Asian here. You dont store potatoes and onion in the fridge. They will grow mold and roots 😂 put them in the bamboo basket store them in a dark place but with good air circulation. It shouldnt be humid or moist. Dark but dry. If you dont want that way, peel the onion skins first, and put them in a tupperware with tissue or paper, then put the onions. For potatoes, peel and cut and wash and dry them first from water, and then put them in the freezer My mother does it alot. 👍🏼
Wow I've never heard this before thank you I'm gonna give these a try. We are good at using up out onions before they're bad no problem but potatos we struggle. This will be a huge help!
I'm a retired lady in my 70s and I keep a gratitude journal. It's so important to reflect on the positives even if we are having some current difficulties.
Right On! 😊 I brownbag it and I eat only 30 minutes per lunch time. I can get out earlier. I sometimes am tempted to buy from Temu, or Amazon but I don't. Is Temu legit? I haven't bought anything in a long time. I don't mind going to thrift shops sometimes you find some amazing things. I mix and match my clothes and I iron them instead of The Drycleaners. I also print my Bills since I get them online that way I know when it is due. #4 is for me now a must. I also gave up buying music, magazines and other gadgets. #5 is good as well. I also watch financial channels on TH-cam and TV.
Hi Vera :) I'm coming from Belgium, am 61, and I've been learning English for a few years now. I like listening to you as exercise as well as learning a lot of tips or ideas about a lot of things. You are very interesting, clear in your explanations, you speak English very well without accent and it's for me a pleasure to meet you every time. Every night before sleeping I listen to a prayer about gratitude and I never forget to realize I am very lucky with my life.
I watched this video while repairing an old cashmere jumper that had a hole in it. Now it's as good as new ✨. There's something so satisfying about taking care of good old things that you know will last.
I discovered that someone in my area in my size shops at a store I always wanted to but couldn't afford. I discovered this by taking a peek in a thrift store. I now have the wardrobe I always wanted at less-than-discount store prices.
regarding Black Friday - notice how for about 6 months they keep raising prices, so the cost on Black Friday is actually not a crazy sale but a price from a few months back. Then the whole circle goes back around starting after holiday season ;)
Yes! Which? Did a survey where they found 98% of black Friday products for the same price or cheaper at other times of year. I sell online & tell my customers this every year. I refuse to bow to the pressure to run a sale which isn't a sale!
I now live in the US, and people here do NOT dress for the season! They keep buildings so cold during summer, and so hot during winter, I don't understand it!
Great video!! I have reduced my clothing budget. I found out that black leggings can be worn several times per week and if I change up the shirts no one knows.
Great tips! I feel like we owe not only to our pockets but first and foremost to our environment to stick to these simple rules. I come from a country that was ridden with war and inflation during the longest part of my childhood and lemme tell you, there were no sweets, excessive clothing and movie and shopping mall dates for us, just home baked cakes, hand me down clothes and library books. 😅 And yet, my friends and I all grew up to be adults with more than just a knack for making things simple and frugal and conscience about terrible side of consumerism. It is freeing in a way, to know that you need so little to be happy and to thrive. Recently I moved to another country and all my belongings were packed in 2 suitcases and a backpack (and my kitty in a bag ofc!). I still miss some of my books but here we have some lovely libraries, so there's that, I've come full circle!
@@bettyboop7738 Why, thank you so much!!! I've been very fortunate to have traveled a fair bit, but for the past two years I have been sticking to the exploration of many wonderful landscapes and sites of my new home. All the best to you from Portugal!
@@m.aj11 thanks...sounds fun...I live in deep south USA and it's been in the 90s .. tonight supposed to freeze..😳 but a weather change can be refreshing ! Take care 👍 BB from somewhere in Louisiana
I grew up in the Soviet Union in 70-ies and 80-ies and coming to Canada was the beginning of never-ending shopping for EVERYTHING. It took almost 20 years to realize that buying more stuff just makes me more miserable financially and emotionally. Shopping is yet another dopamine-inducing activity that is addictive and gets you depressed in a long run. I don't shop nearly as often or as much. Now I am taking it to the next level buy instituting a shopping moratorium for 12 months. I have signed up for Simple Happy Zen course (very helpful) and track my progress daily, weekly and monthly. I have started a notebook where I put the pictures of all the nice and lovely things I bought in the last 3 years: 1 per day of no-spend moratorium. By putting the picture, writing my emotions and reasons to buy the item, I am reliving the experience all over again. Also, it made it into a nice personalized catalogue of my treasures that is fun to browse and re-living the shopping moments over and over again. Gives me a bit of dopamine without spending a dime.
Wow! This is the first time I come across this tip! Thanks a lot for sharing, I will definitely consider putting pics of all my closet items in one place to re-visit and reminisce the actual time I bought all of them)
I love all of the motivational tips with the exception of food. If there are food items that can be on the shelf leave them there and rotate it. In my 60 years I have learned first hand more than once how valuable it is to have a good storage. Do not use your food items down to zero. It is as important as a savings account. Keep your food!! Add to it and ROTATE it. ❤️❤️❤️
@@valeriedemey4993 yes!!! How quickly people forgot the world shut down and shelves with nothing on them and ships with supplies in the water not able to dock.
@@valeriedemey4993yes, I've been very hungry, not much food, so I keep plenty of food but I do not hoard, I've learned the hard way that you'd be surprised what you can eat when you are so hungry and have very little food.
As a frugal Dutch person I do most of these things. People wonder why I am able to save so much...I don't feel deprived in anyway and enjoy life with my loved ones!
I try to buy veggies or fruit in the street market that are mature or don't look nice. Usually I get excellent deals and then I can freeze the fruits for smoothies or make pre meals.
I love how clean your lifestyle is.... no distractions, no useless items... I try to have similar lifestyle, but I am still on the beginning. Thank You very much for Your tips!! The idea that struck me the most is the "inventory down to zero" --> I've never thought about it like that, because I am use to have some "backup food" or "just in case" food. But I love your idea and going to try it. :)
I still have some "back up" food and toiletries but I buy one extra package when it's either on sale or when I'm close to running out the one I currently use. If you have a very busy lifestyle, I think it's good to have an extra milk, extra bread etc in the freezer, in case if you cannot make it on time to the supermarkets during the week or you get sick, etc. My work can be sometimes non-stop so it's good to know that I always have something at home in the freezer 😊
Great tips. I myself never go to cinema, restaurants, cafés, go for holidays on expensive trips (only visiting family members twice a year by train for a couple of days), buys clothing's only when absolutely necessary, I advertise on items I have bought that has some kind of fault or is broken rather than trowing it away and paying for a new one. I've saved alot of money on advertising on stuff. I do not buy new phones randomly or anything else. I only buy things I actually need when I need it. I try to use the things I have and give them new purpose or multi-usage. I use the food I have rather than buying something else right away and I do not throw away food just because it's expired on date. I walk rather than taking the bus, don't own a car or bicycle. I do not pay for mobile phone calls etc, I use free alternatives such as email. Trim my own hair, don't use makeup, don't use Parfume, alongside with no nail polish. I also get stuff for free, things that others want to give away, in order to resell for extra money. I otherwise also sell alot of my own stuff, to get rid of the burden, free up space and time and in order to get extra money to save up. I pay my bills, save money and after using some on food etc I save the rest so as not to temp myself to buy something I don't need. I save money the best I can by any means necessary, in order to buy a complex apartment. We all have our reasons to save money, but in today's struggles I see people needing to save money just in order to get by and so as to be safe in the future. The costs are real for sure, and they only seem to get higher. This is the time to be smart with your money.
