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36 middle class money-saving hacks that frugal folks swear by to keep spending in check

"The savings definitely add up."

Image via Canva/bogdankosanovic

Middle class people share their best money-saving hacks.

People who earn a middle class income understand that paying attention to every penny that comes in and goes out is a smart money strategy. According to Pew Research, the median household income for middle class people in the United States in 2022 ranged from $56,600 to $169,800.

And frugal middle class people are full of money-saving tips and hacks. To boost their savings, middle class people offered their best money-saving habits to those looking to boost their savings accounts.

From grocery shopping, cooking habits, and bills, they shared their best financial wisdom. These are 36 middle-class money saving hacks that can help everyone save more money.

saving money, save money, money, putting money away, money Saving money gif Giphy

"For me, it’s the simple habits passed down from family. Cooking at home instead of eating out, carrying a water bottle instead of buying one, and reusing jars or old cloth as cleaning rags. Even shopping during discount seasons instead of impulse buying has been a huge saver. These little things may not look like much, but over time they add up and keep life grounded." - NoMedicine3572

"Cooking beans and legumes from dry buying in bulk." - LiterallyKath

"I have an old Toyota is pretty messed up now, but it makes me laugh because it looks kind of like shit lol. But I don't have a car payment and I still get 25 miles per gallon or so. I'll drive that thing into the ground. As long as the car has air-conditioning music and drives decent, I don't really care." - renerdrat

"Stop being snobby about your cell phone service and go to cheaper ones that use the same towers. Mint Mobile has blown me away ... had it for 2 years now, can't believe I was paying AT&T $100/month before. Now I pay $25/month and everything works the same." - mordiaken & wezvidz

"I’ll add to this. We don’t need a new phone every year. Still rocking my 13 mini. Not planning to buy a new one anytime soon." - no_car1799

"Take Amazon off your phone- all orders need to be done on a laptop. Pay for groceries in cash- it tends to take down impulsive purchases. Coffee at home. Make your own cold brew. End of each quarter is use up what is in the fridge and pantry- only purchase are for what completes a meal. Talk about a budget each month. Actively look at places to cut." - Door_Number_Four

- YouTube www.youtube.com

"Look at the grocery store flyers and plan your meal prep around what's on sale that week. Base most of your meals on canned goods, frozen veggies, and tofu/inexpensive protein options. Wash/clean whatever you can using baking soda and or vinegar. Don't bother with paper towel use rags. Don't impulse buy research beforehand. Get a library card and use that sucker. Ensure your hobbies aren't too expensive for your lifestyle. Find weekend activities that are basically free. Don't attempt to keep up with other people in order to maintain some weird social status. Keep it simple when it comes to hygiene showers everyday and have your staple products you know work well for your hair skin and teeth and buy them in bulk when they go on sale. Look at your wardrobe and figure out what you actually need to replace before you go clothes shopping (write a specific list before you leave your place). Find frugal friends ;). " - RangerAndromeda

"Buying a sewing kit and learning basic hand sewing can help save pieces of clothing that need minor fixes for almost no additional investment. I can replace buttons, hem slacks, and reattach zippers with the same needles and thread I've had since 2016." - Iceonthewater

"Pack your lunch at home. Don’t eat out. I have a mini fridge under my desk. I’ll bring 2-3 lunches at a time, plus they are healthy." - smack4u & wpbth

"Door Dash [don't do it]. A $20 meal now costs $50 with tip and delivery." - Cucharamama


@miarosemcgrath

part 2 the ‘frugal chic’ #savingmoney #splurgevssave #personalfinance

"Learn how to fix simple shit safely. Leak under the sink? It’s 150+ just to have a plumber come out to look at it. Half the time it’s just a twist or swapping out a standard part that costs $5. And if you can’t fix it yourself you can still call the pro. It’s the same with most shit, I’ve learned with YouTube videos how to fix most of my appliances, change out outlets (TURN OFF THE BREAKER FIRST I KNOW) and repair a lot of things around my home that would cost me $100s of dollars for just a few bucks. Also, if you know handy people just ask them how. I had a sprinkler line split and it would have cost me $1000s for a professional repair. My neighbor works on gas lines for the city and he came over with a bag of spare joinings and told me to go grab some pvc and that blue glue shit they use. Cost me $20 bucks and half a case of modelo (we split it while he stood there watching me dig it up and then directing me how to cut out the compromised piece and fix it)." - JoefromOhio

