When we were in lockdown in 🇬🇧 and everything was closed, I wanted to paint the shed but had no outdoors paint left, my neighbour needed compost soil for her plants… so one chat over the fences, we realised we were each other’s solution. I had soil… she had paint. No money spent and we both got what we needed 🎉🎉😂
Frugality doesn’t have to be all-or-nothing. I used to hang all of the laundry out to air-dry, until my family let me know that the bath towels and their blue jeans were coming out too scratchy and stiff. Instead of ditching the line-drying altogether, I now throw the towels and jeans in the dryer (with the timer on so it doesn’t run endlessly) and hang up the rest. Everybody is happy and we still save money and energy.
We used to take 1 week vacations when I was young. The way they were paid for was how my dad saved for them. Everyday when he came home from work, he emptied his pockets of all extra change into a jar. By vacation time, we had enough. They never had a cc and we certainly weren't rich. I'm now 74 and disabled so no vacations for me but I have his last jar of change he was working on before he passed away. Thank y'all for sharing the tips. Really enjoyed them. Tc and have a great weekend. 🙏✝️
Made soup for a church potluck and several ladies asked if they could put the Recipe in the church cookbook because they really loved it. Had to tell them sorry, it was "Refrigerator Soup", they did not understand. I cleaned out all the leftovers and made soup! Never the same twice.😊
Again and again, all of the frugal gurus stress that partners have to be on the same wave length when it comes to budgeting and planning. My ex sabataged my efforts for years. It so much easier now that i live alone. 😊❤
Completely get where you’re coming from. My husband has a very different mindset than me about saving money and it’s very difficult to get on the same page so my efforts have been limited to the basics of spending less at the grocery store or buying used clothing, etc., and that’s on my end, not his. Very, very important to have a partner who is on the same wavelength.
@@kelleyspears1218 It's a frustration to be sure. ( Luckily I kept our bank accounts separate.) It was a big reason in our parting ways. I'd be gardening and canning, clipping coupons etc. And sitting down at the first of month with him to show him how to pay off his outstanding bills. Only then he would secretly spend even more on unneeded big ticket items so his credit card balances would be even higher by month's end! It really was an emotional self-destructive behavior over which he seemed to have no control. And he'd lie to me to cover up. And would have his on line purchases delivered elsewhere so he could furtively pick them up and stow them away without my knowing. He was also a bad diabetic and hid stashes of junk food to gorge on while pretending he was following a healthy diet. It made me so sad to see how lost he was. But I told him.i couldn't save him from himself
Hi Larry and Hope! I like to buy gift cards at Dollar General when they go on sale for 15% off. Our favorite card is Lowe’s. We will buy a $100 gift card for $85. If I find an item 25% off and use my gift card it’s like saving 40%. Most years we use the card to pay for spring plants
I have the dollar general app and I look in the weekly ads for what cards are on sale. Lowe’s rarely puts them on sale but I pounce when they do. Other cards that regularly go on sale are Cracker Barrel, subway, zaxby’s, chipotle, bass pro, Cabela and some game cards. Not quite as often McDonald’s and Taco Bell.
Thanks for the inspiration. I love your channel. Although we don’t know each other, we’d be good friends if we did. I’ve been living frugally since 1979. That year I got married to a college student and we were determined to not only pay for school out of pocket, but remain debt free and grow a savings account. We did this on a US poverty level income by choosing alternative housing and transportation options. If one (or two) is willing to stay the course and not follow peer pressure, it can still be done today. We were able to retire early and we still live frugally. It is much more relaxing and fun to be in control of your own money.
I find hearing what others are doing to be frugal to be encouraging and let's me know that I'm not crazy! My city friends think I'm a little crazy about saving money (we all had good jobs when working but are retired now) and keeping a very well stocked pantry. I'm the only one who home cans, dehydrates, makes bone broth, etc. But I am also the only single one who had to stop working at 52 because of medical problems. The money I had saved and my IRA allowed me to live comfortably until I could receive Social Security.
Glad to hear that you followed the financial path that was right for you rather than allowing those friends to sway you to something that wasn't beneficial to your financial health. Good for you.
I love all the tips and especially the one about making your home a sanctuary that you love being in. Going out is not special if you do it too often. Finding contentment and peace in your life will help tremendously with your budget because you will not be chasing that with things! 💕💕🙏🙏
Thank you guys l love these videos ❤. I am really enjoying watching from England 🇬🇧. I turn 60 two weeks from today and l will be debt free! It's taken 5 long years and has been trying at times, to say the least. But I'm almost there and can't wait. I still have another 7 years to claim my retirement pension...but just being debt free and still working will be fun. Love you guys and thank you for all the time you spend making these wonderful videos ❤
No one has mentioned checking tire pressure on the vehicle(s) and making sure theybare up to preesure. This saves on fuel and often vehicle wear and tear.
