Lifestyle emphasizing intentional spending, minimizing waste, and prioritizing value over luxury. Became mainstream during 2008 recession, evolved into voluntary simplicity movement intersecting with FIRE and minimalism.

Frugal Tactics

• Housing: House hacking, roommates, geoarbitrage (low cost-of-living areas)
• Transportation: Used cars, biking, no car payment
• Food: Meal prep, bulk buying, Aldi/Costco, no restaurants
• Entertainment: Library, free parks, hiking, potlucks vs. bars
• Clothing: Thrift stores, capsule wardrobe, buy-it-for-life quality
• Tech: Keep phones 4-5 years, buy refurbished, use free software

r/Frugal Community

Subreddit (1.4M members) shares:

• DIY repairs (darning socks, fixing appliances)
• Price-per-unit calculations
• “I bought this [item] in 1987 and it still works!”
• Food waste reduction (soup from veggie scraps)
• Extreme examples: reusing Ziploc bags, single-ply toilet paper debates

Frugal vs. Cheap

Community distinguishes:

• Frugal: Spending intentionally on what matters (quality boots lasting 10 years)
• Cheap: Cutting every cost regardless of consequences (unsafe car, malnutrition)

“We’re frugal with our pennies so we can be generous with our dollars.”

Sources:

• r/Frugal subreddit
• “The Complete Tightwad Gazette” (Amy Dacyczyn, 1998)
• Mr. Money Mustache blog frugality posts