"Buying popcorn in bulk and popping it on the stovetop, instead of prepackaged popcorn." - CBased64Olds

"Evaluation of my bills regularly- and tracking that the expected amounts are deducted. Example: my Comcast bill is normally $70/mo. $77 came out. The following month the invoice said $95 would be deducted. These companies creep up the bill and if you aren’t watching it will climb. In my experience, Comcast has been the worst offender of this. I called them and was refunded and my bill is back to $70. Also price shopping. I pay $15/mo for my phone service (Visible by Verizon- my service is better than when I was paying $179/mo T-Mobile or $250/mo att!) and $2.17 for Disney + Hulu. I use alternate suppliers for my electric. My bill was almost $300/mo, now it’s down to $110-$120/mo. Your bill is still generated through the regular electric company. You are just buying the electric from a cheaper supplier. I check/switch providers for any and every service every 3-6mo for the best savings. I was with AT&T for 20 years. Then I asked myself why am I loyal to them? Or any company? Bc it’s just easier. But now I view comparing prices for these things as a side hustle. Some of my bills are so low (like my cell bill or my streaming) that I don’t price shop them anymore. It’s a small time investment for thousands saved. I like to keep my money!" - Thor_StrngstAvenger

"Automation. You gotta find your number and then give yourself a little cushion and then the rest of your money needs to be automated out. Basically you learn to live on the money in your checking account. People who don't do this usually never realize that they can easily live on less." - scottie2haute

- YouTube www.youtube.com

"When I see something I like my first thought is 'but what am I gonna do with it?' If the answer is primarily 'Idk, I just think it’s neat', then I don’t buy it." - DeepDot7458

"Sounds silly, but we got my husband a nice cooler for Christmas, and I’ve taken to packing it when I go on outings/errands with the kids. “Mom’s random bag of shelf-stable snacks” doesn’t have as much appeal as that Chick-Fil-A sign, and I found myself easily convinced to order nuggets for myself, a medium fry or Mac and cheese for each of the kids, etc. $30 later, we’re satiated, but I’m kicking myself. Turns out turkey subs, chips, and snackle boxes with fruit, cubed cheese, crackers, mini pepperoni, etc ARE more appetizing than CFA, especially when they help pack the cooler." - Snoo-669

"IMO, it's not the habits around the small spends. It's the habits around the big spends. I focus on keeping my housing, transportation, food, and utility costs down -- in that order. Making my own coffee at home is trivial in comparison. But I do that too. And shop at Aldi. I keep a mental list of the good price on all the things I buy and try to always hit those prices and stock up when they do." - Cannelli10

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23 ways to spend your tax refund that can make you happy and the world a better place.

Feel good about your splurging.

It's April, which begs the question how are you going to spend your tax refund this year?

(If, of course, you're fortune enough to get a refund. My condolences if you end up owing Uncle Sam.)

Bills need to be paid. And the zeroes in your student debt total should, at least in theory, keep dwindling. You should probably stock the pantry while you're at it, and make sure the gas tank is filled, too.

But if you cross off all the boring payments on your "being a responsible adult" list and still have a good chunk of change at your disposal, I have a few suggestions that could make you feel good about where your money is going.

Here are 23 seriously rewarding ways you can spend your tax refund this year:

1. Buy individual sets of flowers and visit a senior center.

Image via iStock.

Bring a friend if you like, too, and pass them out room by room. You'll definitely make (at least) one person's day.

2. Find a cool and important project helping teachers and students on DonorsChoose.

The online platform allows educators, mostly in underserved communities, to raise funds for neat learning opportunities for their students — from getting new computer tablets to providing enough instruments to create a drum line for music class.

3. Donate it to a local nonprofit helping your own community.

Big, national, or international nonprofits do vital work, of course. But there's something pretty special about seeing how the people in your own city can benefit from a little generosity.

4. Pay it forward in the drive-through line — or, better yet, the grocery store.

You've seen the viral stories of folks grabbing the tabs of other patrons ahead of or behind them in line. You could be the person who starts the next chain reaction.