For my wedding reception (Second for both of us), I asked people to bring a potluck dish IN LIEU OF A PRESENT. We are very casual people. We posted an open invitation on the church bulletin board. Other friends and family were mailed invitations about the size of thank you notes. People really outdid themselves, bringing extravagant food dishes! Everyone LOVED the reception. They loved being able to participate as well.
Also from Missouri! Shop loss leaders and markdowns only. Cook two large meals weekly and then alternate days serving them. Leftovers put in freezer for easy lunches, etc. Crockpot meals. Homemade pizza. Lots of homemade soups. Combine as many errands as possible during one trip. Water down laundry soap to stretch it for more loads. Build up pantry using sales/loss leaders.
On the soup.....I have a bucket in the freezer, and put anything in there that is left over (with the exception of fish). Any meat, pasta, rice, and any veggie that is left over from a meal that we would likely put in a soup. When the bucket is full, we make soup. We call it "freezer Bucket Soup". Some of the greatest tasting soup has come from those buckets.
A way I save on groceries is I purchase groceries to make 6 dinners a night, every sunday I pull out the leftovers and have a buffet style dinner. If i still have something leftover i freeze it. I do that over and over until I have 7 dinners in the freezer and then I have a free week. Doing leftovers once a week that is 52 frew dinners plus the free week here and there. It's about 2 months worth of dinners I save by not feeding leftovers to the dog or throwing it out.
Anytime we’re going in a car drive that’s an all day thing I make enough peanut butter sandwiches and chips in sandwich bags to eat on to avoid eating out while traveling. Take our own drinks. We try to make eating out a very special treat.
I bought a new dehydrator. I had to pull the trigger on it before farmers market season opens. I found out that my store cuts prices on produce when it gets too close to spoiling. I snatched up six packages of finely shredded cabbage at a buck a bag.. It's in the dehydrator now. 😁 More coffee chats please!
Ive been quietly following you for some time. I love your channel ❤. But only this morning I realized, that since Ive started following your advice and tips of the community, I have started using up my humongous food stash. I had 2 large freezers full of food and we are just 2 people, which is crazy. I have always considered myself careful with money and hate wasting anything, but I have to admit you have helped me crush that myth and become far more aware of my situation so 🎉THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!🎉 ❤
I'm that person who brings to-go containers to every potluck and work event. There is always extra food as well as treats I wouldn't normally buy. Less food waste and I save on meals. Win-win!
Hi everyone, I’m in Missouri and had worked so hard on my pantry I am 62 and felt I was really doing something special for my kids and their young families. Motivated a lot by this wonderful channel
We do this with a crockpot I got at goodwill for $3. We call it the traveling crockpot I save easy meals on Pinterest in a travel crockpot folder so we can have easy meals while traveling. It's been a game changer we do an overnight breakfast casserole in the crockpot the first night the. Clean it out and put on for dinner before we leave for our daily activities and come home to a beautiful meal after a long day. I even brought two crockpots once and had baked potatoes going in one to add to our supper. Super easy!
❤ A tip I got from my Mother in law gave me many moons ago is; the plastic bag that milk comes in, after it is emptied of milk wash the bag out and air dry it. It makes a nice sturdy plastic storage bag. There are 3 one litre bags, so your getting 3 free storage bags.
A tip you may not already know- (I just watched one of your saving money on utility bills videos) A hot water heater kicks on 4-6 times a day to keep the water in the tank at the temperature the tank is set at. If you are going to be gone and not needing hot water at the home for a length of time, like for a vacation, most tank water heaters have settings of low/medium/high/off/vacation. The vacation setting stops the water heater from heating the same water 4-6 times a day while no one is home & no one is calling upon it. When you return home, turn it up to your preferred setting & recognize it’ll take some time for the room temperature water now in the tank to heat up, my 40 gallon takes maybe 15-20 minutes. The longer you are away from home, the more you save!
What really strikes me here is how many of all our budgeting tips and tricks are household management and food related. How our modern “consumer lifestyle” isn’t budget friendly, and a lot of older “traditional values” especially in the home and kitchen are places people are saving money. Society seems to malign these things, but they have value.
