There's been a break in the hot & humid temps today and promised myself I'd get out and go for a walk. Walked to my grocery store to pick up some items and a bulk store for spices. 2.75 miles completed! And that's with 13lbs in a back-pack on the walk home - oh ya baby! Saved on gas, got some exercise, and picked up what I needed on sale. I call this a good day!
I don't drive.. having to drag groceries to the bus stop, on the bus, and then off the bus and back to my apartment reduces a LOT of the frivolous grocery shopping. No sodas here! Too heavy to carry!
Unpopular grocery hack. I no longer meal plan before shopping. Instead, I buy the things I know we always need like onions, potatoes, sauces,milk,and eggs and then I check for the best prices on meat, veggies, and fruit at my cheapest store. In my area the sales flyers are not always the best bang for your buck,, and the cheapest store does not send 9ne out anyway. Once I have everything then I make a meal plan. I also shop Once a month whenever possible because the less I am in a store the less I impulse buy! My grocery list is a list of staples, then a line that just says cheap lol
Agreed, I can't go to the store without spending at least $30 each time. I've been trying to just do the staples, and plan around clearance buys, or as you say cheap finds. 🙂 I've also been trying to go shopping in my pantry more, using what I already have on hand! I'm going to try to try the No Spend November, and see if I can still do the Thanksgiving meal without shopping that month, and I am making it a necessity to stay in budget from now until then. We may have an interesting Thanksgiving meal this year, but the cost savings should make it more palatable.
For a tight budget Christmas one year, my husband and I had my kids add to their Christmas lists a list of all their favorite things: favorite color, favorite fandom, favorite book, favorite candy, favorite snack food, favorite chips, favorite cereal, ect ect ect. My husband and I got each of the kids one or two of the things on their wish list, and the kids bought things for each other off of their "favorites" list. I thought it would be a bust since most of the favorite things were cheap (like $2.00 for a pack of soda), but my kids absolutely LOVED getting a bunch of their favorite things! My five year old was absolutely delighted by a box of his favorite cereal just for him!!! It was so much fun that it is now a family tradition. Gifts don't need to be over the top, life changing, sob inducing things. Sometimes just gifting someone a little something you know is their favorite is more meaningful.
Ao adorable! I love this! How often do kids end up not playing with their new toys anyway! We switched to experiences and and favorite candy bars a long time ago because I was tired of buying stuff that ends up sitting around
One year for Christmas, I gave my sons 2 coupons each for any goodie and they could eat the whole thing whenever/ however they wanted. My son sat there eating his brownies with a spoon right out of the middle of the pan and said “ This is the best Christmas gift ever! I wish you had done this before.” Makes me want to cry now just thinking about the memory. (He’s a Marine now so we don’t see him often.)
As someone who has been frugal for years it is difficult finding many tips that I don’t already do. One thing my husband and I refuse to give up is once a week dinner out with friends. We have stopped getting drinks of any kind and order only water ($3 for a sweet tea😳 ) Also I make a dessert and invite folks back to our home for coffee and pie.
My grandmother always ordered water with LOTS of lemon. She would then proceed to add a sweetener to the water, and squeeze all the lemon pieces, and add them to her glass. She basically made lemonade for "free". She also never bought salad dressing. She would use a sweetener, a squeeze of lemon and if she had it, a drizzle of olive oil. She also washed out her plastic zippered bags to reuse, and she would use wax paper to wrap up sandwiches (which she reused until it would completely fall apart). We always had a jar in our fridge - it was where all the leftover veggies would go, and Friday was always veggie soup day. A big pan of cornbread, and a bowl of veggie soup. Waste not want not! We also always had a garden. You would be amazed at what not having to buy tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers will save you! When I didn't live in the "smog capital of the world" we would hang out our clothes to dry. We had a huge clothesline in the backyard - 3 strings wide. That's where I learned that sheets go on the outside, to hide your "unmentionables". 🙂 In this day and age of the HOA, we have lost that sense of "cost savings" for aesthetics.
What is working for me is just not spending money unless I absolutely have to. No new clothes. No decorating the house. Simple food, very little meat, only what's on my list, use what's in the pantry. No eating out. I unscrewed all but one light bulb in all overhead lights and don't turn the lights on unless it's night. I'm mindful of all I do and grateful I am doing well in these times.
The library is one of my favorite money savings hacks.........most library items are accessible online & via apps now.......even magazines are downloadable with a library card, for free..........besides magazines, the library also has books, audiobooks, cookbooks, music cds, tv shows & movies.........most being accessible online, without needing to drive to the library to check them out.......another hack with the library is that they accept "requests", so if they don't have an item that you are looking for, you can place a request for it and the library will usually order it for you, (for free)........
Literally have always done all of these things... down to the mint mobile, credit card flipping, and side hustle. Still barely survive 🙄. But thank God we have everything we NEED.
@mw what is your take on mint mobile? I’d like to switch seeing it’s the same network as t-mobile but am also apprehensive about the quality and service. Thank you.
This is a small one but adds up go to your grocery store and ask the person working in dairy for a box of broken eggs we get about 150 eggs for $5.00. The box has probably 3-4 eggs cracked that I throw away and then maybe 2-3 missing eggs from the cartons but in total I usually end up with 150 good eggs for $5.00 and right now a dozen medium eggs are over $2.oo where I am.
@@dawncurtis583 The store I go to has them in the refrigerated section in back the entire time. Most get broken in transport. Also I don't think a store would sell them if they hadn't been refrigerated. I have seen them toss food if not kept properly.
Eggs are actually slow to go bad if kept in a cool area. I have chickens and farm eggs that have not been washed last for weeks even on the counter. But even grocery eggs that have had the protective coating that God put in the egg DNA removed lasted WEEKS I think it was two or more months in a half broken fridge we have set aside to hold produce and eggs that won't fit in our working fridge. When using questionable eggs break them one at a time into a cup or bowl, not the bowl or skillet you are prepping or cooking in. IF the yolk is already broken ,cloudy,watery or smells off. Toss that egg. Doesn't mean the whole batch is bad,sometimes it may have a tiny crack that let air in that stated the spoiling process. Bottom line if it looks and smells normal,you should be good,anything off,cook and feed it to a pet or take raw even rotten and bury in your garden or toss in compost. Either way it's not a loss.
One thing my wife and I decided during the whole COVID crisis if we decided to splurge and not eat a home-cooked meal was to order take-out and pick up the food. We do not have to pay for the tip eating at the restaurant, or delivery fee/tip and we have all the drinks at home. Also, we would plan our errands around the restaurant we were ordering takeout from and call the order while we running our errands.
It may be good for you to not tip, but not for restaurant staff, where the majority of their income relies on tip earnings. Order takeout, but consider tipping, even 10 percent helps keep a restaurant and its staff employed, versus giving nothing. 💜
@@micheleolson9914 I always tip the server that brings my order to the car! I live alone and am on a limited budget. One evening, the server who brought my order was very pregnant and tired, so I tipped her and gave her $20 for her baby gift (so she did not have to report it as a tip since it really wasn't!
As someone who works where there is dining and carry out, the person who packs up the meal doesn’t expect more than a few dollars and it’s not terrible to not to tip at all. There is nothing wrong with this.
Check the locally owned thrift stores run by volunteers. Oftentimes, the prices are more reasonable and they usually have bag sales when the seasons are about to change. Garage sales are another source. Even Facebook marketplace.
Best money saving thing I've done is stop buying paper towels/napkins. Instead I cut up old/stained bath towels, serge the edges and keep them in a bucket under my sink I stead of the paper towels and I make (or you could buy) napkins. When they get icky they turn into shop rags for my husband. If what I'm cleaning up is so yucky i dont want to keep my rag, I toss it out, which doesn't really happen that often. And a few rags in the was doesn't make me do any more laundry than my usual. If you don't sew you probably know someone who does. Totally worth it!
I have never been a fan of paper towels! People love them. I always have towels and rags to use. My husband still likes them. I'm working on it, he's changing his own mind.
Yeah, it takes me months to go through a roll of paper towels. I cut up old t-shirts for dusting and the occasional dirty job. I have dishcloths for the kitchen counter. Whenever I buy fast food I just take a few more napkins and keep a little stack in the kitchen. Some places give you WAY too many napkins, right? So I just hang on to them and use them at home.
My great niece is the only baby around the family and she gets so tired of opening presents. I give her 1 big gift now. Last years a small swing set. Next year a trampoline.
I have went back to making my clothes , and using the old ones as rags , or squares for quilts , or even to redo a dress to make a new one from it.Mothers can make clothes for kids as well. I use too, even without a sewing machine.We saved all buttons , zippers ,to use on the new clothes.Even use to make stuffed toys for the children , from old clothing, for Christmas gifts . We spent the whole day together making cookies, wrapping them for friends , neighbor and family.
If you want a real boost, audit your haul. One of my favorite things, when I get home, is to sit with my phone and look up each item. I shop the sales tickets, too, and earn bonus points (and have always shopped almost exclusively at thrift and Goodwill shops). My best haul? I stopped counting when it went over $800 in value and I spent less than $50. Yes. Really. I bought a 15-quart stockpot that retailed for $150 used on ebay for $4, a pair of brand-new shoes that sell for $180 for $5 and so on. It still simply amazes me that people have not figured out that the best deal out there is thrifting. I call it Goodwill hunting and now my daughter loves it too. We were in a thrift shop in Ann Arbor where a woman found not one but two pairs of Jimmy Choos (each valued in the $2,000-$3,000 range and they were not knockoffs). Cue stampede in the shoe aisle!
I love thrift shopping! I think probably at least 35% of my wardrobe and home goods came from thrift stores! People can't believe it when I tell them how much my outfit or lamps cost!
@@barbarathompson8559 I am not much at sewing but I did make some of my children's clothes when they were very young. Our house was the cookie baking house, so I invited the neighbors' children over twice a year - Christmas and Easter to make cookies. That was my gift to my neighbors as I was giving moms a few hours to have free time and free cookies, too.
