Feeling the economic pain of coronavirus? If you're one of the many millions of people around the world suffering a loss of income, you're no doubt desperately trying to figure out ways you can cut back without compromising your lifestyle. The good news is you can be frugal and save money while enjoying the things you love, during and beyond lockdown. From scoring free online video games and cheap gourmet food to working out for next to nothing, click or scroll through to find out what they are.

First let's get the tedious stuff out of the way. Your number one priority is to work out your monthly incomings (if any) and outgoings, and budget like crazy. A simple spreadsheet will cut the mustard but downloading a budgeting app such as Mint, Wally or PocketGuard, or using an online money management tool like BudgetTracker should make the process a whole lot easier.

The next thing you want to do is have a financial spring clean. Hit the price comparison engines to find better deals on everything from home contents and auto insurance to gas and electricity, consider switching your bank account and credit cards, and if you've still got a job and own your property, think about taking advantage of lower interest rates and remortgaging. Do you rent your place? It's worth negotiating with your landlord, who may be more amenable to reducing your monthly payments at this time.

Buying your groceries and household essentials in bulk is the way forward if you're looking to save significant sums of money. While you'll have to shell out some cash to join, membership-only warehouse clubs such as Costco and Sam's Club offer super-competitive prices. However, not every product will be cheaper, so make a habit of checking prices on comparison sites before you head to the store just in case.

Buy yourself a binder and start collecting coupons. You'll find them in Sunday newspapers, on websites like Coupons.com, Swagbucks and Redplum, or from certain retailers and manufacturers. Then look out for the best sales deals at your local grocery stores and get shopping. You could end up saving up to 85%, or more.

Supermarket private/own-brand products be they basic, mid-range or luxurious are often indistinguishable from the equivalent branded items, except on price as they tend to be much more affordable. In fact many are produced by the exact same suppliers, so think about switching to the in-house products if you're keen to save cash.

In the US at least, grocery stores typically launch new weekly sales and promos on a Wednesday but also allow customers to benefit from discounts from the previous week. It's also cheaper to fill up your tank mid-week, and stores tend to be quieter, which makes the shopping experience far less stressful.

Save a fortune on your grocery bills by stocking up on soon-to-expire items you can either eat straight away or stash away in your freezer. Towards the end of the day supermarkets tend to put a yellow sticker on products nearing their sell-by date and discounts can be impressive, with these so-called "manager's specials" reduced by up to 75%, and more. 

Think you'll have to stop eating organic produce? Think again. A number of firms specialise in selling 'ugly', misshapen, organic fruit and veg at low prices. They include America's Misfits Market and Imperfect Foods, Canadian company Second Life, and Oddbox in the UK (which also carries non-organic produce). You might want to try growing your own from seed as well.

If you feel you can't justify paying out each month for Netflix, you'll be delighted to discover you can actually get the streaming service for less. If you sign up for an account for two screens with a friend, you can spread the cost and therefore pay less than you would if you had a one-screen Netflix account. Alternatively, several firms such as mobile phone company T-Mobile offer free Netflix subscriptions with certain plans. Netflix often offers free month-long trials for those who haven't used the service before, so you can try out the streaming service without having to add to your money worries.

Into karaoke? Ideal for lockdown and beyond, the best karaoke apps enable you and your friends to get together remotely for a sing-song, and best of all, many are completely free to use. Options include Smule, the world's most popular online singing app, not to mention Sing+, SingPlay and Yokee.

On top of games that are normally free to play such as Fortnite and Call of Duty: Warzone, major online storefronts and developers are offering lockdown-weary gamers a whole host of complimentary titles right now across a variety of platforms from Xbox and PS4 to PC and mobile.

You'd be surprised how much cash you can save by ditching your daily coffee shop-bought brew and making it yourself. Post-lockdown, think about investing in a thermal flask so you can take your hot drink to work. Into Starbucks' chilled beverages? You can pick up four ready-to-drink bottles from your local supermarket for about the same price as one venti-sized barista-made drink.

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Your beauty regime needn't fall by the wayside even if you have a penchant for luxury products, with companies like Skin Actives and Active Formulas/Mend offering high-end ingredients at super-low prices. Both for instance stock a bargain sea kelp concoction that mimics the eye-wateringly expensive Crème de la Mer, as well as Obagi-esque vitamin C and hyaluronic acid serums at rock-bottom prices.

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During lockdown many have had to forgo their regular facials and other beauty treatments, and would be loath to give them up when life goes back to normal. But there's no need to despair, as there are all sorts of ways you can get pampered without having to break the bank, when quarantine ends. As well as beauty schools, many department store beauty counters offer free treatments. Brands that provide complimentary mini facials include Clarins, Clinique, Estée Lauder and Kiehls. You can also check out online discount sites like Groupon for affordable deals or earn spa reward points that can be exchanged for treatments.