Look for bargains in unexpected places. My neighbor has a "sharing table" in front of her house. Some people have started leaving food on it and I scored some packages of dried beans and some fresh oranges. Then I found out after talking to her that another neighbor actually has a free produce stand a couple of blocks away. I had seen it but didn't pay much attention to it. Bad decision. This is a group that collects produce from farms around the area to share with food banks and outreach programs. What they can't get rid of they put in front of the property for anyone to take. They do ask for donations if possible but not necessary. I got a ton of salad kits, really good potatoes, white as well as sweet, onions (really nice ones), more dried beans. What a blessing.
Like the readers' tips. Here's the one that has saved me the most money. I keep track of ALL my income and expenses in a spiral notebook using a pencil. I not only write down my salary. but I'll write down the penny I find on the sidewalk or the nickel I find in the Coin Star (still haven't figured out why people are willing to fork over 11% to count their own money when they can spend the change as they go along). I'll also track my expenses, large and small. It really came in handy when the water company's computer got hacked and I needed to prove I had paid the bills. The budget helps me keep track of itemized expenses when doing taxes. In addition, I do a zero-based budget to go along with the ledger to make sure I am -not- spending too much in any one category. It sounds tedious, but I write down entries using receipts at the end of every day.
One aspect that most frugal people have is thst they do as many diy things as possible be it in the kitchen, the yard, gsrage, vehicke, home decor, and repairs. These things take skills, tools, equipment, and knowledge; materials and supplies too. For ourselves, we try to continually learn, try, explore, and expand what we know. We slowly built our tool cabinet as we buikt our skilks. Weve addressed needs with considerable savings over the yesrs. We have met one heck of a LOT of wants bringing savings along the way but, only because we hafe diy'd have we been abke ti meet a number of our wants. To keep learning curve costs down, weve often begun learning on free materials and otjer's cast offs.
Love these ❤ thank you! Would like to hear more from the community 👍 For my family going to liquidation discount stores, factory outlets, picking items from the curb and doing food rescue (dumpster diving) have made a huge difference in our lives. Over the last year I tallied up the retail worth of all these savings and activities we do to add to about $15,000!! Unreal. We live in an abundant world 🙏💞
My in-laws call it "Hunos" because they hired a lady to cook for them while they were missionaries in Nepal. She tended to cook pretty freestyle, without the use of recipes or measurements. Once when they asked her what she was cooking, she shrugged and said "Who knows?"
I can understand not overspending and saving money. Many of your tips and experiences are valuable and I strive to be more financially stable. However, having experienced so many personal trajedies and deaths, I can see the other arguement that "you cant take money with you when you die". So, I do believe in not overspending and having a healthy savings but I also believe that you have one life to enjoy. If you can save some money and still enjoy some of lifes pleasures without guilt, I say go for it! Having money makes things easier but it is not the root to happiness, your relationships are priceless.
When my brother and I were small children and we were going somewhere in the car, my Dad would give 10 cents to whichever of us put our seatbelt on first. We always thought it was great fun, and buckling up became standard practice as we grew up.
Psychological truth is that intermittent Rewards will create a new behavior for instance sometimes somebody looks under their shoes that have been put where they are supposed to be put.and see a quarter... you can use the same principle when you are trying to instill the new habit of keeping lights shut off when not in use
I live in a tiny space, that has a full size washer and dryer I which is great if you like those in your livingroom, under the stairs in full view. LOL I don't have full size anything really due to the small space and that works for me. I do have a portable washer and I recently bought a portable dryer too. I threw that idea around a while before actually doing it. The dryer plugs right into a regular wall socket and doesn't affect my power bill. I only use it in the winter as there is a clothesline out back. I buy store brands as much as possible. I find that store brands even beat brand names with a coupon! I have a small food supply to carry me for about a couple months incase of being without power or stuck at home for whatever reason. It's mostly canned foods as well as dry goods that one only needs to add water to and I have options to cook without power. I use can organizers where the cans roll towards you and you just pick the oldest can off that and I keep track if I need to replenish those. I also use my toaster oven more often than my stove oven. Saves on the power. If I do use the regular oven it's because I'm cooking a few things at once; meat loaf, salmon loaf etc. I portion them up into meal size portions and freeze. Take out the night before I want it and put it in the fridge to defrost for the next day.
