A 2023 report from Northwestern Mutual found that Americans are taking three major steps to address economic uncertainty: nearly 64% of respondents are cutting costs, 50% are building savings, and 41% are delaying large expenses. Since there’s only so much that households can do, many often utilize multiple of these strategies simultaneously.

Exploring the topic further, a person who goes online by the nickname Severe-Unit911 made a post on the subreddit r/Frugal, asking its members to share the habit they’ve adopted that has significantly impacted their financial well-being. And their call was answered! Hundreds of people have shared their tips, so we decided to save you time and collected the most comprehensive ones.

#1

I don’t allow myself to buy anything unless I am willing to let something go. Goes along with my anti-clutter and anti-consumerism.

Image credits: Momentofclarity_2022

#2

Bringing my own lunch. I’ve saved approximately $35k over my 12 yr career by not going out to eat daily while at work.

Image credits: readsalotman

#3

I’ve gotten in the habit of remembering prices. I can’t say I have a super memory, but after buying the same thing at the same store 50 times, it seems to stick in my brain. This helps because if I’m at a different store, I can usually tell if their price is better than my regular grocery store.

Obviously I can’t remember every price, jy I can on the items I buy frequently.

Image credits: notreallylucy

#4

This sounds counter-intuitive but giving myself permission to spend the extra money on semi-prepared fresh foods has actually saved me money. Examples include buying bagged coleslaw mix instead of having to grate cabbage and carrots, fresh pineapple chunks, marinated ready-to-cook chicken, etc. I am less inclined to stop and get food on the way home from work if I know I can just throw some tasty chicken in the airfryer and stir some dressing into the slaw mix. I actually eat more fruit and veg this way because most of the work is done.

Image credits: MrsHyacinthBucket

#5

Buy the high-quality version of the thing (even if it’s more expensive) and take good care of it.

I’ve wasted so much money buying and replacing cheap c**p.

Image credits: BeeLuv

#6

Pay in cash when I’m hanging with friends. Automatically limits my drinking and spending to what’s in my pocket.

Image credits: 321applesauce

#7

Taking the bus. I work on a university campus and parking passes are ~$200/semester. I also save on gas since I only drive on the weekends.

Image credits: Maddy_egg7

#8

Learnt to cut my own bangs

Color my hair

Visit salon every six months for trims

My husband paints my toe nails and we bought a pedicure set. I need my feet to look pretty

We eat a ton of soup

Go out to dinner maybe four times a year and to the same place where we know the quality and taste of food is good

I buy my clothes at thrift stores or eBay ( except for bras and panties).

Image credits: goodgirlgonebad75

#9

When I was younger i read that the average woman spent 35% of their disposable income on beauty and clothes. What the earth?!? So over the years I’ve been mindful of how much my peers and now direct reports spend. For me it’s one haircut a year/year and half. Makeup during specific sales only. Second hand professional clothes (all designer like Elie Tahari, MM LaFleur, and Maggy London).

I get compliments frequently on timeless pieces and never feel underdressed from meetings to galas. Meanwhile coworkers who make 1/6 of what I make are spending hundreds (if not thousands )of dollars on athleisure wear let alone office wear every month.

edit- I should mention I spend $10-35 on clothes that retail for $250-$600. Women buy SO much clothes and either never wear them or barely touch them.

Image credits: tranwreck

#10

Frozen food. My husband and I both have very long days. We were stuck on the idea of making our own food for a long time but it never worked cause we had to make it from scratch. Once we changed to frozen food we started eating at home more. It’s not the cheapest option but it saves US money. So we’re happy about it :).

Image credits: datfumbgirl

#11

Being semi vegetarian. My parents were big meat eaters so eating for me was expensive, but I found if I bought more veggies and just bought smaller portions of better quality meat, I could not only eat better but also lose weight!

Image credits: SIlver_McGee

#12

Basic maintenance and repairs of your home, car, belongings.

Becoming a handyman takes only repetition of doing the basics around your home. You’ll save a lot of money knowing how to do the quick and easy things rather than having to call someone.

Image credits: trobsmonkey

#13

Cutting out soda from my diet. I love Sprite more than most people love their favorite food, which is why I can’t have it around. Saves money on groceries, going out to eat, less dentist visits, and is probably the easiest way to prevent gaining weight.

Image credits: xtra_obscene

#14

Rent/buy less house and car than you can afford.