There's no better time to learn how to cut your own hair. YouTube has a plethora of practical tutorials that will take you through the process, step by step. Post-lockdown, consider heading to your local hairdressing training college to snag a cheap cut or dye job, and make sure you're signed up to Groupon and similar discount sites to take advantage of offers in your area.

Lockdown has meant many have had to go back to basics with their workouts, using online YouTube exercise classes or in countries that allow it just going for a classic jog around the park. Once lockdown is over a way to save money will be to keep to these new-found habits. Or get creative and embrace the outdoors, by making the most of the outdoor exercise equipment in local parks and playgrounds. For those who have missed the gym, sign up for a low-cost, no-frills gym membership. By way of example, Planet Fitness memberships start from just $10 a month, while the UK's Xerciseforless chain charges from only £10 a month for a pass.

Dining out in a Michelin-starred restaurant seems like the ultimate extravagance and a definite no-no if you're strapped for cash. Yet many one and two-star establishments around the world offer fast-casual prices. Yes, really. They include Al's Place in San Francisco, Tail Up Goat and Band of Bohemia in Washington DC, and The Coach in Marlow, UK.

If you really can't bring yourself to eat out post-lockdown and don't want to splurge by hosting a lavish dinner party for family or friends, organise a potluck party where each guest brings a dish. That way, you'll spend very little money. For those who don't like the idea of random courses that don't work well together, it's a good idea to set a theme so the meal is more harmonious.

Buying new clothes doesn't have to be completely off limits when money is tight. Designer bargains abound on eBay and in resale and consignment stores, while online discount fashion emporium Yoox sells luxury pieces by the likes of Dolce & Gabbana, Prada and Gucci at ridiculously low prices. Its sales, particularly the friends and family promos, are legendary, offering discounts of up to 90%.

Believe it or not, you can land yourself an entire closet-full of freebie clothing if you know how. Rewards and cashback sites and apps like the aforementioned Swagbucks and Rakuten offer points you can exchange for garments, while thredUP provides generous credits for unwanted clothing and referrals. You could also organise a post-lockdown clothes-swapping party with your friends.

Haven't visited your local public library since you were at school? You're missing out big-time. Imagine how much money you could save by borrowing print and audio books, reading free ebooks, magazines and newspapers, and taking out video games and movies. Many libraries provide members with free internet access and some even loan iPads, Xboxes, household tools, musical instruments and cookware.

Prefer to own your books outright? Sites such as Google eBookstore, Get Free Books and Manybooks offers tens of thousands of titles for free. You might also want to put on your critic hat and get reviewing. A multitude of sites offer freebie print books in exchange for reviews on Amazon, Goodreads and other retail sites. They include Story Cartel and NetGalley.

If you're a regular concert-goer, heading to a gig to see and support your favourite artists would probably be your ideal post-lockdown activity. And if money is tight, you can still do this. Sites such as Ticketmaster and Stubhub offer 'Absolutely Free Tickets'. Other hacks include signing up to be a seat filler via SeatStir or similar sites, using rewards and cashback sites to secure tickets, and volunteering at events.

And gig-goers might want to look at music festivals as a way to get their music fix. Looking beyond lockdown you may want to forget your money issues and let your hair down at one of the many music festivals around the world that cost nothing to attend. The most awesome include BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! in New York, the Chicago Blues Festival, New Orleans' French Quarter Festival, London's Notting Hill Carnival, the Beaches International Jazz Festival in Toronto and the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras. However, many of these events won't take place again until 2021, when social distancing measures are completely eased.

Ditto theatre tickets. You can get hold of 'Absolutely Free Tickets' from Ticketmaster and Stubhub, become a seat filler or use points you've accrued on rewards and cashback sites. What's more, many theatres offer 'tweet seats' – freebie tickets for patrons who agree to live-tweet about the performance. Discounted ticket sites such as Today's Tix are also worth a visit.

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For those who live in cities where TV shows are recorded – think Los Angeles, New York, London and Sydney – being part of a studio audience makes for a fun and thrifty afternoon or evening out. The world's leading free TV audience company, Applause Store is a one-stop-shop for free tickets for hundreds of music, comedy, chat, sitcom and entertainment shows worldwide. 

The global travel industry has ground to a halt, but once lockdowns around the world ease you'll probably want to have a change of scene. So, how can you pull it off without spending heaps of cash? As well as signing up for the best travel rewards credit cards and sites, consider volunteering. Sites to check out include HelpX, Workaway and Diverbo.

Another way you can slash the cost of a domestic or overseas trip is to get into home-swapping. A ton of sites hook up homeowners who wish to exchange their properties. The biggest and most popular is Love Home Swap. Membership costs from $132 (£106) annually. Other options include Home Exchange, which will set you back $150 (£120) a year, as well as Intervac Home Exchange and Holiday Swap.

Broke culture vultures are spoilt for choice when it comes to museums and art galleries. Many of the most prestigious establishments around the world offer free admission. They include the 18 Smithsonian institutions in Washington DC, LA's Getty Center, New York's MOMA, the majority of London's top museums and galleries, and the Nicholson Museum in Sydney.

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