Washington, D.C. Ranks Among The Top-10 Most Frugal Cities In America – Here’s How Washingtonians Spend Their Money

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A recent study by BestMoney surveyed residents of the 40 largest cities in the U.S. to investigate their spending habits and determine which cities in America are the most frugal.

The study looked into the most common spending habits across the nation, noting which categories Americans tended to save on the most, and the most often used cost-cutting techniques being implemented to save on expenses.

Where did Washington, D.C. rank among the most frugal cities in America?

According to the study’s findings, the District managed to rank #10 among the most frugal cities in the nation, employing a wide variety of cost-cutting methods to maintain economic stability.

The study also identified where Washingtonians were willing to cut back the most in terms of spending, identifying the following categories in order from the first thing they would cut spending on, to the last area they’d be willing to cut costs:

1. Clothing
2. Entertainment & subscriptions
3. Groceries
4. Dining out & takeout
5. Household supplies
6. Travel & vacations
7. Personal care
8. DIY / home repair & tools
9. Gifts & holidays
10. Electronics & appliances
11. Utilities
12. Transportation
13. Healthcare & prescriptions
14. Housing
15. Pets
16. Kids

In other words, the study found that Washingtonians are least willing to cut costs when it comes to their children, an unsurprising metric considering that the District is one of the most expensive places in the nation to raise a child, but are quick to cut off spending on things like clothing or non-vital subscriptions.

What cost-cutting tactics were the most common amongst Washingtonians?

According to the survey responses that the study received from Washingtonians, there were a total of 13 money-saving techniques that were commonly used to cut spending.

Here are all 13 tactics, ranked from most to least common:

1. Buying store brand/generic items
2. Coupons/promo codes/price matching
3. Cash-back/receipt apps or card rewards
4. Canceling or pausing subscriptions
5. DIY repairs/maintenance
6. Energy-saving settings (thermostat, LEDs, power strips)
7. Meal planning/bulk cooking
8. Delaying purchases (30-day or wishlist rule)
9. Thrift/secondhand/refurbishes purchases
10. Library or free community resources
11. Carpooling/public transit/walking/biking
12. Negotiating bills (internet/phone/insurance/medical)
13. No-spend challenge