20 Frugal Domestic Habits That Save Me Thousands of Dollars A Year

How I’m saving an extra $10,440 this year with minimal effort

Habit #1: Mending my clothes — Approximate yearly savings: $400

I used to be rather quick to throw out anything in my closet that was worn, torn, or that no longer fit. But once I learned to sew buttons, patch holes, and perform simple alterations at home, I’ve been able to significantly prolong the shelf life of my favorite pieces. This past year, my at-home mending has allowed me to avoid buying a new pair of work pants, replacing two sweaters, and purchasing a well-fitting interview outfit. And now that I’ve had some success with restoring my old closet favorites, I have no desire to shop.

Habit #2: Scraping containers — Approximate yearly savings: $210

A little over a year ago, I had a tube of concealer explode in my purse while on my way to work. As I was trying to clean out my bag and save what was left of my work papers and makeup, I noticed that the plastic stopper holding the concealer wand in place had come loose. And without the stopper secured in place, I found that there was still a significant amount of product in the bottom of the container that could be used without the wand fixed in its usual position. Realizing in that moment just how much money I’d been wasting by throwing out…