What 18 Years of Frugal Living Has Taught Me

Sep 11 | Frugal Living

Way back in January 2008, I challenged myself to go an entire month without buying anything we didn't absolutely need. A month-long No Spend Challenge. The only things I allowed myself to pay for was groceries and monthly bills. My husband and I were newly married in 2007 and at the time I was working a seasonal job with winters off.

It wasn't because I wanted to become "the frugal person." I wasn't trying to make a statement or see how little I could live on. I simply wanted to take a closer look at where our money was going and stop buying useless junk that I usually ended up decluttering. I had a feeling we were spending more out of habit than necessity.

I expected the month to feel very restrictive. I imagined constantly telling myself "no" and counting down the days until it was over.

Instead, something unexpected happened.

The challenge forced me to slow down before buying anything. I started shopping my pantry and making meal plans before heading to the grocery store. I found creative ways to use what we already had. Instead of browsing the stores, I decluttered our house. I rekindled some hobbies. (I found uncompleted sewing projects while I was decluttering!) I realized how many of my purchases had been automatic rather than intentional.

By the end of those thirty days, we had saved money. But that wasn't the biggest surprise.

The biggest surprise was how much lighter I felt. I wasn't constantly chasing the next purchase or wondering where our money had gone. I realized that living frugally wasn't about deprivation. It was about being intentional with the money we worked so hard to earn.

That one month experiment ended, but the mindset never did.

Over the past 18 years, my version of frugal living has evolved. Some of the things I used to do no longer make sense. New tools and technology have changed the way I save money. But many of the habits I developed during that very first no-spend challenge are still part of my everyday life.

Looking back now, I've learned what truly saves money, what wastes time, and what purchases are worth every penny. If you're curious about what nearly two decades of frugal living has taught me, here's an honest look at what has changed, what hasn't, and the habits I still rely on today.

What Frugal Living Looked Like 18 Years Ago

When I first started living more frugally, things looked a lot different than they do today.

There were no grocery pickup orders, cashback apps, or browser extensions that automatically searched for coupon codes. Forget about frequent Amazon deliveries! If you wanted to save money, you had to be much more hands-on.

Every week, I'd live for the coupon booklets (remember SmartSource?) and flyers that came in the Sunday newspaper. I'd sit down and cut out all the coupons, compare prices, and make my shopping list based on what was on sale. I would match the coupons up with items that were on sale, planned meals around store sales and often visited more than one grocery store if the savings made it worthwhile.

Meal planning quickly became one of my biggest money saving habits. Before heading to the store, I'd check the pantry, fridge, and freezer to see what we already had. Instead of deciding what sounded good for dinner, I'd build meals around ingredients that needed to be used first.

Cooking at home became the norm. We packed lunches, made coffee at home, baked more often, and stocked the freezer with freezer meals for the days I didn't feel like cooking. Leftovers were almost never wasted because they usually became lunch the next day.

We became experts in borrowing and accepting free things. Most of our furniture was given to us. We didn't care about aesthetics! We borrowed baby clothes from family and friends. Streaming services like Netflix and Prime didn't exist back then so we borrowed shows and movies. It was great because we could just give everything back when we were finished. Or donate our furniture with zero regrets.

We also found lots of free entertainment. Movie nights borrowed from the library, afternoons at the beach, hiking trails, and free community events became regular parts of our lives. Looking back, some of our favourite memories didn't cost much at all.

Of course, not everything I tried was a success. Like many people starting their frugal journey, I experimented with homemade cleaners, DIY projects, and every money saving tip I could find online. Some became lasting habits, while others quietly disappeared after I realized they weren't saving enough time or money to be worthwhile.

What I remember most, though, wasn't any specific trick or tip. It was the shift in how I thought about spending. Instead of asking, "Can I afford this?" I started asking, "Do I actually need this?" That one simple question probably saved us more money than any coupon ever could.

What Has Changed

While the heart of frugal living has stayed the same for me, the way I save money has definitely changed over the past 18 years.

