The biggest advise we got while we were still dating was to save my full paycheck in preparation to when I will be a stay at home mom, which the couple knew was the plan. Saving my paychecks for the years we didn't have kids gave us our emergency fun and taught us to live off of my husband's paycheck right from the beginning.
I have a friend who is the same size as me. Once a year we each purged our closets into trash bags. Then we would get together and go through each other's bags, trying on and taking whatever we liked. When we were done, we would bag up the remainders from both our bags and take them to Good Will. It was super fun doing it together and we got cleaner closets and some 'new' clothes for each of us.
Great! I did that with my sister before! :) One thing to inform you, though, is that Goodwill is not a good place to donate. They don't do anything good with the stuff they get for free. They sell them and pay their executives millions dollars while paying their employees very little. Look it up, if you want to know more sbout them. Salvation army is better place to donate because they actually help poor people with the profit they get from selling the stuff.
Sadly I know people who takes Dave Ramsey to the extreme. Deprive themselves and family and regret the things they could have done with loved ones while they were alive, but unavailable to realize penny pinching wasn't the way to go. LIVE WITHIN YOUR MEANS but don't deny your family a warm house, a short trip, or anything else, because you might look back and wish you had those memories
I’m 70, I did all of this when I was young. Now being retired I am living a great life with no struggles. My last car purchase was a new Chrysler 200 in 2013. I’m still driving it and it was paid off early (before the 5 yrs) so I had several years of no car payments. It should last me until I’m 100. My modest 4 bedroom home was paid off several years early. Save when you are young so when you grow old you can enjoy life without depending on others.
Yeah. Paying even just a few extra dollars a month on long term payment plans makes a huge difference. I haven't had any payment plans personally, but a math class I had in college had a whole section on intrest and mortgages etc, and it's amazing the percentage of each payment is just interest every month!
Nice video! I know it's late, but I want to share that with you too: We used to spend around 20€ per person on christmas, it was a lot, because we are a very big family (around 12 people) and the presents we received were unnecessary or bad quality. One year someone proposed to do the 'secret santa' as long as we are not kids anymore. In our case it's 50€ to spend in one present, but only one. Everybody loves the idea, we received only one present each, but so much better and we saved a lot of money and time on buying.
The only thing with suffering now to live better later is that tomorrow is not promised. Seriously. I am personally not going to live into old age bc of medical issues but I am lucky enough to know that. Most don’t. I suggest good old moderation 🙃
Lady ! You are so funny! I am a worn out mom of 8 grown children and I know a sense of humor keeps you going! I'm glad I found you..I may even learn a cleaning system from you! Lololol God Bless you little mama!
Love these tips! I’m in the proces of decluttering our home. That is also a good reality check. Realising you bought so many things to use one day but now it’s 10 years later and you (me) still haven’t used it 🤦♀️ it will help me make better choices in the future.
We do the allowance, but in reverse. My husband and I both work. So we keep our money separate, then put what we need for joint expenses into the jar. Works for us. BTW, I'm loving your videos!
I was advised against that since of you end up with very different salaries you and your spouse have 2 different standards of living... not so fun in a marriage when one person can afford to do the nice things and the other can't!
It works for us bc we dont spend like crazy and for big things we work it out. I talk a lot about it on my own channel so Im not goi g to clog up the comments with the details here. If someone is in an unbalanced marriage that sad. Ours is balanced even if the finaces are not.
@@xavthomas also, as you put it, if each person has a different standard of living, it won't work. Too imbalanced. However your finances work out, I wish you all the best @xavthomas
Hi Ariel, Thank you for the enthusiasm and encouragement you share with other young families. You are wonderfully sweet! My husband and I have been married for 16 years and have 6 kids. We faithfully followed Dave Ramsey, weathered many storms and are now seeing the fruit of the sacrifices we made early on. Keep at it! It is so worth it. ❤ Wishing you all the best this Christmas and in the New Year!
I'm 63 and that time has never come. I can't live my life like that. I'm content with what I have. More money will not make you happy. I ended up spending more when I had it. Kathy B
Thank you so much for your content! I also have one child, a sahm although I'm definitely older than you (I'm 35) I really just feel refreshed, love to laugh and you make me feel normal and accepted... Keep doing what you are doing - I'm picky with who I watch and rarely find people intriguing but I'm hooked on your videos! Good job!
We discovered Swappa from your videos a while back - we sold our more expensive phones and bought used phones (which we ended up loving more anyway!). We were able to make $1000 to go straight towards our debt :) Thank you for sharing these tips!!
“Ghosting people since 2003” lol I’m dying here 😂😂😂😂😂 Great tips Ariel, I would love to buy clothes at thrift shops, but here in Israel they are not so popular… the jar/allowance tip is my favorite, and that quote… very true! Let’s live smart now so we can live better later 🤩
@@rachelpowers3975 Shalom Rachel! Nice to see a fellow Israeli watching my friend 🥰 Yeah, I do the same, wear my clothes until there are holes in them lol
Being debt free and having an emergency fund is so FREEING... There's a reason scripture tells us to not be in debt, it is bondage! 😝😝😝 Great video....you are such fun to watch! Blessings to your sweet family...subscribed!🥰
Thanks for your videos! Very Informative and you are hilarious. Love the humorous presentation. I've sent your links around to my kids and friends. Another great way to save money (and the planet!) is to buy flat (no water) laundry strips. We buy Tru Earth and one box has lasted us more than a year. $64 for more than a year for laundry detergent! I estimate it will last the two of us about 18 months. It works great and is all natural...no chemicals, no weird stuff.