Hi, and thanks for this thoughtful video! I find that we need much less than the world tells us to consume! I own very little, yet I'm very happy and content. My advice is to always question what the world tells us because it is often not the truth.
I like the idea of looking to see what you have and using it all up before buying anything else …. In the past I would buy multiple items for the same purpose like lotions and hair are and they would just be too much. I’ve since refused to Buy stuff unless absolutely necessary
You can grow your own vegetable sponges to use in the kitchen and for yourself. It's free AND good for the environment and it doesn't leek microplatics
I enjoyed listening to you. I have to say, though, these things you do are not only due to national heritage or minimalism. My grandparents raised their children through the Great Depression and WWll, so m my parents grew up during those times. That also means I grew up experiencing all they knew as normal in their lives. Because of that, the actions and concepts you mentioned have been " in my blood" my whole life. I've taken it further. For example: I stopped carrying any purse at all. I put everything I need in my pockets, and then carry a water bottle. I live in a no-spend year. I allow myself some leniency in that by making a small list of needs so that If I find those items during the year at very good prices, I'll get them. So far this year, I've made 4 purchases. When it comes to utilities, I turn the water off after I've gotten wet, wash and then turn the water on again to rinse. I also only turn on a small stream of water. I hand wash dishes. I do have a car, but I almost never use it. This year, so far, I've filled the gas tank only one and a half times. I use all the free transportation I can find. Because I'm a disabled senior, I have a lot available to me. My car is 17 years old and still going strong because I bought a good car to begin with and take care of it. I keep electronics for years and years, until they are beyond repair before I get another one. I resist purchases, repair, refurbish, recycle, reuse, re-gift, re-design, re-make, etc. Almost nothing goes to waste. I use everything up until it's completely not usable any more. I calculated once that I use about 1/15th the utilities of other people. I'm just always mindful of it. I don't consider myself a minimalist. I've accumulated all I need and want over my whole life. I purge and declutter regularly. In other words, there's nothing new under the sun. People have been living as you described for probably millennia. Still, it's so good that you remind people with your videos.😊
Great tips! I've made a "price book" of the main food items I buy. It's just a little notebook with the normal price at two grocery stores I use. That lets me know if something on sale is really a good deal. I keep a running list of basic groceries we need. We have a big vegetable garden this year and I learned to do water-bath canning. That way I saved more than 30 jars of peaches, tomatoes, salsa, pasta sauce, eggplant, jam, and other treats to eat throughout the winter. The jars are like small jewels on the shelf. Many will go to friends as gifts. To cut back on food waste, I keep a rectangular basket in the fridge. Whenever I cut peppers, onions, squash, avocado, etc. I put the extra in small glass bowls with a top. I stack them in the basket and pull it out whenever I do a stir fry, big salad, or wrap. That ensures they are first to be used, and much of the chopping is already done. Small things add up. Sharing garden bounty with friends and neighbors, taking periodic loads to the food bank, and learning some basic new recipes has made this a great garden year.
Regarding pre-cut produce: I highly recommend frozen produce. In many dishes, frozen is just fine and it saves on prep time, you don't need to plan against food waste = more flexibility in meals, you've got no scraps so the price for frozen produce equals the entirely usable amount, and sometimes here (even when the fresh version is on offer/it's in season) the price per kg might still be cheaper. It all depends on what you'll want to use it for.
I also keep veggies in the frig and bread in the freezer, but I've also learned to pre-cut all my onions at one time and freeze them so they're ready to be used when I need them.
My favorite way to save money on food is to ask “can I make that in less than five minutes?” before I add something to my list. For example, I would not buy pancake mix if I already had flour, baking soda, sugar, and salt. I would just make my own in a jar to keep in the pantry. At first, it feels like it might be more work, but often it’s actually a lot less work (and money) to take five minutes to make your own version than to take the time and spend the money going to the store. I no longer buy things like pre-made hot chocolate packets since I almost always have the ingredients at home. Plus, it’s better for you because it cuts out a lot of preservatives and artificial ingredients.
One budget practice that helps me is adding up the annual cost of car insurance, homeowners insurance, property taxes, and car licensing (I live in USA). Then I divide the annual cost of all those expenses by 12 for the monthly cost. In a separate savings account, I make a deposit of the monthly cost each month. It may be a challenge to start this, I know. When those bills are due, I am ready with the full payment. I budget avoiding any interest charges!!!
For some reason I like it so much that all your bags are pink 🥰when I thought about decreasing the number of bags I have to only 1 per category, I immediately thought that I would keep my black ones as the most practical, and then you’ve shown your pink ones and I was like no I would keep the ones that bring me the most joy ☺️
I have a large family and lots of laundry to hang out . I don’t like stiff clothes and towels so I do use the dryer to fluff and soften. I simply use a little watered down fabric softener in a spray bottle on a load for 15 minutes. If you put them in very slightly damp the wrinkles come right out and I’m not setting the dryer for 70 minutes.
Using white vinegar iso softener has the same effect, is hypoallergic and is good for the pipes and draines of your appliances.it's a natural product you can use to clean the whole house.
Great advice. I recently bought a dehumidifier but as a secondary use it says it will dry washing in your house quicker without obviously the need to tumble dry or having the central heating on. So anyone with a dehumidifier remember to put your washing near it.
Excelent ideas!! Thank you ❤. When I hear that you can excercise at home, it makes sense but, to go do it in groups (gym) gives you 3 advantages: you actually interact with people in person, you avoid injuries by having a prepared instructor, and you get to do the excersice because arranged apointments tend to pressure you to keep discipline.
I think this depends on if you are an introvert or an extrovert. My mom is an extrovert and shes motivated by going to see people and exercise together, whereas I hate making small talk so I would never go to a gym.
One thing i do is to chop all the peppers and onions etc, freeze in ice cubes and once is frozen i put them in a plastic bag so ill have fresh frozen onions etc in cube size when i want to cook and it doesn't loose taste at all, saves money and time
I realized I follow most of these already. I have always felt a bit strange for not wanting to own too many things, specially in a family that loves shopping. Or to own only a few things that really mean something to me. I think quality is a very important factor to consider when buying. Well made things will last longer and you can really make the best out of whatever you do buy, including food and supplies. So even if it might be a bit more expensive, it will be worth it in the long run.
Hey Vera! Thanks for this very Dutch video 😊 I live in Canada but I'm half Dutch. My grandparents immigrated to Canada from the Netherlands and I grew up in a community with lots of Dutch people. I understand the frugal Dutch instincts well! I really appreciated your money-saving tips! My husband and I occasionally ask for restaurant gift cards for birthday/Christmas presents in order to avoid collecting more stuff. This doubles as a money saving hack because it allows us to enjoy the occasional restaurant meal for free 😊
This is the best set of ideas how to save money on every day basis through the long run I’ve watched on TH-cam, and I watched most of them! Thank you so much. Honestly, very easy and simple ideas. Everyone, who concerns, can do it!
I'm also vegan and I started making a lot of my foods and cleaning products from scratch: almond milk, matcha lattes, biscuits, nut butters, almond meal, hummus, muffins, beans and legumes, soups, all purpose cleansers, floor cleaner, air freshener... Not only has this significantly cut costs it also keeps me from wasting anything because I have put so much effort into making things. Like you I wait for movies to come out on streaming instead of attending the cinema. My main reason was poor phone etiquette of other people in the audience. I also shop from a wish list and because all of the items are fair trade and eco conscious I try and wait for the sales to get them at better prices.
