I am watching from Cambodia, it is always warm / hot. My father always said: ' I am to poor to buy cheap. ' I have been laying on a too short uncomfotrable sofa that came with the rent. I fealt like being a spender when I finally got a nicer big enough sofa. My back thanked me.
I learnt hard way buying cheap phones cost me more than buying one good quality phone in the first place I learnt this lesson with quality food shows etc
For decades, friends would buy new couches and gift us the older one when they redecorated. After 45 years of marriage, I finally bought our first couch and matching love seat.
Just buying the minimum each week at the grocery or spending more for fewer convenience items is another habit that is not frugal! Adding one/two pantry items each week can save you from spending more on ordering/eating out. Just brought my spouse home from the hospital and was so glad we had pantry items to make meals for a few days so I didn’t have to stress about going to the grocery.
Funny story. My husband’s aunt was very frugal but she could overdo it sometimes. When she was about 80, she went on a holiday and came back with 4 wooden, varnished toilet seats because of the good price. She had 1 toilet. When she was about 90 she bought teabags in industrial quantities. We calculated that, at the one bag a day she used, she would need to live to 102 to use them all.
I have just had evidence that being frugal makes a huge difference! A chap came to see me to investigate solar energy for my house. When I told him what my electricity and gas bills were, he said he had never seen such a low annual bill, and it wasn't worth my while installing solar. Already being on a green tariff, I shall stay as I am!
Exactly… frugality is not about deprivation! Frugality for me has become a game. Lol. So much so that a co worker was going to buy a vehicle this past month and another co worker told her she needed to go talk to me first. 😂 I showed her a website to find the vehicle she wanted and what was available in the area and within her budget. I told her the words and ways that will get her a discount. She found exactly what she wanted and bought it at a discount😅
I'm watching this on Nov. 14th. Today is the first day I thought I really might have to turn on the furnace. It was 57° inside when I woke up this morning. My fingers and nose were cold. Normally, a cold nose is the defining moment I know I have to turn the heat on. However, I put on a fleece jacket, a knit cap, long johns under a knitted skirt. I could put my hands in the toasty warm fleece pockets, cover my nose a bit with the stand up collar of the fleece jacket, too. I turned on a space heater in the room where I spend the most time. When I moved out of that room, I turned that little heater off. I made it through the day without turning the furnace on. I've been trying to wait till Thanksgiving, but it seems like the day will be here anytime now. I've always tried to wait till Thanksgiving and have never made it. It's been so warm this November that I thought I might make it. We'll see, but it's not looking like it.
To be frugal as you describe, you need to have a decent income to begin with. You need enough to be able to spend the extra on great shoes that will last. That is why ii is expensive to be poor...if you have very limit funds, you can't think about long term benefits - you just have to do what you can for today.
Whatever the income is, it comes down to how much does a person spend and how much does a person save? People who earn big salaries are often in debt. I don't watch The Ramsey Show too much anymore. This issue came up frequently last year or earlier this year. You start saving a little from each pay check so you are prepared to buy the more expensive shoes when you need them.
I don’t agree with this at all it’s saving part of what you have big or small even starting a shoe fund even if it took a year to save for them rather than debt ect . In every single situation you can pretty much save . A loaf of bread u can chose what to spend or save on that and save big or small amounts but it’s all the same goal
We nevr made a lot of money, but simply took longer to save in order to have some nice things. It's all about money management. Hope this helps. Extra income was brought in by side jobs when needed.
I think about money and all the things you guys discuss, all the time. Always plugging in various numbers in the calculator etc. and the guilt, yes, it's real!
I love the challenges that Hope and Larry have with each other (example - turning on the heat). My husband and I started doing challenges. Not only does it help us save money, but form a stronger bond. When two people work together towards a common goal, it is bound to happen. After 20 years of marriage, all of the goals and challenges has made being married to my best friend, the best gift from God. Thank you for setting the example for all of the future unions.
It really hit me when Larry quipped 'yeah we've done this' when you were talking about being guilty of doing something not so frugal (around 17:30mins). I've been thinking about frugality and emotions lately, and the idea of blame and guilt really makes me pause. Why do we do it? Making issues about money a matter of morality rubs me the wrong way, and I'm not saying we do it intentionally. It's just the language we use. Usually blaming oneself for 'doing bad', be it overspending or overeating, just leads to very unhealthy coping mechanisms. Yeah, I did that, I did that in the past, sure, did that. Realized it was not a good idea and will now change my way. Will not wallow or consider myself a bad person and then just go and spend more money because that's how I alleviate my pain. :) Thank you Larry for giving me the nudge to finally put my rather scattered thoughts into something more coherent! You are both awesome and I enjoy your videos immensely!
Great video! I have a top shelf in our closet where I have a toaster my sister wasn't using which I wrapped in a plastic bag that was waste and taped tight. My current toaster was my Mom's and missing a handle but the plunger still works. Saw a coffee maker marked down at Target. Bought and stored and was ready when the old one bit the dust. Being frugal is about being prepared.