This was a great video :-) I'll add a few of my own. Never buy anything full price. There will be a sale you just have to be patient. I got my sofa from Macy's more than half off. Lots of stores are going out of business and if you get a glimmer that someone is going out of business, keep your eyes open. Really being a savvy shopper is at least 70% of the game here :-) and oh my gosh I'm going to get rid of so many of my clothes! They're just taking up space. A lot of my friends give me clothes and I have to learn how to say no from now on! We do swap around though which is an excellent way to improve your wardrobe without spending a dime :-)
"Save Money on Meat" Along those lines, but more effective, I have 2 major recommendations (for people in general, not That Awkward Mom): 1) Learn how to cook. I have it easy because I love to cook. I learned in college. I love to eat delicious food, but money was scarce and my family has a history of heart disease. I started cooking because things made from scratch (especially once you know what you are doing) taste better, are healthier, and are significantly cheaper than other alternatives. Learn a wide variety of techniques and dishes. I make a wide variety of delicious foods. My oldest child's favorite food was (and still might be) my corn chowder. Another of my kids favorites are the various types of curry I make (mine differ from most because of the vegetables I pack in). Two other kid favorites are Jambalaya and Chicken Cacciatore. Like all the other ones listed, these foods have some meat in them, but it is far from the main feature. I lean heavily on aromatic vegetables as they greatly increase flavor provide valuable health benefits. There are many such cheap, delicious, and satisfying meals that require little to no meat. 2) Learn how to grocery shop. I don't mean "couponing". If you do that as a hobby, that is fine. I mean learning how much various items cost, learning which foods provide the best taste and nutrients for your dollar. Things like onions, carrots, and celery are cheap, low calorie, highly flavorful and filled with vitamins (OK, maybe not so much with the celery, but 3 out of 4 isn't bad). These can be the basis of many recipes. Legumes. Lentil soup was a favorite with my kids for many years. Cheap, filling, and incredibly healthy. When paired with plenty of aromatic vegetables, tomatoes, and a couple other ingredients, you have a delightful meal. Various dried beans and peas can fill the same role. Split pea soup, black bean soup, smoky black beans, read beans and rice are just a few of the favorites that use these stables. Sales and sale cycles. When you know how much things cost, you know when things are on sale. We usually buy and eat things that are on sale. The a good example is meat. There are seasonal savings. Frozen turkey is $0.49 /lb around Thanksgiving. If you have space, you can pick up an extra bird or two for the months to come. Spiral sliced ham is often $0.99/lb around Christmas and Easter. They can be even cheaper afterwards. I usually buy a couple of extras. They are usually good in the fridge for a month. I also cook them and freeze the meat to dice and use in future means (like the ones mentioned above. Also, meat (and other items) go on periodic sales. Boston Pork Butts periodically go on sale for $1.29 of $0.99 /lb. Pork loins will sometimes drop down to $1.49 to $0.99 / lb. Ground beef regularly drops down to just under $2/lb. Just be aware of how much things cost so you can recognize when things are on sale. The majority of groceries I buy I get for around half price because I buy when they are on sale. For some items, that is every couple of weeks. For less purchased items it can be every couple months. Sorry for the unwanted essay. I just happen to be passionate about food and spending wisely.
These are great!!! Big thumbs up about Decluttering clothes that don’t fit. I ended up with clothes I love. I can reach into my closet and pull anything out, knowing I will love it fits.
For Christmas and Birthdays, once everyone is a certain age, it might be worth having the no presents talk. For years now, we've stopped going birthday gifts- none of us want more stuff, and we all like good booze and food, so that's what we buy instead, and we all enjoy it a lot more - Christmas took a bit linger, year by year, but now we are just exchanging gifts with my parents. It might not work for everyone, but we all really enjoy the time spent together, with a good meal, over more stuff 💛
Great! We love Dave Ramsey. My husband is great with money, praise God…and I am great with money except when it comes to scrapbooking supplies…😂 Love your channel, your sense of humor and your unapologetic Christian faith!
Ariel, we do the same for our extended Family it means Christmas is a time of joy, love and peace - not debt!🎄 As you do we spend more on our children and our sweet little Granddaughter, Maddy! 💛🎉💛🎉💛
My husband and I have "yours, mine, and ours" accounts. The "ours" account is where we pay the bills, buy groceries, etc. We budget in dining out together once a week. We buy our fun stuff with our individual accounts. We never EVER argue over money.