Oh!!!!! We got married on a dime! I found beautiful decor (believe it or not) at the dollar store .... Got a free venue. Had a potluck for food.... Got some decor at the holiday store (winter theme) on sale and then I got to keep them! My dress was a thrift that I had altered. The cake was from a store bakery like a Safeway... And it was beautiful ❤️💜 and I friend did the pics... We got married for 900 bucks and it was truly beautiful... We got married a vineyard for flip sake! Anyway I highly recommend marriage too! And it doesn't have to cost a lot
Hi, Hope & Larry! Thanks so much for including my submission about the amazing versatility of cabbage as a substitute for lettuce and as a staple green item in general (I also enjoyed your photos of your own food preparations that used cabbage.) A very recent savings practice I've also begun using is to stop shopping according to the weekly grocery store sales flyers. Occasionally they have a fantastic deal on something I normally purchase, but more commonly they prompt me to buy things I wouldn't have otherwise considered and could do without. Instead I have checked my local stores for items that have regular low prices so that they don't have to be on sale in order to be affordable. Then I start my shopping trips at Dollar General where they have a lot of items for only $1, then move to Dollar Tree for their $1.25 items, then move onto Smart & Final where they have great everyday prices and clearance sales. And I always take a very specific grocery list with me so that I'm not just browsing without a plan. Anyway, I'm a big fan, and thanks again!
This probably doesn’t apply to our American friends but now I use finely sliced fresh cabbage frozen peas frozen corn carrot onion and value mayonnaise with dried spices as a salad. This is vastly cheaper than bagged salads and more substantial than lettuce. On top of that nothing is wasted.This just one way I can keep my meals down to one or two pounds each despite soaring prices.
Contrary to most advice, I only use credit cards. I use two differentially to maximize cash back. I have a running record all together for review. Cash doesn't give cash back. Of course, this doesn't work if you can't resist buying with credit cards or can't pay it off fully every month. I never carry a balance.
I love these video's n I will learn a tip or two along the way. What has saved me the most money on energy is 2 things 1- learn when ur energy company "peak Hours " are n try not to use the oven, or dishwasher, or major appliance between those hours, 2- is unplug appliances ur not using at the time, such as lamps, microwaves, TV, routers, even washer n dryers. I use an air fryer for cooking 90% of my dinners so I have even unplugged my oven, last night was the first time I used my oven in over 3 months. I live in Georgia n since I unplug so much, my Electric bill was $26.60 last month. It can be done just takes determination.
Hi guys, just for the record my tip wasn't about diluting drinks - I can't take credit for that - but I think its a great idea, especially for sugary drinks!! I think my suggestion was about automated savings transfers
Camping for vacations. We always set a limit for holidays with our kids.. and stick to it. We focus on activities instead of gifts. We have home birthday parties with old school games...ect.... Or we use a city park.... We ve reused pickle juice too!!!!! So many things.... I do so much of what these other viewers do!!!
Our weekend nights are spent mostly at home. Front porch sitting (listening to you), having a bonfire with free/downed wood, or walking on the trails in the woods nearby. Soon, we'll have a garden to tend to, so no need to be out and about spending money in town.
I love cabbage it stays good for a long time. I used some for soup about 2 wks ago and then just cooked the rest today! I did have to cut off small spots I couldn't use but I thin cabbage is great!
Wow these are good! Every now & then I let myself run super low on food intentionally so that I'm almost forced to use up overlooked foods & start with a totally clean slate!
We use wood heat for the most part (and more with electricity prices). '22 was tight and we renewed our look abouts related to "use what you have" et al. In the end, we've been burning the little bits and pieces about the log splitter and else where this fall and winter. And its made enough difference to notice at the wood pile.
@@FrankGutowski-ls8jt We use a transfer station and garbage goes over a rail into a container. You are not suppose to grab other's trash, thingscare pretty visible, plus carting things out is a dead give away. Folks are generally pretty cold about putting things in other's vehicles but we do manage to have select things in the back of the truck from time to time.....Right now, we will be burning the last of a tree that fell and then 1 or 2 other's we had cut down about 2 years ago. We have a couple of scrap piles to cut up but, im thinking we will be scouting for additional wood this summer.
Yes more! My husband is a veteran and we get lots of free tickets from Vettix! Not quite free... they charge $7 to deliver the tickets to will call. Have become greatly acquainted with our Symphony and other concerts and museum events! Sometimes the tickets would have been close to $100! Our symphony gives a 45 minute lecture before each performance, which we love, to learn all about the composer, guest artists, and conductors. Makes the experience so rich and fascinating!
