Old-Fashioned Frugal Living Habits

Establish a weekly routine for planning meals and optimizing grocery shopping.

Purchase items in bulk only when it is economical and practical.

“Sometimes if you have a smaller family it doesn't make economic sense to purchase something in a large batch if you know it's it's going to go bad before you can get through the whole batch of whatever.”

Source items from secondhand stores, garage sales, or hand-me-downs.

“Secondhand Market is huge these days.”

Purchase seasonal items when they are discounted during the off-season.

“Instead of buying that winter coat in December no you're going to buy that winter coat for the next December you're going to buy it sometime around this time of year March or April.”

Invest in durable, high-quality items that last longer.

“By putting a little bit more money into the item that you want you won't be buying it as often.”

Plan and implement a monthly budgeting routine.

Air dry clothes on a clothesline instead of using a dryer to save energy.

“Line drying can save a lot of money on gas and electricity that you'll use on your gas dryer or electricity if you have an electric dryer.”

Regularly maintain and repair items to extend their lifespan and avoid premature replacement.

“If something needs to be greased put it on a calendar and grease it on schedule.”

Group multiple errands into a single trip to save time and gas.

“I had a list of five different places we needed to stop I figured out exactly what we were going to do at each place that we stopped.”

Resist the urge to replace functional items simply because newer models are available.

“Don't replace something unless it's worn out.”

Trade skills, services, or items with others to fulfill needs without spending money.

“A good old-fashioned trade it works out really well for both individuals.”

Avoid impulsive purchases and resist marketing tactics that encourage unnecessary spending.

“Don't look for reasons to spend money marketers are always finding reasons why you need to buy their product.”

Consistently save small amounts to build wealth gradually.

“Mom and Dad were pretty good with delayed gratification as long as they had a game plan and they knew they were working toward what the next step was then they were cool with it taking the amount of time that it needed to take.”

Acquire new skills to perform repairs and tasks independently, saving money on professional services.

“My dad was really good at doing a lot of reading he read magazines he read Popular Mechanics and Popular Science and these taught him new skills that he would put into practice.”

Focus on finding joy in simple, cost-free pleasures.

“Figure out reasons to be happy enjoy Simple Pleasures that don't cost money.”

Prepare for unexpected events and develop backup plans to avoid making rash decisions driven by panic.

“They go well that's life life happens and you got to be prepared for it.”

Maintain a side job or gig to generate extra income and increase financial stability.

“Always have a little something going on where you're bringing a little extra money in.”

Establish and maintain an emergency or rainy day fund to cover unexpected expenses.

“This is when something unplanned happens and something breaks or goes down you are able to replace it because you set that money aside.”