Do you want to live a simple and frugal life? Are you tired of struggling from one month to the next, chasing after money and things that bring you momentary pleasure? If you answered yes and are interested in learning about frugality and simple living, this article is for you.
I will provide you with the top 11 frugal blogs to start following so you can change your life. Frugal blogs give you useful advice on how to save money, how to budget, and how to create space for important things.
Before we get into the top 11 frugal blogs, let’s understand what frugality is.
What is Frugality and a Frugal Lifestyle?
The word “frugal” means being careful with how one spends money. A person who practices frugality would spend money on items that they require. They avoid unnecessary expenses and dislike wasting resources.
Does Frugal Mean Cheap?
People often think being frugal means being cheap, which is not true. Frugality follows a minimalist approach. Instead of impulsive spending, frugal people spend money on things they need, not on desires that will only bring temporary happiness.
How Does Frugality Help?
It helps save money, increases your financial security, and ensures that you always have money aside for a rainy day. It will also provide you with clarity as you learn more about yourself.
Now that we’re on the same page, let’s look at the best frugal blogs.
Top 11 Frugal Blogs to Follow in 2023
- Mr. Money Mustache
- The Penny Hoarder
- Money Saving Mom
- Wise Bread
- Frugalwoods
- Be More With Less
- Busy Budgeter
- Living on a Dime
- Making Sense of Cents
- Living Well Spending Less
- Skint Dad
#1. Mr. Money Mustache
Mr. Money Mustache is the personal blog of Peter Adeney. Peter is now in his forties but took early retirement in 2005. From the late 1990s to the early 2000s, Peter and his ex-wife worked as software engineers for several IT businesses. They then left their real jobs and retired in 2005.
I know what you might be wondering. How did they manage to retire so young? Their secret was that, unlike their peers, they chose frugality over an expensive lifestyle. They saved 60–70% of their income following the minimalist lifestyle.
They followed frugality from their core, only spent where needed, and reduced their expenses for non-essential things, meaning they could save 60–70% of their earnings, which later helped them retire early and start a family.
While he was enjoying his time with his family in retirement, his former colleagues were struggling and baffled over how they would like to stay home and see their kids grow. But they were chained to the paycheck-to-paycheck cycle tightly and living an expensive lifestyle that they were scared to give up.
This was when Peter started his blog in 2011 to help people learn how they can achieve the life he was living with financial freedom and on their terms.
What Does Mr. Money Mustache Cover?
- Frugality
- Personal Finance
- Early Retirement
- Reviewing financial instruments
- Advice on life
A popular blog from Mr. Money Mustache – The 4% Rule: The Easy Answer to “How Much Do I Need for Retirement?”
Visit Mr. Money Mustache here.
#2. The Penny Hoarder
The Penny Hoarder is undoubtedly one of the most popular personal finance websites, with around 12–17 million monthly readers. It was named the No. 1 fastest-growing private media firm in the United States by Inc. 5000 in 2017. They provide practical guidance and insights on handling debt, managing a budget, and related subjects.
The Penny Hoarder was founded by businessman, philanthropist, and blogger Kyle Taylor. The blog’s many contributors frequently advise on how to lead a frugal lifestyle and attain financial freedom.
They aim to help people worry less about finances and enjoy life more. Unlike other frugal blogs, The Penny Hoarder also has a community where like-minded people connect over similar subjects. They also have an academy where they teach you about budgeting, credit cards, credit scores, and related topics.
This site covers a wide range of subjects in addition to frugal living.
What does “The Penny Hoarder” cover?
- How to make money
- Budgeting
- Retirement
- Investing
- Paying off debt
- Saving money
- Insurance, taxes, and credit cards
Check out one of their articles – How to Save Money When Money is Tight?
Note – You may need a VPN to access the website. There are free VPN providers available online.
#3. Money Saving Mom
No one can beat mothers when it comes to budgeting. Meet Crystal Paine, the owner of the Money Saving Mom blog. Crystal is a wife and mother to six children. This site is for you if you want actionable tips and suggestions on money management, budgeting, and frugal living.
Crystal’s frugal journey was encouraged by her mother, who introduced her to couponing. When Crystal was young, her mother put her in charge of grocery shopping and meal and menu planning for a family of nine, which later helped her manage the expenses when she got married, and her husband went to law school to pursue his higher studies. It was a tight budget, but she survived with her skills and experience.
Her past experiences became the reason for the inception of Money Saving Mom in 2006, where she talks about frugality, budgeting, money management, deals, and coupons.
