Despite their practicality, many sound pieces of frugal advice are often overlooked. A user took it to the forum, and asked, “What’s a piece of frugal advice you see ignored often?”. Here are the top responses.
SPENDING MONEY ON THINGS THAT MATTER TO YOU
“That it’s okay to spend money you have on things that matter to you. I’ve gone down the rabbit hole of how many pennies can I pinch. It’s a miserable place to be. Save where it makes sense, spend where it makes sense.”, said one user.
USING CREDIT CARDS
“We know people who refuse to use credit cards. Maybe that’s good if they’re like alcoholics when it comes to credit. Just say no.
But they’re missing out on free money, plus the convenience, plus the other benefits like price protection.”, said one user.
BUYING A DECENT USED CAR
“It’s always cars. I don’t necessarily believe in “get a beater”. I’ve had those and with the $$ spent on repairs, I could have driven something better.
But a decent used car that will stay on the road, pay it off and drive it till it dies.”, said one user.
A DEAL IS ONLY A DEAL IF YOU WERE BUYING IT ANYWAYS
“I see a lot of people talking about all the things they got on sale or clearance and saved money. But unless you already were planning on buying or needed those things, you didn’t get a deal, you spent money you didn’t need to.
Also, I’m not talking about food items or household stuff that will eventually get used, but clothing and shoes and things that they don’t need and weren’t planning on buying anyways.”, said one user.
LEARNING TO BAKE
“People are far less willing to learn baking than to learn cooking. It’s been strange seeing the change. Back in the seventies baking was a normal life skill. My first grade (Gen X) reading textbook included a simple recipe for cookies, and all the kids in the reading group went home and baked cookies that week with our parents.
By junior high, I was doing simple baking unsupervised. Then during high school, the price of microwave ovens came down to where ordinary people could afford them. Ever since then, baking has become a niche skill.
There’s endless talk about the savings of DIYing coffee at home but not about the bakery shelf items people buy along with coffee. People don’t realize how much they’re getting fleeced for baked goods: dollars for a simple muffin or a cookie.”, said one user.
BUYING USED ITEMS (CLOTHES, ELECTRONICS, ETC)
“I don’t do Goodwill a lot because they’re expensive. However, I use apps such as Mercari and Facebook Marketplace. I’ve gotten such huge deals on clothes.
I try not to let my kids know their clothes are used, but at least 80% of what they own is used. Even my clothes are used.
It’s too damn expensive for clothes. People act as if used clothes are a sign you’re poor and struggling. Ok, fine, I don’t care, but I’m saving lots of money.”, said one user.
LIVING BELOW YOUR MEANS
“Half of the people making 100k or more are living paycheck to paycheck. The only way to stop this is to live below your means. That will help you save up.”
BEING THANKFUL FOR WHAT YOU HAVE
“People should stop comparing what they have with what others have. Instead, they should be thankful for the things they own.”, said one user.
DOING FREE ACTIVITIES FOR ENTERTAINMENT
“There’s a ton of stuff in our area like free concerts in the park, college events, museum passes at the library, free days at the museums, and naturalist activities at the regional parks that have been just as much fun for us as expensive plays and dinners out.”, said one user.
HAVING YARD SALE
“People refuse to have a yard sale because it’s “too much work”. It’s a good thing that it’s a lot of work, because going through all of that can solidify for some people not to purchase things in the future that they don’t really need, and that you would get a little back on when you go to sell it.
Go ahead and have that yard sale, and learn those lessons. They will be deeply ingrained after you go through all that work.”, said one user.
13 Things Are Scientifically Proven, But People Still Don’t Believe Them. Do You Believe Them?
There are so many things that are scientifically proven but some people try to ignore the scientific experiments and prove the theories wrong. Read more about it.
15 Red Flags That Someone Is Stupid. Are You?
Intelligence is not a binary trait. Everyone has unique strengths and weaknesses, and what constitutes “smart” can vary depending on the context. Here are 115 red flags that you’re stupid.
15 Dead Giveaways That You’re Nonsense Person
Sometimes, a single act can reveal a person’s true character. If you see someone doing something that you find disgusting, it can be hard to understand if they’re a reliable person. Here are 15 giveaways you’re a nonsense person.
12 Scams That Will Fool Even the Smartest People. Have You Fallen For It?
Scams come in all shapes and sizes, but what makes them particularly dangerous is when disguised as something legitimate. Read here about scams that food the smartest people.
13 Reasons Why Most Older Women Cut Their Hair Short
A lot of women seem to prefer cutting their hair short once they reach a certain age. Why exactly do you think they do that?. Read here.
This article was originally published on Mrs. Daaku Studio.