10 Best Frugal Living Tips To Save Money 2026

Frugal living is more important than ever before in today's economy. Frugality will help everyday people get through this painful and volatile economic scenario. 

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Did you know that about three quarters of people in the United States have trouble managing their money? Are you one of these people in debt or in a cycle of bad spending habits? Will you and your family be able to withstand more inflation or cost increases as a result of new tariffs?

Whether you have gotten yourself into debt or simply find that you spend more than you earn, choosing to live frugally can save you a lot of headaches and stress. Along with helping save you money, living a frugal lifestyle also has a positive impact on the environment, your community, and your happiness in life. Frugality can be fun and effective when it is embraced and optimized. 

If you are really ready to change your spending habits, check out our top 10 best frugal living tips to save money and balance your budget for 2026. 

Top 10 Best Frugal Living Tips To Live Lean And Prosper

1. Take Advantage Of Coupons And Discount Codes

Before you head to the grocery store, check your Sunday paper and go online to look for coupons for food and other supplies you need. Often, your grocery store will have its own savings program that lets you clip coupons online. Otherwise, you can find online coupon websites that allow you to print offers for everyday items. Don't forget to look online for coupon codes that you can use for frugal online retailers as well. 

You can also easily find offers and discount codes for local restaurants, service providers, and more. Couponing is key for frugal living long-term, and the savings can be invested elsewhere.

2. Shop Around For The Best Deals On Everything 

The best frugal tips and tricks focus on making sure you don't pay any more than necessary for what you need. This means you will want to browse the sales ads before you head to the store and take advantage of any special offers on everyday necessities. 

For those large purchases like electronics and appliances, use the internet to your advantage. You can often enter a product name into Google and see the frugal prices for many retailers in one place. Also, keep in mind sales days like Black Friday and Cyber Monday when you can save big when shopping frugally. 

3. Don't Always Buy Things New, Go For Used And Factory Refurbished Instead

Rather than heading to the store to buy an item you need, consider alternatives like buying used or even borrowing. For example, rather than buying a brand new car, consider looking for a reliable used car and help avoid taking on a car loan and to lower your insurance. 

You can also find used items like clothes, furniture, toys, and electronics through thrift shops, garage sales, second hand stores, and auctions. Don't forget places like your local public library where you can borrow books and DVDs and save money. You may also find that friends and family can lend you everyday items that they don't need to help you save even more money. 

4. Get Creative To Reduce Your Living Expenses 

When you need help paying bills, that indicates you should look into cutting your living expenses as much as possible. Good places to start include your transportation and utility costs. For example, you might consider giving up your car to travel cheaply by bus or train, or you could simply bike or walk more often to cut down on gas costs. Using less water and adjusting your thermostat can also go a long way toward cutting your electric and water bills. 

If you struggle to afford housing, consider downsizing or even renting out one or more rooms. You can also look into income-based housing options to help get assistance with your bills. 

5. Grow Your Own Food Frugally

If you want to cut down on food costs and get some enjoyment in the garden, growing your own food can be a good way to practice frugal living. You get the benefit of choosing the specific foods your family will enjoy and can avoid using some of the harmful chemicals you might worry about. You will just need to prepare to put in the effort and time to plant, care for, and harvest your crops. Depending on where you live and the season, you may need to grow food indoors in a sun room or greenhouse. 

Growing your own food also takes time along with a lot of trial and error. But if you can grow your food like a frugal fanatic, it can help make a dent in your food budget amid rising food prices.

6. Earn A Side Income To Enhance Frugality

One of the other frugal living ideas to consider is to boost your earnings with a side gig. Whether you want to work from home or in your community, you have many options to make money and can get creative. 

For example, you might consider turning your crafting or gardening hobby into a business where you sell your products to others. You can also look into options like getting paid to deliver groceries, drive people around, or work part-time at a local store. 

7. Get Cheaper Health Care 

Whenever you need to see a doctor or fill a prescription, check your insurance plan and shop around to get the best deal. For example, sometimes you can book an online doctor's appointment for minor issues and avoid paying a hefty urgent care fee. Even if you do need to see a doctor locally, you should consider a second opinion if you get told you need an expensive procedure. You can also use top tools and services to find the cheapest prescriptions and even locate pharmacies that fill certain prescriptions for free. 

