Simple and Frugal Recipes

Are you timelessly on a mission to save those precious pennies? Have you tried every trick in the frugal handbook – everything but the kitchen sink? Do you find yourself still stretching your food budget and reducing your household costs, but need some new yet simple ideas for frugal living?

My friend, you’ve come to the right place.

Beyond the Kitchen Sink is my fun take on frugal living. It isn’t your average frugal living blog. No, we don’t settle for the same old recycled tips and tricks. We dive deep into the creative abyss, offering outside-of-the-box ideas and turning pantry staples into magical meals that will leave you craving more.

Living frugally isn’t just about saving money; it’s about embracing a richer, more meaningful existence. By stripping away the excess and appreciating life’s simpler pleasures, we can rediscover true happiness. Whether it’s a family game night, a picnic in the park, or a cozy movie marathon, frugality reminds us that the best things in life are often free (or at least pretty darn cheap!). By shifting our perspective and finding joy in the simpler things, we can unlock a treasure trove of contentment and appreciation.

Beyond the Kitchen Sink is your ticket to a life beyond materialism, where frugality becomes an art form. Join us on this whimsical journey, as we debunk the notion that frugality means sacrifice and prove that life beyond the kitchen sink is a delightfully witty adventure. Together, let’s dive headfirst into a frugally fabulous existence and make every day an extraordinary one!

To get started, try these 5 frugal hacks so that you can start mastering the art of living frugally today.

1. Priceless Entertainment

You can usually find a plethora of cost-free entertainment if you look in the right places (even in small towns!) Try running a search on Facebook for groups in your area that advertise events and gatherings. One thing my family likes to do is find outdoor events with vendors and taking a stroll to look at their creations. It’s like browsing a museum of nifty crafts without having to pay an entry fee!

Speaking of outdoor events, you could also run a search online for nearby trails to walk through. My partner turns to Google Maps’ geographic feature to find lakes or ponds that we can visit, or parks that have a lot of nature to explore. It’s a nice way to get outside for a quiet date and not dip into our wallets.

2. Trade In Single Use for Multi Use

Why buy something you just have to throw away after one use? Would you believe me if I told you that you can shift to multi-use items with ease and cut way back (if not eliminate) the need to keep restocking their single use counterpart?

Trade in those paper towels and replace them with terry cloth towels. I keep a wire basket under my kitchen sink for all the clean cloth towels, and a bin in my laundry room to toss dirty towels in after I use them. A good, hot cycle in the washing machine cleans them right up to be used again!

3. Transform Your Receipts Into Cash

You’ll need the eye of a newt and toe of a frog for this magical spell. Kidding! No magic necessary for this hack. Just a little room on your phone to download some nifty apps that will literally pay you just for uploading your receipts.

Companies such as Ibotta partner with retailers to offer you cashback when you shop with them. All you have to do is either connect your online accounts to your profile, or upload pictures of your receipts to redeem the cashback rewards. Over the course of a year it can add up to a nice holiday bonus just for doing your usual shopping!

4. Secondhand Savings

When it comes to living frugally, being on your thrifting A-Game is super beneficial. I have a running joke for my home that 90% of our furniture we didn’t pay for. This is mostly due to some pretty consistent Facebook Marketplace browsing and taking advantage of curb alerts. We’ve snagged everything from dressers, couches, desks, and even a front loading washer and dryer!

The real trick here is to not be picky about using secondhand items. You can always sanitize items if cleanliness is a concern of yours. Or if it’s something that’s a little roughed up keep in mind that you can typically fix small cosmetics without much effort. YouTube will be your best friend for finding methods to spruce up aesthetics!

5. Meal Prepping Is Magical

This is likely a more commonly known frugal hack, but it is such a useful one that I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to suggest it.