20 Habits of Frugal People

20 habits of frugal people
It takes serious strategy to save serious money.

Unless you've won the lottery, acquiring wealth takes a lot of hard work. Not only do you have to put years into a career, but you also have to be disciplined about keeping the money you make. People who are serious about growing their bank accounts usually have frugal lifestyle habits that make saving go more quickly. By implementing some (or all) of these habits in your own life, you can supercharge your savings rate and enjoy a richer life, in every sense of the word.

1. Frugal people prepare food from scratch. They refuse to pay a premium for convenience, preferring to make their own meals and freeze extras for emergency meals. They avoid eating out.

2. Frugal people always have a meal plan. This makes cooking go more smoothly and efficiently. It allows a person to cook from the fridge or the pantry, using up ingredients that will expire soon, or focusing on the cheapest and most delicious seasonal produce.

3. Frugal people use every drop. They are masters at squeezing out every bit of toothpaste and face cream, draining jars of olive oil and maple syrup, simmering leftover bones into stock, turning the dregs of Dijon mustard into vinaigrette, and stockpiling butter wrappers for greasing cake pans. (Read: How to use the last little bit of your beauty products).

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20. Frugal people are less stressed. That is because they're free from the suffocating mental burden of consumer debt. You might think that paying attention to every little detail in life in order to save dollars is more work, but it becomes a fun game for many frugal individuals. As they gain momentum, they want to do better and reach their goals faster.