Regarding buying the quality bags: My grandfather used to say " A poor man can't afford a cheap suit." In other words, buy quality so you don't have to replace things as often.
One thing I try to avoid buying is repair services. I try to learn how to fix anything I can, from the sink to the car to the microwave. Not only do I save money buy I add to my skill set. RU-vid is an amazing resource for such things. I've done carpentry, plumbing, auto repair, electrical, gardening. Patched plaster and drywall. Resurfaced flooring. Repaired a foundling TV. The list goes on. Not to say that there aren't things well outside of my wheelhouse (I'm not up to rebuilding an engine, frex), but it's amazing what you can do with a basic set of hand tools and a little will power.
What a beautiful couple you are. And thank you Nick for your help explaining YNAB philosophy! My wife and I have been doing it for a week now and we are already a half-month ahead our bills! It feels so good and organized!
Boom! So glad to hear that Roman. Pumped that you're getting ahead already with YNAB. yes it is a great feeling. Thanks so much for watching my man. Appreciate it.
I stopped buying books almost completely because I check them out from the library and my house has quite a few books I have never read. Trying to make my way through the pile and donate as I go to get my collection down. It was so easy to pick up books at a thrift store or used book store because they were cheap but I can only read so much and they take up so much room.
Totally understand that Shayna! Really love that suggestion. Definitely lots to learn and save by just checking books out of the library. And yes, they definitely take up a lot of space!
Thanks Paul! Really glad you enjoyed the episode on ChooseFI. It was a ton of fun to chat with those guys. Also glad you liked the YNAB videos. Let me know if there's ever anything I can do to help!
@@mappedoutmoney Yes. And your source sux. And keto is quite inexpensive (I'vee been on it for 3 years now already). Here's the best resource FAQ on keto in the universe, please Please reconsider your decision :) First educate yourself properly then try the diet again :) The best thing about keto is 1. You eat whole foods 2. You save because you can't overeat if you're doing keto properly 3. The way your brain works on ketones and the way you feel :) Here, check the r/ketogains faq www.reddit.com/r/ketogains/wiki/index#wiki_welcome_to_the_.2Fr.2Fketogains_faq
Oh, and since you want to start exercising, read this! stronglifts.com/5x5/#Popular_Questions You're welcome guys! If there's anything i can help you with regarding exercise and nutrition science, let me know! I want to give back, you've helped me so much!
Things I've stopped buying: 1) My PlayStation network subscription...mainly because I play video games on PC now, but since I rarely game on my PlayStation anymore, the PSN subscription was cancelled. 2) Fast Food (for the most part) I've stopped relying on fast food for those weekday nights where I don't feel like cooking. Instead I meal prep or make meals that can be frozen in multiple portions 3) Frivolously buying video games. Since I play on PC now I have the (unfortunate) luxury of having thousands of games at my fingertips, and I used to justify the impulsive video game purchase since the game was already apart of my budget. Instead, I'll budget for only the games that I actually want to play (or are new releases) and save up. I no longer buy video games on impulse. If I see a game on sale, I'll add it to my cart and wait a day or so. If I still want it then great, I'll buy it. But after doing this method I've found myself not having bought a video game impulsively In over a month! Baby Steps. I've identified at least 3 games in my library that I've blown money on and maybe played a total of 10 hours.
You kids are too cute! Your sense of humor is a key ingredient for budgeting effectively. As far as spending wisely, my dad (a depression era kid who went barefoot to school) insisted on “good shoes” for his kids. We never got cheap shoes. Never. This meant, of course, that quality trumped style. And we usually had one pair of good shoes at a time, not a closet full of cheap ones. To this day I “splurge” on shoes that last me years, and spend to have them re-heeled or repaired when needed. I do have a closet full of shoes I love, because I love shoes. But I’m 71, and I take good care of my shoes. I could say the same for my few dressier clothes, some I’ve owned for decades. Quality lasts! You didn’t mention thrift store shopping which my daughters got me into for basics like gardening pants and tops. People toss clothes with plenty of wear left in them. Love your channel and your humor!
Love that about your shoes! Absolutely so important. Your feet take you everywhere, gotta keep them feeling good! We also buy good shoes these days. Thanks so much for watching Greta, we really appreciate it!