I go into about 5 why questions to get to a real emotional reason why I want to do something. This gives me a higher motivation to push through to the end result. Example.. 1. I want to pay off my mortgage. Why? 2. because I want to be financially free. Why? 3 Because it will allow me extra money and time to visit my husband who travels extensively. Why? 4. Because I want to spend quality time with him while he's on the road. Why? 5 Because it will bond us more and help support him because he's away from home for months at a time. So my why sentence will be, "I want to have the mortgage paid off so I can work a little less and spend more time with my husband on the road to help strengthen our relationship and help support him . I typed that up and laminated the statement and keep it in my wallet. When I want to frivolously spend, I read my why statement and helps me to stay on track. 💕💕
Yayyyy me!!! I found your channel last month and have been binge-watching your videos since the cucumber salad one. And (drumroll puleeze) I'm all caught up...almost😂 I have always been a frugalista and I firmly believe that there is always something new and useful to learn! Thank you so much for the Channel! We are preparing to go camping to welcome in the new year. Last year we drove four and a half hours down to Savannah, rented a very uncomfortable hotel room bed, and went to the riverfront to see the fireworks. We had to get there around 8:00 just so we can get a parking spot. And I am so grateful that we bought our camp chairs. EVERYONE else had to basically walk around for 4 hours. The restaurants started closing around 10:00 so people could go home if they wanted to. So hubs and I just snuggled under our blanket and people watched. Then came the countdown finally... And we discovered that we were at the wrong end of the pier😂😂 So this year we decided to stay local. I checked out the state park and historical sites pass from the local library. This gives free admission to all the state parks as well as the historic sites here in Georgia. All the libraries partner with all the state parks and historic sites to loan out the pass to whoever has a library card. We'll check in after service this Sunday and Monday we'll go sightseeing to some of the local things going on in that area. Maybe head over to the gold Museum, which will be free, and do some panning😊 We have a pop-up tent that has a 7 ft ceiling (hubs is 6'4" and that Quasimodo look is just so 1800s 🤣). We take day trips usually every other week or so and drive to two or three different state parks to check out the camping amenities, waterfalls, fishing spots , walking trails, museums, mansions, etc. We only rent sites that have water and electric. We found our absolute most favorite site this summer. It is the only state park in Georgia that has electric and water on the COVERED platform specifically for tents only. The RVs and yurts and cabins are in different parts of the park. Anyway, I usually make all of our food ahead of time and then I freeze it in heavy duty foil. We take our air fryer and when we're ready for lunch or dinner, we just plug it in, pop in a foil pack, sprinkle some veggies from the single serve cups split between us from Dollar tree, and a korean sweet potato for dessert and voila! Glamping at its finest! We also bring an electric heater. Our last camping trip was this past October and the temps went down to 40°. Our little heater kept the inside of the tent steady at 72° all night. We also have a 20 inch inflatable air mattress that didn't lose any are throughout the whole night. I also have flannel sheets that I put on. Anyway, I'd just like to thank you all for your public service! I revamped our budget once again 2 months before I found you. And in the past 3 months, I have paid the car note so far ahead, that instead of 31 months, we should be paid off in 15. We will not have to buy any meat products (we only do chicken and fish anyway) for about 7 months. And even though the temps have gotten into the 30s here, we've been able to revamp the heating & gas useage in the house and it has gone from close to $200 down to 130! That's $70 or down $35/ for gas and electric. We have the opportunity in my County, but outside the city limits, to look on the gas regulation website and lock in our price per therm. So I locked it in for 2 years. I am paying .39 a therm. Just 20 minutes west of where I live in the same county but within City limits, they don't have a choice. The gas per therm is over $1. I belong to a co-op and they just gave a capital credit back to the stakeholders (me😊). Almost $20! Thank you again for all your great tips! Have a safe, healthy, happy New Year everyone🎉🎉
I do the same with boots! I have 4 pairs of quality leather boots, 2 brown, 2 black. They are over 5 years old as I wear them on rotation and as they are good quality they last. One pair needs heeling (for the first time), which I will do next month rather than buy a new pair. Buying cheap is a false economy. But buying the most expensive is a waste of money too. Its finding the happy medium where I find the sweet spot!!!
Hi - overbuying on a good deal. This. I recently got Kraft mac and cheese for 25 cents a box, I bought a case of 36. Sigh. I have gifted about half to family and friends. I think I still deal with a bit of 'trauma' from the supply chain issues from the last several years. Working on that.
I do my own car maintenance. It is VASTLY cheaper than taking a car into the shop. BUT, I am also very busy, so sometimes I can't get to maintenance like oil and air filter changes at the best intervals. If I can't get to these routine tasks, they can quickly turn into big money pits like blown head gaskets. Sometimes it's best to just pay someone for routine tasks if you can't get to them yourself. It's a classic case of "penny wise, pound foolish" if you're not careful.
My mom used to say in Spanish, "lo barato cuesta caro," which translates to "cheap costs expensive." I am super hard on my handbags and bought a $30 purse on Amazon because of its looks and price. Within a few weeks, it was falling apart. So I upgraded to a Coach bag but unfortunately even with the higher price tag, that still fell apart after a few months. Lastly, I got a Dooney & Bourke and have been carrying that bag for years! It is so durable, I think it will outlast me! 😂
The vintage leather coach bags are better quality than modern coaches. I find the same is true with leather fossil bags too. I some that I have thrived and they have held up very well. Vintage Dooneys are better quality as well. I've seen some of these bags from the 70s that were easily restored with a good cleaning, a bit of restricting and a good polish. I love a good leather bag and won't buy the cheap ones that fail quickly.
