1d ago

frugal living

share your hottest penny pinching tips, anticonsumerist bias, environmentally dubious upcycling, or any number of ways you get dirty looks for saving every dollar you earn.

18 comments

You’d be surprised on how a tube of toothpaste just keeps on giving when you roll it in on itself.
- You mean you don't cut it open and scoop?

Work from home. It saves you a lot.
Forage for food
Grow a garden
Dried beans are an amazing value.
Buy not rent.
Learn Linux and reuse old computers. Corporations usually lease them and sell off old ones cheap.
Walk when possible.
Get multiple quotes for things.
Always haggle. I've haggled at Walmart.
Drink water if you eat out.

When the soap bar gets small, I wet it and add it onto the new bar so as not to waste that little piece.
- As opposed to what? Throwing it away? I though this was what everybody did 😭

There's a few obvious ones but my best life hack, as a dude, is regarding shaving razors and cream. Those Gillette things in the UK are damn expensive. They got like 4 razors, super fancy. And the cream too. You don't need it. I bought a massive bag of the classic razors off of Ebay and moved to the classic shaving soap. Lasts me months.
- I've been using the same set of cheap hair clippers on head and beard for almost 10 years.
  No razors, no paying for haircuts, no shaving cream, no cuts, no razor burn.
- I moved to using a safety razor and it works great. You can get blades for super cheap.
  Also, I don't need shaving cream, just hot water in my shower. That doesn't always apply to everyone though. Some people's skin/hair are different, and they need different things to shave.

My lunch everyday is the same. 1/2 cup of quick oats mixed with hot water. Costs pennies and helped get me super fit!
- Oats are one of those things that I just get sick of after a little while.
  I'm team lentils and beans

Get rid of your car. They are insanely expensive. Not just to buy, but also taxes, insurance and other operating costs. At the same time bicycles are nearly free.
- I burned through more money trying to upkeep my car than what I spent on it. Getting rid of my car was one of the best financial decisions of my life.
- Don't do this if you live 30 miles or more from your job though. In that case get the cheapest most reliable hunk of junk you can find.

Join a local mutual support network. Buy used furniture. Bike everywhere. Go vegetarian. Give mix CDs or handmade crafts as presents.

I never eat out, pretty much eat only rice bread beans lentils and fruits and veggies when I can get em
I never go outside unless its free, so usually to the park. I also exercise there with calisthenics to avoid paying for a gym, and I bike everywhere
I pirate anything I want/need, or look at buy nothing groups if I need something physical. I pretty much only spend extra money on weed, at a discount direct from a grower
Trim my own hair very occasionally and got a DE razor with like a billion razors for a couple bucks that has lasted me for years now
Host my own server on an old thinkpad for personal music streaming anywhere for free
Cold showers to keep the bill lower/feels better imo, and lots of layers in the winter
I also sleep on the carpeted floor, so no need to buy mattress or box sets or frames

Moving out days are a great way to get cheap furniture. Troll apartment buildings at the end of the month and you can usually find some furniture getting thrown out. I still have some dumpster pieces that are in good condition.

I dont have tips other than take out £70 in cash each week and see if you can live off £10 a day, excluding travel.

Bake your own bread. It costs less, tastes better, and there are no plastic bags involved except for re-using ones you already have.

18 comments