5 (Easy) Ways to Be More Frugal

We all love the idea of stretching our dollar, but sometimes the steps we have to take can be daunting: biking to work? Only possible on casual Friday! Eat more at home? I already do that, and don’t want to feel guilty when I do go out. What most of us need are tips on almost effortless ways to trim the monthly budget, whether by a dollar or ten.

• Reuse food containers & ziploc bags: Lots of food already comes in great, reusable containers: margarine, ice cream, cream cheese, even milk. Instead of tossing your containers (or even once-used zip-up freezer bags), wash them out and run them through the dishwasher for sanitization. They’re a free, environmentally-friendly way to use something you already have.
• Double your dinner: This technique will work for any dinner meal, but is particularly suited to bulk meals, like soup and spaghetti. Make extra — preferably double — what you think your family will eat, and then send everyone off to work or school the next day with leftovers. This will almost always be more cost effective than pricey sandwich meats, and it super convenient.
• Utilized under-used kitchen appliances: Believe it or not, all those appliances you got from your wedding registry are very handy: they save electricity! Your stove uses lots of energy (think of how big it is to heat up), so try cooking in your crockpot, rice cooker, or electric skillet.
• Make your own cleaner: You might be surprised at how efficient a bit of vinegar and baking soda can be!
• Hang your clothes out to dry: Okay, this obviously cannot work year-round, but if you wash on a sunny day, consider hanging your clothes out to dry in the sun - it’ll help you save energy, and your clothes will smell wonderful.