When in doubt, try and use a pharmacy discount card like GoodRX or SingleCare as well that can be found free at pharmacies or medical centers nationwide. If you are buying over the counter medications or dietary supplements, be frugal and buy the store brand or generic options. When you buy brand name medications or branded supplement products with the same exact ingredients, you are really just paying extra for marketing. It is almost always the same exact ingredients or medication (check the label to make sure) but you don't have to pay for the brand name. This improves your frugal finances and fiscal fitness.

8. Buy In Bulk And Save A Bundle

While you might find it less convenient to haul larger quantities home, you can potentially save a lot if you buy items like food, medicine, and other non-perishables in bulk. You will also rest assured you are making a more environmentally friendly choice. 

First, you will often pay less per unit or ounce on products bought in bulk, even if you buy name-brand products. Second, you save in terms of not needing to make as many trips to the store to buy the same items. With the high price of fuel these days, it is a smart frugal trick to cut gasoline or diesel costs.

9. Try To Do Small Repairs Yourself 

Although with helping you gain handy life skills, learning to do small fixes yourself saves you money and can bring some convenience. For example, you can take a course on car repair and learn to do common maintenance tasks without paying for labor at a car shop. A true frugal living fanatic will also watch videos online to learn skills such as trimming their family's hair, doing minor home repairs, and making your own cleaning products. 

When deciding to try something yourself, do keep in mind your safety and confidence. Trying to fix an electrical issue in your house can put you in danger and cause more expensive problems down the road, for example. So, know when to call a professional while living your best frugal life and when you can safety DIY.  

10. Work Out At Home With Frugal Fitness 

Gyms and personal trainers can be quite costly. You can save a lot of money each month and still get the same health and fitness results by working out at home frugally. All you need are items around the house, a little floor space, your own bodyweight, and maybe some inexpensive exercise equipment. For under $100 you can purchase a frugal exercise mat, set of dumbbells, several resistance bands, and a physio ball. Fitness YouTube channels are free as well.

You can also find plenty of free resources on exercise and nutrition online to help save on healthy workouts and food. Frugal Fitness TV helps you get in shape at home or while traveling on any thrifty budget. The world is your gym, free of monthly fees or joining costs, if you know how to workout frugally!

Use The Best Frugal Living Tips To Save More Money Now 

With the best frugal living tips in mind, go ahead and start saving money! You can use that extra cash to frugally pay down any debts or even save toward a family vacation you will always remember. Do know that you have many other ways to apply frugal living principles too. For example, you can call creditors, doctors' offices, and utility companies to ask for reduced payments or extended payment plans. Everything is negotiable when you are dialed in to the frugal living lifestyle.

Do you want even more top ideas for making money and living frugally? Then check out our many other posts about living frugally right here on the Frugal Finance Blog. Live lean and prosper while living your best life on a budget!

How To Reduce Spending And Monthly Expenses

If you are like most people, cutting back on spending and monthly expenses wasn’t at the top of your to-do list until it forced its way there. There are some people who are just naturally good with money and there are those where they have to learn to get better with money due to certain circumstances. But the majority of us are part of the percentage who are forced to make cutting back a priority when it comes to our recurring expenses. 

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Cutting Costs Is Crucial

Everyone’s financial situations are very different. Maybe there was two incomes coming in but then was reduced down to one for being a stay-at-home parent. It could also be because the two-income household lost one income due to being laid off, which is happening a lot again nowadays due to the economy. Regardless of the situation, the worst way to learn about cutting back is to figure it out the hard way, but nonetheless, the lesson will have to be learned in some kind of way, right? 

It may not be at the forefront of your mind now, nor may you even need to adopt these habits right now, but you never know what life may throw at you. So it is always good to at least have the knowledge on what to do in case you are put in a situation where you indeed will need to cut back. According to financial experts, the hardest part of it all is getting in the right mindset to do it. In the event you do need to cut back, follow these frugal tips on how to reduce your monthly expenses. Cut costs crucially and consistently!

Dine-In More Instead Of Dining Out 

Eating out is one of the biggest areas where cutting back can have a major impact on monthly expenses. You may not realize it but eating out is very expensive. Why is eating at restaurants so costly? Because ultimately, you are paying for the convenience of not having to physically prepare the food yourself. Eating out for lunch two to three days out the week can cost you around $30 per week, and that is not including trips to Starbucks in the mornings. There are people who set a $35 food budget weekly and survive off of that! 