Love Mint Mobile! I switched about a year ago from Sprint and Verizon (yes I had both!) after I paid the 4 family phones off. I kicked the kids off my plans and made them pay for their own service at $15. per month each. I switched the other two lines to Mint as well so my total bill is now $30. per month instead of $300+. HUGE savings!
I too switched to Mint Mobile a year ago. $180 for a YEAR of service 4 gig data, unlimited phone and text. Yes, your phone needs to be unlocked. Love the service
🤚🏻 I gave my son 3 chances with the clean laundry into the hamper. After the 3rd time, I stopped doing his laundry. He was in 7th grade and I never did another load of his laundry (well maybe 1 or 2) he was well prepared for college He’s 26 now and lives in another state
My mom did the same with me (I didn’t just put them directly in the hamper…I’d try clothes on, not like them, take them off, drop on floor and when told to clean up I’d gather them all and put in hamper🤷🏻♀️ I was a middle schooler). But now I’m 44 and it all worked out and was pretty well prepared for college and life in general.
One day my son asked why his soccer shirt was dirty (he had just turned 10 and his sister was 12 and had been doing her laundry since she was almost 11). I said he could wash it, and he said he did not know how. As a teacher, I saw this as a learning opportunity and told him he was so smart, I bet he could learn in just a few minutes (which he did). I never washed either child's clothes again other than a stray piece I might add to mine. My son even decided (in high school) he liked his shirts and khakis ironed and did a fantastic job. He got compliments from the girls on how well he dressed (which helped LOL).
We raise our own beef,pork,chicken,rabbit,venison, We have a large garden we freeze,can,dehydrate many items. We can all of our tomatoe products Our canned beans,corn,beets,carrots,taters,pumpkin,squash Jan's jellies Soups Pickles Saurkraut Peppers Chili beans Feista beans Pie fillings Apple sauce Apple butter Plus many more items
Teas are cheap to make. I grow or gather plants like mint, chamomile, lilac, spruce tips and linden flowers. I reuse fruit peels not used in baking like apple, pear, citrus etc. Sometimes I’ll dehydrate to store for winter, sometimes make a syrup or Chung. There’s still lots of flavour options without having to buy pop etc from the store.
Current dehydrating pear skins from a basket of pears I canned. They will be used in teas this fall. The pears were free and knowing this while I enjoy them this fall and winter will make them that much better. 😉
One way my family decided to save money in time for inflation/recession, we spent 5 minutes researching what carseats we could fit 3 across the back seat of my Honda Civic. Both of our cars are paid off and we didn't want to get a bigger, more expensive, worse gas mileage car and have a car payment (assuming we bought new or slightly used). So 5 minutes of research and about $300 on carseats and we are still debt free in regards to our cars.
@@alisien6227 Ours gets about that , we do mostly highway or interstate driving we get 44 miles.Our is a older one is yours?I'm asking because e would like to get a newer one.
My husband doesn’t like drinking plain water (I do) so he buys a large bottle of juice (ocean spray lite) and adds a little to his water. It’s delicious, better & cheaper than any flavor water or mix you can buy.
My garden is in full swing. I have about 50 pounds of tomatoes that are to be picked and another 60 getting there. Hot peppers, cucumbers and zucchini coming out of my ears! I share with friends too. But pretty much every meal I have I cut up a cucumber and tomato and add it in. It bulks up my meals and helps me eat what I have grown. My breakfast this morning was sliced cucumbers, tomato, jalapeño, bell pepper with tzatziki sauce. Lunch will probably be the same but with chicken added in. Thankfully my family is not opposed to left overs, so I bulk prep and cook and we eat like that for a dinner then lunch the next day. Helps save time and money
Last year I took a job at the same place my husband works. Car pooling at its best! I took it so that we could double our small house payment and get it paid off in 3 years. It is our only debt. The bank also called a few months ago to offer us a super deal on refinancing...78 month term at 2.29% with no closing costs. (Even gave us a free appraisal). I jumped on it!
I noticed it’s getting more difficult to find clearance items at the grocery store like I used to be able to. I don’t know much more of these increases people in this country can take with groceries, gas, electricity etc. Lots of people are already living paycheck to paycheck, and lots of those people who were not now are finding they are as well.
I make a budget per paycheck instead of per month using google sheets that way I can compare each month to better track our expenses. I also love clearance shopping, going to the discount bakery and looking at what’s on sale to make meals out of that.
Good tips. I'm in Australia and we're also starting to feel the shortages and price increases. My husband was out of work for a while and I took the opportunity to clear out some of our little used items and collections by selling on Ebay and other online platforms. Those sales bought our groceries from week to week. I'm also lucky to live within reasonable distance to a few free community food carts where people put their surplus home grown fruit and veg so that helps on occasion.
Son moved out and got mint mobile and loves it. Save money? turn off or unplug things, line dry, use economy mode or energy saver on everything, all the time, set a timer on the water heater.
Mr. Retired Sockmonkey has always loved watching you! It is nice you tell peeps about services and encourage them not to be embarrassed if they need help.
I took your advice from one of your recent vlogs. When we eat at our local diner, I no longer order Pepsi or Coke. We order water! I think the soft drinks are $2.50 each!
I’ve had mint mobile for over 2 years and it’s great ! In fact when the storm hit us in Texas in Feb 2021 and the power went out, almost no one had coverage on their phone except me. So a few neighbors borrowed my phone to call family members -
That was a fraction of the amount of clothes I usually have, but recently I've lost weight and I got rid of the bigger sizes and didn't replenish to the same volume. I always buy my clothes at Kohl's and there is an optimal time to buy when items are at their lowest, but I didn't go overboard as I have for years. Yay, progress. But I need my meat so I always wait for the sales.😊
When our kids were young and we got a tax refund we saved some of it back to buy a side of beef. Buying it that way makes meat way cheaper. Ours this year came out to 3.74/lb which includes roasts hamburger steaks etc! Make sure you have a deep freeze and then save for a side of beef or a whole hog.
You can buy reusable empty refillable filter K-cups fill them with canned coffee. As for tea if you buy a large box of tea , it doesn't cost much but you have to brew your tea , very good taste as well.
I got a Keurig My K Cup reusable filter a few months back. I’ve tried those little plastic filters that have been around a while and hated them, but this one lets you put in enough coffee so that it’s strong enough. Only problem now is finding a good ground coffee that’s not terrible expensive. I do intermittent fasting and drink it black in the mornings, so I unfortunately can’t cover bad coffee with cream and sugar.
I fill my own K Cup pods daily. Love my coffee, but hate the price and the impact those pods have on our environment. Haven’t been to a Coffee shop in years. I can make it better and much, much cheaper.
Love your channel. Mint mobile: YES YES YES! For years my husband was loyal to Verizon because his sister splurges on Verizon for her family and told everyone it was superior and the only one that would work in Northern Michigan. That loyalty cost us around $250 for many years. Five years ago, I finally convinced my husband to give T-Mobile a try for $70/month. After cutting those apron strings and trying T-Mobile, he found no difference in the quality of service and we stayed with T-Mobile, saving ALOT of money compared to Verizon. Then a few months ago, I heard about Mint mobile and asked him to give it a try at $15/month. Again, he reluctantly agreed and said a summer trip up north will tell us what we need to know. We went up north to his sister's daughters wedding, where she said Verizon is the only reliable service, and guess what? Mint mobile did JUST FINE. Not a single dropped connection for 300 miles, through highlands, lowlands and all points in between! That fact checking now allows us to save $235+ per month!
Don't be afraid to start growing your own veggies. We still have time to start a fall garden. Winter squash is easy, grow pumpkins for Halloween. Or start some greens, they mature fast. Just start practicing and you'll get better and better each year. Seeds are cheap. Grow in your front yard, much more efficient use of space than a lawn. Gardening is also a form of entertainment. Homemade baking is also a hobby that is cheaper than eating out.
That all requires space and resources that many do not have. Water and proper soil do cost money, and those vegetables coming out of a home garden can often cost up to ten times more than the grocery store. And I can assure you that - as someone who has a double major in that area - baking at home isn't cheaper unless you have the funds and access to bulk buying prices. $1.99 for a slice of pie as a treat is much less than the $20 plus cost of gas/electric to run a stove. It's probably cheaper than the Crisco needed to make the crust. You only perceive it as such because you're privileged enough to have most of the ingredients on hand.
Great ideas Joni - I’m growing mint in my front yard right now. A $5 plant and I haven’t bought tea in weeks! You can actually bake in your slow cooker which is pennies on the hour. The dollar tree has baking mixes. Baking brownies for my kids is cheaper than buying them each a $5 brownie. I don’t know why people have to be snarky.
Yes on mint mobile!! Reception is great most places. The people at the Verizon booths in the mall won’t even talk to you when they find out you have Mint Mobile 😂 They know they can’t beat the price.
I have Amazon prime because I can read books and watch movies and also listen to music without ads in the car with my kids I love it. I only have the basic prime.
Just to throw this out there, population centers (especially around college campuses) often have community centers with scheduled events. I went to a ton of social dances with live music and lessons included for $5-$10. And if you couldn't swing the money, you could volunteer to handle the desk for an hour of the event and get the other 2-3 hours for free. Look where college students go; there are often cost savings options because college students are perpetually broke.
To help get all of your shopping done in one trip, pack pre-chilled coolers in your vehicle. I put ice packs in them before I load them into my car. You can put whatever requires refrigeration in those coolers as you shop. That way you won't have to run home to put things in your fridge/freezer.
I switched my family of 5 to Mint mobile. We were able to keep our phones. Our bill went from $340 per month to $75. Customer service is absolutely amazing. I am 100% happy with the service
I have always based our meals on store flyers. It works well. My daughters have done their own laundry since they were 12. They don't blame me for shrinking anything! They are careful not to put clean clothes in their hampers. They also use a lower water level on washer.
My children did their laundry from age 10 and we hung our clothes outside during summer vacation. They did a great job! My son started a lawn mowing service at 11 and even had a commercial account. Both had after school and summer jobs starting at 16 and throughout college.