This seems basic but people let money control them. Example : The couple is retired and has more than enough money but he works in retirement. She gives up and takes a vacation by herself. Another one is a guy who works 68 hours a week because of too much debt. The key is you control money and enjoy life. I have an issue that most anything that breaks I can fix it in most cases. The time comes that it's not being used but it's hard to toss perfectly working items. The items pile up and they need to go. I am now placing items by the mail box free and letting others take them. I guess I would sell them but the retirement accounts are growing so fast that I rather do the things I enjoy than sell items that have very little value. Have a great weekend!
Another fantastic video. I’m watching and shaking my head to yes, everything! You guys are spot on! Perfect for this time of year when we all need to be aware of over buying!
As a homeschooling mom on one income I'm always look I g for ways to better manage our small income. I can relate to all of these points, thank you for this❤
My aim is to be frugal - not a cheapskate 😂 Sometimes it feels like a fine line but it does feel so good to have the money in hand to enjoy a weekend trip or dinner, vs trying to go out all the time but only have a water and free chips. There is a balance!
I think problem #7 is a guy thing. My husband does the same. His intention is to have something available when we need to ultimately avoid stress when something does break plus he said we’re saving us money because I purchased the backup item when it was cheaper. 😊
These sound like smart tips. The thing about the clutter though is that sometimes you do end up using something after ignoring it for years. It is about being organized. If you have piles of things that you can't figure out what is there or how to use them, that causes stress. Preppers say two is one and one is none. Some people are into getting large stockpiles when they see a sale, but they are ready and organized. They have a shelf to put it on or some canning project to take care of what will spoil. Some people can't manage that many things or don't want to. In that case, maybe paring down and not bringing in more items would help. You really don't need to spend a lot to start accumulating a lot. You have to keep track of what you are piling in around you before it starts to impede on your ability to function. I wouldn't call that a spirit of fear but a feeling of confusion and being overwhelmed to the point of feeling defeated and not knowing where to start.
I wanted to say thank you for recommending Moringa for knee pain. I started taking it immediately and a month later, I went from being in a lot of pain to being 100% pain free. I have thrown out about a hundred remedies and OTC products I no longer need (not that any of them ever worked). The moringa is the first and only thing that took away all of my knee pain. A huge thank you, Larry.
Hi Hope and Larry! I live in Central Florida and it has been a lot warmer here also. We are having a cold front come in this weekend. I have hardly been the AC . I turn up my AC to a higher degree and use my tower fan to stay cool like you both have suggested. I am going through menopause. Really terrible hot flashes. I can't run the heat in the winter - I get very overheated. It does save money. But the main reason is my hot flashes that I don't run my Central Heat. I am working at paying off debt right now. I am going to start saving for an emergency fund also. I buy Skechers that are made of leather. They last a long time and I don't mind spending more money on shoes. I walk alot and really need a better pair of shoes. It's worth it to spend the extra money on shoes for me and like you both do. If we do get the cold front this weekend. Saturday I am going out to eat at Sonic. I need to get away from home. My son and daughter in law gave me a Sonic gift card as a Mother's Day present. I really am going to enjoy going out to eat and it's a gift.🥰 I love sitting at the tables outside and eating my meal and just rest and relax and have some fun. I really enjoy your videos and I know with your good solid advice I am going to be able to get debt free and have an emergency fund and have money like you both have said spend on what's most important to me. Really enjoyed your video tonight. You are a wonderful Christian couple.
My house is old and drafty. My heat went on as soon as it got cold and stayed that way. We have had frost outside already so setting dates are fine, but be practical. I am looking at heating options for in between weather, but when my furnace died the electric space heaters cost far more to run than the new furnace.
I bought 14 mums with dead blubs, leaves fully green, large; potted plants for sixty cents each at Kroger. I am planting them with hopes most come back next year flowering. The pots would cost this much. Watch for discounted Mums now.
My heart wants Hope and Larry to go on a luxury Caribbean vacation and not ever Even look at a price! Celebrate all these Decades of work and splurge and indulge a little (or a bunch!!) 🎉🎉🎉💃🏻🏖️⛱️🏝️🌊
Good lessons. I struggle with several of these mindsets. I feel guilty about spending money, even when it's in my budget. I also obcess about money a little too much. I overthink things...I agree that you don't need to spend money to have fun!
I enjoy watching your informative videos. You are never going to be able to please everyone. So, you buy the occassional bottle of water. That doesn't make you a big spender! The definiton of frugality is probably the same for the majority of people. Then, all of a sudden, your purchases are not in alignment with another frugal person. Clearly, you and Larry are on the same page and you make it work for you and your family.
I have been watching older videos. Of your family I really enjoyed meeting your family. It videos with the 2 sons with Hope asking them questions. It showed how close your family are. And Phil is a doll.
Education includes vocabulary! Yes! Frugality vs Deprivation Way to go, Hope & Larry. Thanks also, Hope, for confessing you feel guilty about spending that money designated for the holiday. As Larry pointed out another vocabulary word - allocation. Thank you two, for all you do to educate & help everyone.
