I have to say, I take so much pleasure in people realizing what I complete cheapskate I am, because my life really is extravagant in so many ways. The reason for this is that I cut expenses in other ways that free up money for some fun things like (albeit affordable and practical) travel. Here is my list of what I do to keep costs down, so that fun things can be more of a priority. Enjoy!
1. Don’t use your dryer. Yup, I wanted to start off with a bit of a shocker… You read correctly. I do not use a dryer. Mine broke way back in June, so I bought an IKEA drying rack in a pinch, and haven’t looked back once. Sure, it’s mildly annoying to air dry everything, especially sheets, but when I realized it cost approximately $8 every time I ran my dryer, I decided to try going without. My electricity bill is markedly lower, and I feel like my clothes look much better and will last longer.
2. Adopt one simple rule: If you’re eating solo, you’re cooking. A large part of the pleasure of eating out is being in the company of friends. Save your dinners and lunches out for when you can really enjoy the entire experience. Your solo meals don’t have to be anything fancy.. My go-to are Trader Joe’s chicken fingers and roasted broccoli. Both can be plopped on a cookie sheet and baked at 425 for 25-30 minutes, and viola! Low calorie and delicious dinner for about $2.50. Going Solo in the Kitchen: A Practical and Persuasive Cookbook for Anyone Living Alone-with More Than 350 Easy, Delicious Recipes and Strategies for Food Shopping, Storing, and Recycling
3. Buy in bulk. Think about what you use a lot of and stock up at Costco. For me, I make smoothies every morning, so I buy my frozen organic fruit (organic berry blend and pineapple) and organic frozen spinach in bulk. My dog is also pad trained, so I get those there too. I also eat a ton of roasted chick peas, so I buy a dozen or so cans at a time at Costco. Another bonus of Costco are things like discount movie tickets and restaurant gift cards. The one near me isn’t great when it comes to either, but my friends in Houston go to Costco before every time they go to their favorite Mexican restaurant because the gift cards at Costco are $100 worth of food for $75. Not a bad deal (IF you’re eating out with friends ;)!
4. Change that gym membership! Is working out important? Absolutely, but do you really need to do all those group fitness classes? Be honest here… Are they fun? Yes. Are they motivating? 100%. But, they get insanely expensive. I know some people who pay $200+/month for group fitness. Again, I’m not knocking it. I love my ((305)) or SoulCycle or Peloton classes as much as the next person. But, I would much rather pay my $10/month Planet Fitness membership and run on the treadmill and do their 30 minute cycle on the reg, and hit up one of these classes here and there with girlfriends. Plus, there are a ton of really great resources on YouTube. This is one of my favorites, and, of course, always a classic is the Jillian Michaels – 30 Day Shred
5. Scrap the cable. Yup. That’s right. You don’t need it. As a busy 20 or 30-something, how much time do you HONESTLY sit down to watch TV? On average, probably 2-3 hours a week. Are those 2-3 hours worth the $100 or more you pay for cable? Probably not. Put another way, if you had to pay $10 every time you watch a show, would you? Well, if you watch TV only 2 hours a week, that’s essentially what you’re paying. Crazy! I personally use my parents’ cable login to watch Fixer Upper and This is Us on my iPad and stream it on my Apple TV. I should also note that I have wrangled with my Internet company annually to get a low rate. You can do this too. Just be assertive and threaten to cancel if they don’t lower the cost.
6. Speaking of TV, be aware of what you’re watching. It IS influential! Even as adults, we can be swayed by what we see. This is one of many reasons I stopped watching reality television. Are they inherently bad? Of course not! I used to be totally hooked on The Bachelor and almost all of the Real Housewives shows. But, I found myself wanting to live a life more extravagant than what I could afford, and justifying expenses that I really shouldn’t have by having constant exposure to designer clothing brands and sprawling mansions. The Real Housewives live verrryyyy fancy lifestyles, and I’m just not there yet (some day!), and The Bachelor takes the girls on vacations that would be way out of my price point. Again, nothing wrong with them.. They’re fun to watch, but for me, it was not good for my budget.
7. Do not be afraid to thrift. As a self-proclaimed germaphobe, the idea of wearing someone else’s clothes really grossed me out, until a friend reminded me that that is why God (along with Alva J. Fisher–yes, I just Googled this) created washing machines and why Billy Mays (RIP) created OxiClean 
8. Really, really think out your purchases. Never impulse buy. My seasonal wardrobe updates typically only consist of 5-8 new items.. Yup, that’s it. I’m an avid reader of fashion blogs, so I keep up-to-date on what’s trendy. This way, I can narrow down what I want to update and what I’m cool with keeping for another season. I will warn you, though. If you are easily influenced, fashion blogs can be financially dangerous.. Proceed with caution. A few of my favorite fashion blogs are:
- The College Prepster
- Classy Girls Wear Pearls
- Sequins and Things
- Covering Bases
- The Sweetest Thing
- Southern Curls and Pearls
- The CLE Fashionista
- Sheaffer Told Me To
All that’s on my list for spring updates are an off-the-shoulder chambray top and white jeans. I’m sure I’ll want some minor accessories too, but I’m pretty happy with my current spring/summer threads.
9. Use cloth napkins. Our school had an assembly last year that had to do with Pope Francis’ encyclical about our over-consumption (Laudato Si), and this really got me thinking about the amount of paper towels I go through. I’ve stocked up on both cheap kitchen towels from IKEA (the 75 cent ones), and pretty cloth napkins, which I pack with my lunch every day. Now, I go through a roll of paper towels a month, which is insane, because I definitely went through a roll a WEEK before.. How cute are these Cotton Craft Napkins
10. Meal plan! (and carry a water bottle with you at all times). I’ll be writing plenty when it comes to meal planning in upcoming months, but the short version is this: You usually know what you have going on throughout the week, so plan accordingly. By far the thing I am tempted to spend the most on is snacks and drinks when I’m out and about. If I know I volunteer on Tuesday evenings, for example, I can make a dinner that I can bring with me, like a veggie wrap. If I don’t do this, I definitely will stop at a sandwich shop, and buy something that is both more expensive and more caloric than if I had just brought something from home. Before you embark upon your week, sit down, see what you have going on, and prepare for the nights that you can’t eat at home. Also, always bring a water bottle with you! Keep it in your purse at all times. How cute are these water bottles
Shhhh.. I added a little bonus tip: Diva Cup 
Alright, there ya have it. These little tidbits have been my saving grace when it comes to freeing up money for other things. I would love to hear your tips in the comments below! Thanks for reading!
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From one cheapskate to another – Love this! I try to put many of these in practice already (just cut cable and am seriously debating about my gym membership too). It’s really interesting how much you can save just by making little changes here and there!
YES! I love cloth napkins! We have everyday and fancy cloth napkins — it started because I would forget to buy napkins and we’d find ourselves without… now we never run out! Also — in general — cancel memberships (even Netflix!) and get what you actually NEED after a month.
These are great tips! We went without TV for THREE years while I was in college and just starting my old career. Now we are in a place where we can afford TV, but it is a question of if we really NEED it or if it is just a silly expense getting in the way. As a fitness instructor who has worked at gyms and solo – I also suggest ditching the gym if you don’t use it 4 or 5 times per week. Check out some local community classes instead, you could probably save lots of money and paying for those individual classes keeps you more accountable and motivated, I find.