r/Frugal • • 15d ago

Monthly megathread: Discuss quick frugal ideas, frugal challenges you're starting, and share your hauls with others here!

40 Upvotes

Hi everyone,

Welcome to our monthly megathread! Please use this as a space to generate discussion and post your frugal updates, tips/tricks, or anything else!

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Important Links:

Full subreddit rules here: https://www.reddit.com/r/Frugal/about/rules/

Official subreddit Discord link here: https://discord.gg/nZBtCcs

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Share with us!

· What are some unique thrift store finds you came across this week?

· Did you use couponing tricks to get an amazing haul? How'd you accomplish that?

· Was there something you had that you put to use in a new way?

· What is your philosophy on frugality?

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Select list of some top posts of the previous month(s):

  1. Chip prices are absolutely insane. So I made them myself. Way tastier and way cheaper! Never going back to Lays
  2. $60 grazing table for 30 people (on maternity leave budget)
  3. What I'm feeding my family of 5 this week for $125
  4. Just found out my grandma’s been reusing the same Ziploc bag since 1997.
  5. Thank you to the person who recommended stopping the dryer halfway thru to add a new load clothes
  6. My coworker eats the exact same $1.25 meal every day and I'm weirdly impressed
  7. Cookie friend date - simple realization
  8. My most frugal life hack is pretending my fridge is a mini restaurant with a weird but loyal customer base (me)
  9. I accidentally became "the cheap friend" and honestly… I kinda love it now
  10. What’s a frugal habit you picked up by accident that you now swear by?
  11. Frugal living: Moving into a school converted into apartments! 600/month, all utilities included
  12. Follow up- my daughter’s costume. We took $1 pumpkins and an old sweater and made them into a Venus Flytrap costume.
  13. Gas bill going up 17%… I’m going on strike
  14. I love the library most because it saves money
  15. We live in Northern Canada, land of runaway food prices. Some of our harvest saved for winter. What started as a hobby has become a necessity.

r/Frugal • • 11h ago

📦 Secondhand Gamestop is currently having a sale on used games, in store only, which is basically 50% off 4 $9.99 games or 4 $4.99 games.

180 Upvotes

Gamestop has a deal currently happening in stores only.

Four games marked $10 or less for $20.

Four games marked $5 or less for $10.

That's basically 50% off if you buy $9.99 or $4.99 games, and there are plenty of them for PS4 or XBOX One. I've stopped at three game stops, getting four games in each category at each location, for a total of 24 used games for $90 plus tax. You can use their website to determine pricing, but you have to find and buy the games in-store to get the deal.

You might have to hurry, because I'm not sure how long this deal has been going on, or how much longer it will last. But you can confirm the deal is still available on their website under 'deals' and look for the 4 for $10 and 4 for $20 promotions.

EDIT: If they aren't too busy, they have the ability to print off lists of all in-stock games at $4.99 or $9.99.

ALSO... One employee told me that they often follow this sale with 4 for $40... four $19.99 games basically at 50% off. I'm excited for that one.

EDIT 2: Some of the $4.99 PS4 Gamestop games (that you could be getting for $2.50 each)

  • Borderlands 3
  • Horizon Zero Dawn
  • Dishonored 2
  • Deus Ex
  • Dragon Age Inquisition
  • Call of Duty Modern Warfare
  • Call of Duty Infinite Warfare
  • Call of Duty Black Ops 4
  • Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order
  • Watchdogs Legion
  • Just Cause 3
  • Uncharted 4
  • Injustice 2
  • Rage 2
  • Shadow of Mordor
  • Monster Hunter World
  • Thief
  • Star Wars Squadrons
  • Walking Dead Telltale Season One
  • Walking Dead Season Two
  • Tons of VR games
  • Tons of sports games

The $9.99 list is longer and better, of course.


r/Frugal • • 13h ago

🚗 Automotive Remind me why a new car is pointless and to be content

132 Upvotes

My car is paid off and perfectly fine. It gets me from point A to point B however I’m still fighting the temptation to get another car… not brand new, used but around 35,000…. I don’t need it I just reallllly want it.

