Winner, are you wondering if perhaps there’re any frugal living mistakes to avoid in your journey?
Well, you’ve come to the right post.
Because I made this same frugal living mistakes so you wouldn’t have to.
But first:
QUICK DISCLAIMER!
There is no one-size-fits-all frugal lifestyle. What looks like a frugal lifestyle to you might not look like a frugal lifestyle to me. And that’s OK.
That’s to say, when you carve a frugal lifestyle, be authentic and cultivate a lifestyle that best works for you.
These 130 genius frugal living tips will get you started on your journey.
20 frugal living mistakes to avoid starting now
Mistake #1: Having a weak reason for going frugal
Perhaps the most damaging of frugal living mistakes to avoid is not having a strong enough ‘WHY‘ for going frugal.
While there’s no right or wrong reason for going frugal, you’d be better off embarking upon this lifestyle for the right reasons.
And only you know what those reasons are.
Those reasons will stem from your values. So determine what those values are.
Building a vision board will definitely help you envision your dream life. And give you some good reasons to get started on a fulfilling frugal lifestyle.
Mistake #2: Cultivating a frugal lifestyle as a means to an end
This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Especially if you’re going frugal in order to achieve a short term goal.
For example: going frugal for 5 years so you can save enough money to buy a car. Or make a down payment on a house.
However, if you’re hoping to cultivate a frugal lifestyle for the rest of your life, then learn to embed your frugality into your ordinary everyday life.
And be content with that.
Mistake #3: Comparing your frugal lifestyle to others’ lifestyles
Winner, visit Quora just to get a feel of how much people struggle with comparing themselves to others.
But like I said in the disclaimer, there’s no ‘right’ frugal lifestyle.
So, you’ll do yourself a big favor by focusing ONLY on your frugal lifestyle.
Forget about what your frugal friend is doing.
Unless you’re looking to them only for inspiration, of course.
Strive to build an abundance mindset. So you can be content with your lifestyle every second of every day.
Mistake #4: Not setting goals is one of the frugal living mistakes to avoid
You should set SMART goals for your frugal lifestyle in order to get the utmost fulfillment out of it.
What do you hope to achieve by cultivating a frugal lifestyle?
And how do you hope to achieve your goals?
Then learn to cultivate joy in working hard to achieve them.
Mistake #5: Making an abrupt shift into a frugal lifestyle
You’d be better off making gradual changes to your current lifestyle so you don’t become overwhelmed.
Especially if this is a big shift for you.
(Really, there’s no need to hurry.)
Mistake #6: Prioritizing quantity over quality
Chasing cheap items for the sake of quantity will cost you more in the long run than if you buy higher quality items.
Winner, you’re better off with 2 high quality shoes that will last you years, than 20 shoes that will need to be replaced after a few months.
Mistake #7: Refusing to spend any money
You’re trying to be frugal here, not cheap.
So, going frugal does NOT mean not spending money at all.
Rather, it means spending purposefully.
Winner, don’t be a miser. Spend your hard-earned money where it’s worth spending.
Mistake #8: Getting sucked into sales and promotions
If you buy an item just because it’s on sale, even though you don’t need it, you’re not being frugal, you’re just being reckless.
Work with a shopping list every time you go shopping. And stick to it.
Need to save big on groceries? Then learn how to create a grocery list.
Mistake #9: Store-hopping at an extra cost
Do you know of a friend who wastes gas driving from store to store in order to save $2 on a pack of toilet paper? I do. In fact, I’ve been that friend.
Winner, please stop that.
And instead, identify a store that offers reasonable prices in general. And stick to that store.
Unless you’re store-hopping in stores that are in very close proximity to each other.
Mistake #10: Cutting out luxuries
This is definitely one of the frugal living mistakes to avoid because a frugal lifestyle does not translate to a boring lifestyle.
Luxuries such as entertainment and snacks are most likely a reflection of your unique personality.
And you don’t want to stifle that!
Instead, spend on your luxuries within reason. And you’ll be alright.
Mistake #11: Skimping on personal care products
Winner, please don’t crawl back into the dark ages in the name of frugal living.
Who else can’t do without toilet paper? (Because I most definitely can’t).
For goodness’ sake, just buy some toilet paper. AND SOME DEODORANT!
Unless going ‘au naturel’ is your genuine vibe.
Mistake #12: Not having any goals for your money
Even if you’re not viewing your frugal lifestyle as a means to an end, you still need to determine what you want for your money.
How much are you hoping to save?
What are you saving for?
What investments do you need to grow your money?
etc.
Having money goals will not only give you the momentum to keep going. But it will also help you stretch even the littlest of incomes.
Mistake #13: Expecting to see results too soon
You need to let time work its magic into your frugal lifestyle.
Sometimes results won’t feel like results.
Meaning, you might not get that rush of excitement when you expected it. And that’s OK.
Just measure your progress by sticking to your reviews.
So you can recognize change when you see it.
Mistake #14: Not making reviews is one of the frugal living mistakes to avoid
Speaking of reviews, you just can’t do without them.
Because how else will you know whether or not you’re making progress in your new lifestyle?
Keep a journal to record your days. (Yes, when things are good. And when things are bad.)
And on those bad days, flip over to the pages when things were good and remind yourself that the bad times ALWAYS pass.
Mistake #15: Not being smart about DIYs
Winner, are you a DIY person? I most definitely am.
But how wise are you about DIYs?
Because if you just can’t assemble a table on your own, DON’T DO IT!
Because if you do it anyway, you’re inevitably going to have to spend money to repair sooner or later.
Solution? Just call an expert so you avoid a botched job from the get-go.
Also beware: if it costs you more to buy raw materials for a once-off product than to buy the product itself straight from the store, then just buy the ready-made product.
(Yes, you can do that and still be frugal.)
Mistake #16: Taking on debt
I know. I know. Some debt is good.
But my take is: if you can’t afford it, don’t buy it.
Fit your lifestyle to the money you have.
This way, you never owe anybody anything.
Mistake #17: Being too self-focused
When you stop focusing on what you don’t have and instead focus on the other people around you, you stop seeing what you lack.
In fact, when you focus on people who have less than you have (and there’re more than you think), you suddenly realize you actually have a lot to be grateful for.
Mistake #18: Not educating yourself about frugal living
The point here isn’t to pit your frugal lifestyle against other people’s frugal lifestyles.
Rather, it’s about equipping yourself so you can go into it open-eyed.
And don’t stop learning. Because you can never know enough.
Mistake #19: Forcing your frugal lifestyle on others
It’s your life, not theirs. So then, don’t make it theirs.
Learn to respect how other people choose to live their lives. So you can also get respect for how you live yours.
Live your frugal life in the best way possible, for you. And who knows? You might inspire someone to go frugal too!
Mistake#20: Spending too much time on social media
Where are you spending your time? And what information are you digesting?
If you want to make your shift to a frugal lifestyle easy, then stay off social media.
Because all that social media really does is entice you to want more than you have.
And trust me. More does NOT necessarily mean better.
Did you know that many influencers DON’T necessarily use the products they advertise on their social media pages?
That’s right!
But they pretend they do. Just so they can get their hands on your hard-earned money.
Meanwhile, you’re not really getting any value for your costly purchase.
See how ResearchGate talks about social media as a major part of deceptive advertising in the online environment.
Summary
While there’s no one-size-fits-all frugal lifestyle for everyone, you should beware of the frugal living mistakes in this post. So you can avoid them early on. And therefore get the most fulfillment out of your frugal lifestyle.
I hope this post has been helpful.
In that case, please share you feedback by letting us know: what’re your thoughts about this post?