What is “frugal thumb” all about?
The Frugal Thumb motto is pretty simple – be thrifty and green.
In other words, it’s about being financially responsible and environmentally responsible at the same time.
And I want to help you have a frugal thumb!
I’m here to share ways to become a frugal saver, a green thumb, and a savvy do-it-yourself-er — all while being good to the planet.
So, what’s the definition of a frugal thumb?
[ˈfro͞oɡəl THəm]
NOUN
- natural talent for being thrifty and green
- financially and environmentally responsible at the same time
“I should ask a frugal thumb for advice on saving my wallet and the world simultaneously.”
Now, that’s my definition of living the good life!
Saving money and saving the environment are totally not mutually exclusive. In fact, they go together like peas and carrots. Or a green thumb and gardening gloves. ?
That’s obviously why both money and plants are GREEN!
If you need more proof that being thrifty and green go hand-in-hand, let me give you some examples.
Examples of Frugal Thumb Thinking
Example 1:
Home maintenance like fixing air leaks from windows, turning down the water heater, and using LED bulbs
- Financial Reward: Enjoy cheaper air conditioning bills.
- Environmental Bonus: Use less electricity/gas for a smaller carbon footprint.
Example 2:
Repairing broken household items like furniture and electronics
- Financial Reward: Save on the cost of buying replacements or hiring a pro.
- Environmental Bonus: Send less stuff to the trash dump.
Example 3:
Making homemade cleaning supplies
- Financial Reward: Ingredients for homemade cleaning supplies are super cheap and you’d be surprised how long they last too.
- Environmental Bonus: No chemicals in your home, yard, or on you! Main ingredients are things like vinegar, lemon, baking soda, dish soap, and good ol’ free water.
Example 4:
Growing plants
- Financial Reward: Spend less on groceries.
- Environmental Bonus: Eat delicious, fresh and organic fruits and veggies- chemical free! Try canning and reap the benefits all year round.
Example 5:
Recycling and Composting
- Financial Reward: Supply your garden with a steady stream of free fertilizer and extra dirt, and buy fewer garbage bags.
- Environmental Bonus: Send a lot less trash to the dump.
Example 6:
Borrowing tools
- Financial Reward: Save on buying a collection of tools that you may only use once a year, or ever.
- Environmental Bonus: You have less stuff to maintain and care for or to worry about how to dispose of properly.
Example 7:
Buying (gently) used cars, clothes, etc.
- Financial Reward: You get the items at steeply discounted prices when they are still high quality.
- Environmental Bonus: The items get used again instead of going into landfills.
And that’s just a taste of what you can do to save money and nature SIMULTANEOUSLY.
There truly are so many ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle– and save your money.
Get started with my Frugal Finance 101 lessons. You’ll learn how to get into the right mindset to become financially free, get advice on how to set up your first monthly budget, and find quick links to long lists of savings ideas for each budget category.