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When you're young, you have to decide between frugality and convenience.

Convenience may cost you a lot of money though. Plus, you may not get as good of a product or service as you would if you did it yourself.


I'll be as simple and basic as I can as I try to explain the frugal lifestyle.


Frugality and the home: did you know that staying at home costs money? To be cheaper, just don't stay at home too much so you won't have to use electricity, water, heating/ air conditioning, and other expenses. You can justify cutting cable and possibly even internet if you are outside of home too often. Besides, going out can be fun! When you get back home, make use of layering clothes and blankets in the winter, and in the summer, use fans. Invest in energy efficient items and products that help insulate your home.

Frugality and the car: gas costs a lot, and a car is expensive too. It's good to get out of the house, but it's not good if you drive and consume so much gas. Plan your trips a little better so that you don't run around all over town. Besides, how fun is it to be stuck in traffic for long hours? For those who have a good public transit system, that is no guess that you are probably already taking advantage of that. But not all cities and places are lucky to have a good system.

Frugality and your food: food can easily cost a lot of money, and you can cut expenses sensibly. Ramen noodles and "mac-n-cheese" is not a good solution. It's not healthy for you in the long run. Forgo takeout, forgo sit-ins, and make your own. Cut meat consumption down a bit. Buy bulk bags of beans and rice. Think of multiple uses you can get out of a meat or produce item so that it won't go bad. Invest in a chest freezer so that food can be stocked up when there are good sales at the market. There are some cases where it is not a good idea to be too cheap. For example, extra-virgin cold-press olive oil is a superior olive oil in health and quality than regular olive oil, and it costs more. Also, produce is not always cheap but fruits and veggies should be the cornerstone of a human diet.

frugal entertainment: public libraries, window shopping, and auditing classes at your local colleges are free. There's also cheap and enriching entertainment in the theaters and galleries of your local colleges. Talk around with the locals to find out more things to do in your area.

The thrift store is not an embarrassment. It is an adventure if you look wisely. You can possibly find vintage clothes or furniture there. If you find used clothing that still looks like its in excellent shape, that piece of clothing has demonstrated that it will last a long time. When you buy new clothes, you don't always know how long it will last.

Making money on the side: You have to do something that you enjoy and love. Or else your money-making adventure will not last.