What's something where saving money has actually made you happier?

[BookLoverL]

After a discussion in another thread, I thought this might be a good question for people. What's an area of spending where after spending less on that thing, you were happier afterwards? Or alternatively, one where you're planning to spend less and you're going to be happier afterwards?

For me, selling my car is going to be the big one. I hate driving a lot, and mostly already walk 90% of places anyway. Now that I've changed jobs and the new one's close enough to commute without driving, I'm going to sell the thing and be done with it, which will mean I'm more eco-friendly, spend more time walking and cycling and riding the bus, won't have to deal with traffic lights and speed cameras, etc. Overall I will definitely be happier and more aligned with the lifestyle I want.

Also, I've been trying out more and more simple sewing repairs on some of my old clothes lately. I get really emotionally attached to my clothes, so doing these simple repairs that makes the old ones wearable for longer genuinely makes me happy because I won't have to throw them out when I love them so much. And it'll save the money of having to go out and buy new clothes.

[K_in_the_kitchen]

I recently repaired a pair of shorts for my husband, which made us both was we refer to as out of proportion happy.  They are woven, but not from cotton, but rather some sort of stretch performance woven, and he caught them on something and got an L shaped tear in the fabric.  I knew it wouldn't be an easy repair since it wasn't on a seam and the fabric was unusual, plus I'm not a skilled sewist, but I figured there was nothing to lose by trying.  I ended up closing the tear with a 7.5mm wide zigzag satin stitch, using a scrap of wool-rayon felt to stabilize the back of the seams (like being a patch on the inside).  I even had some grey thread, and since the shorts are a grey plaid, the mend isn't even all that visible -- but we wouldn't have minded if it was.  A new pair of shorts isn't expensive, but fixing these was free and there is immense satisfaction in repairing them.

Repairing and fixing things definitely brings us the out of proportion happy I mentioned.  So does coming up with another solution.  Last summer I wanted to power wash the carport concrete (because dogs), but when DH came home with the rented power washer it didn't work.  He took it back for a refund and I decided to clean the concrete with an Oreck Oribiter (obtained for free when someone moved) outfitted with a heavy duty scrub brush and some Sal Suds I had on hand.  I'm sure it took longer than the power washer would have, but it did a great job and now I know we don't need to rent a power washer.

[Cranky]

We decided not to reschedule the trip to Italy that we didn’t go on last year, and I am filled with relief.

[cannotWAIT]

I've been gradually lowering my thermostat and I really like it! I have a lot of happy memories of times and places where I woke up to a cold house (working on a ranch in Montana, etc.). I had forgotten those feelings until I started this experiment. It adds texture to the day. My dog is extra frisky in the mornings now, too.  I turn on the heat, make my coffee, and get back in bed with the mattress heater on while the house warms up. It's cozy and fun.

The more I focus on reducing my grocery bill, the easier it is to stay at my preferred weight, which makes me very happy indeed.

I used to pay for a gym membership at work but with Covid I switched to using the Peloton app at home ($12.99/mo). Yoga, barre, Pilates, weight lifting, spin (on my el cheapo non-Peloton bike), etc. for half the cost of the gym, at any time of the day or night, wearing anything I want, and never dealing with anyone else's body fluids. Awesome. The classes are really fun, too. Just recently my partner decided he wanted in on the yoga so now we're doing it together.

[NotJen]

I recently repaired a pair of shorts for my husband, which made us both was we refer to as out of proportion happy.

I had the same experience mending some socks last year.  I was slowly losing my running socks to holes to the point of caring when I did the laundry so I would have clean socks to run in.  It was time to repair them or go shopping.  I spent a few minutes learning how, then less than an hour fixing them all - way less time than it would have taken to drive to a store and decide what to buy.  I was SO FREAKING HAPPY to have so many running socks again - it felt luxurious to have so many choices.  Way happier than if I had gone to a store.

[LifeHappens]

This is a tiny one but... I started making my own refried beans from scratch. It costs about 25% the price of canned beans and tastes much better. It also takes very little active time.

[PoutineLover]

For me, it's trading. It costs nothing and brings me so much more joy than spending on the same thing. I'm so proud of all the things I've gotten in exchange for things I was going to get rid of anyway, or plants that I've grown from cuttings. I've received so much camping gear, books, clothes, pet things, furniture, and other items that get used all time. Trading usually costs nothing, although sometimes I buy something to trade when the value of what I'm getting far exceeds the cost of the trade. It's also great for keeping things out of landfills and creating community among traders.

[Zikoris]

Setting things up so I can walk to work was such a huge quality of life upgrade. I hate commuting with a passion. I really enjoy my daily walks. It's a great way to unplug on my way home especially.