I also have buyers remorse. I tend to spend more on groceries when I find a really good price on meat. It helps later but I really have buyers remorse. I do only buy meat or something that I can freeze.
Get two. It won't be cheaper next week. Estate sales have shoes that have never been worn. Five bucks. Learn to fix "it" right away so you don't have to buy another one. Pay bills in full so you never pay interest. Pay cash every time you can so you KNOW your money.
Having a why statement not only helps me, but also helps my Husband to keep a focus without feeling deprived. I will add that if you’re with a person who is inherently less frugal, it is important to build “why’s” and also periodic “rewards” into your financial conversations. This has been working well for us so far and it does not take us off track from our short and long term goals. Thanks so much, Hope and Larry!!!❤
That is an interesting and positive approach to budgeting. It’s reassuring to be mindful of alternatives that don’t deprive us from things we enjoy. I finally started taking advantage of BOGOs and also smaller quantities of perishables that can’t be cooked in large batches or frozen. Also, there has to be flavor in my alternate choices of food and beverages. Sometimes the generic brands can be very tasty while saving a pretty penny. Thank you for the encouragement. 👍😍
We try and make it to October 1st before we turn the heat on. Most years we don't make it 😂 But we made it this year! Because just like you guys it's been a warmer than normal year.
I live a little northwest of Houston. We will have one day in the 70s next day it's a 100. So it's bad for furnace to go back and forth. So we leave it off as long as we can.
I am in Minnesota and I always fight to start the furnace. I still have it off and will not turn it on until the house gets below 57 degrees during the day.
As a Canadian, I’m appalled at how much cold Americans suffer. On the other hand, I just bear the heat in summer without a/c. We have plenty of summer heat, though obviously not like people in Alabama.
At this point in time I'm feeling extremely discouraged, just because i had planned to have my emergency fund fully funded by the end of this year and things just don't always turn out the way we want them to. It turns out I'm gonna be about $3000 short about $3909 from being able to have a 3 month emergency fund. Which totally sucks since I've been trying to save that fund up for a little over a year now i mean I've been cutting back on absolutely everything, but i seem to be making no headway whatsoever. Especially since my landlord keeps raising the rent, not only that but everything else is getting way too expensive as well including my Natural gas bill all of which i haven't even been using since the only thing that runs off of Natural gas is my furnace all of which i haven't even used just because I'm scared of getting an outrageous bill but still even though i haven't even been using it my billll has gone up more than 40%. So i guess i just need some encouragement from the subscribers of this channel. Since i understand that Hope and Larry don't answer comments which is totally understandable since they have such a big channel.
@chivosadventures8171 keep fighting the good fight! If you give in now, you'll start spending. In another few months when you hit rock bottom, you'll have to climb back up from the spending, and be in a worse position than you are now! You're almost there! You've got this!
My suggestion is to check with your gas company to see if they offer budget billing so that the Bill is the same amount through out the year. Check with the electric company too. Yes, you will pay more in the warmer months but the extra will cover the months with higher use. We do this with our propane bill and rarely do we have to pay extra at the end of the time period for the contract.
Preach it, Hope!! The US (speaking as one born and raised) has consistently conditioned us that 'happiness' means 'Stuff.' Nopenopenope! Say it with me: Hi! I'm (insert your name) and I'm FRUGAL, NOT CHEAP!! Feel free to write it on a post it and stick it on your window 😊
I didn't have uninsured motorists when I was on scooter and hit and run Democrats left me for dead. Life flight week in ICU and the police were not doing their job. I located the car and when I told police the Felonious immediately traded in for After the police contacted them 😤
I am watching from Cambodia, it is always warm / hot. My father always said: ' I am to poor to buy cheap. ' I have been laying on a too short uncomfotrable sofa that came with the rent. I fealt like being a spender when I finally got a nicer big enough sofa. My back thanked me.
Awesome example of delayed gratification. Super.
When you're poor or feeling poor, all too often you skip home, vehicle, and other maintenance and this costs upto big dollars in the end.
I learnt hard way buying cheap phones cost me more than buying one good quality phone in the first place I learnt this lesson with quality food shows etc
For decades, friends would buy new couches and gift us the older one when they redecorated. After 45 years of marriage, I finally bought our first couch and matching love seat.
Nice to have friends like that!
💖
Just buying the minimum each week at the grocery or spending more for fewer convenience items is another habit that is not frugal!
Adding one/two pantry items each week can save you from spending more on ordering/eating out.
Just brought my spouse home from the hospital and was so glad we had pantry items to make meals for a few days so I didn’t have to stress about going to the grocery.
Mama Taught Me Cheap Is Expensive . Quality Lasts Longer. Thank You ! 👍
Your mother was right!
Funny story. My husband’s aunt was very frugal but she could overdo it sometimes. When she was about 80, she went on a holiday and came back with 4 wooden, varnished toilet seats because of the good price. She had 1 toilet. When she was about 90 she bought teabags in industrial quantities. We calculated that, at the one bag a day she used, she would need to live to 102 to use them all.