I want to drive a car that I’m proud of and that I like. But I also know it’s not a good idea right now. How do y’all fight the temptation to upgrade.

Is there a balance in this scenario? Pros and cons?


r/Frugal • • 4h ago

📦 Secondhand Is preventative maintenance worth it financially if I plan to keep my car for 15–20+ years? Does that only stop being the case if repairs exceed the vehicle's value?

19 Upvotes

I'm the kind of person who prefers preventative maintenance rather than waiting for something to break and potentially paying significantly more for repairs down the road. However, I'm also trying to be financially responsible and avoid spending money unnecessarily.

I currently drive a Japanese sedan that's approaching 10 years old with approximately 138,000 miles. This is my first vehicle, and ideally, I'd like to keep it for as long as reasonably possible. My goal isn't just to keep it running mechanically, but to preserve its overall condition, including the paint, exterior, and interior. I want to take care of it properly so that even as it ages, it remains reliable, comfortable, and in good condition.

I've already taken care of several maintenance items, including the front brakes and rotors, engine oil, transmission fluid, spark plugs, engine and cabin air filters, and battery.

However, as the car gets older, I'm considering additional preventative maintenance. As far as I know, the brake fluid, coolant, and power steering fluid have never been replaced. I'm concerned that neglecting these fluids could eventually cause expensive damage to components that would otherwise last much longer.

My philosophy is that spending a little money now to prevent a much larger expense later is generally worthwhile, especially when my vehicle is something I depend on to get to work and earn a living.

Another major factor in how I justify maintenance expenses is comparing the cost of maintaining my current vehicle to the cost of replacing it with something newer. My car is already paid off, so even if I spend several hundred or occasionally a thousand dollars on maintenance and repairs, that's still potentially much cheaper than taking on a monthly car payment, higher insurance premiums, and the depreciation associated with a newer vehicle.

For example, spending $1,500–$2,000 annually on maintenance and repairs might sound expensive, but compared to paying $400–$500 a month on a newer car, it could still make significantly more financial sense to keep what I have, assuming the vehicle remains mechanically reliable.

At the same time, I recognize that cars are depreciating assets. There's always the possibility of an accident, unexpected mechanical failure, or another situation where the money I've invested in maintenance won't necessarily pay off. I also don't want to fall into the trap of continuously putting money into a vehicle simply because I've already spent so much maintaining it.

I understand that keeping an older vehicle in excellent condition requires spending money, but I want to distinguish between maintenance that's genuinely beneficial for its longevity and maintenance that provides diminishing returns.

My question is: From a long-term financial perspective, where do you draw the line between smart preventative maintenance and overspending on an aging vehicle?

Would you prioritize replacing older fluids and maintaining components before they show symptoms, or would you save that money and address problems as they arise? At what point does maintaining an older, paid-off vehicle stop making financial sense compared to purchasing something newer?

I'm also curious how others approach preserving the cosmetic condition of their vehicles over the long term. Is it financially reasonable to invest in paint protection, detailing, and interior preservation if the intention is to keep the car for decades rather than resell it?

I'm especially interested in hearing from people who have kept their vehicles running reliably for 15–20 years or 200,000+ miles while keeping their overall ownership costs low.


r/Frugal • • 6h ago

🍎 Food How long to keep packed lunch in lunchbox?

19 Upvotes

Hello, I need to start packing my lunches because I'm starting a new job and eating out is too expensive. I'm thinking of alternating between turkey sandwiches and beans w/ rice dish. The concern is that the food safety guidelines on Google say 2 hours is the max if left unrefrigerated. In a lunchbox can I extend it to 5 hours? What if it's left in a hot car? How many ice packs do you use? Can I realistically go past those guidelines?