Some people don’t cook because they have the luxury of not having to while others don’t cook because they don’t know how to cook. Well, in this day and age where you can use the internet for just about anything, not knowing how to cook is not an excuse anymore. With the simple tap of your finger, you have access to all kinds of recipes online! If you want to learn how to cook but not sure where to start, take a look at this simple Italian baked chicken recipe… this is a recipe that is perfect for beginners in the kitchen. 

Themediterrneandish.com is a great site to check out delicious recipes that are heart-healthy and delicious but they also won’t break the bank either! 

Cancel Subscriptions You’re Not Using 

One of the biggest mistakes that people make is throwing money away on subscriptions they are not using. A lot of people have gym memberships they don’t even use and are subscribed to things like make-up kits and meal boxes that they get too often to even be able to use everything. 

With the new year right around the corner, it is pretty typical for people to join gyms and have $10-$100 taken out of their accounts every month just to maintain membership. They will be pretty consistent with going to the gym for the first few weeks. Some even remain consistent for a month or two but when the bad weather hits or life gets in the way, they let their consistency to work out fall by the wayside. In that, do you know what else falls by the wayside as well? Your money goes down the toilet. 

It is one thing to be consistent and fall off track but then get back on track but it’s a completely different story when you fall off track and never cancel that subscription. That is hundreds of dollars going down the drain that could have been put to great use in other areas of your financial life. 

Get To Know Your Thermostat 

People spend lots of money on their electric bills each month, regardless of the season. In doing that, they are also throwing money away. People feel like when it is hot outside, it needs to be freezing cold in their house. Same thing when it’s cold outside, people think it needs to be extremely warm in their home. Well, the truth is, it doesn’t need to be as hot or cold in your home as you think. 

The main thing is to make your home vary in temperature from what it is outside. Before you leave to go to work, check the news to see what the high or low is supposed to be for the day. Once you know that temp, all you need to do is set your thermostat to be a few degrees above or below that temp. If it is summertime and it is supposed to reach a high of 95°, you can set your thermostat to 80°. You can even set it to 89° (assuming you don't have children and pets). Is that warm? Yes, but it is much cooler in comparison to 95°. 

When you come home from work, your home will feel ten times cooler than what it is outside and it’s not running your bill up all day. By the time you get home, you can then adjust the temp to whatever you want and it won’t take as long to cool off because it’s been cooling off all day. The same rule applies for winter. If it is 50° outside, set your thermostat to 60°, just so long as it is warmer in your home than it is outside and your body will adjust accordingly. Do what you need to do to cut costs without going to extremes. It is time to cut the costs creatively!

4 Habits Of Frugal People Worth Following

If you are tired of stressing about your finances or living from paycheck to paycheck, it is time to take control of your money. Frugal people have several habits that help them live a happier lifestyle on a low budget. By embracing these 4 thrifty behaviors, you will see your money situation improve. 

1. Be Proactive 

First, you should take responsibility of your finances. If you don’t, you only have yourself to blame. Proactiveness involves understanding that you are responsible for the direction that your life takes. You are not affected by your environment – you control it. You can apply this habit by taking the first step and committing to controlling your money. If you ignore the situation and don't start acting frugally, it will only get worse. Spend some time looking over everything, including your income, budget, expenses, income, and debt. Find out where your money is going and budget it better through frugality. 

2. Get Out Of Debt 

Many people do not appreciate the advice to avoid debt until they are swamped in it. A lot of people only pay the minimum on loans. However, frugal people get out of debt as quickly as they can. One method to do this for multiple loans is the debt snowball. You choose one loan to focus on, whether that is the one with the highest interest rate or the smallest debt. Once that is paid off, you then snowball the money you were previously paying on the next loan. The psychological benefit of paying each one off is a tremendous motivation to keep going. If you have student loans, you can often save money by consolidating them to improve your finances. That will give you more for your debt snowball. Another benefit is that you will get a longer time to pay them off. 

3. Set Goals 

The most effective way to achieve your goals is to have the desired result in mind, no matter what the obstacles. If you do not visualize what you want, then external circumstances and other people can influence your life since you’re not influencing it yourself. Instead, start every day knowing what you want to accomplish and how to get there. First, you should define your goals. There are many reasons that people embrace frugality, and you need to figure that out for yourself. Do you want to build emergency savings, save for retirement, or become a one-income household? 

4. Create A Spending And Savings Plan

Next, decide how you will get there. You will use your budget to do so. However, you should be aware of obstacles blocking your progress. That could include credit card debt or poor financial habits. For example, perhaps you spend several dollars a day eating out because you are hungry. Instead, you could have snacks in your car to prevent impulsive food purchases. 