I have just had evidence that being frugal makes a huge difference! A chap came to see me to investigate solar energy for my house. When I told him what my electricity and gas bills were, he said he had never seen such a low annual bill, and it wasn't worth my while installing solar. Already being on a green tariff, I shall stay as I am!
Exactly… frugality is not about deprivation!
Frugality for me has become a game. Lol. So much so that a co worker was going to buy a vehicle this past month and another co worker told her she needed to go talk to me first. 😂
I showed her a website to find the vehicle she wanted and what was available in the area and within her budget. I told her the words and ways that will get her a discount. She found exactly what she wanted and bought it at a discount😅
I absolutely love that!
Support is so much more valuable than judgement & criticism. Good for you💕!
Iove this so much! Walking alongside her and giving her the tools she needed to get a great price on what she needed. Well done!
I'm watching this on Nov. 14th. Today is the first day I thought I really might have to turn on the furnace. It was 57° inside when I woke up this morning. My fingers and nose were cold. Normally, a cold nose is the defining moment I know I have to turn the heat on. However, I put on a fleece jacket, a knit cap, long johns under a knitted skirt. I could put my hands in the toasty warm fleece pockets, cover my nose a bit with the stand up collar of the fleece jacket, too. I turned on a space heater in the room where I spend the most time. When I moved out of that room, I turned that little heater off. I made it through the day without turning the furnace on. I've been trying to wait till Thanksgiving, but it seems like the day will be here anytime now. I've always tried to wait till Thanksgiving and have never made it. It's been so warm this November that I thought I might make it. We'll see, but it's not looking like it.
I couldn’t do it
😂
To be frugal as you describe, you need to have a decent income to begin with. You need enough to be able to spend the extra on great shoes that will last. That is why ii is expensive to be poor...if you have very limit funds, you can't think about long term benefits - you just have to do what you can for today.
Whatever the income is, it comes down to how much does a person spend and how much does a person save? People who earn big salaries are often in debt. I don't watch The Ramsey Show too much anymore. This issue came up frequently last year or earlier this year. You start saving a little from each pay check so you are prepared to buy the more expensive shoes when you need them.
I don’t agree with this at all it’s saving part of what you have big or small even starting a shoe fund even if it took a year to save for them rather than debt ect . In every single situation you can pretty much save . A loaf of bread u can chose what to spend or save on that and save big or small amounts but it’s all the same goal
We nevr made a lot of money, but simply took longer to save in order to have some nice things. It's all about money management. Hope this helps. Extra income was brought in by side jobs when needed.
I think about money and all the things you guys discuss, all the time. Always plugging in various numbers in the calculator etc. and the guilt, yes, it's real!
Frugality is not a cure for poverty paying decent wages is
I love the challenges that Hope and Larry have with each other (example - turning on the heat). My husband and I started doing challenges. Not only does it help us save money, but form a stronger bond. When two people work together towards a common goal, it is bound to happen. After 20 years of marriage, all of the goals and challenges has made being married to my best friend, the best gift from God. Thank you for setting the example for all of the future unions.
Awe, thank you. So true about being married to your best friend.
It really hit me when Larry quipped 'yeah we've done this' when you were talking about being guilty of doing something not so frugal (around 17:30mins). I've been thinking about frugality and emotions lately, and the idea of blame and guilt really makes me pause. Why do we do it?
Making issues about money a matter of morality rubs me the wrong way, and I'm not saying we do it intentionally. It's just the language we use. Usually blaming oneself for 'doing bad', be it overspending or overeating, just leads to very unhealthy coping mechanisms.
Yeah, I did that, I did that in the past, sure, did that. Realized it was not a good idea and will now change my way. Will not wallow or consider myself a bad person and then just go and spend more money because that's how I alleviate my pain. :)
Thank you Larry for giving me the nudge to finally put my rather scattered thoughts into something more coherent! You are both awesome and I enjoy your videos immensely!
Thank you for your comment. We really appreciate viewers like you.
Great video! I have a top shelf in our closet where I have a toaster my sister wasn't using which I wrapped in a plastic bag that was waste and taped tight. My current toaster was my Mom's and missing a handle but the plunger still works. Saw a coffee maker marked down at Target. Bought and stored and was ready when the old one bit the dust. Being frugal is about being prepared.
Being prepared is what it's all about. Excellent.
As long as you don’t plan to move
I go into about 5 why questions to get to a real emotional reason why I want to do something. This gives me a higher motivation to push through to the end result. Example.. 1. I want to pay off my mortgage. Why? 2. because I want to be financially free. Why? 3 Because it will allow me extra money and time to visit my husband who travels extensively. Why? 4. Because I want to spend quality time with him while he's on the road. Why? 5 Because it will bond us more and help support him because he's away from home for months at a time. So my why sentence will be, "I want to have the mortgage paid off so I can work a little less and spend more time with my husband on the road to help strengthen our relationship and help support him . I typed that up and laminated the statement and keep it in my wallet. When I want to frivolously spend, I read my why statement and helps me to stay on track. 💕💕
Knowing your why is so important. Good food for thought!
Yayyyy me!!! I found your channel last month and have been binge-watching your videos since the cucumber salad one.
And (drumroll puleeze) I'm all caught up...almost😂
I have always been a frugalista and I firmly believe that there is always something new and useful to learn!
Thank you so much for the Channel!