Technology has made many things easier. Instead of flipping through paper flyers, I browse digital ones from my phone. I can compare prices online in minutes, order groceries for pickup to avoid impulse purchases, and use cashback apps and rewards programs without carrying around a stack of coupons and loyalty cards.

Shopping has changed too. Years ago, finding a good deal often meant driving from store to store. Now I can quickly compare prices, set price alerts, or wait for a sale without leaving the house. It saves both time and money.

I've also become much more selective about where I put my energy. I know that my time has value too.

Saving $2 isn't worth an extra hour of my day. Sometimes paying a little more is the better choice if it saves time. Besides, I've since learned that if I stop at another store for a deal, I usually end up buying more than more than I intended!

One of the biggest changes is that I no longer focus on being as cheap as possible. Instead, I focus on getting the best value.

For example, I've learned that buying a well made pair of winter boots that lasts for years is often cheaper than replacing inexpensive ones every season. A quality kitchen tool that gets used several times a week can be a smarter purchase than the cheapest option on the shelf.

I've also become much more intentional about what I bring into our home. In the beginning, I was excited whenever I found a great deal. Now I know that a bargain isn't really a bargain if it wasn't something I needed in the first place.

Perhaps the biggest change is that frugal living no longer feels like something I have to think about every day. It's just our way of life and doesn't feel restrictive.

The habits I worked so hard to build during those first few years have simply become part of how we live. Meal planning, checking the pantry before shopping, waiting before impulse purchases, and looking for good value all happen almost automatically now.

After 18 years, I've realized that frugal living isn't about constantly finding new ways to save money. It's about creating habits that make spending intentionally feel effortless.

What Hasn't Changed

Even though the way I save money has evolved over the years, I've been surprised by how many of the simplest habits are still the most effective.

Meal planning is still one of the biggest ways I save money. Taking just a few minutes each week to decide what's for dinner helps me avoid last-minute takeout, lessens food waste, and makes grocery shopping much less stressful. Eighteen years later, it's still one of the best returns on the small amount of time it takes.

I also still check my pantry, fridge, and freezer before making a grocery list. It's amazing how often I already have the ingredients for several meals hiding in plain sight. Using what we already own has always been one of the easiest ways to spend less.

Shopping with a list is another habit that has never gone out of style. I have a notepad on the fridge where I jot down the things we run out of right away so I don't forget something we use all the time. Whether I'm walking through the grocery store or filling an online cart, having a plan helps me stay focused and avoid impulse purchases.

Waiting before buying something I want has also saved me countless dollars over the years. Most purchases don't need to happen immediately. Giving myself a little time to think usually helps me decide whether it's something I'll truly use or just something that caught my attention in the moment.

We have probably saved thousands over the years by shopping secondhand or borrowing items. Often, we end up with better quality than we could have afforded buying new.

This leads me to my next topic. We avoid debt as much as we can. This means we buy everything we can, including used vehicles with cash. The only debt we have had is our mortgage, which we have since paid off by putting down the maximum allowed once a year on top of our monthly payments.

Another habit that has stood the test of time is taking care of what we already own. Cleaning, maintaining, and repairing things whenever possible helps them last longer and delays the need to replace them. Thanks to YouTube, my husband has fixed our washing machine, dryer and air conditioner! Looking after what you have is one of the most overlooked ways to save money.

More than anything, though, what hasn't changed is my mindset.

Frugal living has never been about saying "no" to everything. It's about spending with purpose. It's asking whether something adds real value to our lives instead of buying it simply because it's on sale, trendy, or convenient.

After 18 years, I've realized that the biggest savings rarely come from complicated tricks or extreme sacrifices. They come from small, consistent habits repeated over and over again. Those habits may not be exciting, but they've made a lasting difference in our finances. They've become such a natural part of life that I hardly think about them anymore!

