For a long time, it felt money was constantly draining from my pockets without my consent. Bills, costs, and impulsive purchases left me in a perpetual struggle. A few years ago, I decided to simplify my life and alleviate anxiety through minimalism. By decluttering my possessions, making a budget, and being mindful about my spending, I significantly reduce living expenses and savings on daily essentials. Allow me to share how simplistic living cuts expenses for haircuts, water, laundry, meals, and transportation.
Cutting Costs on Haircuts
Years back, I was spending between $10 to $15 every few weeks to have my hair and my boys' hair cut at the barbershop. This expense was really adding up and pulling down the weight of my pockets whenever we all had our hair cut.
Then I realized that with some practice, I could cut our own hair. I invested in some clippers and have been giving us DIY haircuts ever since. It takes me about an hour total for all three of us and saves me well over $30 per month. The cuts may not be as polished as a barber's, but they get the job done and allow me to avoid that expense completely.
Cooking More Meals at Home
Rather than eating out, My wife ensures we enjoy homemade, freshly cooked meals every day. Each morning, she dedicates time to preparing nutritious breakfast and packing freshly prepared lunches for my workday sustenance. This ensures my food intake remains nourishing, avoiding the financial burden of costly restaurant or cafeteria options. While the process of cooking proves time-intensive for my partner, I greatly appreciate her efforts to help save us some money. This practice has helped cut out a huge grocery and eating out expenses. I estimate we saved well over $100 each month by enjoying freshly home made food instead of spending on launch.
Doing Laundry Myself
Money was draining fast through laundry services. Trying to preserve fancy outfits, suits, and traditional clothes, I kept paying professionals. But the mounting costs pushed me to rethink this approach. I invested in a good washer-dryer unit and taught myself laundry skills. Now I wash everything myself – from casual t-shirts and jeans to delicate suits and fancy clothes. By doing it myself, I save around $10-12 monthly compared to earlier expenses. Small efforts lead to significant savings in the long run.
Saving on Water
Drinking water can really add up if you're constantly buying individual bottles. I decided to cut that expense by making my own filtered water at home. I purchased a large drum and water filter materials for $25, and it pays for itself within a few months since it saves me from buying bags of water weekly. Now I just fill up the drum with borehole water, use the water filter materials and have clean, great-tasting water on hand for a fraction of the cost. Between myself and my kids, we were going through 2 bags of 20 sachets or more every day. By switching to filtered tap water, I save over $35 per month.
Getting Around by Motorcycle
For short trips around town, I started using my motorcycle instead of driving my car whenever possible. Navigating traffic is much easier on my motorcycle than in a larger vehicle. Many of the roads near me are frequently damaged due to flooding, leaving them in poor condition not suited for larger vehicles. While the potholes and uneven surfaces can make riding challenging at times, it's much more manageable on my motorcycle compared to driving a car over such terrain. Not only is riding fun, but it saves a ton on fuel costs versus driving. Basic motorcycle maintenance costs less than maintaining a car over the long run as well. I've found that for most daily errands under 10 miles, my motorcycle gets me through the damaged roads more easily and quickly than being stuck in heavy traffic would in a car. Using my motorcycle frequently has significantly reduced my monthly fuel and transportation expenses.
Saving on Entertainment
Rather than paying for streaming subscriptions or cable every month, I've switched to using the free content offered by our local TV provider. They broadcast movies, shows, cartoons and live sports every day at no additional cost. This is perfect for entertaining my kids. Rather than taking them to the movies or paying for extra streaming channels, we enjoy the free content together at home. The TV provider also offers educational programs that my kids have been enjoying. By shifting our entertainment to the free options provided, I save over $10 per month compared to paying for additional streaming or cable packages. It's been great discovering the quality free content available right in our living room rather than feeling we need to spend more to be entertained.
Conclusion
By making small changes like meal prepping, using a motorcycle for transportation, taking advantage of free entertainment options, and cutting unnecessary expenses, I've been able to significantly reduce our monthly spending and save over $250. It all adds up quickly without feeling like I'm depriving myself or my family of anything important.
Living frugally through cooking at home, finding free activities, and trimming fat from budgets has provided both financial and lifestyle benefits. I hope sharing some of the strategies my family uses inspires others to look for ways to tighten their belts a little and put more money back in their pockets each month. Every small saving makes a difference over time.