It's august and time to start planing for thanksgiving, halloween and christmas. If you haven't already done so. I start now to keep my eyes open for stocking stuffers. Cute items on sale, a pretty thing in the doller store? Can't find them when I need them. I stalk the reduced bookstores for pretty notebooks, pretty reprints of favourite books and coloring books. Sales for pens etc. Adults get "only" a chrismass-strocking each. (Children get presents from Santa obviously.) Mom has the strockings and you drop by and stuff your gift in each. Rules in my family for those are: 5 bucks is the limit. It has to be usefull, something eddible the other will enjoy or something that will be loved. It's fun unpacking a lot of gifts and we always have a good laugh.
We are a one car family, and we have been going to our local lake for family outings. We aren't going to icecream shops. Instead we are buying icecream at the store and doing an "icecream bar" at home. Little changes make a difference
If you or your spouse are a Veteran...there are food banks JUST for Veterans and families...hardly anyone shows up...I didnt want to take from someone more needy than us...but they said they have to throw out any produce and cold goods (meat) that is not taken on that day...tons of produce...We have a sizable garden, but extra produce is great for canning...or if pushing the limit feeds chickens and ducks...No one complains about our chickens and ducks because we offer eggs regularly...
My daughter, her daughter, my husband and I have joined forces on phone family plan. We each pay about $26 month . We deleted our TV companies and only use our internet (have to have for work). I now plan my 2 shopping days in a path that will circle back around to home. We will not be going to the movies again. We went about 4 weeks ago and it cost $30. My husband has rediscovered his love for renting. Yay for the library! We cook all meals at home. I freaked out when 3 of us went out for mexican food and it was $53 tip. over 1/2 my grocery budget. We have no credit cards and out of debt except for a little bit of mortgage left. I am still learning and you have given super ideas.
Great tips... inflation is really impacting EVERYONE, but there’s ways to help defend stay on budget and enjoy life. It just takes a little extra work on all our parts. Great video, thanks for the positive energy. 🙏🏼
@@FrugalFitMom I really appreciate all your tips. It's all great info. I know people are not going to like this and I am NOT advocating to lose, but the new world agenda is here and people either agree with it or they don't but even people that don't agree with it are seeing the effects from it, even if we don't like it. One of the biggest effects is: inflation AND yes, that is part of the Liberal World Order New World Order agenda. The elites are saying "you will own nothing and be happy." With the recent uncalled for and absurd raiding on Trump's home in Mar-A-Lago, yes, our country is becoming communist and Pelosi saying that China is one of the free est countries on Earth, y'all better wake up and see that our country is indeed becoming a banana republic, although we ain't going down without a fight back to the matter is that America is going down and will no longer be the strong empire it once was........ Therefore Live below your means! Even though you may not like it, you could even take the pay cut and go on welfare and while you're on welfare still live below your means and save up. If you are close to paying off your home, as in you only have 5 years or less- then continue to do that or maybe even consider selling your home and then buying a trailer. Yes, that'll mean you'll have to move and all that, but take some drastic steps so that you could get more in the long run. They have said "you will own nothing and be happy," So..... in America we are still very blessed because in other parts of the world, they don't even have a home to live in! They're renting a bed to sleep in for $1,000 a month! That's it, just a bed. They are only nothing and being happy. War is about to ensue and it is like nothing anyone, anywhere, has ever seen before. Yes it's nice too on a home and own a car and be debt free, but now, especially now, if you don't already have any of that, then just might as well get used to not wanting that because it's way less stress. Just get right with God, enjoy what you do actually have, instead of trying to get ahead and so whatever you can so that you can make money from it. Then use that money for instead of a self loathing vacation, go to a rich people conference/motivational speaking event, and then from there, you can network and meet people that can actually help you get into a new line of work/career, that will help you get rich. The IRS just hired 87,000 *new* IRS agents. Those new agents are not going to be taxing the people that are already rich; and yes the government has the manpower and the money to come after the middle class and the poor people, and yes, they would actually do that. It's easy for them. The best thing that anyone could do: is keep their faith in God and if they don't already have faith in God then get faith in God and never lose it!!!!!
Love these money saving tip videos! Times are definitely tough for this single parent so any cost saving tips are appreciated. Loving Mint mobile, switched from Sprint at $110/mo for 2 lines to Mint $30/mo for 2 lines ($15/ea line), saving $80/mo for same unlimited service. Service is actually better where I live since switching, no more dropped calls & in/out conversations. Best decision!🙌🏼
Does it have internet too? Or just call/text. We literally spend so much for me, my hubby and my oldest son to have phones with internet and onky my hubby actually needs his phone fir work mostly me and my son just watch an insane amount of TH-cam TH-cam tho 🤣🤣
@@shannoncarter6395its unlimited everything, talk/text/data meaning you can connect to the internet using the unlimited data. Or you can connect to a wifi & it's unlimited wifi calling & text. I also get 5g mobile hotspot that I connect my laptop to & work from home 9 hr days with no interruptions or issues like I used to have with other carriers. Of course it depends if you're in an area they cover so look it up online & check it out, the website will tell you. Also the price just raised to $30/line for unlimited. Still a great deal though.😊👍
Always check for the specials!! The other day I got Schneider’s bacon for $1.49 (Canadian) because it was close to the best before date! I was so excited and bought extra to freeze. And I will not stop buying meat😁 we will just look for the specials and hopefully start raising our own
The little town we live in often has there salads for half price, one of those bags feed three of us. With a potato and our three ounces of meat , not a bad meal.I often make tuna patties instead of the red meat.I am not giving up my meat either , but when i went into our local store the other day I saw that a ten pound roll of ground beef was costly 65 dollars so I waited until we to got to Walmart and price was a little over 30 dollars. So much better.
I have a question! If I buy meat by the date, I can freeze it? It won’t be bad still even if it was frozen? Or how long is meat good to freeze and still be good to eat? I’m super new and learning!
@@ColdPizzuh yes, just freeze it once you get it home or cook it right away to eat (or freeze once it's cooked). Just don't buy it and then let it sit in the fridge. Also, look at the meat. Walmart mark downs can be sketchy in my area (the color is way off) but my smaller grocery store often have mark downs that are still good.
@@ColdPizzuh when meat is frozen the nutritional value starts going down after 3 months, however, that being said meat can be used if not freezer burned. Learn to use your senses with defrosted or raw meats. With beef rinse it then smell it, blood can make something smell bad when it's not. Feel it, is it slimy, even rinsed, funky smell. Try not to leave raw meat in the fridge for more than 3-4 days. Portion meats before freezing. If you can flatten, easier to defrost. If you can defrost in the fridge. Never stop learning or asking. No question is stupid.
I bought 3 lbs of ground lamb for 2.99 a pound vs 12.99 lb on clearance. I love to make shepherd's pie in the fall/winter and I have lamb burger recipes as well.
I love my Venus razors, they work well for me, for years. I only drink tea in the morning, n then water the rest of the day. An an occasional Starbucks.
Another tip related to Amazon and similar services: monthly subscriptions of prime/VIP/extra on delivery of goods. I cancelled them all as when I calculated it my monthly payment for prime subscriptions on grocery apps were higher than how much I would spend just paying the delivery weekly. And I don’t order from Amazon enough to justify the Prime subscription. You will be surprised your monthly fees are higher than the money you spend when paying delivery.
My husband has never wanted to subscribe to Prime. So, when we need things, I put it in my cart until we have enough items to get free shopping. Not having Prime definitely helps with impulse shopping.
For the first 16 years of our marriage, we had one vehicle. If I needed to go somewhere, I took my hubby to work and did my running. As far as clothing goes, I don't have a huge amount of clothing, but I have enough. BUT I noticed you have the "correcting your grammar" shirts and bought 2, one for me and one for my daughter. I LOVE that shirt. :)
ok, I had to stop this because if anyone watching this is trying to save money by combining a trip to Crumbl cookie, they already have too much money. They are SO expensive. Okay, back to the video cause I love them, you're great!
My kids would put clean clothes in the dirty basket. So I gave each kid their own dirty laundry basket and we did their laundry together so they could learn what to do. From then on their laundry was their problem. They were 9 & 11. That stopped that problem.
I switched to Mint Mobile 3 months ago and have no plans to ever go back. I was paying $100/ month for only 1 phone on my account. I now pay $20/ month with Mint and have had no issues with coverage or with my data usage.
My biggest one is cooking from scratch. Opening a frozen meal isn't cooking in my book. I also can a lot. No $12 a quart bone broth here! I use the bones that would be thrown out, make it AND can it. I think more and more people will be doing things like grandma and great-grandma soon.
My husband and I both use Mint and we love it. I just renewed for $180 FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR!! With taxes, it came to $203.04. Again, FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR!!! Neither one of us have had any issues with it.
Samantha Hufford, what phone service did you have before Mint? I have Verizon and service sucks where I live now... just wondering what they compare too. Thanks
I use pure talk and live in florida. These non American brand providers use brand name providers towers. I have no issue with my service after few years in it
Sometimes I order Costco items online. They do cost me more for the items and I pay shipping (unless your order is items are over $75) I will do the math using my local grocery store/Walmart and the increased online Costco price and decide what is still the best deal, only order those things. A Costco trip for me means an hour drive (with the current gas prices), my time of a whole day trip, and then I over spend while I am there. Sometimes paying a little more online will save you money in the long run.
You can save money on shampoo and conditioner if you use baking soda and a vinegar rinse. I've been doing this for years. I do use conditioner some times, but I don't need shampoo at all. You'll be surprised at how much body your hair has when you stop using shampoo. This is how I discovered that my hair is curly not just frizzy, this and using vegetable glycerin instead is gel or mousse and a bit of hairspray.
You are so right! I do much more fish...only if on sale and chicken. Only if it is a good buy!and all that is here is coffee and water and cheap wine. I have one glass a weekend to relax me from worrying about money!
We do not have any streaming services or cable tv. I do pay for TH-cam Premium and I order most of my foods, etc and then go pick it up. I have actually learned so much from wonderful women like you. Thank you!