We have a personal spending budget that goes up & down too! I’ve gone as low as $5-10 and as high as $100ish (boy, we feel rich when we can budget that high…🤪😂)…as for vegetarian meals…they’re not as difficult if you just don’t call it that…I find “vegetarian meals” hard to eat, but meals that simply don’t have meat in them are much easier to eat…it’s the mindset. 😉 Also!! Food pantries help…free cereal, coffee, milk, etc…if you don’t think you’ll use something, set it aside to give away or donate…❤
You definitely can make a few bucks at consignment shops, but they can be picky about the items that they take. I like your idea about an allowance for couples, so many times people will bicker over “Well, YOU got THAT, so I deserve THIS!” I’ve always shopped thrift stores and second hand, even when my ex-husband was making great money, because why spend more? And I prefer older furniture, it’s usually much better made! Another tip I’d add is paying extra on your principal on your mortgage each month, it can cut literal years off of the loan! My ex and I turned our 30 year mortgage into a 15 year mortgage by paying an extra $100 on the principal each month (this was 20 years ago, out mortgage was around $500, at 5%) You could also switch to bi-weekly mortgage payments, which will also save you a ton on interest.
Buying clothes is expensive..and you save money when you are smart. Buy 4 trousers and on each trouser 2 sweaters and 1 tshirt..that is al you need when you go to you're work and home .when you are halve the week switch sweater.. The other 3 trousers are for the next coming 3 weeks so you dont look the same. Buy dark clothes and a few nice pieces. When you are at home pick the oldest sweaters. buy one out fit for party's for the season.. When you stay in a warmer environment buy 10 dresses and you are done.
Living in a cheap apartment can be expensive if you end up with mites and other pests from other tenants or mildew or mold from leaks and have to abandon all of your possessions because you can't use invested or contaminated possessions.
You ain’t kidding about holidays and birthday gifts. I get clobbered every fall and holiday season. My nephew, my sister, my brother, and my best friend all have November birthdays, mom’s birthday is in the beginning of December, and then I have Christmas for all of them, too.
My mother in law always says if your not going to give a kind gesture during the year why give a gift....she means even a meal you share or drop off a dessert you made, do a kind gesture not only.on holidays
I'm impressed that you had good premarital counseling. We just had an awkward Pre-Cana with some outdated information that my husband and I debunked with each other in the car.
i dont like meat very much and my boyfriend loves all the meals i make without meat so it saves us so much money, we never have to buy ground beef except for rare taco nights :)
Hey 😀 I really like your videos and I am also a mom and wife ❤️ I would love to see more videos like this because recently we have been struggling with our budget and i really don't know what to do but these tips i feel can help :) Greetings from Poland ❤️😀
My husband and I also have “pocket money” allowance, we had to get additional debit cards/accounts but they’re so worth it. Pocket cash does not work since I spend most of mine on Amazon!
Good advice/tips but i would be tempted to go for bigger/better home which will stretch finances for sure but means you have space to grow & then not have pressure/expense/hassle of moving when starting family. And property prices usually go up, so if you look to upsize in future years, you are likely to pay more.
Shorter showers save the planet, be nice to our water it is more precious than diamonds. And presents you can all skip all to gather and be there for that person. Take intrest in the person and come up with some meaning full. And the last tip I learned from my mother my grandmother ect. Simple. With these tips you beginning your saving.
No need to buy a used computer. You can usually get a new computer that will do everything most people need for around $300. Most used computers are either terrible or just as expensive. Spending $800 for a new phone (with very very rare exceptions) is just stupid or a waste, or both,
Showers? No. Tub baths for me. I need to soak my body. We rarely eat meat. Hubby is fine with that. I paid $120 for my phone on Amazon. My husband has the same phone as I do. They're 2019 models. We spend almost nothing on gifts. My husband is putting our solar panels up for me for Christmas. It's a gift for each other.
Lol your car thing is funny because I drive an old Pontiac because I love it drives my mother crazy because I won't buy a new car unlike her who buys one every time she pays one off then complains about her car payment. Doesn't get why id rather fix something on my car rather the have a car payment
If that statistic is right, it is fascinating. It would mean the average woman only wears about 10 pieces of clothing. That seems low to me. I probably have about 50 pieces I wear regularly between all the seasons and maybe 10 more that I wear for special occasions or have not given up on coming back to them. I like having a larger wardrobe so I don't have to do laundry constantly. However, I buy mostly timeless pieces that I often wear for 5 years or longer or until they are no longer wearable which happens occasionally.
You are extrapolating using specific data - meaning your wardrobe of 50-60 items. From what I gather from yt, many minimalist channels, Konmari series etc it's considered quite minimal (at least for US standards). I was also shocked when I discovered that many people have wardrobes consisting of hundreds of pieces... Literal mountains of clothes. So having 30-60 pieces is seen as minimalist goal and sometimes it itself is this coveted "10% of wardrobe". It was quite shocking to me too, because living in poorer country and having minimalist tendencies myself, I also never had more than you described.
@@andaminiart4288 I did not extrapolate from my experience. The survey data said that the average woman had 103 pieces and wears about 10% -> ~10 pieces. I am pretty sure they did the math wrong.
Every year I purge the closets kitchen and clothes and do garage sales I like to have my counter space clutter free you would be suprised how much crap you manage to acquire every year
I live alone and have no money problems. nevertheless, it helps me a lot to set a budget so that I don't spend too much money. it happens so quickly that you end up spending twice as much money on clothes, for example, if you're not careful. or i would also buy new electronic devices instead of asking my father to fix them... and then of course he has to take the broken ones to be recycled and then realizes that i wasted 500€ and the whole family would laugh at me!