Healthy and cheap dog treat--vet recommended--is baked sweet potato. Scrub a whole potato, cut it in 1/4" slices. Bake those on a cookie sheet at about 200 Fahrenheit for 30 minutes each side, don't add oil or any spices. It dehydrates the slices, concentrates the flavor, and makes for healthy and tasty treats--for dogs and humans. May be impossible in the Airstream, but worth a try if you get the chance. The treats in a box are about 93% chemical and 7% mystery components.
This was a great list! I also have a shopping criteria for clothing shopping, and it helps me not bring home things I don't wear once it's home. I'm starting to pair down to something like a capsule wardrobe.
Love it Jenni! It's been really great for Hanna. Glad to hear that you're going that direction as well. There's a lot of freedom in focusing on just a few but fantastic items.
Hanna, thanks for the tip about the book The Curated Closet. It looks interesting. I have ordered it from my local library and look forward to reading it. Regarding the changes I have made, I no longer buy fabric softener or dryer sheets. I've read a number of books that have educated me about chemical hazards (for example, "Slow Death by Rubber Duck"), so I now avoid chemicals as much as possible. I buy only unscented products and no longer buy most commercial cleaning products. I use dish soap, liquid castile soap, vinegar, essential oils, borax, washing soda, baking soda, bleach, Mrs. Stewart's bluing, vegan laundry detergent, and that's about it. I no longer buy body wash or liquid hand soap, out of concern for personal health (hazards of chemicals within the products) and the environment (going more zero waste with less plastic, although definitely not there yet. But every positive change makes a difference). I still use paper towels for the really gross jobs, but I use fewer paper towels by substituting cleaning rags for the less disgusting jobs, which can then be washed and reused. Better for both the environment and the wallet. I gave up paper napkins years ago. I exclusively use cloth napkins, all of which I found at garage sales and thrift stores. I never buy disposable plastic dinnerware anymore. I sometimes buy plain paper plates, but it's insane to purchase disposable plastic items. These things will not break down in the environment and will pollute our planet forever. In the same vein, I no longer buy plastic toothbrushes. Bamboo toothbrushes work just as well, and are so much more environmentally friendly. There are many different brands and they can often be found at natural food stores like Whole Foods. Here is one I like: www.brushwithbamboo.com/ One "free" product (I put that in quotes because of the cost to the environment and future generations) that I try to avoid using as much as possible is the ubiquitous plastic bag. I recommend Chico Bags; they are well-worth the purchase. I have several and use them pretty much every day. They fold up compactly and they are strong - no more ripped grocery bag disasters! chicobag.com/ A great larger bag option, which I use when buying bigger items, is the giant IKEA bag. They are super sturdy and really cheap. I hesitate to share this last item I no longer buy (and Nick, maybe stop reading here if this is going to be TMI for a guy) - but ladies, seriously, stop shelling out money every month for that time of the month. There are non-disposable options that work just fine, are better for the environment and your personal health, and will save you money! There are a number of different brands. Here are two: gladrags.com/ divacup.com/
I buy almost all of my clothing at thrift stores. (Ditto for furniture.) You can find amazing things for a fraction of the cost. I tried buying from Vinted - an online 2nd hand, but there are no returns, so I ended up getting things that were amazing deals - but didn't fit quite right or weren't flattering. I don't want the hassle of reselling them. I tried and it's too frustrating. So, I stopped buying pre-owned clothing online. I always buy my shoes new and I like good quality shoes. I buy online during the big sales. I will often buy 2 sizes to make sure I get the size that works for me and then return the size that doesn't work. I've found shopping here in France that returns are super easy. All I have to do is go online and print out the return label and drop them off at a convenient pickup place - usually right by where I go grocery shopping anyway. Super easy.
I recently switched from buying a couple of 48oz jugs of Starbucks ready-made cold brew jugs a week (around $48 per month) to investing in a nice 2 quart lidded pitcher ($17.99 one time purchase) and buying Dunkin Donuts Brew-At-Home cold brew pitcher packs which makes 2 - 2 quart pitchers per box. That is my new biweekly cold brew coffee allowance. They cost around $13 for a month worth. I only buy coffee flavor syrups a couple times a year and use almond milk which is already in my regular grocery budget. I am saving $35 a month that now goes to my debt payoff which is way more satisfying and I don't feel deprived.