This is already how we have been living for years to stay debt free. We have been using Mint Mobile for two or three years and it works great! We use a travel credit card for sky mikes so that we can travel. I cut our family back on meat a long time ago, we had vegan chili last night (vegetarian with a little cheese for those who wanted the cheese. It’s great on it’s own or out it over baked potatoes or rice. We eat ground beef and chicken each week but I put them in one pot meals to stretch them out. I learned how to cook with lentils because I figured if Biden won he would wreck the economy… and here we are
My recommendation is to fix your own stuff! My plastic laundry basket is broken and I am repairing it today instead of buying a replacement! I am thinking about staying in my camper van at home instead of inside the house. Less to cool!
DP!!! Love it! 😍 Christine! Love the free activities tip. My husband and I have done family walks for years-great way to stay connected, hash out things, stay in shape. The kids too big for the stroller have bikes so they can be out ahead a little for private conversations between us. Love from Iowa!!!
If you are senior., look at purchasing park passes. I have 1 pass for the National Parks. I paid $80 for a 1 time fee. It's is good for a lifetime. I also have one for my local state park. I pay $40 for a year.
A couple of tips: If you are in suburbia water early and late. Never at the hottest parts of the day. If you do that, water you are paying for is evaporating. At dawn and dusk it is cool and it gets to soak in. Also, ditch cereal. It's super expensive and your kids are hungry 10 minutes later. "My kid won't eat regular oatmeal." Then give them PBJ sandwich--way better than cold cereal. Take advantage of those "Free--take" signs gardeners have with extra veggies. Free food is great.
Last one. Our local community college has a dental hygiene school that offers cleanings for like $25 and that includes X-rays & being checked by their supervising dentist. You can at least keep them clean & know if you need anything else done. Another tip: I used to be a dental assistant. Any time you need anything done to your teeth it’s one of those things you can’t put off! Dental work only gets worse and will cost double or triple if you wait! Save up because teeth are something you NEED!
All excellent tips! Also if you really want chicken and can't get a sale price then the best way to buy it is as a whole bird. By far the best value for your money and you can portion it yourself, or if you're nervous about that just roast the whole thing and pick off the cooked meat
Aldi's has good flavored sparkling water for about .70 per liter. I eat a lot of Greek salads. Feta is expensive, but a little goes a long way, so 1 block makes 4 or 5 meals.
When family members ask what gifts to get us and our kids for birthdays and holidays, I ask for things like an annual membership to the zoo or local museums, or gift cards for the movies or arcades. That way we always have something we can do for entertainment. We live about an hour drive from beach towns with boardwalks and amusement carnival rides. They always have half-priced ticket sales from Easter to Memorial Day, so I buy the tickets and put them in the kids Easter baskets. We are big on experience gifts and acts of service as gifts, rather than buying more “stuff”. Oh, and we bring our own lunches and snacks on trips to the museum and zoo.
Our current go to for eating out is the sams club cafe we can get 3 HUGE slices of pizza, a Hot Dog and three giant drinks for $10 Also we trade streaming log ins with friends lol
Speaking of your son Andrew, he's been teaching me how to solve a rubicks cube through his channel, which, btw, is a big money saving hack for entertainment. You spend alot less money on mobile games when you take your entertainment offline and my rubicks cube is my way of doing that. As a result, I no longer have the regret of looking in my online banking and saying to myself, "I could have bought a pizza with that money," when looking at my mobile game spending. Needless to say, my rubicks cube more than paid for itself and I'm so thankful you put a link to Andrew's channel in your videos. I reference his videos every time I get stuck and I'm having trouble solving the next part of my cube
Kind of a tandem suggestion for the "stop buying meat" idea: Use less meat! You can simply cut the amount in half and you probably won't notice all that much. Or add in additional sources of protein like eggs, cheese, nuts, beans. It'll stretch a meal for pennies.
I have a blood / cancer situation going on with me now and I need to keep my protein level up so the no meat idea is NOT an option for me...sorry... ..
We have clothes line outside for nice weather and both wood and metal drying racks for the not so nice weather days. Air drying clothes saves on you electric bill (not just the dryer, but the air conditioner is not on as much), makes your clothes last longer, smell fresher, plus it makes your towels more absorbent. And knowing it’s free makes me 💃🏻💃🏻💃🏻
Good information. We had a group of friends and we played cards and our kids played together because we could not afford to go anywhere. Each couple brought something and we cooked out or it would be a chip and dip night. Those were fun days. Canned goods at Outlet grocery. Hunts fire roasted tomatoes 14oz can .69 cents each. Wild Planet salmon 4 cans $7.99. and the list goes on. Discovered Ollie's Bargain Outlet. All over Texas now.
I almost never find markdown deals in the meat section anymore, not for most of 2022. There are always empty spaces in all the meat areas (beef, chicken, pork, etc...). Either they can't get it (which is unlikely because I live in an area surrounded by chicken houses, cow farms, and processing plants) or they are under-ordering meat on purpose so they don't have to mark it down when it hits the Sell By date (which makes financial sense from a business POV, but sucks for my wallet).
I don't know if this will help but.... One thing to consider is the "FFM bread technique", aka make it yourself, for other items. Kombucha can be made easily in one's kitchen. Same with sauerkraut, pickles, soups, ginger ale, bread (duh) and even wine. The base ingredients are much cheaper to purchase than the final product. Heck if you get good at it, you might be able to sell some! Oh and if possible, avoid prepackaged seasoning mixes like 'Taco Seasoning'. It's basically 5 -6 spices that you probably already have. Just get an old sealable jar and combine it yourself. I do this for my BBQ mix.
Mary’s Nest on YT has videos on how to make your own spice blends, extracts, breads, pickles, etc. Her channel is a great place to build your kitchen skills.
Also, just mix together older left over dry spices and herbs to use them up… make dry rubs, add flavours to stews, soups, etc, great way to use things up that may take awhile for us Togo through while they’re still fresh.
I went to Costco a few days ago, I live in Southern California and I was shocked that when I went to get the Kirkland brand of butter and it was literally was $14.50 for the four packs that was just $8.99!!!!! I refused to buy it! I’m on disability and I haven’t gotten a 40% increase in my monthly check!!!! Glad I don’t eat much. I’m by myself now that my son had the nerve to turn 30 last month! And my daughter turned 28 and is getting married in March! They left all their stuff and the pets though!!!!🤣🤣🤣 the only reason their stuff is here, is because I’ve been in my house 12 years!!!! Love your money saving tips!!!🌺🌺🌺
I work part time for a local theater in NC. If you want to see plays for FREE, think about volunteering AT the show.... ticket takers, ushers, selling concessions... usually payment for your time is your ticket to the show! :)
If you have a local museum or aquarium you enjoy you can get a year ticket usually for the cost of 2 or 3 visits-it helps them and you can visit all year round without worrying about the cost. Also our library has free tickets for places like that- there is a waiting list, but its something to look forward to.
There's been a break in the hot & humid temps today and promised myself I'd get out and go for a walk. Walked to my grocery store to pick up some items and a bulk store for spices. 2.75 miles completed! And that's with 13lbs in a back-pack on the walk home - oh ya baby! Saved on gas, got some exercise, and picked up what I needed on sale. I call this a good day!
I don't drive.. having to drag groceries to the bus stop, on the bus, and then off the bus and back to my apartment reduces a LOT of the frivolous grocery shopping. No sodas here! Too heavy to carry!
Great work!
Unpopular grocery hack. I no longer meal plan before shopping. Instead, I buy the things I know we always need like onions, potatoes, sauces,milk,and eggs and then I check for the best prices on meat, veggies, and fruit at my cheapest store. In my area the sales flyers are not always the best bang for your buck,, and the cheapest store does not send 9ne out anyway. Once I have everything then I make a meal plan. I also shop Once a month whenever possible because the less I am in a store the less I impulse buy!
My grocery list is a list of staples, then a line that just says cheap lol
Agreed, I can't go to the store without spending at least $30 each time. I've been trying to just do the staples, and plan around clearance buys, or as you say cheap finds. 🙂 I've also been trying to go shopping in my pantry more, using what I already have on hand! I'm going to try to try the No Spend November, and see if I can still do the Thanksgiving meal without shopping that month, and I am making it a necessity to stay in budget from now until then. We may have an interesting Thanksgiving meal this year, but the cost savings should make it more palatable.
This is a good tip, break the habit that saved me in the past. Sometimes it’s hard to realize you need to do things differently
I have started shopping this way too! I used to meal plan first but it definitely cost me more. Buying staples and sales keeps me in budget.
I like that!!!
This is almost exactly what I do. It works!
For a tight budget Christmas one year, my husband and I had my kids add to their Christmas lists a list of all their favorite things: favorite color, favorite fandom, favorite book, favorite candy, favorite snack food, favorite chips, favorite cereal, ect ect ect. My husband and I got each of the kids one or two of the things on their wish list, and the kids bought things for each other off of their "favorites" list. I thought it would be a bust since most of the favorite things were cheap (like $2.00 for a pack of soda), but my kids absolutely LOVED getting a bunch of their favorite things! My five year old was absolutely delighted by a box of his favorite cereal just for him!!! It was so much fun that it is now a family tradition. Gifts don't need to be over the top, life changing, sob inducing things. Sometimes just gifting someone a little something you know is their favorite is more meaningful.
Ao adorable! I love this! How often do kids end up not playing with their new toys anyway! We switched to experiences and and favorite candy bars a long time ago because I was tired of buying stuff that ends up sitting around
One year for Christmas, I gave my sons 2 coupons each for any goodie and they could eat the whole thing whenever/ however they wanted. My son sat there eating his brownies with a spoon right out of the middle of the pan and said “ This is the best Christmas gift ever! I wish you had done this before.”
Makes me want to cry now just thinking about the memory. (He’s a Marine now so we don’t see him often.)
@@cassidydavis4421 gifting experiences is a great idea too!
That’s so cute
As someone who has been frugal for years it is difficult finding many tips that I don’t already do. One thing my husband and I refuse to give up is once a week dinner out with friends. We have stopped getting drinks of any kind and order only water ($3 for a sweet tea😳 ) Also I make a dessert and invite folks back to our home for coffee and pie.