Ikea is not considered expensive in my Country..its the cheapest..so if i want something new and am on a really low budget i usualy get an used one or buy the cheap ikea Couch for 150€ maybe its cheaper here in Europe i guess... Ps....I LOVE your Videos
That being said My dad retired before 50. We had no cable, fancy toys or new clothes. He had a factory rat job from GMC. The only thing I wish I had growing up is more clothes from the thrift shop.
My partner and I have a joint account, and we each have our own personal account. We Do an automatic transfer from that account, each week, to our personal accounts. Woks well for us :)
I was with you till the last one my ex and I did the Dave Ramsey thing for bout 5 years. It's what ended our marriage. It was to much stress, way more then the 30,000 we were debt ever did. It was a fight on what we were and where not cutting out not giving and so on. I'm not marriage once more and have lots of debt, he and I talked when we 1st started dating our thing is bills 1st then play if no money left after bills then. O play. Yes we could cut playboys and be out of debt by the year 2025 but what if today is your last day. Life is to short.
Lol am I the only one that has 2 drawers of shirts and 1 drawer of pants and 1 pair of shoes 😂 1 pair of boots, and one pair of heels???? Anyone else or just me that has limited/little clothing?
My husband and I are super cheap when it comes to gifts for other people. We don't give ANYTHING to adults, only children, and at that we only give books. We give $100 as a graduation gift. I think that's about it. We spend all our money on our own kids. I look at it this way: every single dollar I spend on YOU is one less dollar for my family, and we're too broke for all that. We always get pulled into those Christmas gift exchanges and I have to be the scrooge that contacts Aunty Whoozit to let them know we will absolutely NOT be participating. Having said that, I always tip 25% if we eat out; I almost always pay for the drinks on coffee dates with my bestie; I pay for all the gas fillups when my sis and I road trip; and we say YES to any favor anyone ever asks of us. My kindness and generosity are not reserved to capitalist hallmark holidays, but rather instead are spread throughout the year. Sadly, many still see us as stingy, but that doesn't stop them from asking us for favors (which we never decline or refuse). Oh well. I gotta be able to look myself in the mirror, and the reflection I always see is MINE, not theirs. And I see a beautiful soul who always does her best to be decent.
You can be smarter about buying meat. Buy a half a cow or HUNT and you will have better quality meat for a fraction of the grocery store costs. Also! Stop celebrating Christmas :) learn the biblical holidays....much more fun
The biggest advise we got while we were still dating was to save my full paycheck in preparation to when I will be a stay at home mom, which the couple knew was the plan. Saving my paychecks for the years we didn't have kids gave us our emergency fun and taught us to live off of my husband's paycheck right from the beginning.
Smart advice!
Brilliant!!!!
So smart
I have a friend who is the same size as me. Once a year we each purged our closets into trash bags. Then we would get together and go through each other's bags, trying on and taking whatever we liked. When we were done, we would bag up the remainders from both our bags and take them to Good Will. It was super fun doing it together and we got cleaner closets and some 'new' clothes for each of us.
Great! I did that with my sister before! :) One thing to inform you, though, is that Goodwill is not a good place to donate. They don't do anything good with the stuff they get for free. They sell them and pay their executives millions dollars while paying their employees very little. Look it up, if you want to know more sbout them. Salvation army is better place to donate because they actually help poor people with the profit they get from selling the stuff.
Sadly I know people who takes Dave Ramsey to the extreme. Deprive themselves and family and regret the things they could have done with loved ones while they were alive, but unavailable to realize penny pinching wasn't the way to go. LIVE WITHIN YOUR MEANS but don't deny your family a warm house, a short trip, or anything else, because you might look back and wish you had those memories
This!!!!!!!❤❤❤❤
I’m 70, I did all of this when I was young. Now being retired I am living a great life with no struggles. My last car purchase was a new Chrysler 200 in 2013. I’m still driving it and it was paid off early (before the 5 yrs) so I had several years of no car payments. It should last me until I’m 100. My modest 4 bedroom home was paid off several years early. Save when you are young so when you grow old you can enjoy life without depending on others.
Yeah. Paying even just a few extra dollars a month on long term payment plans makes a huge difference. I haven't had any payment plans personally, but a math class I had in college had a whole section on intrest and mortgages etc, and it's amazing the percentage of each payment is just interest every month!
Ruth Dennis if that’s your picture and you are 70 my goodness you are blessed!! You look amazing 🤩!!
"You know what's for dinner? The mortgage!" made me laugh so hard! 😁 Awesome quips and even though I'm single, I love your videos! ❤️🌹🥰
I’m here for limiting money spent for take-out, buying used phones, and budgeting! Yes to all of this!
We both made videos about money this week, great minds think alike! 😊
@@ThatAwkwardMom That’s right!! 😊😊 we’re planning more for budgeting and getting out of debt too! Ballin!!