5. This one isn't immediately gratifying, but ... your savings account may need some padding.

Image via iStock.

Just because something doesn't give you instant gratification doesn't mean it won't eventually be rewarding, right? Save up to pay off that loan, buy that car, be prepared for a rainy day, or be less burdened when next semester's tuition bill arrives. It'll be worth it.

6. Sponsor a person or group that has been taken advantage of by our flawed justice system.

News flash: The power structures at play in our law enforcement and justice systems favor white and wealthy people. Funded Justice is a crowdfunding platform where donors can help foot defense expenses — like legal and bail fees, for example — for those seeking a fair shot.

7. Throw a pizza party at your local food bank.

Ask the Pennsylvania man who did just that in 2016 — it's great knowing every cheesy bite is greatly appreciated.

Image via iStock.

8. Reach out to that friend you've been meaning to call and take them out to dinner and a movie.

You both deserve each other's company.

9. Chocolate.

Hey now, it's good for you. Indulge a little.

10. Give cash to a friend or family member who could really use it this month — in the form of a money cake.

Image via Jodi McKinney, used with permission.

OK, this is a bit lavish, but if you're feeling especially generous, here's how to make it, courtesy of Jodi McKinney's blog, "The Creative Life In Between."

11. Buy new socks and feminine hygiene products to give to a homeless shelter.

They're always among the most requested items, but — because you can't donate these sorts of items used — many donors don't realize how tremendous the need is. (Here are other vital products to donate you maybe haven't thought of.)

12. Donate to Meals on Wheels, then grab a friend and volunteer for the group locally.

After seeing President Donald Trump's proposed budget, the organization may need all the help it can get in the years ahead.

Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images.

13. Commit to guilt-free purchases for the week.

Shopping for food, clothes, and other products that are fair trade, locally sourced, and produced by ethical companies can be an expensive, exhausting privilege not everyone can afford.

But with some extra cash on hand, try to take the leap for a few days. You may be able to work in some better long-term spending habits, too.

14. Book a solo weekend getaway on the fly.

Depending on whether you're an impulse buyer, this probably sounds either exciting or terrifying. Either way, you should indulge in some R and R. In today's 24/7, on-the-go world, recharging mentally and physically is important. (Plus, solo travel rocks.) Quick, go!

Image via iStock.

15. Donate to an organization that helps people who are particularly vulnerable in the era of Trump.

So many groups — immigrants, LGBTQ people, women, people of color, Muslims, and others — are facing a hostile administration attempting to strip away their rights and send us backward. Help them out.

16. Buy house plants and bulk up on garden items just in time for spring.

Research suggests that greening up your living quarters can actually benefit your health and boost happiness. If you're new to the plant game, maybe start out with some succulents (they practically take care of themselves).

17. Order a bunch of Girl Scout cookies for the neighbors you love or the ones you haven't met yet.

Photo by John Moore/Getty Images.

What's a better icebreaker than "Hi, here are some Thin Mints"? Another option: Hoard all of the Samoas and Caramel deLites for yourself (no judgment). Either way, you'll be supporting an important organization doing great things.

18. See if there's an Amazon Wish List registry for an animal shelter near you.

Animal shelters need lots of specific items to care for their four-legged friends — things like outdoor, durable furniture, cat and dog food, and specialized collars to keep pups (and their humans) safe.

19. Buy some Dogsbutter for your pup. Your purchase will helping another sweet doggo in need.

Dogsbutter — made from peanuts and flaxseed (minus any sugar, salt, or hydrogenated oils) — is a healthy snack for your pup they'll certainly enjoy. For each item you buy, Dog for Dog also gives an equal amount of food to a pet shelter, so dogs in need will benefit, too.

20. Buy "(R)evolution: The Girls Write Now 2016 Anthology" and help underserved teen girls pursue their creative dreams.

The book of essays and poetry was published by Girls Write Now, a New York-based after school program that connects girls with accomplished female writers, who serve as mentors. All proceeds of the book benefit the program.

21. Donate to a bowling team that's helping fund abortion access.

The National Abortion Access Bowl-a-Thon allows people to set up bowling teams and fundraise on behalf of abortion access across the country. Donate or — better yet — join a team. It's a sort of unconventional but equally awesome idea.