Making things myself has also been great. For example, I have pretty sensitive ears, and being able to custom-make my face masks to be extra comfortable (I crochet the ear straps from very soft yarn) has made the mask requirements so much less onerous. I also make adjustable sleeping masks for my partner that are better than anything they sell anywhere, and that's a big life upgrade for him. I can also extend the life of many things through repair, which makes me happy because I hate having to procure new things - stores almost never have exactly what I want.

We eat very cheaply, with great home cooking made from cheap staple foods, and my food is almost always way better than what the people who spend a lot more than me are eating. My baked goods in particular are better than anything I've ever eaten from a store or bakery outside of France.

Finally, I think just a general anti-consumerism approach to life has made me happy due to the simple fact that I don't have to work very hard. No trying to climb the corporate ladder, no long hours, no bullshit, I can just work at chill, low-stress jobs with great work-life balance and know that my FIRE is happening quietly in the background while I focus on enjoying life.

[MrThatsDifferent]

I was going to pay someone to do some light decorating of my place because I thought I needed a professional. I was quoted $1000 for the work and wasn’t happy about paying it but was resigned to. Then we went into lockdown and wasn’t able to have anyone over so I went and bought the tools, watched YouTube videos and did it myself. I ended up decorating far more than I originally planned, love the end result, saved money and now have the confidence to do it again. I also avoided all the stress and drama that would’ve occurred with the decorator.

[RetiredAt63]

This is a tiny one but... I started making my own refried beans from scratch. It costs about 25% the price of canned beans and tastes much better. It also takes very little active time.

From scratch is always good.  I've been making my own yogurt for years now, and I know how many additives are in it - none!

[lentil]

Camping is always the answer that springs to my mind. It's usually a pretty cheap way to travel, but I really do so much of it because I love it. I sleep better in a tent, it means getting to stay in some of the best places ever, and the entire experience just feels like "home" to me. Plus, the social and environmental impacts are lower. I've tried much spendier ways to travel, and enjoyed them less.

[FINate]

Instead of replacing my old iMac with a new one ($$$), I replaced the HDD with a SSD and installed Linux. Now it's faster than new. The SSD is a big improvement, but Linux is also just lighter and faster. I'm pleasantly surprised how well Linux works as a desktop: simple UI, snappy, and not larded up with a bunch of unnecessary animations or services. It  does exactly what I want, nothing more, nothing less, and Firefox is a dream compared to Chrome. Now macOS and, especially, Win10, feel like complete pigs when I use them. I saved a ton of money and am much happier overall.

[BookLoverL]

Ooh, that last one reminds me - I don't use Linux at the moment, but I did stop paying for Microsoft Office and switch over to the open source LibreOffice a few years ago. Unless you were using Office for something incredibly niche and complicated, LibreOffice does everything you might want to do with that type of software, and it's completely free. The word processor and spreadsheet programs are both compatible with Microsoft in terms of document format too. And I'm happier knowing I'm not paying Microsoft a subscription.

I have quite a bit of open source software installed on my computer, there's a lot of cases where there's a good open source offering that can match paid software for most use cases.

[Green_Tea]

Nice idea for a thread!

Acquiring most of my furniture used.
- I really like that there's a small story / adventure behind the pieces.

Less stuff in my wardrobe.

Pressure cooking beans and chickpeas.
- Better taste than pre-cooked, also saves a ton of packaging.

I think not eating out a lot will keep me healthier long term and therefore happier.

Interposing staycations with travel-vacations
- In one year (pre Covid) I overdid it with travelling, so I have dialed the frequency of travelling down a notch, and tried interposing staying at home on vacation, which makes me more relaxed. Also I think it made me accept not travelling for an extended period in 2020 and 2021 easier because I had already tried out and enjoyed vacations at home (as a working adult).

When I lived about 6 km away from work, going by bike instead of by car made my day better every single day that I biked.

Also there was a snow storm last year and it was not safe to go by bike and impossible to go by car, so on the first day I called a taxi at one of the major roads, but on the following days I put on my snow pants and walked to work and back through the snow that was at some points up to about the middle of my thighs. The whole 6 kms. It was fantastic!

Car sharing
- because of all the money it saves ;) yes, it does make me happy when I think about it while driving.

I think a device that switches off all the electricity in my appartment (except the fridge ;)) at 10pm would save money as well as make me happier, but I don't think it exists.

Nearly never using AC has so far only saved other people money (and is better for the environment), but it makes me happier because I prefer inside temperature to match outside temperature up to about 28° C / 77° F during the day I would guess.

[Sailor Sam]

In general I’ve found that cooking for scratch is far tastier than starting from a can or a jar, but the real winner is homemade hummus. So much tastier, and far, far cheaper.