Nice video! I know it's late, but I want to share that with you too: We used to spend around 20€ per person on christmas, it was a lot, because we are a very big family (around 12 people) and the presents we received were unnecessary or bad quality. One year someone proposed to do the 'secret santa' as long as we are not kids anymore. In our case it's 50€ to spend in one present, but only one. Everybody loves the idea, we received only one present each, but so much better and we saved a lot of money and time on buying.
The only thing with suffering now to live better later is that tomorrow is not promised. Seriously. I am personally not going to live into old age bc of medical issues but I am lucky enough to know that. Most don’t. I suggest good old moderation 🙃
That's a good point, tomorrow is never promised. Sometimes it's so easy to forget that.
Lady ! You are so funny! I am a worn out mom of 8 grown children and I know a sense of humor keeps you going! I'm glad I found you..I may even learn a cleaning system from you! Lololol God Bless you little mama!
Your editing is always so funny! Thanks for putting a smile on my face and for the good advice.
You're welcome! 🥰
Really love that "budget presents, not presence" part. Trying to convince the inlaws that time and a feast is the best gift. :p
Love these tips! I’m in the proces of decluttering our home. That is also a good reality check. Realising you bought so many things to use one day but now it’s 10 years later and you (me) still haven’t used it 🤦♀️ it will help me make better choices in the future.
We do the allowance, but in reverse. My husband and I both work. So we keep our money separate, then put what we need for joint expenses into the jar. Works for us. BTW, I'm loving your videos!
My boyfriend and I were talking about doing something like that if we got married. That's really cool to see someone else do the same!
Us too! It works. One joint account and two separate.
I was advised against that since of you end up with very different salaries you and your spouse have 2 different standards of living... not so fun in a marriage when one person can afford to do the nice things and the other can't!
It works for us bc we dont spend like crazy and for big things we work it out. I talk a lot about it on my own channel so Im not goi g to clog up the comments with the details here. If someone is in an unbalanced marriage that sad. Ours is balanced even if the finaces are not.
@@xavthomas also, as you put it, if each person has a different standard of living, it won't work. Too imbalanced. However your finances work out, I wish you all the best @xavthomas
Hi Ariel, Thank you for the enthusiasm and encouragement you share with other young families. You are wonderfully sweet!
My husband and I have been married for 16 years and have 6 kids. We faithfully followed Dave Ramsey, weathered many storms and are now seeing the fruit of the sacrifices we made early on. Keep at it! It is so worth it. ❤
Wishing you all the best this Christmas and in the New Year!
Thank you, Merry Christmas! 😊
I'm 63 and that time has never come. I can't live my life like that. I'm content with what I have. More money will not make you happy. I ended up spending more when I had it.
Kathy B
I'm in the same space. I had to relearn to curb my spending.
Thank you so much for your content! I also have one child, a sahm although I'm definitely older than you (I'm 35) I really just feel refreshed, love to laugh and you make me feel normal and accepted... Keep doing what you are doing - I'm picky with who I watch and rarely find people intriguing but I'm hooked on your videos! Good job!
Thank you ❤️😊
We discovered Swappa from your videos a while back - we sold our more expensive phones and bought used phones (which we ended up loving more anyway!). We were able to make $1000 to go straight towards our debt :) Thank you for sharing these tips!!
Wow, that's amazing!!! I've never sold anything on there, perhaps I should!
“Ghosting people since 2003” lol I’m dying here 😂😂😂😂😂 Great tips Ariel, I would love to buy clothes at thrift shops, but here in Israel they are not so popular… the jar/allowance tip is my favorite, and that quote… very true! Let’s live smart now so we can live better later 🤩
Thanks Lucy!! ❤️ That's too bad that they don't have thrift shops. That's where I get all my clothes!
Hi from Israel too! I get hand me downs from friends clearing their closets. Or my sister. I usually use my stuff until it's not wearable anymore...
@@rachelpowers3975 Shalom Rachel! Nice to see a fellow Israeli watching my friend 🥰 Yeah, I do the same, wear my clothes until there are holes in them lol
Being debt free and having an emergency fund is so FREEING... There's a reason scripture tells us to not be in debt, it is bondage! 😝😝😝
Great video....you are such fun to watch! Blessings to your sweet family...subscribed!🥰
💯!! Thanks 😊
It’s nearly impossible when buying a house, but everything else can be saved for, gotten second hand or free, or you just can do without it!
Thanks for your videos! Very Informative and you are hilarious. Love the humorous presentation. I've sent your links around to my kids and friends. Another great way to save money (and the planet!) is to buy flat (no water) laundry strips. We buy Tru Earth and one box has lasted us more than a year. $64 for more than a year for laundry detergent! I estimate it will last the two of us about 18 months. It works great and is all natural...no chemicals, no weird stuff.
This was a great video :-) I'll add a few of my own. Never buy anything full price. There will be a sale you just have to be patient. I got my sofa from Macy's more than half off. Lots of stores are going out of business and if you get a glimmer that someone is going out of business, keep your eyes open. Really being a savvy shopper is at least 70% of the game here :-) and oh my gosh I'm going to get rid of so many of my clothes! They're just taking up space. A lot of my friends give me clothes and I have to learn how to say no from now on! We do swap around though which is an excellent way to improve your wardrobe without spending a dime :-)
"Save Money on Meat" Along those lines, but more effective, I have 2 major recommendations (for people in general, not That Awkward Mom):
1) Learn how to cook. I have it easy because I love to cook. I learned in college. I love to eat delicious food, but money was scarce and my family has a history of heart disease. I started cooking because things made from scratch (especially once you know what you are doing) taste better, are healthier, and are significantly cheaper than other alternatives.