When friends are there you can always play a board games or cards Make up some popcorn , drink , you could all watch movies as well.
Could you go to lunch or brunch instead of dinner, or just meet up out for dessert and coffee?
I recommend tap water. Or filtered.
I bring our own takeout containers. Half the meal (except fries) goes in before eating so I don't get over full and it is lunch the next day.
My grandmother always ordered water with LOTS of lemon. She would then proceed to add a sweetener to the water, and squeeze all the lemon pieces, and add them to her glass. She basically made lemonade for "free". She also never bought salad dressing. She would use a sweetener, a squeeze of lemon and if she had it, a drizzle of olive oil. She also washed out her plastic zippered bags to reuse, and she would use wax paper to wrap up sandwiches (which she reused until it would completely fall apart). We always had a jar in our fridge - it was where all the leftover veggies would go, and Friday was always veggie soup day. A big pan of cornbread, and a bowl of veggie soup. Waste not want not! We also always had a garden. You would be amazed at what not having to buy tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers will save you! When I didn't live in the "smog capital of the world" we would hang out our clothes to dry. We had a huge clothesline in the backyard - 3 strings wide. That's where I learned that sheets go on the outside, to hide your "unmentionables". 🙂 In this day and age of the HOA, we have lost that sense of "cost savings" for aesthetics.
What is working for me is just not spending money unless I absolutely have to. No new clothes. No decorating the house. Simple food, very little meat, only what's on my list, use what's in the pantry. No eating out. I unscrewed all but one light bulb in all overhead lights and don't turn the lights on unless it's night. I'm mindful of all I do and grateful I am doing well in these times.
The library is one of my favorite money savings hacks.........most library items are accessible online & via apps now.......even magazines are downloadable with a library card, for free..........besides magazines, the library also has books, audiobooks, cookbooks, music cds, tv shows & movies.........most being accessible online, without needing to drive to the library to check them out.......another hack with the library is that they accept "requests", so if they don't have an item that you are looking for, you can place a request for it and the library will usually order it for you, (for free)........
Literally have always done all of these things... down to the mint mobile, credit card flipping, and side hustle. Still barely survive 🙄. But thank God we have everything we NEED.
Amen❤️
@mw what is your take on mint mobile? I’d like to switch seeing it’s the same network as t-mobile but am also apprehensive about the quality and service. Thank you.
@@jewelofwisdom8279 I have the same question as I need a reliable service as I have serious health issues.
This is a small one but adds up go to your grocery store and ask the person working in dairy for a box of broken eggs we get about 150 eggs for $5.00. The box has probably 3-4 eggs cracked that I throw away and then maybe 2-3 missing eggs from the cartons but in total I usually end up with 150 good eggs for $5.00 and right now a dozen medium eggs are over $2.oo where I am.
I never would have thought of this. I think I would be to paranoid wondering if they had been kept refrigerated properly to be able to use them.
@@dawncurtis583 The store I go to has them in the refrigerated section in back the entire time. Most get broken in transport. Also I don't think a store would sell them if they hadn't been refrigerated. I have seen them toss food if not kept properly.
Eggs are actually slow to go bad if kept in a cool area. I have chickens and farm eggs that have not been washed last for weeks even on the counter. But even grocery eggs that have had the protective coating that God put in the egg DNA removed lasted WEEKS I think it was two or more months in a half broken fridge we have set aside to hold produce and eggs that won't fit in our working fridge. When using questionable eggs break them one at a time into a cup or bowl, not the bowl or skillet you are prepping or cooking in. IF the yolk is already broken ,cloudy,watery or smells off. Toss that egg. Doesn't mean the whole batch is bad,sometimes it may have a tiny crack that let air in that stated the spoiling process. Bottom line if it looks and smells normal,you should be good,anything off,cook and feed it to a pet or take raw even rotten and bury in your garden or toss in compost. Either way it's not a loss.
One thing my wife and I decided during the whole COVID crisis if we decided to splurge and not eat a home-cooked meal was to order take-out and pick up the food. We do not have to pay for the tip eating at the restaurant, or delivery fee/tip and we have all the drinks at home. Also, we would plan our errands around the restaurant we were ordering takeout from and call the order while we running our errands.
It may be good for you to not tip, but not for restaurant staff, where the majority of their income relies on tip earnings. Order takeout, but consider tipping, even 10 percent helps keep a restaurant and its staff employed, versus giving nothing. 💜
@@micheleolson9914 Thank You ! I was just going to say that. The person who packs up my order is IMPORTANT !
@@micheleolson9914 I always tip the server that brings my order to the car! I live alone and am on a limited budget. One evening, the server who brought my order was very pregnant and tired, so I tipped her and gave her $20 for her baby gift (so she did not have to report it as a tip since it really wasn't!
As someone who works where there is dining and carry out, the person who packs up the meal doesn’t expect more than a few dollars and it’s not terrible to not to tip at all.
There is nothing wrong with this.
Great tips! My best advise is...please be grateful for what you do have. There are sadly others who would gladly switch places with you!!
❤️
Amen! That's why after retiring, I tutor for free, donated work clothes in great condition, and do volunteer work even though my income dropped 60%.
I just recently went to our local thrifty shopper and got my oldest kids wardrobe and the clothes are like new. 23 bucks for about 15 items!
That's awesome! I don't think I have anything like that near me, even the goodwill is like $4-6 a shirt and $6-10 for pants.
That's awesome!!
Check the locally owned thrift stores run by volunteers. Oftentimes, the prices are more reasonable and they usually have bag sales when the seasons are about to change. Garage sales are another source. Even Facebook marketplace.
Goodwill has sales on Monday. Shop the colors.
@@chrissyb6817 the only thing cheap at goodwill are the comforters. othrwise check out salvation army.
Best money saving thing I've done is stop buying paper towels/napkins. Instead I cut up old/stained bath towels, serge the edges and keep them in a bucket under my sink I stead of the paper towels and I make (or you could buy) napkins. When they get icky they turn into shop rags for my husband. If what I'm cleaning up is so yucky i dont want to keep my rag, I toss it out, which doesn't really happen that often. And a few rags in the was doesn't make me do any more laundry than my usual. If you don't sew you probably know someone who does. Totally worth it!
Hi 👋 Dana how are you doing?
I have never been a fan of paper towels! People love them. I always have towels and rags to use.
My husband still likes them. I'm working on it, he's changing his own mind.
Yeah, it takes me months to go through a roll of paper towels. I cut up old t-shirts for dusting and the occasional dirty job. I have dishcloths for the kitchen counter. Whenever I buy fast food I just take a few more napkins and keep a little stack in the kitchen. Some places give you WAY too many napkins, right? So I just hang on to them and use them at home.
I should adopt this idea. I probably spend $100/year on paper towels.
@@vloggerfan496 you can also use cheap washcloths as a no sew option ... again they last forever
My great niece is the only baby around the family and she gets so tired of opening presents. I give her 1 big gift now. Last years a small swing set. Next year a trampoline.
I only shopped clothes in thrift shops the last year. Saved a ton and it’s become a great hobby to go look for a awesome deal.
I have went back to making my clothes , and using the old ones as rags , or squares for quilts , or even to redo a dress to make a new one from it.Mothers can make clothes for kids as well. I use too, even without a sewing machine.We saved all buttons , zippers ,to use on the new clothes.Even use to make stuffed toys for the children , from old clothing, for Christmas gifts . We spent the whole day together making cookies, wrapping them for friends , neighbor and family.
If you want a real boost, audit your haul. One of my favorite things, when I get home, is to sit with my phone and look up each item. I shop the sales tickets, too, and earn bonus points (and have always shopped almost exclusively at thrift and Goodwill shops). My best haul? I stopped counting when it went over $800 in value and I spent less than $50. Yes. Really. I bought a 15-quart stockpot that retailed for $150 used on ebay for $4, a pair of brand-new shoes that sell for $180 for $5 and so on. It still simply amazes me that people have not figured out that the best deal out there is thrifting. I call it Goodwill hunting and now my daughter loves it too. We were in a thrift shop in Ann Arbor where a woman found not one but two pairs of Jimmy Choos (each valued in the $2,000-$3,000 range and they were not knockoffs). Cue stampede in the shoe aisle!
I love thrift shopping! I think probably at least 35% of my wardrobe and home goods came from thrift stores! People can't believe it when I tell them how much my outfit or lamps cost!
@@barbarathompson8559 I am not much at sewing but I did make some of my children's clothes when they were very young. Our house was the cookie baking house, so I invited the neighbors' children over twice a year - Christmas and Easter to make cookies. That was my gift to my neighbors as I was giving moms a few hours to have free time and free cookies, too.
Love Mint Mobile! I switched about a year ago from Sprint and Verizon (yes I had both!) after I paid the 4 family phones off. I kicked the kids off my plans and made them pay for their own service at $15. per month each. I switched the other two lines to Mint as well so my total bill is now $30. per month instead of $300+. HUGE savings!
I too switched to Mint Mobile a year ago. $180 for a YEAR of service 4 gig data, unlimited phone and text. Yes, your phone needs to be unlocked. Love the service
@@ma8643 can you use iPhone
What part of the country?
@@lsnider59 Yesssss, you can.
@@cllynch3653 I'm in the Pacific Northwest.
🤚🏻 I gave my son 3 chances with the clean laundry into the hamper. After the 3rd time, I stopped doing his laundry. He was in 7th grade and I never did another load of his laundry (well maybe 1 or 2) he was well prepared for college He’s 26 now and lives in another state
My mom did the same with me (I didn’t just put them directly in the hamper…I’d try clothes on, not like them, take them off, drop on floor and when told to clean up I’d gather them all and put in hamper🤷🏻♀️ I was a middle schooler). But now I’m 44 and it all worked out and was pretty well prepared for college and life in general.
