Welcome to do it frugal.

Creative tips and outside-the-box ideas for saving and making money in your personal life.

Category Archives: Saving Money

Here you will find some great creative tips for saving money.

May 8, 2014  |   Cheap stuff, Discounts, Saving Money, Travel  |   1 Comment

Need a taxi? Why not get a Lyft instead?

yellow taxi cabThe internet has changed so many of the things we do in our daily lives that we are barely receptive to it anymore. Everyday some new company comes up with some new concept that incorporates the internet into something that was never done that way before. One of the latest things to come about is crowd-sourced taxis. No longer do you have to call a company or wait outside and hope a cab that isn’t already booked drives by. Now you can just open an app, push a button and know exactly when your ride will arrive. And the best part is, it’s usually cheaper.

Read More

Apr 17, 2014  |   DIY, Saving Money  |   No Comments

How much should you pay for a haircut?

getting a haircutHaircuts are unavoidable. Everyone needs them but no one really wants to pay for them. Go to ten different hair stylists and there’s a good chance you’ll get ten different prices. You probably have a favorite hairstylist that you go to already, but the day after you get your hair done, it never looks quite the same. We all have to learn how to style our own hair to get us through the day. Fortunately, styling your own hair is free. But as I got done cutting my hair last night I realized haircuts are free too, if you’re willing to give it a try.

Read More

Apr 3, 2014  |   Free stuff, Resources, Saving Money  |   No Comments

Stop paying ATM fees NOW with this handy tool!

ATM machine keypadAt some point in our lives we’ve all been victim to ATM robberies. I’m not talking about the guy who waits for you to withdraw your cash, then runs up to you in a black mask and steals it from you, no. I’m talking about the ATMs and banks who think they deserve $2-$6 for the privilege of getting your own money. There are few things I hate paying for more than ATM fees. They are unnecessary, expensive and just plain rude. And if you’re only getting $20, that’s a 10-30% transaction fee. Robbery indeed! So let me tell you about a neat little tool that can help you avoid paying those fees ever again.

Read More

Ever wonder where all your money goes? Those little things called budgets can help you find your missing money and are a great way to help with savings and paying off debts. This website details a quick and easy way (and the same method I use) to track spending and help plan savings. I’ll be discussing this in more detail in the near future, but have a look here to get started.

Mar 13, 2014  |   Cheap stuff, Saving Money  |   No Comments

Are those name brands REALLY worth it?

car audio systemEverybody wants nice things, but buying nice things isn’t always practical or justified. Since I can’t seem to control my hobbies, I have a tendency to get into something new (and probably expensive) on a whim. This has led me to owning a lot of things I don’t often use. Knowing this about myself, I’ve developed a personal philosophy to never buy the brand name items unless I can justify why I actually need them. So I usually start with the cheapest stuff I can find and use it until it breaks, or I can identify myself what the difference is between the lower-priced items and the brand name items without someone else telling me. This has worked out pretty well for me so far and I applied these principles in a recent purchase I made.

Read More

Ever wonder when is the best time to book your airline travel tickets? This Huffington Post article claims to know the secret to this age old question.

Feb 25, 2014  |   Discounts, Saving Money  |   No Comments

Would you like a discount with that?

hand holding US dollarsDiscounts are all around us. Some retailers thrive on “discount pricing” for all of their items, while others would never associate themselves with any sort of discount whatsoever (Apple)(but ask for a student discount anyway). But the fact is discounts are everywhere, sometimes you just can’t see them.

Read More

Feb 4, 2014  |   Discounts, Resources, Saving Money  |   No Comments

How online retailers WANT you to save money

clipping couponsI shop online a lot. No, seriously. There are packages delivered to my house nearly every other day. Nothing can beat the convenience, the time savings, the gas savings and the great prices available online. And lets face it, retailers would rather you shop online too. There’s no fancy storefront to keep up, no cashiers and they are open 24/7. It’s the very reason online stores can deliver the low prices they do. But they tease you to save even more and they are rubbing it right in your face. Are you gonna let them treat you like that?

Read More

Jan 21, 2014  |   Clever ideas, Discounts, Resources, Saving Money  |   No Comments

A great money saving tip ANYONE can do

barcodeWith all the technology at our fingertips these days it holds true that you should never have to overpay for anything you buy. Just about everyone and their 10-year-old kids have a smart phone these days, so why not use them for some good. A recent trip to Target made me realize just how little this secret is used.

Read More