Hey Chalore! Thanks so much for sharing. I love that. Definitely saves a lot of money and allows you to enjoy it. I'm a big fan of enjoying the journey and not totally depriving yourself. That's great. I love what you're doing. Thanks for sharing! :)
I once got some free roof cladding, I thought wow I'm going to upcycle and create a little shack, 3 years later and alot of money, the roof sheeting was a very expensive project.
Thanks to a woman I follow on IG, I no longer buy clothes that don't make me feel good about myself. I know that sounds strange, but have you ever gone into a store to try on clothes and *none* of them fit? It's taken me awhile to figure out this one true: the clothes are the problem, not my body. I have found clothes that make me feel good and seem to be made for my body. Why would I buy anything else? Oh, and I completely agree with your wife - the clothes have to be comfortable. I don't how care how great I look if I don't feel comfortable!
Oh, man! I was that crazy coupon lady back when you could match coupons better with store sales. I had an obscenely overstuffed pantry. And, none of it was beans or brown rice. And the outlay of valuable time spent going to three different grocery stores could make the lazy angels cry! Never again!!!
hahaha yup! We went HARD for awhile. Totally understand that. We had a crazy stuff pantry as well. Also, yes.... the amount of hours spent going to stores... insane. haha, glad to hear you can relate, but also glad you've moved on as well! :)
Hey! Thank you so much for being gracious enough to call my hair "fixed!" 😂When I'm feeling fancy, I start by blowing the roots dry (like literally less than a minute with the hairdryer). But on a lot of days, I get straight out of the shower, brush my hair, then flip my head upside down and twist a spiral hair tie around it 2-3 times. I only pull my hair halfway through the hair tie when I'm doing that, so I end up with a tight bun. Then I tug on the bun to loosen it up and tuck the loosened loops of hair back into the hair tie at random. So it gives it a more freeform "unfixed" look than a tight bun. That description makes it sound much more strategic than it actually is. I watched several RU-vid videos on how to do a messy bun, but they used lots of bobby pins and many used hair extensions. I'm definitely not that dedicated. I just pull and poke hair around a spiral hair tie until it looks good enough... or until my arms get tired ;-). Thanks so much for watching! And thanks for the compliment. Happy messy-bunning, my friend!
I shop for clothing, kitchen items, shoes, exercise equipment, etc, at the Treasure Chest. It's next door to our town dump and is for anything that is too good to throw out and can still be used. No cost and no dressing rooms but if it doesn't fit, or when I'm finished using it, I just give it back. Easy peasy.
Peak Design! I have that exact same pack (use it for carrying my computer repair tools and such), but my day-to-day is an Osprey Flapjack. Love that pack. I have had it probably for 4 or 5 years and it still looks almost brand new. I've always been a "go quality" kind of guy. I want my stuff to last so am willing to save towards buying something really good versus having it now.
Thanks Andrew! The Peak Design pack is awesome. I've really ejoyed it. And we've had Osprey packs as well for backpacking, I'm always a sucker for a good pack :) Right there with you on the quality thing.
Thanks Lucie! I love it when Hanna joins me as well. And that's not surprising! I'm more and more like my parents every day it seems haha :) I think that's pretty normal.
Great video guys. Love the content. I used to be a vitamin supplement addict, always buying the lastest fad. I've stopped because I've wasted a fortune on this stuff and sadly it took me ages to realise that I wasn't going to get any benefits from taking them.
Hey Lesley! Thanks! Glad you enjoyed the video. Totally understand the supplement addict stuff. Been there.Some are good, and I believe that, but so much of that industry is a waste. Glad to hear that you've shifted away to use that money elsewhere!
Gotta say I agree on healthy eating.my husband and i eat a lot of veggies,whole grains,fish,chicken,ground turkey,veggie burgers. Not too expensive at our aldi.
Yeah, I appreciate all of these suggestions except the one on vitamins. I would strongly suggest that good nutrition, exercise AND a daily vitamin (with iron and vitamin d) is important - particularly for women of child nesting age. The “expensive urine” theory has been debunked some time ago … please also look into the covid19 vitamin d research in particular. If you want you can take your multi vitamin every other day to stretch them out a bit. Thanks for this! Great suggestions.