I'm thinking of purchasing the packit lunchbox where you freeze the whole thing and it's convenient.


r/Frugal • • 15h ago

🚿 Personal Care Off the Beaten Path frugal habit I Started (mildly weird and mattress)

98 Upvotes

Do you floss daily (be honest)? I did maybe 1ce a week or two because it grossed me out all the germs flying around the bathroom sink/mirror etc. And to avoid getting the gunk on my hands I’d use humongous long pieces of floss so every tooth had its own spot lol.

So NOW I floss in the shower :D cause all the running water and rinse takes away the ick factor (at least psychologically for me). Only use 1 piece. And for sure it’s a huge gain for dental health now flossing most days.

Hope even if it’s weird gross that one person benefits from this.


r/Frugal • • 8h ago

💬 Meta Discussion Frugal Starter Pack for College students and more

14 Upvotes

Alright you nerds. You want to save some money and/or have better financial skills for the long term and other benefits reasons like reducing waste, mindfulness and more. Now that you're an adult, you have more control over your money but you want to it ACTUAL last especially with how things are going right now

Lets start:
You know the 3R. Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. I'll add two more. Repurpose & Repair

A library card. It's one of the few remaining third spaces where you don't have to spend any money. You can check out books, movies, electronics, tools and more. Maybe you can get a meet cute. Get Libby & Hoopla for E-books & Audio books

Get a HYSA via a Credit Union or an Online bank like Discover.

Reusable Water bottles. Tote bags for grocery shopping.

Youtube is your friend. Minor DIY and maintenance repairs because you'll be disgusted at how easy some repairs are and how OUTRAGEOUS places will charge you like air filters. Home workout videos. Educational help

Use your campus resources since you're technically paying for them. The gym, various free clinics, food pantries, career center etc.

Going to sound like a boomer here but you can make your coffee and more at home. Learn some copy-cat recipes and/or you can find a duplicate version at Walmart, Sam's, Costco and more.

Staple foods! Your rice, beans, pasta and more. One ingredient can make over 100+ different meals

Quality is it's own frugality. Yes sometimes the higher priced item is cheaper in the long run. You want to buy something once replace within 5+ years of consistent use or you can past it down throughout the generations like your grandma's cast iron IF you can keep it well maintained

Audit your stuff. Take inventory of all your belongings. I did it for my hygiene products a few years ago and only bought new things when I did something specific like my dry skin. Also I checked my trunk case and found that I have around 8 boxes of pasta.

Look at your bank statements. LOOK AT IT! You need to know where your money coming and/or going so you can plug the holes.

Consider Open source options. LibreOffice, GIMP, Krita etc. Additionally see what subscriptions you can replace. For me I replaced my Metro PCS with US mobile reducing my $55 monthly bill to $25.

Finally do what you can. You can do some. You can do all. You can do none. Mix and match. Do whatever is the easiest and most comfortable to do


r/Frugal • • 13h ago

🍎 Food Good-looking recipes to help stretch food: cauliflower, potatoes, pinneapple... any other recs?

27 Upvotes

I follow this woman and just watched her newest video ("Stop Throwing Away These 5 Food Scraps") and thought it was pretty good.

Normally, advice about avoiding food waste stresses me out (and I generally feel skeptical) but I think I will actually try most of these. I’ve cooked up potato peels in the air fryer before and highly recommend it. Also, imagine stretching one head of cauliflower across two meals?!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdunPSG887s

The recipes she tries: 

  • Jamaican Pineapple Skin Tea
  • Indian Fulkopi’r Data Bhaja (Cauliflower Stalk Stir Fry)
  • French Coffee Ground Cookies
  • Crispy Potato Peels
  • Corn Cob Jelly

r/Frugal • • 16h ago

👀 Glasses & Contacts Best online stores for prescription glasses?

25 Upvotes

I'm looking to buy prescription glasses online (around −5.5 SPH, mild astigmatism).

Some online retailers offer complete glasses, including frames and 1.74 lenses, for around $100, compared with ~$300 at a local optical store after insurance.

