5 Ways to Simplify Your Life that Could Save You Money

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Life can feel so complicated at times. Full, busy, expensive, too. However, taking a few steps to simplify your life could save you money. And give you a little space to breathe more easily.

5 Ways to Simplify Your Life that Could Save You Money | Life as Mom

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Do you ever find yourself with too many ideas? Do you find that there are just so many good options out there that it’s hard to choose? Do you get yourself in situations when the pursuit of all the good stuff ends up being overwhelming, not to mention expensive?

Sometimes in the quest to do good, you can make life HARDER, but there is an easier way.

Choosing a simpler path for at least some of your regular tasks can not only give you some much-needed breathing room and mental space, but it cal also save you money as well!

5 Ways to Simplify Your Life that Could Save You Money

Consider these simpler things you can to do to save money and breathe more easily.

1. Practice freezer cooking.

Do some batch cooking and fill your freezer with homemade convenience foods. No need to run to the store for a can of soup or a frozen pizza. Making dinner is as easy as opening the freezer door.

Freezer cooking is not that difficult, nor does it need to suck up your whole weekend. I promise!

Preparing big batches of convenience foods in little pockets of time can save you money — and improve your diet. Not only will your grocery cart be full of whole foods that are better for you, but you’ll reduce your needs to have many different items in your cupboard.

You’ll also spend less time in the store, thereby averting any impulse buys.

Freezer full of homemade food = less eating out + less shopping + easier decision making

2. Develop a capsule wardrobe.

The fashionista life can get expensive. Following the trends never ends and it uses up valuable resources that you could use (time, money) for other things.

There are ways to dress simply that still look good, but that don’t cost you a lot to buy or to upkeep. Developing a mix and match wardrobe ensures that you’ll have outfits in which you always look good.

A few good clothes = easier dressing + less laundry + simpler days

5 Ways to Simplify Your Life that Could Save You Money | Life as Mom

3. Limit your shopping options

Depending on where you live, you may have a multitude of shops to choose from. Some offer better prices on certain things. It can be overwhelming to try to hit all the stores in search of just the right items at just the right prices.

However, decision fatigue is a real thing. Limiting your shopping options can give your brain and your wallet a break. Not to mention your time behind the wheel.

Select only 1 or 2 stores to shop at. Not only will you save money on gas, but you’ll also spend less time driving around. No, you won’t get have all the selection in the world, but you’ll be able to focus on the basics and getting to know the strengths of your chosen stores.

Fewer stores = less driving + less gas + better focus

4. Declutter and host a yard sale.

You know you have too much stuff. We all have too much stuff. I know this because there are very few of us who have just what we need. Ours is a generation of excess. You can simplify your life just by letting go of excess baggage.

Dejunk your cupboards and closets and sell what you don’t use. You’ll have more breathing space, less stuff to take care of, and you can pocket some change for having sold it to someone else.

Less stuff = simpler life + more money + more space

5. Say NO more often.

It’s so hard to say no to good things. A friend invites you to an art night. You see a sale at your favorite shoe store. You hear about a great hobby that everyone’s pursuing.

All these things take money and time. Are they really important to you? If not, just say no. It’s okay. Your friend will still be your friend. The shoe store will have another sale. Hobbies come and go; there’ll be another new trend in a few months.

It’s okay to say no to things, even good things. Protect your time and your wallet; politely decline and move on. It will simplify your life and save you money?

What do YOU do to simplify your life and save money?

Originally published March 24, 2011. Updated May 8, 2018.

5 Ways to Simplify Your Life that Could Save You Money | Life as Mom

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18 Comments

  1. All great tips. My favorite was say no more often. It is so freeing and it does save you time and money quite often!

  2. Hey, I like your formulas! They make sense. Indeed, simplicity oftentimes is equal to a stress-free life especially for moms like us.

    I have been a frugal mom for the longest time. Aside from doing this for my family, this is my own little contribution to save the economy and the environment. Along the way, I learned that I don’t have to do this alone. Frugality can be fun with friends – having a grocery buddy, pooling shopping time with a small group of friends, exchanging coupons, sharing tips and news about great deals, and buying in bulk to save money. We use an online tool called SplitStuff (http://splitstuff.com) so we practice splitting expenses and sharing resources with ease and convenience.

  3. Great tips. I’m all about dressing simply. Jeans, capris, skirts, knit tops and cardigans are what I wear. I have a limited number of each item and just mix and match for different looks.

    I wasted a lot of money in retail therapy. Now I just stay out of the stores.

  4. Great tips, especially the one on not shopping for entertainment. I hate going to the mall “just to go”. It’s incredible all the free things you can do entertainment if you really sit down and think about it!

  5. Oh, retail therapy. I’m definitely guilty of that. I do love to shop and I don’t really like “window shopping.” When I hit the stores, I buy stuff. It’s better (though sad) to just stay out.

  6. We eat cereal for breakfast every morning, but always have at least two different options. We also have only three options for lunch per week other than leftovers. This way we don’t get tired of the same food over and over but I don’t get overwhelmed by meal planning. In addition, I buy a different type of fruit every week, but we eat the same type everyday. A sample meal plan looks like this.

    Breakfast-Multigrain Cheerios or Shredded Wheat

    Lunch-Mac & Cheese, Chicken Nuggets, or Delimeat, cheese & crackers
    Fruit of the week

    The meal plan changes every week so I can take advantage of markdowns and sales, but not worry about waste.

  7. Thanks so much for hosting!

    I have left a link to my post about 1 WAY TO BEAT INFLATION. You might be surprised about my tip, but it really makes sense.

    Thanks for giving us a forum for saving and sharing!

  8. So often people come up with huge lists of ways to save money, but for those getting started, a huge list is overwhelming. Just picking 5 ways and sticking with those for 2 months is really the way to get started, in my opinion. It could just be 3 ways. The point is to make at least one change and then build on that change without overwhelming oneself with a multitude of changes.

  9. Great post!

    When I feel the urge to shop, just for the thrill of the purchase, I go to the library and take out way too many books and DVD’s. I get the same thrill, spend no money, find new books, and even get free exercise carting the whole load home! And in a few weeks, all the clutter can go back to the library. It’s a perfect solution.

    Annie Kate

  10. I recently stopped going to Target so often. I would go just to roam around the perimeter to look at their clearance. But I was coming home with stuff I didn’t really need.

    Great post. Thanks for the link-up.

  11. I love your tried and true no nonsense advice. They’re simple things most of us don’t think of but it all adds up. The shopping closer to home thing hitme upside the head! I just recently figured out that driving 20 miles into town for shopping at the discount food store when I can go 2 miles doesn’t seem wise!

  12. A wonderful list. I love only shopping at a few stores. I can’t stand trying to get the deals. Taxing my brain and my gas tank. And, yes, we all have too much stuff. Although it can be a thrill to buy something, it can be a pain to maintain, store, and move it.