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People who live alone share their 45 best money-saving hacks

"I fill empty glass jars with water and store them in my fridge. It costs more to cool an empty fridge than a full one."

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People living alone share their tips for saving money.

Whether you're single or choose to live alone, it can be expensive. Finding ways to save money living alone can take some creative thinking, but there are easy ways to put some extra cash back in your wallet.

In an online forum, member Just_Throw_Away_67 posed the question to fellow people who live alone: "What random cost-saving measures have you found that work well for those living alone?"

And single people and people living solo happily shared their money-saving hacks. These are 45 of the best ways to save money if you live alone.

 save money, saving money, money saving, make it rain, save money gif Make It Rain Coupons GIF  Giphy  

"I'll start, to save money on energy I fill empty glass jars with water and store them in my fridge. It costs more to cool an empty fridge than a full one, and since I don't eat very much my fridge is often nearly empty. Not sure how much this has saved me, but now I have water if I ever were to need it!" Just_Throw_Away_67

"Blackout curtains because I live in the South so it’s always hot. I also have privacy film that blocks some UV rays when I do want some light. Using a floor fan in my room (where I spend the majority of my time) with the door closed to keep it cooler. Close the air vents in my guest room since it’s primarily unused to cut down on AC costs. Cook large batches of food at one time so I’m not constantly using my stove/oven." eternally_feral

"It’s a pain to heat the whole oven for a little food. I recommend an air fryer over a toaster oven though. They’re a bit faster (and you can still make toast)." MissDisplaced

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"I keep my heating and cooling low. I can wear extra layers or less to get to a comfortable temp." Reasonable-Cold2161

"I read a tip to not bother doing a full 'grocery shop' trip if it doesn’t work for you/doesn’t make sense for you. Rather, if you find you’re throwing food away you couldn’t eat in time, try to do the method of going to the store of getting, say, just what you need for tonight and tomorrow’s meals, or whatever." citynomad1

"Grocery delivery. I end up spending 50% less compared to shopping in the store." Everydaylookwithin

"This is why I do curbside pickup. I order through the app, see what deals and coupons they have, stick to my list and don’t end up impulse buying. An added bonus is I can pick up on my way home from work and not spend time waiting in the checkout line." zoebadwolf

 fridge, refrigerator, save money, the fridge, open fridge Hungry Midnight Snack GIF  Giphy  

"It took a little bit of up front investment, but I dumped my gigantic and ancient energy-hungry fridge a long time ago for a brand new one that is much smaller and also has a variable speed compressor for extra efficiency. The energy savings from that move alone probably paid for the fridge several times over by now." BrewCityChaserV2

"I have a countertop dishwasher that I intentionally use only during off-peak hours. Luckily, this rental has a new refrigerator, and I run my air purifier on its 2 hour timer during those off hours (cat hair lol). Oh- I bought a Tushy bidet on sale- it pays for itself in the first year!" sk8rcruz

"I always bring my own lunch to work. I also cut up fresh veggies, put them in ziploc bags, freeze them, and then steam them later in the microwave. You can also just put a whole bag of spinach in the freezer and then steam it in the microwave. Clean with a plastic spray bottle of vinegar and dish soap. Sprinkle baking soda on carpets and rugs before vacuuming." Unhappy-Jaguar-9362

 costco, costco card, costco gift, buy bulk, bulk shopping Conan Costco GIF by Team Coco  Giphy  

"I have milk jugs with water in them in the fridge and freezer. I also buy in bulk. Usually the more you buy the cheaper per unit it is. I have a year supply of everything (joking) not quite but almost. I keep my air conditioner at a warmer temperature and use a fan to cool me all the way. I close blinds and curtains during the day. This cuts down on the heat in the room. Unfortunately it is dark in my apartment during the day , but this can make a difference of up to 10 degrees. This saves on cooling costs. Instead of buying single servings of food. I make a family size amount and put the leftovers in round dinner containers all ready to go for the next meal. These can also be frozen if you don't want the same thing a couple days in a row and put in the microwave for 6 or 7 minutes." Delightful_Helper