We are preparing to go camping to welcome in the new year. Last year we drove four and a half hours down to Savannah, rented a very uncomfortable hotel room bed, and went to the riverfront to see the fireworks. We had to get there around 8:00 just so we can get a parking spot. And I am so grateful that we bought our camp chairs. EVERYONE else had to basically walk around for 4 hours. The restaurants started closing around 10:00 so people could go home if they wanted to. So hubs and I just snuggled under our blanket and people watched.
Then came the countdown finally... And we discovered that we were at the wrong end of the pier😂😂
So this year we decided to stay local. I checked out the state park and historical sites pass from the local library. This gives free admission to all the state parks as well as the historic sites here in Georgia. All the libraries partner with all the state parks and historic sites to loan out the pass to whoever has a library card. We'll check in after service this Sunday and Monday we'll go sightseeing to some of the local things going on in that area. Maybe head over to the gold Museum, which will be free, and do some panning😊
We have a pop-up tent that has a 7 ft ceiling (hubs is 6'4" and that Quasimodo look is just so 1800s 🤣).
We take day trips usually every other week or so and drive to two or three different state parks to check out the camping amenities, waterfalls, fishing spots , walking trails, museums, mansions, etc.
We only rent sites that have water and electric. We found our absolute most favorite site this summer. It is the only state park in Georgia that has electric and water on the COVERED platform specifically for tents only. The RVs and yurts and cabins are in different parts of the park.
Anyway, I usually make all of our food ahead of time and then I freeze it in heavy duty foil. We take our air fryer and when we're ready for lunch or dinner, we just plug it in, pop in a foil pack, sprinkle some veggies from the single serve cups split between us from Dollar tree, and a korean sweet potato for dessert and voila! Glamping at its finest!
We also bring an electric heater. Our last camping trip was this past October and the temps went down to 40°. Our little heater kept the inside of the tent steady at 72° all night. We also have a 20 inch inflatable air mattress that didn't lose any are throughout the whole night. I also have flannel sheets that I put on.
Anyway, I'd just like to thank you all for your public service! I revamped our budget once again 2 months before I found you. And in the past 3 months, I have paid the car note so far ahead, that instead of 31 months, we should be paid off in 15.
We will not have to buy any meat products (we only do chicken and fish anyway) for about 7 months.
And even though the temps have gotten into the 30s here, we've been able to revamp the heating & gas useage in the house and it has gone from close to $200 down to 130! That's $70 or down $35/ for gas and electric.
We have the opportunity in my County, but outside the city limits, to look on the gas regulation website and lock in our price per therm. So I locked it in for 2 years. I am paying .39 a therm.
Just 20 minutes west of where I live in the same county but within City limits, they don't have a choice. The gas per therm is over $1. I belong to a co-op and they just gave a capital credit back to the stakeholders (me😊). Almost $20!
Thank you again for all your great tips!
Have a safe, healthy, happy New Year everyone🎉🎉
I do the same with boots! I have 4 pairs of quality leather boots, 2 brown, 2 black. They are over 5 years old as I wear them on rotation and as they are good quality they last. One pair needs heeling (for the first time), which I will do next month rather than buy a new pair. Buying cheap is a false economy. But buying the most expensive is a waste of money too. Its finding the happy medium where I find the sweet spot!!!
Exactly
Hi - overbuying on a good deal. This. I recently got Kraft mac and cheese for 25 cents a box, I bought a case of 36. Sigh. I have gifted about half to family and friends. I think I still deal with a bit of 'trauma' from the supply chain issues from the last several years. Working on that.
I do my own car maintenance. It is VASTLY cheaper than taking a car into the shop.
BUT, I am also very busy, so sometimes I can't get to maintenance like oil and air filter changes at the best intervals. If I can't get to these routine tasks, they can quickly turn into big money pits like blown head gaskets.
Sometimes it's best to just pay someone for routine tasks if you can't get to them yourself.
It's a classic case of "penny wise, pound foolish" if you're not careful.
It’s soo wonderful how loving you both speak to one another! ❤ Thank you for the lovely advice!
Thank you so much.
My mom used to say in Spanish, "lo barato cuesta caro," which translates to "cheap costs expensive." I am super hard on my handbags and bought a $30 purse on Amazon because of its looks and price. Within a few weeks, it was falling apart. So I upgraded to a Coach bag but unfortunately even with the higher price tag, that still fell apart after a few months. Lastly, I got a Dooney & Bourke and have been carrying that bag for years! It is so durable, I think it will outlast me! 😂
The vintage leather coach bags are better quality than modern coaches. I find the same is true with leather fossil bags too. I some that I have thrived and they have held up very well. Vintage Dooneys are better quality as well. I've seen some of these bags from the 70s that were easily restored with a good cleaning, a bit of restricting and a good polish. I love a good leather bag and won't buy the cheap ones that fail quickly.
This seems basic but people let money control them. Example : The couple is retired and has more than enough money but he works in retirement. She gives up and takes a vacation by herself. Another one is a guy who works 68 hours a week because of too much debt. The key is you control money and enjoy life.