'poor phone etiquette of other people in the audience' ... I had the misfortune to once be seated one empty seat away from a woman who turned on her phone during the movie to talk to her family. I just looked at her and she was so rude back, I felt like ripping her head off... 🤣 well not really but you know what I mean. That was probably 8 or so years ago and I have never been to the pictures since.
I actually think having a few pairs of sunglasses is ok. I have a higher quality pair that I wear regularly and a couple of lower quality ones I keep in my car and luggage (that can be tossed around and good for emergency situations).
What a great video Vera, I’ll be watching this again and actually making a list of many of these tips! A couple of things I do that I learned from my dad was ripping the paper towels in half if you only need a small piece, shutting the water on & off while washing the dishes or cleaning the kitchen instead of letting it run while you go to clean the table for instance, I add water to the last of the spaghetti sauce jar to extend it and I carry my water bottle with me and only order water with lemon when I eat out which isn’t too often because I hate paying for drinks outside, it’s so expensive as you’ve said! Thnx for these great tips! 💵
I like your idea of only using what you need.Another idea: have one set of bar towels and cut worn or stained cotton towels/clothes. I dry outside until I have enough to wash in the machine with hot water. Haven't used a paper towel in years.
Yesterday I decided to “treat” myself to a coffee at a restaurant we went to for my cousin’s graduation. I typically drink water, as well. I asked if coffee has free refills, the restaurant actually said, “No.” 😮 Now places are charging for a refill of coffee. I went ahead and got another one, since I rarely eat out.
As a Dutch person I do a lot of the things you say, but there are a few things that I never thought about like the €1 rule and the rule of only being allowed to buy 2 things that are not on your shoppinglist to try out something new. I do like those things and will certainly start doing them. I will also save this video in my own list of favorites because there were so many things coming by that I already forgot a few good ones. Thanks for another great video 🤍🩶🩵
These are things all the world should know and follow. Use the things you have and if a clothe is old buy a new one, if a cup is broken buy a new one. Stop filling the house with so many things that u do not use. A simpler life helps you also to save money, make it easier to do house chores, helps you to have a more balanced lifestyle, etc. Everyone should think more before buying buying buying.
Loved your tips. I had to laugh to "scrapping" as we do exactly the same in my home country (Poland) and in Norway where I have lived the last 15 years. As for heating, we only switch off heating 2 months per year as we live in Northern Norway so our electricity bills are quite high but I make sure that I switch the light when I go out of a room etc. etc. and the same with water. I can give you great tips to spare money on dying hair! especially if you have darker hair. I use henna to dye my hair at home, its cruelty free, free from any chemicals, It doeasnt damage your hair (my hair got waaaay stronger and thicker after using henna in a year now!) and you can do it at home yourself. I also travel a lot and I find food at the airports extremely expensive so I always bring my own food to have on a plane. :-)
Hi Vera, sensible as always. Re. gifts, instead of buying each new items, my partner and I now gift each other repairs of existing loved possessions. For example, for my birthday, he paid for repairs to a beloved handbag I already owned that had got scratched. It was like getting a whole new bag, without needing to find storage space for a new item, and I was genuinely thrilled. There's something really satisfying about solving a problem and being able to use something again with pleasure; and he was thrilled to not have to find a suitable new item for a gift. Re. menus, something I sometimes do is order a starter (or two if I'm really hungry) instead of a main course. It's cheaper and, being vegetarian, I often have more interesting choices in the starters menu. Thanks for the list :)
Great video. I do a lot of these things already, but I do love the 1 Euro rule! That's a great way to determine if subscriptions are worth the expense or not. Agree with the using up stuff periodically too before buying anything else, I'm currently doing an "eat down" on our freezer and pantry so I can restock it with fresh stuff for the winter months. I'll do the same thing again in the spring.
Happy you enjoyed the 1 euro rule! :) I'm not super strict with it myself, but I do like that it gives me a better idea if something is worth it or not. It's not always my main motivation though, sometimes I also just want to support a creator or writer or something, and then I don't really follow this rule because I'm doing it to support someone. But it does really help with things like Netflix and stuff :)
Hi Vera, I am from the US and most people are sooo wastful here, but we are not all like that. Thank you for the tips, I do many of them, but I got a few new ones, thank you again!😊
If I'm going to shop for ingredients to make a particular recipe, I try for things that I can batch for the freezer. Frankly don't love to cook but enjoy making soups, stews, etc. Something like a basic vegetable soup can be changed with different proteins or grains added. Easy and simple variety.
We are now ‘empty nesters’ - 3 sons moved out. I find I still overcook out of habit. So we now freeze the excess food and therefore always have something ready if any of said sons pop round unexpectedly. If not, at the end of each month my husband and I will have a ‘pot luck’ date night. No food waste and a fun evening together in the kitchen…. Blessings to you Vera - as always, be happy 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
In all honesty if I am going out or travel: I do spend. At these moments i really don’t want to think about what it costs. I wouldn’t fully enjoy AND these are the things I am actually saving for
@@XKaulitza the max I set is pretty high. When I travel, I like to spend, too, especially because I don’t do it too often. In general, when I go out, I don’t like to feel restricted. I give myself a max when traveling just so I don’t go overboard lol
Dear Vera, I noticed the candle in the background and it looks soothing, I love it. I have only a small recommendation, please, please, please place the lit candle at a greater distance from your flowers, hot air isn't good for them. Thank you very much for your inspiring videos. With love, Iva
I guess my main go to is reverse meal planning. I will make a tentative plan first, but when I go to the grocery store I raid and inspect all the clearance and very good deals on sales. So if I find things marked down, and I like them, then I adjust my meal plans to fit those items. It’s almost comical how most of the time I find plenty of clearance that will work for me each and every time I shop. (Also I take into account if it stores well as with refrigerating and freezing) I also (as a single person) find as many good deals as I can with dining out such as taking advantage of things like all you can eat salad and cold take home deals. Most times also I can stretch one dining out experience into two meals, just by using portion control. But if you get unlimited salad, that’s mostly one meal. My entree is mostly taken home for meal two and then the take home deal will make two meals also. So that’s 4 meals from dining out once. As a solo single, I find that to be highly economical. Or just doing up my own Mexican food and just buying restaurant salsa to go to eat with it all week. And so on. (Or picking up the ginger sauce at the hibachi place lol).
When a recipe calls for half a head of cauliflower for example, I just double the recipe and freeze the rest. It barely takes any extra effort and means we have a meal ready for when we don't feel like cooking 😊
Great segment! We were able to eliminate debt by saving for major purchases & paying cash. We also had installed a water filter saving thousands on bottled water! We cancelled our cable by installing an areal antenna. We also container garden. New subscriber here! 🙋
I loved the video :) some are a bit *too* frugal for me but thank you for taking the time of making all this list ! My best advice for groceries, if you live in the center of your city like me, most of the time there are no big supermarkets, only little ones and the prices are crazy ! So I get my groceries delivered a t my door from a big supermarket outside of the city where everything is a bit cheaper, this way I can see all the sales that I wouldn't have in store, and stock up on items I couldn't carry because they are too heavy !
I was eating breakfast out every am. I justified it by saying it was heathy and I work long hours. Then I looked at the price. I was shocked. I now go out once a week. I honestly don’t miss it.
