Inside: Try these 10 simple, doable ways to save more by using less. The changes are subtle, but done consistently over time, the savings will really add up!
Although I’m not quite as frugal as I once was (blame the kids!) I’m convinced that enjoying the benefits of simple living requires a high degree of financial stewardship.
Namely, living below your means, reducing expenses, staying out of debt, giving generously, and striving for contentment in all areas of life.
Of course, being wise stewards of our finances is also a necessary skill to model for our children… even if we don’t necessarily need to live frugally, they might need to someday.
The conversation that started it all:
I vividly remember a conversation with one of my very wise and successful friends a few years ago… we were discussing what we do when we feel like finances are a little tight or when we’re trying to save up for something.
Her solution was to increase her income (she runs her own business).
I took the opposite approach and said I would reduce my expenses.
Over the years since that eye-opening conversation, I’ve noticed, over and over again, how differently she and I approach money matters — and both methods seem to work.
So, if you’re the type who would rather reduce your expenses instead of working more to increase your income… I wrote this post for you!
Keep reading for 10 ways our family saves more by using less.
1. Gasoline:
Let’s start with a biggy, at least in terms of savings!
With sky-high gas prices, we save by using less gas — a.k.a. we stay home a lot (shocker!)
Dave drives a few miles to school every day, the kids ride the bus, we can walk or ride our bikes to many locations in our small town, and I usually run all my errands in one afternoon.
There are literally weeks when I don’t drive anywhere for multiple days in a row.
Now I know this won’t work for everyone, but it’s worth considering ways to use less gas because you’ll save a bunch — and you might just realize you actually enjoy being home!
RELATED READING: 3 things we do to keep our vehicles clean almost all the time.
2. Disposable + pre-packaged foods:
Although my children would love to have individual packages of chips, gogurts, and uncrustables in their lunches every day, we dutifully pack our lunches in reusable containers and insulated lunch bags in an effort to save money, calories, and the environment.
To be fair, I do try to keep their lunches fun — they get sweet treats, salty treats, and sometimes even candy, but we save a bunch by buying in bulk and skipping individually wrapped foods (for the most part).
We received 2 of their lunch boxes as gifts (they are a bit of an investment) but even with buying their lunch boxes, I’m confident we save money in the long run, considering the kids have been using the same lunch boxes/bags since they started school.
RELATED READING: How I simplify school snacks and lunches.
3. Napkins:
We’ve used cloth napkins since we first got married, back in 2006, and we’re still going strong all these years later (even with kids).
Of course, we do buy fun napkins for the kids’ birthday parties, but other than that, we use cloth and probably save a decent amount, considering we’d otherwise go through 18 napkins a day.
We each have our own cloth napkin, we keep it on our chairs in between meals, and I swap them out every couple of days (or as they get too dirty).
RELATED READING: How and Why We Use Cloth Napkins
4. Dish Soap & Dishwasher Detergent:
I only use about half the recommended amount of dish soap and dishwasher detergent and my dishes still come out sparkling clean.
I also clean my dishwasher every few months which helps it run more efficiently (saving money on repairs and maintenance).
NOTE: I use this $4 product to keep my dishwasher squeaky clean.
RELATED READING: A-Z Uses for your Dishwasher
5. Beverages:
I never realized how expensive beverages were until after we got married and I started doing all my own grocery shopping.
Even “healthier” drinks like milk and fruit juices can add up week after week — and don’t even get me started on the cost of pricey alcohols, coffees, flavored waters, juice pouches, sports drinks, and pop!
I could easily spend $50-$75 EVERY week on fancy drinks if I bought everything my children asked me to buy.
Instead, we drink water almost exclusively.
We always have milk in the house, Dave drinks black coffee (from Costco), I keep a few tea bags on hand, and I make hot chocolate mix in the winter and buy powdered Gatorade mix in the summer, but that’s about it.
For the most part, our family is completely satisfied drinking water or milk — and we save SO much money!
NOTE: If you spend a lot on drinks but would like to cut back — just start doing water for one day a week. Don’t go cold turkey because then you’ll likely resent the process.
RELATED READING: How I drink at least 100 oz. of water each day.
6. Laundry supplies:
Believe it or not, I actually don’t use laundry detergent!
For years, I’ve used these laundry balls and wool dryer balls to wash and dry our clothing without detergents or fabric softeners.
I’ve been washing without detergent for a few years now and our clothes are still clean. I can’t even begin to calculate how much money this has saved us over the years!
I do use a splash of bleach with our sheets and towels, and I put a small scoop of OxiClean (always less than recommended) in with some of the kids’ grubbier things.