This has saved my partner and I hundreds of thousands of dollars over the years (we live in a VHCOL area). Driving modest cars until the wheels fall off and living in smaller / less nice houses and apartments than we could technically “afford” has given us so much more financial stability than I could have imagined.

I realize that for many people, even the most basic housing and transportation costs are unaffordable. But if you have the ability to choose, choosing a good-enough place or vehicle and saving or investing the rest is really helpful in the long run.

Image credits: SuburbanSubversive

#15

Paying myself first: by this I mean I first save a portion of my paycheck which goes into investing. After that, a portion to be put into savings (for large expenses). I live off the rest.

No/little food waste is next.

Buying an affordable car and driving it until it is dead (I’m up to 193,000 miles).

Got a job at the university and paid no tuition for a MA and a PhD.

Image credits: bettafromdaVille

#16

For me, deciding to go back to working from home has had the biggest impact on my finances. It cuts a lot of costs related to employment, such as:
* Clothing
* Transportation
* Food costs: Although I try to bring lunch, it’s easier to incur some incidental takeout costs on the way home after a stressful day at work.

I quit my remote job a couple of years ago and went back to remote work after less than a year of trying the in-office environment again. I saved $10k less during the time I was going to the office.

I should also add that it’s easier for me to do and get some overtime pay while working from home since I’m not too concerned about leaving for traffic or time spent in transit.

I am childless and live on my own, so I don’t need to tend to anyone’s needs other than my own, which gives me a lot of freedom and control with my spending.

Image credits: Glittering-Degree569

#17

We never (well, 99% of the time) never pay for coffee that we haven’t brewed ourselves at home. We use a Chemex and some excellent Costco coffee beans that we grind ourselves.

Image credits: kbenn17

#18

Small, but brush your teeth earlier. Helps curb appetite. Saves money and helps lose weight.

Image credits: Kody1123

#19

For online shopping, leave it in the cart. If you come back to it multiple times and think “yes I need/want that,” get it. Most of the time it’s not necessary and I’ll remove it or orphan the cart.

Image credits: tege0005

#20

What I eat for the week depends on what is on sale at the grocery stores that week. Sure I might buy some things at regular price but a majority of my big ticket food like meat and produce are purchased on sale. I have tried so many different recipes and different kinds of produce that I would not have ever thought to try before simply because of this habit.

Image credits: crazycanadianferret

#21

I price match and shop sales when I can.  At some of the grocery stores we go to, at the bottom of the receipt it will tell you have much money you saved, or I try to calculate it myself if the store doesn’t do that.  Then I’ll take the amount I saved, and I put it into another savings account. 

I typically save about $100-$130/per month.  It’s not a ton of money, but we’ve been doing it for a few years.  We’ve used the extra cash for flights to visit relatives, put it towards a new mattress, etc.  It basically takes the edge of bigger expenses a couple times a year.  

Oh and if you have the money upfront, buy reusable products instead of disposable products when you can, or get the reusable products second hand.  I spent $80 on about thirty cloth diapers before my baby was born, and I used reusable wipes up until she started solids.  Huge money saver .

Image credits: someotheralias_

#22

Being very careful about what auto-renew or subscription services I have. Not to say I have no services, I’m just very careful to not put things on autopay. honestly a lot of folks have services they don’t use or only use a few of the features. i try to pay things in full so I can just not renew the next year if i decide im done with the service . I will also check my existing services and see if they offer what I want. Or I just do without. With everything becoming a subscription these days I try super hard to have as few as possible!

Image credits: Loose-Scientist-2916

#23

Using a budget app so that all my “meaningless” purchases that I have to enter a) make me feel like the a*****e I’m being towards myself and b) they literally add up.

Image credits: anon

#24

Learning things.

Most people pay for things because they are not willing to learn how to do them themselves.

Specialy now that we have the internet, a compendium of all human knowledge accessible to our fingertip, learning as never been easier.

It can be any topic. Cooking, butchering, woodworking, 3d design and printing, programming, electronic board soldering, gardening. Learning is an investment in yourself that will always be a net benefit in the future. Even if it doesnt help you financialy, it make your more dependable and reliable which is an asset to your friend and family, but also to you. Even if you dont know enough to do something professionaly, in case of ermergency you can do enough to limit the damage. The difference between a pipe bursting that was capped within 15 minute and one that burst and you had to wait for a plumber to cap it is very substantial.

Image credits: DrunkenSeaBass

#25

Using the library. It is free and is one of the last sanctuaries we can go to without an expectation to pay for a service or our time there. It’s been a boon both financially and mentally.