Sometimes we just fall into a habit when it comes to things like this, and we need a little wake-up call by calculating what we're spending on a monthly (or yearly) basis to shake us up and change a habit haha :)
With my face and skin creams, I monitored how long the one in use takes to use up. I now only look for the replacement once I have one-third at the most. This gives me time to find it in store at the cheapest price without running out. I had lots of stationery, so I did a big declutter and now only buy one of what almost runs out of.❤
I save all non-starchy veggie scraps and bones from any meat we eat, i put them in bags in the freezer until i have enough to fill the crockpot. Then i make my own broth/stock. Just cover the scraps in water and cook several hours, strain the broth, put it in freezer bags and place in the freezer (or pressure can). All my broth is free now!
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Oh, the bags! I have concluded I have a bag addiction. I have lots of bags of all sizes and styles and categories. I love bags. I always think I am always buying and looking for more bags because I have been trying to find the perfect bag all my life. Unfortunately, I can only find out if the bag works for me after using it several times for different situations. Now, trying to reduce my inventory, I am trying to decided which ones I will keep and will ones I will sell/donate give away/whatever. This alone is a hard task because I seem to fall in love again with the ones that I haven’t used for a long time. I’d love to reach the point you say: Owning only one bag of each category.
I'm looking to have my first apartment (I'm planning to share with a friend) starting next year, so this video is honestly SO needed for me! Thank you for these very valuable tips, Vera!
I always buy what i need on sale or when in offer... but never buy something just because on sale though... and when possibile wait for the article to be on sale, just like your advice... so little money is really necessary to live well in my opinion...
You speak perfect english! And my grandmother's name was Vanderburgh, so I am a person with Dutch heritage! I really enjoyed your video and your apartment is beautiful.
Thanks, I now have a few more money-saving strategies. I use the online grocery store flyers to add items on sale to my grocery list and plan my meals around what's on sale. I can email myself the list. I also use Alexa to add staples to the shopping list as I think of them or use them up. I can easily flip between lists to see what I need. Also, focusing on my lists means less wandering around looking at stuff and less temptation for impulse shopping. Bonus, there are sometimes coupons and flash sales only available through store apps. That's also where the sale flyers with the built-in grocery list feature are, so they're worth getting. At least in Canada, where I live.
Tons of great tips! I was considering joining a gym but instead I’m going to try working out at home. I’m also going to try to do better at using up what I have and not wasting the last little bit of stuff. And I’m working on simplifying my diet and coming up with a few simple meals to keep on rotation.
Hi, Vera ! Super insightful & helpful tips. You are such an inspiring example! I find that sometimes , “having breakfast for dinner” can be a nice money saving & simple food option. Also, if it fits the day’s activities , I often have only 2 meals / day. Or at times , even just one ! With a snack somewhere of carrot sticks or such. For me , this is natural & not an austerity. I get a monthly bus pass instead of buying individual rides , b/c public transportation & walking are my sole forms of transportation. Def rarely go out to eat ! Fun to do on occasion, but I don’t miss it. It costs way too much now, & I do like to leave a good tip as well when I DO indulge. I’d rather that be a rarity & save the money ! And where I live , plenty of people still do go to restaurants so I’m not worried about denying these places my business. Win / Win !
Lots of great reminders and tips. I'm going back to a movie theater for the first time in 10 years to see the Taylor Swift ERAs Tour movie. 😆 The $1 per hour rule is one I could follow a little bit better. My favorite thing as a parent is find free library sponsored/hosted events for kids. We have found so much to do and so many places to visit with our toddler for free. It almost makes up for living in the suburbs with no reliable public transit.
Beauty products are expensive. I usually buy a good quality serum on sale for wrinkles and discoloration but skip Their recommended moisturizer and use the organic coconut oil from my kitchen. Works great.
I rarely do online shopping, or shopping in general, except groceries. I have a huge problem with impulse shopping at the grocery store and now that the kids have moved out it's hard for me to remember I'm cooking for 1 not 6. I do a big online shop every 2 weeks and save $100 in my budget for the odd fresh things I'll need, like milk, produce, bread. Even with a $5 delivery fee, I save way more by not adding a bag of chips or candy to every purchase I'd made before. Also with the streaming services, as you mentioned, they can be cancelled and reinstated with very little effort. I love Disney+ for all the new Star Wars stuff, so I keep my ears open for new content and reactivate my account only when I'm watching that stuff, and just cancel it after I'm done. It's the one big benefit cable/PVR doesn't have.
Definitely have to love the use your craft inventory idea - I'm doing this at the moment and while it's slow going at times, I feel so much better as the craft stash diminishes xxx
I got some craft items brand new at a garage sale recently because she had bought too much to use before she passed away. So sad to see her husband have to get rid of all the things she constantly shopped for.
oh and another money saving tip is a freezer costs more or at least the same to run empty so when you mentioned freezing bread it reminded me that sticking a couple of cheap loafs of bread in your freezer helps the running cost. great video and I am surprised that I also do most of the things you mentioned haha.
Dear Vera, thank you for another inspiring and useful video!) The atmosphere of your videos is always so calm, friendly and harmonious)) Your speaking of taking meals with you instead of eating out in a cafe really resonated with me. Couple of weeks ago I started to take hot soup or something like this in a little thermos to work and just have my lunch on a bench in the park nearby. I enjoy this decision a lot! It is still quite warm here, so this is not only saving money, this is a way to enjoy some peace and quiet under the trees)) One more thing: I realised that I usually spend money on something nice or buy some unhealthy and expensive snacks when I feel down. Definitely, I should think of some more sustainable ways to feel better, heh.
Line drying is huge for women's clothing. I've started with delicates but I've been considering doing that for everything but any heavier pants I have.
Your channel is SO blessed - it is a true blessing to so many of us out here. It´s beautiful, no bull****, straight to points, and real. I love to have it available through my days! THANK YOU!
Like you idea about the art supplies. A few years ago I sorted all my stationary to discover just how many highlighters and sticky notes I have! Banned myself from buying any more until the current 'stach' is used up or dried out. That stopped my impulse buying of those two items. Difficult at times, they are so tempting. 😂😂
Fantastic and comprehensive tips! I needed to hear this today. Recently we had unexpected expenses for our home. To compensate, we're doing a low spend. I hope to reduce the number of times we dine out and limit my wardrobe expenses. I have more than enough! #8 made me laugh - online shopping as a hobby. Such a relaxing pastime that I need to break. A great tip I heard - ask yourself if you're going to use a wardrobe item more than 10 times.