Learn a wide variety of techniques and dishes. I make a wide variety of delicious foods. My oldest child's favorite food was (and still might be) my corn chowder. Another of my kids favorites are the various types of curry I make (mine differ from most because of the vegetables I pack in). Two other kid favorites are Jambalaya and Chicken Cacciatore. Like all the other ones listed, these foods have some meat in them, but it is far from the main feature. I lean heavily on aromatic vegetables as they greatly increase flavor provide valuable health benefits.
There are many such cheap, delicious, and satisfying meals that require little to no meat.
2) Learn how to grocery shop. I don't mean "couponing". If you do that as a hobby, that is fine. I mean learning how much various items cost, learning which foods provide the best taste and nutrients for your dollar. Things like onions, carrots, and celery are cheap, low calorie, highly flavorful and filled with vitamins (OK, maybe not so much with the celery, but 3 out of 4 isn't bad). These can be the basis of many recipes.
Legumes. Lentil soup was a favorite with my kids for many years. Cheap, filling, and incredibly healthy. When paired with plenty of aromatic vegetables, tomatoes, and a couple other ingredients, you have a delightful meal. Various dried beans and peas can fill the same role. Split pea soup, black bean soup, smoky black beans, read beans and rice are just a few of the favorites that use these stables.
Sales and sale cycles. When you know how much things cost, you know when things are on sale. We usually buy and eat things that are on sale. The a good example is meat. There are seasonal savings. Frozen turkey is $0.49 /lb around Thanksgiving. If you have space, you can pick up an extra bird or two for the months to come. Spiral sliced ham is often $0.99/lb around Christmas and Easter. They can be even cheaper afterwards. I usually buy a couple of extras. They are usually good in the fridge for a month. I also cook them and freeze the meat to dice and use in future means (like the ones mentioned above.
Also, meat (and other items) go on periodic sales. Boston Pork Butts periodically go on sale for $1.29 of $0.99 /lb. Pork loins will sometimes drop down to $1.49 to $0.99 / lb. Ground beef regularly drops down to just under $2/lb.
Just be aware of how much things cost so you can recognize when things are on sale. The majority of groceries I buy I get for around half price because I buy when they are on sale. For some items, that is every couple of weeks. For less purchased items it can be every couple months.
Sorry for the unwanted essay. I just happen to be passionate about food and spending wisely.
Additionally, planning meals is very helpful, it keeps you from overbuying in the store if you know what you're making for the week
that is consignment shops I use to own one, very good saving on Designer Clothes
These are great!!! Big thumbs up about Decluttering clothes that don’t fit. I ended up with clothes I love. I can reach into my closet and pull anything out, knowing I will love it fits.
That's my desire for my closet, still working on it, I'm not completely there but close!! It must be a good feeling though!
For Christmas and Birthdays, once everyone is a certain age, it might be worth having the no presents talk. For years now, we've stopped going birthday gifts- none of us want more stuff, and we all like good booze and food, so that's what we buy instead, and we all enjoy it a lot more - Christmas took a bit linger, year by year, but now we are just exchanging gifts with my parents. It might not work for everyone, but we all really enjoy the time spent together, with a good meal, over more stuff 💛
Thanks for the shout-out Ariel! Appreciate it!
Hey no problem! I've bought a few phones from you guys over the years, I'm thankful for the service you provide 😊
Great! We love Dave Ramsey. My husband is great with money, praise God…and I am great with money except when it comes to scrapbooking supplies…😂 Love your channel, your sense of humor and your unapologetic Christian faith!
Ariel, we do the same for our extended Family it means Christmas is a time of joy, love and peace - not debt!🎄
As you do we spend more on our children and our sweet little Granddaughter, Maddy!
💛🎉💛🎉💛
My husband and I have "yours, mine, and ours" accounts. The "ours" account is where we pay the bills, buy groceries, etc. We budget in dining out together once a week. We buy our fun stuff with our individual accounts. We never EVER argue over money.
Just found your channel - feels like a good friend is giving advice.
Such great (& unique) tips!! We LOVE when we can save money! Another great video all around -- I always enjoy your presentation & your energy :0)
Thanks so much Holly!!
We have a personal spending budget that goes up & down too! I’ve gone as low as $5-10 and as high as $100ish (boy, we feel rich when we can budget that high…🤪😂)…as for vegetarian meals…they’re not as difficult if you just don’t call it that…I find “vegetarian meals” hard to eat, but meals that simply don’t have meat in them are much easier to eat…it’s the mindset. 😉 Also!! Food pantries help…free cereal, coffee, milk, etc…if you don’t think you’ll use something, set it aside to give away or donate…❤
You definitely can make a few bucks at consignment shops, but they can be picky about the items that they take. I like your idea about an allowance for couples, so many times people will bicker over “Well, YOU got THAT, so I deserve THIS!” I’ve always shopped thrift stores and second hand, even when my ex-husband was making great money, because why spend more? And I prefer older furniture, it’s usually much better made! Another tip I’d add is paying extra on your principal on your mortgage each month, it can cut literal years off of the loan! My ex and I turned our 30 year mortgage into a 15 year mortgage by paying an extra $100 on the principal each month (this was 20 years ago, out mortgage was around $500, at 5%) You could also switch to bi-weekly mortgage payments, which will also save you a ton on interest.