Make Finances A Priority 

Figure out how effective your financial management is. Perhaps you don’t spend enough time taking care of your finances because it always seems like there is something more important to do, whether that is spending time with friends or working. However, if you are spending more than you earn, your finances are negatively affecting other areas of your life.

7 Frugal Tips For Sole Proprietors

Most working people start thinking at a certain point in their careers about going their own way. As you may conclude from the ratio of business owners and employees, only a small portion of them actually make this pivotal decision. Will you be one of those trailblazers to become your own boss in business? 

If you’re at the crossroads where your career of a company employee and that of a business owner intersect, take some time to read this article. It will teach you how to work as a sole proprietor or solopreneur in a frugal and lucrative manner. Also, you’ll learn how to avoid debts and pay your taxes in line with regulations as a sole proprietor. 

7 Top Tips For Sole Proprietors And Solopreneurs

1) Know Your Rights 

When you are a sole proprietor, your business assets and your personal assets are separated. This can be both beneficial and dangerous for the business owner. 

On the one hand, if your solopreneur venture takes off successfully and you maintain a steady workflow, you’ll be more than happy with this type of registered business. You won’t have to specify how you spend your money as long as you pay your taxes on time and your business account has enough assets. 

On the other hand, sole traders who don’t manage to ensure enough assets for business operations will have to make up for losses with their private assets. In other words, you might have to sell your house in case you get in serious debt. 

That’s why this kind of enterprise is a double-edged sword. Our two cents: it might not be the best choice for inexperienced entrepreneurs. 

2) Invest In Technical Equipment 

Frugality doesn’t only refer to the ability to save money. Wise and far-sighted business owners will invest more at the beginning if they realize that such an investment will yield more benefits in the long term. 

Therefore, sole proprietors should spend a few dollars more when it comes to technical equipment. Some entrepreneurs will have to invest thousands of dollars, while others will make it with a restricted budget, as well. For instance, a software developer working on their own will need to get more expensive computer configuration to be competitive in their niche. The same goes for web designers, photographers, and other professionals relying on high-tech equipment. 

On the other hand, a content writer or accountant working alone won’t have to spend more than a few hundred dollars on their computer and other related devices. 

No matter what category you belong to as a solopreneur, get a proper computer, smartphone, and other devices that will ensure smooth and fast work, generating more assets per unit of time. 

3) Learn Your Deductions 

Paying taxes is a must, no matter what country in the world you live in. Some governments are stricter about taxation, like the USA, while others implement various strategies that enable business owners to pay taxes in a more relaxed way, such as the UK. 

If a rule of thumb is to pay your due taxes – and social security contributions – it goes without saying that you need to learn more about deductions you’re entitled to. As a sole proprietor, you have the right to deductions for work-related mileage/fuel, home office, and other useful deductions. Wherever you live, visit the local tax administration and check how to get those tax benefits. 

4) Go For Co-Working Space 

If you’re planning to rent an office space, please, think twice before you do that. Unless you need storage space or you have absolutely no conditions to work from home, renting an office is a waste of money. 

Even if you don’t have a separate room that could be your home office, go for a place in a co-working space. It’s much cheaper and you don’t have to bother with overhead expenses. The renter of that space will take care of those things. Your task is just to focus on your work tasks. 

In line with that, getting a powerful laptop is a more practical option than a desktop computer. 

On the other hand, some professionals might be able to use some of the existing computers at that coworking space. Think about that option if you don’t need a strong machine and save several hundred dollars. 

5) Avoid Hiring At The Beginning 

People often aren’t sure whether sole traders have the right to hire employees. The answer is: yes, they have. Of course, they need to cover their health care and social insurance contributions, in addition to their salaries. 

When you put all that on paper, you’ll see that you might be giving someone a large share of your income, especially when you don’t have too many projects. 

That’s why it’s recommended to work alone until you form a sufficient budget for hiring. To cut a long story short, accept only projects that you can complete on your own but make plans for recruitment. Along with that, form a fund for hiring so that you’re ready when you decide to make that move. 

6) Calculate The Necessary Income 

When you’re a company worker, there’s a huge mechanism of different project managers, HR specialists, and team leaders who decide on projects, tasks, and their distribution. 

As a sole trader, you might end up working ten or more hours a day just to make ends meet. 

