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I would add #18, IMO a key one: Buy preowned when you can. Cars, clothes, furniture, sports equipment, home decor, kitchen appliances, kitchen ware, etc. SO much $s to be saved there.
We ate many different types of food so we would call it " international night" we put all the leftovers out and everyone just made international plates of food like a buffet.
I have a colleague that says he won't eat "leftovers," yet he's constantly bringing restaurant "doggy bags" for lunch from the night before. The eat out a TON! I asked him once what the difference between "leftovers" and a "doggy bag" is - it turns out neither he nor his wife ever learned to cook, and what wasn't good fresh makes for lousy leftovers.
Wishing you well. RU-vid is great for the distractions. Also, I found journalling positive things that happened to me or I experienced really helpful - not a strict gratitude journal but noting something each day that made me smile, like a funny comment on a RU-vid video, something funny or sweet a pet did, cute kid behaviour, warm socks etc. P.S. I also liked to remind myself of how lucky we are to live now when there's medicine, and the treatment isn't just avoiding the witch down the road and drinking a herbal tea
Before internet shopping, my mom used to get a TON of catalogs. She would fold the pages and circle the things she wanted. Most times, she never actually purchased any of it. It was the same as leaving things in your cart when online shopping. I do it all the time. I've only purchased a couple of items that I've left in my cart. One is a cardigan that was in my cart for over a month, and the other is an outdoor rug that I had in my cart for a few weeks. I've worn that cardigan to bits, and that rug makes me smile every day!
I have failed at every no spend challenge that I have tried. . . Until I finally found one that works for me. I now challenge myself to just have ONE more no spend day than I had last month. It has worked for me for the past 3 months. Goal this month is 17 days!
I had to replace shopping with something else, which is such proof that I shopped from boredom. And I had so much unused craft stuff (from previous shopping...) that I made it a goal to work on a craft when I felt the shopping urge. But I've never done a no-spend that included gas and groceries, just no-spend on the discretionary stuff.
My mother did a once a week fridge clear out. She called it restaurant night (we got to pick our leftovers). We went to restaurants maybe twice a year (in the 90s) so the novelty of picking what we wanted in whatever combination was so much fun. Mom made about 80% of our food from scratch.
Volunteer! It’s free and the world needs more of them. It checks off half the boxes on the “ways to save list”. You could be so busy volunteering, that you won’t have time for screen time or Amazon shopping. Plus, you can meet new people. Remember to pack snacks and bring a water bottle 😉
Thanks for reminding me of the show ‘Black List’ we love that show! Time to revisit it. I’m 64, my lady friends & I get together at someone’s house for salad & fellowship, each person brings one item for the salad & the hostess supplies the lettuce & paper plates, plastic utensils, beverages to drink. We have lady’s that range from 80-60 yo….so much fun a couple times a month. Thanks again!
I'm actually still wearing the hiking boats I bought in 1974... yes 50 years ago. I used to hike a bit in my twenties & thirties. They were $30 on sale and were very much a big purchase. They were fancy very pricey Italian boots that were over $100 back then. But I put them on and they fit, and I've never had a single blister from them ever. The last 20 years I wear them when it snows and am happy to have them. I've been more of the cyclist then I hiker so haven't worn them out. So that averages out to 60 cents a year.... ;) !
I am 73 and have had three pairs of shoes and a pair of snow boots for probably 20 years! I was a disabed homeschooling mom and rarely went out. My husband took my sons places they needed to go or for outings for fun. I still go barefoot in the summer, or wear heavy socks or slippers in our cold winters. We don't wear shoes in our house EVER. It's a "thing" in Alaska where we live.
I have a pair of Duck boots and a pair of LL Bean boots that I bought 28 years ago. They are still in great condition and I use them every winter, but they don't get used a lot because I save them for the bitter cold and when I have to actually walk through the snow. I had a LL Bean parka for 28 years too but finally replaced it. Still in great condition and very warm, I wore regularly. I donated it and bought a new one. All 4 of our adult children got LL Bean or Lands' End backpacks for school back in the 90's and still use them!
