10 Simple Ways to Save Money and Create Joy in Everyday Life

While trying to save money, it is easy to focus solely on cutting back and doing without, but when we feel deprived, especially with money, these restrictions work short-term at best. Instead, by changing our mindset and embracing a frugal lifestyle as something that is fun and worthwhile, this shift can refocus our attention on how money can improve our lives and lead to truly rich living. Frugality is about finding joy, creativity, and being resourceful in the little and big things. Below are 10 simple and effective ways to save money, reduce debt, and build a more fulfilling, frugal life. 

1. Take a Walk When You feel the Urge to Shop

When we feel low or deprived, shopping may be our go-to habit. However, the unpleasant effects of this response on our finances and our mental health can be substantial. To avoid this, go for a walk outside. Walking can lift your mood and relieve stress as it increases dopamine and releases serotonin--all while building a “frugal muscle” to resist impulse purchases for better and anticipated financial goals. Walking is a reset and replaces something that may have become habitual for you.

2. Go on a No-Spend Challenge

A no-spend challenge is where you challenge yourself to only buy essentials (gasoline, utilities, etc.) during a specific time frame, e.g., a day, a week, or a month. A no-spend challenge is a great reset. It allows you the space and time to enjoy and find gratitude for what you do have. Better yet, it's a way to gamify no spending on your own or with your loved ones. Abstaining from spending gives you insights into your spending habits and helps you appreciate non-material things in life, like walks (see 1). 

3. Take a Thoughtful Approach When Making Purchases 

There comes a time when you really do need a thing. Shopping online is an easy way to solve this problem. But if you pause before you shop, other solutions could be available.  Repurposing something you already own is the most efficient and cost-effective way to solve a need while avoiding more clutter. If this option is unavailable, ask a friend or family member if they have one to give, trade, or borrow. Sometimes, putting the word out will surprise you. Households contain a lot of stuff, and taking something off somebody's hands is often a win-win. If these options don't offer a solution, try to find an item used or on sale. And when you must buy new, ensure you are getting the best quality product at your price point. By shopping mindfully, you will spend less and feel more satisfied with the things you acquire. 

4. Make an Inventory of Your Food

Again, one of the simplest ways to avoid unnecessary spending is to start with what you already have (see 2). Take some time to list all the food in your fridge, freezer, cupboards, and pantry. (Note: A digital list will support you best for the next step if you want to take the time to type it out.) This list assists you in two ways: it allows you to see how much food you have to avoid repurchasing items–sometimes we have food that we have forgotten about buried between the rice and the past, and it serves as a list to work from when creating budget-friendly meal plans. If you are experiencing food insecurity, there is no shame in reaching out to a local food bank–they exist to support everyone during tough times. 

5. Use Your Food Inventory (and ChatGPT!) to Meal Plan 

Making a meal plan will save you money, but writing a plan does not have to be something you slog through. Your food inventory list, combined with ChatGPT, makes meal planning simple. ChatGPT will generate meal plans for you based on what you already have. (If your list is a digital file, you can easily copy and paste it into ChatGPT.) For example, you might ask ChatGPT to make a meal plan for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the next five days using only the ingredients from your inventory list. (Note: you might add "basic spices and vinegars" to your list to add more flavor to your menu.) ChatGPT will give you a menu and recipe instructions within seconds. No grocery shopping is required because the meals use what you have, reducing food waste and avoiding extra trips to the grocery store–saving you time and money. 

6. Declutter and Sell Unused Items 

Decluttering can be therapeutic and financially rewarding. Eliminating items you no longer use frees up space in homes, lives, and minds. Even more, locally selling items can help a person in your community acquire a thing they need at an affordable price and give you cash to pay a bill or eliminate debt. 

7. Find a Side Hustle

Side hustles are jobs or businesses that create an avenue to increase the number of streams of income you produce. In this way, they can alleviate some of the stress around concerns over potentially losing a primary source of income, having consumer debt, or building enough savings. Money earned can help you reach financial goals sooner and allows you to feel successful and continue to build momentum. The best side hustles utilize your geographical location, strengths, or hobbies. Opportunities and options are endless--you can walk a dog, write content for a small business, or create a completely new service in a specific market.

8. Batch Your Driving

Try to combine errands in one trip if you live where driving is essential. Strategically planning your errands saves gas, reduces wear and tear on your vehicle, and frees up time. Further, the reduced number of one-off trips saves you dollars over time. Limiting yourself to one shopping day a week can increase the money left in your wallet and the time left in your week.

9. Visit the Library

The library is an astounding resource for anyone–especially someone living a frugal lifestyle! Besides borrowing books, many libraries offer internet access, digital books, audiobooks, movies, and even entertaining or educational programs–eliminating the need to spend money on these items. So, next time you are batch-driving errands, add a stop to the library. 

10. Write Down Three Things You’re Grateful For Each Day

Practicing gratitude can shift your mindset (and change neural pathways). Being grateful for what you have can alter your mind and heart, allowing you to appreciate the bounty in your life and lessen the need to add more stuff. Each day, write down three things you are grateful for. This simple practice can make you happier with your current life and steer you away from retail therapy, which supports your bigger financial goals. 

Saving money can be a challenge but also very rewarding. Choosing a frugal path, whether through a no-spend month, using up pantry ingredients, or repurposing an item, is a victory and should be celebrated. These little wins build up to give you a stronger and more stable footing in your financial life. Look to each day with a positive mindset to find the thing that will help strengthen your finances and your relationship with money–you’ll not only save money, but you may find more joy and enrich your life during this process.