I am going to include some tips that I’ve found helpful from books and blogs.
1. Buy a new “used” car.
Do not buy a brand new car because you will be paying a high price. Instead, settle for a newer used car. For example in 2020, do not buy a 2020 car but instead purchase the same model a few years older such as 2015-2016. Not only will you be paying half the price tag but you will be saving tons! They always recommend to put some sort of down payment if you are unable to pay cash for the car.
2. Turn off the stove as your food is almost done.
This has helped me tremendously. This only works with electric stoves, sorry for my gas stove cookers. When my food is almost done, I turn off the stove and let the remaining heat from the stove continue to cook my food. This allows for the stove to cool after I take the pot off and save on electricity! I love this hack and use it daily.
3. Use electricity at non-peak hours.
Did you know that you get charged differently on your electricity bill based off the hours that you use it? You are charged more when you use electricity the same time that the rest of the people use it. That’s because it takes more capacity to run more electricity when more people use it. If you are able to log into your electricity bill or view your bill, they will tell you the times when it costs more to use it and the times when it’s low use. When you are using electricity when it’s low, you are charged less and that means more savings!
During the day, I used as much natural lighting as I can. I open all the blinds and let that sun come in! It’s free lighting for your home. When it’s night time, I only open one light at a time. There’s no reason to have two or more lights on in the house if you’re just in one room. This works for my husband and I. I know it might be different for larger families but do what works best for you.
4. Buy quality, not quantity.
If you are buying a sweater, make sure it’s high quality so that it’ll last longer. Same thing with appliances and everything else. You will be spending more, yes, but your items will last longer. There’s no point in buying something cheap and having to replace that item over and over again. Frugal and minimalism isn’t about being as cheap as you can, it’s about being intentional as much as you can. The whole point is to save you money in the future, not just now. Don’t buy something just to get by but buy with the intention of it lasting throughout the years.
These are tips that I live by on the daily. I hope it helped! Thanks for reading!
Sincerely,
Melissa Lee