40 Frugal Tips For Sustainable Living

Start saving big while living greener! These frugal sustainable living tips will help you be more eco-friendly and put extra money in your pocket. The more you use them, the more you save—don’t miss out on these easy ways to live sustainably and frugally!

Sustainable living isn’t just good for the planet, it’s also great for your budget. By adding more frugal and eco-friendly habits into your daily life you can reduce waste, cut costs, and create a more intentional lifestyle. 

Whether you’re looking to save money on everyday expenses or to make greener choices that will benefit the environment, sustainable living can be a practical solution. 

What is Sustainable Living? 

Sustainable living is a broad term but it boils down to creating a lifestyle focused on reducing one’s impact on the environment by making thoughtful and eco-friendly choices when possible.

At its core sustainable living is about balancing your own needs with keeping future generation in mind. It involves small, everyday changes like reusing items, reducing energy consumption, buying locally grown food, and overall using less. 

Beyond environmental benefits, sustainable living can also improve your quality of life. It encourages mindfulness and creating a more simplified life which can reduce stress and also help you save money. It’s not about perfection but about making thoughtful changes that create progress.

40 Frugal Sustainable Living Tips

When people ask me about making an effort to live more sustainability, I always stress not to do it all at once. With this list, take a few things at a time and slowly add in more.

Some of these things will save you just a small amount of money but it will add up. It’s often easier to save money by making small changes because it makes less of a change to your current lifestyle.

In the Home

1. Switch to LED light bulbs to reduce energy costs. Do this as your current bulbs burn out to avoid extra spending and waste.
2. Use a programmable thermostat to save on heating and cooling. Some energy companies will even provide free thermostats so check with yours to see if they offer this program.
3. Seal windows and doors to prevent energy loss. Weather stripping does need replaced from time to time so be sure to check yours if you already have it. I recently added weather stripping to all of our windows using this affordable weather stripping from Amazon.
4. Wash clothes in cold water to save energy. Few loads need to be washed on hot water, using cold water also helps your clothes last longer.
5. Line dry clothes instead of using a dryer. Even if you only do this part of the time it will save you money.
6. Unplug electronics when not in use to reduce phantom energy.
7. Use reusable cleaning cloths instead of paper towels. Old t-shirts can make great, free cleaning cloths. 
8. Make your own non-toxic cleaning products.
9. Invest in energy-efficient appliances. Do this as you need to replace your current appliances. 
10. Use blackout curtains to reduce heating and cooling costs.

Food and Kitchen

11. Meal plan to avoid food waste.
12. Buy in bulk to reduce packaging and save money. Be sure to only do this with items you will actually use before they expire.
13. Grow your own herbs or vegetables at home.
14. Use reusable food storage options like beeswax wraps or silicone bags.
15. Compost food scraps to reduce waste and enrich your garden soil.
16. Drink filtered tap water instead of buying bottled water.
17. Make coffee at home instead of buying takeout coffee. When you do get coffee out bring your own mug.
18. Buy seasonal produce to save money and reduce carbon footprints.
19. Use a slow cooker or pressure cooker for energy-efficient cooking.
20. Save and repurpose leftovers to create new meals.

Shopping and Consumer Habits

21. Shop secondhand for clothes, furniture, and household items.
22. Repair items instead of replacing them. The make do and mend attitude of vintage homemakers can still help us today. 
23. Borrow or rent tools and equipment instead of buying.
24. Use a library card to borrow books, movies, and more.
25. Say no to single-use plastics like straws and bags.
26. Invest in reusable water bottles and coffee mugs. Make sure to purchase what you need instead of just every new trendy mug or water bottle.
27. Choose products with minimal packaging.
28. Opt for timeless, quality items instead of fast fashion or cheap goods.

Energy and Water Conservation

29. Install a low-flow showerhead to save water and energy.
30. Collect rainwater for outdoor plants and gardens. I had a rain barrel similar to this one, a storm broke it but when I replace it I plan to buy this one again.
31. Turn off lights when leaving a room.
32. Only run dishwashers and washing machines with full loads.
33. Take shorter showers to save water.
34. Use ceiling fans instead of air conditioning.
35. Keep your furnace filter changed. This helps keep your air conditioner running efficiently and also improves indoor air quality. 

Transportation

36. Walk or bike for short trips to save on gas.
37. Carpool or use public transportation when possible.
38. Keep tires properly inflated to improve fuel efficiency.
39. Combine errands into one trip to save gas.
40. Consider an electric or hybrid vehicle if upgrading your car.

When I stick to the tips on this list, I always notice our monthly bills drop and that’s such a great feeling! For my family, it’s more rewarding to spend money on fun experiences and meaningful memories than on unnecessary expenses. Plus, knowing that these small changes are also making a positive impact on the environment is an incredible bonus. It’s proof that even simple choices can add up to big savings and a healthier planet!