If you aren’t onboard with laundry balls just yet, consider using half the amount of detergent with a half scoop of OxiClean and see if that does the job. I’ve been told that less detergent is actually better for your clothing.
RELATED READING: 10 Life-Changing Tips When You’re Overwhelmed With Laundry
7. Meat:
Whenever a recipe calls for ground beef, shredded chicken, or any other type of meat, I almost always use 1/2 to 1/3 less meat and then add in extra beans, rice, veggies, etc. as a simple way to stretch our grocery dollars.
I also tend to make lots of frugal side dishes like potatoes, rice, quinoa, salad, homemade bread, applesauce, etc. to help stretch meaty meals like pork chops, roast beef, and pulled pork — so we aren’t tempted to fill up just on the meat.
No one ever notices and I save a bit more on our ever-growing grocery bill!
RELATED READING: 3 Simple Ways to Stretch Your Meat Budget
8. Cleaning Products:
In general, I use very few cleaning products (big savings there).
And the products I do use, I usually make myself with frugal ingredients in our kitchen. I even make even my own all-natural face wash and makeup remover and all our own foaming hand soap for pennies… which saves quite a bit over expensive store-bought products.
After over a decade of making my own products, I can honestly say it only takes a minute or two to whip up another batch of cleaning supplies, face wash, hand soap, etc., and then I’m ready to go for several more months.
RELATED READING: My Ultimate List of Simple DIY Cleaning Products
9. Clothing:
Kid’s clothing can be very expensive, and they grow out of it SO quickly.
I’ve always been a fan of buying used whenever possible — and 98% of all my and the kids’ clothing is purchased from thrift stores or hand-me-downs from cousins and neighbors.
Even still, owning less clothing offers big savings — both in money and time spent shopping.
I’ve shared before that I only have a few pairs of socks and underwear (my kids do too) — and we’ve never run into any issues. I do all the laundry twice a week so there’s no need for us to have more.
Plus, it’s easier to keep things organized with less clothing — and if your kids are anything like mine, they wear the same favorites over and over again anyway!
RELATED READING: The hidden costs of “more”.
10. Subscriptions + Memberships:
Whew — these can really add up if you’re not careful.
And while a few well-chosen subscriptions can certainly make your life a lot easier and more enjoyable, paying for fewer subscriptions is a quick and easy way to slash your monthly expenses!
For example, we unsubscribed from all magazines, newspapers, and cable years ago and we honestly don’t miss it (Dave sometimes misses reading a physical newspaper).
We nixed our trampoline park membership after they raised the prices, we took a hiatus from our zoo membership, and we no longer get any meal kits.
We’ve kept our Costco membership for now (it’s roughly $1 per week) and we have an Amazon Prime membership. However, we’ve canceled almost everything else and I can’t think of anything we miss too much.
NOTE: there are apps that can pull up all your subscriptions so you can monitor them (and more easily cancel them).
These are a few ideas that work for our family — just to get you thinking.
There are dozens of other ways you could save more simply by using less, so don’t discredit your ability to save.
Even small amounts each week or each month WILL add up over time!
How do you save more by using less?
Rhonda says
I bought the Planet Box lunch boxes sometime pre-pandemic, after reading on your site. We still use those! I do buy some prepackaged items for snacks, but I buy a whole lot less plastic baggies, etc for those times when we make our lunches. I also use primarily cloth napkins. I hadn’t thought of draping them over the chair. We usually leave them on the table or wash them, but I don’t like the look of leaving them on the table. Thanks for another tip! I have not used laundry balls before, but I think I will give those a try. It’s not a huge investment, so why not?
Ashley Urke | Domestic Fashionista says
These are great ideas! I am very curious about the laundry balls and am going to buy myself some! Excited to see them work some cleaning and money saving magic. And your post you linked to offered some really great info (as well as all the comments!). So thank you for resharing that. My other light bulb moment was reusing cloth napkins for a couple of days! I have been tossing mine into the laundry everyday! My littles are between 2 and 7 so sometimes this is necessary as they can get messy! But I am going to try and see if I can make a few of our napkins last more than one meal or one day! Thank you!
Andrea says
Thanks for sharing this Ashley!
I actually got the idea from using cloth napkins for multiple days from a coworker when we first got married and I was working my first job. She mentioned putting them on her chair and I immediately started doing that.
Now, almost 17 years and 4 children later, we’re still using her tip! Glad to pass it along to more friends ๐
Linda says
You forgot to include one of my favorite tips, which I learned from you! I now water down my bottles of body wash to make them last longer. I have also been putting a little shampoo in a small squirt bottle with a pointy tip that I fill halfway up with water. This way I can target the majority of the shampoo I am using right at my roots and scalp, which needs it most. Less shampoo gets on my ends, which is also helping them to be less dry. Please note, Iโm not avoiding getting any shampoo in my ends…itโs just less than what I used to subject them to.