On the first tip, eggs can be a good substitute for meat for my husband!
Buying clothes is expensive..and you save money when you are smart.
Buy 4 trousers and on each trouser 2 sweaters and 1 tshirt..that is al you need when you go to you're work and home .when you are halve the week switch sweater..
The other 3 trousers are for the next coming 3 weeks so you dont look the same.
Buy dark clothes and a few nice pieces.
When you are at home pick the oldest sweaters.
buy one out fit for party's for the season..
When you stay in a warmer environment buy 10 dresses and you are done.
You’re doing very well as a young lady very wise Bible verse I always loved was a slave to the lender
Living in a cheap apartment can be expensive if you end up with mites and other pests from other tenants or mildew or mold from leaks and have to abandon all of your possessions because you can't use invested or contaminated possessions.
The allowance idea is one that I have not heard. Brilliant! Love your videos.
Great advice. We have followed all of these at some point. We are doing quite well but not ready to blow the budget yet.
You ain’t kidding about holidays and birthday gifts. I get clobbered every fall and holiday season. My nephew, my sister, my brother, and my best friend all have November birthdays, mom’s birthday is in the beginning of December, and then I have Christmas for all of them, too.
💖 Love the *Dave Ramsey* reference❗
I like to save the moneyyyy!!! 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾 lol yayyy more saving tips!!
My mother in law always says if your not going to give a kind gesture during the year why give a gift....she means even a meal you share or drop off a dessert you made, do a kind gesture not only.on holidays
I'm impressed that you had good premarital counseling. We just had an awkward Pre-Cana with some outdated information that my husband and I debunked with each other in the car.
I love the allowance idea!
Yes, it's been the most helpful money saving tip for us!
i dont like meat very much and my boyfriend loves all the meals i make without meat so it saves us so much money, we never have to buy ground beef except for rare taco nights :)
Hey 😀 I really like your videos and I am also a mom and wife ❤️ I would love to see more videos like this because recently we have been struggling with our budget and i really don't know what to do but these tips i feel can help :) Greetings from Poland ❤️😀
Hi just found your channel and loving it !!
You come across really well.
Love the money jar idea
In fact I love all of them😊
Thank you💐🇬🇧
That example text message at 2:15 had me bursting out laughing hahah
Vegetables are also expensive… carbs are not But veggies are I can eat a $10 portion of veggies easy on my own.
Your so normal, I'm loving your videos!
You are so smart. We were in our 40s when we followed Dave’s plan, but it’s NEVER too late. Debt free is the place to be! #gamechanger
Thank you for reminding me to like your videos. Mamas be forgettin’ sometimes! Hahaha
What good advice about the allowance
Great tips. Appreciate your sharing and making these videos. Keep it comin’!!
Thank you, and I sure will!! 🙂
My husband and I also have “pocket money” allowance, we had to get additional debit cards/accounts but they’re so worth it. Pocket cash does not work since I spend most of mine on Amazon!
Good advice/tips but i would be tempted to go for bigger/better home which will stretch finances for sure but means you have space to grow & then not have pressure/expense/hassle of moving when starting family. And property prices usually go up, so if you look to upsize in future years, you are likely to pay more.
I’m interested in what your budget looks like. Or at least how you split it up.
Great tips thanks!
Shorter showers save the planet, be nice to our water it is more precious than diamonds. And presents you can all skip all to gather and be there for that person. Take intrest in the person and come up with some meaning full. And the last tip I learned from my mother my grandmother ect. Simple. With these tips you beginning your saving.
Thanks for the tips! I subscribed
Great advices
No need to buy a used computer. You can usually get a new computer that will do everything most people need for around $300. Most used computers are either terrible or just as expensive.
Spending $800 for a new phone (with very very rare exceptions) is just stupid or a waste, or both,
Don't have pets, kids, eat out, get coffee...LOL!!!!
That pretty much sums it up!!! Lol
Showers? No. Tub baths for me. I need to soak my body. We rarely eat meat. Hubby is fine with that. I paid $120 for my phone on Amazon. My husband has the same phone as I do. They're 2019 models. We spend almost nothing on gifts. My husband is putting our solar panels up for me for Christmas. It's a gift for each other.
Once again a great video, keep up the excellent work! Looking forward to the next upload! Take care and stay in touch! 🙌
Thanks so much 😊🙏
Lol your car thing is funny because I drive an old Pontiac because I love it drives my mother crazy because I won't buy a new car unlike her who buys one every time she pays one off then complains about her car payment. Doesn't get why id rather fix something on my car rather the have a car payment
If that statistic is right, it is fascinating. It would mean the average woman only wears about 10 pieces of clothing. That seems low to me. I probably have about 50 pieces I wear regularly between all the seasons and maybe 10 more that I wear for special occasions or have not given up on coming back to them. I like having a larger wardrobe so I don't have to do laundry constantly. However, I buy mostly timeless pieces that I often wear for 5 years or longer or until they are no longer wearable which happens occasionally.
