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Home » Frugal Living Tips for Homesteaders

Frugal Living Tips for Homesteaders

Posted April 7, 2025
in Healthy Living, Homestead, Podcast, Preparedness, Thrive

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In our economy, more and more Americans say they are living from paycheck to paycheck (or credit card payment to credit card payment) and are turning to frugal living tips to save money and balance their budget.

As homesteaders, we tend to live a more simple life, but we still need to find the best way to provide for our family. Over the years, we have implemented many ideas to make the cost of living more manageable. Whether you homestead or not, these tips will make a big impact.

Table of Contents

Why These Frugal Living Tips Are Important

When I think of how homesteading saves money, I think of the life lessons we learned from Great Grandma & the Great Depression.

She lived during a time when Americans were resourceful, and nothing went to waste. Finding financial resiliency on our homestead is built on a foundation of a frugal lifestyle which has helped us to learn to homestead while on a budget.

A few years ago I read a statistic that the average American family spends $5,000 a year on products that just get thrown away. Things like paper towels, paper plates… convenience items that are used once then tossed.

Here in the United States, we’re so used to seeing things nice and tidy. Our garbage is tucked away in garbage cans and hauled away by trucks each week (or taken to the dump and handled by someone else).

But the reality is that our waste is affecting someone else and decreasing the quality of their life. Just because we don’t see it doesn’t mean it’s not destroying our country.

We feel we have responsibilities to steward and take care of the planet. It’s a gift to us and our responsibility is to manage it well. This mindset of good stewardship goes hand in hand with frugal living and promotes a financially manageable lifestyle.

Our Best Frugal Tips for Homesteaders

As mentioned before, we have collected a lot of cost saving tips and tricks to share with you. Let’s take a look at our best frugal tips if you are homesteading (or not!).

Young girl cutting bread dough on a cutting board.

Frugal Living Tips for the Kitchen

According to the USDA, food expenditures make up over 11% of household budgets. Saving money in the kitchen is one of the easiest and most obvious places to start. Use some (or all) of these strategies to minimize food bills while continuing to eat well on a budget:

Grow Your Own Food – You don’t have to commit to growing a year’s worth of food or raising a year’s worth of meat. If you have the means to do so, go for it! However, you don’t need to have a large garden plot to grow food. If you have a sunny windowsill, you can grow some fresh herbs. Just start where you can.
Preserve Food – There are many options for preserving food, and whether you grow it yourself or find good sales, this skill can really add to cost savings.
Buy In Bulk – When it comes to building up a well-stocked pantry, buying in bulk is key to saving money at the grocery store. Our favorite source for buying in bulk is Azure Standard. Homesteading Hack: If you’re a first-time Azure Standard customer, use coupon code “HOMESTEADINGFAMILY15” at checkout for 15% off your order of $100 or more!
Cook From Scratch – Cooking at home reduces your reliance on costly convenience foods, is more nutritious, and tastes better, too!
Meal Plan – Meal planning and eating seasonally allows you to choose recipes and ingredients that are at their best prices and availability.
Ditch One-Use Items – Repurpose old clothing and sheets by cutting into paper towel sized sheets. After washing, don’t fold them or put them on a towel ring, just dump them in a designated drawer in the kitchen. Use Mason jars and casserole dishes to replace disposable storage containers, and make homemade beeswax wrap to replace plastic wrap.

Frugal Living Tips for Clothing

“Fast fashion” is a term used for the rapid production of low-quality clothing that mimics the “in today and out tomorrow” fashion trends. This business model results in our landfills overflowing with textile waste, and is the second largest consumer of water in the world.

Avoiding fast fashion and focusing on a more sustainable approach will impact your bank account and the planet alike.

Buy Sustainable Clothing – We have 11 children, so figuring out affordable clothing for the homestead took some creativity (hello garage sales and thrift stores!). Don’t hesitate to buy used clothing if they are quality pieces, and don’t forget to consider if purchasing USA-made products is important to you.
Learn Basic Sewing Skills – You don’t need to be a skilled seamstress, but learning the basics so you know how to mend your own clothing can help you get the most out of your investments.
Avoid Synthetic Fabrics – Synthetic fabrics trap and hold onto body odor, and sometimes, even washing doesn’t get rid of the smell. By buying higher-quality clothing made from cotton or wool, we need fewer clothes overall, have to wash them less, and have to buy new clothes less frequently.
Wash Clothes Only When They Are Dirty – One of my best laundry strategies is teaching our children to wear clothes more than once if they’re not truly dirty. Here on the homestead, we can get pretty dirty, so it’s not often that clothes get worn more than once. However, if we’ve dressed up nice for an event and come home clean, those nicer clothes can get folded up and put away for next time instead of taking a trip through the washer first.
Buy Laundry Detergent in Bulk – I’ve found making my own homemade laundry detergent isn’t as effective at truly getting our clothes clean, often resulting in needing a second wash, therefore I buy non-toxic laundry detergent from Truly Free in bulk.

A woman holding up a tube of homemade lip balm.

Frugal Living Tips for Personal Care

These money-saving, frugal tips for personal care are more sustainable and offer better options for your health.

Avoid One-Use Items – As in the kitchen, you can also stop purchasing one-time-use items like cotton balls and cotton rounds, and use washable alternatives.
DIY Products – You can make your own face wash, sugar scrub, homemade lip balm, bar soap and other personal care products. Instead of individually wrapping them, store these products in Mason jars.
Cloth Diapers – if you have babies or little ones still in diapers, consider using reusable cloth diapers. No, they’re not the most convenient and are an upfront investment, but if you’re really looking to reduce your waste, this is one of the biggest dents you can make.
“Other” Alternatives – When we say “other,” we mean reusable cotton pads or menstrual cups. Over the course of a few years the savings of these products can really add up, plus all the waste isn’t ending up in a landfill somewhere.

