Embracing Frugal Lifestyle: 7 Things I Stopped Buying And Start Doing To Save More Money.

things I stopped buying and start doing to save money

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Make Saving Money A Fun Experience

Saving money on a tight budget doesn’t have to be a process of deprivation and sacrifice. Furthermore, with the right attitude and a bit of creativity, it can be a quite enjoyable experience. 

The good and bad news is this – it’s all up to you. Even when it seems impossible to save money on your daily expenses, it’s actually 100% in your power to change your mindset from negative to positive. So if you thought that living within one’s means, and setting aside funds for a rainy day is reserved exclusively for rich people, that’s completely untrue. 

Not only is it possible to save money on a tight budget, but also it’s quite easy. But there is a caveat. If you want to save significant money on your daily expenses you have to want to unlock your inner creativity. Otherwise, the whole experience of improving your financial situation will be a rather unpleasant experience. 

So are you ready to cultivate a saving mindset and boost your creativity levels? If your answer is yes, you will love this post because today I am sharing 7 things I stopped buying and start creating myself to save more money and improve my creative skills. So without further ado, let’s dive in.  

1. Coffee

There are two types of coffee lovers in this world. Those who visit their favourite barista multiple times a day, and those who brew their coffee at home. The former group don’t mind spending lots of money for coffee at places they love and support, and the latter choose to save on their daily coffee habit preparing their coffee at home.  

As for me, I used to share values and coffee attitudes with the first group until I realized that my coffee habit was costing me about 1,500 euro per year. Well, that was a bit too much especially for a person who tried to improve their financial health and become more money-conscious.

So I made a very important decision that not only improved my financial situation but also my time management skills. If you haven’t guessed yet, it was a purchase decision. I’ve bought a coffee grinder, a coffee machine and a huge stash of coffee beans. And let me tell you something, it was a good investment that, by the way, gave me a very high return in a short time.

Thus, if you want to save money on your daily coffee habit I highly recommend you to start brewing your coffee at home and visit your favourite coffee shop only on special occasions. And believe me, if I could do it, then so can you. Just think about this extra money you will put into your savings account and use this thought as a motivation for your actions!

My Favourite Bulletproof Coffee Recipe

the best bulletproof coffee recipe

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the best bulletproof coffee recipe

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Ingredients:

  • 8 oz Arabica Coffee (brewed and hot)
  • 1 tsp Grass-Feed Butter or Grass-Feed Ghee
  • 1 tsp MCT Oil or Coconut Oil
  • 1 Tbsp Heavy Cream or Mascarpone (adds delicious creaminess)
  • 1 Tbsp Collagen protein powder (optional)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
  • Sweetener of choice (optional)

Method:

  1. Brew coffee
  2. Combine all ingredients in a blender.
  3. Blend until smooth and frothy.
  4. Drink immediately!

2. Healthy Snacks

homemade healthy snacks

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homemade healthy snacks

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Another thing (or things) I stopped buying and start making to save money are healthy snacks. It will probably come as no surprise to all those who have a serious sweet tooth that dessert obsession can costs you a lot of money. Especially if you pay attention to the ingredients and prefer to pay more for healthier options.

Well, let’s just acknowledge the elephant in the room: healthier foods are typically more expensive than less healthy foods. And don’t get me wrong, I do believe that making healthy choices especially in terms of a diet, is an investment, not an expense. But I don’t want to spend my whole paycheck in a grocery shop.
That is why I stopped buying healthy snacks and I started making them at home. And you know what, that was a great decision for many different reasons.

First of all, I can make healthy versions of my favourite unhealthy snacks and east as much as I want without feeling sick afterwards. Second, I can nurture my culinary creativity trying some new delicious recipes. And finally, I have full control over the ingredients that you use for making my desserts. And as we all know, the amount of toxic ingredients and artificial additives in today’s food products is quite alarming, to say the least. That is why I highly recommend you to start making your sweets, snacks and treats at home. Both, your physical and financial health will benefit from it.

And if you need some healthy desserts ideas, here are my absolutely favourite websites:

3. Take Out Foods

take away

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take away

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My next tip for all those who want to save some a significant amount of money is to start cooking at home. You may not realize it yet, but this simple tip is a real life-changer (and huge money saver).

Food delivery and take out is convenient, easy and usually pretty fast but it is also quite expensive. So if you want to put some extra money on your savings account but you order your food from your favourite local restaurant every single day you should probably start preparing your meals at home.

Ok, I get it. I’m also a big fan of Uber Eats and Deliveroo but at the same time, I know how easy it is to lose track of how much you’re spending on these food delivery services. That is why I make it a rule not to order takeout more often than once a week. Yeah, I know it can be tough, but it’s worth the sacrifice.