One day my son asked why his soccer shirt was dirty (he had just turned 10 and his sister was 12 and had been doing her laundry since she was almost 11). I said he could wash it, and he said he did not know how. As a teacher, I saw this as a learning opportunity and told him he was so smart, I bet he could learn in just a few minutes (which he did). I never washed either child's clothes again other than a stray piece I might add to mine. My son even decided (in high school) he liked his shirts and khakis ironed and did a fantastic job. He got compliments from the girls on how well he dressed (which helped LOL).
Raising my hand way in the air 🙋🏼♀ about the kids and laundry. Some times its still folded in the basket under the dirty stuff!
We raise our own beef,pork,chicken,rabbit,venison,
We have a large garden we freeze,can,dehydrate many items.
We can all of our tomatoe products
Our canned beans,corn,beets,carrots,taters,pumpkin,squash
Jan's jellies
Soups
Pickles
Saurkraut
Peppers
Chili beans
Feista beans
Pie fillings
Apple sauce
Apple butter
Plus many more items
Teas are cheap to make. I grow or gather plants like mint, chamomile, lilac, spruce tips and linden flowers. I reuse fruit peels not used in baking like apple, pear, citrus etc. Sometimes I’ll dehydrate to store for winter, sometimes make a syrup or Chung. There’s still lots of flavour options without having to buy pop etc from the store.
Current dehydrating pear skins from a basket of pears I canned. They will be used in teas this fall. The pears were free and knowing this while I enjoy them this fall and winter will make them that much better. 😉
You can make jelly from those fruit peels also
One way my family decided to save money in time for inflation/recession, we spent 5 minutes researching what carseats we could fit 3 across the back seat of my Honda Civic. Both of our cars are paid off and we didn't want to get a bigger, more expensive, worse gas mileage car and have a car payment (assuming we bought new or slightly used). So 5 minutes of research and about $300 on carseats and we are still debt free in regards to our cars.
Brilliant!
How many miles a gallon do you get with your Honda Civic?
@@barbarathompson8559 about 32 mpg in the city
@@alisien6227 Ours gets about that , we do mostly highway or interstate driving we get 44 miles.Our is a older one is yours?I'm asking because e would like to get a newer one.
@@barbarathompson8559 ours is a 2016
My husband doesn’t like drinking plain water (I do) so he buys a large bottle of juice (ocean spray lite) and adds a little to his water. It’s delicious, better & cheaper than any flavor water or mix you can buy.
I like to add a squirt of lime or lemon juice. Once I had some sno-cone syrup I wanted to get rid of, so I'd squirt a little of that in the water.
I’m going to try this. Thanks for the idea.
@@vloggerfan496 I hope you really like it. (I bet you do)
Great tip!
FYI: Ocean Spray Lite is a fruit drink, not a fruit juice. They do sell some pure juice blends, but not many and they cost more.
My garden is in full swing. I have about 50 pounds of tomatoes that are to be picked and another 60 getting there. Hot peppers, cucumbers and zucchini coming out of my ears! I share with friends too. But pretty much every meal I have I cut up a cucumber and tomato and add it in. It bulks up my meals and helps me eat what I have grown. My breakfast this morning was sliced cucumbers, tomato, jalapeño, bell pepper with tzatziki sauce. Lunch will probably be the same but with chicken added in.
Thankfully my family is not opposed to left overs, so I bulk prep and cook and we eat like that for a dinner then lunch the next day. Helps save time and money
Tzatziki! YUM!
I'm jealous! I started out with a lovely garden and a deer ate it. ALL. We got her on camera and she left tomato seeds on my porch steps. 😆🦌🍅
@@amywright2243 next time try chicken wire or tulle fabric. I had that prob w squirrels.
@@amywright2243 I'm very lucky that there are no deer in my area.
That deer might just make its way into my freezer if he kept eating my stuff haha
I am envious of your talent! I will try again.
Last year I took a job at the same place my husband works. Car pooling at its best! I took it so that we could double our small house payment and get it paid off in 3 years. It is our only debt. The bank also called a few months ago to offer us a super deal on refinancing...78 month term at 2.29% with no closing costs. (Even gave us a free appraisal). I jumped on it!
I want to add too, check your library because mine has a ton of movies, all the new movies, TV series, cds, all for free to borrow.
I noticed it’s getting more difficult to find clearance items at the grocery store like I used to be able to. I don’t know much more of these increases people in this country can take with groceries, gas, electricity etc. Lots of people are already living paycheck to paycheck, and lots of those people who were not now are finding they are as well.
Buddy, you ain’t kidding. They usually only have the clearance bakery rack with the expired (stale) sweets.
I make a budget per paycheck instead of per month using google sheets that way I can compare each month to better track our expenses. I also love clearance shopping, going to the discount bakery and looking at what’s on sale to make meals out of that.
Good tips. I'm in Australia and we're also starting to feel the shortages and price increases.
My husband was out of work for a while and I took the opportunity to clear out some of our little used items and collections by selling on Ebay and other online platforms. Those sales bought our groceries from week to week.
I'm also lucky to live within reasonable distance to a few free community food carts where people put their surplus home grown fruit and veg so that helps on occasion.
Son moved out and got mint mobile and loves it. Save money? turn off or unplug things, line dry, use economy mode or energy saver on everything, all the time, set a timer on the water heater.
Mr. Retired Sockmonkey has always loved watching you!
It is nice you tell peeps about services and encourage them not to be embarrassed if they need help.
I took your advice from one of your recent vlogs. When we eat at our local diner, I no longer order Pepsi or Coke. We order water! I think the soft drinks are $2.50 each!
$2.99 average where I am at. Ridiculous!
I’ve had mint mobile for over 2 years and it’s great ! In fact when the storm hit us in Texas in Feb 2021 and the power went out, almost no one had coverage on their phone except me. So a few neighbors borrowed my phone to call family members -
That was a fraction of the amount of clothes I usually have, but recently I've lost weight and I got rid of the bigger sizes and didn't replenish to the same volume. I always buy my clothes at Kohl's and there is an optimal time to buy when items are at their lowest, but I didn't go overboard as I have for years. Yay, progress. But I need my meat so I always wait for the sales.😊
When our kids were young and we got a tax refund we saved some of it back to buy a side of beef. Buying it that way makes meat way cheaper. Ours this year came out to 3.74/lb which includes roasts hamburger steaks etc! Make sure you have a deep freeze and then save for a side of beef or a whole hog.
You can buy reusable empty refillable filter K-cups fill them with canned coffee. As for tea if you buy a large box of tea , it doesn't cost much but you have to brew your tea , very good taste as well.
I got a Keurig My K Cup reusable filter a few months back. I’ve tried those little plastic filters that have been around a while and hated them, but this one lets you put in enough coffee so that it’s strong enough. Only problem now is finding a good ground coffee that’s not terrible expensive. I do intermittent fasting and drink it black in the mornings, so I unfortunately can’t cover bad coffee with cream and sugar.
I fill my own K Cup pods daily. Love my coffee, but hate the price and the impact those pods have on our environment. Haven’t been to a Coffee shop in years. I can make it better and much, much cheaper.
@@whiteshadowfare I do the same thing! Coffee shops are terribly high! I only buy coffee when I am on a very early flight and waiting in the airport.
Love your channel. Mint mobile: YES YES YES! For years my husband was loyal to Verizon because his sister splurges on Verizon for her family and told everyone it was superior and the only one that would work in Northern Michigan. That loyalty cost us around $250 for many years. Five years ago, I finally convinced my husband to give T-Mobile a try for $70/month. After cutting those apron strings and trying T-Mobile, he found no difference in the quality of service and we stayed with T-Mobile, saving ALOT of money compared to Verizon. Then a few months ago, I heard about Mint mobile and asked him to give it a try at $15/month. Again, he reluctantly agreed and said a summer trip up north will tell us what we need to know. We went up north to his sister's daughters wedding, where she said Verizon is the only reliable service, and guess what? Mint mobile did JUST FINE. Not a single dropped connection for 300 miles, through highlands, lowlands and all points in between! That fact checking now allows us to save $235+ per month!
Don't be afraid to start growing your own veggies. We still have time to start a fall garden. Winter squash is easy, grow pumpkins for Halloween. Or start some greens, they mature fast. Just start practicing and you'll get better and better each year. Seeds are cheap. Grow in your front yard, much more efficient use of space than a lawn. Gardening is also a form of entertainment. Homemade baking is also a hobby that is cheaper than eating out.
I have an Acorn squash plant growing in my front flower bed, I did not plant it but we will get free squash from it.
That all requires space and resources that many do not have. Water and proper soil do cost money, and those vegetables coming out of a home garden can often cost up to ten times more than the grocery store. And I can assure you that - as someone who has a double major in that area - baking at home isn't cheaper unless you have the funds and access to bulk buying prices. $1.99 for a slice of pie as a treat is much less than the $20 plus cost of gas/electric to run a stove. It's probably cheaper than the Crisco needed to make the crust. You only perceive it as such because you're privileged enough to have most of the ingredients on hand.
@@pansprayers when I lived in an apartment I grew bell peppers and cherry tomatoes in pots outside. Container gardening is cheap and works for anyone
Great ideas Joni -
I’m growing mint in my front yard right now. A $5 plant and I haven’t bought tea in weeks!
You can actually bake in your slow cooker which is pennies on the hour. The dollar tree has baking mixes. Baking brownies for my kids is cheaper than buying them each a $5 brownie. I don’t know why people have to be snarky.
Too late for pumpkins this year, they need 90-120 days after germination, which can be 1-2 weeks. But YES definitely to Fall crops!
Yes on mint mobile!! Reception is great most places. The people at the Verizon booths in the mall won’t even talk to you when they find out you have Mint Mobile 😂 They know they can’t beat the price.
I have Amazon prime because I can read books and watch movies and also listen to music without ads in the car with my kids I love it. I only have the basic prime.
Just to throw this out there, population centers (especially around college campuses) often have community centers with scheduled events. I went to a ton of social dances with live music and lessons included for $5-$10. And if you couldn't swing the money, you could volunteer to handle the desk for an hour of the event and get the other 2-3 hours for free. Look where college students go; there are often cost savings options because college students are perpetually broke.