[oneday]

I just generally love getting the same thing for less money or saving money however I can. We all know that the less spent/more saved in the present gets us to RE faster. That is a lot of my motivation, but not nearly all of it.

I'll use coupons, rebates, bulk buying, sales and other techniques to do this. Some will say that those activities infringe on their quality of life, but for me they enhance it because I view it like a game where the more I save, the higher my score is!

Dumpster diving! Getting something useful that would have otherwise been trash makes me feel clever and, like @K_in_the_kitchen , out of proportion happy. I have a sturdy wood folding table, two small side tables, a 6" long shelf, a lamp and assorted storage containers in daily use that I got this way. Probably more stuff, too, but this is what springs to mind at the moment.

Thrift shopping is great, as well. Many kitchen items can be found this way. I have a Kitchen Aid mixer (actually a friend found it for me), several mixing bowls, hand tools, measuring cups, etc. The bright yellow 1-cup measuring cup brings a bit of cheerfulness to me every time I use it. I probably wouldn't have bought it if I was paying full price in a retail store; wouldn't want to take the risk that it would annoy me with it's aggressive brightness after the "new" wore off. Also, the hoodie I'm wearing right now, which is my favorite, came from a thrift store.

Related is shopping for used things online. A few things I've spent less on this way recently are a sleeping pad for camping and a shed. I can't justify a $400 shed to store my free bike. $80 on the shed made a lot more sense. Maybe I could have paid even less to store the free bike (and assorted other sports gear), but there were time constraints.

People around me know I'll take hand me downs, so a lot of my furniture and my bike all came from family and friends. I think of them, their generosity an their caring for me when I see or use those things. That totally enhances my life and makes me smile.

All this makes me happy.

[bmjohnson35]

I will repair things that many would simply discard and replace.  Now that I am retired, I have plenty of time.  I also get pride out of working on something and figuring out how to repair it or modify it to get it functional again. 

[FIRE Artist]

Deciding to forgo Christmas gifts with family 15 years ago.  BEST DECISION EVER.  Opting out of all of that nonsense just makes the holiday so much better. 

[nancy33]

Hanging laundry to dry, saving heirloom garden seeds and using them year after year and sharing with others, making compost for my garden. I’m not sure if this saves money but I always have a few hens and feed them our food scraps as treats and get delicious eggs in return…which I grind the shells and use to fertilize  my plants. I recently found out about fermenting whole grains to feed the hens. This seems to be cheaper than buying layer feed and my hens love it. I also started a mealworm farm  to feed my hens….I share eggs with the neighbors and sometimes I get stuff in return…like homemade bread and strawberries…I bring my own lunch to work I do not understand people who waste their lunch break waiting in fast food drive through

[Greystache]

Shopping in thrift stores! I love the feeling I get when I find a high-quality product in perfect condition for 1/10th the retail cost. I also love rehabilitating or re-purposing furniture and other items that I find discarded on the curb. The same feeling comes from fixing things instead of throwing them out.

[Morning Glory]

Some examples:
Coffee at home: I don't even understand how anyone would want to get dressed,  walk or drive somewhere,  and interact with people,  all before having coffee. I really just don't get it.

Homemade bread: only trouble is I eat too much because it's so good.

Biking to work on a beautiful path next to the river.

A $30 stste park pass that's good for a year instead of admission to theme parks etc. My kids would rather play in the creek anyway.

Everything about a visit to the library <3. Bonus if I ride my bike there. 

Downsizing to a smaller place: so much less cleaning!

[Life in Balance]

Like someone mentioned above, opting out of holiday gifts with family and friends has been amazing.  I hate shopping, don't really need any more stuff, and now the holidays are much more fun.

I'm also a person who mends clothes and gets out-of-proportion joy from it. It makes me really happy to have kept the clothes out of the trash and also lets me avoid shopping.

I also second the cooking at home from whole food ingredients over eating out or buying prepared food.  I know what's in my food and that's a priority for me.

The other thing I'd add is that I only subscribe to one entertainment streaming service at a time. I watch what I want to see and then cancel and try a different one.  Saves money, reduces decision fatigue and scrolling, and also keeps my viewing options fresh. 

[Dicey]

I just generally love getting the same thing for less money or saving money however I can. We all know that the less spent/more saved in the present gets us to RE faster. That is a lot of my motivation, but not nearly all of it.

I'll use coupons, rebates, bulk buying, sales and other techniques to do this. Some will say that those activities infringe on their quality of life, but for me they enhance it because I view it like a game where the more I save, the higher my score is!