"I buy the family size packs of meats, divide and freeze. I also still cook big meals like when my kids were teenagers and divide them into portions and freeze. Its simply too hard to cook for one person. I make a weekly menu of the dishes I want to cook and then place my order for the grocery delivery. It does save money and since I cook a lot of casseroles, big pots of soups and stews, etc., and freeze in portions. I use my air fryer to warm the frozen dishes instead of the oven. It has almost become my hobby to have a variety of different meals through out the week without having to cook every day. Life is good 😊." No_Guava_90

 casserole, casseroles, cooking, baking, big batch Latter Day Saints Dancing GIF by Jukebox Saints  Giphy  

"I try to avoid one time use items. For example: bottled water, wipes, swiffer dusters and mop heads, paper towels, etc add up rather quickly. I use reusable mop pads, reusable duster heads and i always have a stainless steel water bottle with me so i don't have to buy water when I'm out." Rich_Group_8997

"If you own your house: Ceiling fans in every room that have a ceiling light fixture in the center. I also changed almost all lights to LED. When the furnace was red-tagged, I replaced it and the AC. It was a budget buster but there was a federal government rebate. My bills are less and it’s much more efficient and quieter." GRIThere

"I turned up my ac and invested in a dreo fan and another simple standing fan for my room and living room. It’s going to save me about 50 bucks this month I think. Also stocking up on beans and rice and frozen veggies and proteins. Keeps me from eating out of if I don’t want to cook. Also making more than I can realistically eat in 3 or 4 days and freezing the rest. Also utilizing holiday sales for big ticket items. I bought a mattress around Memorial Day and a washer this past week for Father’s Day sales at Lowe’s. The washer was actually 100$ cheaper the day after I bought it so I went in and was refunded the difference." MindPerastalsis

"I live in the southwest. It cracks me up to hear that people are fainting and falling ill in 100 degree heat. It's regularly hotter than hell here. I have two layers of reflectix in all my windows. And I have insulated curtains over that. Then I have two AC units. They are both window units but they are big enough individually to cool my tiny house. I sectioned off my house so that I only have to cool the room I am in. I built a solar water heater. I haven't eaten out in years. I repair everything if I can and have invested in lots of tools. I get up stupid early in the morning so I can sit outside in the coolest part of the day. I only shop for groceries once a month and I use the app so I don't impulse buy. I buy large cuts of meat, then I smoke it all and portion it up and freeze it. Makes daily cooking short and sweet I have leftovers from last night for lunch every day. I make my own coffee and bread I turn on my water heater, when it's cold outside, long enough to heat it up and then I shut it back off. I have it turned up a little bit more so it gets a little hotter, but I only run it for an hour or two every two days. I don't smoke cigarettes. I do vape but I go through like $20 worth of vape pods a month instead of pack after pack of expensive cigarettes. When I use the shopping apps I pay close attention to the cost per oz and get the cheapest I can. I own my vehicle outright. It's older but reliable. I don't have any debt other than my phone and power bill. I only subscribe to 3 streaming services because they are a bundle deal. I don't have cable and my Internet is the cheapest deal I can find. Results are still coming in but I estimate I have cut my power bill alone in half and that's the single most expensive thing I pay." AuntBarba

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This guy's response to his friends pressuring him to date is on point.

Love being single? Don't let anyone talk you out of it.

When it comes to romance, I've been through just about every page in the book.

I've stayed in happy, long-term cohabiting partnerships that lasted years. I've had summer flings, one-night hookups, and long periods of serene solitude.

Each one of these experiences has been fun, fulfilling, and meaningful — solitude included.

When I say “solitude,” I don’t necessarily mean turning off my phone and escaping to a cottage in the mountains — though I’ve done that, too, and it can be wonderfully refreshing.

Photo via iStock.

What I’m talking about here is the simple choice to live a life free of romantic encumbrances, for as long as you want.

Everything in our culture screams out against singlehood, and it can be really frustrating.

Before we’re even old enough to understand what romantic love is, we’re bombarded with the idea that everyone has a soul mate just waiting to be discovered. Even as our friends reassure us that it’s important to be a healthy, self-contained person on one’s own, it’s never long before they’re asking: “So ... are you seeing anyone? What about that one guy or girl?”

We can’t avoid the stereotypes: the “crazy cat lady,” the “40-year-old virgin,” hinting that we can never be truly happy without That Special Someone to complete us.