22. Get your neighborhood excited about books again, and snag some supplies to set up your own Little Free Library.

Once you build and stock one of these (ridiculously adorable) mini-libraries in your yard — or any other public-facing space you think might be a great spot — readers take a book from the stockpile and leave a different one in its place.

23. And last but not least: Treat yo' self.

GIF via "Parks and Recreation."

Get that flat-screen. Book that massage. Splurge a little (or a lot).

You work hard, and you deserve it.

Correction 4/12/2017: Several references to "tax return" in this article have been corrected to "tax refund."

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5 random things we spend our money on that make global aid look like pocket change.

$2 billion actually isn't that much when you put it in perspective.

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Gates Foundation: The Story of Food

The amount we all spent on airline baggage fees last year is more than the amount needed to save the lives of 2 million little kids.

Isn't that pretty wild to think about?  

Together we spent $3.1 billion on baggage fees in 2016 — on top of our actual tickets — so that U.S.-based airlines could transport our crap (what an industry!). That's a billion more dollars than what's needed to stay on track with our global nutrition targets.  

If governments, organizations, and donors around the world spent an additional $2 billion annually over the next 10 years, we could save 2.2 million lives — and reduce stunting in 50 million children. 50 MILLION children!

Image via iStock.

Right now, malnutrition is killing 3 million children a year, contributing to 45% of all deaths of kids under 5, and costing our world billions of dollars in lost productivity.

Did I mention it's completely preventable?

In 2012, the World Health Assembly (WHA), composed of 194 member states, endorsed its first-ever plan to drastically improve nutrition in children in developing countries by 2025. They are focusing on six main targets: stunting, exclusive breastfeeding, wasting, anemia, low birthweight, and overweight. It's smart and awesome.

What's not awesome, though, is that they're not on track to hit any of those nutrition goals. Country governments and donors are spending $3.9 billion total on nutrition-specific programs, according to the World Bank. But that's not enough to close the gap and stay on track. If they were to come together and spend an additional $2.2 billion, they could get back on it.

Now, $2 billion a year sounds like quite a bit of money — until you put some things into perspective.

Here are five random expenditures that show why investing $2.2 billion in our future generations should be a no-brainer:

1. Americans spent close to a billion dollars on UNUSED gift cards in 2015.

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More specifically, that's $973 million that's just sort-of ... THERE. It's just hanging out in a digital retail cloud somewhere, waiting to be used on apparel or appliances that, ironically, may actually remain unused.

2. Even more staggering: Americans spent $119 billion on gambling losses in 2013.

Image via iStock.

Not wins. Not even break-evens. LOSSES. I mean, if we could somehow pool just a fraction of that to create the most charitable pot the world has ever seen, wouldn't that be a win-win for everyone?

3. We're apparently a thirsty country — Americans spend $105.9 billion a year on beer.

Image via iStock.

Granted, there's no denying that people love their beer. But what if, like, instead of buying the usual "one for the road," we turned the equivalent into "one for a good cause"?

4. Americans spend over $10 billion on credit card late fees.

Image via iStock.

Yes, it can be cool to be fashionably late. But it's probably not $10 billion cool.

5. Americans spend over $42 billion at dollar stores.

Image via iStock.

If anything, this puts the whole "What if everyone just gave a dollar to help out?" argument in perspective.

Obviously, it's not the same to compare what Americans spent at dollar stores to what governments spend on nutrition programs in developing countries.

But it does help paint a clear picture of how much progress we can make in the world with relatively small amounts of funding.

Image via iStock.

Americans think we spend an average of 26% of our U.S. budget on foreign assistance. But that number is actually less than 1%.

People have varying thoughts on the United States' role in foreign aid, but many times it's because they overestimate what we're actually contributing. When you think about it, investments in nutrition are so minimal, it's almost mind-boggling. Only about 1% percent of the U.S. budget goes to global programs that save lives (and the same is true for many countries). And these programs eventually actually save money because of increased global productivity and fewer health care costs.

Even spending less than 1% of our nearly $4 trillion federal budget, we've done so much good.

We've helped over 8 million people receive life-saving HIV treatment, reached 1 billion people with agricultural programs in the past 20 years, reduced death caused by malaria in children by 51% and reduced maternal mortality by over 50% worldwide. That all helps to keep the world healthier and our country safer. And those figures barely even scrape the surface of our progress.