Dumpster diving! Getting something useful that would have otherwise been trash makes me feel clever and, like @K_in_the_kitchen , out of proportion happy. I have a sturdy wood folding table, two small side tables, a 6" long shelf, a lamp and assorted storage containers in daily use that I got this way. Probably more stuff, too, but this is what springs to mind at the moment.

Thrift shopping is great, as well. Many kitchen items can be found this way. I have a Kitchen Aid mixer (actually a friend found it for me), several mixing bowls, hand tools, measuring cups, etc. The bright yellow 1-cup measuring cup brings a bit of cheerfulness to me every time I use it. I probably wouldn't have bought it if I was paying full price in a retail store; wouldn't want to take the risk that it would annoy me with it's aggressive brightness after the "new" wore off. Also, the hoodie I'm wearing right now, which is my favorite, came from a thrift store.

Related is shopping for used things online. A few things I've spent less on this way recently are a sleeping pad for camping and a shed. I can't justify a $400 shed to store my free bike. $80 on the shed made a lot more sense. Maybe I could have paid even less to store the free bike (and assorted other sports gear), but there were time constraints.

People around me know I'll take hand me downs, so a lot of my furniture and my bike all came from family and friends. I think of them, their generosity an their caring for me when I see or use those things. That totally enhances my life and makes me smile.

All this makes me happy.

Do you know me? [Snirt] I could have written every word of this. Mr. Dicey, too. Well, except for the cooking from scratch part for him, but he fixes things, so we're a good team.

[jfer_rose]

Dumpster diving! Getting something useful that would have otherwise been trash makes me feel clever and, like @K_in_the_kitchen , out of proportion happy.

I couldn't agree more on dumpster diving! I have so many curb finds that give me that feeling but my best one ever was probably the kitchen cart I found on the curb outside my apartment. I had been shopping for a new one and was having trouble finding one that met my specific needs when I looked out the window and saw someone had dumped one at the curb that fit all the criteria. It was in perfect condition, and actually it also came with a like-new microwave! [My local buy nothing group is also fantastic for getting stuff, as well as for offloading what I no longer need.]

But probably the best feeling is when I can save money by making something instead of buying it. For example, last week I saw some Christmas ornaments for sale that looked like potted plants and I had to have one! So I dug through my scrap fabric stash and made one -- I didn't have to purchase a single thing. It turned out so great I plan to make more to give as gifts!

[Mrs. Healthywealth]

Great question
Cooking instead of eating out. Many of our home cooked meals are tastier than restaurant food.

Dropped a streaming service since we don’t watch a lot of tv. Going to library instead of buying books, amazing how quiet kids are for hrs after a library run..

Having minor issues with a car. We were going to buy a Tesla or another EV, but going to hold off for a couple years to let our new downshift from full time work play out. Not spending on a car made a huge difference on stress.

Saving $$ in general just brings more joy than spending. I enjoy watching NW grow post-FI”RE” b/c it grows our options for later.

[jeninco]

Shopping in thrift stores! I love the feeling I get when I find a high-quality product in perfect condition for 1/10th the retail cost. I also love rehabilitating or re-purposing furniture and other items that I find discarded on the curb. The same feeling comes from fixing things instead of throwing them out.

Oh my gosh -- purchasing pre-shrunk jeans for a small fraction of their original price is a huge win! And my favorite part is that there aren't going to be surprises when I do the laundry and find my jean$ are now too short...

[keepingfocus]

Making and fixing things instead of buying them, learning DIY skills, finding fabulous things in charity shops and on Marketplace instead of buying new.

I have a beautiful custom made computer desk that would have been thrown away if I hadn’t taken it. I sanded, stained and varnished it, painted and waxed the doors, changed the handles, lined the keyboard drawer and replaced two broken catches. I had all the supplies except the catches already, so it cost less than £3.

I’ve taught myself upholstery and fixed up our saggy old dining chairs.

We’ve picked up a lot of really good furniture for free or next to nothing, including two solid teak sun loungers (£20), an Art Deco wardrobe (£0), chest of drawers (£0), Mexican pine coffee table (£5).

Garden upcycling!
Planters made from chair frames and bits of wood from a demolished shed.
Raised beds made from freecycled decking planks.
A bird feeder from a light fitting with the wiring stripped out and ramekins glued to it.
More bird feeders made from old metal candlesticks with terracotta plant dishes glued to the tops.
Not assembled yet but next on the list is a mini greenhouse made from freecycled French doors.

At work we have a plant exchange - most of my houseplants were free.

[oneday]

snip

Do you know me? [Snirt]

lol

[mspym]

Another vote for cooking at home vs eating out. I was always a pretty good cook but around the time I discovered MMM I also found a UK TV series called Eat Well For Less and it astounded me how much our tastes are affected by marketing and how few participants could tell/prefer The Thing They Always Bought once the packaging was removed. It made me actively work out what was and wasn't worth paying for.