To help get all of your shopping done in one trip, pack pre-chilled coolers in your vehicle. I put ice packs in them before I load them into my car. You can put whatever requires refrigeration in those coolers as you shop. That way you won't have to run home to put things in your fridge/freezer.
I switched my family of 5 to Mint mobile. We were able to keep our phones. Our bill went from $340 per month to $75. Customer service is absolutely amazing. I am 100% happy with the service
I have always based our meals on store flyers. It works well. My daughters have done their own laundry since they were 12. They don't blame me for shrinking anything! They are careful not to put clean clothes in their hampers. They also use a lower water level on washer.
My children did their laundry from age 10 and we hung our clothes outside during summer vacation. They did a great job! My son started a lawn mowing service at 11 and even had a commercial account. Both had after school and summer jobs starting at 16 and throughout college.
It's august and time to start planing for thanksgiving, halloween and christmas. If you haven't already done so. I start now to keep my eyes open for stocking stuffers. Cute items on sale, a pretty thing in the doller store? Can't find them when I need them. I stalk the reduced bookstores for pretty notebooks, pretty reprints of favourite books and coloring books. Sales for pens etc. Adults get "only" a chrismass-strocking each. (Children get presents from Santa obviously.) Mom has the strockings and you drop by and stuff your gift in each. Rules in my family for those are: 5 bucks is the limit. It has to be usefull, something eddible the other will enjoy or something that will be loved. It's fun unpacking a lot of gifts and we always have a good laugh.
I've had Mint Mobile for 2 years now and I love it! Never had issues with service and it's by far the cheapest plan for my needs
We are a one car family, and we have been going to our local lake for family outings. We aren't going to icecream shops. Instead we are buying icecream at the store and doing an "icecream bar" at home. Little changes make a difference
If you or your spouse are a Veteran...there are food banks JUST for Veterans and families...hardly anyone shows up...I didnt want to take from someone more needy than us...but they said they have to throw out any produce and cold goods (meat) that is not taken on that day...tons of produce...We have a sizable garden, but extra produce is great for canning...or if pushing the limit feeds chickens and ducks...No one complains about our chickens and ducks because we offer eggs regularly...
Love mint mobile. Personally I don’t live in a big city. I still have good service. No complaints about it at all
My daughter, her daughter, my husband and I have joined forces on phone family plan. We each pay about $26 month . We deleted our TV companies and only use our internet (have to have for work). I now plan my 2 shopping days in a path that will circle back around to home. We will not be going to the movies again. We went about 4 weeks ago and it cost $30. My husband has rediscovered his love for renting. Yay for the library! We cook all meals at home. I freaked out when 3 of us went out for mexican food and it was $53 tip. over 1/2 my grocery budget. We have no credit cards and out of debt except for a little bit of mortgage left. I am still learning and you have given super ideas.
Great tips... inflation is really impacting EVERYONE, but there’s ways to help defend stay on budget and enjoy life. It just takes a little extra work on all our parts. Great video, thanks for the positive energy. 🙏🏼
Thank you!
@@FrugalFitMom
I really appreciate all your tips. It's all great info.
I know people are not going to like this and I am NOT advocating to lose, but the new world agenda is here and people either agree with it or they don't but even people that don't agree with it are seeing the effects from it, even if we don't like it. One of the biggest effects is: inflation AND yes, that is part of the Liberal World Order New World Order agenda.
The elites are saying "you will own nothing and be happy."
With the recent uncalled for and absurd raiding on Trump's home in Mar-A-Lago, yes, our country is becoming communist and Pelosi saying that China is one of the free est countries on Earth, y'all better wake up and see that our country is indeed becoming a banana republic, although we ain't going down without a fight back to the matter is that America is going down and will no longer be the strong empire it once was........
Therefore
Live below your means!
Even though you may not like it, you could even take the pay cut and go on welfare and while you're on welfare still live below your means and save up.
If you are close to paying off your home, as in you only have 5 years or less- then continue to do that or maybe even consider selling your home and then buying a trailer. Yes, that'll mean you'll have to move and all that, but take some drastic steps so that you could get more in the long run.
They have said "you will own nothing and be happy,"
So..... in America we are still very blessed because in other parts of the world, they don't even have a home to live in! They're renting a bed to sleep in for $1,000 a month!
That's it, just a bed. They are only nothing and being happy.
War is about to ensue and it is like nothing anyone, anywhere, has ever seen before.
Yes it's nice too on a home and own a car and be debt free, but now, especially now, if you don't already have any of that, then just might as well get used to not wanting that because it's way less stress.
Just get right with God, enjoy what you do actually have, instead of trying to get ahead and so whatever you can so that you can make money from it.
Then use that money for instead of a self loathing vacation, go to a rich people conference/motivational speaking event, and then from there, you can network and meet people that can actually help you get into a new line of work/career, that will help you get rich.
The IRS just hired 87,000 *new* IRS agents.
Those new agents are not going to be taxing the people that are already rich; and yes the government has the manpower and the money to come after the middle class and the poor people, and yes, they would actually do that.
It's easy for them.
The best thing that anyone could do: is keep their faith in God and if they don't already have faith in God then get faith in God and never lose it!!!!!
Love these money saving tip videos! Times are definitely tough for this single parent so any cost saving tips are appreciated. Loving Mint mobile, switched from Sprint at $110/mo for 2 lines to Mint $30/mo for 2 lines ($15/ea line), saving $80/mo for same unlimited service. Service is actually better where I live since switching, no more dropped calls & in/out conversations. Best decision!🙌🏼
Does it have internet too? Or just call/text. We literally spend so much for me, my hubby and my oldest son to have phones with internet and onky my hubby actually needs his phone fir work mostly me and my son just watch an insane amount of TH-cam TH-cam tho 🤣🤣
@@shannoncarter6395its unlimited everything, talk/text/data meaning you can connect to the internet using the unlimited data. Or you can connect to a wifi & it's unlimited wifi calling & text. I also get 5g mobile hotspot that I connect my laptop to & work from home 9 hr days with no interruptions or issues like I used to have with other carriers. Of course it depends if you're in an area they cover so look it up online & check it out, the website will tell you. Also the price just raised to $30/line for unlimited. Still a great deal though.😊👍
Wow! I’m checking out mint! I have me, my husband, my mom, and 4 of my 5 kids all on my bill. It’s with AT&T & it’s ridiculous.
Always check for the specials!! The other day I got Schneider’s bacon for $1.49 (Canadian) because it was close to the best before date! I was so excited and bought extra to freeze. And I will not stop buying meat😁 we will just look for the specials and hopefully start raising our own
The little town we live in often has there salads for half price, one of those bags feed three of us. With a potato and our three ounces of meat , not a bad meal.I often make tuna patties instead of the red meat.I am not giving up my meat either , but when i went into our local store the other day I saw that a ten pound roll of ground beef was costly 65 dollars so I waited until we to got to Walmart and price was a little over 30 dollars. So much better.
I have a question! If I buy meat by the date, I can freeze it? It won’t be bad still even if it was frozen? Or how long is meat good to freeze and still be good to eat? I’m super new and learning!
@@ColdPizzuh yes, just freeze it once you get it home or cook it right away to eat (or freeze once it's cooked). Just don't buy it and then let it sit in the fridge. Also, look at the meat. Walmart mark downs can be sketchy in my area (the color is way off) but my smaller grocery store often have mark downs that are still good.
@@CantankerousDave I feel your pain😄
@@ColdPizzuh when meat is frozen the nutritional value starts going down after 3 months, however, that being said meat can be used if not freezer burned. Learn to use your senses with defrosted or raw meats. With beef rinse it then smell it, blood can make something smell bad when it's not. Feel it, is it slimy, even rinsed, funky smell. Try not to leave raw meat in the fridge for more than 3-4 days. Portion meats before freezing. If you can flatten, easier to defrost. If you can defrost in the fridge. Never stop learning or asking. No question is stupid.
I sold items on eBay as a side hustle. Fun, and it paid for Christmas gifts.
I bought 3 lbs of ground lamb for 2.99 a pound vs 12.99 lb on clearance. I love to make shepherd's pie in the fall/winter and I have lamb burger recipes as well.
I love my Venus razors, they work well for me, for years. I only drink tea in the morning, n then water the rest of the day. An an occasional Starbucks.
We’ve been using mint for years and we love it! So much cheaper and good service.
Which mint plan do you use and is it unlimited internet?
Another tip related to Amazon and similar services: monthly subscriptions of prime/VIP/extra on delivery of goods. I cancelled them all as when I calculated it my monthly payment for prime subscriptions on grocery apps were higher than how much I would spend just paying the delivery weekly. And I don’t order from Amazon enough to justify the Prime subscription. You will be surprised your monthly fees are higher than the money you spend when paying delivery.
I also found this to be true!
My husband has never wanted to subscribe to Prime. So, when we need things, I put it in my cart until we have enough items to get free shopping. Not having Prime definitely helps with impulse shopping.
For the first 16 years of our marriage, we had one vehicle. If I needed to go somewhere, I took my hubby to work and did my running. As far as clothing goes, I don't have a huge amount of clothing, but I have enough. BUT I noticed you have the "correcting your grammar" shirts and bought 2, one for me and one for my daughter. I LOVE that shirt. :)
Our local high school drama club is top notch. Support them and get entertained. What about high school sports? Love sharing these ideas.
ok, I had to stop this because if anyone watching this is trying to save money by combining a trip to Crumbl cookie, they already have too much money. They are SO expensive. Okay, back to the video cause I love them, you're great!
I have Mint mobile, it's not too bad. It's my only phone so obviously it is pretty good. I do use my wifi at the house instead of my phone data
I've noticed that even the clearance deals have been touched by inflation! Still good deals but not quite as good as before.
🙋♀️. Washing folded clothes found in the dirty hamper sends me over the edge.
My kids would put clean clothes in the dirty basket. So I gave each kid their own dirty laundry basket and we did their laundry together so they could learn what to do. From then on their laundry was their problem. They were 9 & 11. That stopped that problem.
