Trying to trim expenses? You may be approaching it the wrong way.
Repurposing items you already own is an excellent method to stretch your budget, and users on the r/Frugal subreddit have posted clever everyday tricks that grabbed our interest.
From reusing old cereal liners to giving coat hanger clips a new purpose, these thrifty tips will help your dollars go further.
12 Clever Frugal Hacks From Reddit to Help You Keep More Cash
Ready to produce less waste and save more? Here are some top picks we discovered on Reddit.
1. Saving on Running Accessories? Genius, and Free
Finding budget-friendly running shoes is tough enough; it’s easy to overspend on extra accessories like an expensive elastic armband for your key.
Here’s a no-cost, simple workaround worth trying.
Another easy way to secure your key while jogging?
Loosen one shoelace and pull it out of the top eyelet. Thread your key onto the lace, rethread it back through the hole, and tuck the key beneath the crisscrossed laces at the shoe’s center.
The key will lie flat tucked between the crossed laces. It won’t cost anything and virtually eliminates the risk of losing it.
2. Reduce Food Waste by Planning a Menu
Mapping out the meals you’ll prepare with your groceries can lower food waste and help your wallet.
If you’re meal planning on a tight budget, try shopping with recipes in mind and choosing flexible ingredients that work in many dishes.
One parent on Reddit shared that assembling menus makes it simpler for her children to pick meals.
“They’re much more willing to eat what I make now that I’ve done it this way and the menu helps me remember my meal ideas so things don’t get wasted as often,” wrote lilly_kilgore.
3. Constantly Misplacing Bag Clips? Here’s a $0 Fix
Binder clips double as chip bag seals.
If you prefer to buy something, you can typically grab a six-pack of bag clips at the dollar store for a few bucks.
4. Smart Storage Ideas for Bulk Cooking
Cooking in bulk and freezing extras can save a lot, but continually using disposable freezer bags isn’t ideal for the planet or long-term costs. (You can, however, rinse and reuse them.)
Your grandparents knew what they were doing when they kept Country Crock and Cool Whip tubs.
Use vinegar or baking soda to remove lingering odors from used containers so your leftovers smell fresh.
Other thrifty Redditors recommended buying Tupperware at garage sales and thrift shops and hanging onto plastic takeout containers.
5. Someone Scored Luggage at Goodwill for $15
Purchasing secondhand luggage might not sound glamorous, but with a bit of elbow grease you can restore suitcases to near-new condition.
How to Clean Fabric Luggage:
- Combine about 1/4 cup liquid laundry detergent and 2 tablespoons baking soda in warm water and scrub the luggage in your tub. (Pro tip: If your shower head has a detachable hose, use it on high to rinse.)
- Blot stains with old towels. Apply stain remover when needed.
- Air-dry the luggage outdoors in sunlight.
6. Use an App That Alerts You to Free Items
Hate missing out on free listings on Facebook Marketplace? Those posts can attract dozens of replies in minutes, but nabbing the deal can lead to huge savings.
Turns out there’s an app to help.
The Freebie Alerts app aggregates free listings from major marketplaces like Facebook, Nextdoor, OfferUp and TrashNothing.
Enter your ZIP code and the app watches those sites for items in your area — then notifies you when something new is posted.
You can refine results by saving keywords. Freebie Alerts also shows when an item was listed and how far it is from your ZIP code.
7. Upcycle Old Trash Cans Into Garden Planters
This cost-effective landscaping trick literally transforms trash into useful planters — and yields fresh produce.
When one Redditor’s municipality switched to robotic-arm garbage trucks, their old bins became useless for pickup.
They chopped the plastic with shears and converted the cans into onion planters.
Considering similar planters can retail for $20+ at home stores, this DIY solution is a big thrift win.
8. Reduce Screen Glare Outdoors for Free
Want to enjoy your patio or deck but can’t see your laptop screen because of glare?
An outdoor laptop sunshade can cost $50 or more online. This frugal trick costs nothing, requires no tools, and needs no assembly.
We’re sold.
9. A Handy Bathroom Item You Can Find Gratis Outside
As the Redditor suggested: “Find a flat rock that’s large and rough enough to hold the soap. Add felt pads underneath if you worry about scratching surfaces and that’s it.”
Simple and practical!
10. Grow a Garden From Leftover Produce
The r/Frugal thread is full of resourceful people who plant sprouted potatoes, ginger roots and green onions to grow fresh produce at home.
One Redditor noted: “If you’ve got a pot, or better yet, garden space, plant them. They’ll grow, flower and reseed so you won’t need to buy them again.”
With food costs rising, gardening as a money-saving strategy is increasingly appealing.
11. Give Your Cereal Liners Another Purpose
We never considered using empty cereal bags for storage until this post made us think twice.
After washing and air-drying the bags, use them to store leftovers and seal them with freezer tape.
You can also use the bags to toss food with breadcrumbs or seasoning.
As a non-food use, empty cereal liners work well for scooping out a litter box.
12. Repurpose Broken Fans Into Something Useful
This is one of the coolest upcycle projects we found on Reddit. It’s straightforward to build, though the original poster said it took a few hours to put together.
Fortunately, they created a step-by-step guide so you can replicate it.
Don’t have a pile of old fans? Many people discard them, so keep an eye out on trash collection days.
For more money-saving ideas and community tips, check out reddit saving money and other resources.
Daniel Harper is a Certified Personal Finance Educator and a senior writer for Savinly.