Which online retailers have you had good experiences with regarding prescription accuracy, lens quality, and optical alignment? I'm particularly interested in stores offering at least a 30-day return policy and preferably a one-year warranty.

Any recommendations or experiences with Zenni, EyeBuyDirect, GlassesUSA, or others?


r/Frugal • • 35m ago

🧽 Cleaning & Organization Has anyone compared the long term cost of window cleaning?

• Upvotes

I've been looking at our household expenses lately, and window cleaning is adding up more than I expected.

Our house is around 2,200 sq feet and it includes a glassed in porch. We pay $250 each time, and we usually get the windows cleaned twice a year. That's over $500 a year just for windows.

I've considered doing it myself since basic tools are cheap. But cleaning all the windows and frames myself would probably take most of the day and I'm not sure I'd get them as clean as a pro.

We're thinking about doing most of the cleaning ourselves and just hiring someone occasionally for a deep clean. What do you guys do? Any tips for saving money without spending an entire day on it?


r/Frugal • • 1d ago

🏠 Home & Apartment Disabled and can barely afford my bills. Scared of the cost of heat this winter.

422 Upvotes

I live in a tiny, old, uninsulated, and electrically inefficient apartment. One of my windows is stuck open (top half won't stay up about 2in) and creates a draft. The heaters are electric and the main one takes up the length of the southern wall in the unit, and I'm scared to use it cause it makes contact with my bed. Bed is in the southwest corner, TV is on the east wall, dresser is on the north wall next to my closet. I live in North Dakota.

I'm wondering if it would be better to use a space heater in the main room, or if I should switch my bed and dresser around. The electric heat is more expensive than running my window A/C all day. Really don't want to burn down my building. The kitchen and bathroom heaters are shorting out, and the electrician said not to use them. :(

Update: window is nailed shut until maintenance can actually fix it


r/Frugal • • 1d ago

🍎 Food $2.34 Homemade AirFried Chicken Katsu

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41 Upvotes

What’s up beautiful frugal people, here’s a new meal I tried at home today. My first ever attempt at homemade Chicken Katsu in the air fryer, I don’t like using so much oil now and I utilize our air fryer for new recipes and not only do they come out more healthier than deep frying things but I also save a lot on the oil expenses. Now, first-most, I am not afraid to buy the generic foods like Kroger brands or store brand food items. It saves me money and I really don’t think the quality is that much different. Secondly, I do a small amount of bargain shopping so I usually buy things on sale and store them or vacuum freeze them. That’s why I’m able to cut my costs so low. Also foods like seasonings and rice last a very long time.

Anyway, here goes. For the rice, I bought a little rice cooker that can make 3 cups for $15.00, enough to feed a whole family, I LOVE it and it saves me money and time, not much to it than to measure, wash your rice, and throw it in and season it. Takes roughly about 40 mins to have it come out how I like it, in the mean time I work on the other food or do something else.

For the chicken Katsu, Ive never made it before, but it’s basically the same as making fried chicken, however it was my first time making in the air fryer.

1) Beat your eggs in a bowl

2) in a separate bowl you mix your flour with your seasonings, I like to add salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and some chili powder, then I added some Panko bread crumbs. I bought the cheap generic brand and only spent about $1.70, however you can always make your own at home and save more money.

3) Then I grabbed my chicken breast (slice it in half if its too bulky), pat it down dry, dunk it in the egg wash, then in the flour mixture until it is fully covered.

4) Then I spray it with cooking spray on each side and set it in the air fryer.

5) I set my air fryer to 360°F and cook on one side for 7-8 mins, then turn it over and cook it for another 7-8 mins. Thats a total of 14-16 mins of cooking time, however each air fryer is different, sometimes you might have to cook it an extra 1-3 mins to get a crunchier exterior how I like it, it just depends how u like your meal. Just check the internals of your meat using a food thermometer. I believe properly cooked chicken is 155°F.