Imagine if the U.S. stepped up to prioritize nutrition and invested just a little bit more. Our future could look a whole lot different.

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Lessening how much stuff you have can bring you joy. But it can also protect our planet.

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Have you ever thought about how much stuff you have?

Think about everything — from furniture to appliances all the way to that shirt you bought on sale that one time that you swear you're going to wear one day. How much do you estimate it adds up to? (Don't worry, we'll wait.)

Well? GIF via "Coming to America."

Have that number in mind? Hold on to it.

Now get this: The number of things in the average American home by one projection is 300,000.

Yes, that's a huge number. (Although when you consider all the little knickknacks we have lying around, 300,000 might not be that bad? I mean, my kitchen drawer alone probably has a thousand things in it right now.)

Story of my life.

But when you compare that number to people living a minimalist lifestyle, 300,000 things can seem astronomical.

For instance, one man from Japan, Fumio Sasaki, has only 150 items to his name. That's it! Yet he's perfectly content and feels that having less stuff has allowed him to hone in on what really matters in life.

He told Reuters, "Spending less time on cleaning or shopping means I have more time to spend with friends, go out, or travel on my days off. I have become a lot more active."

Minimalists Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus sum it up perfectly on their website, aptly titled The Minimalists, by saying: "Minimalism is a tool to rid yourself of life’s excess in favor of focusing on what’s important — so you can find happiness, fulfillment, and freedom."

Granted, owning only 150 things may be a bit more on the extreme side of minimalism, but New York Times best-selling author Marie Kondo presents a slightly different approach.

In her world-renowned book "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up," Kondo writes about getting rid of stuff that doesn't bring you joy so as to maximize your own happiness. You can own as little or as much as you like, but if that DVD collection of "Dawson's Creek" you've had lying around for years doesn't really make you feel anything anymore, chuck it!

Don't worry, Dawson. It'll be OK. GIF via "Dawson's Creek."

Now, whichever side of the spectrum you gravitate more toward, the same idea seems to come out — clearing away clutter can actually change your life for the better.

That being said, do a lot of us have too much stuff?

Back in 2007, Annie Leonard answered that question with her revolutionary documentary, "The Story of Stuff." She brought to light how people's desire for more was severely hurting our planet's resources and the health of many.

The life cycle of stuff: extraction, production, distribution, consumption, and disposal. Image via The Story of Stuff Project/YouTube.

As more and more people buy and consume more things, big businesses are compelled to produce more products at a quicker rate to ensure a profit. But in the process, they pay little attention to the depletion of natural resources and, of course, the accumulation of waste. It's a vicious cycle.

That's where The Story of Stuff Project comes in.

It's a community of changemakers all working toward continuing the mission that the original documentary set in motion.

"The Story of Stuff Project exists to look at the system of the materials in our lives and the economies that support them — from extraction to disposal," Stiv Wilson, director of campaigns, explained. "We’re really concerned with how we make use and dispose of the stuff in our lives and ultimately, what we do with the project is create stories about different points in the system and mobilize citizens to then take action towards metric outcomes that benefit both the environment and people."

When stages in the life cycle work together, great things can happen. GIF via The Story of Stuff Project/YouTube.

Through different methods of storytelling — from podcasts to books to mini-movies — The Story of Stuff Project is zeroing in on important issues that have a global impact. Whether it's their tell-all on the hazards of plastic water bottles or their movement to ban plastic microbeads in toiletries from wreaking havoc on the ecosystem, there is no doubt these changemakers are telling the stories that can help make the world a better place.

Remember that number from the beginning? Think about it again.

A lot us can get caught up in wanting more stuff. But with a little reevaluation, keeping our numbers down makes it possible to improve our own well-being, the well-being of others, and the planet.

And should you decide to start lessening the things that don't bring you joy, keep in mind that donating it could spark some joy in someone else. Maybe it's just a matter of finding a creative way to reuse it.

In fact, a little creativity can go a long way. One study found that if 300 million Americans reused just one shirt, that would save 210 billion gallons of water and 1 billion pounds of CO2. Imagine that.

So next time you think about throwing away some stuff, just remember all the other factors that come along with it. Yes, it might seem pretty small at first — but trust us — the impact is monumental.

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