Extreme Frugal Idea Gallery

Get a grip on your finances by following some extreme frugal ideas. While you may not save hundreds of dollars following these concepts, remember that every penny saved is truly a penny you do not have to earn again.

Fill the bath once for the entire household. Pile the youngest children into the tub together. They will have a blast, and you save money on the water bill.

If you must take a shower, turn the water off while you shave and shampoo. Set a timer so you do not spend over five minutes in the shower.

Plastic baggies are handy but expensive, so be sure to reuse them as often as possible. Wash and rinse them, turning them inside out to dry. Toss them after they have held raw meat, just to be safe.

You can also reuse plastic grocery bags in lieu of buying kitchen and bathroom garbage bags.

Consider flushing the toilet only when necessary. Just be sure to keep the lid down during the day. If this is a bit too much of an extreme frugal idea, you can always fill an empty milk gallon with water to put inside the tank to help cut down on water use during flushes.

Make your own clothing, blankets, tablecloths and tote bags. If you cannot make the items from scratch, mend and repair everything until it absolutely falls apart. When you can no longer make an item wearable, put the scrap material in a pile for later use in a patchwork quilt.

Think about switching to a mostly raw foods diet. By eating as close to nature as possible, you will save money on unhealthy snacks. Also, by eating raw fruits and vegetables, you will save money on the electricity and many prep ingredients needed for cooking.

Speak with your doctor or registered dietician before embarking on a new diet.

Combine store coupons with manufacturer's coupons and register rewards during a sale or clearance to get the most out of your shopping trip. Send in a rebate for the item, if offered.

This requires watching circulars, tracking sales cycles and extensive coupon clipping and printing but can be worth it for some extreme savings.

Feed your piggy bank with the cash saved from following extreme frugal ideas. Follow a few of these extreme ideas along with tried-and-true tips to save money and you will be living cheap in no time.