The Habits I still Use Every Week

Here's a checklist of the habits I still use 18 years later:

• I always meal plan. Not because I enjoy it. But because every meal I don't plan usually costs me more. Some weeks, I only have a rough idea and that still helps! I have a dedicated notebook for meal plans and I find it's helpful too look back at old plans when I need inspiration.
• I check my pantry, fridge and freezer first. It's amazing how often dinner is already sitting there!
• I wait before buying most things. With the exception of groceries, very few purchases need to happen in the end if I wait. I'll find I don't need it, have something similar already or I'll fix what I already have.
• I compare prices. Not obsessively, just enough to know if I'm overpaying. This is also handy for you when I share deals in Instagram stories or Facebook!
• I search for deals on family activities. If it's not a free activity, you can bet I will try my hardest to save us some money! This includes any flights or hotels we may need for travel.
• I look for the best value, not just the lowest price. Especially at the grocery store.
• I check Checkout 51 and Caddle for cashback offers that I can use as well as Rakuten if I'm making online purchases.

What I No Longer Bother Doing

When I first started living frugally, I was willing to try just about every money-saving tip I came across. But over the years, I have learned that some things just aren't worth it to me anymore. Here's what I don't do anymore:

• drive across town to save $2
• make everything from scratch
• keep hundreds of coupons
• buy things just because they're on sale
• feel guilty about spending money
• stocking up on things we won't use
• buy cheap products that wear out
• trying to be a "perfect" frugal person (confession: we don't budget and I really love spending money on restaurant meals and coffee out.)

Where I Happily Spend Money

Yes, frugal people absolutely spend money! Here's what our family chooses to spend money on:

• Good shoes. But almost always on sale!
• A quality vacuum. If you maintain it, a good quality vacuum will last years!
• Kitchen appliances we use daily. When you buy good quality, you don't have to replace them very often! Our KitchenAid stand mixer and toaster are still going strong after almost 20 years!
• Travel. We love to travel! We save money in other areas of our life so we can splurge a bit while we travel. But I live for travel deals!
• Extracurricular activities. We highly value extracurricular activities. These days, that looks like competitive dance and gymnastics for our daughters. A lot of money goes towards these but the benefits far outweigh the price. My husband is currently dealing with a knee injury, but he also plays soccer.
• Experiences. Our family often does free or cheap activities, but love to do the occasional amusement park or similar activity!
• High-quality winter clothing. It's not fun being cold or wet in the winter. The sorels I bought as a young adult are still in excellent condition, no regrets!
• Coffee with a friend and dinner/lunch out. I mentioned that I love a meal or coffee out. Firstly, I don't have to cook or clean up after. But secondly, I love the time spent connecting with someone I care about.
• Books. I love borrowing books and audiobooks from the library, but my husband and oldest like to buy books.

What I'd Tell Someone Starting Today

If you're just starting to live more frugally, my biggest piece of advice is this: don't try to change everything all at once.

When I began my month long no spend challenge 18 years ago, I had no idea it would completely change the way I thought about money. I certainly didn't adopt every frugal habit overnight. The biggest changes happened gradually, one small habit at a time.

Start with one thing that feels manageable. Maybe it's meal planning once a week. Maybe it's making granola bars instead of buying them. Maybe it's checking your pantry before grocery shopping or waiting 24 hours before buying something you want. Small habits may not feel life changing in the moment, but when you repeat them week after week and year after year, they add up in ways you can't imagine.

I'd also encourage you to stop comparing your journey to anyone else's. Frugal living isn't a competition to see who can spend the least money or make the most things from scratch. It's about making thoughtful decisions with the money you have and building a life that reflects your priorities.

Finally, remember that frugal living isn't about deprivation. It's about freedom. It's about creating breathing room in your finances, reducing financial stress, and spending confidently on the things that truly matter to you. If you can shift your mindset from "What am I giving up?" to "What am I gaining?" you'll find that living frugally feels far more rewarding than restrictive.

Looking back, I'm so grateful I decided to try that no spend challenge all those years ago. I thought I was learning how to spend less, but what I was really learning was how to live with more intention. And that's a lesson that's been worth far more than the money we've saved along the way.

After 18 years, I'm still learning, still adapting, and still finding new ways to spend more intentionally. Frugal living has never been about having less. It has always been about making the most of what we have.

Now I'd love to hear from you: What's one frugal habit you'll never give up? Share it in the comments below!