I don't drink anymore but Ofpym still brews beer and it's genuinely good and bonus feature : puts an upper limit on consumption because of the time/effort involved in making it.

[Loretta]

Buying the one ply Scott toilet paper makes me and my bathroom happy because it does NOT produce the annoying dusty lint that would get on every metal surface like fluffier, pricier TP brands.  Also my plumbing seems to function better with Scott one ply. 

[AMandM]

Growing fresh herbs! Last spring DH dug up the strip of dirt next to the house and planted the half-dozen herbs I use most. Each packet of seeds cost about the same as one bunch of fresh herbs, and now I can step out the kitchen door and snip what I need any time I want.

[kite]

Similar to so many things  listed above.  Cooking at home, line drying laundry, hair-cuts at home, stretching out the time a tankful of gasoline lasts. 

Scoring something free that was either inherited, scrounged from a dumpster dive, or made from existing materials gives a thrill.  So does minimizing how much trash we throw away.  We recycle or compost most of our waste.  We've found a place for plastic bags to be recycled, too.  So there is genuinely very little that goes into our trash can.  We have weekly trash pick-up, but we produce so little that we could easily go a month or two without putting it out to the curb, and since all the decomposing matter is run through either the chickens or the hot composter, our trash has no odor. 

[Britan]

Sounds like a lot of examples are cases where simply not spending any money on a thing has made people happier. Though in the vein of “buying the cheaper thing making you happier than the more expensive version”…
1. Aldi groceries vs Safeway. I’ve been able to get almost everything I need at the same quality but half the price from Aldi. Only exception is the fish: weirdly enough I’ve found the fish at Aldi to actually be BETTER even though it is cheaper. Also, I can afford more and therefore make fancier meals than from Safeway.
2. My house. I have a bad habit of browsing Zillow… and even in my area, I’m finding I prefer my little house (bought at 240, probably now valued at 270) over some of the big, fancy, updated homes for 300, 400, 500+k which have features I’d actually consider a negative (eg rooftop deck, more square footage). We have a yard, an easy to maintain roof, plenty of bathrooms, and a reasonable amount of space to keep (semi-)clean. Even if I could trade for the same price, I have yet to find a place I’d do that for.
3. Honda Fit vs a more $$$ car. I call it affectionately the “clown car”. We fit 3 adults (2 6ft2” men and me) AND two car seats (graco forever and the big Chico key fit 2), and a dog. We fit a Yuba long tail bike in it. With hatch closed. We’ve hauled drywall in it. And Lots of ikea furniture. We’ve taken 4 adults, a dog, and a bunch of rock climbing and camping gear for a road trip. The more expensive sedans the grandparents have can’t do any of those things. We have friends with objectively bigger, more expensive SUVs complain that they need to buy a bigger car so they can do the things we do. I HATE driving land yachts (family had a minivan when I was learning to drive). Plus street parking means the Fit always fits a spot near the house ;)
4. Kids clothes and baby/toddler shoes. Seriously, I find some killer stuff at the thrift shop, never more than $5 a piece, usually $0.50-$1, basically unused. I’ve also bought new clothes occasionally, but don’t find them to be any better (in fact they often fall apart easier than the thrift shop stuff), so I only do that when I can’t find something suitable at the thrift store. Undies obvs, and pajamas for some reason are never there.
5. Ikea furniture. Controversial opinion but I love IKEA furniture. Our house could be a show room. But we have kids, cats, and a dog, so having furniture that is solid but which I don’t mind being ruined makes me happy. Growing up we had Ethan Allen fancy nice furniture and it was always stressing out my mom to keep it pristine.

Though there’s a balance. I pay more for wood furniture or metal at IKEA vs particle board. We bought the Honda Fit new (lol I know but we plan to keep it till it dies)

[mspym]

@Britan we are in the same place with our Jazz/Fit. 5 years in and it’s a joy to drive, still gives me new car joy and fits SO MUCH. We hauled a squat rack, olympic bar, a bench, and 120 kgs of weights in it! We got a chest freezer and a drier in the back at the same time! It’s a tiny but mighty beast.

[BicycleB]

Walking to grocery store instead of driving.

The walking habit also led to many phone-chats-with-friend-can-be-walks strolls, making me much more friendly and familiar with my increasingly beautiful neighborhood. Seeing kids' chalk murals on the sidewalk, blooming new flowers, creative landscaping touches, etc.

