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My wife and I have four kids, and until very recently, a tight budget that we had to adhere to. We’ve learned a lot about making our dollars stretch over the course of a month, and think it’s taught us some important values along the way. Frugality isn’t just about saving money—it’s about being intentional with what we have, making smart choices, and focusing on what truly adds value to our lives. Raising a family of six on a budget has forced us to get creative, plan ahead, and find joy in the simple things, and honestly, we wouldn’t have it any other way.
Over the years, we’ve picked up a lot of strategies that have helped us live well without spending a fortune. Some came from trial and error, others from watching how previous generations did things before everything became disposable and convenient. And while we don’t always get it right, we’ve found that small, consistent habits make a big difference in our financial health and overall happiness. Here are ten of the most valuable lessons we’ve learned about frugal living as a big family.
Buy used whenever possible
New isn’t always better, and it’s almost never cheaper. From furniture to kids’ clothes to kitchen appliances, we buy used whenever we can. Thrift stores, Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, and garage sales have saved us thousands over the years. Kids outgrow clothes so fast that most secondhand items are practically new. The same goes for things like books, toys, and even sports equipment. The key is patience—if you wait long enough, you’ll find what you need for a fraction of the cost.
Cook at home and embrace simple meals
Eating out with six people? That’s an easy way to blow your budget in one night. We cook nearly every meal at home, and we’ve simplified our meal planning to save time, stress, and money. We stick to affordable staples like rice, beans, pasta, and seasonal produce, and we batch cook to avoid the temptation of takeout on busy nights. Our kids don’t care whether dinner is a fancy new recipe or a simple pot of soup with homemade bread—they just want food. And honestly? We’ve found that the simplest meals are often the tastiest.
Buy in bulk—but only what you’ll actually use
Bulk buying is one of the best ways to save money—but only if you’re smart about it. There’s no point in buying a giant bag of quinoa if no one in your house likes quinoa. We focus on things we use regularly: flour, rice, oats, beans, peanut butter, and household essentials like toilet paper and laundry detergent. We also freeze meat when it’s on sale and buy produce in bulk to can or freeze for later. The trick is to store things properly and keep track of what you have, so you don’t end up wasting food (or money).
Drive your cars into the ground
New cars lose value the second you drive them off the lot, and car payments can drain your budget fast. That’s why we buy reliable used cars and keep them as long as possible. Instead of upgrading every few years, we focus on regular maintenance and repairs to extend the life of our vehicles. No car payment means lower insurance rates and more money in our budget for things that actually improve our quality of life. Plus, the longer you keep a car, the more you get out of the money you invested in it.
Teach your kids the value of money early
We want our kids to grow up understanding how money works, so we include them in financial discussions whenever possible. We show them how to compare prices at the grocery store, let them help budget for family trips, and encourage them to save for things they want. If they ask for a new toy, we talk about what it costs in terms of hours worked. This helps them think twice before spending and teaches them that money is a tool—not something to be wasted.
Find free or cheap entertainment
Having fun as a family doesn’t have to mean spending a ton of money. We take full advantage of free local events, library programs, and nature trails. A picnic at the park, a backyard campout, or a family game night costs next to nothing but still creates great memories. We also keep an eye out for free museum days, community festivals, and DIY craft projects. Kids don’t care how much an activity costs—they just want to spend time with you.
Repair, repurpose, and make do
One of the best ways to save money is to stop replacing things so quickly. If something breaks, we try to fix it. If clothes get a small tear, we sew them. When we need new furniture, we check to see if we can repurpose something we already own before buying new. We’ve also gotten into the habit of stretching items to last longer—using every last bit of shampoo, squeezing the last drops out of toothpaste tubes, and repurposing glass jars for food storage. These small habits add up over time.
Limit subscriptions and recurring expenses
Netflix, Amazon Prime, meal kit deliveries, gym memberships—it’s easy for these to pile up without realizing how much you’re spending each month. Every year, we go through our bank statements and cancel anything we don’t truly need or use often. We also look for cheaper alternatives, like sharing streaming services with family members or switching to a lower-cost phone plan. Those small monthly charges might not seem like much, but cutting a few of them can easily free up hundreds of dollars a year.
Shop strategically and plan ahead
Impulse buying is a budget killer, so we do our best to plan ahead for everything—meals, back-to-school shopping, holiday gifts, and household essentials. Shopping out of season and taking advantage of clearance sales makes a huge difference. We buy winter coats at the end of the season when they’re 70% off, stock up on school supplies in September when stores are clearing out inventory, and plan our holiday shopping months in advance. A little planning goes a long way when it comes to saving money.
Focus on what really matters
At the end of the day, our frugality isn’t about being cheap—it’s about making room for the things that truly matter. Living simply means less financial stress, more time together as a family, and more freedom to make choices based on what we value, not just what we can afford. Our kids might not have the latest gadgets or designer clothes, but they have a home filled with love, creativity, and laughter. And that, to us, is worth more than anything money can buy.
Living frugally with a big family isn’t always easy, but we think our life has been richer from the challenge.
