8 Powerful Penny Pinching Habits for Hard Times

We all hit hard times once in a while. Sometimes those hard times last longer than expected. On a lot of occasions these difficulties arise within our personal realm but sometimes the whole world is upside down. 

If you are like me, you’ve probably noticed your grocery budget doesn’t go as far it used to and everything else costs more too! I sometimes get my mind stuck on the prices things were ten or fifteen years ago and then get mad at how much they are now. I mean, have you tried to buy a decent pair of jeans lately? What about a coffee? 

That being said, hard times are hard but we do have options and I am thankful that I was raised by a very thrifty, very conscientious woman who knows all the tricks for pinching pennies when you’re in a pinch. 

Why Should You Start These Penny Pinching Habits? 

First of all, saving money isn’t super fun or easy all the time and there have definitely been days when I didn’t want to bother with the effort involved in my mother’s penny pinching habits. Still, I’m glad I know them. Why?

Well, to put it simply I like to eat and I like to be warm and I like a roof over my head. I never want to look back and wish I hadn’t bought that shirt on Amazon because I could really use that money for beans today. 

Also, even if things aren’t super tight at the moment, saving money is always a good idea because we never know what the future holds. We can’t be sure we will have a job tomorrow. The value of the dollar can change over night. And things that we take for granted now may be considered luxuries in the future. 

Basic Money Saving Habits 

Now, I’m sure you already know all the basic money saving habits. You know that you might have to pass up some fun stuff to save money but here is a list of things that will easily save you money every day: 

• Make coffee at home. 
• Pack a lunch. 
• Drop the gym and workout at home or outside. 
• Cook instead of eating out. 
• Don’t go to the movies and other entertainment venues all the time. 
• Let go of getting your nails done. 
• Restrict online shopping. 
• Streamline subscription services

These things are relatively easy ways to save money. You probably already try to apply them. But what if you are still living paycheck to paycheck? That’s where some serious penny pinching comes in. 

1: Eat More Simply

The first tip for penny pinching is something you might not like to think about at first but it will definitely pack a punch. You might have to learn to eat more simply. Sure, you know all about eating Ramen in the lean days but do you know about eating real foods that are less expensive? 

We always joke about beans and rice but seriously, beans and rice can get you far when money is tight. You might also consider eating less meat. We normally have at least one vegetarian night a week in our meal plan but if we needed to get really serious about penny pinching we would probably eat vegetarian even more often. When you do eat meat chose more economical options like frozen chicken breasts in a stir fry or casserole, sausage in some pasta sauce and so forth. Every night cannot be steak night. Beef may become a treat.

Beyond dinner, learn to eat more simply by eating the same thing for breakfast every day, eating leftovers for lunch every day, and generally learning the difference between every day sustenance and a special treat. 

2: Don’t Waste Stuff 

The next step in your penny pinching journey is also very earth friendly, very sustainable. You have to learn how to stop wasting stuff. We live in a throw away society but when you read about hard times in the past people learned how to make new clothes out of old clothes, how to re-use jars for food storage, and so forth. 

There is no reason we should not learn how to be similarly thrifty and creative now, even when things aren’t super tight. 

So instead of buying new shoes learn how to clean the shoes you have, instead of throwing away clothes learn how to mend them, save bacon grease for cooking oil later and learn how to make your own chicken broth from the bones of that rotisserie chicken. Use your pickle jar to store your leftovers and cut up old clothes for rags.

3: Plan Your Trips

Now that your mental juices are flowing, think about what your other big expenses are. I guarantee one of them is gas. Yep, you gotta get around and you probably need a car. (If you live in a place with good public transportation options, seriously consider dropping the car by the way.) But let’s just say your main transportation option is a vehicle, well, do you plan your trips or do you run all over your area like gas is water? 

We live in a pretty small town where everything is less than fifteen minutes away, except for the next town which is well, not that close. That being said, I still try to plan my trips. If I’m on the other side of town for work and I also need to get something from a store over there I try to combine the trip. If I need to do a bunch of errands I try to do them in a logical order by location. And if I don’t really need to go out I don’t. 

You may not think you’re wasting a lot of money on gas but try being a little more tactical with your trips and you will be surprised how that little penny pinching action adds up! 

Last but not least, remember this. Every time you leave your house it costs money. Maybe you don’t need to go out at all. 

