There was a time that people lived just fine by cooking and eating at home, when eating out was a special treat and buying foods already prepared was just about unheard of. The idea of drinking water from a bottle was certainly unheard of. How the children all managed to grow up just fine without each one owning a cell phone is still a mystery to many of us.

Times have indeed changed. So many younger people today are getting married, having children, and have little or no idea how to survive financially. While it’s true the cost of living is going up, it’s not true that a family has to go broke trying to make it.

It’s come to my attention that a lot of people want to save money but either don’t know where to start (not even the basics!), or they just don’t want to live differently in order to save money. You have to want to cut some corners in order to budget better.

With that thought in mind, Frugal Simplicity will be offering some basic frugal living tips each week. While these tips will not be for everyone, incorporating some or all of these frugal tips into your daily life will save you money and help you live a better life.

Some frugal living tips to help you save money and live on less:

1. Cook from scratch. Buying prepackaged foods runs up the grocery bill. Buying foods that you actually have to cook not only saves money, but you get much more food for your money.

2. Use leftovers. Freeze leftovers or use them within three days to make an entirely different meal. Plain rice can become Spanish rice, plain noodles can become stroganoff, boiled eggs can become tuna salad, etc.

3. Drink more tap water. Buying bottled water is only necessary if your tap water isn’t the cleanest and to store for emergencies. Buy reusable plastic water bottles for taking along with you on the go.

4. Make extra luxuries just that. Instead of spending money on the same high priced items over and over, cut down on some high dollar items and treat yourself to them less often, making them more of a treat.

5. Buy second hand. Look for used items you need for the home rather than buying brand new. While obviously some things we want to purchase new, buying second hand can save loads of money. Often older things are made better than the newer things today, making it an even better bargain for your money.

6. Consolidate cleaning supplies. Instead of having a cleaner for this and a cleaner for that, try consolidating. Plain soap, baking soda, and vinegar will clean a lot. Generic window cleaner works fine, generic disinfectant wipes work just as good as the name brand, etc.

7. Use cloth diapers. Save the disposable diapers for traveling and shopping and perhaps for sleeping time. Cloth diapers are not only better for Baby’s bottom, they save a lot of money because they are washable and reusable. Today’s cloth diapers come basic and prefolded. While the prefolds will of course cost a bit more than the basic ones, it’s still a better choice both for your piggy bank and for Baby’s bottom.

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