It’s no secret that saving money requires some degree of sacrifice and, many times, sacrifice is far from fun. That being said, living a frugal lifestyle doesn’t have to be synonymous with living a dull lifestyle.

If you can spice up the ways you save money and take a different approach to frugality, you can actually make the act of saving money an enjoyable experience – and not just for the money saving aspect of it.

Here are seven simple ways you can make saving money fun:

1) Start small. If you start off with the goal of slashing your monthly spending by 75% you’re going to fall short, become frustrated, and quit. Instead, take an incremental approach to saving. Maybe you save an extra $100 the first month. When you do that without a problem, you increase the monthly savings to $150. Before you know it, you’ve dramatically slashed your spending without any of the frustration!

2) Take the glass-half-full approach. Instead of dwelling on what you’re cutting out of your life – the premium cable package, the unlimited data plan on your cell phone, etc. – focus on how great it’s going to feel when you’re able to pay off your credit card bill, rebuild your nest-egg, or retire early. Taking this viewpoint will make you realize you’re gaining something far more important that what you’re getting rid of.

3) Incorporate some low-stakes gambling. Make a bet with your significant other (or a friend if you’re unattached) to see who can save the most money in a week. The loser has to cook the winner’s favorite meal. Having the chance to have turkey tacos waiting for me has definitely given me extra motivation to keep my credit card in my wallet!

4) Make it a family activity. If you’re a parent, involve your kids when you make your budget or clip coupons. It’s a great way to spend family time, and it’ll get your kids thinking about saving money. Plus, they’ll feel proud when they point out a great deal at the grocery store!

5) Keep one-upping yourself. Turn coupon clipping into a game by always trying to save more money from coupons every time you go to the grocery store. Before you know it, you’ll have slashed your grocery bill by 30 to 60 percent! That being said, don’t buy something for the sake of using a coupon, that sort of defeats the purpose!

6) Be an active saver. Don’t save money simply by sitting on your butt and not doing anything. Go out and take a walk around the park, volunteer somewhere, or grab a book from the library. There are plenty of free or low cost activities you can do, so take advantage of them!

7) Reward yourself! What’s the point of saving all this money if you never spend it. Since you’ve done so well at saving money, indulge yourself with something small. It’ll be a good incentive to keep you going, too. If you need a little extra cash to reward yourself that can be OK too. Consider a home equity loan. When in need of a loan, one can always leverage the equity of their home. It is important to become familiarized with a home equity line of credit.

Do you have any simple ways to make saving money fun? Leave your comment below and, as always, please share this post by using the social bookmarking buttons below – especially Facebook and Twitter!