Andrea says
ah yes — you’re right!
I guess I wasn’t thinking of that right now since we’ve been using bars of soap for the past 6 months ๐
Natalia says
I love your tips and I use some of them (making notes to implement more).
I recently realized how much less I’m spending on groceries compared to others in my close circle of friends, and I think it’s because we eat simpler (I won’t say less…). I rarely buy treats – drinks, chips, crackers, sugary stuff… Actually, my husband is the one that replenishes the stacks of snacks. But really – we don’t feel the need to treat (or spoil) our taste buds.
Also, I reuse and repurpose everything I can (cautiously watching to not hoard stuff, which I am inclined to do…)!
Less entertainment, fewer memberships, less consumerism – it all adds up and it means more in our pockets!
Andrea says
This is so great to hear Natalia! I’m thrilled I’ve helped you (and hopefully others) to be better stewards of your time, money, and resources!
Margaret says
My favorite is my CSA basket through my local farmers’ market. A few years ago I tried a weekly CSA box from a local farm, and was “meh” about it, because it didn’t really mesh with my cooking style (WAY many greens that needed to be cooked–I prefer salads, and I got what seemed a lifetime of bok choi by week 3). And the pick-up times didn’t suit my work schedule, and I often had to rely on a friend.
But the farmers’ market works perfectly. In early spring we pay $500 up front for a half-bushel basket (half-shares also available) and a punch card good for 20 visits between the middle of May and Christmas. It’s a very good deal. I can choose what I want from any vendor at the market–the only limit is on soft fruit–and as much or little as I want on any item.
I’m vegetarian, but they also have separate meat CSAs.
It’s also very convenient, because, since other vendors have dairy, eggs, and bread, I can do almost all of my grocery shopping for the week in one Saturday-morning visit. Before COVID-19 it was a time to visit with most of the people I know. They have also gone to on-line ordering with the market staff picking up the stuff and doing curbside. I am choosing to go in during the restricted time (I’m 64, have asthma, and am a health-care worker, so I qualify), masked, gloved, and moving fast.
I consider good food to be an investment, so this is a win all the way around. I would urge people to see what options exist in their areas. Local food may be a much easier option than you think, not to mention cheaper.
Stepping off my soapbox now.
Andrea says
this sounds amazing — I love the idea of a punch card where you can pick what YOU want. I’m with you on the CSA boxes full of greens that need to be cooked (not my favorite!)
Pascale says
Hi Andrea,
I love this type of blogpost and I love all your ideas. A few years ago, I started cleaning with ecloths. Everything is just so clean and I only use water. It cannot be simpler than this. A friend of mine was skeptical, but decided to place an order. When she got her package, she started cleaning everything in her home and was amazed with the results. The only thing I donโt clean with ecloths is the toilet.
Aside from that, I have an Ecowasher hooked to my laundry machine, Itโs a 5-minute hookup so anyone can do it. The Ecowasher uses ozone to wash the laundry and it only works with cold water. I donโt use any laundry detergent and everything comes out cleaner and brighter than it ever did with laundry detergent. We purchased the Ecowasher Pro almost 6 years ago and itโs still going strong. Itโs really worth it for us.
Andrea says
ok… this sounds amazing! How have you never shared this tip with me before? Or maybe you have but I just didn’t fully comprehend!
I just put one of the Ecowashers into my Amazon cart… I might have to buy it and try it out for myself!
Thanks so much!!
Pascale says
Hi Andrea,
If you hook the EcoWasher, please donโt use the laundry balls. The EcoWasher works without it. I only use some stain remover from My Green Fills if needed. By the way, My Green Fills is a wonderful small business that makes non toxic products here in Traverse City, Michigan.
Andrea says
yes, I assumed that. This is so interesting — I’m excited to show Dave and get his opinion!
Gabriela says
Andreea, did you ever try it? If yes, what do you think? O if not, why not?
Andrea says
We never did do this — and I’m not really sure why. Our laundry room took FOREVER because of COVID so everything was really drawn out, and then all-of-a-sudden our appliances arrived, the plumber came, and then it was done and I was just so happy it was done that I didn’t think to ask for anything extra.
I’m reminded of this now and curious how much it would cost to have a plumber come out and hook it up (or if we could do it ourselves!)
