"Can't Imagine My Life Without It": 27 Cheap Habits That Frugal People Say Have Completely Transformed Their Days

Contrary to what you see on social media and in TV shows and movies, sometimes it's the simplest and cheapest habits that end up really improving your quality of life. A while back, frugal people on Reddit shared the cheapest habit that changed their lives for the better, and it was a goldmine of good ideas. Here's what they had to say:

1. "Cleaning frequently but half assed adds up to pretty clean over time. Quick wipe of the stove and counters, clean a few dishes, walk away. Do this once or twice per day, and it adds up to a pretty clean kitchen. Then, if you want an even shinier kitchen, you're already most of the way there."

2. "Buy multiples of a clothing item that fits me. I stopped caring if people noticed it's the same cut or style. Guys can wear the same thing over and over again and no one really bats an eye. So if I find pants that fit. I'm buying five. A shirt that fits well. I'm buying multiples of that color or other colors."

—Glassfern

"I make my own clothing, and yes, I will make a dress six times in different fabrics because I love it."

—Own-Tea-4836

3. "Read the instructions/manual for your new items! The instructions on new electronics, kitchen gadgets, etc., outline exactly how to care for the item and how to troubleshoot issues. It takes like 5-10 minutes and definitely ensures longevity on most items."

—QuestFarrier

"We have a Google Drive folder. As soon as something new comes into the house, I Google it and find the PDF of the manual and save it to that folder. We always have the manual to troubleshoot. And I don’t need to find a place to keep the papers."

—Whimsical_Adventurer

4. "Floss. There are a bunch of different products that can be more expensive, but once you're addicted to it, you can't go back. You will notice if you skip days. I started with just the roll kind, but now use a toothbrush-looking kind. Never tried the Waterpik kind, but curious if it's any good."

5. "Practicing gratitude. My misery was in defaulting to a 'victim' mindset, and things I don't have. It paralyzed me. By focusing on the things I am capable of doing, and the things I do have, I was able to dig myself out of that hole."

"I won't suggest it's a mindset that works for everyone, because you really have to dig deep sometimes to focus on something to be happy about. So in that sense, it can feel unrealistic. There is value, though, in thinking 'my hobby is fun' or 'I enjoy the smell of this candle.' It's just a nice reminder that things don't really suck so bad."

—PathosRise

6. "I buy two chickens from Costco for $16 (they come in a set). That's several meals for two using the chicken, and then I boil the bones for broth for future soups. Usually, I freeze a whole chicken at a time."

—imhereforthemeta

7. "Running. I was never a runner, but when I turned 40 and started to add some pounds, I somehow managed to train myself up to running a 5k alone. After several years of that, I met running friends in my city, and it is now the most fulfilling and enjoyable part of my life. I spend plenty of money on it, but all that’s really necessary is a good pair of shoes and some discipline. Can’t imagine my life without it now."

8. "Journaling. I always stumble across a realization that I wouldn't have noticed if I wasn't going through the process of talking it through with myself through writing."

—OneTwothpick

9. "Many meal plan and then go to the store, but I do it backwards. I only buy what meat and produce are on sale and then cook for my week around that."

—treeswithnames

"I do this too, but I check all the grocery stores around me to see what's on sale, then I meal plan."

—mzzd6671

10. "Volunteer at a food pantry or fundraisers. You get to help a cause, and there's often free snacks and stuff for volunteers."

11. "Buying the same-sized reusable containers. I've got 1 liters, half liters, and quarter liters; they all use the same lid and stack together neatly. Tupperware puzzle difficulty 0."

—doomstone420

"I did that, and mine are collapsible, so they take up barely any space. They are stacked up container, lid, container, lid, so you just pull a complete pair out. I love it so much. I got my mother a set, but she just mixed them in with all the previous decades' hodgepodge of containers."

—Chance-Dot162

12. "Drinking a full glass of water first thing every morning. It’s ridiculously simple and costs next to nothing, but it wakes me up better than coffee sometimes, helps my skin, and just makes me feel less sluggish all day."

—TheDearlyt

13. "When I buy meat in bulk, I divide it all up and divvy it into portions before freezing. When I buy ground beef, I make it all into burger patties. I separate each patty with two pieces of cut parchment paper, flash freeze, stack them in freezer bags, and freeze. It makes it really easy to just pull out however many I need for the meal. If I need a certain weight, I just weigh out however many patties that is and break up the patties as they cook."

