The Canny Lass

I’m sure you guys all know these or, at least some of these, but there’s no harm in going through them again.

It’s also a good reminder for me to keep on top of everything because, like everyone else, I’m really busy and I often forget to take my own frugal advice.

[NB there’s a printable checklist of all these points at the end of this article]

So, coming in at number one and that is:

1. Track Every Expense

You absolutely need to keep a track of every single penny you are spending. Frugal people are hyper-aware of their financial picture and they log every expense, no matter how small. That could be as small as 99p to a £5.95 coffee. Track it the old-fashioned way with a notebook and pen, in a notes function on your phone or some people like using digital tools such as Mint (I have never used this tool, so I don’t know how good it is and I’ll certainly not get any money if you sign up for this).

Keeping track of your money also lets you see spending habits and where you could trim back. For instance, you might not be aware of how often you visit your local corner store for bread or milk, and pick up extras (non-essentials) such as chocolate or alcohol. At one point, I was going to our local Co-op nearly every day of the week to buy fresh bread and while there I was also picking up fizzy drinks and sweets for me and the kids. It really mounts up.

2. Cook at Home

This makes a huge difference to your budget. Eating out all the time, even in cheaper fast food places, can be incredibly expensive and adds up quickly.

Be more frugal and cook at home. If you don’t have time to cook or are too tired after a long day at work, meal prep on a Sunday. Take a few hours to put together some meals in a bag and shove them in the freezer. Or make a couple of extra meals over the weekend for the week ahead.

Batch cook and batch cook double so that you have a meal for now and one for some point in the future (freeze it). The Batch Lady has some really great ideas for recipes (and, no, this is not an affiliate link, I just find her advice really helpful).

You can also cut down on grocery spend by making a meal plan and grocery list, and sticking to it. Buy what’s in season as it’s always cheaper and see if there is anything on sale. It’s sometimes cheaper to buy a large joint of beef or pork and make it into two or three meals.

As an added way of saving money, you could grow herbs or small vegetables at home. Herbs can be grown from seeds and you can stretch your vegetables by regrowing them. Here’s a YouTube video on how to do this.

3. Buy Secondhand First

You can’t always buy everything secondhand, but there are loads of things you can get this way and it’s a cheaper way of buying. So, instead of heading to your local shops, try a nearby charity shop (great for clothing, books, CDs, DVDs, and even furniture) or buy online on places such as Gumtree, Facebook Marketplace or FreeCycle.

I recently bought a blouse, two dresses and a shirt at a local charity shop  for under £20 and they are like new.

4. Avoid Impulse Purchases

I am bad for impulse buying and it’s taken me a while to get out of the habit of it. My main impulse buying places are online shops such as Amazon and Ebay. How I get around this is that I save my ‘future purchases’ in a list and leave it overnight. If I still want it the next day or if I actually remember about it, I may still buy it. Often, though, the urge to buy passes and I never buy it.

Another way that impulse buyers get enticed to spend their hard-earned cash is through email marketing newsletters or through window shopping. Unsubscribe from the emails and give up window shopping online. If you don’t see it, you won’t want it.

That’s not to say, you can’t ever buy anything. Of course, if you need it, you should buy it. But just say to yourself: ‘Do I really need it?’ if the answer is ‘no’, then don’t buy.

5. DIY Whenever Possible

Not everyone feels confident in trying to fix or make things for themselves, but it’s often not as difficult as you think. There are lots of great tutorials, blogs and learning forums online featuring everything on how to fix a leaky faucet to making home-made cleaning products.

Doing it yourself can save you money and will make things last longer. For instance, knowing how to sew a button back on a shirt or jacket will mean you can wear it again.

However, please do not try attempt anything that should be done by a professional including fixing electrical issues, plumbing or your gas central heating. Sometimes you have to bite the bullet and call in a professional, and that’s okay.

6. Use Everything to the Last Drop

Here are some ways I do this: I use the shampoo bottle up as much as I can and then keep the empty bottle until the next hair wash. Then I fill the bottle up by about an eighth, give it a shake and use this on my hair. This way I get another wash out of it.

I have a paint tube squeezer that I use to roll up my toothpaste to make sure I get as much out of the tube as I can. Then I cut open the tube to get out whatever is left.

For boxes of wine, there’s always some leftover. Open the box, pull out the bag and snip the corner off. Then pour the remaining wine out. There’s usually at least half a glass left.

Repurpose old t-shirts and towels into rags. Use up food scraps in new meals (there are loads of tips online on how to do this). Squeeze the last bit of soap onto the top of a new (and wet) soap bar. It will eventually become one with the bar.

I’ve heard of people using the water left in their condenser dryer drawer for cleaning windows. They put the water into a spray bottle and clean the windows with it. My mother does this very successfully.

Bag ties for the plastic bags bread comes in can be reused to tie up plants in the garden. Reuse plastic bags again and again.

I have a metal fire pit in my garden that was going rusty. I bought special firepit spray paint and have just spray painted it. It looks like new. Unfortunately, I forgot to wear rubber gloves while doing this and my right hand is covered in black paint, but it will eventually wear off. :-D

When cleaning, spray the cloth and clean the surface. Don’t spray the surface and wipe as this uses up more cleaning product.

7. Limit Subscription Services

Subscription services for television, music, news, magazines, gyms, software, subscription boxes and others are so easy to sign up for and so easy to forget.

Have a look at your finances. Identify where the subscription boxes are and cancel any that you don’t use or don’t need. Also, see if there is any way you can reduce the amount you pay for the service. For instance, some tv streaming services offer a reduced rate if you keep the adverts.

8. Drive Less, Walk More

Not only is it healthier, but it’s cheaper to walk everywhere. So, before you go out ask yourself if you could walk or cycle to your destination. If so, do it.

If you need to use the car, make sure you bundle errands and do them all within the same timespan. For instance, maybe you want to do your weekly grocery store. You could do that, but also go to the Post Office while you’re there, meet a friend for coffee or go to your local library.

Use public transport where possible. I no longer drive into Glasgow. I cannot stand the traffic and stress of it. So, I always go in by train these days. It’s less stressful, and much easier for me. Okay, so I do have to pay for it, but I would pay the equivalent for parking in the city. I also use the journey to read and it’s my one time when I can get absolute peace to myself.

9. Plan Purchases Around Sales & Seasons

This is one I’ve been doing for years and it’s a great way of buying seasonal clothing out of season and other items more cheaply.

What I do is I keep an eye on the sales and buy winter clothes in spring and summer clothing in autumn and winter. I also buy birthday and Christmas gifts in sales throughout the year and store them until needed.

For larger items such as white goods, you can’t always wait for the sales, but I do shop around and look for money off vouchers. I’ve signed up to a few online voucher or cashback companies, so always check with them first.

Be warned: not every sale is a good sale, and bargains aren’t always bargains. Just be canny when you shop and you should be able to save.

10. Practice Gratitude & Contentment

Frugality isn’t just about saving money—it’s about mindset. Frugal people don’t feel deprived because they focus on what they already have. They prioritize long-term financial security, peace of mind, and meaningful goals over instant gratification. This contentment keeps them from unnecessary upgrades or chasing trends.

You don’t have to be dressed in the latest fashions to look sleek and elegant. You don’t need the latest phone or car to be loved by your friends and family. Stuff is just stuff and, as my mother says, you can’t take it with you (when you die).

Do you have any tips and tricks on how you are frugal? Let me know. And here’s your printable checklist: