Saving money is getting harder, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. Even though prices are going up, on everything from food to insurance to rent, there are still plenty of ways to keep your expenses in check and your savings on track. The key is building small, consistent habits that make a difference over time. By focusing on smart, practical weekly frugal habits, you can save more without feeling deprived or overwhelmed.
In this post, we’re sharing ten weekly frugal habits that will help you save money every single week. To make it even more helpful, we’ve included a “Pro Tip” for each habit. So, let’s dive in and get ready to make some great money-saving habits!
1. Write Weekly Goals
Setting weekly goals is a game-changer. We focus on what we call our “Big 3,” which means picking three specific, achievable goals for the week. This allows us to concentrate on what truly matters without getting overwhelmed by a huge to-do list. These goals might involve saving a certain amount, reviewing spending habits, or even planning meals.
Choosing just three goals makes it easier to see progress by the end of the week and gives you a sense of accomplishment. Plus, these weekly goals feed into your bigger monthly and quarterly financial goals.
Pro Tip: Keep your goals visible! Write them on a sticky note, add them to your phone’s home screen, or stick them on the fridge—anywhere you’ll see them every day.
2. Plan Shopping with Supermarket Sales Flyers
Always check sales flyers before grocery shopping. Begin by looking for loss leaders. These are the ultra-low priced items which are generally on the front page of the flyer. They are meant to lure you into the grocery store with the hopes that you’ll buy many more items, spending more time and more money in the store than you intended.
Instead, fill your cart primarily with loss-leaders and sale-priced items that can be stored long-term, like canned goods, frozen foods, and household essentials. Stock up on these items when prices are low, so you’re not paying full price when you actually need them.
Pro Tip: Create a “stock-up price” list, so you know when a sale is actually a good deal.
3. Create a Grocery List
Shopping with a list is key to avoiding those tempting impulse buys that can add up fast. When you know what you need for the week, it’s easier to stay on track and avoid extras. We write our list based on our meal plan, so we’re only buying what we actually need.
Stick to the list as much as possible. Not only will this save you money, but it’ll also make your shopping trip quicker and more focused.
Pro Tip: Organize your list by store section to save time and reduce distractions.
4. Menu Plan Based on What’s on Sale and What You Already Have
After checking out what’s on sale at the grocery store and shopping, plan your weekly menu. Meal planning is a lifesaver for the budget. Before deciding on your meals for the week, take a look at what’s already in the pantry and fridge. This way, you’ll use up what you have, turning items that you got at sale prices into multiple meals.
This habit not only helps cut food costs but also reduces waste. By planning around what’s on hand and on sale, you can make delicious meals, while never paying full price for ingredients.
Pro Tip: Keep a running inventory of your pantry, fridge, and freezer. This way, you know what needs to be used up first and avoid last-minute trips to the store.
5. Prepare Meals in Bulk
Batch cooking is a real time and money-saver. By spending a couple of hours on one weeknight or over the weekend cooking meals or meal components, you can avoid reaching for takeout on busy days. You could make a big batch of rice, roast some vegetables, or prepare soups and casseroles that you can freeze for later.
Having meals ready to go is especially helpful during hectic weeks when you don’t feel like cooking. Plus, it helps keep the grocery bill in check by avoiding last-minute “convenience” purchases.
Pro Tip: Invest in reusable containers and label each one with the date and contents. This prevents any mystery meals from sitting in the fridge for too long!
6. Have Your Check Auto-Deposited
Having your paycheck directly deposited into your bank account means there’s less temptation to spend it before it lands in your account. It’s one of the simplest ways to avoid impulse spending and ensures your money is where it needs to be.
Another advantage? You can set up automatic transfers to move a portion of each check into a savings account dedicated to specific goals like medical expenses or holiday funds.
Pro Tip: Automate savings transfers right after your paycheck is deposited. This makes it easy to build up funds for specific goals, like an emergency fund or a vacation account.