I live alone and buy Papa Murphy’s pizzas on sale and cut them into fourths and freeze them. I also use the online library for books to read on my iPad; no gas no expense for books.
Got a fish tank at Goodwill, bought gravel filter and food at Walmart. Bought 5 feeder goldfish. Kid was happy and we weren’t broke. Gave away the whole setup later when we ended up with a cat, by then we could afford the cat but were stunned at the cost of vet visits. Found a vet center for broke people 😂
I been doing this for 6 years now since I got pregnant with my first it's amazing life you really see difference in your own personal self between your family that's still glued to phone! 😂
I loved the tip of a no spend weekend! I have been doing a No spend week for months now. I have broken the habit of boredom shopping. I only spend money on Fridays,and it saves a ton. Also, you're right about putting something in your cart and leaving it there. Love your channel. Thanks for all the hard work ❤
Tip for eating leftovers: get some meal prep or deli-style containers and put your leftovers in them in meal-sized portions. It’s easy to grab and go for lunch the next day. I even do this during summer, when I won’t be going to my teaching job. I started doing this years ago and have prevented so much food waste this way. I do also sometimes have planned-overs (like I’ll intentionally grill extra chicken for another meal), and those ingredients go in their own container. When I have a ton of entree leftover that I don’t have plans for, I’ll make a couple of meal-sized containers of it and then freeze the rest flat in a quart-sized Ziplock. I hope this helps someone. It is a system that took me several years to figure out.
I actually have a suggestion for a video. I’m looking for ideas on what to do with friends. Usually all we do is: 1) go for a walk 2) meet somewhere for coffee. What do people DO these days?
This is easier when school is in session & playgrounds are less busy, but my SIL & I meet up at a covered pavilion at one of the local playgrounds. We BYOB/snacks & just sit & talk for a couple hours. Last time we did this, it rained for part of the time (a rarity where we live) & it was such a delight to be outdoors & surrounded by rain but not getting wet. We are both indoorsy, so this may be not busy enough for more active people ;-) but it's a perfect option for us! (We are in our 50's & all kids are grown.)
@@debiwillis9045 Phase 10! Best game out there. Nobody will play Monopoly with me. They swear I cheat... but I don't. Does anyone else apply Dave Ramsey rules to Monopoly?
Yes to freezing individual portions of leftovers!! That’s what I do with mine. It saves me from ordering takeout and having it delivered to work! Also, I have chickens, so little food goes to waste in my house😁
THANK YOU FOR THE SHOUT OUT, the love and the encouragement ❤❤❤ Had to play some catch up with real life (why spoilers found on Syd and Macky’s channel 🤓) Working on getting fresh content to launch soooooon. ❤❤❤❤
I like leftovers. My mom could take leftovers and turn them into something totally different. Herb chicken into chicken tacos. Pork chops to BBQ pork sandwiches for example.
I have to agree with you on the Digiorno pizza! BUT a while ago, my Kroger had them on overstock clearance for $1.87 each so guess what, we liked Digiorno pizza for that price! LOL
I’ve been going through your recipe videos to help with my grocery shopping! My goal is to get our grocery bill from 600 to 250. We are working our way down, but I just made your meatball subs, spicy noodles, and cheesy potato soup this week! Hubby loved them! Crazy how inexpensive, but delicious they were! Also, nice little summer dish that is affordable: 1 box bow tie pasta, one bottle Italian dressing, 2 cucumbers peeled, one container of cherry/grape tomatoes. Cut up cucumbers and tomatoes and set aside. Cook pasta, drain. Add bottle of Italian dressing and veggies to pasta. Place in fridge until cold. Serve cold! Perfect for hot summer days!
