Hi, I’m Uta, German, mom of two, living in the south of the U.S., and on a slightly crazy mission: I want to retire at 45 (or at least part-time-retire and only work whatever the f**k I want). Often people around me think my frugal lifestyle is about extreme couponing or living on rice and beans. Nope. My style is more: learn more, make more, save and invest smart. And often its just about small, weird little habits that make people laugh… until they realize how much money I’ve actually saved over time while they tossed all dat money out of the window.
Here are five of my go to, very specific, very real frugal things I do all the time. Tested in everyday life with two kids and a husband who still doesn’t get why I save every piece of wrapping paper.
1. Using up every last bit of cosmetics (and yes, I mean everything)
Nothing is better than the feeling of a used-up product. It gives me such an adrenaline kick, like: „I really made the most out of it!“. The thing is: Most lotions and creams look “empty” when there’s still a good 10–20% stuck inside the tube (may companies design the packaging like that on purpose?). I simply refuse to let that go to waste.
What I do: I squeeze until absolutely nothing moves anymore, then I literally cut the tube open with scissors and scoop the rest into a little glass jar. Same for expensive face creams – I scrape the corners, mix leftovers and use it alllll up.
Do I feel slightly ridiculous sometimes? Sure. But when I think of all the €10–40 jars I’ve stretched this way over the years… not ridiculous at all and well worth it. Nice side-effect: It´s better for the environment too, because you consume less resources.
2. I repurpose EVERYTHING (a.k.a. spucktücher, but make it frugal)
In Germany, every baby household has muslin cloths (“so called Spucktücher”) for babies. Here in the U.S., they call them burp cloths, which sounds gross, but I swear by them. And now, years after the baby stage, I still use them in various ways.
- As kitchen rags (way better than paper towels and simply reusable)
- For cleaning windows and mirrors (they don’t streak!) or cleaning in general
- As emergency napkins when the kids’ hands look like sticky crime scenes
- As a coaster-alternative for soups or stews or for childrens plates
- As a reusable changing pad alternative
They wash well, dry fast, and survive just about anything. A €10 pack replaces endless rolls of paper towels (which are ridiculously expensive in the US compared to Germany).
What I want to say: Reuse your stuff, become creative, repurpose everything. E.g. glass jars as storage containers (they look pretty!), baby jars as spice containers, a drawer from your old cupboard combined with an old blanket can make a perfect cat bed (our cat loves her cat bed made out of a drawer and an old baby nest) and so on.
3. The thermostat truce: 25°C (77°F) in summer
Here’s where my German practicality meets American air conditioning culture. Seriously, sometimes we Germans can´t really wrap our heads around the stubbornness with whch some Americans are controlling their AC so that it never ever goes over 70°F. We don´t have AC in our German home (not needed for those 10 warm days in Northern Germany, haha :D). My German-American compromise: 25°C. That’s 77°F and yes, I did the math.
It’s warm enough that the AC isn’t constantly running, but cool enough that nobody melts. Add a ceiling fan, keep the blinds down in the afternoon, wear light clothes… suddenly it’s not a sacrifice anymore and you will save loads of money on your energy bill.
I once read that every degree higher can save you around 3% on cooling costs. That adds up. And hey, I’d rather spend that money on our next family trip than on cooling empty rooms or catching a cold from ACs (been there, done that).
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4. Gift wrap: I reuse everything (and I mean everything)
So we´ve talked about repurposing. Let´s talk about reUSING. I’ve been known to gently peel tape off wrapping paper and fold it up “for later. My husband used to groan, now even the kids check before tossing paper after birthdays.
Pretty tissue paper? Saved. Gift bags? Used again until the handles fall off. Ribbons? Stashed in a box. Sometimes I even flip wrapping paper inside-out and let the kids draw on the blank side. Instant “custom” wrap. I still have tons of ribbons, gift bags and decorations from our wedding 6 years ago! It´s not just about saving money but also about valueing things more and appreciate every ressource we already have in our home. More sutainable, more money in the pocket.
Do I look like a treasure-hoarding dragon? Maybe. But you know what I don’t do? Spend €5 on shiny paper that gets ripped in 12 seconds.
Pro Tip: If you can sew try to upcycle some old clothes in textile wrapping paper – close it around the gift with a nice ribbon and you´ve got reusable environmentally friendly gift paper!
5. Second-hand furniture only – with a side of upcycling
This one is my absolute favorite! Almost every piece of furniture in our house has a story. Thrift store dresser? Painted white, new knobs, looks like something from a design catalog. Facebook marketplace dining chairs? Sanded, re-stained, and covered with fabric the kids picked out (they’re proud every time we sit down).
Not only does this save hundreds per piece, it’s also a looot of fun. And unlike cheap flat-pack stuff, old solid wood actually lasts. I actually get the ick when I see what kind of low-quality furniture they sell nowadays for astronomic prices when you can get a really good quality vintage piece with a story for even less. My rule: if it wobbles, I skip it. If it’s sturdy, I can somehow make it beautiful.
Plus: when the kids inevitably cover it in stickers or accidentally bump on it with their bobby car, I don’t cry. I just sand and repaint and add more to the furniture´s story.
Bonus: Multi-use shampoos, creams etc.
Okay, here’s one more because I can’t resist: Have you ever had a shampoo that didn´t work for your hair and you threw it away? Or a hand cream you didn´t actually REALLY like so it ended lonely in the cupboard? Easy solution: You can use things for different purposes than for it´s ACTUAL purpose. I use old shampoos as body wash, conditioner as shaving cream, face cream as hand cream and vice versa. I call this the “hotel life hack,” but I use it at home too.
Is it glamorous? No. Does it mean fewer half-used bottles cluttering up my bathroom and more money in my bank account? Absolutely.
Why these odd little habits matter
None of these things will make you rich overnight. But add them up, year after year, and it’s thousands saved. More importantly, it’s thousands not wasted in money AND ressources.
I like to think of it this way: every burp cloth, every salvaged cream, every thrift-store find is one step closer to my big goal – retiring early enough to actually enjoy life with my family and live a more sustainable lifestyle for the earth we all have so much love for but don´t actually really show oftentimes.
So if you ever feel silly cutting open a lotion tube or ironing old gift wrap, just remember: somewhere in the U.S., a German mama is doing the exact same thing – and laughing all the way to her investment account.
You want to learn how to make more, save more and live more? Read my other Blog articles about:
6 unique $100k business ideas I´d start immediately if I´d have the time
5 low-cost hobbies that will actually make you a happier (and richer ) person
Platforms for saving money: Buying food cheaply
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