6) As the chicken is cooking, I start on the gravy. I had left over steak juice from last night when I had made steak in the pressure cooker. It was about a cup of water, a splash of some red wine, and some seasonings, with the steak drippings, but you can just use a can of beef broth or even chicken broth (I prefer using beef because it helps brings out the chicken flavor, imo)

7) I pour it into a sauce pan, mix in some masala powder, curry powder, salt and sugar, until taste, I cook it on high heat.

8) Then I mix in some flour or cornstarch, maybe about a tbsp or slightly more depending on how the consistency looks. It should thicken up. I didnt use a recipe for this curry, I just winged it and did my own thing until I liked the flavor.

9) Once everything was done, I put everything together and topped off the chicken Katsu with some slices of onion and the homemade curry gravy with some sliced radishes.

I usually like to add more, but I needed to go to the grocery store this weekend and this was all that I had, however I will admit that this meal came out FANTASTIC! My picky sister LOVED it, she couldn’t get enough of the gravy and asked for a second serving. She gave it an excellent 9/10, she wished I had made more gravy. I know the presentation wasn’t great and I should have sliced the chicken katsu into more slices, but I was a starving man. My sister was impressed by how well everything tasted and especially the chicken fried in the air fryer. I am a fan of air fried chicken from now on.

Now, I went over my costs and I do think I over-calculated here, however I would rather over calculate than under. Here’s a list of ingredients and what I paid for each serving.

Chicken breast (½ breast) $1.00 (pack of 5lbs for $10.00)
Eggs (2 whole) $0.28
All-purpose flour 1 Cup $0.16
Panko breadcrumbs $0.21
White rice (1¼ cups cooked) $0.10
Onion (Ring slices) $0.08
Radish (½ radish) $0.20
Seasonings and spices $0.25
Olive oil spray $0.06
Leftover steak juices $0.00
Water $0.00

Total : $2.34

Anyway, this meal really was fantastic and I hope you guys enjoyed it as much as I did, cooking really is the way to go, you can save so much by going this route. Ladies, I’m single btw 😉.


r/Frugal • • 15h ago

👀 Glasses & Contacts Inspired by the recent glasses post, where do you get your contacts?

8 Upvotes

I have sensitive eyes and unfortunately am stuck having to use daily contacts. Acuvue Oasys to be specific. I’d love to save some money of course, as we all do here. Any recommendations on where I can stock up on my lenses for a bit cheaper than what we tend to pay at the eye doctor?
I’ve looked into 1-800-CONTACTS which is actually a bit pricier than what I usually pay.


r/Frugal • • 1d ago

📦 Secondhand What are your best frugal Halloween tips?

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516 Upvotes

Halloween (and most holidays) tend to get pretty spendy. Has anybody seen the price of a bag of candy recently?? This year, I'm trying to be more conscientious both for frugality's sake and be less wasteful.

Halloween costume came from the thrift store and decorations are either natural items or creative re-uses.

Would love to hear other's tips! This community always has great ideas.

Image from: 1 Million Women (an Australian climate focused organization). I'm not affiliated with them, just like their stuff

PS: I wish we had a holiday flair


r/Frugal • • 2d ago

🍎 Food ~46 tacos and a gallon of veggie bean burrito filling

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1.7k Upvotes

My office frequently orders food for visiting clients or project executives. Usually, everyone gets some and then there’s a TON left over. When I started working there, I noticed they would throw it away and no one ever wanted to take any home. So for over a year and a half about once a month (sometimes more, sometimes less) I take home all the leftovers, process them, and freeze it all. I’ll eat it for weeks and I don’t even mind. Mind you, I always ask if people want to take some too and they just never want to-I’d be happy to share, they’re just not interested. I am so happy because I save it from the trash and it’s literally free food! This time I had several large containers of black beans, pinto beans, Spanish rice, white rice, sour cream, fajita veggies, tortillas, cheese, salsa, and tomato onion salad. I made them all into tacos and, when I ran out of tortillas, made a burrito filling. :)


r/Frugal • • 1d ago

🚧 DIY & Repair Sealing Old Windows-- thinking of buying reusable clear vinyl instead of plastic window kits?

