Have you been asking yourself, “What are some frugal tasks I can do today?” If so, you are probably into frugality or looking to learn how to save money. A while back, I was right there with you and I continue to learn and grow with frugalness.
Yet, after years of trying to be a being a frugal queen, I have started to get ahead in life and I don’t have the need to be “as frugal” as I used to be. However, I still continue on my frugal journey, not because I need to but because I LOVE saving money!
Being frugal has enabled me to build an emergency fund, travel more, save for retirement, and we (my husband and I) are in the process of building our children’s college fund.
So frugality can make you rich, in my opinion, and the best way to do anything is to take action!
Here are some frugal tasks you can start today to get ahead. Be sure to check out some of my other frugal living posts to save even MORE money:
- 10 Frugal Living Tips for Beginners
- 75 Frugal Living Tips
- 46 Frugal Hacks
- 35 Frugal Living Tips to Try This Year
- 25 Smart Ways to Be More Frugal
Frugal Tasks You Can Do Today
Once you learn these money-saving tricks, it is hard to go back. Use these tips to start saving money today and use your extra money to do with what you wish, like taking a vacation or starting an emergency fund. The sky is the limit!
#1 Meal Plan
Meal planning is one frugal task you can start right now. I love staying organized so meal planning was a must “frugal task” for me. I start by taking out a piece of paper and writing down my meals. Then I check to see what I already have on hand.
After checking my cupboards, I write down the food I need to buy.
I’m used to paying attention to grocery store prices, but if you need to save, you can check out another post I wrote here about saving on groceries, yet paying attention to prices and sales is key.
Since I was aware of frugal foods, I would base my meals accordingly with most of my meals under $7 and some above and below that so they average each other out.
You can take a look at your budget and in reality, how much you can actually spend on food. Whatever your budget is, you can work with it.
Even if you are not used to buying frugal foods, you can learn to shop frugally and once you do it for a while, it will become a habit.
One thing I always pay attention to is my Ibotta app. This is my favorite rebate app for getting money back on my groceries. I also like checkout 51 and Fetch Rewards.
You can use all three apps and make money on your shopping. You can also use Rakuten if you are grocery shopping online.
Check them out and earn sign-up bonuses on all four apps today.
#2 Freezer Cooking
Have you tried freezer cooking? Freezer cooking is a life-saver for this busy mom. If you are not sure how to use freezer cooking, check out my friend’s post (in fact she has many) on freezer cooking. Her tips have really helped me learn how to use freezer cooking and knowing what we are having for dinner is definitely a time-saver and a life-saver.
#3 Grocery Plan of Action
One frugal task I take great pride in is making my grocery plan of action. Of course, making a grocery list is key, but if I plan to use any coupons or apps, I write it down for two reasons:
- So I don’t forget.
- I want to be organized at the register.
Making your plan of action is key to staying organized with your grocery haul. Make sure to write down all the ingredients you need for your meal plan or freezer cooking, and jot down notes, and put coupons in order so you can easily hand them to the cashier or be ready at the self-checkout.
Here are 5 tips to help you save on groceries!!
Tips for Setting a Realistic Food Budget
#4 Create a Budget
If you do not have a budget, yet creating a budget is a frugal task you can start now. It is essential to have a budget if you want to continue a frugal journey. A budget is a money guide that will help pay bills on time and stay on track.
Start by tracking your spending for a few weeks. This will give you a great idea of how much money you are spending and if you need to cut back.
Second, subtract your spending amount from your take-home pay. If you are in a deficit, it will be necessary to cut some of your spending. Look for easy things first, such as subscriptions you do not use like magazines or gym memberships. Then find ways to trim your grocery budget, which is one area you can always find ways to save on. If you need some tips on things that are killing your budget, check out this post.
Lastly, make a plan to pay down debt. If you don’t have a lot of extra money left, consider getting a side hustle for a while so you can get ahead.
Find the perfect budget that works for you or try the 30-30-30-10 budget rule for a twist on your normal budget.
#5 Get Rid of Subscriptions
Take a look at your credit card statement. Are there subscriptions you have forgotten about that you don’t use anymore? If so, it is time to get rid of them. You can save on gym memberships by working out at home.
Grab a highlighter and highlight gym memberships, magazine subscriptions, make-up or food subscriptions, clubs, and/or streaming services you don’t use.
Getting rid of these expenses will feel good since you aren’t using them nd paying for them. It is time to part ways with pricey subscriptions.
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#6 Invest Small
Let’s face it, investing is intimidating. It is hard to part with our precious cash when we really don’t understand where it is going and if we will lose or gain. Many don’t want to risk “gambling” with their hard-earned money. Yet, did you know you can invest your spare change? Yep, it is as easy as rounding up that Starbucks drink you just bought at $4.50 and using that extra $0.50 as an investment.
The best company I have found to help you with this is called Acorns, Acorns is an up-and-coming investment platform that has become quite popular in the past few years. In fact, I have noticed T.V. commercials for Acorns recently.
The way it works… Acorns invest your spare change from purchases and help you start investing money the easy way. If you start small, you will have less fear of losing money, and eventually, you can invest more when you see how easy it is and how you can invest in different funds that typically do well over time.
Give Acorns a try and get your feet wet. You will soon realize this is a budget challenge worth taking on because you can take advantage of compound interest and make money.
#7 Tune Up Your Car
Keeping your car tuned up, will not only help your car run better, your car will also last longer. Make sure to change the oil when it is due, rotate your tires and get a tune-up at least once a year to make sure you can prevent larger car issues.
Learn how to Trim Your Budget
#9 Trim Your Budget
It is time to trim your budget. Trimming your budget isn’t something you have to do by yourself. Did you know you can use a company to help you lower your bills?
If you are interested in paying less, sign up for Trim here and see how much you can save.
#10 Cut the Cord
By saying goodbye to cable. you can save so much money. This is definitely a great way to start an emergency fund. Streaming services are super popular now and cutting the “cable” cord is trending. My favorite streaming services are Hulu and Disney +, but others love Netflix. We also own a Roku and get SO many free channels on Roku.
By buying a Roku, you can watch many things for free. I left my son with the remote and he downloaded over 90 free channels! Of course, I had to go back and double-check that all his channels were kid-friendly! lol But there are many more than what we have, so check it out! It is one device that will save you money.
Frugal Tasks You Can Do Today Conclusion
If you want to save money, find frugal tasks that you can use to take action now. Using frugal tasks to help you save will not only help you stay on budget, but you will be able to set aside money for an emergency fund or future plans.
Do you have a frugal task you use to save money? Leave a comment so we can all learn from you.
Take care,
Sarah