Wonderful ideas Vera! Many I am doing, but oh how I wish I started as young as you are. My only “extra” tip is running appliances at night if possible as it saves on energy costs, and to that also making sure that you have preventative measures in place to keep heat/ac inside the house with easy installation draft dodgers, window kits, etc. thank you for all your videos 😍
@@SimpleHappyZen thank you so very much for your videos Vera. I love your wisdom and grace. I find such serenity in “visiting with you” through your videos. I am grateful that you have found peace through your own burnout and HSP and can pass your experiences on to others. Through you and others I hope that young people (and old 😉) may learn and hopefully avoid experiencing the worst of the trials. We are not alone 💖
I really like the tips, and after finishing watching the video I can even say that I already do a lot of the same things and rules 😊 sadly there are a lot of them too that depends on my work and health issues so I cannot put into practice, such as stationary and electronics (they get so used that they stop working) or out of season traveling, my only breaks are during high season sadly, my health also makes me spend quite a lot on medication that’s not covered 😢 btw, loved that you came to Madrid!❤ my tip for avoiding impulsive purchases: leaving my credit card at home when meeting friends for coffee or lunch and carrying only cash 😊 that way, even if we are browsing things I do not buy it and have time to think if I really want it or it’s necessary
Hello, Vera. Just got acquainted with your channel and absolutely loved it ❤ The tips are really useful both for your budget and environment. I was a little bit surprised that you freeze bread, because we keep it in the fridge in the plastic bag and it's totally ok to eat even after 2 weeks and no need to defrost it 🤔 Thanks for numerous insights and ideas!🙏
I love that you game too! My fiancé and I have wanted Lost Judgment for almost a year and just got it on sale for $15! Love a good sale. Great tips here 😊
Asian here. You dont store potatoes and onion in the fridge. They will grow mold and roots 😂 put them in the bamboo basket store them in a dark place but with good air circulation. It shouldnt be humid or moist. Dark but dry. If you dont want that way, peel the onion skins first, and put them in a tupperware with tissue or paper, then put the onions. For potatoes, peel and cut and wash and dry them first from water, and then put them in the freezer My mother does it alot. 👍🏼
Don’t dry store potatoes and onions in proximity to each other. Nor apples and bananas
Wow I've never heard this before thank you I'm gonna give these a try. We are good at using up out onions before they're bad no problem but potatos we struggle. This will be a huge help!
No potatoes and onions in refrig or near each other either.
I'm a retired lady in my 70s and I keep a gratitude journal. It's so important to reflect on the positives even if we are having some current difficulties.
@janetstonerook4552 ..... I'm a retired lady in my 70's, too. Here's to us!
Didn't know I needed a gratitude journal until I was gifted one, it helped me through tough times ❤
And here's another , too !
Thank you! I’m gonna do this.
I love love your comment ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
In a world where people post videos to make you buy more things this video is much needed
I agree with you ! 😃
I bring my own lunch at work as well as my brewed coffee and it's a great savings for me
Right On! 😊 I brownbag it and I eat only 30 minutes per lunch time. I can get out earlier. I sometimes am tempted to buy from Temu, or Amazon but I don't. Is Temu legit? I haven't bought anything in a long time. I don't mind going to thrift shops sometimes you find some amazing things. I mix and match my clothes and I iron them instead of The Drycleaners. I also print my Bills since I get them online that way I know when it is due. #4 is for me now a must. I also gave up buying music, magazines and other gadgets. #5 is good as well. I also watch financial channels on TH-cam and TV.
LOL, At restaurants I usually only order starter and desert, sometimes that is much cheaper than a full meal and I don't have leftovers
Hi Vera :) I'm coming from Belgium, am 61, and I've been learning English for a few years now. I like listening to you as exercise as well as learning a lot of tips or ideas about a lot of things. You are very interesting, clear in your explanations, you speak English very well without accent and it's for me a pleasure to meet you every time.
Every night before sleeping I listen to a prayer about gratitude and I never forget to realize I am very lucky with my life.
Vera is fluent in English but definitely has an American accent!
I watched this video while repairing an old cashmere jumper that had a hole in it. Now it's as good as new ✨. There's something so satisfying about taking care of good old things that you know will last.
I discovered that someone in my area in my size shops at a store I always wanted to but couldn't afford. I discovered this by taking a peek in a thrift store. I now have the wardrobe I always wanted at less-than-discount store prices.
Yes! Such a great tip! I’m thankful for the people that donate beautiful things!!
Great tips, thank you.
That's awesome 😅
One thing I love about minimalism is that your house always looks clean even if it’s not clean 😂
regarding Black Friday - notice how for about 6 months they keep raising prices, so the cost on Black Friday is actually not a crazy sale but a price from a few months back. Then the whole circle goes back around starting after holiday season ;)
Yes! Which? Did a survey where they found 98% of black Friday products for the same price or cheaper at other times of year. I sell online & tell my customers this every year. I refuse to bow to the pressure to run a sale which isn't a sale!
Yep!! I don’t fall prey to those monster sales! Most are just hype.
I agree
You just blew my mind!
My mom always told us to dress for the season! 😊 My ex could never understand that….my heating bills are so much less now that I’m on my own!
I now live in the US, and people here do NOT dress for the season! They keep buildings so cold during summer, and so hot during winter, I don't understand it!
Good tip about not wasting money on cheap clothing… quality matters!
Yes, like my grandma's sister used to say, " I am not that rich to buy chip stuff "
I take a pair of scissors and cut in half the tubes that creams and toothpaste, etc. are in, to really get all of it out.
Same 😊
Same here
The toothpaste and creams would last another week.
Same!❤
As an Indian I thought only Indian moms do this! 😂
But it's great to know that people around the globe are similar in many ways.
Great video!! I have reduced my clothing budget. I found out that black leggings can be worn several times per week and if I change up the shirts no one knows.
I've been doing the same, so easy and I don't go out enough in winter to buy new clothes.
Great tips! I feel like we owe not only to our pockets but first and foremost to our environment to stick to these simple rules. I come from a country that was ridden with war and inflation during the longest part of my childhood and lemme tell you, there were no sweets, excessive clothing and movie and shopping mall dates for us, just home baked cakes, hand me down clothes and library books. 😅 And yet, my friends and I all grew up to be adults with more than just a knack for making things simple and frugal and conscience about terrible side of consumerism. It is freeing in a way, to know that you need so little to be happy and to thrive. Recently I moved to another country and all my belongings were packed in 2 suitcases and a backpack (and my kitty in a bag ofc!). I still miss some of my books but here we have some lovely libraries, so there's that, I've come full circle!
Are You from Poland?
@@salamandra5993 No, I'm from Balkans
WOW you sound like an interesting person , a world traveler ? It sounds like you enjoy what you have too thanks for commenting ! 👍👍👍👍🤠❤️
@@bettyboop7738 Why, thank you so much!!! I've been very fortunate to have traveled a fair bit, but for the past two years I have been sticking to the exploration of many wonderful landscapes and sites of my new home. All the best to you from Portugal!
@@m.aj11 thanks...sounds fun...I live in deep south USA and it's been in the 90s .. tonight supposed to freeze..😳 but a weather change can be refreshing ! Take care 👍 BB from somewhere in Louisiana
I grew up in the Soviet Union in 70-ies and 80-ies and coming to Canada was the beginning of never-ending shopping for EVERYTHING. It took almost 20 years to realize that buying more stuff just makes me more miserable financially and emotionally. Shopping is yet another dopamine-inducing activity that is addictive and gets you depressed in a long run.
I don't shop nearly as often or as much. Now I am taking it to the next level buy instituting a shopping moratorium for 12 months. I have signed up for Simple Happy Zen course (very helpful) and track my progress daily, weekly and monthly. I have started a notebook where I put the pictures of all the nice and lovely things I bought in the last 3 years: 1 per day of no-spend moratorium. By putting the picture, writing my emotions and reasons to buy the item, I am reliving the experience all over again. Also, it made it into a nice personalized catalogue of my treasures that is fun to browse and re-living the shopping moments over and over again. Gives me a bit of dopamine without spending a dime.
Wow! This is the first time I come across this tip! Thanks a lot for sharing, I will definitely consider putting pics of all my closet items in one place to re-visit and reminisce the actual time I bought all of them)
I love all of the motivational tips with the exception of food. If there are food items that can be on the shelf leave them there and rotate it. In my 60 years I have learned first hand more than once how valuable it is to have a good storage. Do not use your food items down to zero. It is as important as a savings account. Keep your food!! Add to it and ROTATE it. ❤️❤️❤️
SOOO true. I live in Hurricane country. THIS IS A MUST STRATEGY.