Besides, cooking and preparing your meals at home can be as convenient, quick and delicious as ordering a takeaway. Not to mention that if you do your own cooking, you have full control over what you eat. In other words, you don’t have to worry about the quality of ingredients or toxic food additives that could easily harm your health. In fact, isn’t it an open secret that most restaurants use dangerous chemicals such as refined vegetable and seed oils to prepare their food?

For that reason, I highly recommend you to bring out your inner chef, turn your kitchen into a Michelin 3-start restaurant and start creating healthy and less expensive versions of your favourite takeaways.

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4. Natural And Organic Skincare Products

natural skincare products

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natural skincare products

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I am not a beauty expert, far from it. But I know a lot about toxic ingredients used in personal care products that you should avoid at any cost.

Like the vast majority of the people, I used to buy the same cosmetic products of famous beauty brands for years, yet I’ve never read the ingredients. The idea never crossed my mind. Can you imagine that?

Everything changed when I had an allergic reaction to makeup. This experience made me realize that I should be a more conscious consumer and pay more attention to skincare ingredients. I other words, I did my research and I started to buy only organic skincare, cosmetics and makeup products that are better for my health and the world around me.

Then I took it one step further and I started to make my own natural, organic, non-toxic and in most cases even EDIBLE skincare products. This small lifestyle habit not only improved my skincare but also helped me to save a lot of money. Not to mention that I improved my chemistry skills!

If you’re interested in turning your kitchen into a chemistry lab to create my skincare products so pure that you can eat them, I wrote an article on natural, organic, EDIBLE and affordable cosmetic products that you can read here.

Best Posts On Healthy Self-Care Routine

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5. Cleaning Products

natural cleaning products

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natural cleaning products

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Most household cleaners that you can find on supermarket shelves are not only very expensive but also extremely toxic. So if you are concerned about the planet (we all should be) and you want to save a significant amount of money on home and kitchen cleaners you should start making natural cleaning products at home. It’s easier than you think. Furthermore, you can easily make an all-purpose non-toxic cleaner with only 4 extremely cheap and natural ingredients. And to help you with that, below you will find my absolute favourite recipes to make your own, natural household cleaners.

Learn How To Make Non-Toxic Home Cleaners

6. Home Design

DIY home decor

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I’ve never been a person who spends a lot of money on home decor. Although I have to admit, I am not immune to tricks IKEA uses to make me spend more money on things that I really don’t need to buy such as scented candles, pillows, table lamps, cooking tools, kitchen utensils and of course photo frames. And if you have ever made unnecessary purchases during your trip to IKEA you know how hard is to resist the urge to buy something new.

To avoid making the same mistake in the future, I started to make a detailed shopping list to be fully prepared for my trip to IKEA. Actually, I make two separate lists. One of the lists contains all the items I need to buy and the other one is more like an “inspiration list” of home décor ideas I can easily DIY. This system works perfectly in cultivating creativity and improving financial health.

So if you want to save some money and boost your creativity levels at the same time, I highly recommend you to start your DIY your home décor projects. But hey, you don’t need to go to IKEA for inspiration, you can use Pinterest or Youtube! Your creativity is limitless you just need to stop overthinking and start creating results!

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7. Herbs

grow herbs and spices

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grow herbs and spices

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There is nothing more delicious than fresh herbs in your food. And if you prepare your meals with herbs that you have grown yourself the whole experience become even more satisfying. Not to mention that growing your own herbs is much cheaper than buying them in a grocery store. And no, I’m not a culinary expert, but I am assured that adding fresh organic herbs to your meals will enrich every meal. We all know that fresh herbs taste better than dried. Not to mention that they smell so wonderful that you can use them as an all-natural air freshener. 

Many people think that they need a large garden to grow their herbs but that is not true. Because you can grow your own small space herb garden at home. Given that most herbs don’t absorb energy from sunlight directly you can grow then indoors. How amazing is that?

Just imagine eating pizza Margherita, Spaghetti Carbonara or Caprese sandwich with fresh herbs… Getting hungry just thinking about it! So if you like the idea of preparing your meals with fresh, organic and delicious herbs you should start your small garden ASAP. And if you have a garden I highly recommend you to start growing your own food. Gardening is very trendy right now! I’m just saying… so if you want to learn more about gardening and sustainable living I highly recommend “The Gardening & Sustainable Living Bundle 2020” - 6 courses, 21 eBooks, 5 Planners and Printables for ONLY $24.99. You can learn more about this bundle here:

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Stay positive

Be mindful

and 

Start saving money!

xo Kate

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About Me

Hey, I’m Kate. I create content about a holistic approach to a meaningful life. On this platform, you will find resources on reaching YOUR goalstime management,  personal growth, & living your best life. 

(particularly for procrastinators, self-doubters, and dreamers!)

If I am not here it’s because I’m enjoying my creamy cappuccino in one of my favorite coffee shops… 😎

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