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The ABC’s of Frugal Living: 26 Tips to Live a More Frugal Life

frugal livingThe ABC’s of Frugal Living – 26 Tips to Live a More Frugal Life

The frugal living blog at families.com is chock full of great information to help you live a more frugal lifestyle. We all strive to save money and the bloggers in this category are here to help.

A: Amazing Dates
Have a date night for less!

New Cheap Date Ideas

A Cheap And Fun Date Idea

It’s Date Night

Date Night On a Budget

B: Budgeting
Make a plan and stick to it. Be sure you watch where your money goes each month and try to do better the next month.

The Change Jar

The Cash Only Diet

Step One To Budgeting: Know Your Current Spending Habits

Oprah’s Debt Diet – The First Four Steps

The Debt Diet Families

Oprah’s Debt Diet Phase Two: Planning a Monthly Budget

Living Below Your Means

C: Coffee
Who knew that coffee could be such a frugal product. But if you learn how to use it in other ways, it can save you money in all sorts of ways. Be sure and consider using coffee beans, coffee grounds, brewed coffee, and those leftover coffee cans.

Coffee Filter Findings

Love That Coffee – What Else Can I Do With It?

Mmmm…Coffee

D: Disposables
Don’t purchase disposables. Disposable anything is a waste of money if it comes in a non-disposable version. Dishes, Cups, Razors, Containers, etc.

Simple Ways To Save Money On Kitchen Disposables

Great Ways To Save On Bathroom Disposables

E: Entertainment
Entertaining is so much fun, but can also be extremely expensive. There are many different ways you can budget in some great entertainment for less!

Throw a Barbecue For Less

Family Fun For The Weekend

Have a Get Together For Less

Entertaining On A Budget

Family Entertainment Ideas

Entertaining Guests

Entertaining – Money Saving Appetizers

F: Freezer Cooking
The Queen of Freezer Cooking, or so I’ve dubbed myself. My family and friends joke about it, but they know I save a bundle by using my freezer. Learn how and you will save money too!

Freezer Cooking – Essential Items

Freezer Cooking For Your Family

Freezer Cooking Important Information

Freezer Cooking Appetizer Recipes

Freezer Cooking Beef Recipes

Freezer Cooking Breakfast Recipes

Freezer Cooking Chicken Recipes

Freezer Cooking Crockpot Recipes

Freezer Cooking Dessert Recipes

Freezer Cooking Ham Recipes

Freezer Cooking Pork Recipes

Freezer Cooking Sauce Recipes

G: Gasoline
The gas prices are truly obnoxious. I will be very, very happy if they ever go down again, but until then, learn how to save money on those weekly gas bills.

Saving Gas With Prices On the Rise pt. 1

Saving Gas With Prices On the Rise pt. 2

Saving Gas With Prices On the Rise pt. 3
Five Tips For Saving Gas

H: Home
Home is where the heart is. And we want our homes to reflect who we are. Decorating, Organizing and Spending Less is essential to building a truly frugal home.

Inexpensive Decorating Ideas

Five Home Decorating Ideas Under $50.00

Five Decorating Ideas Under Twenty Dollars

Holiday Decorating On a Budget

Money Saving Household Tips

Household Products

Low Cost Décor: Using What You Have

Redesigning Cheaper Than A TV Pro pt. 1

Redesignging Cheaper Than a TV pro pt. 2

I: It’s Your Birthday
It’s your birthday, or maybe it’s a child’s birthday – either way, learn how to throw a great birthday party for less!

Save Money On Birthday Gifts

Great Kids Parties For Less

Birthday Parties On a Budget (1)

Birthday Parties On a Budget (2)

J: Jokes
Laughter is always the best medicine, for fun a few funny things about living on a budget. Smile’s are contagious so share them with others!

Frugal Funnies: Living on a Budget

Friday Funnies: Some Frugal Humor

Some Jokes About Being Frugal

More Jokes About Being Frugal

K: Kitchen
My personal favorite room in my house (ok so maybe my scrapbook room is really the favorite), amongst baking and cooking and organizing and bulk cooking, I spent a lot of time in my kitchen.

Homemade Frugal Pantry Items

My Kitchen Obsession

Five Fabulous Frugal Tips For the Kitchen

L: Laundry
There are many great ways to save on one of those dreaded chores, the laundry. Find out how to lessen your costs, and have great looking clothes too!

Save Money While Doing Your Laundry

Frugal Ways To Get Rid of Stubborn Stains and Spills

Alternatives To Dry Cleaning

The Three Cent Stain Remover

Save Money When Drying Your Clothes

M: Meals
Meal planning is essentially the key to watching your grocery bill. So utilize the following articles to make food preparation, a frugal way of life.