Gabriela says
It caught my attention because of the ozone. We just started this year to clean the pool with ozone. We are still checking and see how it goes. But could be a good option. I sent the info to my husband and my brother in law to look into it.
Sherry says
I was also wondering why dates were left off. It was always the first thing I looked at which helped me know when an article was written. I do mess seeing dates.
Doreen@foxdenrd says
Iโm wondering why you have stopped using dates on your posts, and would you consider going back to using them? I find itโs helpful and relevant to know when something was initially published.
Nellie says
Me too
Lorrie says
I agree! Would appreciate seeing dates!
Andrea says
you got it — dates are back ๐
Martha says
Thank you for putting dates back on!!!
Andrea says
you’re welcome ๐
Natalia says
I’m also glad that the dates are back ๐ At least we can see if a comment was written pre-covid pandemic, so we won’t be jealous that someone is shopping at KOHL’s while the rest of us are looking out the window wishing for a little more freedom… – haha
Andrea says
haha — happy to please everyone who wanted the dates so badly! I guess I sort of missed them too ๐
Ashley says
Another vote here. I don’t mind rerunning content, and will often read through them, it’s just nice to know. Especially when it comes to comments.
Andrea says
your wish is my command — I did a little research, contacted my website guru, and figured out how to get the dates back for you all ๐
Andrea says
Hi Doreen
Thanks for the feedback! Whenever I publish a post, it is ALWAYS written (or completely updated) within the previous 2 weeks — so everything you’re reading today is current.
I can look into bringing the dates back — I’ll talk to my IT people about that.
Chris says
I love having the dates, too. ๐
I do a lot of these things too. I also keep my coffee grounds in the coffeemaker and use them again. I even use tea bags twice a lot of times. I put the used tea bag in the fridge until the next time I want to use it. Sometimes, I use Dawn dish soap for my laundry soap. I only heard about it maybe a year ago. You can’t use too much though or you will have too many suds, 1-3 teaspoons, depending on the size of the load. We do love our meat though. It helps that we have several deer in the freezer every year that our son keeps us provided with. He and my husband love to fish so he have lots of fish, too. I consider it free food, even though they spends LOTS of money on lures and boat gas, etc. But I consider it free, because they are going to spend that money whether or not they catch anything. LOL
Andrea says
The dates are back Chris! yay!
Also, thanks for sharing your tips… I’m super curious about using dish soap for laundry soap, I’ve always heard NEVER to do this (but I do trust you!)
Andrea says
Hi again, I just wanted to follow up and let you know that after doing a little digging today, I got the dates back on the posts ๐
Stephanie@ Big Ben Company says
This id definitely a very good post! Some of the tips and the ideas are quite useful. My hosband and I are trying recenytly to change the way we are living. We ะฐัะต trying to rethink and rationalizethe way we live, the way we work, what we spend and aht we throw. If we can repurpose, or use again something – we are doing it. We don’t buy things that we know to be harmful for the environment and we aer trying to recycle everything we need to throw out. The interesting thing is that we are not depriving ourselves from anything, and though we manage to save some money. Your article is one very good example for this way of living. Thank you for all the nice ideas!
Stephanie
a woman says
smart ideas! I will keep these in my mind.
Another idea is to have a menu for 2 weeks and shopping list for 2 weeks: I reduce the time, I reduce the money on the gas, and I reduce the risk to buy ‘extra items’. In plus, for certain items I ask my friends to buy for me to reduce the number of roads.
Lynn O. says
I am staying home more too as I noted on your post today I get to work from home two days a week. So, in doing that, one of the biggest changes I have made lately is making sure my driving errands are efficient. By that I mean when I work in town, I make sure to get all my stuff done in town the days I am there and don’t make a special trip for one errand, always combining them. That is a time and money saver! Since i do the cash envelope system, I really see it adding up!
Shereen says
Great article. Where do you get the drawer dividers in the first images. I’m moving soon and will be storing my dishes in a large drawer similar to the one you have.
Andrea says
Thanks Shereen! We LOVE the dish drawer in our kitchen… but that’s just how we ordered it when we renovated our kitchen 3 years ago. It’s basically just a peg board in the bottom of the drawer and then wooden dowels that screw into the peg board where ever it works. You could probably make your own if you found the dowles!
You can see a better picture of the drawer in this post: https://andreadekker.com/i-heart-organized-drawers/
Happy Moving!
Suzanne says
There are drawer divider kits on Amazon. We looked into it when we remodeled, but just ended up getting ours from the cabinet company. There are tons of products available for updating kitchen cabinets if you don’t want to update your kitchen without doing an entire remodel.