I no longer buy kleenex. I just get higher quality soft toilet paper and it works great for noses. I also buy the higher quality bags cause they just last longer. I am pretty picky with my bags too so I want it to last when I find one I like.
I'm in the process of not buying chips anymore. The bad ones aren't even worth the calories taken in and the good ones cost ~20€/kg. I can get high quality meat for what are basically seasoned and fried potatoes. I just cant justify the cost for what I get out of it.
Love that. That's a great one! We've stopped buying chips because i have no self-control with them and it's just best for them to not be in the house haha
I have a ridiculous amount of books I've collected over many years. I've started reading a book, letting my parents or a friend or two read it, then decide then and there if I want to keep it or not. If not, I post it on Paperbackswap.com. If I want a new book, I put it on my PBS wish list, so when they come up, I will pay $.49 for them. There are just a couple of authors whose new books I preorder and purchase in hardcover. The other thing I did was filter all of my store emails into archive, with the label Coupons & Stuff, so I am not tempted by the advertising, but I have the coupons if I do need or want something in particular.
Peak designs makes awesome shit! Their head office is just a few blocks away from me in SF. I may pick one up if I get back in to photography more than I am now, currently rocking an SF made Timbuk2 bag for work and a Mission workshop backpack for city errands. They never wear out.
Nice! Yeah, I got to visit their office when I was in SF two years ago. Super cool team and great packs. I also really like the Timbuk2! Great pack. I just got a Nomatic pack in the mail this week that I've had my eyes on for awhile. Pretty stoked about that. Love me a good bag :)
The best frisbee is the diagram from an air brake chamber. They are very cheap and last for years. My English mastiff can't chew through them. They can also double as water/ food dishes while you are out for the day
I no longer buy stuff that I "think" I'm going to use someday but it never happens or it was forgotten and you brought again because you didn't know where it was located when you needed it. I don't buy souvenirs, knick-knacks, junk food, junk in general or anything I can't return.
Agree, no knick-knacks. Now my so-called souvenirs/gifts are consumables: wine from the Republic Of Georgia, cheese from The Netherlands, coffee from Costa Rica, craft beer, etc.
Good tips. I finally stopped shopping at the Belk's store because the clothes either shrink or look crappy after a few washes. I find that Lands' End always has good quality, washable, returnable clothes. Although, lately, they've been low on selection (what's up with that?).
Love your video! I found your link on the FB ynab group & what have I stopped buying? Stuff just because it has a coupon, reward, or a discount. I recently went thru my garage this winter/spring and rehomed many items to the Buy Nothing group in my area & Goodwill. Joined up with ynab at the end of 2017; & though it has a huge learning curve, this summer I continue to question every purchase before it's made or not. Truly working on those "True Expenses."
Now that we live overseas, we save so much money on things like phone and internet. I spend $68 on Unlimited high speed fiber optic AND my phone (5 gigs of data, plus 500 minutes). We also don't pay for housing and pay very little for healthcare compared to most Americans (the perks of working for international schools).
hahaha, yessssss! I TOTALLY understand. You should've seen the amount of hamburger helper we had. You'd think we were manufacturing the stuff. It was absolutely absurd haha. Been. There. With. You.
i repair my shoes until its looking too crappy. Until now i extended 1 pair of 130 euro's 1 time for only 1 time 30,- repair cost. And its still not worn out.
Coffee is my favorite time of day! I'm not even going to try messing with that! The coupons made me think of a recent video I saw of someone that went to buy just some bagels, but then bought $100 worth of bread because there was a coupon! It was keto bread (zero carb bread) by the way.
haha, coffee is my favorite time of day too! And whoah, that's crazy about buying $100 of bread because of coupons... that's nuts! But yeah, not surprising at all.