Can I tell you how happy I am that you mentioned pets. I always say that if you can't afford to maintain their health, check ups, flee treatments, etc Don't have them. I also say even if you don't worry about that, when they get sick they will cost you money if you treat them. I've known people to have either left animals to suffer because they couldn't afford care, or they didn't have the wear with all to let them go. Either way not fair. Thank you Christine for making people aware of this. Believe it or not I have a line item in my budget for my animals at 4 to $500 a month.
Agreed. Yes, situations can change, but don't get a pet until you can actually afford quality care. A single emergency visit is easily $500 for some stitches. The annual vet visit for my 2 animals for checkups, shots, etc. was $400 and they're both healthy. It's absolutely gut-wrenching to be in a situation where your beloved pet needs care and you can't afford it. Better to avoid that completely until you're able to comfortably.
Great tips! Haven’t been on Facebook for 4 years. I kept messenger to keep in contact with relatives and close close friends, but honestly, I do not miss it!
Typically, when people do a no spend it does not mean don't buy NEEDS - like gas and food. It's for things like not buying shoes. So you didn't fail if that's all you bought. :D
backing away from the internet, I only look to see new videos from this site and a few others, realized I was spending hours a day looking at crap!! This video was great by the way!!!
I use those $10 fabric mesh over the door shoe organizers to organize Everything. But the over the door metal brackets do not hang very well on my doors. So I just cut off the bottom 3 or 4 rows. of the organizer. Then I tie the top half of the organizer onto a sturdy hanger, with some sturdy string, onto the grommets that are on already on the very top. Now most of the organizer is on a hanger, and I can move that hanger around easily....from the back of a door (on a coat hook), or inside a closet. I attach the "leftover" 2 or 3 rows of the organizer onto another hanger. When I have visitors and I do not want these to be seen , I can quickly and easily move these hangers out of sight, into a closet etc.
If you want to get a budget friendly pet, get a BUNNY. More specifically a miniature lop eared bunny. They're social like a dog. They're independent like a cat. They can be litter trained similar to a cat. Experienced note: get a grated covering for the litter pan if you're not using a cage with an attached litter pan. They can be harness trained similar to a dog (personality depending). Their toys vary on personal preference. I got teething toys (for humans) for my bunny but he prefers to play with empty soda boxes. They're usually quite healthy and do not require annual vax shots or spay/neuter. So no $$$ vet visits. Their treats can be purchased with your regular groceries like carrots, grapes and bananas. Their regular food and litter shavings can be found at any farm/garden supply store and are quite cheap. Note: specialty pet stores are more expensive.
@@dianasimplifies yeah. Bunnies are a single pet household kind of pet. I have an exclusively indoor bunny. Growing up, we had exclusively outdoor bunnies and our cats never bothered them.
I started a social media break a week or two ago and I'm realizing how legitimate of an addiction it can be! I guess I really don't need to know what other people are doing! I also don't need to tell other people what I'm doing! It's so great! I can tell them when I see them in person. I will actually have something to talk about and questions to ask!
I am not a big shopper, either in person or online. For Amazon shopping, I have lists set up to save items I find on Amazon. I usually park them there and go back for them later IF I find I still need them. Sometimes after a few weeks I find I don't really need them after all. I keep a spreadsheet of my pantry, outside freezer and inside freezer and I try to plan meals accordingly. I am disabled so having easy prep ingredients on hand is necessary. I have reduced my grocery shopping to about once per month or so and usually for fresh items (milk, fruit and veggies). I also freeze a lot for fast freezer meals.
And on the Kroger gas discount, maybe bring more than one vehicle and/or a jerry can so you can get the full 35 gallons with the discount. Family Gas Night is our kind of a regular frugal activity that saves us a fair amount.
Great tips! And I 100% totally am with you on The Blacklist! I didn't get into it until the very last season and I binged it like it was my job. Great show! I even loved the way they ended it. There were a few seasons that were a bit meh but on the whole, it was fabulous. Enjoy!
In our area, Costco is the cheapest for gas, but it is also out of the way for us. When we are going near there, we will fill up on gas. The way that Costco works too is that you don't have to have a membership card to get the gas 🙂
I did that years ago. Went on a bus trip with my nieces and nephew to see children's shows. Took snacks and drinks. So they would not want more snacks and drinks at the more expensive ones there.
