And just like that Frugal February has come to an end! It actually went by pretty fast, did anyone else feel like they blinked and February was gone?
Anyways, it’s March now and I’m $633 dollars richer. It wasn’t a cakewalk but it was a lot easier than I thought it would be. I’ll start off by listing what I did, and then wrap it up with my takeaways and how I’m going to move forward.
Frugal February is a challenge created by Canna Campbell, check her out here for more on this and more about her!
How I “Made” $$$ in Frugal February
Don’t be afraid to say no
This one is fairly simple for some of us, and incredibly difficult for others. Just tell people no, I’m trying to save money right now or if you don’t want to mention your finances just say you can’t right now or no thank you. I will disclaim that I am definitely an introvert, so sitting at home reading or watching TV is a great time for me, hence point #2.
Find free options for things you already do
If you aren’t an introvert like me, find free activities to do with people instead of things like drinks or lunch where you have to spend money. A walk around a park or a mall, a free workout class, or other events. Check out Eventbrite in your area for free stuff like that, it’s an easy app to use and once you’re on the lists for events you are interested in it suggests them pretty well.
Pause & review auto-ships/subscriptions
I looked through everything I had on auto-ship: sparkling water, vitamins, razors. Every single thing that I had on auto-ship I had too much of. I didn’t need any of these on auto-ship at all, I don’t go through them that fast. I also paused my Spotify subscription just to save an extra $10, but I use it so much that I’m going to bring that one back.
Go through your fridge & pantry before you go shopping
Pretty simple but I am seriously the worst at this. I started majorly overbuying groceries because when COVID hit and the lockdowns were announced, I had two cans of soup to eat. That’s it. Nothing else. Ever since then, I’ve been nervous about running out of food but I end up with A LOT of waste. This finally made me realize I can have some backup extra food but I don’t need a full-to-the-brim fridge and overflowing pantry for just me.
Side hustles
I have kept up with my side hustles this month and I made a decent amount. I have other posts on side hustles though, check those out if you’re interested in that!
What I Didn't Do During Frugal February
I wanted to touch on a few things that I didn't do this past month. I did NOT stop paying for my health insurance, renters' insurance, or anything like that. Keep paying for insurance! You may not need it right this second but when you need it you REALLY need it, it's worth the expense. Same with high quality, healthy food for yourself. Also, keep up your retirement contributions. Every single penny you can put toward that will pay off in the long run, the longer it can earn the more it can earn. Same goes for your emergency fund, I kept my contributions to that the same. I didn't pause any of my healthcare, it's important and I will keep up with it as long as I am able. Some things aren't worth cutting corners or putting to the side, so don't! Think of these things as investments in yourself.
My Frugal February Takeaways
My top takeaway from this past month is mindful consumption. I try to be environmentally friendly, but I still have a tendency to over-buy or impulse buy. Being “forced” to reflect on everything I’m purchasing before I buy it really made me realize how much I spend on frivolous things. And, while we’re being honest with each other, it was really nice to only spend 10 minutes each Sunday uploading my purchases into my budget spreadsheet instead of 30 minutes or more like normal. I’m going to try to keep this mindset up for the rest of the year. Do I really, critically need this? Will I use this or eat this before it goes bad? Ask yourself these questions the next time you buy something, you might be surprised by the answers.
Another thing I noticed over the course of the month was what I really value. For example, I didn’t pause any of my fitness apps or my yoga membership. Those are my lifeline during stressful times and make me energized and feel great on good days. I’m going to be making a lot of cuts while I pay my debt down but this is one thing I am not willing to compromise on. I also spend a little more on groceries, trying to get as much as I can at a local farmstand rather than the regular supermarket. Everything they sell is from within 250 miles of the stand, so it’s local, supports smaller businesses, and has a lower carbon footprint than things at the supermarket. I have also stopped getting grocery deliveries completely, I only buy things in-store. This isn’t an option for everyone, but if you are able to set aside time to go to the grocery store yourself, it’s definitely worth the savings.
In this same vein, I still bought the things I needed! I’ve been drinking more water lately so I bought some electrolytes to drink with my lunches at work or at home. A friend also showed me these children’s cups and plates that were on clearance at Ikea, and they are PERFECT for my breakfasts, so I picked them up. Also, it was 12 cups and 12 plates for $12, a pretty rad deal. Other than those two and obviously groceries and bills I didn’t spend any extra money. I will admit luck did come in for some things, for example, I planned on going out for a friend’s birthday, but then another friend bought lunch for all of us so it ended up being free which was very nice. I also dog-sat for my parents this past weekend so I got a free pizza and some free groceries too.
Going forward, I’m overall going to just think about things before I buy them. It seriously shocked me how often I just buy things without even thinking about it. I also already have three more free workouts booked haha. They’re fun, free, and a great way to try new things and meet new people.
So that’s how my frugal February ended up! Did you try it, and if so how did you do? If you haven’t tried it, do you think you will later this year or when next February comes around? Let me know!
Comments