There are lots of ways you can save money and time, and live more simply/frugal. Living simply doesn’t mean you never have anything new, or that you don’t spend any money at all, it simply means that you think of ways to make better use of what you have, and you learn to live more within your means.
There are lots of small things, and almost un-noticeable things you can do to begin living more simply such as:
· Consider replacing some of your high end store brought items with value store brand names and labels. · Use your car less. When the journey is only short say under 1 mile or 1km do you really need to use the car. · Try cooking from scratch. Readymade meals and store brought meals are so expensive. When cooking your own food, you know what is in there, and you get more satisfaction. · Create and use a meal plan. Putting together a meal plan at the start of the week will help you budget and plan out what food you need to buy, ensuring you don’t go on a mad shopping spree when you hit the supermarket. · Consider joining a wholesale club offline. There are lots of wholesale/buy in bulk stores out there that you can sign up to for a small annual free. Buying in bulk can help save money on items ranging from cleaning products to milk and washing powder. · Consider growing your own fruit and vegetables. Even if you only have a few window boxes or a small courtyard it is possible to grow your own fruit and veg cheaply including, tomatoes, potatoes and lettuce. · Try out batch cooking. Having a big cooking day whereby you cook enough to last you a few days, instead of just one night can save you money on both your energy use and time. · Turn down the heat on the thermostat. Turning it down just a few degrees can end up saving you money in the long term. · How about making your own wine/alcohol. If you like an alcoholic drink but don’t want to pay extortionate prices then why not try home brewing your own wine or beer.
Not all of these things will be suited to you/your lifestyle, but they are mere examples of how you can change your lifestyle should you want to, to live more simply, without having to sacrifice the things you need and deserve.