You are extrapolating using specific data - meaning your wardrobe of 50-60 items. From what I gather from yt, many minimalist channels, Konmari series etc it's considered quite minimal (at least for US standards). I was also shocked when I discovered that many people have wardrobes consisting of hundreds of pieces... Literal mountains of clothes. So having 30-60 pieces is seen as minimalist goal and sometimes it itself is this coveted "10% of wardrobe". It was quite shocking to me too, because living in poorer country and having minimalist tendencies myself, I also never had more than you described.
@@andaminiart4288 I did not extrapolate from my experience. The survey data said that the average woman had 103 pieces and wears about 10% -> ~10 pieces. I am pretty sure they did the math wrong.
Well done!
Great tips! Budgeting is the best!
Thanks!
Every year I purge the closets kitchen and clothes and do garage sales I like to have my counter space clutter free you would be suprised how much crap you manage to acquire every year
I think I will make that $25 gift thing my New Years resolution 🤦🏻♀️🎄🤪
great video!
I live alone and have no money problems. nevertheless, it helps me a lot to set a budget so that I don't spend too much money. it happens so quickly that you end up spending twice as much money on clothes, for example, if you're not careful. or i would also buy new electronic devices instead of asking my father to fix them... and then of course he has to take the broken ones to be recycled and then realizes that i wasted 500€ and the whole family would laugh at me!
Another entertaining, but very informative video!
Thanks Meghan 🥰
love ur videos
Ikea is not considered expensive in my Country..its the cheapest..so if i want something new and am on a really low budget i usualy get an used one or buy the cheap ikea Couch for 150€ maybe its cheaper here in Europe i guess...
Ps....I LOVE your Videos
That being said My dad retired before 50. We had no cable, fancy toys or new clothes. He had a factory rat job from GMC.
The only thing I wish I had growing up is more clothes from the thrift shop.
Nice!
I love this Chanel. I’m new
I literally have like 3 pieces of clothing in my closet 😂
Your time will come 🙏
Fun tips!!
thanks!
veryvery cool, liked and subbed for the ride my new friend
❤
Dave?🤔
love your channel love and support from the zulunation family
Thanks!
You dont even have to buy a used phone get on a cheap phone plan, they usually have cheap phones, I think mine was $100 and its lasted several years.
How would you do an allowance when we never use cash. I never go to a bank or atm
My partner and I have a joint account, and we each have our own personal account. We Do an automatic transfer from that account, each week, to our personal accounts. Woks well for us :)
I’m watching this video and I guess you are watching mine because I got a notification from you..lol
Lol!
Itching to hit that skip button but wanting to support TH-cam creators.
You're kind 💙
I was with you till the last one my ex and I did the Dave Ramsey thing for bout 5 years. It's what ended our marriage. It was to much stress, way more then the 30,000 we were debt ever did. It was a fight on what we were and where not cutting out not giving and so on. I'm not marriage once more and have lots of debt, he and I talked when we 1st started dating our thing is bills 1st then play if no money left after bills then. O play. Yes we could cut playboys and be out of debt by the year 2025 but what if today is your last day. Life is to short.
Sorry to hear 😕
Lol am I the only one that has 2 drawers of shirts and 1 drawer of pants and 1 pair of shoes 😂 1 pair of boots, and one pair of heels???? Anyone else or just me that has limited/little clothing?
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 850$ on Christmas....yea i wish....times that by 5 ....😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
My husband and I are super cheap when it comes to gifts for other people. We don't give ANYTHING to adults, only children, and at that we only give books. We give $100 as a graduation gift. I think that's about it.
We spend all our money on our own kids. I look at it this way: every single dollar I spend on YOU is one less dollar for my family, and we're too broke for all that. We always get pulled into those Christmas gift exchanges and I have to be the scrooge that contacts Aunty Whoozit to let them know we will absolutely NOT be participating. Having said that, I always tip 25% if we eat out; I almost always pay for the drinks on coffee dates with my bestie; I pay for all the gas fillups when my sis and I road trip; and we say YES to any favor anyone ever asks of us. My kindness and generosity are not reserved to capitalist hallmark holidays, but rather instead are spread throughout the year. Sadly, many still see us as stingy, but that doesn't stop them from asking us for favors (which we never decline or refuse). Oh well. I gotta be able to look myself in the mirror, and the reflection I always see is MINE, not theirs. And I see a beautiful soul who always does her best to be decent.
You sound like Mabel from Gravity Falls
You can be smarter about buying meat. Buy a half a cow or HUNT and you will have better quality meat for a fraction of the grocery store costs.
Also! Stop celebrating Christmas :) learn the biblical holidays....much more fun
Americans tend to eat meat 7 days a week? How crazy is that 😂
I guess it's just the norm for us! How do people eat where you live?
I desperately look for a person who would take my stuff and sell it! 50% is ok. In Poland! Somebody? Pls...?
too much talking