Growing up in a family of 15 (yes, I’m one of 13 kids), I learned firsthand what it means to live frugally—and creatively! My parents mastered the art of stretching a dollar without making us feel like we were going without. Today, I’m sharing some practical and budget-friendly tips inspired by my childhood and my parents’ everyday wisdom.
1. Reuse Everything You Can
It may seem simple, but reusing items can really make the savings add up!
Just off the top of my head, my mom saved and reused Ziploc bags, bread bags (perfect for storing homemade bread!), and old undershirts (for cleaning rags.)
My mom would also save butter wrappers in the fridge and they were perfect for greasing pans instead of buying cooking spray.
2. Line Dry Clothes
It takes more time, but line drying your clothes can seriously cut down on your electricity bill. My mom did this regularly, and I’m sure it saved us money. Of course this especially works well if you live in a place with a lot of sun like here in Texas.
3. Special times don’t need to be expensive
A trip to an ice cream shop with 13 kids? Not happening – at least not regularly. Instead, my parents would grab a big tub from Walmart and we’d enjoy it at home. Just as yummy and way cheaper!
My parents were also good at making one-on-one times special while spending very little. I remember that my dad used to take some of the younger kids for one-on-one breakfasts with him at our church where he was the music pastor. He’d make a simple breakfast in the church kitchen and just spend time with whatever child he’d brought along and special memories were made.
4. DIY Repairs
My dad was the king of fixing things. From plumbing issues to appliance issues, he generally figured it out—probably sometimes with the help of a few YouTube videos. Obviously all the DIY took time but I know it saved my parents a ton of money.
5. Used Cars = No Car Payments
We always drove used cars— and having no monthly payments meant less financial stress. Yes, they needed maintenance (sometimes quite often!), but not having a car payment made a huge difference when times were tight.
Pablo and I have chosen to do the same thing ourselves. We have just one car that we own and we plan to make it work with just the one until we can pay cash for another.
6. Keep the AC Higher (or Lower)
We kept our AC at 80°F in the summer (and one summer at 85°!) Each of us had a personal fan, and it helped our parents save on utilities during those hot Texas summers.
I’m not saying you need to keep your AC that high, but even just raising it a couple degrees in the summer and lowering it a few degrees in the winter can help out with your electric bill.
7. Go Easy on the Meat
We didn’t have meat with every meal. My mom often made things like mac and cheese, beans and rice, or sometimes lentils. When we did have meat, it was used more sparingly—like shredded chicken in a casserole.
8. Homemade Bread = Happy Kids
A simple soup can feel gourmet with some homemade bread on the side. (And honestly, as a kid who didn’t love soup growing up, some sort of homemade bread or muffin always made dinner much more appetizing!) Plus, carbs help fill up hungry kids!
9. Thrift Stores for the Win
Thrift and consignment stores were our go-to for clothing growing up. Not that we didn’t also buy new, but we loved looking for deals. We had our favorite two or three thrift stores and loved making a morning of it occasionally with my mom and seeing how many good clothes we could find.
10. Simple, Low-Cost Vacations
Our vacations? Visiting grandparents! No hotels, no pricey tickets—just family time and fun in the pool!
As we got older, my parents joined a hospitality network (Candle in the Window) to travel affordably and meet new people.
11. Hand-Me-Downs Are Gold
I loved hand-me-downs growing up—and I love them for my kids now. Free clothes? Yes, please! And if you have clothes to pass on, share the love.
12. Learn to Cut Hair at Home
My dad cut all our hair growing up, and now my husband cuts our boys’ hair. With YouTube tutorials and a little practice, home haircuts can look great—and save hundreds every year.
13. Avoid “Window Shopping”
Browsing for fun is tempting, but it leads to impulse buys. If it’s not on your list, don’t go looking for it. Stick to what you need and avoid extra spending.
14. Skip the Drinks When Eating Out
Drinks at restaurants are majorly marked up. Growing up, we never got drinks when eating out. These days, we factor drinks into the budget, but if we’re trying to cut costs, skipping them is the first step.
15. Eat at Home (and Eat Leftovers!)
Eating out is always more expensive—even if it’s just you. We rarely ate out growing up, and leftovers were a staple. A weekly “leftover night” helped reduce food waste and the grocery bill.
Living frugally doesn’t mean going without—it just means being thoughtful and intentional with your resources. These tips have stuck with me through the years, and I hope they’re helpful for your family too. Let me know in the comments: What are your favorite money-saving hacks?
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