I love your channel and have picked up so many great tips on saving money. Thanks again if I remember your from Idaho if so I’ll a great state. You rock again thank you and god bless you
This happened to my daughter’s social media as well. Facebook shut almost everything down for her. She could only see one or two people’s posts and then it was all advertisements and suggested content. She was so frustrated. She doesn’t spend that much time on social media but she uses it to stay in touch with family, friends and babysitting clients. It took months for Facebook to fix it, even though they claimed it wasn’t broken.
I don’t add things to my Amazon cart, I create wishlist for me and my kids and place things there. The stuff can sit in there for months or more, and I don’t have it cluttering up my cart. Added bonus when someone ask “What do you want?” I can just send them my wishlist. So it’s a win, win all the way around.
We very rarely have any leftovers because I usually make enough for us to eat at a meal. When I do we don’t call them leftovers we call them must gos, you know this must go that must go. I also invent many meals out of leftovers by cleaning out the fridge of foods that need to be used up.
Love adding stuff to my carts then leaving them for almost a month! 😂🤣 I haven’t been on Facebook for years. I use Ibotta for saving lots of money. It’s like having a spare savings account you can access during emergencies, and no taxes involved in letting the money sit there. Luckily I’ve never been a big clothing shopper. These ideas help, TFS!!
I gave up FB years ago. I only have RU-vid. And I’ve been contemplating getting rid of my iPhone and just getting a cheap flip phone in case of an emergency because all I do is look at this thing sometimes.
I don't have anything in my cupboards, I don't have a pantry,my refrigerator has a few condiments.I eat ramen noodles and I am 65 years old and I get 38 in Food stamps a month.
I thought this type of content was going to be on your other channel? But I agree with Digiorno 😝and not everyone has friends or wants them and are completely happy by themselves. That clip of mountain biking gave me anxiety😮
Not shopping hungry has saved me so much money! Now, if I get hungry on errand day before groceries, I'll stop for a cheap chicken soft taco and water from Taco Bell (same block) - what I don't spend on groceries more than covers the couple of dollars for the taco. Which just goes to show that I'm really bad about keeping snacks on hand!
💯 on pets. My senior dog just passed last month. She had various illnesses over last 2 years and I spent nearly $10,000 on her during those last 2 years (that did include food and grooming)! 😱 I’m taking a break from pet ownership for a while.
I own three cats, one dog, and one hamster. I 100% agree that if you do not have a pet do not get one unless you want a good chunk of your money going to them. I pay $700 + a month on pet insurance, Banfield wellness care, food, litter, bedding, etc. now I love all of my animals and they are worth every penny, but I definitely cannot deny that I could be saving and not struggling as hard as I am if I wasn’t having to spend money on them. I’m also a single mother, barely making enough to survive.
I was spending $40.00 plus on pizza several times a month. Now I buy 2 frozen pizzas, salad, and brownie mix. I now save $50 plus a month on changing that habit. I haven’t had anyone complain!
Not the cukes, but salads will freeze well and are great in soups! And as for pizza, DiGorna makes a decent gluten free so ya gotta do what ya gotta do.
I love that you put "old" movie clips 😂 And second, no pineapple on pizza! Though my husband would disagree..😏 THANK YOU FOR BEING YOU AND SHARING ALL THE AMAZING STUFF ❤
I'm not a big FB person, but our friend group was having a get together. Of course that were the info. I An AD came up for bras style the my daughter loves. We picked out the colors. Talk to hus-beast who dose the finances. The bras sat for 24 hours. Got the ok to get them. Then the addons started bust cup sold separately. 1st red flag. Second shipping and handling an fee. That made me look at real reviews. They suck!! Did not order them. My Mom need to some shopping. She is older and we don't let her go alone. So I found the bras in town for less than half. Mom has an EV with solar panels.