Steaming breakfast of hot beans on spicy rice with green onions and mushrooms in black bean sauce - "wow, this is delicious. it was only supposed to be cheaper than cereal, but it tastes better"

Offered roommate use of a tattered bike in exchange for some repair assistance. Led to stories, jokes (bike was his "Jeep"), etc.

Speaking of roommates, several of my longest friends have roommates (housemates, renters, choose your term). A money-saving commercial endeavor became a lifelong friendship more than once. Big win!

[Freedomin5]

Walking/biking to work -- no more being stuck in traffic, no more skeezy people trying to cop a feel on public transit

Making our own bread and peanut butter

[Metalcat]

Living in a one bedroom apartment in an old building in the sketchiest part of town
-Our unit was initially sold to the city for low income housing, it's that cheap it is, but the deal fell through because of a special assessment. I LOVE our home. I prefer living in a highrise, we have a phenomenal view, these old buildings are incredibly soundproofed, and our balcony is 25 ft long. We also have a massive indoor pool and a gym. This is my favourite place I have ever lived, and I have lived in many far more luxurious places.

We also love living in a working class neighbourhood, and are much happier with our neighbours now than when we lived in one of the most "desirable" neighbourhoods. I actually hated it there, the people were nosy, judgemental, petty, and more than subtly racist. My neighbours here are kind, generally non judgmental, and generally very patient with the challenges of life compared to the histrionic perfectionists I used to live near. I'm not generalizing about all wealthy neighbourhoods and all working class neighbourhoods, just mine.

Driving an economy car
-Our little hatchback is great for our needs, and leaves a ton of space in our parking spot for storage, or a scooter/motorcycle if I wanted one. Our Corolla was too long for that. I never worry about scratching it, and maintenance is cheap.

Food
-Healthy, delicious food can be dirt cheap, I just started baking bread too (I don't normally bake because I generally don't eat sugar)
-When we do eat out, it's at hole in the wall ethnic restaurants and is usually food I either can't make myself, like wood burning African BBQ, or labour intensive and finicky, like goat roti. This food is by far the best tasting food in the city. I would take a $40 for two African BBQ with it's aromatic spices over the last $500 meal I had any day.

Clothes
-I spend a lot on certain items of clothing, because I wear a lot of merino wool, but I basically wear the same few shirts and pants every single day, and I would never go back to wearing fussy fashion clothes, and I used to LOVE fashion. Merino wool is where it's at, and never having to think about what to wear is amazing

Activities
-This is a HUGE range, but the rule generally holds: cheap and free activities are generally more fun and adventurous
You have no idea what crazy, interesting things you will find when you start hunting for cheap/free activities in your area, especially in my city, which is known for it's cultural activities. Some of the coolest shit I've ever done or seen is from finding frugal activities in and around my neighbourhood.
Examples:
-attended a jazz album recording in a giant empty cement community pool that was drained to be demo'd, the show was incredible and the acoustics were wild
-attended a free socially distanced bike repair course every Wednesday evening last summer, and learned a ton
-rode a ski lift during the fall colours and saw views of the region I've never seen
-Hiked a nature path around and over a giant gorge that included a suspension bridge AT NIGHT while the whole thing was illuminated with an art light show
-attended a dachshund race where hundreds of wiener dogs in costume raced, just about pissed myself laughing
-became a regular at the outdoor theater in the park, which actually has a lot of well known theater actors come through
-Attended live streaming of major theater productions in London and New York with backstage interviews with the stars during intermission, a far superior experience to seeing certain shows live, especially ballet and plays. I saw Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart in a stage play together before covid, and it really feels like being there live.
-etc, etc

Just throwing money at entertainment is easy and become predictable, but the magical random shit you find when you set your budget to ultra low is exciting, and surprising, and can make for some amazing adventures

Cutting Unhealthy "Indulgences"
-When I read that MMM doesn't drink more than a few times a year, I was like "fuck that, I love my wine!"
Then I had to quit alcohol for a drug trial and it turns out, not drinking is the shit. Honestly, I feel kind of embarrassed by how much I thought I loved wine and how I thought it added anything positive to my life. It did NOT. I was allowed to drink again after 6 months, but it's been almost 2 years.

DIY renos and repairs
-For anyone handy, renos and repairs are a lot of fun! I've been slowly customizing our apartment for 2 years and it's been a great hobby. I get to look around and see the love I've put into our beautiful home, not just money I've stressed over spending on it.

Romance
-Y'know what's way more romantic than consumer goods for me? Really thoughtful letters and cards. DH writes marvelous passages, and I have a huge box of them. I get one every time he decides it's our anniversary (first date the first time, first date the second time, day he proposed, day we got married, halfway between wedding anniversaries, the day we got our cat, the day we closed on our house, you name it, he celebrates it and writes something that melts my cynical robotic heart).