ALWAYS SAVE FOOD. THE OTHER WAY IS DANGEROUS. I found out the hard way
I agree plenty. I would be stressed without reserves. I'm 61 too and perhaps it has sthg to do with our generation!!!Val from Belgium ;)
@@valeriedemey4993 yes!!! How quickly people forgot the world shut down and shelves with nothing on them and ships with supplies in the water not able to dock.
@@valeriedemey4993yes, I've been very hungry, not much food, so I keep plenty of food but I do not hoard, I've learned the hard way that you'd be surprised what you can eat when you are so hungry and have very little food.
Do you mean canning or preserving?
Washing undergarments by hand extends the life of the garments a lot. I hand-wash everything except the sheets and it extends the life
As a frugal Dutch person I do most of these things. People wonder why I am able to save so much...I don't feel deprived in anyway and enjoy life with my loved ones!
Hier nog een Nederlander :)
I try to buy veggies or fruit in the street market that are mature or don't look nice. Usually I get excellent deals and then I can freeze the fruits for smoothies or make pre meals.
I love how clean your lifestyle is.... no distractions, no useless items... I try to have similar lifestyle, but I am still on the beginning. Thank You very much for Your tips!! The idea that struck me the most is the "inventory down to zero" --> I've never thought about it like that, because I am use to have some "backup food" or "just in case" food. But I love your idea and going to try it. :)
I still have some "back up" food and toiletries but I buy one extra package when it's either on sale or when I'm close to running out the one I currently use. If you have a very busy lifestyle, I think it's good to have an extra milk, extra bread etc in the freezer, in case if you cannot make it on time to the supermarkets during the week or you get sick, etc. My work can be sometimes non-stop so it's good to know that I always have something at home in the freezer 😊
Great tips. I myself never go to cinema, restaurants, cafés, go for holidays on expensive trips (only visiting family members twice a year by train for a couple of days), buys clothing's only when absolutely necessary, I advertise on items I have bought that has some kind of fault or is broken rather than trowing it away and paying for a new one. I've saved alot of money on advertising on stuff. I do not buy new phones randomly or anything else. I only buy things I actually need when I need it. I try to use the things I have and give them new purpose or multi-usage. I use the food I have rather than buying something else right away and I do not throw away food just because it's expired on date. I walk rather than taking the bus, don't own a car or bicycle. I do not pay for mobile phone calls etc, I use free alternatives such as email. Trim my own hair, don't use makeup, don't use Parfume, alongside with no nail polish. I also get stuff for free, things that others want to give away, in order to resell for extra money. I otherwise also sell alot of my own stuff, to get rid of the burden, free up space and time and in order to get extra money to save up. I pay my bills, save money and after using some on food etc I save the rest so as not to temp myself to buy something I don't need. I save money the best I can by any means necessary, in order to buy a complex apartment. We all have our reasons to save money, but in today's struggles I see people needing to save money just in order to get by and so as to be safe in the future. The costs are real for sure, and they only seem to get higher. This is the time to be smart with your money.
you are blessed to have a partner who shares this philosophy
I appreciate this comment! That is a huge blessing to have a partner with the same mindset
Hi, and thanks for this thoughtful video! I find that we need much less than the world tells us to consume! I own very little, yet I'm very happy and content. My advice is to always question what the world tells us because it is often not the truth.
Yes!
A friend taught me to cut my kitchen sponges in half. You really don’t need the whole thing!
I changed to washable cloths. I use for a bit then just put them in the wash. I have had the same cloths for 7 years now 🎉
I think that type of thing would work for a lot of stuff
Microfibre cloths are best! You can just wash them and re use. They are also more hygienic than sponges.
I like the idea of looking to see what you have and using it all up before buying anything else …. In the past I would buy multiple items for the same purpose like lotions and hair are and they would just be too much. I’ve since refused to Buy stuff unless absolutely necessary
You can grow your own vegetable sponges to use in the kitchen and for yourself. It's free AND good for the environment and it doesn't leek microplatics
I enjoyed listening to you. I have to say, though, these things you do are not only due to national heritage or minimalism.
My grandparents raised their children through the Great Depression and WWll, so m my parents grew up during those times. That also means I grew up experiencing all they knew as normal in their lives. Because of that, the actions and concepts you mentioned have been " in my blood" my whole life. I've taken it further.
For example: I stopped carrying any purse at all. I put everything I need in my pockets, and then carry a water bottle. I live in a no-spend year. I allow myself some leniency in that by making a small list of needs so that If I find those items during the year at very good prices, I'll get them. So far this year, I've made 4 purchases.
When it comes to utilities, I turn the water off after I've gotten wet, wash and then turn the water on again to rinse. I also only turn on a small stream of water. I hand wash dishes. I do have a car, but I almost never use it. This year, so far, I've filled the gas tank only one and a half times. I use all the free transportation I can find. Because I'm a disabled senior, I have a lot available to me. My car is 17 years old and still going strong because I bought a good car to begin with and take care of it. I keep electronics for years and years, until they are beyond repair before I get another one.
I resist purchases, repair, refurbish, recycle, reuse, re-gift, re-design, re-make, etc. Almost nothing goes to waste. I use everything up until it's completely not usable any more. I calculated once that I use about 1/15th the utilities of other people. I'm just always mindful of it.
I don't consider myself a minimalist. I've accumulated all I need and want over my whole life. I purge and declutter regularly.
In other words, there's nothing new under the sun. People have been living as you described for probably millennia. Still, it's so good that you remind people with your videos.😊
Great tips! I've made a "price book" of the main food items I buy. It's just a little notebook with the normal price at two grocery stores I use. That lets me know if something on sale is really a good deal. I keep a running list of basic groceries we need. We have a big vegetable garden this year and I learned to do water-bath canning. That way I saved more than 30 jars of peaches, tomatoes, salsa, pasta sauce, eggplant, jam, and other treats to eat throughout the winter. The jars are like small jewels on the shelf. Many will go to friends as gifts. To cut back on food waste, I keep a rectangular basket in the fridge. Whenever I cut peppers, onions, squash, avocado, etc. I put the extra in small glass bowls with a top. I stack them in the basket and pull it out whenever I do a stir fry, big salad, or wrap. That ensures they are first to be used, and much of the chopping is already done. Small things add up. Sharing garden bounty with friends and neighbors, taking periodic loads to the food bank, and learning some basic new recipes has made this a great garden year.
Regarding pre-cut produce: I highly recommend frozen produce. In many dishes, frozen is just fine and it saves on prep time, you don't need to plan against food waste = more flexibility in meals, you've got no scraps so the price for frozen produce equals the entirely usable amount, and sometimes here (even when the fresh version is on offer/it's in season) the price per kg might still be cheaper. It all depends on what you'll want to use it for.
I also keep veggies in the frig and bread in the freezer, but I've also learned to pre-cut all my onions at one time and freeze them so they're ready to be used when I need them.
I LIVE FOR MYSELF
THAT KEEPS MY MINGD HAPPY AND CONTENDED
no need to yell though...
