[Herbert]

Looking for frugal living tips for retirees living on a modest income.

practical advice to make retirement more enjoyable without overspending. Ideas for budgeting, affordable hobbies, meal planning, or any creative ways to stretch a dollar would be greatly appreciated.

What has worked well for you or someone you know?”

This phrasing is conversational and invites a variety of responses while keeping it focused on actionable tips.

Thanks.

[Sheila]

Meal plan based on sales. Limit eating out. Downsize to a smaller house, if necessary. Don’t go shopping just for fun, find another hobby!

Start using up all the bottles of lotions and bars of soap that are tucked away. Same thing with hobby supplies.

Find cheap or free entertainment, maybe play cards with friends instead of going out?

[Brenda]

Couponing saves me a ton of money. Last months total cost was $796 for groceries, household and personal hygiene items.

I paid $369 after coupons and rewards were applied. Plus got about $15 back on Ibotta for uploading my receipts.

[Melissa]

I can’t think of anything different then what you should have been doing the last 20 years.

Big thing is to have an emergency fund and a big one. Know what deductables you have in vehicle and medical and home insurances.

Have each reevaluated due to the changes in your life. Not commuting to work, someone in the home more often, property taxes reassessed. Home maintenance you can no longer do.

Always ask for senior discounts…Always. Continue all home and vehicle maintenance.

Plant a garden and learn to preserve food.
Dress in layers to keep warm. Keep your house cool. Change temp 1-2 degrees. Adjust for warmer weather.

Find a hobby in the home or nearby. Use the Public Library. Get involved. Our Library has so many activities for all ages. Maybe volunteer.
It’s a good time to inform adult children you choose not to exchange gifts for any celebrations.

Instead you will give and would like the gift of time. A homemade card or letter from them. Invite each other to a meal, walk together, bake and exchange, attend a free concert, movie time with popcorn at the house…

Make a written budget. Things have changed. You don’t use as much gas but have more medical co-pays.

You don’t eat as much but you deserve a steak or favorite food, once in awhile…

[Marsha]

Drink water. Don’t eat out. Cook from scratch. Make extra helpings and freeze for busy days. We have Silver Sneakers which is a benefit of Medicare advantage programs where we can use many fitness centers for free.

Look for clothes at thrift stores. I found a beautiful sweater recently for $5.00. Many household cleaners can be handmade too.

I Google it or look on Pinterest. This site helps a lot. Don’t set the thermostat too hot in winter and too cold in summer.

Dress in layers inside in winter. On cold nights, I take a Bed Buddy to bed and it heats up the bed nicely.

We have several meatless meals a week, bean soups etc. Use the public library. And, we garden.

I freeze all of the tomatoes I use in soups plus grow sweet potatoes, butternut squash, onions, sometimes lettuce, kale, and green beans.

[Lana]

Retired teacher married to a retired teacher. If you have an Aldi’s, go first thing in the morning (ours opens at 9am) they put their one day away from best buy date on meats for 50% off.

This helps us a lot.

[Jenna]

-You can get cash back for gas and other places on the app Upside. Let me know if you want my code, because you get a promo.

-Make your own chicken, turkey, veggie stocks with left over carcasses and freeze all your veggie scraps! I never buy broth anymore.

-freeze your leftovers before you toss them (I know this sounds easy.

But we used to be so bad about not eating our leftovers, so now I freeze most of them unless I know for sure I’m going to eat them all)

[Doraine]

Free community entertainment. Use your library resources. Volunteer to serve meals for homeless. Join your local senior center.

Carpool with neighbors for shopping needs.

[Katherine]

Get rid of cable. Go to Walmart & get a $29 antenna. I have a Roku TV and I get 1000+ channels.
H2O gives you unlimited talk & text for $60 a year on your phone.

Don’t buy bottled water- buy 3 or 5-gallon containers & fill them at a Water n Ice store (you will need to buy the set up, but it will pay for itself quickly.

Go to Farmers Markets late in the day – they sell produce off because they don’t want to take it back.

Turn lights off when you leave a room.

Turn water off while brushing your teeth. And you don’t need 1” of toothpaste, a pea-size bit is plenty.

Buy store brands instead of expensive name brands. For example – Green Giant and Kroger frozen peas are the same except for the price!

[Cynthia]

Look into your local Senior Center. They provide lunches. And many activities. Exercise classes,Art classes, Bingo, Events, Pool, painting, knitting….

Small yearly fee. Some events that are catered have a fee.

It’s very fun and the will be active with others their own age.

[Carolyn]

Get yourself a tablet and pen and write down everything you HAVE to pay each month. Then you see how much you have remaining. Figure out that every dollar has a name

Try to prepare yourself a menu. Try it for a couple weeks and see how that works. Check your weekly grocery ads, some are not always a bargain

Plan your menu with the things you enjoy. Check for real sales to stock your pantry for the Winter, I don’t know your age, but you did mention retired.

That way if you have bad weather prepare ahead of time by listening to the weather forecast.

I do this myself. I am an older senior citizen and I practice this for myself and it hasn’t failed me yet. Maybe you could just try or maybe you can come up with a better plan.

By all means share please. If you buy packages of meat buy some good freezer bags and divide it up, this will be a lot of help. Good luck.

[Susan]

Go to A local senior center. They have commodities, help on electric bills, daily exercises class, bingo, health fairs, give aways

[Becky]

We installed a bidet. No longer need to buy toilet paper. Each person has their own towel for drying off

[Melondy]

Print you out a list of places that honor Senior discounts. You’ll be surprised by what you save.

Also thrifting is fun. I find designer items with tags still on them. There is a mom and son flea market that I frequent and I find awesome buys.

Goodwill and the Salvation Army stores also have some great finds.
Food………..gather coupons (paper and digital).

Also get on a regular schedule at your local food pantries. The one near me even has organic food.

[Karen]

Check sale ads for groceries and plan your meals around what’s on sale, shop Aldi if you have one in your area

[Denise]

Join rewards programs at grocery stores and pharmacies. They’ll have coupons on their ap you can clip then just enter you phone number when shopping.

I save so much. Today at CVS I saved $53 ($73 value, paid $20). It’s also fun.

[Author]

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