Copyright BuzzFeed
People Are Sharing The Frugal Habits So Good That They Became Part Of Their Identity, And My Wallet Says, "Thank You" "The Libby app has saved me so much money. I’m at 246 books/audiobooks for the year, and the majority of those were from Libby." In 2025, this is what our wallets look like the moment we leave the house. With the rising costs of groceries, health insurance, and everything else under the sun, I'm always on the lookout for frugal tips and tricks. Well, I was recently scrolling on Reddit and came across this question from u/Zealousideal-Arm4462: "What’s one 'frugal habit' you picked up that quietly became part of your identity?" Here are some of the best responses from people in the r/Frugal subreddit: 1. "Using the library for as much as I possibly can. I check out CDs and DVDs instead of paying for streaming. I stopped dealing with the hassle and cost of owning a printer and just print/copy at the library when I need to. My library also has access to free online courses that I sometimes take. I also just like to go sit or wander around and have access to a third space where I don’t have to spend money." —u/OK_Computer_152 "The Libby app has saved me so much money. I’m at 246 books/audiobooks for the year, and the majority of those were from Libby." —u/taylorbagel14 "Yes! I started studying at the libraries around me instead of always going to a coffee shop and spending a minimum of $10 per visit. Plus, it’s quieter!" —u/GorillaTrainer 2. "Raising a veggie garden every spring, mostly using seeds from last year. Last year, I only bought a pack of gloves and some mosquito netting for my rain barrels, and I have 7 of the 10 pairs left." —u/ChronicRhyno "It’s changed my relationship with nature." —u/Kennikend "It's changed my relationship with food." —u/green_pea_nut 3. "Thrift-store shopping, yard sales, etc. Where I live in central New York state, we have an annual weekend event in July called the 50 Mile Garage Sale. Households along this route do fabulous yard sales. I used to call it my religious holiday!" —u/fireflypoet "I introduced a thrifter friend to estate sales. There are dozens in our metropolitan area every weekend. We meet up and spend half a day catching up and hunting for bargains/treasures. I will never again pay full price for planters, extension cords, light bulbs, kitchenware, or tools, and I now have a lifetime supply of gift bags." —u/Additional_Line_2834 4. "I have a lovely house. I prefer being here than anywhere. So do most of my pals, so I get to have my own community space that I don't have to pay extra money for or leave. It's a blessing and some amount of work, but it saves me so much time, frustration, uncomfortable surroundings, paying for things I don't enjoy, and being in situations I don't control. Not something for everyone, but for me, it's perfect." —u/babycrow 5. "BuyNothing app. It's given me such peace and belonging after some long, fearful years. At first, I was scared to invite people to pick up things at my home or to approach theirs for pickup, but everyone I've met has been so lovely. It's like a modern Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. I am more willing to let go of the clutter that I hold onto, thinking I'll get to the project someday or will eventually need it. It's amazing how many items I have just thought of that I could use, that just happen to pop up as gifts. Without trying, this has allowed me to retake my homespace (it's so much cozier now) and helped me feel like I'm part of a community of kind, good people. I tell everyone about it. I'm proudly the 'have you tried BuyNothing?' chick." —u/Automatic_Stage1163 6. "Clean the fridge Thursday night meals. Hate waste with a passion. I’m able to combine flavours and make something edible; plus, it’s nutritious. I’m always very chuffed when I make a really good scraps meal. It’s basically free dinner!" —u/InadmissibleHug 7. "I don’t buy anything inside at the gas station when I fill up." —u/Thyname "Not part of my identity or anything, but I did a 'no-spend' challenge for a month a few years back. I traveled with my own tea bags and mug and asked gas stations for hot water, and learned none of them will charge you! Saved me tons over the years when I need a pick me up!" —u/avettestingray 8. "I never buy a replacement unless the old one is totally worn out." —u/EarlyAd3775 "This. Especially with cars and phones. I literally couldn’t believe how many people told me, 'You should get a new car,' when my vehicle only had cosmetic issues but still ran very well. I kept it until it stopped. Never really had a huge repair bill. As a result, I bought another used Honda and saved a ton by driving the old one from 2006 to 2025." —u/cecepoint 