I have an issue that most anything that breaks I can fix it in most cases. The time comes that it's not being used but it's hard to toss perfectly working items. The items pile up and they need to go. I am now placing items by the mail box free and letting others take them. I guess I would sell them but the retirement accounts are growing so fast that I rather do the things I enjoy than sell items that have very little value.
Have a great weekend!
Another fantastic video. I’m watching and shaking my head to yes, everything! You guys are spot on! Perfect for this time of year when we all need to be aware of over buying!
As a homeschooling mom on one income I'm always look I g for ways to better manage our small income. I can relate to all of these points, thank you for this❤
You are so welcome, Dawn.
We have a saying in Germany: "Who buys cheaply, buys twice"
My dad believed this and always chose quality when he purchased anything important.
Excellent quote.
I’ve heard, buy once , cry once
My aim is to be frugal - not a cheapskate 😂 Sometimes it feels like a fine line but it does feel so good to have the money in hand to enjoy a weekend trip or dinner, vs trying to go out all the time but only have a water and free chips. There is a balance!
I think problem #7 is a guy thing. My husband does the same. His intention is to have something available when we need to ultimately avoid stress when something does break plus he said we’re saving us money because I purchased the backup item when it was cheaper. 😊
These sound like smart tips. The thing about the clutter though is that sometimes you do end up using something after ignoring it for years. It is about being organized. If you have piles of things that you can't figure out what is there or how to use them, that causes stress. Preppers say two is one and one is none. Some people are into getting large stockpiles when they see a sale, but they are ready and organized. They have a shelf to put it on or some canning project to take care of what will spoil.
Some people can't manage that many things or don't want to. In that case, maybe paring down and not bringing in more items would help. You really don't need to spend a lot to start accumulating a lot. You have to keep track of what you are piling in around you before it starts to impede on your ability to function. I wouldn't call that a spirit of fear but a feeling of confusion and being overwhelmed to the point of feeling defeated and not knowing where to start.
I turned my heat on Dec. 19 last year. I'm hoping to meet or beat that goal this year!
I wanted to say thank you for recommending Moringa for knee pain. I started taking it immediately and a month later, I went from being in a lot of pain to being 100% pain free. I have thrown out about a hundred remedies and OTC products I no longer need (not that any of them ever worked). The moringa is the first and only thing that took away all of my knee pain. A huge thank you, Larry.
Ty
Hi Hope and Larry! I live in Central Florida and it has been a lot warmer here also. We are having a cold front come in this weekend. I have hardly been the AC . I turn up my AC to a higher degree and use my tower fan to stay cool like you both have suggested. I am going through menopause. Really terrible hot flashes. I can't run the heat in the winter - I get very overheated. It does save money. But the main reason is my hot flashes that I don't run my Central Heat.
I am working at paying off debt right now. I am going to start saving for an emergency fund also.
I buy Skechers that are made of leather. They last a long time and I don't mind spending more money on shoes. I walk alot and really need a better pair of shoes. It's worth it to spend the extra money on shoes for me and like you both do.
If we do get the cold front this weekend. Saturday I am going out to eat at Sonic. I need to get away from home. My son and daughter in law gave me a Sonic gift card as a Mother's Day present. I really am going to enjoy going out to eat and it's a gift.🥰
I love sitting at the tables outside and eating my meal and just rest and relax and have some fun.
I really enjoy your videos and I know with your good solid advice I am going to be able to get debt free and have an emergency fund and have money like you both have said spend on what's most important to me. Really enjoyed your video tonight. You are a wonderful Christian couple.
My house is old and drafty. My heat went on as soon as it got cold and stayed that way. We have had frost outside already so setting dates are fine, but be practical. I am looking at heating options for in between weather, but when my furnace died the electric space heaters cost far more to run than the new furnace.
I bought 14 mums with dead blubs, leaves fully green, large; potted plants for sixty cents each at Kroger. I am planting them with hopes most come back next year flowering. The pots would cost this much. Watch for discounted Mums now.
My heart wants Hope and Larry to go on a luxury Caribbean vacation and not ever Even look at a price! Celebrate all these Decades of work and splurge and indulge a little (or a bunch!!) 🎉🎉🎉💃🏻🏖️⛱️🏝️🌊
Snow outside. Greetings from Sweden.
My goal is December 1 for the furnace (New Jersey). It’s easy to stay warm with extra clothes or a blanket.
Sinking Funds totally changed my budget. I don’t feel guilty when I spend money if I have budgeted/saved for it.
Good lessons. I struggle with several of these mindsets. I feel guilty about spending money, even when it's in my budget. I also obcess about money a little too much. I overthink things...I agree that you don't need to spend money to have fun!
I enjoy watching your informative videos. You are never going to be able to please everyone. So, you buy the occassional bottle of water. That doesn't make you a big spender! The definiton of frugality is probably the same for the majority of people. Then, all of a sudden, your purchases are not in alignment with another frugal person. Clearly, you and Larry are on the same page and you make it work for you and your family.
I have been watching older videos. Of your family I really enjoyed meeting your family. It videos with the 2 sons with Hope asking them questions. It showed how close your family are. And Phil is a doll.
Education includes vocabulary! Yes!
Frugality vs Deprivation
Way to go, Hope & Larry.
Thanks also, Hope, for confessing you feel guilty about spending that money designated for the holiday. As Larry pointed out another vocabulary word - allocation.