14. "Buying one kind of sock. I don't have to waste a single sock just because I lost its mate, and I never have to match socks when folding laundry."

—chainsawx72

"Every couple of years, I have a sock-pocalypse. I throw away all of my socks and buy new ones. I bought about 20 pairs, and I'm going on three years with this batch. I switch to a new batch when I start wearing holes in them. I try to put clean socks in the back of the drawer so I rotate them pretty evenly."

—makinentry

15. "Repairing clothes and darning socks! I am a crafty person, but I absolutely hate the idea that you need to buy craft supplies. So instead of buying crap, I darn socks, fix up old T-shirts, and repair clothes that need repairing. I've been doing this for a few years now, and I've saved maybe $100 to $200 and only spent $10 on scissors and thread. It feels great to lessen my environmental impact, and it helps my loved ones hold onto their favorite T-shirts, sweatshirts, socks, etc. I am so happy when I can mend something for a friend."

—excellent_dog_

16. "Replacing my phone/screen time with reading in its place. I feel a lot happier with less scrolling, and I've been talking to a lot more people about reading since I'm reading a lot more books with the new time I've found."

17. "Before you run the dishwasher, run the hot water in the sink until it is hot, THEN turn the dishwasher on! That way, the first rinse it does is with super hot water. My dishes get so much cleaner with this hack, even though I use cheap powder dishwasher detergent!"

—VoiceMailKiller_com

18. "Getting a library card. I went years without reading a book. Slowly got back into it, and now I read about a book a week. I put books on hold online, and it's always nice getting a notification that a book I've been waiting for is ready. And the library is pretty close by, so going to pick up/return a book is a good excuse to go for a walk."

—welpseeyalater_

19. "Keeping my phone out of the bedroom at night and using a real alarm clock."

20. "Cooking from scratch. I like to cook anyway, and it’s SOOOO much cheaper. I batch cook on the weekends and then coast through the week. Got a cheap bread machine from Amazon a couple of years ago and use it to make dough for single-serve pizza crusts."

—techiewench

21. "The only thing that works for me, even if I’m shattered after a long day, is whenever I leave a room, I’ll pick up one thing to take back with me, like rubbish or a cup or whatever. Since I move around quite a bit, a surprising amount of mess disappears and makes me feel a little more put together."

—nordicthundercock

22. "Ordering my groceries online, then picking up. This saves so much time and money. My list is always pretty boring, but with the money I save, I can afford to do an in-person Trader Joe run every couple of months. I look forward to that."

23. "I buy second-hand name brand clothing at thrift stores (Goodwill), when I get tired of it, I sell it to a second-hand store (Uptown Cheapskate) for more than I paid for it originally. For example: Purchase a Tommy Bahama summer shirt for $6 at Goodwill in the spring, sell it to Uptown Cheapskate for $8 in the fall."

—noideawhatimdoing75

24. "Before I go buy an expensive appliance, I go to Facebook and ask my friends and family if anyone has one of what I need (think things like a mixer, table, sewing machine). We live in a society of overconsumption, so most people know someone who has something extra. You can get stuff at discounted prices or even for free. And you can also borrow, so the storage doesn’t become a problem. A lot of big libraries have rooms of stuff you can check out as well!"

—thejadeauthor

25. "I work in the insurance brokerage industry, so I preach this frequently: use your annual wellness checkup, bloodwork, colonoscopy, and other preventive benefits! Get your two dental cleanings, get your eye exam, etc. Those preventive visits can save you SO much in the long run. You can easily identify things before they become a real emergent problem. As an adult (36 now), I’ve always done the visits like clockwork and feel like my health is better for it."

26. "When I feel like buying something I don’t need, I organize my tools, cables, gardening seeds/prunes, pantry, or closet, related area of storage first, and usually find a project there instead. If I am still thinking about the item a month later and making mental plans for it, then I will buy it to also free up mental space."

—Skywatch_Astrology

27. "Meditation. I appreciate everything in life so much more after a few days of meditation. Colors are more vibrant, time with loved ones feels more connected, and I just feel so much more grateful for the moment I'm in."

—ROIDie777

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