9. "Sewing! I've mended so many socks and underwear for my partner and myself, and prolonged the life of many precious items. I'm able to offer the same services to other people in my life as gifts or to trade, and it's become a large part of my life." —u/MinuteOdd8671 "From the perspective of reuse/remake, it's such a useful skill. For example, I have 60 or so 12"x12" casual napkins that we use in place of paper towels for everything. Also, I can thrift and clearance shop for clothing that I like that needs to be taken up/in a bit, not to mention mending and repair. Yes, I do some expensive stuff like quilting, too, but if I consider how many hours of entertainment I get, it's justifiable." —u/detkikka 10. "Bringing lunch from home. My coworkers sometimes make fun of my large lunch bag, but I always bring my breakfast, lunch, and tons of snacks from home. Everyone else usually goes out to buy lunch or orders DoorDash." —u/anna0158 "Yes, I bring everything from home, too. I even bring my own tea and coffee! Why not? It saves money, and all of it is personally specialized for me and my taste. Takeout is mostly crap and quite expensive." —u/Rude_Pangolin6136 11. "Budgeting. Can’t live without it anymore. I think I'd be very, very lost." —u/SlightAfternoon2104 12. "Not owning a car. I sold mine back in 2011 because it needed work (yes, I was very honest about that with the buyer; her sister was a mechanic and was apparently excited to help her with it!). I didn’t really need it, and there was registration and car insurance, of course. In 2025, being car-free has definitely become part of who I am. It saves me money, yes — but also I just don’t want one anymore, and it’s become a life goal of mine to never need one again." —u/Hold_Effective "The costs of owning a car, maintenance, insurance, and gas = $$$ every month. I would save so much money; I wish I could do this." —u/Tropicsunchaser 13. "I always get water to drink at restaurants and most everywhere else. I don't drink sugar, caffeine, or alcohol (except occasional, intentional coffee), so this saves a lot of money overall. And friends are used to me being the sober one." —u/SquishyButStrong "We eat at restaurants a fair amount (which is not itself frugal, but we love it, so we cut back in other areas of our lives to make it possible). I save SO MUCH MONEY drinking only water when we're out. Like, SO MUCH. It's wild. And, of course, a reusable water bottle goes with me every time I leave the house, so I don't need to pay for beverages. I like soda, juice, flavored seltzers, and an occasional cocktail at home, but never when we go out." —u/GranadaTostada 14. "Eliminating single-use plastic from my family's life. It started with seeing an upsetting clip of a sea turtle choking on a plastic bag in a David Attenborough film, and has now morphed into a personal crusade against single-use items." —u/skibunne 15. "Buying an extreme fixer-upper house and living in it while slowly fixing it has become a huge part of who my wife and I have become. We spend a lot of time and effort trying to fix it using recycled or discounted materials." —u/fingerchipsforall 16. "Only buying stuff on sale. I don’t even see stuff at regular prices anymore, just moving on. And I especially don’t see stuff at these new 'regular' prices. But a good sale means I stock up on the stuff I need." —u/theNorrah "It's been recently pointed out to me that whenever I go clothes shopping, I automatically head for the sales rack, never looking at anything else not on sale. I'm sure I got this from my mother, who was raised during the Depression, but I never thought about it or even noticed until a friend pointed it out to me." —u/Fun_Delight 17. "Not that it's saving me tremendous amounts of money, but I always have my two nylon shopping bags, featuring a bunch of cartoon hedgehogs. People don't always recognize me when I go to the market, but they often remember the shopping bags! I might be slowly turning into 'hedgehog bag guy.'" —u/Burrocerebro 18. "I find out what stores have senior days, then shop on those days." —u/Gruffswife 19. And finally, "I simply don't order delivery of any type of prepared food through any app. We have the money for it, but I can't ever justify paying an extra $10 in fees, an extra $10 in markup, and then another 10% in tip — taking a $40 bill for my wife and me to $70+. I will drive every time to get it. In all honesty, we don't eat out much anyway, but about every six months, I consider getting food delivered and laugh as I grab my car keys." —u/CoatingsbytheBay Which frugal habits have changed your life? Let me know in the comments or in the anonymous google form below. Note: Some responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.