Great Ways To Cut Your Food Costs part one, part two, part three

Saving Money With Meal Planning

Saving Money On Groceries part 1, part two, part three

How To Save Money on Groceries

The Leftovers Shelf

Introducing the Grocery Game

Disguise Those Leftovers

N: Newlywed, Almost!
So you’re planning a wedding. There are dozens of ways to cut the costs of a wedding. Don’t dream big, think small, and save.

Wedding On a Budget: Bridal Gown Savings

Wedding On a Budget: Affordable Invitations

Make Affordable Wedding Favors

Wedding Travel Programs

Budget Weddings From The Tightwad Gazette

O: Outdoors
The outdoors is the place to be. Beautiful nature and tree’s and wonderful fragrant flowers. Learn how to beautify your outdoors, and spend more time outside.

A Frugal Garden

Container Gardening

Creative Containers for Container Gardening

Grow Your Own Herbs

Garden Veggies

Picnics 101

Picnics 201: Keeping the Great Outdoors Great

P: Prescription Drugs
Medication has got to be the most expensive expense I have. My monthly bill on medications and prescription drugs (with a family of seven), often outweigh the cost of a utility bill. Thankfully we have insurance and other discount programs, but these articles help too.

Safely Save On Prescription Drugs pt. 1

Safely Save On Prescription Drugs pt. 2

Safely Save On Prescription Drugs pt. 3

Over the Counter Medications

Q: Quiet Nights
A quiet night is sometimes the best thing at the end of the day. Use some of these ideas to have a little less crazy entertainment night, but still have fun.

Movie Fun For Less

Girls Night Out At The Spa

Going To The Movies

R: Recycle
Recycling saves money no matter how you look at it. It’s simple really, you can either recycle items and take them to a recycling center and get money for it, or you can recycle your own items by reusing them in new and innovative ways around your home.

Don’t Throw That Away – Old Clothing

Recycle For Great Savings

Recycle Your Children’s Clothes

Recycle Your Daughter’s Jeans

S: School
Back to school and the savings dwindle and the costs go up. Between new clothes and school supplies, one could actually break the bank. But you don’t have to.

School Supply Savings

Children’s Lunch box Ideas

Lunch box Recipes

Lunch box Ideas Pt. One – Sprucing Up the Sandwich

Lunch Box Ideas Pt. Two – Soups

T: Travel
Traveling is a very high expense. Although you can’t change much of the costs, you can try to save some money by following some guidelines and checking out all the deals.

Planning a Family Vacation Without Breaking the Bank

Hot Summer Travel Deals for Families

Backyard Vacation

Family Travel Budget Savers

Sizzling Summer Travel Deals In Paradise

A Cheap Way To See Hawaii

Thrifty Traveling

Travel Deals: Special Rates On a Summer Safari

U: Uncommon Uses for Common Things
How much fun is it to discover a new use for some common things you have and use everyday? I know I get a rush from it. Great ideas to use up all sorts of things around your house.

Great Uses For Toothpaste

Save Money With Discarded Panty Hose

Reuse Your Egg Cartons

Five Uses For Dryer Sheets, Plus One

Creative Uses for Toilet Paper Tubes

And What About Those Paper Towel Tubes?

Use Nail Polish Everywhere

V: Vinegar
Use vinegar in lots of frugal ways. There are dozens of great uses.

Vinegar and Water: The Perfect Frugal Combination

More Frugal Uses For Vinegar

Top Six Uses For Vinegar That Will Save You Money

W: Wasting Money
We all waste money from time to time. Sometimes it’s completely unintentional and other times, we actually know better.

The Twenty Biggest Wastes Of Your Money

Some Tips For Avoiding Waste

Use a Little Less..of Wasteful Products

Think Twice Before You Throw That Away

X: X-Cellent Gift Ideas

Birthday Parties On A Budget part one

Birthday Parties On A Budget part two

Party Gift Wrap For Little Or No Cost

Inexpensive Gift Ideas

Homemade Gift Ideas

Y: Yard Sales
Hosting a yard sale or garage sale is a great way to make some extra money. In addition, shopping at a garage sale is a great way to get great items for less.

Hosting Garage Sales

Garage Sales and Yard Sales

Making the Most Of Your Garage Sale

How To Shop at Garage Sales

Garage Sale Hopping

Z: Zipping To The Dollar Store
The Dollar store has extraordinary values. Be sure and visit yours frequently to catch some awesome savings.

Dollar Store Finds

Dollar Stores: Good Value or Not

Dollar Store Art Challenge

Visit our Frugal Living blog daily for great ideas, articles and education on living the frugal way!