4: Find Free Entertainment

My husband and I love movies and bowling, concerts and plays, and all that good stuff but we do realize they are a treat, even in times of plenty. So when you are really pinching pennies it’s time to put those kinds of expensive entertainments on hold and find free entertainment. 

What kinds of things are free and fun? Well, lots of things. Your city may have parks you can enjoy, museums that are free on certain days and even events like car shows and public concerts that you can enjoy without spending a dime. 

You can always turn to nature too! A lot of outdoor activities like walking, hiking and swimming don’t require any equipment. Other outdoor activities do require equipment but you might already have a bike, a kayak or paddleboard, or a frisbee. Why not grab your basketball or football and find some friends to play with?

Then you have hobbies like reading, writing, painting and so forth that you can enjoy without spending money beyond the basic supplies. I read or listen to over one hundred books a year and I never buy any of them thanks to my library card and the Libby app! I sew all the time and usually it’s with fabric someone gave me. We already have loads of board games so I wouldn’t have to buy anything to play one and come to mention it we haven’t touched the Wii in years. 

What do you have laying around your house? What could you do with a friend? Could you do something active? There are tons of ways to enjoy free entertainment if you put your mind to it. 

5: Shop Second Hand 

Another great way to pinch pennies is to shop second hand. I’ve had a mixed history with this. For a long time I wouldn’t go near a thrift store because I was frustrated with what I would find but more recently, in an effort to be sustainable I’ve returned to the second-hand world. 

While it does take more patience, more discernment, more digging, you can find some really great stuff at a fraction of the cost. In fact, I would argue that you might get nicer stuff second hand than you would buy new because of the amazing deals that you will find.

Next time you need a pair of jeans or slacks, a cute top or jacket, a cooking pot or some home decor, check the second hand shop. It’s an obvious way to pinch pennies but I think, in the world of discount stores, it’s often forgotten. 

6: Turn off the Lights 

Here’s another obvious but overlooked tip. Turn off the lights. Seriously, as a cleaning lady myself I’m often surprised by how much stuff people leave on. Computers, TVs, radios, and all the lights. It is a huge waste of electricity and will definitely run your bill up. Go ahead and get in the habit of turning stuff off. Even though computers have sleep functions they don’t need to be on all the time, especially if you don’t use them often. They turn back on quickly. 

On this topic you should also be conscientious about water usage in regards to your sprinklers hitting the concrete, water running down the street, and leaks in various areas. Those leaks can actually add up to thousands of dollars. 

Similarly, your electric bill can skyrocket if you are constantly running the heat or air conditioning full blast. Find a decent temperature and be willing to throw on a sweater or use a fan. Remember that if your cold you might just need to get up and move a little. 

7: Imagine You Live in the Past 

This is a fun trick I like to play. Maybe it comes from growing up going to the ruins of Native American compounds and Pioneer villages and it’s definitely been exacerbated by traveling to Europe and touring Versailles but I like to pretend I live in the past and it can actually save money. 

For example, if I lived in the past I would open the front and back door to get a cross breeze and I would cook from scratch. I wouldn’t have any lights to turn on during the day but I would open all the windows.

If I lived in the past I would spend more time gardening and I wouldn’t even think about having as many clothes and toys and dishes and decorations as I do today. It would be a happy simple life. In the past I would have bought the best I could afford and made it last for years and even in the not so distant past of my childhood I would never have dreamed of having anything besides pizza delivered to my door. 

Can you see how you might spend less, be a little more appreciative of what you already have, and feel more contentment with this simple game? Pretend you live in the past and see how many penny pinching habits naturally develope.

8: Be Patient and Wait for It 

Last but not least, when we are saving money and even more so when we are pinching pennies in very hard times we need to be patient. It’s amazing how many things I really wanted, but didn’t absolutely need, have come to be for free just because I waited it out. Every time it happens it feels like a blessing, a special treat. 

On the other hand, sometimes your patience results in you outwaiting the need or desire. And sometimes it results in innovation, resilience, and a stronger knowledge of yourself and your capabilities.

Saving money isn’t always fun and penny pinching habits can be tricky but in the long run you will be happy you did it and you got through it! I know your hard times won’t last forever. 

Do you have any great penny pinching habits? Please share in the comment below.