Make menus using food in freezer & pantry. Buy to fill in what is needed, then buy what is on sale that we enjoy & will use. Use coupons, go to 3 stores depending on the ad. Retired & the stores are within about a 10 block square from home.
I sew at the little church. They provide the fabric for most charity work. I buy the batting on sale. I contribute some batting & use some of theirs. I stitch together pieces to make a useable larger piece for baby quilts and small projects. People give me their fabric and the little church sends a bit home with me. I buy what I want for a project on sale 99% of the time. I could buy no more fabric and sew everyday the rest of the year. Good idea I could finish projects. We do lots of confirmation quilts so I enjoy sewing without spending a bundle. I do have my stash, but if I bought it, it was for a planned project or extreme sale/remnant.
I am frugal. I loom knit and buy yarn on sale & folks give me yarn they can't use.