And that’s just the pressure on the long-term romance level, too. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gotten incredulous looks from certain male friends when I say I have no interest in grinding up on that cute girl across the club. Yes, I can see she’s attractive. If I met her at a party, I might ask her to join me for a cup of coffee. We might hit it off. We might have great sexual chemistry and fall totally in love and move in together. Or we might not.

Photo via iStock.

But none of that makes a lick of difference to me right now because at this moment I am here to get loose on the floor — so leave me alone and let me dance.

Don’t get me wrong. Dates can be fun sometimes. But right now, I don’t want to spend 20 hours a week micromanaging my personal brand on dating websites.

I already have a full-time job. Managing a dating profile feels like tweaking marketing copy and handling a brand’s social media conversations (which is pretty much exactly what it is). You know what I’d rather spend my free time doing? Almost literally anything else.

I don’t want to meet hot, sexy singles in my area. I don’t want to booty-call a complete stranger. I don’t want to have lame hookup sex where the communication is terrible and we keep trying and failing to get the rhythm right, and then afterward we talk awkwardly only to realize we don’t have any interest in each other as human beings.

If that’s what you love, then more power to you. I really mean that. It’s your world, baby.

And for all I know, tomorrow I might make eye contact with a stranger on the street, get swept completely off my feet, and return to the Couple Zone full time. It’s not likely, but hey, quantum physics tells us there’s a theoretical possibility of anything happening at any time. I’m always open to new experiences.

But if you DON’T want to be in a relationship right now, then know that someone else is on your team.

Be proud of that choice! Own it. It’s yours.

Photo via iStock.

If you don't feel like having a one-night stand, don't. If you don’t feel like making a move on that cute guy or girl in the club, don’t. If you don’t want to spend time filling out a dating profile and swiping left and right for hour after hour — you guessed it: don’t. And be proud that you didn’t.

Don’t let your friends, or your culture, or anyone else tell you what you want. You’re the only person who knows. And if what you truly want is to be single right now, that’s damn awesome.

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3 misguided reasons to get married, 1 really great one, and real talk from Shonda Rhimes and Oprah.

Some people just don't want marriage, OK?

"When is it going to be YOUR turn?" — Anybody's Aunt at Any Wedding, USA.

If you're single, you may get the feeling there's a de facto assumption that marriage is everybody's goal in life.

You're not imagining things. There definitely is a broad cultural assumption going on. Or a few of them.

Oprah and Shonda Rimes noticed it, too, and had some observations.

Here are three misguided reasons you may hear from well-meaning people who think you should want to get married and some real talk from Oprah and Shonda. And at the very end, I'll give one great reason people should get married. HINT: It's not to wear a gorgeous dress, though I do love me a gorgeous dress. 

GIF from "Friends."

1. Everybody wants love.

OK, connection and warmth and bonding is an important part of human health — that's true. But surprise! You can get those without marriage. You can get that with friendships, family relationships, and significant others (holy matrimony not required). You can even achieve that with pets. You can have lots of love in your heart and life, even if you're not married. Next!

2. Everyone deserves to be happy.

Well, yeah. But who says happiness comes with a ring on one's finger and a piece of paper legally conjoining two people? For some people, that's meaningful and important and something they really want. And for some people, their version of happiness doesn't include those things. Both ways are cool. But marriage retains the societal stamp of approval while everything else gets side-eyed as some "alternative lifestyle."

3. Not wanting marriage just means you're not ready to "settle down" yet.

There are ways to embrace a life of stability and commitment to the values that matter to you without needing to plunk one's self into a holy pairing in order to calm your wild oats or whatever. People buy houses on their own all the time. Some adopt or have kids as a single parent. Some love pursuing their career and/or life's calling and feel wedded to their "cause." That's a pretty good life, too, and not something anyone should have to defend or feel castigated from normal society for.

And this is all something Shonda and Oprah can speak to easily, as more mature women who've spent their lives pursuing things other than marriage. They spend some time pondering society's fixation with wedded bliss.

And here's the one and only reason, in my humble opinion, anyone should ever get married.

Sometimes you see a really great marriage, and it's striking what those ones have in common — each individual makes the other add up to more together than they could have been separately. That happens when there is a shared spirit of learning together, a growth mindset, and generosity and kindness.

If you believe you've found something like that and that putting a ring on it is what will complete the deal, then that's the best reason to marry.

This is the 21st century. As Oprah would say, live your best life, people!

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