What Does “Money Saving Mom” Cover?
- Frugal Living
- Making Money
- Managing Money
- Saving Money
- Debt-free life
- Budget Recipes
- Deals and Coupons
Read this article – 3 Things to Do When You’re Discouraged About Your Finances.
If you think you can contribute, you can submit a guest post on their site here.
#4. Wise Bread
Another frugal blog that discusses the subject closely, Wise Bread, is your one-stop online location for the information you need to know to live a large life on a budget.
Unlike the other listings in this article, this blog site is not owned by one individual. The blog is a blogging community run by a group of bloggers that produce quality content on financing, budgeting, deals, and more. You can find a plethora of information about deals and financial instruments here.
What does “Wise Bread” Cover?
- Frugal Living
- Personal Finance
- Lifehacks
- Credit Cards and Cashbacks
Start with this article – 16 Small Steps You Can Take Now to Improve Your Finances.
#5. Frugalwoods
The adventure of Mr. and Mrs. Frugalwoods, who live a luxuriously frugal life in a rural locale after quitting their 9–5 jobs and working on their terms, is chronicled in Frugalwoods.
Nate and Liz, known as Mr. and Mrs. Frugalwoods, manage this site and live a thrifty lifestyle together. They mostly discuss homesteading, personal finance, and being frugal.
If you are tired of your urban lifestyle and want a similar lifestyle, then you must read their articles. Even if you do not want to settle in the woods, you can still follow the blog and learn about simple living.
What Does Frugalwoods Cover?
- Frugal lifestyle and tips
- Advice on financial freedom
- Frugality in clothing
- Charities
- Home improvements
Read one of their popular articles here – How to Know Everything About Your Money: Why I Use and Recommend Personal Capital.
#6. Be More With Less
Be More With Less is a blog that promotes simple living from its core and is the perfect place to learn how to lead a decluttered, simple life.
If you want to live for things that matter to you instead of indulging in 10 other things that cause you exhaustion and nothing else, check this blog.
This blog’s owner, Courtney Carver, promotes a stress-free and debt-free life with more health, savings, space, and peace, and if this resonates with you, then this blog is highly recommended.
Like most adults, Courtney spent most of her adult life working hard and feeling overwhelmed, stressed, tired, and uninspired. She has always chased after more because, like most individuals, she believed the more she had, the happier she would be. And because you are reading this article, you understand this thinking is flawed and that having more does not guarantee happiness.
After this realization, Courtney changed her ways and chose a frugal lifestyle. She started this blog to offer suggestions, advice, and to share her experiences. Courtney has also written a book called “Soulful Simplicity” on living simply and achieving happiness and peace.
What Does “Be More With Less” Cover?
- Decluttering
- Simple Pleasures
- Slow Living
- Simplifying Life
- Wellness
- Home
- Capsule Wardrobe
Start with this article – 7 Ways to Encourage Minimalism at Home.
#7. Busy Budgeter
Do you fail terribly at sticking to a budget no matter how many times you have tried? Then the “Busy Budgeter” can help.
Rosemarie runs this blog because she also struggled to stick to a budget when she started.
After serving a decade as a state trooper, Rosemarie quit her job to start a home daycare so she could stay home with her son.
They could reduce their annual expenses by $23,000 and pay off their $30,000 debt using proper budgeting.
But it was difficult for them; Rosemarie and her husband Jon were not great at finance. They were unorganized with both their money and their home. It was quite a mess.
However, Rosemarie soon learned about a strategy that worked out for them, and they could escalate their progress. She has converted that strategy into a Bootcamp, which she calls the 90-day budget Bootcamp. You can access the Bootcamp for free.
After learning how to help herself, she found many people were also struggling with budgeting, and that is when she started her blog. With her blog, she managed to help over 18 million like-minded people who wanted to save money but were unable to do so before they discovered Busy Budgeter.
What Does “Busy Budgeter” Cover?
- Budgeting
- Saving Money
- Home Improvement
- Organizations
- How to Make Money
- Preparing Easy Meals
Check out this article to learn more about their blog – The Quickest Way To Save For An Emergency Fund.
#8. Living on a Dime
This blog teaches you how to save money and pay off debts, so keep reading if this interests you.
You won’t be able to achieve a frugal lifestyle without having your finances in order. You must know about personal finance, and “Living on a Dime” will help you.
The blog owners, Jill, Mike, and Tawra, believe that anyone can manage money with the help of some smart techniques and tools. You don’t need to be a genius to do that.