Image credits: Quickstep3138

#26

Clearing out my pantry every half/quarter year.

I love buying in bulk or when something is on clearance. I have the bad habit of forgetting what I own.

So I have fixed “clearance months” where I’m only allowed to buy fresh produce from the farmers market. Everything else needs to come from the pantry.

It’s a great way to clear the freezers from vegetables and pre-cooked meals and actually using up all my dried beans, lentils and rice.

I have a special diary and track what I liked to eat or wich products where the most versatile (rolled oats= home made oatmilk, cookies and overnight oats for example).

Image credits: littlelazybee

#27

Use travel points credit card & cash back card for monthly essentials and pay off credit cards within grace period.

Points pay for vacations and Cash back pays for Christmas gifts! I didn’t realize how much money I was wasting on interest by paying just outside the grace period (when the payment was “due”).

#28

Personally, I’ve found that meal planning and cooking at home has been a game-changer for saving money and eating healthier. It not only cuts down on food costs but also reduces the temptation to eat out, ultimately helping me stick to my budget more effectively.

#29

My wife and I both work less than 2 miles from home. Wear and tear on cars and gas savings for the better part of 25 years add up.

#30

I never ordered cable tv.

#31

I bought the cheapest 2013 Prius C when gas prices were skyrocketing. I get between 50 to 60 mpg on my daily 60 mile commute. Also, bringing my own coffee is big.

#32

Don’t have shopping as a hobby. Reject consumerism.

#33

Not drinking any alcohol has not only saved a s**tton of money but also saved me from all kinds of common health problems.

Image credits: DonManuel

#34

Learning to cook and grocery shop. There is an art to both.

#35

Empty room? Turn the lights off.

#36

I make sure I REALLY want something before I purchase it, especially if the purchase exceeds $100. I see something I like or want in a store (or even online), I have to leave it behind and think about it for a minimum of 24 hours, but usually a week, before I purchase it. It helps me from making impulse purchases, avoid targeted marketing / moments of weakness and it also helps me from consume consume consuming. Most of the time, I don’t really want the thing I feel compelled to purchase in the moment.

#37

Friends got me hooked on World of Warcraft oh 20 years ago or something and after a few months of playing, I noticed my bank balance was creeping up. I realized I was no longer using shopping as a form of entertainment.

Friends, shopping is not for entertainment. So, stop it.

#38

I don’t own a car, but both my sons do and my friend. So I just shop with them or they take me out if I need to go somewhere. I am very grateful to them all. No car insurance, maintenance, and I don’t go out much anyway.

#39

Cooking and baking from scratch.

#40

Not sure if this fits. Every raise, half gets put into retirement.

Image credits: Witty_Collection9134

#41

Buy a Toyota, pay it off quickly, keep up with maintenance, drive till the wheels fall off.

Image credits: volneyave

#42

I didn’t have a kid. Or worse, kids.

I bring my own lunch to work. I used to eat at one of the building cafes three or four times a week. Now I bring my own food. That’s probably saved me $1800 in two years.

Which is A Lot when you’re low income.

One is accidental – I moved somewhere there was no fast food within 20 minutes of my house, and none on my route home from work. Cut down on my impulse spending at fast food places a lot.

#43

Simple meals. It doesn’t have to be expensive to eat well. Today is just roasted sweet potatoes for my meatless day. Saturday we made garlic butter steak bites and smashed potatoes. Half a pound of the skirt steak was 4.40. The bag of petite reds was 2.00 and we had all the ingredients stocked. Delicious. Salads, sandwiches, tacos and one-pan meals can keep it simple and still healthy. .

Image credits: LeighofMar

#44

Avoids the three big financial sinks, too much car, too much house, too much fun.

#45

Driving a reliable 15-year-old vehicle.

#46

Reduce, reuse, repair, recycle.

#47

Buying good quality clothing and caring for it properly. Launder carefully. Check seams and such before you have to mend them.

#48

Understanding how being frugal aligns with my values (living consciously and eco-friendly). It could be hard for me to motivate myself to save fifty cents but if it’s better for the environment, it’s an easy choice.

#49

Never, ever, ever carry a balance from month to month on a credit card.

#50

I do not go out to eat at all. The three times I have been out this year were meeting my family. I also realized I haven’t had fast food in almost 2 years. My health has improved tremendously. Saving money and feeling great!