Thank you two, for all you do to educate & help everyone.
Great tips! Thanks ❤
You guys are cutiest couple ✨
They are! Good thing they are a *true* team; because I can’t decide which one is my favourite!😂 Fact: they both are!!!
I also have buyers remorse. I tend to spend more on groceries when I find a really good price on meat. It helps later but I really have buyers remorse. I do only buy meat or something that I can freeze.
Sending much love to you guys 🌟⭐️💚
Get two. It won't be cheaper next week. Estate sales have shoes that have never been worn. Five bucks. Learn to fix "it" right away so you don't have to buy another one. Pay bills in full so you never pay interest. Pay cash every time you can so you KNOW your money.
Having a why statement not only helps me, but also helps my
Husband to keep a focus without feeling deprived. I will add that if you’re with a person who is inherently less frugal, it is important to build “why’s” and also periodic “rewards” into your financial conversations. This has been working well for us so far and it does not take us off track from our short and long term goals. Thanks so much, Hope and Larry!!!❤
Hi I'm from the Adirondacks in ny state great advice guys thank you😊
I live frugal life I buy bottled water I buy coffee I go on holidays
That is an interesting and positive approach to budgeting. It’s reassuring to be mindful of alternatives that don’t deprive us from things we enjoy. I finally started taking advantage of BOGOs and also smaller quantities of perishables that can’t be cooked in large batches or frozen. Also, there has to be flavor in my alternate choices of food and beverages. Sometimes the generic brands can be very tasty while saving a pretty penny. Thank you for the encouragement. 👍😍
We try and make it to October 1st before we turn the heat on. Most years we don't make it 😂 But we made it this year! Because just like you guys it's been a warmer than normal year.
Enjoy listening to both of you. Thanks for your videos. You are a sweet couple.
I live a little northwest of Houston. We will have one day in the 70s next day it's a 100. So it's bad for furnace to go back and forth. So we leave it off as long as we can.
I am in Minnesota and I always fight to start the furnace. I still have it off and will not turn it on until the house gets below 57 degrees during the day.
As a Canadian, I’m appalled at how much cold Americans suffer. On the other hand, I just bear the heat in summer without a/c. We have plenty of summer heat, though obviously not like people in Alabama.
(Anything under 70 is too cold)
Re: Avg family of 4 spending $1000/mo on groceries, likely isn't counting what they spend in addition on take-out?
At this point in time I'm feeling extremely discouraged, just because i had planned to have my emergency fund fully funded by the end of this year and things just don't always turn out the way we want them to. It turns out I'm gonna be about $3000 short about $3909 from being able to have a 3 month emergency fund. Which totally sucks since I've been trying to save that fund up for a little over a year now i mean I've been cutting back on absolutely everything, but i seem to be making no headway whatsoever. Especially since my landlord keeps raising the rent, not only that but everything else is getting way too expensive as well including my Natural gas bill all of which i haven't even been using since the only thing that runs off of Natural gas is my furnace all of which i haven't even used just because I'm scared of getting an outrageous bill but still even though i haven't even been using it my billll has gone up more than 40%. So i guess i just need some encouragement from the subscribers of this channel. Since i understand that Hope and Larry don't answer comments which is totally understandable since they have such a big channel.
You need to call your natural gas company and inquire why your bill is so high.
@chivosadventures8171 keep fighting the good fight! If you give in now, you'll start spending. In another few months when you hit rock bottom, you'll have to climb back up from the spending, and be in a worse position than you are now!
You're almost there! You've got this!
My suggestion is to check with your gas company to see if they offer budget billing so that the Bill is the same amount through out the year. Check with the electric company too. Yes, you will pay more in the warmer months but the extra will cover the months with higher use. We do this with our propane bill and rarely do we have to pay extra at the end of the time period for the contract.
It’s Nov.15 ,2024 here in rural Upstate
Central New York and still haven’t
turned on my heat yet.
I am in Irving, Texas. You will be welcome to come
“It’s easier to just earn more money than it is to save it”
After changing my furnace filter this evening- I finally turned on my heat (in Michigan).
Preach it, Hope!! The US (speaking as one born and raised) has consistently conditioned us that 'happiness' means 'Stuff.'
Nopenopenope!
Say it with me: Hi! I'm (insert your name) and I'm FRUGAL, NOT CHEAP!!
Feel free to write it on a post it and stick it on your window 😊
Hello from Germany 🙂
Love everything about you guys your tips have helped me alot but I don't like oatmeal or cream of wheat
Less but better.
You could have repaired the shoes ?
I’m in Anderson South Carolina and I still haven’t had to turn my furnace on yet
Lol! Always a back up blow dryer! 😎
11:18 So true!
8 is my kryptonite!!!
Yarn. Dollar tree has cheap good yarn. Meijer has cheap yarn that is not so good.
I find buying American made will last longer.
Research stuff so you buy good things.
I didn't have uninsured motorists when I was on scooter and hit and run Democrats left me for dead. Life flight week in ICU and the police were not doing their job. I located the car and when I told police the Felonious immediately traded in for After the police contacted them 😤
Frugality and self sacrifice in order to give to God/charity-others;--where does that fit in your overall values and practices.
Less but better.