I switched to Mint Mobile 3 months ago and have no plans to ever go back. I was paying $100/ month for only 1 phone on my account. I now pay $20/ month with Mint and have had no issues with coverage or with my data usage.
Good tips. I quit sodas long time ago. Drink water. No eating out. Cancelled dish tv among others. Invested in a roku box and love it.
Many libraries have free online services and even online books to check out, so you don't need to drive!
So many times Christine, I lost count of how many times , my kids have done that with their laundry.
My biggest one is cooking from scratch. Opening a frozen meal isn't cooking in my book. I also can a lot. No $12 a quart bone broth here! I use the bones that would be thrown out, make it AND can it. I think more and more people will be doing things like grandma and great-grandma soon.
Me too! My grandmother already had a big garden and canned everything! She made beautiful quilts from worn out clothes!
My husband and I both use Mint and we love it. I just renewed for $180 FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR!! With taxes, it came to $203.04. Again, FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR!!! Neither one of us have had any issues with it.
We are considering this as well...we live in New Mexico, with kids in Texas and Florida...do you think coverage would be good?
Samantha Hufford, what phone service did you have before Mint? I have Verizon and service sucks where I live now... just wondering what they compare too. Thanks
I use pure talk and live in florida. These non American brand providers use brand name providers towers. I have no issue with my service after few years in it
Sometimes I order Costco items online. They do cost me more for the items and I pay shipping (unless your order is items are over $75) I will do the math using my local grocery store/Walmart and the increased online Costco price and decide what is still the best deal, only order those things. A Costco trip for me means an hour drive (with the current gas prices), my time of a whole day trip, and then I over spend while I am there. Sometimes paying a little more online will save you money in the long run.
You can save money on shampoo and conditioner if you use baking soda and a vinegar rinse. I've been doing this for years. I do use conditioner some times, but I don't need shampoo at all. You'll be surprised at how much body your hair has when you stop using shampoo. This is how I discovered that my hair is curly not just frizzy, this and using vegetable glycerin instead is gel or mousse and a bit of hairspray.
You are so right! I do much more fish...only if on sale and chicken. Only if it is a good buy!and all that is here is coffee and water and cheap wine. I have one glass a weekend to relax me from worrying about money!
We do not have any streaming services or cable tv. I do pay for TH-cam Premium and I order most of my foods, etc and then go pick it up. I have actually learned so much from wonderful women like you. Thank you!
This is already how we have been living for years to stay debt free. We have been using Mint Mobile for two or three years and it works great! We use a travel credit card for sky mikes so that we can travel. I cut our family back on meat a long time ago, we had vegan chili last night (vegetarian with a little cheese for those who wanted the cheese. It’s great on it’s own or out it over baked potatoes or rice. We eat ground beef and chicken each week but I put them in one pot meals to stretch them out. I learned how to cook with lentils because I figured if Biden won he would wreck the economy… and here we are
My recommendation is to fix your own stuff! My plastic laundry basket is broken and I am repairing it today instead of buying a replacement!
I am thinking about staying in my camper van at home instead of inside the house. Less to cool!
DP!!! Love it! 😍 Christine! Love the free activities tip. My husband and I have done family walks for years-great way to stay connected, hash out things, stay in shape. The kids too big for the stroller have bikes so they can be out ahead a little for private conversations between us. Love from Iowa!!!
If you are senior., look at purchasing park passes. I have 1 pass for the National Parks. I paid $80 for a 1 time fee. It's is good for a lifetime. I also have one for my local state park. I pay $40 for a year.
A couple of tips: If you are in suburbia water early and late. Never at the hottest parts of the day. If you do that, water you are paying for is evaporating. At dawn and dusk it is cool and it gets to soak in. Also, ditch cereal. It's super expensive and your kids are hungry 10 minutes later. "My kid won't eat regular oatmeal." Then give them PBJ sandwich--way better than cold cereal. Take advantage of those "Free--take" signs gardeners have with extra veggies. Free food is great.
Last one. Our local community college has a dental hygiene school that offers cleanings for like $25 and that includes X-rays & being checked by their supervising dentist. You can at least keep them clean & know if you need anything else done. Another tip: I used to be a dental assistant. Any time you need anything done to your teeth it’s one of those things you can’t put off! Dental work only gets worse and will cost double or triple if you wait! Save up because teeth are something you NEED!
My best catch recently was 2 lb boneless turkey breast for $2. Great size for my small family. No waste.
All excellent tips! Also if you really want chicken and can't get a sale price then the best way to buy it is as a whole bird. By far the best value for your money and you can portion it yourself, or if you're nervous about that just roast the whole thing and pick off the cooked meat
Aldi's has good flavored sparkling water for about .70 per liter. I eat a lot of Greek salads. Feta is expensive, but a little goes a long way, so 1 block makes 4 or 5 meals.
You're doing God's work, Christine. Truly.
No amount of inflation will take away my coffee. Normal ground coffee with creamer. You will have to pry my coffee out of cold, dead hands!
Amen!!! 😁
I agree! It's one thing I have to have!
When family members ask what gifts to get us and our kids for birthdays and holidays, I ask for things like an annual membership to the zoo or local museums, or gift cards for the movies or arcades. That way we always have something we can do for entertainment. We live about an hour drive from beach towns with boardwalks and amusement carnival rides. They always have half-priced ticket sales from Easter to Memorial Day, so I buy the tickets and put them in the kids Easter baskets. We are big on experience gifts and acts of service as gifts, rather than buying more “stuff”. Oh, and we bring our own lunches and snacks on trips to the museum and zoo.
Mint mobile. Fantastic. Both my daughter and I have it. No issues, great coverage. Fantastic price.
Just switched to mint mobile this last month and so far we are loving it! Same service we had before but we are saving over $100 a month!
Our current go to for eating out is the sams club cafe we can get 3 HUGE slices of pizza, a Hot Dog and three giant drinks for $10
Also we trade streaming log ins with friends lol
I've had mint mobile for years now. Super happy with it
I've had Mint Mobile for years and never had a problem. I LOVE it!
Speaking of your son Andrew, he's been teaching me how to solve a rubicks cube through his channel, which, btw, is a big money saving hack for entertainment. You spend alot less money on mobile games when you take your entertainment offline and my rubicks cube is my way of doing that.
As a result, I no longer have the regret of looking in my online banking and saying to myself, "I could have bought a pizza with that money," when looking at my mobile game spending.
Needless to say, my rubicks cube more than paid for itself and I'm so thankful you put a link to Andrew's channel in your videos. I reference his videos every time I get stuck and I'm having trouble solving the next part of my cube
Kind of a tandem suggestion for the "stop buying meat" idea: Use less meat! You can simply cut the amount in half and you probably won't notice all that much. Or add in additional sources of protein like eggs, cheese, nuts, beans. It'll stretch a meal for pennies.
I have a blood / cancer situation going on with me now and I need to keep my protein level up so the no meat idea is NOT an option for me...sorry...
..
Hanging a clothesline in the basement to use through bad weather and winter. Save the dryer!
We have clothes line outside for nice weather and both wood and metal drying racks for the not so nice weather days. Air drying clothes saves on you electric bill (not just the dryer, but the air conditioner is not on as much), makes your clothes last longer, smell fresher, plus it makes your towels more absorbent. And knowing it’s free makes me 💃🏻💃🏻💃🏻
Good information. We had a group of friends and we played cards and our kids played together because we could not afford to go anywhere. Each couple brought something and we cooked out or it would be a chip and dip night. Those were fun days. Canned goods at Outlet grocery. Hunts fire roasted tomatoes 14oz can .69 cents each. Wild Planet salmon 4 cans $7.99. and the list goes on. Discovered Ollie's Bargain Outlet. All over Texas now.
I almost never find markdown deals in the meat section anymore, not for most of 2022. There are always empty spaces in all the meat areas (beef, chicken, pork, etc...). Either they can't get it (which is unlikely because I live in an area surrounded by chicken houses, cow farms, and processing plants) or they are under-ordering meat on purpose so they don't have to mark it down when it hits the Sell By date (which makes financial sense from a business POV, but sucks for my wallet).
Try expensive stores on a Monday!
I don't know if this will help but.... One thing to consider is the "FFM bread technique", aka make it yourself, for other items. Kombucha can be made easily in one's kitchen. Same with sauerkraut, pickles, soups, ginger ale, bread (duh) and even wine. The base ingredients are much cheaper to purchase than the final product. Heck if you get good at it, you might be able to sell some! Oh and if possible, avoid prepackaged seasoning mixes like 'Taco Seasoning'. It's basically 5 -6 spices that you probably already have. Just get an old sealable jar and combine it yourself. I do this for my BBQ mix.
Mary’s Nest on YT has videos on how to make your own spice blends, extracts, breads, pickles, etc.
Her channel is a great place to build your kitchen skills.
Also, just mix together older left over dry spices and herbs to use them up… make dry rubs, add flavours to stews, soups, etc, great way to use things up that may take awhile for us Togo through while they’re still fresh.
I went to Costco a few days ago, I live in Southern California and I was shocked that when I went to get the Kirkland brand of butter and it was literally was $14.50 for the four packs that was just $8.99!!!!! I refused to buy it! I’m on disability and I haven’t gotten a 40% increase in my monthly check!!!! Glad I don’t eat much. I’m by myself now that my son had the nerve to turn 30 last month! And my daughter turned 28 and is getting married in March! They left all their stuff and the pets though!!!!🤣🤣🤣 the only reason their stuff is here, is because I’ve been in my house 12 years!!!! Love your money saving tips!!!🌺🌺🌺
I switched to mint mobile and love it. I've noticed absolutely nothing except wider service area and better service with them.
I work part time for a local theater in NC. If you want to see plays for FREE, think about volunteering AT the show.... ticket takers, ushers, selling concessions... usually payment for your time is your ticket to the show! :)
If you have a local museum or aquarium you enjoy you can get a year ticket usually for the cost of 2 or 3 visits-it helps them and you can visit all year round without worrying about the cost. Also our library has free tickets for places like that- there is a waiting list, but its something to look forward to.