Beauty
-Quitting alcohol, eating well, drinking a lot of water, and exercising all are amazing beauty aides, I stopped wearing makeup after quitting alcohol
-low maintenance hair is GREAT! Mine is an inch long right now

Traveling locally/regionally
-I live in Canada, this country is FUCKING STUNNING and most Canadians don't explore it very much. DH and I are very committed to exploring our own backyard, and anyone reading my journal knows how, uh, intense I'm being about this right now. I saw photos of the Fundy National Park, which is where we will explore this summer, and I squealed like an excitable 4 year old.

Minimalism
-Not owning a lot of crap is marvelous, my home is always clean, always organized, I know where everything is at all time, it's just fantastic

That's all I feel like writing for now

[use2betrix]

In the long run, my home gym will pay for itself. We certainly didn’t skimp on the home gym (probably around $8k) but I’ve been paying for gym memberships for 15+ years. Add my wife into that, and it adds up over time.

Moreso than the cost, is the time saving. I probably easily save 20-30 minutes per workout vs the gym including the commute, not waiting for people, etc. (4 days/wk lifting, 3 cardio days/wk). I value my time right now at around $180/hr, so again, it adds up very quick.

Unfortunately, across most aspects I don’t really make much of an effort to save if my convenience is at stake. I work a lot, and get paid a lot, so my opportunity cost is pretty high for a lot of things. Cannot wait for FIRE and I have more time for the things I really want to do myself. In the meantime, I buy a lot of ‘projects’ and they drag out forever..

[Zikoris]

Minimalism is also a huge one for me that I forgot to mention. I absolutely love coming home to my small and minimalist apartment where I know exactly where everything is and never have to look for stuff. We only buy exactly what we need for groceries as well, so cooking, shopping, and meal planning is suuuper easy and fast, and our food waste is close to nonexistent.

Basically, I would say the biggest lifestyle/happiness upgrade I ever made (and likely ever could make) was eliminating bullshit en-masse from my life, which is many ways did save money. Things like commuting, having to spend time thinking about mundane shit like "What do I make for dinner?", and even just things like having to remember to pay bills or any of the other things I've automated. My goal is to be able to put the maximum possible mental space towards my interests and fun things, and eliminate as much boring shit as possible from my life.

[Metalcat]

Minimalism is also a huge one for me that I forgot to mention. I absolutely love coming home to my small and minimalist apartment where I know exactly where everything is and never have to look for stuff. We only buy exactly what we need for groceries as well, so cooking, shopping, and meal planning is suuuper easy and fast, and our food waste is close to nonexistent.

Basically, I would say the biggest lifestyle/happiness upgrade I ever made (and likely ever could make) was eliminating bullshit en-masse from my life, which is many ways did save money. Things like commuting, having to spend time thinking about mundane shit like "What do I make for dinner?", and even just things like having to remember to pay bills or any of the other things I've automated. My goal is to be able to put the maximum possible mental space towards my interests and fun things, and eliminate as much boring shit as possible from my life.

Yes! Exactly!

Our life is so open to discovering new, exciting things because we aren't bogged down in bullshit.

[soccerluvof4]

"Whats something where saving money has actually made you happier" Flipping that question might be a whole new different way to view this. I really cant think of where saving money hasnt made me happier if all things are created equal.

For me having starting a budget years ago which took over a year to get figured out helped me save a lot of money on things I was very pleased.

I.E saving over 50% on food was a biggie being a family of 6 at the time.

Saving money on Clothes by buying second hand. We live in a very nice area and its amazing what I can find for so much less being a flannel shirt, T-shirt, Jean or Sweat pants guy. And my DW and kids have become the same way on their own.

Bidding down costs like Home insurance

I use a lot of hotels and always find the best prices posted and then call hotel directly and usually get a beat price.

Doing as many things as I can by myself. Before I got serious about Fire i wasnt afraid or didnt even consider not hiring people to do my lawn, plow, basically everything and now I try to do everything I can on my own. Not only do you save a ton but the feeling of accomplishment.

Learning to do without things and finding joy in replacing it with something else. I.E instead of paying for all the cable and stream channels doing the minimum because I do like tv but gets me outdoors more.

Think the biggest thing is I never pay full price for anything anymore unless it must be and always try to get a deal. And that always makes me feel good.

[Britan]

@Britan we are in the same place with our Jazz/Fit. 5 years in and it’s a joy to drive, still gives me new car joy and fits SO MUCH. We hauled a squat rack, olympic bar, a bench, and 120 kgs of weights in it! We got a chest freezer and a drier in the back at the same time! It’s a tiny but mighty beast.

