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If you feel like you’ve searched for any and every way possible to save money that you can, but still could use more unique ideas in your frugal arsenal, then you need to read this list.
More than likely you haven’t tried all of the tips mentioned. This list keep in mind is EXTREME, so it may not be for everyone. But if you are serious about getting your finances in order or just need additional ways to save for a big goal, there are ways to think outside the box in order to do so.
Sometimes life can throw you curve balls and you need to find methods to increase your savings due to money being tight. Or maybe you’re just sick and tired of being in debt and want to try everything in the book to get out of it super fast.
Whatever the reason, the standard frugal ideas that you see everywhere just aren’t cutting it. You want more FIREPOWER.
You may have already:
- Stopped eating out
- Said goodbye to cable and hello to Netflix
- Watch movies at home versus going to the movies
- Cook all your own meals
- Eat all your leftovers
- Fix things yourself if you can
- Play board games for family entertainment
The above list are general ways to begin the frugal lifestyle, but if you want to dig deeper into extreme frugality you need to amp up your game.
By extreme I mean per Merriam Webster’s definition, exceeding the ordinary, to achieve astounding results.
It may seem outlandish at first but once you start meeting those goals and accomplishing challenges you will get excited seeing just how much you can save without little effort on your part.
1. Take Cold Showers
I know you maybe thinking, “are you crazy?” Now I’m not implying to take a freezing cold shower, more so a warm shower,– but the colder the more savings. It will reduce the amount of electricity used by the water heater.
Instead of turning the water to its maximum temperature try somewhere in between. Taking cold showers could save you up to an additional $150 a year. Because of the extra time it takes to wait for the water to heat up, hot showers require more water. According to a research at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, an average of 5.21 gallons per household, per day spirals down the drain before anyone even steps in the shower.
If you think about it, that’s like throwing your good hard earned money down the drain.
2. Skip Showers
While you are at it avoid taking so many of those colder showers.
Do you know it’s not necessary to shower everyday? In fact over showering can dry out your skin and cause an imbalance of healthy bacteria according to health Harvard. I know. I was just as shocked as you to learn about this. In America it is custom for us to shower daily, some people even morning and night. But in places like China it is reported that on average most shower only twice per week!
Of course this isn’t a blanket statement for everyone. If you have a laborious job that requires you to work by the sweat of your brow, — please shower. But if you are not doing much work through the day, and aren’t emitting any unpleasant odors then it’s not really necessary to do so and would lower your water bill!
3. Don’t Wash Your Clothes
By now you probably think I want you to go around smelling stinky, but I promise I don’t. But if you take a sniff of your clothes after wearing them for a day and find they don’t smell bad, then skip washing them until the next laundry day.
If it doesn’t have any of the 3 S’s (stink, stains, or sweat), it doesn’t need to be washed yet. It will reduce the amount of clothes you have to wash, saving more water in return.
4. Try the OMAD Diet
The OMAD diet stands for One Meal a Day. It means exactly what it says. You eat one big meal a day, accounting for all of your calorie intake needs in that meal. The rest of the 23 hours you will only consume water or non-caloric beverages like tea or coffee (no sugar or cream).
Not only will it help you save in the grocery department, but many proponents of this eating lifestyle swear by it for weight loss. Many also testify that it has cured them of some of their chronic health issues.
5. Get Rid of Your Car
If you have a car with outrageous payments or interest, then consider trading it in for a used vehicle. It may sound crazy at first but getting rid of a car payment will save you so much money. If you feel burdened by your car payments it’s a good indicator that you are biting off more than you can chew.
6. Take the Bus More Often
If you live in a city that has a transit system take advantage of it from time to time. You will have to fill up less on gas giving you the benefits of saving more money.
7. Drive Faster
Don’t get all fast and furious on me here. By drive faster I mean take the freeway. Taking the interstate is said to save you more money on gas mileage than driving in the city. Reason being is that all of the braking and accelerating done from stopping at lights and signs requires more power from your car.
So if there’s a chance for you to take the highway it could save you some gas and get you to where you need to be quicker. Just remember always drive the speed limit!
8. Keep Your Lights Off During the Day
Not really an extreme, but sometimes this can be forgetful, (for me at least). Instead of turning on the lights during the day, open the curtains and blinds to use some beautiful natural light from outside instead.
9. Don’t Buy Anything Unless You Can Get Cash Back From It
Don’t make any purchases unless you are going to get cash back from it. I love to use ibotta for my grocery purchases, Ebates for online, and Dosh for various others.
You can get a $20 bonus just for signing up with Ibotta by clicking my link here. You can also get $1 for signing up for Dosh after linking your credit or debit card through their app, and receive a bonus $10 dollars from Ebates for signing up. That’s a total of $31 in bonuses right there! Practically a full tank of gas!
Related: Ibotta app review is it legit and ways you can earn more cash
10. Move in With Your Parents
This is definitely one of the truly extremes, especially if moving back would cause more headache than good. I would only move back in with a parent or relative if they were willing and open for you to move in with them, and make sure it’s temporary until you can get back on your feet.
It always helps to be able to save on rent, since that’s generally the most costly expense a person has. Moving in with willing parents will no doubt save you 1000’s, especially if they are letting you live with them at little to no cost.
11. Get a Roommate
Another extreme, especially if you are like me and enjoy your privacy, is to have a temporary roommate. They can help with splitting the cost of your monthly rent , helping you to save tons of money.
Like moving in with your parents, this could be a good or bad thing. It’s best to do thorough screenings on the person and to set up terms before agreement of the situation. Should anything go sideways at least you will have it on document valid reasons to terminate the agreement. If you get lucky and find a great roommate this is a great option to cut living cost.
12. Invest in a Bidet
Bidets are very commonly used in European countries, such as Italy and Portugal, as well as in South American countries like Argentina and Venezuela.
Many Americans find bidets a strange concept, but do you know how much money you can save in toilet paper cost using a bidet? According to the bidet maker you can save around $182 per year!
13. Only Buy Used Clothing For a Year
Make yourself a challenge to not purchase any new clothing for an entire year. You’ll be surprised to find great steals,– name brand clothes even, barely worn being sold in thrift stores.
To save yourself a drive to Goodwill you can use apps like Poshmark, where you can buy or sell gently used clothing, with hassle free shipping. Get $10 when you sign up using my link here.
So there you have it, 13 extreme frugal ways you can save and even add some extra dollars into your bank accounts.
Have you tried any on the list already? What are the most extreme things you have done to save money? If this article was helpful, please don’t forget to share!
Hi, I’m Shaniqua! I paid off $26,000 of consumer debt and am on the path to pay off all my student loan debt. I’m a future full time blogger who loves to write about ways you can get out of debt fast, save money, and create more income. I’m a wife and mom, and I created debt smashing to share my own debt journey and to empower others to go for their dreams. I’m passionate about helping others to succeed with their personal finances and overall life.
Great idea’s! They aren’t the common, overly used suggestions you hear over and over again in money saving blogs.
Thank you! I wanted to mention very unique ideas to save money and I’m glad you thought they were too!