A woman pushing away common household cleaners for her all-purpose cleaning spray.

Frugal Living Tips for the Household

Just like personal care items, you can DIY and avoid toxins in common household cleaners to live cleaner (both literally and figuratively). They can be made with common household items you already have on hand and cost a fraction of their commercial counterparts.

Here are my favorite recipes:

There are endless ways to use safe, non-toxic items to keep your home clean and running smoothly. Check out these posts for surprising ways to use kitchen ingredients or bathroom/laundry staples that are probably already in your cupboards.

A man in a pasture with multiple animals.

Frugal Living Tips for Livestock

Livestock can easily save you money or become an endless pit of expenses. Always do your research and be prepared with the essentials before adding new livestock to your homestead. Consider these tips when developing a barn management system.

Feed – Just like we can save on groceries, there are ways to slash your feed budget, too. Check out these tips on how to save money on animal feed.
Deep Litter – Learn how to use the deep bedding method to promote healthier animals and avoid costly vet bills.
Rotational Grazing – Learning how to incorporate multi-species, small-scale rotational grazing will not only improve the health of your animals but also improve the health of your soil.

A woman and a baby standing in a hoop house covered in crops.

Frugal Living Tips for the Garden

Those who hobby garden often conclude that gardening can cost a ton of money, but when you are gardening to offset your grocery bill, there are plenty of ways you can not only make it pay for itself but also save money overall.

Make a Plan – Use this ultimate garden planning guide to avoid unnecessary expenses and get yourself off to the right start.
Seeds – Not all seeds are created equal, and it’s important to know how to choose the BEST vegetable seeds for overall success.
Tools – This is another area that can become a money pit if not approached wisely. Consider if quality garden tools are worth the cost before making any purchases.
Start Your Own Seeds – Purchasing starts from a greenhouse can be very costly. Instead, learn how to start seeds indoors.
Know the Growing Season – If you live where you have a short growing season, you may end up running out of time before your plants bear fruit. If that’s the case, learn how to extend the growing season to protect your efforts.
Perennial Plants – We love to grow perennial plants because you plant them once and receive several years of harvests.
Compost – If you purchase compost, grab a pickup (or borrow a friend’s truck) and get a load instead of purchasing it in bags. Bulk compost will cost significantly less. For further savings, learn how to compost at home.

Cast iron pots and pans sitting on a wooden table.

Frugal Living Tips for the Homestead

Unless you are independently wealthy, you won’t be able to afford the equipment you’ll need for homesteading all at once. Create a network of other homesteaders in your area to support one another in lending and bartering.

When you are ready to make a purchase, consider investing wisely in quality equipment that will last. This principle has proven so valuable for us that as we look into homesteading equipment, we have created buying guides to help you make your decisions, too. Check these out!

Frugal Living Tips for Investing

We understand that when you first get started homesteading, there is a lot of pressure when making big decisions. For this reason, we have additionally gathered investing and business acumen to share. Check out these posts for some valuable info.

A mother and her children direct sowing seeds into the garden.

Conclusion

As you can see, living frugally is more than following a few tips and hacks. It’s a mindset that needs motivation and discipline to live purposefully and sustainably. Spend time with people who have similar goals so they can help you stay accountable and support new ideas.

Start by choosing a few small goals. Maybe save gas by making less trips to run errands and using reusable water bottles or grocery bags can get that snowball effect started. Set clear financial goals track your progress, and celebrate your wins, no matter how small!

Two kids picking spinach in a large garden.

FAQ’s

What are some essential frugal living tips for beginners?

For beginners, setting up a budget is key. You should track your income and expenses to find where to cut back. Create a budget that covers all your needs, like rent and groceries. Then, look for ways to spend less on things you don’t need. This could mean eating out less or canceling subscriptions. A budget helps you make smart money choices and live more simply.

What are some smart kitchen strategies to save money daily?

Cooking at home with what you already have is a great way to save. Meal planning and cooking from scratch can cut down on waste and save on groceries. Plan your meals and make a list to avoid buying things you don’t need. Consider growing your own herbs or veggies to save on produce. Cooking at home and using smart strategies can help you save money and live more frugally.

How can I master household budget management?

Mastering budget management is crucial for frugal living. Focus on reducing food and clothing bills and look for ways to consume less by following some of the tips in this guide.

What are some depression-era wisdom for modern frugal living?

People during the Great Depression were creative with what they had. They repurposed and reused items instead of throwing them away. You can do the same today by shopping at garage sales or thrift stores. Find new uses for old items, like turning an old t-shirt into reusable “paper” towels or using a Mason jar to replace disposable food containers. Repurposing and reusing can save money and reduce waste.

How can I transform my shopping habits for frugal living?

Changing your shopping habits is key to frugal living. Buy in bulk and avoid buying things on impulse. Identify items you use often, like rice or toiletries, and buy them in bulk. Plan your shopping trips to avoid buying things you don’t need. By buying in bulk and avoiding impulse buys, you can save money and reduce waste.

How can I achieve sustainable living through home production?

Sustainable living through home production is a big part of frugal living. Growing your own food is a great way to start. Find a spot in your yard or even a windowsill to grow herbs or veggies.
Consider keeping chickens or bees for eggs and honey. Growing your own food can save you money on groceries and reduce your reliance on store-bought produce.

What are some frugal transportation and travel hacks?

Frugal transportation and travel hacks can save you money and help the environment. Try carpooling or using public transport instead of driving. For shorter trips, use a bike or walk.
Reducing your car use can save on gas, maintenance, and parking. It also gives you more time for other activities, like reading or exercising.