12 *More* Things Frugal People Don’t Do

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how to become a frugal person

A while back, I wrote a post called 12 Things Frugal People Don’t Do. It has been by far one of the most popular posts here on Unexpectedly Domestic.

Since then, I’ve thought of 12 more things that frugal people don’t do. And today I’m back with the rest of the list!

If you want to learn how to become a frugal person, or just have a fascination with frugality tips, read on for 12 more ways to be frugal!

Want more money saving ideas? Check out the Money Saving Resources page for frugal tips you may not have thought of!

This page may contain affiliate links. You can view my full disclosure policy here. 

12 Things Frugal People Don’t Do:

1. Spend impulsively

Checkout lanes and flash sales hold no power over frugal people. If they didn’t plan to buy it, seeing it at a store or online doesn’t entice them. This is a tough one, since we’re being marketed to far more than we even realize.

If you see something you want, try waiting 24 hours before buying it. Maybe after sleeping on it, you’ll decide you really don’t need it or want it. Heck, you might even forget about it!

2. Pay any old price

Always be sure to investigate a product you’re interested in before pulling out your wallet. It is quite easy to compare prices online. I always check the price of something on Amazon before buying it elsewhere. They quite regularly have it cheaper.

Some stores even price match to Amazon. Target does, for instance. If you’re in the store, hop on the Amazon app and see how much it costs there. If it’s cheaper, ask Target to match the price.

Just doing some due diligence can really affect how much you end up paying.

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3. Buy snacks and drinks at convenience stores

Same goes for vending machines and gas stations. Snacks and drinks are marked up astonishingly at these places, all in the name of convenience. Buy a full sized bag of chips and divide it into small Ziploc bags for easy snacking access.

Or buy an 8-pack of soda bottles or Gatorade at the grocery store. If an 8-pack of soda costs $4, that’s only 50 cents a bottle. That’s a savings of at least $1 a bottle, over vending machine or convenience store prices.

That adds up to hundreds of dollars a year. If at the end of the year (i.e. Christmastime), you had several hundred extra dollars, wouldn’t that be meaningful to you? All from that one small change in your habits.

4. Gamble or buy lottery tickets

I’ve honestly heard people say that lotto tickets are their “retirement plan.” That’s not a plan at all! In fact, it is the exact opposite of a plan. There is almost zero chance of you winning the lottery, especially an amount that you could retire on.

Money is too valuable to squander gambling. You might as well just throw it out your car window on the freeway.

5. Neglect ways to earn extra money

There are so many ways to earn extra money. Ever heard of a side hustle? It’s a little something you do on the side to earn extra cash.

Remember those services that non-frugal people love to pay for? Find one you don’t hate doing, and make money at it. I guarantee you’re good at something that other people loathe or don’t know how to do.

Here’s a list of 21 ways to earn extra money that you can start today!

frugal people habits

6. Throw away leftovers

Food is one of life’s biggest expenses. Seriously, add up how much money you spend on food in a week or month. Frugal people stretch their food budget by eating all their leftovers.

I personally love leftovers, and look forward to having them for lunch the next day. But if you’re someone who doesn’t feel that way, check out ways to repurpose them into completely different meals.

Or you can simply cut your recipes back so you only make what you’ll actually eat. You can use a half pound of meat and a half box of pasta when making spaghetti, for example.

Related: 5 super easy strategies that will help you become a meal planning wizard.

7. Ignore clearance racks, garage sales, and thrift stores

Frugal people definitely learn where to find the deals. They’re not at all embarrassed to shop at thrift stores or garage sales, and always make a beeline for the clearance racks at stores.

Shopping this way is kind of like a treasure hunt. It’s way more rewarding than just walking up to some regular old clothing rack and paying sticker price. You’ll find hidden gems, and score amazing prices.

The savings you’ll recognize by shopping sales and using coupons adds up more than you’d think. I’ve saved over $2000 already this year!

8. Pass up rebates

Did you know that most rebates offered are never cashed in? That’s money left behind! I got some awesome mail-in rebates when I Black Friday shopped (online) at Kohls. $60 in Visa gift cards to be exact.

The other best kind of rebates are the ones you don’t even have to mail in.

Ibotta is an app that allows you to get rebates on groceries. I use it almost every week, and then cash it in for money or gift cards. New to Ibotta? Click here for a $10 welcome bonus!

Ebates is an absolute must if you shop online. It’s the easiest way to earn money! Simply go to Ebates and search for the store you want to order from. Click through to that store’s website from Ebates, and order like usual.

Click here to get an extra $10 back from Ebates on your first purchase.

9. Buy something they don’t need

Frugal people definitely know the difference between needs and wants. If you live in a ‘first world’ part of the globe, you know our true needs are really quite easy to come by.

People who are careful with their money know how to balance their short-term wants with their long-term needs.

If you spend your whole paycheck on Saturday, how will you pay your bills and buy food the rest of the week?

Spending mindlessly on every single fun ‘opportunity’ that crosses your path when you’re young will screw over your future self. There’s no magic wealth that comes with being older. If you don’t set your future self up well, you will be poor forever.

Related: Flat broke? Do these 5 things.

10. Care what people think

Frugal people don’t care what others think of them. They’re not embarrassed to use coupons, or shop second-hand.

Their priorities are focused on making good choices, not on impressing anyone.

If you can put your frugal blinders on, keep your eyes on your goals, and do what’s truly in your best interest, you will achieve amazing things.

We buy things we don’t need, with money we don’t have, to impress people we don’t like. -Dave Ramsey

how to become a frugal person

11. Forget to save

Thrifty folks always have money saved in the bank. Automating your savings is the most effortless way to save it. Your bank account should have an easy option online to set up an automatic transfer.

Schedule it so that every payday a certain amount goes from your checking to your savings account. The money is moved before you even see it, so you won’t forget to move it yourself. Or worse, spend it before it can be saved.

12. Spend money every day

Many people spend money every day of their lives. Maybe you’re one of them. Start tracking what you spend for a week. It may really surprise you.

Spending $4-5 here and there seem meaningless, but it all adds up. If you spend that twice a day, you wind up unnecessarily spending about $70 a week. On useless crap that you probably quickly consumed or already forget about.

Frugal people implement spending freezes from time to time. A spending freeze is just a goal to not spend any money (on non-essentials) for a set amount of time.

Some people do month-long spending freezes. That seems overly ambitious and a bit unrealistic. Start with a week, weekend, or day, if it really freaks you out.

When you intentionally stop spending money for that period of time, you will:

  • Save money (obviously)
  • Get creative with what you already have
  • Realize you don’t really need all the things you think you do

There you have it – 12 MORE things that frugal people don’t do. Don’t forget to read the other 12 things before you go!

Related articles:

Do you have any frugal habits? What are your favorite frugal things?

habits of frugal people

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