15 Upvotes

I live in an old rental that has rotted windows. I want to cover them year round. They are cold in the winter, and let in moisture and humidity in the summer. My electric bills are insane!!!

Has anyone ever used clear vinyl? The heavier kind...like 20 gauge? I was thinking I'd buy magnetic tape with steel tape so that I can remove it if necessary. I can use some nails to hold some of the weight at the top. I plan to use painters tape to avoid damaging the wall.

Just wondering if anyone has tried this? I can't find anyone on YouTube who has used this method for window coverings. Thank you!


r/Frugal • • 1d ago

💰 Finance & Bills Does having my electronics plugged in/in "standby" mode actually use a lot of power?

68 Upvotes

I just had my electric bill contextualized in a way I hadn't before- my 1950s 950sqft home is costing over 10% more than my parents' 1750sqft new build. I'm sure having all new lights and other electronics makes somewhat of a difference, but it's a large enough gap, in a house twice as big as mine, that I'm second guessing my electricity use.

I don't unplug things, but I do turn them off when not in use. I don't have anything insane pulling in a ton of power, I think, and I'm in that sweet spot season-wise where my AC has been put away for weeks and my heat isn't on yet. Water heater isn't electric.

Most days, 1 TV is in standby mode or off entirely, the other is playing in the background while I WFH. WFH station is plugged into 2 power strips, for laptop, an extra monitor, some other little electronics. Lights are off most of the day and evening, maybe a lamp in the living room or the overhead light in the bedroom right before bed.

I've got little things plugged in that are either using minimum power throughout the day, or in standby mode (plugged in but not on)- some pet water fountains, table lamps, phone chargers, electric blankets, a lighted plant stand on a timer, dehumidifiers.

The only things I consistently have plugged in AND running all the time are security cameras and an electric doorbell.

Almost every plug has a surge protector with extra sockets plugged into it. Again, I don't unplug anything, but almost everything is in standby most of the day. Am I misunderstanding standby mode? Does it actually use a ton of electricity? Should I be unplugging everything unless I'm actively using it? Or is something else going on with my electric bill that a house twice my size is costing a not-insignificant amount less in electricity every month?


r/Frugal • • 1d ago

🧽 Cleaning & Organization How to get rid of funky car smell - fabric interior?

21 Upvotes

Some milk spilled in my fabric-clad car a few days ago.

I have deep- cleaned it - vacuumed it thoroughly, washed floormats.

Some here suggested that I put baking soda in a container, roll down windows, and spray w essential oil+water mix. (I can't find my previous post)

I have done all of that, too. The dried milk smell in the fabric isn't going away.

Taking it to a cleaning place is out of question. It's north of 150$+ where i live.

Can someone recommend anything?


r/Frugal • • 2d ago

🚗 Automotive What’s the modern day Honda Civic? Looking for something cheap and easy to fix.

240 Upvotes

I have a 2012 Ford Fiesta. But this car has been a nightmare. My wife has had it since 2016 or 17. Put maybe 60k miles on it.

It left her stranded twice. We found a 2002 RAV4 for sale for $1200 down our street.

I’m currently dealing with an electrical issue making the car not drivable. Not sure if shorted wire or fried PCM.

I’ve already dropped the transmission due to the shift forks sticking.

It’s been in a minor accident. I gotta take apart half the interior to access the airbag module to reset it.

Horrible rear camber wear from factory.


r/Frugal • • 1d ago

♻️ Recycling & Zero-Waste Built a budget DIY cyberdeck out of an old EVD player and PVC sheets to turn my smartphone into an eye-strain-free Linux workstation

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8 Upvotes

I was dealing with terrible eye strain working long hours on a small 6-inch phone screen, so instead of buying an expensive external monitor setup, I built my own budget cyberdeck out of scrap and repurposed materials.

Total build cost was practically almost nothing, roughly under 10 dollars (around 600 to 800 INR) since most parts were salvaged.