That’s why it’s important to calculate your necessary payment and savings. Take into account all the business costs you need to cover and make a rough estimate of your living expenses, as well. Once you’ve calculated the desired sum, divide it with the number of working days of the month. Now you’ll get the gross amount of money you need to make per day. All this input data will serve as the basis for the rates at which you’re going to charge for your services. 

7) Advertise Yourself For Free 

If you want to keep new projects coming, you must spread the word about your business. If you used to be a company worker, you might have a plethora of connections. Contact business owners who you’re collaborated with and tell them that you work alone now. Also, register to social media and advertise your business there. Write blog posts related to your work experience and current services. If you don’t have time for that, hire content writers to do it on a part-time basis. 

Moreover, make your website speak for your business, as suggested by designers from top digital agencies. Keep the on-site content simple but share all the relevant information about your venture to generate leads and new consumers. 

Be Smart And Save As A Sole Proprietor Or Solopreneur

Sole proprietors are lone wolves in the exciting but brutal business race in today's market. However, solopreneurs can skyrocket their enterprises if they keep costs low and properly charge for their services. Our solopreneur tips will help you reach that goal and manage your assets in a frugal and responsible base. As a result, you’ll be able to run a growing and prosperous sole proprietorship.

Eating Healthy On The Cheap!

Contributed By Christie O, Owner / Author of Average Moms Wear Capes

Lately I’ve heard a lot of this: “I want to eat healthy but it’s so expensive!”

I do agree that there are some things that are more expensive to buy than their processed alternative, but I’m going to make the case here for how you can eat healthy, whole foods inexpensively and without breaking the bank. I got a chance to pick the brain of Rebecca Scritchfield, a registered dietician from Washington D.C., while I was at the Fitness & Health Bloggers Conference in Denver last weekend.

Here are some of her suggestions and you might just be surprised at some of it! I know I was! Especially with this first one.

• Buy frozen fruits and veg. The foods that are frozen are picked at their peak condition, says Rebecca, so you know that you’re getting some quality goods there. Fruits are picked ripe and there are constantly sales on store-brand frozen veggies. Even if there aren’t, they are not that expensive. A dollar or two for four servings of vegetables? Not bad at all.
• Buy canned veggies. Before you smirk, think corn, beets, chick peas, maybe not canned green beans because those get mushy (although I actually like those). Rebecca says, when you prepare them, be sure to rinse the sodium off of them.

Click the picture for source.

• Go for the frozen meals, but read your labels on calories, fat and sodium and choose ones that you wouldn’t normally make on your own. Ps. Ever make them and eat them and find that you’re starving 5 minutes later? Rebecca says add veggies to your frozen meals, but don’t stop there. Have a salad beforehand (dressing on the side) and then some fruit afterward. You’ll actually be full off of that.
• Do a little math. It may seem like the “easy” foods are cheaper but did you know that canned salmon per ounce is less than hot dogs per ounce? And (as delicious as hotdogs are) salmon is much healthier. You can add it to wraps and salads and pasta, or grill it on its own. (Check out Rebecca’s post on protein costs per pound.)

• Which leads me to the next one, eat less meat. Get your protein in by making things like tuna salad and tuna casserole (with whole ingredients). Add soy crumbles to pasta, use beans, or my new favorite friend, LENTILS.
• And finally, this is my own tip that I’ve learned along the way: don’t stockpile the crap. I know it’s tempting to buy those bogos and have a pantry stocked full of food for months and months, just in case the world goes into a meltdown, but here’s where that fails for me. First of all, lots of things that have a really, really long shelf life has a very good likelihood of being full of chemicals and preservatives anyway. (Edited to note the inexpensive exceptions! Like beans and rice, whole grains and pastas! Initially, I was thinking of my former need to buy bogo because it was ON bogo, things like terrible cereals and low-fat sugary granola bars with preservatives! So I’m editing to note, don’t stockpile just for the sake of stockpiling because it’s cheap. Stockpile because it’sGOOD.) I say this about stockpiling because how often do you throw out entire boxes of food from your stockpile because you haven’t eaten them by the use-by date? You don’t? Oh, you’re much better than me. I end up throwing out entire boxes of graham crackers or whatever it is that I got on bogo because we never got to it. I have found that when you buy what you need for the week, you eat it. You eat just what you need and no more and no less. You are more likely to finish it because you don’t want to waste it. (Except for bagged salad. For some reason, I have tossed perhaps a million bags of salad on account of forgetting about it.) Anyway, less shelf time, less chemicals (again, in most cases, not all). More yummy whole foods. More vitamins, minerals and healthy fats. Less wasting money on a stockpile that just gets tossed. You’re saving your dollar for quality, whole foods.