@mspym
The Honda Fit be like:


Or like:

Its literally my clown car. But in the best possible way. Mine is even banana yellow. Every time I haul something absurd in it, it makes me unreasonably giddy. Meanwhile some friends of mine complaining their SUV is too small for two adults and two kids. Like why pay extra for it if it can’t even do half of what a Fit can?

[srrb]

...

Basically, I would say the biggest lifestyle/happiness upgrade I ever made (and likely ever could make) was eliminating bullshit en-masse from my life, which is many ways did save money. Things like commuting, having to spend time thinking about mundane shit like "What do I make for dinner?", and even just things like having to remember to pay bills or any of the other things I've automated. My goal is to be able to put the maximum possible mental space towards my interests and fun things, and eliminate as much boring shit as possible from my life.

This! Which also helps lead a "no assholes allowed" life. Next would be my crafting hobbies. It might seem spendy when I plunk down $$$ for a new project (supporting hand spun, hand dyed wool producers, for instance), but then I get tens of hours enjoying the creation process -- and of course the finished item.

[Kwill]

Spending a vacation with my parents in 2021 after being separated during the pandemic. If I had travelled to a tourist destination, I would have paid for a hotel, food out, rental car, etc. But I got the cheapest transatlantic flight I've had in years (£351.17 round-trip), and spent a month with my parents and siblings and everybody. Even with Covid tests and the train to the airport and food along the way plus gas/petrol for side trips to see a few friends, it was probably the cheapest trip I could have taken. But no fancy hotel or restaurant or tourist place could have made me happier than being home.

[TomTX]

My baked goods in particular are better than anything I've ever eaten from a store or bakery outside of France.

Goddammitt! Now I need an invitation to come see you and sample these baked goods.

[TomTX]

Coffee at home: I don't even understand how anyone would want to get dressed,  walk or drive somewhere,  and interact with people,  all before having coffee. I really just don't get it.

Well, for awhile I used it as an incentive to get on the bike early in the morning. Bike over to [coffee shop with subscription service], drink coffee, bike home.

[Metalcat]

My baked goods in particular are better than anything I've ever eaten from a store or bakery outside of France.

Goddammitt! Now I need an invitation to come see you and sample these baked goods.

So much bakery stuff is total shit. I've worked in a few places that had bakeries and they tend to have a ton of turnover of crap staff because the shifts start at 4am.

The difference is that a home baker will often have less universal knowledge of baking, and have their expertise limited to the handful of baked goods they themselves like most, because it does take a ton of practice to bake any one thing well.

So I would pretty confidently say that any one thing made by a seasoned home baker would probably be better than the same thing at 90% of bakeries. But if you challenged them to make something unfamiliar, the bakery would win.

So what Zikoris is saying makes perfect sense, for whatever she likes to bake, it's probably WAY better than almost any bakery, because she bakes A LOT.

[BookLoverL]

Baking is definitely an area where saving money makes me happier. I don't bake that often myself, but I'd rather have a cake that my mum baked than almost any cake that can be bought.

[Dreamer40]

I started cutting my own hair during the pandemic and was surprised to like the outcome more than many haircuts I’ve paid for. I’ve never been happier with my hair. Go figure! It also only takes me about 5 minutes instead of the hassle getting to a salon and sitting through the whole process.

I only know one way to do it so I will probably eventually pay someone for a different style. Or find another YouTube tutorial and see what I can do.

[Metalcat]

I started cutting my own hair during the pandemic and was surprised to like the outcome more than many haircuts I’ve paid for. I’ve never been happier with my hair. Go figure! It also only takes me about 5 minutes instead of the hassle getting to a salon and sitting through the whole process.

I only know one way to do it so I will probably eventually pay someone for a different style. Or find another YouTube tutorial and see what I can do.

My hair style right now is the product of a total hair disaster where I tried to change my hair colour while on vacation, but instead, all of my hair turned into the texture of overcooked glass noodles, and melted off my head in handfuls.

So I gave myself a pixie cut with cuticle scissors, which I then got professionally touched up to make it less choppy.

I've never had more compliments on my hair in my life, especially the colour, which is nowhere near the colour I was aiming for, and I would never be able to recreate. The top is this really natural looking auburn-light brown, and it kind of ombre's into an ashy grey brown at the sides and back.

Even DH's high end stylist freaked out about how amazing my hair looks. She called it "chic as fuck"

You should see the looks on people's faces when I say "oh, thank you, I got this style by melting my hair off with a box of ash brown drug store dye"

When I get it wet, the tips of the Auburn part still get rubbery and stretchy and I can pull them off in tiny clumps.

It looks fucking fantastic though, lol, but once it grows out, it's gone forever.

Edit: holy typos, hopefully the post makes sense now that I've fixed it