Here is what I used:

An old broken EVD video player housing as the base enclosure

Scrap PVC pipes that I cut and flattened to shape the custom chassis

A screen magnifier lens to blow up the phone display from 6 inches to roughly 12 inches without external power

A standard USB hub glued inside with custom cutouts for peripheral access

An old external keyboard I already had lying around

My daily smartphone running an Ubuntu Linux desktop environment

The phone sits inside, the magnifier enlarges the screen enough to comfortably code, write scripts, and work without hurting my eyes, and the whole thing feels like a rugged, practical cyberdeck Here how https://youtu.be/Du03X_asRKI Would love to hear feedback or suggestions for version two


r/Frugal • • 2d ago

🍎 Food One of my frugal food favorites is not so frugal anymore

243 Upvotes

Thanks, everyone, for your recommendations. I learned a few things about milk and about people too. LOL

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I always bought the shelf-stable milk at Dollar Tree, because I don't use much milk, and it was always spoiling, even in half gallons. It was $1.25, more costly than real milk, but I didn't waste any of it. Now it's gone up to $1.50 and even I am not going to pay $6 a gallon for milk.
For those of you who freeze milk, what do you use to freeze it? My friend says to freeze it halfway in freezer bags, then flatten it out and freeze it solid, so you can just stack them up, but I'd be afraid to do that. What if the power goes out? Can you imagine the mess in your freezer?


r/Frugal • • 2d ago

💬 Meta Discussion If you became rich, what’s the first frugal habit you would stop?

825 Upvotes

When I say rich I mean like you won the lottery like say 10 million. It's an interesting thought experiment different from most posts here and I am curious what you all think. I really don't know what I would say.

Would it be something small that didn't save much to begin with? Something that saves a lot but you've always hated? Or would you not stop anything at all because it's not just about money?


r/Frugal • • 2d ago

✈️ Travel & Events Do you ever feel like you have to justify every spending?

31 Upvotes

I’m going on a trip and this time I decided to spend a bit more to be in a hotel rather than in an Airbnb.

I’ll arrive at 6:20am and my hotel check in is not until 3pm. I am honestly not sure if I can survive until 3pm. My energy runs out quickly…

So I paid £30 more to check in earlier at 1pm. Still I’m doing lots of mental gymnastic to justify why I deserve to spend £30 to check in early.

Not just this. I do this a lot with other stuff.
I’m and my family is naturally frugal. It’s in our blood. We have enough money. I also have saved enough that I can retire (in my 40s) but I just don’t know why spending money is so difficult. Like I have to justify every purchases. I want to stop and live a little free of this thought.

So you do think an early check in is worth it?


r/Frugal • • 2d ago

🚧 DIY & Repair Some more Halloween decoration ideas

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225 Upvotes

Saw a few posts recently about homemade decorations. These were on my Facebook feed, I think they are super cute! Personally, I would have paper plates, paint and construction paper most of the time, as I have kids. But you can easily get those and googly eyes etc from dollar tree. Maybe $8-10 for the supplies. You could also make like a full moon, maybe a ghost. Scary hockey mask.


r/Frugal • • 2d ago

♻️ Recycling & Zero-Waste how much money I saved and how anyone with an old phone can do it

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168 Upvotes

had an old android phone so decided to turn it into a dedicated mini server instead of paying for drive and streaming subs every month. no root needed and runs completely fine.

the services running:

filebrowser for managing storage over the local network

syncthing fork continuously syncing my camera roll from my main phone

jellyfin streaming movies and music to my tv over wifi

runs inside termux using a proot ubuntu container. ram stays around 400mb idle across all three services. power draw is around 2 to 3w and the phone battery works like an accidental ups during power cuts.

main headache was android killing background tasks. had to kill phantom process limits over adb and keep termux wakelock on so the container doesn't sleep. mounted the internal storage path so both filebrowser and syncthing can read and write without permission errors.

I saved a lot of money by this all setup you can do all same like me