Living the frugal life isn’t always an easy life to live. You’re on a budget, you have to maintain that budget, you cut corners, you’re always busy, you have to stay organized, etc… There’s a lot that goes into living frugally and some people make some mistakes along the way, and get very frustrated. It’s important that you never allow yourself to become frustrated over mistakes you make. The most important thing is that you take note of the mistake and you learn from it. Below, I’m going to list out some of the most common mistakes people make when they’re trying to live a frugal life.
#1. Going Paperless is a Mistake
It seems like going paperless would be a great thing. I mean, your mailbox isn’t flooded with envelopes as much as it used to be, you’re helping save the environment and you can check everything you need to know online. Unfortunately, going paperless throws a lot of people off track. Going paper is like an out of sight, out of mind kind of deal. If you’re not careful, you could even forget about certain bills you have and late payments can really hurt your credit score, so it’s not worth the risk. I hear a lot of frugal moms complaining about going paperless, so I wouldn’t suggest it.
#2. Eating Out Too Much
Eating out too much can blow through a budget very quickly. It would amaze a lot of people if they sat down and figured out how much of their hard-earned money was going to eating out every single month. It’s easy to do, because staying on schedule can be really tough and it’s extremely tempting just to quickly go through a drive-thru. There’s nothing wrong with dining out occasionally, but try to avoid doing it in excess and try to prepare meals at home more often. Doing this will save you a ton of money and it’s a much healthier option.
#3. Not Working Out
A lot of stay at home moms don’t get to work out, because they complain that there is no time. There is always time, you just have to be very creative and make time. I suggest getting a gym membership. That way, you’ll be able to get out of the house and get a workout in. Also, you’re more likely to use something if you’re paying for it on a recurring basis.
#4. Throwing Out Clothes
Just because something has a tear in it or is stained doesn’t mean you should just throw it out. Chances are you’ll be able to get the stain out in some way or another or you could always repair things with a little bit of sewing. If you’re not good at sewing, you could maybe enlist the help of a friend. If worse comes to worse, you should donate clothes, rather than tossing them out. It’s a nice thing to do and you’ll get a tax write-off.
What are some of your biggest mistakes you make while trying to live a frugal life? Let us know by leaving a comment below. Also, do you have any advice for people trying to live a frugal life? Let us know in the comments section. Your knowledge can really help someone out.