Here’s a link to the peg dividers:
https://www.amazon.com/Rev-Shelf-4DPS-2421-Cabinet-Drawer/dp/B0028BOTG0/ref=sr_1_27?crid=3S3PTSA000PKC&keywords=kitchen+cabinet+drawer+organizers&qid=1682509853&sprefix=kitchen+cabinet+drawer+organizers%2Caps%2C110&sr=8-27&ufe=app_do%3Aamzn1.fos.006c50ae-5d4c-4777-9bc0-4513d670b6bc
Andrea says
yes, love the peg drawer divider! Thanks for sharing the link!
Karen says
I use many of your tips, but am grabbing a few more…….. 5 months each year our water bill runs right around $300 (ugh) so this past summer we cut down on plant, tree and grass watering and were surprised that we were able to keep things nice and green. I also started using the fast cycles on both my washing machine and dishwasher and I always machine wash everything in cold water unless someone has been sick. I have seen no difference in my clothes or dishes. I actually read that since I rinse my dishes well before placing them in the dishwasher it isn’t good for it to run and waste it’s energy doing the pre-rinses.
Andrea says
wow, that is a high water bill! glad you figured out a way to get that down a bit — and glad you gleaned a few useful tips from this post!
Daria Harvey says
I also use vinegar instead of JetDry! I make my own laundry detergent, dryer sheets, window cleaner and all purpose cleaner. Easy to do and much less expensive! I also use the library instead of buying books. Also, when planning my meals, I look into my pantry and see what I already have to create meals around. I spend much less at the grocery store this way.
Mrs. Frugalista says
Aside from strictly using drying racks to dry our clothes, my husband recently installed a line in our basement to hang bulkier items such as bed sheets. Our basement is dry, unusually warm for New Jersey winters and it is not musty. Also, I make my own stock using ham bones, turkey and chicken carcasses, turn off lights when not being used, shop around for the best heating oil prices, etc. Small changes can lead to long-term savings.
Chris K in Wisconsin says
I haven’t been shopping since before Christmas. But… I received the dreaded 30% from Kohls! So today we went and as I picked things up, I asked “is this something I need….. or is it just something I want?” It worked pretty well as I came home with just a few things (but, one of them was just a “want”), but I did buy it anyway and even after getting home, I was OK with it. After Christmas we went through every bin we have as we packed everything back up, and I ended up w/ a large garbage bag full as well as a lg box to take for donation. Why I would have to shop for ANYTHING is kind of crazy as we are retired and I can certainly wear the same 4 sweatshirts and sweatpants and jeans around the house ~ esp in the winter. I DO, after all, have a washer and dryer!! Also, we bought gift certificates at Culver’s before Christmas and got the free basket coupons with them. Again, being retired we can go out for lunches instead of suppers. The same food on the lunch menu is almost always less expensive in “sit down and order” restaurants than it is for supper/ dinner.
I also wonder if people know how valuable their libraries are. I don’t purchase books very often, and instead get them from the library. As soon as a new book is released that I know I will want to read, I go on-line and put my name on the hold list. It might take a month or two, but I can wait! There are many videos (wonderful to use for kids) and audio books, too.
It almost becomes a game to see how much we can save. Our house was paid off before we retired and we always pay cash for cars and any renovation projects, etc. We just wait until there is enough so we can pay and not borrow or use a credit card. My husband wanted to buy a car once with 0% financing. He tried to make it easier by telling me we had the money anyway, but this way we could hold onto our $$ without losing any interest. By the first weekend I was sick to my stomach thinking about a payment, and within 2 weeks we went in and paid it off!!
Great post!!!!
Andrea says
haha — oh those Kohl’s coupons! I really am laughing at this though — because I just got the 30% off coupon AND I have $10 of “yes too” rewards that I need to spend by the end of the month, so I have it on my to-do list to go to Kohl’s on Friday (i’m already dreading it!)
Janet says
We use cloth napkins the same way you do! Love the $ savings and the space saved in my cabinet by not using paper napkins.
Great post.
Jan Ramsey Brick says
These are all great ideas Andrea. I love vinegar. I use it in my laundry but never thought to use it in the dishwasher. I’m going go put some in right now. Thanks! ๐
Andrea says
I’ve had really good luck using it in the dishwasher!
Nancy Johnson says
I do practically everything mentioned in your post (don’t do the homemade soaps). In addition, I use vinegar as a fabric softener in the laundry. Started doing it because perfumed fabric softeners on my sheets make me break out, and after buying the fragrance free softener for years, decided to try vinegar and the dryer balls you recommended. Works great, and no itchy skin!
Andrea says
yay! Glad the vinegar and dryer balls are working for you too!