Ps. feel free to factor in the costs of health care – deductibles, co-pays, medications, etc – money you can save in the long run just for simply having a healthy shopping list today. It all counts!

Rebecca was just featured in a Washington Post article about debunking popular summer myths like “Will watermelons grow in your stomach if you eat the seeds?” “And do you really have to wait 30 minutes after eating to swim?” so be sure to check that out!

My question to you: what are your favorite ways to save money while eating healthy??

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I hope you enjoyed this article about how to live healthier on a frugal budget and maximize your performance!

Interested in more articles about frugal fitness? 

Read My Posts:

- 10 Reasons Why You Aren't Seeing Muscle Gains

- Just How Natural Is Natural Bodybuilding?

Stay Frugal & Fit My Friends!

Frugal Fitness World Wide Wellness

Free Workouts & Nutrition On A Budget

"Crushing Fitness Costs Worldwide"

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Frugal Fit Tip: Store Rewards Cards vs Store Credit Cards

Store Credit Cards are usually not the best ones to get.
Store non-credit rewards cards are usually worthwhile though!

Frugal Fitness Fun For Everyone! Subscribe Today

For More Great Tips, Get My Best-Seller On Amazon:

I hope you enjoyed this article about how to live healthier on a frugal budget and maximize your performance!

Interested in more articles about frugal fitness? 

Read My Posts:

- 10 Reasons Why You Aren't Seeing Muscle Gains

- Just How Natural Is Natural Bodybuilding?

Stay Frugal & Fit My Friends!

Frugal Fitness World Wide Wellness

Free Workouts & Nutrition On A Budget

"Crushing Fitness Costs Worldwide"

#FrugalFitness

Also visit the Financial Success

6 Fabulous Frugal Fitness Tips!

Crush The Costs of Your Health & Fitness Bills w/ These Video Tips!

Frugal Fitness Fun For Everyone! Subscribe Today

For More Great Tips, Get My Best-Seller On Amazon:

I hope you enjoyed this article about how to live healthier on a frugal budget and maximize your performance!

Interested in more articles about frugal fitness? 

Read My Posts:

- 10 Reasons Why You Aren't Seeing Muscle Gains

- Just How Natural Is Natural Bodybuilding?

Stay Frugal & Fit My Friends!

Frugal Fitness World Wide Wellness

Free Workouts & Nutrition On A Budget

"Crushing Fitness Costs Worldwide"

#FrugalFitness

Also visit the Financial Success

Workouts Not Wardrobe! Frugal Fitness Tip

Let's be honest: Jennifer Anniston would look good
whether  she was wearing a $300  workout ensemble
or clothes from Wal-Mart. She's got that kind of money
 to spend, you and I don't!

I'm back again with another Frugal Fitness Tip! Today, more than ever before, going to the gym or going for your morning jog has become more about what you are wearing and what gear you have than the actual workout itself. It's really getting pretty sad. In college and many gyms I worked at I used to see countless female members in full makeup and $300+ dollar outfits just to do 30 minutes of treadmill or elliptical and a set of crunches. I see women wearing the most hip and popular workout clothing brands, not necessarily because they are superior for performance, but because celebrities are wearing them or they are a symbol of status. Or just to keep up with their peers. And it's not just women, I see more and more guys repping fashionable $50 shirts or shorts, workout watches, heart rate monitors, $30+ hats, $120+ shoes, and much more just for a few sets of bench press and curls. Sometimes I just want to punch an Abercrombie & Fitch wearing dude right in the jugular.

You don't need to look like this for your cardio workout!
You might think this is an exageration but I've seen some
similar outfits  and other ridiculousness at gyms everywhere!