The only vitamin I buy is b12 as I am vegan, other than that, stick to a healthy diet and you will get your essential vitamins! Nice video! I like how you said different things to other youtubers, very interesting! X
-drink coffe black,like a true hipster. -herbal oil mister, ask my girlfriend? I must say she can make you feel your in a tropical rainforest. -dog people are crazy(but I understand), we have a turle and frogs. -vitamins, eat heath. YES!!! Grow your own if you can -watched extrem couponing once, no need for prepacked food or 30 tubes of expiring mouth wash. - mens suits, go vintage with a trusted tailor. Almost everthing today is garbage made overseas ,you get what you pay for. -food, grow your own and hunt. - shoes, find a good cobbler. I have paid $5000can for 5 pairs of shoes and boots that will last me until I die (free maintance). - bags, I love the look of a old worn leather bad. Free free free, or cheap. I could talk bags all day! - eating out, as a former chef I can garentee you can make it better at home just they way you want (like mumma usta make,but your the mumma) -Waffle house, good. Waffle hose 2;00am, magical! -I never buy online, its evil. Sorry guys, could'nt help myself. lovin the channel, started bing watching from the start. Love seeing fiscaly responsible young people crushing life, and seeing your love for each other is cute too.
hahah, always nice to meet another waffle house fan! Thanks so much for leaving a comment and sharing all of these ideas Mike. Great job here. I'm glad you're enjoying the channel and all the videos. That means a ton.
It would make more sense to eliminate the odor rather than cover it up. Use baking soda to absorb the odors. The reason you couldn't smell it is because your olfactory receptors get desensitized when you are constantly exposed to a smell and fragrance actually has chemicals in it that damage those receptors in your brain, making you need stronger and stronger fragrance to smell it. This tortures those of us who are never exposed because people like you can be smelled by my partner and I, as you walk past us, 6 feet away, burning our nostrils and landing me in bed with a 3 day migraine or an MS flair. You don't even need to apply fragrance to your body you will be a walking air "freshener" just because of where you live! Maybe do some research into the neurotoxins in fragrance if you want to keep a healthy brain in the long run.
We don’t buy dog or cat toys. Our dog loves chewing on stick/logs and we have 3 big trees in our yard so he always has “a toy”. He destroys store bought toys in 5 mins or less so it’s a waste. We also make toys for the cats out of fabrics, tin foil etc. We also don’t buy “junk food” and stick to fresh produce etc. We don’t buy into all the healthily supplements gimmicks either 😊
Well that's no good! Definitely please keep vitamins in your diet then. Like all videos on the internet, take what makes sense for you and use it, and leave the rest. Definitely use a filter on anything I say. What works for me, may not work for you. Please, definitely keep vitamins in your diet :)
Hey! Thanks for that :) And I actually got it while at CampFI SouthEast earlier this year. It was a collaboration t shirt from my friend michael from uncommondream.com and CampFI. Unfortunately, I'm not sure you can get this exact one anymore. But there are lots of other Goal Digger t shirts you can find online!
Ah,the coupon. It used to give great deals,UNTIL EXTREME COUPONING HIT. Why in the actual hell would anyone,let alone a single person,need 10000 cases of gatorade that is gathering dust? We simply shop aldi and dollar general. Walgreens for certain things if on sale. My diet sugar we buy at dollar general.100 packets for one dollar.its generic sweet and low. We buy coffee on sale. We buy the large coffee creamer. Cheap trash bags.god,how i despise that. Cheap,low quality anything.or expensive garbage where nothing justifies the price.
Liked the vid as soon as I saw the shirt. I think we have all fallen into the coupon trap. I've gotten better at only using coupons that don't require me to purchase. For example, I don't use coupons that give you $25.00 off $50.00. I'd use a coupon for $10.00 towards a purchase though. At JCPenny I can usually find something for $10.00 and get a free item out of the deal. And yes, I only get that item.
I just downloaded your checklist and when I saw Hannah's name on the page I thought it was the other Hannah who make's the YNAB videos on YNAB's RU-vid channel. Through me for a loop because that Hannah has said several times that it's just her and her dog. This is a useless comment. Have a good day.
Hey Rachael! Trust me, I WANT to :( July ended up being an insane month and I bit off way more than I could chew with client work, our budgeting class we launched + a couple of conferences. Hoping to get back to my regularly scheduled weekly content this week. Really appreciate you noticing.
@@mappedoutmoney Hi Nick, I tried to message you on FB for some advice. We are looking at purchasing an RV site in Bell Florida. I sent you the link. We would really appreciate if you could tell us if it's a good deal. Blessings Lisa
The first part about keto creamer is useless. You literally don't have to make "keto" coffee to be on a keto diet. This is such a misconception. If you are a true coffee lover anyway, you would drink it black.
