How To Be A Frugal Homemaker And Live Below Your Means

September 29, 2025

I’ve never been one to spend a lot of money on big purchases or even little ones that add up. Honestly, this has served our family so well, especially since we are a one income family. Many women think that being a stay at home wife/mother is an impossible life for them because you “need two incomes to survive”, but I think people would be surprised how much they can save just by living below their means. Yes, living below your means does mean saying no to some things, but these can often be worldly or unnecessary pleasures as it is. Contentment is something our world, especially us women, struggle with so much. We think we need to follow the trends and live the way we see other women (especially on social media) living. But it’s really not that we have to focus on saying no to a bunch of things, rather on saying yes to new ways of living, and even question our current choices and the motives behind them. Are we discontent, therefore trying to find satisfaction in our outward appearance or chasing the comforts of life? Are we trying to fit in with the world out of shame or fear of being disliked? Are we acting out of  greed or jealousy in our hearts? Are we finding pleasure in the things of this world rather than the things of God? Where are we looking for satisfaction, because there is only one place to find it: Jesus Christ.

I have always been one who has had a saving mindset towards money. Before coming to know the Lord, this mindset stemmed out of a heart of greed and a desire to feel comfortable and secure. Since coming to know Christ, I have experienced a heart change and have come a long way from desiring the things of this world. I discovered how freedom and contentment are found in Christ alone, not in my appearance, material possessions, or whatever “promises” money brings with it.

It was after I got married that I truly realized the blessing that living below your means is. I’ve found it is a healthy lifestyle to cultivate and something that has kept me from the pleasures of this world and made me into a more prudent, self-controlled, and content woman. Living frugally benefits your relationship with God as well as your family’s finances. I don’t know about you, but I want to bless my husband by helping extend the money he makes and not spend it willy-nilly or squander it. Living frugally is a lifestyle that I have experienced great blessing in, and I believe you will too. I want to share some tips for and reasons why living frugally is important, effective, and worthwhile. Oh, and not as hard as you may think.

1. Pray for God’s guidance and conviction.

We all hear people talking about praying over whether they should purchase a new car or house, but why don’t we take this approach in the little ways as well. Pray that God would reveal to you how He would have you steward your money and maybe some areas you can cut back on unnecessary purchases. Yes, a little coffee drink, a $20 purchase at the store, grabbing a bite out to eat, or “treating” yourself to new nails, don’t seem like big purchases worth thinking twice about, but these are where your expenditures add up. It can be eye opening to realize that if you buy a $5 coffee twice a week, each year you will spend $520 per year on coffee alone. And often drinks are more expensive than $5, and some women go daily. I am not trying to make you feel guilty for getting yourself a coffee, but I am trying to get you to think about how much your “little expenses” add up to be big ones. Maybe you could make your coffee at home more often, cutting back on how much you’re spending at the café. All this to say, seek God’s counsel and think twice about how you’re spending your “extra” cash and if it’s truly necessary and worth the price.

"Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you'.” Hebrew 13:5

2. Question your purchases.

There are a couple of questions I have always used to weigh whether I should purchase something or put it back. The first question being, “do I really need this item and would I actually use it or wear it”? For clothes and accessories specifically, I like to think “if I buy this will I wear it as many times so as to make the price worth it”? If a pair of jeans is $20, will I wear them at least 20 times? Secondly, when I used to work a job, I would ask myself if I would be willing to work ___ amount of hours to purchase this thing. If something was $15 dollars, that would be trading 1 hour of work. If it was a couple hundred dollars, that was a couple days of work. If you’re not working, you can substitute your husband’s work hours for this question. These are just a couple of ways to think through your purchases and use discernment when shopping. These questions can help prevent you from buying useless products or items you never end up using/wearing. We all have those purchases we regret making, so this can help save us from frivolous spending.

3. Make your own products at home. 

You can save hundreds-thousands of dollars just by making the things you already use at home. Not to mention that homemade products are often much healthier and safer for you and your family. These days with Google, Youtube, and Pinterest, it’s never been easier to find out what and how you can make your own items at home. You can make laundry detergent, soap, candles, cleaning solutions, face products, and also endless food products such as bread, granola, bone broth, yogurt, sauces, dairy products, etc. There are so many products you can go from buying to making at home. It saves money, and you know exactly what ingredients you're using/consuming. Yes, this gets rid of the “convenience” of purchasing from the store that we all have grown so accustomed to, but you’d be surprised how making just a few things yourself can become a rewarding hobby and an easy addition to your routine.  

This is homemade tallow I made back in August

4. Curate a saving mindset.

Being frugal doesn’t have to mean you’re stingy with your money. As Christians, we are not supposed to be stingy, greedy, or obsessed over how much money we have or don’t have. But we are called to steward our money well, trust God with our finances, and be generous towards others. As Christian women, we should be striving to save and spend our money wisely. We should think twice about our purchases, whether big or small, and question why we want to buy something and if it’s necessary. Some couples find budgeting helpful, so that you know how much money you’re bringing in and how much is going out and to where. Look for places you can cut back or cut out. Don’t obsess over making more money. Start with saving more of what the Lord has already blessed you with.

5. Buy second hand.

I don’t know about you, but I have developed quite a passion and love for thrifting! Don’t get me wrong, even thrifting can become expensive or excessive, so think over the items in your cart, buy on sale, and have a list of what you actually need prior to shopping. Probably 90% of what I own is purchased from the local thrift store, facebook marketplace, or garage sales. I am not ashamed of buying second hand. I enjoy the unique, intentional, and thoughtfully curated feel it brings to my home. I think thrifting provides a slow paced approach to shopping, where it’s not about instant gratification and impulse purchases at the click of a button. It’s a hunt for the perfect item that you don’t even know about until you see it. Thrifting has become a hobby of mine, and also a way that I have saved our family thousands of dollars. I mean, you are not going to find the latest fashions and brand new furniture at the thrift store, but that’s kind of the point. The old saying is true, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.

6. Reduce. Reuse. Recycle. 

Remember learning about the 3 R’s of waste management in school? Well, these R’s can apply to saving money in our homes as well. Reduce unnecessary purchases. Reuse items you already have. Recycle the old into new. I don’t mean to get cheesy with silly catchphrases about saving money, but it’s important to remember the simple fact that we don’t always need the newest and nicest things, throwing out perfectly functional or useful items. Sometimes there are things we already own that we can make use of. Maybe you don’t like the lamp you have; can you upcycle it in some way? How about a side table with chipping paint; have you thought about sanding it down and refinishing it? Do you have stained dining room chair cushions? I happened to find some fabric on sale at Hobby Lobby, and I plan on reupholstering mine. Have you tried starting a compost with your food waste to make your own plant fertilizer? Do you save and reuse little things like gift bags, tissue paper, glass jars, boxes, sheets, etc? There are endless possibilities to items that you can keep and repurpose. Get crafty! Pinterest or Youtube can be great tools for ideas.

I hope that these tips and tricks for being a more frugal homemaker inspire and bless you. Let me know in the comments below how you try to live below your means and if you have any practical advice or useful pointers to saving money, being thrifty, or creating a frugal mindset. I’m glad you’re here, friend!