7. Create an Overview of Weekly, Frugal Activities
Each week, take a few minutes to look over your schedule and plan some low-cost or free activities that you and your family can enjoy together. Often, we feel like we have to spend money to have fun, but there are so many ways to enjoy quality time without breaking the bank.
Whether it’s a visit to a local park, a family movie night at home, or trying a new recipe together, these moments allow you to unwind and make memories without the price tag. By planning ahead, you’ll not only fill your week with enjoyable, budget-friendly activities but also gain a sense of satisfaction knowing you can have a great time without overspending.
Pro Tip: Use a weekly planner or an app to map out your activities. We love using Google Calendar to set aside time for fun, free events. A family group text keeps everyone in the loop on plans!
8. Use Free Community Resources
There are so many free ways to enjoy time with family or friends without spending money. We love visiting the library for free classes, workshops, movies, and books. Local parks and community events are also great options for free entertainment.
Taking advantage of free resources is an easy way to enrich your life without stretching your budget.
Pro Tip: Follow your local community pages on social media to keep up with events and free activities happening nearby.
9. Track Daily Spending
Tracking spending might seem like a hassle, but it makes a huge difference in your budget awareness. By recording daily expenses, it’s much easier to spot any areas where money is slipping through the cracks, like impulse coffee runs or quick shopping trips – and stop them right away.
Whether you use a notebook, spreadsheet, or an app, keeping track of spending helps you stay accountable and make better financial decisions week by week.
Pro Tip: Use cash-back apps like Fetch to scan receipts and earn rewards for purchases you’re already making.
10. Set a Weekly Spending Limit
Setting a weekly spending limit for discretionary purchases keeps us in check. We often use cash or a prepaid card for things like eating out or entertainment, which makes it easier to stay within our budget. Once the cash is gone, that’s it for the week!
This approach helps us think carefully about what we really want to spend money on and keeps our budget under control.
Pro Tip: Try using the envelope system for even more control. Split cash into categories like groceries, dining, and entertainment. Larry prefers keeping a running total to track how much has been spent in each category.
These habits might seem small, but they can make a big difference over time. By building these frugal habits into your weekly routine, you’ll find it easier to stick to your budget, avoid unnecessary spending, and save more. Give them a try, and see how much you can save!
Your Turn!
What weekly frugal habits keep you on track and consistently spending less and saving more? Tell me in the comments.
I save by cooking and eating Whole Foods. I just baked 4 large beets in my toaster oven to make pickled beets with two and just eat the other two with meals. I paid $2.49 for all 4. I love beets.
I find that eating oats, beans, veggies, fruits… just basic Whole Foods saves me a lot more money than if I purchase processed foods.
I love beets, too. I totally agree. Basic, whole foods can be very inexpensive.
Tip#2. I have been doing it all wrong. I make a list by what I’m low on, which isn’t wrong, but I spend too much.
This weekend, I went to the store twice, because I didn’t have everything.
I’m making my menu first from now on. Thanks Hope!
I think it’s so wise of you to switch it up and try it another way. Often, that’s how we do things. We figure out what isn’t working quite as well as we’d like and then we change one or two variables to see if it works better another way. The thing to remember is that there is no “right” or “wrong”. There’s only “what works for you.” That’s what you want to figure out and then stick with it.
I’ve started going to the grocery store only three times a month instead of weekly. It’s amazing how you can really stretch the food you have on hand when you need to. We’ve had some “interesting” meals in order to get through the week, but it’s fun to be creative and save 1/4 of the grocery bill!
We tried going every 14 days when the kids were young and, like you, settled on every 10 days as being something that worked for us. It definitely helped us save money, too.
I try making the water I use to cook veggies do double duty. I’ll save it to cook rice or make soups, it already has added flavor. In the US they make what they call ‘Sun Tea’ Take a glass jar full of water with tea bags and set it in the sun for a few hours. The sun does the brewing. And if you just have to have it hot, a quick minute in the microwave works.
Great thoughts. You’re right. I love the idea of having something do “double duty”.