So here's the deal, you can wear a $1,000 gym ensemble with all the bells and whistles and technology, and you won't get a better workout than somebody wearing a $10 gym ensemble (me) with no shoes on. It doesn't matter what you wear, or your makeup, or your fancy $500 iPhone while you are peddling slowly on the exercise bike with Resistance 1. It's about functionality, safety, and focus. I wear $10 shirts or less, $10 workout shorts, and a $15 hat at the most. Shoes actually carry with them some function but I usually stick to $40-80 options. You can buy a stop-watch for $5 or a wrist watch for $10 if you just need to time yourself. You can buy a pedometer cheap too instead of $200 Nikes with built in microchip. I run my own business so sometimes I bring my old Droid X to my workout, but let's face it, they are nothing but distractions (unless you are watching Frugal Fitness TV or reading my posts during your workout :)  ). I've worn workout clothes that I've found in the Lost & Found (washed first). It's time to save some money, and distraction, and focus on what really matters: achieving the goal you set out for at the beginning of the workout. If you are doing things right, you will look good to others (and what other people think shouldn't matter that much anyways).

Check out this older but very good video I did on a similar subject a little while back:

Frugal Fitness Fun For Everyone! Subscribe Today

For More Great Tips, Get My Best-Seller On Amazon:

I hope you enjoyed this article about how to live healthier on a frugal budget and maximize your performance!

Interested in more articles about frugal fitness? 

Read My Posts:

- 10 Reasons Why You Aren't Seeing Muscle Gains

- Just How Natural Is Natural Bodybuilding?

Stay Frugal & Fit My Friends!

Frugal Fitness World Wide Wellness

Free Workouts & Nutrition On A Budget

"Crushing Fitness Costs Worldwide"

#FrugalFitness

Also visit the Financial Success

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Water Trick To Save Money & Calories!

So you're about to head out to a party, fiesta, gathering, outing, etc and you are afraid you are going to pig out like a beast and/or end up spending your whole paycheck on food and drinks. I know I've done it a hundred times over the years and fear doing it once in awhile still. Well fear not ladies and frugalmen, because the Water Trick is free! All you have to do before you head out to the event in question is chug 12-20 ounces of water (if you want to get super healthy maybe Brita Filter it up, classy!) beforehand and it will fill you up without adding calories or debt. It can help naturally reduce appetite, I've found for much longer than an hour. You can continue drinking moderate amounts of water beyond this, within reason of course (don't want to overhydrate), to help reduce the chances of gorging on junk food, junk drinks, or booze.

Other great options: Tea, black coffee, oatmeal (the real kind), veggies, almonds / natural pb / almond butter
Same principle: Fill up and reduce cravings without adding a big caloric or financial onus

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- Just How Natural Is Natural Bodybuilding?

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Work Up A Sweat, Not Debt!

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The benefits of exercise

As populations are living longer, people are becoming far more aware of the benefits that can be enjoyed through exercise. Losing weight, increasing life expectancy and in many cases making a new social life are obvious benefits which no one can deny whatever their size. Lowering cholesterol and fighting the fats that built up through the largely sedentary lives which the developed world leads are becoming more and more important factors in lifestyle choices.

Gym Memberships

Having a gym membership or some kind of monthly pay scheme will make you go to the gym and makes you commit to exercise. There can be no doubt that psychologically it is the most powerful way to tie you into an exercise plan and to get yourself to commit to losing weight. Once you have decided on your goal the safest way to ensure you reach it is by putting your money where your mouth is. However as times are tough, money is not as readily accessible any more for many Americans and let’s face it you do not want to be cashing in to cover what feels to most like a luxury splurge.

The thing is that private gyms club memberships are expensive and in some towns and cities frankly totally inaccessible to the average man. As the benefits of exercising are becoming more and more obvious and people are signing up to lose weight, lower cholesterol and drop a dress size demand for gym facilities is also rising and that is a great thing for you the consumer.

Gym shopping around

Because there is more demand the prices are lowered by gym providers in order to remain competitive. So if you decide to take on a gym membership, shopping around and indeed haggling for deals is a really valuable use of your time. Ask for deals and special offers and whether the manager can do anything more to secure your custom. Once you find your deal make sure you plan the gym into your schedule for the week. You must get a return on your investment. In simple terms work out how many times a week or month you need to attend to cover your monthly spend and then do more. The buzz you will get from exercising and making money through your attendance to boot is phenomenal.

Choosing the right facilities for you is equally important. Not everyone wants access to a swimming pool but for others it is a must have. Regularity of aerobics and Zumba classes is important to some but not to others and do the classes fit in with your work and family schedules? Finally if you are keen to get into the gym several times a week is there plenty of equipment and is it likely to be readily available at the sorts of times you are going to want to train?You are making a financial commitment and it is only right that you consider all that the gyms available have on offer to you as an individual. Ask if you can have a trial membership pass, so you can see what it feels like to get into some of the classes or how busy they gym area gets at the types of times you are going to want to go. Most good gyms will allow you this access to give it a go.

