Money is something that everyone is constantly working at getting better about. If you have good finances, then you can always be better. Or maybe you have some work to do to help you to build up a better savings account, fix your credit, or pay off debt. Living frugally is a great way to help get your finances in order and reduce some of the stress that money can cause to you.

If you know that you are living frugally in the aspects of your life in which it is simple for you to do so, then you can rest assured that you are doing the most that you can in order to set yourself up for a better and more comfortable future. While frugal may have a bad connotation, it does not mean that you have to cut the things that you love out of your life. On the contrary, there are ways to stay financially frugal while still living your life to the fullest. 

Here are 4 tips to help you to stay financially frugal this year:

1. Have Only One Car

There is a lot of money to be saved by only having one car in your household, and this is an easy change to make in your life. Even if your cars are paid off, you still have to factor in all of the expenses that you have just to fuel and maintain the car. For instance, there is insurance, gas, routine maintenance, parking, and repair costs that have to be taken into consideration when thinking about owning a car. It is estimated that each car costs a household around $9,000 per year, which is a lot of money.

A great way to live frugally this year is to sell cars in your household and go down to just one. This may mean that you have to make some lifestyle changes such as waking up earlier in order to all get to work on time, but it will save you a whole lot of money in the long run. This will also help you to avoid going underwater financially with cars that are not paid off, which can result in repossession. Repossession is something that will absolutely destroy your credit and is very hard to bounce back from. Learn more about repossessions here. 

2. Get Rid of Small Expenses

There are probably a lot of little expenses that you pay in your life that at the time don’t seem life much. However, these small expenses tend to add up overtime, and can actually be a large chunk of money annually. If you have a gym membership that you “swear you’re going to start using,” ditch it. You will never actually use the membership enough to get your money’s worth, and there are other ways to work out that don’t involve paying a monthly fee.

One of the best expenses that you can get rid of if you are trying to stay financially frugal this year is your cable. There are many alternatives to cable that are not only less expensive but have more on-demand options. With streaming services being what they are these days, there is no reason to be paying as much for cable as you are each month. 

3. Get a Library Card

The library is a wonderful resource for media, and it’s completely free! If you are a reader, frequent movie goer, or even video game player, the library is a great place for you. Libraries have a huge amount of free entertainment for folks of all ages, and it’s so much more than just books! Many libraries have a wonderful movie section and even video game sections that go relatively untouched because many don’t know that they’re there. 

4. Pack a Lunch

This is one of the most obvious tips, but it is also one of the most important. Buying lunch or breakfast every day can become insanely expensive over time and is completely avoidable. By buying groceries and packing lunch/breakfast ahead of time, you will save yourself so much money in the long run. Plus, packing your meals allows you to eat healthier and more consciously- it’s really a win-win situation!

Conclusion

A more frugal living situation is a wise choice for everyone. It allows for you to cut costs on aspects of your life that you don’t need to be spending money on and save your money for something that you really want or need, such as a new home, continued education, or braces for your kids. Use these tips to stay financially frugal this year.