Jill raised her two children, Tawra and her son, on a 500 USD monthly budget, and she had to raise her children and run the house on extreme frugality, not out of choice but because that was their only option. The skill eventually helped her in the long run.
Mike came from a middle-class background. He wanted all the nice things in college because he thought he deserved them. To buy the things, he used to rely on his credit card, which, near the due date, he had to figure out how to pay off. He soon realized that he was drowning in debt and decided to alter his way of living.
They continue to change, improving their lives by managing their bills better. Today, they have paid off the debt for their house, and now they live a debt-free and stress-free life.
With their blog, they aim to help you do the same. As they believe, with consistent, small efforts, you can be ahead of your bills and live an improved life where you have space for the people and things that matter most to you.
What Does “Living on a Dime” Cover?
- Personal Finance
- Saving Money
- Money Management
- Delicious Recipes
- Budgeting
- Organizing and Cleaning Tips
Living on a Dime also has a YouTube channel. If you prefer watching videos, you can follow them on YouTube.
A popular blog from Living on a Dime – Stop Eating Your Way Into Debt!
#9. Making Sense of Cents
“Making Sense of Cents” is the personal finance and lifestyle blog of its owner, Michelle, who created it to help herself with her finances. She was able to pay off her 38,000 USD in student loans in just seven months.
The student loan she accumulated to complete her double graduation studies was such a large amount that she had to start this blog to keep track of her expenses.
This blog has grown to be a personal finance resource for many students and working professionals that need advice on finances and saving money. “Making Sense of Cents” has also been recognized and mentioned in many list articles.
Michelle used to be a financial analyst, but as the blog grew in popularity, she quit her full-time job to work as a freelancer and blogger, earning more than $100,000 per month.
What does “Making Sense of Cents” Cover?
- Personal Finance
- Saving Money
- Paying off Debts
- Retirement
- Income Ideas
One of their blogs for you to quickly read – How We Saved Over $100,000 By Age 26
Visit Making Sense of Cents here.
#10. Living Well Spending Less
This site is for you if you often feel overwhelmed and want to do something about it.
The Living Well Spending Less website, as its name implies, teaches you how to live frugally together and live life to the fullest.
This site started in 2010 and has since developed into a sizable online community read by millions of people worldwide. It was founded by Ruth Soukup who is a blogger, an author, an entrepreneur, a mother, and a wife. But before those things, she was a mess. She was a dropout. She got fired from her job. She filed for bankruptcy. She tried to commit suicide.
But she turned her life around, from being on the verge of ending her life to thriving and guiding people looking to lead a simple yet happy life.
“Living Well Spending Less” is one of the most popular websites educating you about frugal lifestyles and money management, receiving more than 1 million active visitors each month.
What Does Living Well Spending Less Cover?
- Utilization of extra bucks
- Frugal living
- Grocery management
- Life skills
- Frugal recipes
- Financial decisions
Read this blog to start with – The #1 Way to Save Money
Visit Living Well Spending Less here.
Now, let’s move to the last best frugal blog on this list.
#11. Skint Dad
Our 11th listing for this blog is Skint Dad, another blog that teaches about frugal living and saving money. Although it is listed last, don’t think it is any less good than the others, as Skint Dad has over 300,000 blog readers every month, and in 2016 the “Headlinemoney Awards” named Skint Dad the “Financial Blog of the Year.” It has also won numerous awards. And this is why it is considered one of the best blogs on frugal living in the United Kingdom.
Skint Dad was started in 2013 by a married couple, Naomi and Ricky, who decided to start this blog to help themselves and anyone else who struggles to make ends meet every month.
The couple teaches about personal finance with helpful approaches, as they understand that financial education is an important skill to learn but should not be a difficult one.
The founder and original Skint Dad, Ricky Willis, says his favorite money-making hack is to have one side hustle.
What does “Skint Dad” cover?
- Frugal Living Tips
- How to save money
- Money management tools
- Deals and Discounts on various retails
- Side Hustle Ideas
Skint Dad also accepts contributors. If you think you can contribute, email them at editor@skintdad.co.uk
Check out one of their articles on saving money on groceries – How to save money on groceries – ways to cut your food shopping.
Conclusion
That was our list of 11 frugal blogs that you can follow. Let us know in the comments below if you are following a blog that has helped you on your journey of simple living. Thank you for your time on this article. Stay tuned for similar helpful list articles.