Pay as you go

If you really cannot afford a monthly payment commitment then look at pay as you go deals for exercise classes and gyms. With the increased market competition the savvy gym manager is aware that there is a huge market available for pay as you go, whether it is to try out the gym to get a feel for it or on a more long term basis. 

Classes

Going to the gym day in and day out can be boring and routine, and although the CV workout and resistance training is important, attending classes can add some variety and keep your motivations raised. Your goals may be to lose weight but the overriding one now is to not lose out on your membership fees either. Keep going, keep pushing yourself and keep motivated. Make a date to attend a Body Pump class or try Zumba, a Latin dance inspired workout which is guaranteed to get your heart rate up and your body sweating.

How ever you do it, the first step to exercising is getting your mind motivated to want to train and reach a goal. You then have to use that same mind to get you the deal you need to make it happen. Get yourself sweating but not at the expense of your wallet. Good luck!

Frugal Fitness Fun For Everyone! Subscribe Today

For More Great Tips, Get My Best-Seller On Amazon:

I hope you enjoyed this article about how to live healthier on a frugal budget and maximize your performance!

Interested in more articles about frugal fitness? 

Read My Posts:

- Why CrossFit Is Unhealthy

- Hang On For Health: Grip Training Workouts

Stay Frugal & Fit My Friends!

Frugal Fitness World Wide Wellness

Free Workouts & Nutrition On A Budget

"Crushing Fitness Costs Worldwide"

#FrugalFitness

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How To Make Espresso At Home: Fresh, Frugal, & Fabulous!

By Marissa Bognano, Professional Chef & Zumba Instructor, and Author of The Boot

When I told Manu I was going to do a homemade espresso post he said,  “You’re going to change people’s lives.” 

And it’s true, because once you start drinking rich, full bodied espresso and feeling like a European, it’s hard to go back to Dunkin’s. (Though, I must admit, I love a nice iced hazelnut for summertime afternoon drives. Can you blame me?) 

My favorite word in Italian is caffè - it just rolls off the tongue and accents on the è in such a way that is so inviting, just like the stuff itself. You can’t go to someone’s house without being offered one, and you’ll most likely be invited to have one at the bar several times throughout the day as well. But if you want to be a good host or hostess, you should really know how to make a good caffè at home using a moka pot. Follow the steps and you’ll be whipping up shots for your friends in no time. It does take some trial and error so don’t be upset if it doesn’t bubble up perfectly on your first try - it took me dozens of tries to get it right! 

The moka pot consists of three pieces: the top (where the coffee comes up), the middle chamber where you put the grounds, and the bottom part where you put the water. Basically, the water gets drawn through to the second chamber and filters to become the coffee in the top chamber. Most italians have at least one of these in the house (if not many at multiple sizes) or they have a real espresso machine. 

1) Unscrew the moka pot, take out the second piece and pour water just to the line.

2) Put the chamber where the coffee will go back into the bottom piece and make sure no water comes up through the holes. If it does just pull it out, shake it off and put it back on. Repeat until no water comes up.

3) Add a little mountain of coffee, don’t pack it down. (Espresso ground coffee is much finer than the grounds you put in the drip machines!) 

4) Place the top on and wist top very tightly until you can’t twist anymore.

5) Place it on the stove on medium high heat.

6) When it starts to gurgle, turn the heat off. Let the coffee come all the way up to the top. Give it a little stir and pour. 

The fun part, after you learn to make the espresso, is to collect cute little cups and sugar bowls or frothers for cappuccino or fun trays to serve your coffee on. And once you taste how good it is, well, you’ll thank me. You can find moka pots in most stores that sell kitchen appliances in the US, so get out there and start brewing! Buon caffè! 

Frugal Fitness Fun For Everyone! Subscribe Today

For More Great Tips, Get My Best-Seller On Amazon:

I hope you enjoyed this article about how to live healthier on a frugal budget and maximize your performance!

Interested in more articles about frugal fitness? 

Read My Posts:

- Why CrossFit Is Unhealthy

- Hang On For Health: Grip Training Workouts

Stay Frugal & Fit My Friends!

Frugal Fitness World Wide Wellness

Free Workouts & Nutrition On A Budget

"Crushing Fitness Costs Worldwide"

#FrugalFitness

Also visit the Bootstrapped Entrepreneur