Yes, I enjoy these tips. I save these videos to have coffee with you both. I broke my Proximal Humerus bone. I'm not funny any more! (I pulled a "Larry") Now I'm the one with the broken arm. Thank you for all your videos! They give me comfort when I watch them.❤❤❤😊❤❤❤
Yes please, more videos like this. Because I scrimped and saved for years, we now have a nice nest egg. I still go to the thrift store and garage sales, but I will also allow myself to buy something new once in a while. I bough a beautiful dress on the 50% off rack at Cracker Barrel two days ago. I wouldn't have allowed myself to do so before.
Yes, definitely more coffee chats sharing viewers' tips. I really enjoyed this. I think you two gave just the right amount of commentary about the tips also. Thanks
One more. I use a kitchen trash bag for as long as possible. I just empty it in our big can and put it back in the kitchen can unless its stinky or messy. I'm amazed at how long one bag can last!
I buy dog food in big bags, which I use in my kitchen trash can. I use a little packing tape to close them, if it's the type of bag that won't stay crumpled closed.
I absolutely, absolutely love your channel. If you do anymore budget tips on the matter of weddings my coworker is doing a backyard wedding and making it pot luck style to save money.
I put my items in the cart and then transfer them to the "save for later" option. When I have money to spend, I review the items and move whatever I need back to the cart.
@@americafirst9144 I had a pair of sunglasses in my Amazon cart and was shocked to see the price has almost doubled in 2 weeks! I certainly won’t buy them now lol
I go to Food Banks, it off sets what I spend and enjoy at Farmers Markets. I've hit three different Farmer's Markets each Saturday in a row & going to another tomorrow. I am disabled & the walking is good for me. Great place to meet cordial people, maybe make a friend.
You asked whether viewers would like to see more of these videos. Yes, please! This was so informative and enjoyable. I live very frugally on a very limited income, but rarely feel deprived, and I feel bonded to our "club" when I get to find out how others live this way, too. I enjoyed so many of the contributions to this video and could especially relate to the last one from the person who had turned their home into a very affordable sanctuary with soft music and everything. I live fairly similarly and home is my favorite place to be!
Doing stretches and knee bends and gentle swings and planks in the sunshine. Going for short walks. Doing the daily practice by Crappy Childhood Fairy, twice a day. Doing more stretches when lying down. Reading the Bible, and praying, attending church community group, and watching sermons on line, just to keep my sanity. Learning about anatomy, physiology, natural medicine, home steading, farming, prepping, and mental health. All of these things keep me healthy financially, physically, mentally, and saves on counseling. Also I watch Perry Mason,. Diagnosis Murder, and NCIS for free.
@@FrankGutowski-ls8jt Not necessarily. That's something that's frequently done in different local areas. Just because YOU don't like it doesn't make it wrong.
I love your videos, it is like visiting with friends. Y’all are awesome. I absolutely love your bloopers. I have learned so much about money saving from you both, my favorite subject. ❤️
We had a wonderful DIY wedding for under $2,500 for 100 people. Our big splurge was an awesome full band. I made my invitations. I bought my dress used, made the centerpieces and bouquets. We had it outdoors at my great uncles property. They had an outdoor kitchen and two bathrooms nearby. My 1 daughter played the harp when I walked down the isle. It was a county wedding in the fall. I used white pumpkins with succulents. It was beautiful. Bought used green satin cloth tablecloths. A friend brought chairs and I had tables. My other daughter helped with the food. Bought wine and drinks at wholesale grocery outlet. We started at 4pm. So many commented it was the best wedding they ever been too! This was our menu charcuterie & cheeses with baguette & crackers olives & pickled vegetables crudités with ranch dressing x 4 & artichoke boursin dip balsamic grilled vegetables guacamole, salsa, & bean dip with corn tortilla chips & spicy carrots farmers market fruit with honey & nuts sun tea & kumquat-limeade 4 gal carrot cake cupcakes strawberry naked cake❤
If you aren't making soup you are not fighting inflation. I made 6qt of lentil soup with 1 lb lentils soaked 30 min. 5 potatoes cubed,1 onion, 2 handfuls baby carrots, 5 bay leaves and enough chicken bouillon for 6 qts. Add water and boil until desired doneness.
Our school has a share table that students can put unopened food on if they don't want to eat it. I found out the school had limited refrigeration and threw out food left on the share table. I asked if I could take it and was told I could. I've got bags of carrots, yogurt, cheese, and milk, and fruit cups. I keep a cooler under my desk to keep it chilled until I get the food home. If it doesn't require refrigeration I'll donate to a food bank.