My favorite way to save money on food is to ask “can I make that in less than five minutes?” before I add something to my list. For example, I would not buy pancake mix if I already had flour, baking soda, sugar, and salt. I would just make my own in a jar to keep in the pantry. At first, it feels like it might be more work, but often it’s actually a lot less work (and money) to take five minutes to make your own version than to take the time and spend the money going to the store. I no longer buy things like pre-made hot chocolate packets since I almost always have the ingredients at home. Plus, it’s better for you because it cuts out a lot of preservatives and artificial ingredients.
Yes, the more prepared, processed food is, the more it adds to the cost.
One budget practice that helps me is adding up the annual cost of car insurance, homeowners insurance, property taxes, and car licensing (I live in USA). Then I divide the annual cost of all those expenses by 12 for the monthly cost. In a separate savings account, I make a deposit of the monthly cost each month. It may be a challenge to start this, I know. When those bills are due, I am ready with the full payment. I budget avoiding any interest charges!!!
I saw トトロTotoro on the wall.
Glad to see it❤
From Japanese lady🇯🇵
気に入ってくれて嬉しい🤗 私はスタジオジブリが大好きです。☺️
For some reason I like it so much that all your bags are pink 🥰when I thought about decreasing the number of bags I have to only 1 per category, I immediately thought that I would keep my black ones as the most practical, and then you’ve shown your pink ones and I was like no I would keep the ones that bring me the most joy ☺️
Good for you! Joy is hugely important
I have a large family and lots of laundry to hang out . I don’t like stiff clothes and towels so I do use the dryer to fluff and soften. I simply use a little watered down fabric softener in a spray bottle on a load for 15 minutes. If you put them in very slightly damp the wrinkles come right out and I’m not setting the dryer for 70 minutes.
Using white vinegar iso softener has the same effect, is hypoallergic and is good for the pipes and draines of your appliances.it's a natural product you can use to clean the whole house.
Great advice. I recently bought a dehumidifier but as a secondary use it says it will dry washing in your house quicker without obviously the need to tumble dry or having the central heating on. So anyone with a dehumidifier remember to put your washing near it.
Ah clever!
Love this tip! Ty
@@ann-mariebrennan1455 ⁹
Yes this works 👍
For me it is just a normal live, I lived like that all my life, because I never had much money, but I allways had what really I needed.
Well Said...i agree!!
Excelent ideas!! Thank you ❤. When I hear that you can excercise at home, it makes sense but, to go do it in groups (gym) gives you 3 advantages: you actually interact with people in person, you avoid injuries by having a prepared instructor, and you get to do the excersice because arranged apointments tend to pressure you to keep discipline.
I think this depends on if you are an introvert or an extrovert. My mom is an extrovert and shes motivated by going to see people and exercise together, whereas I hate making small talk so I would never go to a gym.
One thing i do is to chop all the peppers and onions etc, freeze in ice cubes and once is frozen i put them in a plastic bag so ill have fresh frozen onions etc in cube size when i want to cook and it doesn't loose taste at all, saves money and time
I realized I follow most of these already. I have always felt a bit strange for not wanting to own too many things, specially in a family that loves shopping. Or to own only a few things that really mean something to me.
I think quality is a very important factor to consider when buying. Well made things will last longer and you can really make the best out of whatever you do buy, including food and supplies. So even if it might be a bit more expensive, it will be worth it in the long run.
Hey Vera! Thanks for this very Dutch video 😊 I live in Canada but I'm half Dutch. My grandparents immigrated to Canada from the Netherlands and I grew up in a community with lots of Dutch people. I understand the frugal Dutch instincts well!
I really appreciated your money-saving tips! My husband and I occasionally ask for restaurant gift cards for birthday/Christmas presents in order to avoid collecting more stuff. This doubles as a money saving hack because it allows us to enjoy the occasional restaurant meal for free 😊
Oooh yes, a restaurant voucher is a great idea!! :) Also, so nice that you have Dutch roots :)
Half Dutch here too ❤
This is the best set of ideas how to save money on every day basis through the long run I’ve watched on TH-cam, and I watched most of them! Thank you so much. Honestly, very easy and simple ideas. Everyone, who concerns, can do it!
Love that "I have everything I need". Thanks for the show.
I'm also vegan and I started making a lot of my foods and cleaning products from scratch: almond milk, matcha lattes, biscuits, nut butters, almond meal, hummus, muffins, beans and legumes, soups, all purpose cleansers, floor cleaner, air freshener... Not only has this significantly cut costs it also keeps me from wasting anything because I have put so much effort into making things. Like you I wait for movies to come out on streaming instead of attending the cinema. My main reason was poor phone etiquette of other people in the audience. I also shop from a wish list and because all of the items are fair trade and eco conscious I try and wait for the sales to get them at better prices.
'poor phone etiquette of other people in the audience' ... I had the misfortune to once be seated one empty seat away from a woman who turned on her phone during the movie to talk to her family. I just looked at her and she was so rude back, I felt like ripping her head off... 🤣 well not really but you know what I mean. That was probably 8 or so years ago and I have never been to the pictures since.
Love that romantic minimalism. I apply the picnic lifestyle. Also the libraries are often so grand and rich in digital content. ❤thank you!
All these tips not only saves you also the world.Thank you for being a vegan.❤Love and Respect.
I actually think having a few pairs of sunglasses is ok. I have a higher quality pair that I wear regularly and a couple of lower quality ones I keep in my car and luggage (that can be tossed around and good for emergency situations).
What a great video Vera, I’ll be watching this again and actually making a list of many of these tips! A couple of things I do that I learned from my dad was ripping the paper towels in half if you only need a small piece, shutting the water on & off while washing the dishes or cleaning the kitchen instead of letting it run while you go to clean the table for instance, I add water to the last of the spaghetti sauce jar to extend it and I carry my water bottle with me and only order water with lemon when I eat out which isn’t too often because I hate paying for drinks outside, it’s so expensive as you’ve said! Thnx for these great tips! 💵
Thanks for sharing yours and glad you enjoyed the video! 🤗🌱🌷
I like your idea of only using what you need.Another idea: have one set of bar towels and cut worn or stained cotton towels/clothes. I dry outside until I have enough to wash in the machine with hot water. Haven't used a paper towel in years.
I clean the floors with the towels tucked into the swiffer slot.
Yesterday I decided to “treat” myself to a coffee at a restaurant we went to for my cousin’s graduation. I typically drink water, as well. I asked if coffee has free refills, the restaurant actually said, “No.” 😮 Now places are charging for a refill of coffee. I went ahead and got another one, since I rarely eat out.
2nd hand clothing can be a beautiful way to get good quali low price clothes as well!
I like the approach "1 euro per hour" to check if something is worth subscribing to. Great idea, Vera!
As a Dutch person I do a lot of the things you say, but there are a few things that I never thought about like the €1 rule and the rule of only being allowed to buy 2 things that are not on your shoppinglist to try out something new. I do like those things and will certainly start doing them. I will also save this video in my own list of favorites because there were so many things coming by that I already forgot a few good ones. Thanks for another great video 🤍🩶🩵
So glad you enjoyed the video and got some helpful tips here! :)
These are things all the world should know and follow. Use the things you have and if a clothe is old buy a new one, if a cup is broken buy a new one. Stop filling the house with so many things that u do not use. A simpler life helps you also to save money, make it easier to do house chores, helps you to have a more balanced lifestyle, etc. Everyone should think more before buying buying buying.
