When I first became a stay-at-home mom, I knew I was going to have to be intentional about how we spent our money.
We were learning to live on my husband’s income, and I wanted to do everything I could to make it work so I could stay home with our children.
Over the past 12 years, I’ve learned a lot about frugal homemaking.
It has taught me to be content with what I have, appreciate the home God has given me, and recognize that I don’t need to spend money to enjoy my life.
Here are some of the lessons that have made the biggest difference for our family.
1. Learning to pray instead of worry
One of the first things I learned as a new stay-at-home mom was to pray about our finances instead of worrying about them.
I remember when my oldest son was just a few months old. He was starting to roll around in his crib, and I decided he needed a mesh crib bumper so his feet wouldn’t get caught between the crib slats.
The one I loved was beautiful, but it was outside our budget.
I remember praying something very simple: “Lord, if You want him to have it, You’ll provide it.”
A few days later, I walked into a store and found the exact one I wanted on clearance.
Now, I don’t believe God promises to give us everything we want. But that little experience reminded me that I could bring my concerns to Him instead of carrying them around as worries.
Matthew 6:26 reminds us to look at the birds of the air and remember that our heavenly Father feeds them.
That little crib bumper became a reminder to trust Him with our family’s needs.
Over the years, I’ve continued learning to pray about our finances and trust God as we make decisions about how to use what He’s given us.
2. Learning what “enough” really means
One of the biggest changes frugal homemaking has brought about in my life has been a change in my thinking.
Our culture constantly tells us that we need a little more to be happy.
A bigger house.
A newer car.
Nicer furniture.
A prettier kitchen.
There’s always something else we could buy or something about our lives we could improve.
And if we’re constantly comparing ourselves to other people, it’s difficult to appreciate what we already have.
I’ve had seasons when scrolling through social media left me feeling dissatisfied rather than grateful.
I’d see someone else’s home or the things they were buying, and suddenly my own life didn’t seem quite as good.
I had to learn to look at my home with gratitude instead.
I can appreciate a beautiful kitchen without believing I need to remodel mine. I can admire someone’s larger home while being thankful for the home God has provided for our family.
Contentment doesn’t mean you can never want something different. It means you can enjoy what you have while you wait.
Gratitude and contentment are things we practice.
The more intentional we are about recognizing our blessings, the easier it becomes to appreciate the ordinary things that make up our lives.
3. Getting on the same page with my husband
Another thing that has made a tremendous difference for us is talking about our priorities as a family.
My husband has always told me that if I wanted to go back to work, he would support that decision.
But over the years, we’ve both come to see how beneficial it has been for our family for me to be home, homeschool our children, and manage our household.
We’ve learned to value the things this lifestyle makes possible for our family.
That doesn’t mean it’s always easy or that we never wish we had more money for something. But having a shared understanding of what matters most helps us make decisions together.
When we’re tempted to compare ourselves to others or wish we had something different, we can remind each other of the priorities we’ve chosen.
We’re not trying to keep up with everyone else. We’re trying to steward the life God has given us well.
When you and your spouse are working toward the same goals, it becomes much easier to make decisions about spending, saving, and what you’re willing to do without.
4. Being thankful for the home we have
Our home is smaller than some of the homes of people we know.
Would I love to have a separate home office? Absolutely. A dedicated homeschool room would be wonderful, too!
There are certainly things about having a larger home that would be convenient.
But I’ve learned that I can want something without believing I need it to be happy.
I’m thankful for our home. I’m thankful for the space we have and for the opportunity to make it a place where our family can live, learn, work, and spend time together.
I don’t want to trade the life we have now for a bigger house that requires a bigger mortgage simply so we can have more space.
That perspective has helped me appreciate our home for what it is instead of constantly wishing it were something else.
Your home doesn’t have to meet every expectation you have or look like the homes you see online to be a good place to live.
You can create a comfortable, welcoming home with what you already have.
5. Learning skills instead of always buying convenience
One of the most practical ways I’ve learned to save money is by learning new skills.
Cooking from scratch was one of the first things I worked on when I wanted to lower our grocery budget. Over the years, I’ve learned to prepare more meals at home and rely less on expensive prepackaged foods.
It’s saved us money, and it’s also helped me become more confident in the kitchen.
We’ve also learned to fix things around the house when we can.
One time, our dryer stopped working. Instead of immediately calling a repairman, I watched some YouTube videos, figured out what was wrong, and fixed it with a $2 part.
I’m certainly not able to fix everything! When something is beyond our abilities, we call in the professionals.
But learning to troubleshoot simple problems has saved us money over the years.
There’s something satisfying about realizing you can learn to do something that once seemed intimidating.
Frugal homemaking has helped me become more resourceful. Instead of immediately asking, “What do I need to buy?” I often ask, “Is there a way I can do this with what I already have?”
That simple change in thinking can make a big difference.
6. Shopping less and using what I have
I used to enjoy going shopping just for fun.
I’d visit thrift stores, Dollar Tree, Target, or Hobby Lobby simply because I wanted to get out of the house. Even when I didn’t need anything, it was easy to find something I wanted to bring home.
Eventually, I realized that the easiest way to avoid unnecessary purchases was to stop putting myself in situations where I was tempted to buy things I didn’t need.
Now, I rarely go shopping just to browse and I try to stay off of Amazon too!
When I need something, I usually keep a running list on my phone. I’ll check the thrift store first if it makes sense, and if I can’t find what I’m looking for, I’ll wait rather than immediately buying something else.
I’ve also learned to shop my own home.
Sometimes I’ll move a picture to another wall, rearrange furniture, or bring something out of storage. It’s amazing how much a room can change without spending a penny.
Living frugally has taught me that I don’t always need something new to enjoy my home.
Sometimes I just need to use what I already have in a different way.
And honestly, I’ve come to enjoy being creative and resourceful more than browsing store aisles.
7. Finding joy in the simple things
One of the reasons frugal living works well for our family is that I genuinely enjoy being home.
We don’t have to spend money every time we want to do something fun.
Some of the things my children and I enjoy throughout the week include going on hikes, visiting city parks, playing games together, taking bike rides, borrowing movies from the library, listening to audiobooks through Hoopla, and working together in our yard.
These are simple activities, but we enjoy them!
I think sometimes we as a society, spend money because we feel like we should always be doing something. We need an activity, somewhere to go, or something new to experience.
But there’s so much beauty in ordinary days.
We can take a walk, read a book, make a meal together, or spend a quiet afternoon at home.
We don’t have to be entertained all the time.
Some of the most enjoyable parts of life are also the simplest.
Learning to appreciate these things has helped me see that a fulfilling life doesn’t have to be an expensive one.
8. Remembering that it’s about more than money
In the last five years, I’ve also been able to start earning a part-time income through my work online. It helps cover groceries, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to encourage other women through this work.
But the principles I’ve learned over the past 12 years haven’t changed.
We’re still trying to live within our means. We’re still learning to be good stewards of what we have.
And we’re still practicing contentment rather than chasing everything the world tells us we need.
Frugal homemaking certainly involves practical decisions about money. It’s important to reduce unnecessary expenses, make thoughtful purchases, and learn ways to save.
But underneath all of that is a heart that is learning to be content.
It’s learning to appreciate what God has provided, take good care of it, and find joy in the life we’re living today.
You don’t have to wait until you have more money, a bigger house, or nicer things to enjoy the home and life you have right now.
Small, faithful choices can make a meaningful difference over time.