About Simply Frugal

I'm so glad you're here at Simply Frugal!

My name is Taya, and I've been sharing money saving ideas here since 2009. I'm a mom to two girls, a wife to a supportive husband, and a lifelong work-in-progress when it comes to figuring out how to spend less, save more and make the most of what we have.

We live in beautiful British Columbia, Canada, and as a family, we love our simple life. We love getting out and exploring our city, trying new things, making memories and enjoying experiences together.

And that's really what my version of frugal living is all about.

I don't want to spend my life worrying about money or saying no to everything. I want to spend less on the everyday things so we have more room for the things that matter to us.

My Frugal Living Story

The funny thing is, I haven't always been what my friends would call "thrifty."

In January 2008, I challenged myself to a No Spend Month. For an entire month, I allowed myself to spend money only on groceries and our regular monthly bills.

It was eye-opening.

I was amazed at how much money I had been spending on little things here and there. A quick trip to the store. Something I spotted while browsing. A purchase that didn't seem like a big deal at the time. But those little purchases added up.

The first week was the hardest because I was breaking the habit of wandering through stores when I was bored. Once I got past that, I started to realize just how much of my spending had been happening automatically.

I successfully completed the challenge, and it changed the way I thought about spending money.

I started becoming much more intentional about what I bought. I discovered that I genuinely enjoyed finding a great deal, making something instead of buying it, using what I already had and figuring out creative ways to save money.

And, perhaps most importantly, I realized that being frugal didn't mean having less fun. It meant being more intentional about where my money went.

Why I Started Simply Frugal

I started Simply Frugal in February 2009 because I wanted to create a personable, approachable place where Canadians could find practical ways to save money.

Over the years, I've shared Canadian deals, coupons, money saving strategies and thousands of ideas for spending less.

But Simply Frugal has grown and changed along with me. Today, it's about much more than finding the lowest price. It's about finding ways to make everyday life more affordable, manageable and enjoyable.

Sometimes that means:

• finding a great Canadian deal.
• figuring out how to save $50 on your grocery bill.
• decluttering what you already own instead of buying more.
• making something yourself
• finding a new use for something you already have
• learning a better way to run your household.

And sometimes, it's realizing that you don't need to spend money at all to have a great day!

How Simply Frugal Can Help You

Canadian Deals

I'm always on the lookout for great Canadian deals so you don't have to spend hours searching for them yourself.

You'll find deals from Canadian retailers, seasonal sales, useful finds and products that can help make everyday life a little easier, without paying full price! You'll find these sales in my Weekend Deals article, in my Instagram stories and in my Facebook Group.

Canadian Coupons

Find a huge variety of coupons available to Canadians. New ones are added as soon as I find them! You could also check the How to Coupon in Canada series I wrote to help get you off to a great coupon start.

Frugal Living & Money Saving Tips

I've spent years figuring out where the little savings are hiding. You'll find practical ideas for spending less, cutting household expenses, saving on groceries, avoiding unnecessary spending and making your money stretch further.

No complicated spreadsheets required. Just realistic ideas you can actually use.

Household Tips

Running a household is a big job, and I think there should be more conversation around the everyday skills that make it easier.

You'll find cleaning and organizing ideas, decluttering tips, gardening inspiration, simple DIYs, household shortcuts and ways to make your home work better for you, all right here.

Smart Shopping

I'm a deal hunter at heart, so naturally I love helping you figure out what's worth buying, when to buy it and how to pay less.

Whether it's something you genuinely need or simply something that can make your life easier, my goal is to help you shop more intentionally and avoid paying full price whenever possible.

One of my favourite things to do every year is to curate my Frugal Gift Guides. I spend a lot of time thoughtfully putting together gift guides that aren't full of junk and will be appreciated by the recipient. That's smart shopping!

Simple Ways to Enjoy Life

Because saving money shouldn't mean putting your life on hold. I'll also share ideas for having fun without spending a fortune, making the most of what you already have, finding affordable experiences and enjoying the simple things.

What I've Learned After All These Years

After more than 17 years of living, learning and writing about frugal living, I don't have everything figured out. I'm still learning. I'm still finding new ways to save. I still occasionally buy something I don't need. And I'm still trying to balance saving money with actually enjoying life.

But I've learned that frugal living isn't about being perfect.

It's about being intentional.

It's about knowing where your money is going.

It's about spending less on the things that don't matter as much so you have more for the things that do.

And it's about finding ways to live a good life without spending a fortune to do it.

That's the kind of frugal living I want to share here.

I'm so glad you're here, and I hope Simply Frugal helps you spend a little less, stress a little less and make a little more room for the life you want.

Welcome to Simply Frugal.

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