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38points
#25
Homemade bread products. Tried making bread in my 20’s. It always failed. Gave up for a couple decades. On a lark I found a bagel recipe online. Figured, why not. They are fantastic. Started thinking about other stuff I could try to make. Haven’t bought any bread products in three months now. Loaf breads, hamburger and hot dog buns, pizza dough, English muffins, dinner rolls, donuts, and of course, bagels.
Didn’t start this as a cost savings thing. Just like good quality stuff that I can customize flavors with. Was buying the 5lb bags of bread flour at the grocery store at about $1/lb. Found a 50 lb bag of bread flour at US Foods ChefStore for 50 cents a pound. Also a brick of instant yeast at a quarter of the price I’d been getting it at the grocery store for. Worked up the cost of all this stuff I’m making and it averages about a quarter the cost of buying any of it premade.
Even bought a bread box on marketplace to keep it all in!!
Didn’t start this as a cost savings thing. Just like good quality stuff that I can customize flavors with. Was buying the 5lb bags of bread flour at the grocery store at about $1/lb. Found a 50 lb bag of bread flour at US Foods ChefStore for 50 cents a pound. Also a brick of instant yeast at a quarter of the price I’d been getting it at the grocery store for. Worked up the cost of all this stuff I’m making and it averages about a quarter the cost of buying any of it premade.
Even bought a bread box on marketplace to keep it all in!!
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38points
#26
I bought clippers for my cat when our mobile groomer shut down in 2020 and I haven't paid for pet grooming since. Almost everything I've ever done to be healthier or more environmentally responsible has saved money as a side effect.
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38points
#28
I started cutting my own hair and doing my own nails because I don't like random people in my personal space and hate small talk. It was a one time purchase of proper scissors and one of those uv sets from Amazon. Less than one trip to the nail salon. Now I can do these things whenever I want without waiting for an appointment or having to drive anywhere. It's also a bonus because now I can easily convince my tween daughter to sit and talk to me about her life for an hour while I do her nails. I also got to make sure it wasn't a strong UV light and we always use sunscreen on our hands as a pre treatment.
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30points
#29
I started making vanilla syrup for my coffee because I couldn't find it in stock at any local stores in 2020, I typically had been going through a $5 bottle every week. It doesn't seem like much, but pennies for sugar and cheap artificial vanilla compared to $260 a year is a change I'm really glad I made.
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22points
#30
I cut cable when I moved overseas - never missed it. Barely watched any streaming outside of youtube. So when I came back I just got internet only. I used to have some streaming channels, but I've cut almost all of those too... I find it's not that I really want to watch a show or movie that often, I just want background noise while I surf.
Also I dropped my Audible subscription - I used to listen to a lot of nonfiction books which were more expensive as a book than the monthly sub - but these days I just listen to podcasts mostly.
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22points