Loved your tips. I had to laugh to "scrapping" as we do exactly the same in my home country (Poland) and in Norway where I have lived the last 15 years. As for heating, we only switch off heating 2 months per year as we live in Northern Norway so our electricity bills are quite high but I make sure that I switch the light when I go out of a room etc. etc. and the same with water. I can give you great tips to spare money on dying hair! especially if you have darker hair. I use henna to dye my hair at home, its cruelty free, free from any chemicals, It doeasnt damage your hair (my hair got waaaay stronger and thicker after using henna in a year now!) and you can do it at home yourself. I also travel a lot and I find food at the airports extremely expensive so I always bring my own food to have on a plane. :-)
Hi Vera, sensible as always. Re. gifts, instead of buying each new items, my partner and I now gift each other repairs of existing loved possessions. For example, for my birthday, he paid for repairs to a beloved handbag I already owned that had got scratched. It was like getting a whole new bag, without needing to find storage space for a new item, and I was genuinely thrilled. There's something really satisfying about solving a problem and being able to use something again with pleasure; and he was thrilled to not have to find a suitable new item for a gift.
Re. menus, something I sometimes do is order a starter (or two if I'm really hungry) instead of a main course. It's cheaper and, being vegetarian, I often have more interesting choices in the starters menu. Thanks for the list :)
I lovvvve the repaired handbag idea!!! That’s pure genius
Great video. I do a lot of these things already, but I do love the 1 Euro rule! That's a great way to determine if subscriptions are worth the expense or not. Agree with the using up stuff periodically too before buying anything else, I'm currently doing an "eat down" on our freezer and pantry so I can restock it with fresh stuff for the winter months. I'll do the same thing again in the spring.
Happy you enjoyed the 1 euro rule! :) I'm not super strict with it myself, but I do like that it gives me a better idea if something is worth it or not. It's not always my main motivation though, sometimes I also just want to support a creator or writer or something, and then I don't really follow this rule because I'm doing it to support someone. But it does really help with things like Netflix and stuff :)
Hi Vera, I am from the US and most people are sooo wastful here, but we are not all like that. Thank you for the tips, I do many of them, but I got a few new ones, thank you again!😊
I live in Australia but I’m half Dutch. I follow most of these tips as my Aussie side of the family were even more frugal 😅
If I'm going to shop for ingredients to make a particular recipe, I try for things that I can batch for the freezer. Frankly don't love to cook but enjoy making soups, stews, etc. Something like a basic vegetable soup can be changed with different proteins or grains added. Easy and simple variety.
Very true! :) Thanks for sharing
We are now ‘empty nesters’ - 3 sons moved out. I find I still overcook out of habit. So we now freeze the excess food and therefore always have something ready if any of said sons pop round unexpectedly. If not, at the end of each month my husband and I will have a ‘pot luck’ date night. No food waste and a fun evening together in the kitchen…. Blessings to you Vera - as always, be happy 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
These are great tips! Another tip is to give yourself a max limit to spend, such as when you go to a restaurant or travel
In all honesty if I am going out or travel: I do spend. At these moments i really don’t want to think about what it costs. I wouldn’t fully enjoy AND these are the things I am actually saving for
@@XKaulitza the max I set is pretty high. When I travel, I like to spend, too, especially because I don’t do it too often. In general, when I go out, I don’t like to feel restricted. I give myself a max when traveling just so I don’t go overboard lol
very good advice. i love being frugal so we can spend money on more important things
Exactly! :) Thanks :)
Dear Vera, I noticed the candle in the background and it looks soothing, I love it. I have only a small recommendation, please, please, please place the lit candle at a greater distance from your flowers, hot air isn't good for them. Thank you very much for your inspiring videos. With love, Iva
Thank you, I will!! :)
I guess my main go to is reverse meal planning. I will make a tentative plan first, but when I go to the grocery store I raid and inspect all the clearance and very good deals on sales. So if I find things marked down, and I like them, then I adjust my meal plans to fit those items. It’s almost comical how most of the time I find plenty of clearance that will work for me each and every time I shop. (Also I take into account if it stores well as with refrigerating and freezing)
I also (as a single person) find as many good deals as I can with dining out such as taking advantage of things like all you can eat salad and cold take home deals. Most times also I can stretch one dining out experience into two meals, just by using portion control. But if you get unlimited salad, that’s mostly one meal. My entree is mostly taken home for meal two and then the take home deal will make two meals also. So that’s 4 meals from dining out once. As a solo single, I find that to be highly economical. Or just doing up my own Mexican food and just buying restaurant salsa to go to eat with it all week. And so on. (Or picking up the ginger sauce at the hibachi place lol).
When a recipe calls for half a head of cauliflower for example, I just double the recipe and freeze the rest. It barely takes any extra effort and means we have a meal ready for when we don't feel like cooking 😊
Great segment! We were able to eliminate debt by saving for major purchases & paying cash. We also had installed a water filter saving thousands on bottled water! We cancelled our cable by installing an areal antenna. We also container garden. New subscriber here! 🙋
Thanks Vera for the video. I always enjoy watching you. You are very calming. Food is where most of my money goes for my 3 children, dog and cat.
Thank you so much :) Have a nice day and give them all a hug from me! :)
@@SimpleHappyZen ❤️❤️❤️
I love her, she is not onlt beatiful but intelligent as well 🇰🇪🇰🇪🇰🇪 Love from Kenya. You just got a new subscriber
Great list! When eating out at restaurants, sometimes 3 or 4 of us share an appetizer and desert instead of a meal... More economical than full meals.
I loved the video :) some are a bit *too* frugal for me but thank you for taking the time of making all this list ! My best advice for groceries, if you live in the center of your city like me, most of the time there are no big supermarkets, only little ones and the prices are crazy ! So I get my groceries delivered a t my door from a big supermarket outside of the city where everything is a bit cheaper, this way I can see all the sales that I wouldn't have in store, and stock up on items I couldn't carry because they are too heavy !
I was eating breakfast out every am. I justified it by saying it was heathy and I work long hours. Then I looked at the price. I was shocked. I now go out once a week. I honestly don’t miss it.
Sometimes we just fall into a habit when it comes to things like this, and we need a little wake-up call by calculating what we're spending on a monthly (or yearly) basis to shake us up and change a habit haha :)
With my face and skin creams, I monitored how long the one in use takes to use up. I now only look for the replacement once I have one-third at the most. This gives me time to find it in store at the cheapest price without running out. I had lots of stationery, so I did a big declutter and now only buy one of what almost runs out of.❤
That's clever! :)
I save all non-starchy veggie scraps and bones from any meat we eat, i put them in bags in the freezer until i have enough to fill the crockpot. Then i make my own broth/stock. Just cover the scraps in water and cook several hours, strain the broth, put it in freezer bags and place in the freezer (or pressure can).
All my broth is free now!
Oh, the bags! I have concluded I have a bag addiction. I have lots of bags of all sizes and styles and categories. I love bags. I always think I am always buying and looking for more bags because I have been trying to find the perfect bag all my life. Unfortunately, I can only find out if the bag works for me after using it several times for different situations. Now, trying to reduce my inventory, I am trying to decided which ones I will keep and will ones I will sell/donate give away/whatever. This alone is a hard task because I seem to fall in love again with the ones that I haven’t used for a long time. I’d love to reach the point you say: Owning only one bag of each category.
I'm looking to have my first apartment (I'm planning to share with a friend) starting next year, so this video is honestly SO needed for me! Thank you for these very valuable tips, Vera!
I always buy what i need on sale or when in offer... but never buy something just because on sale though... and when possibile wait for the article to be on sale, just like your advice... so little money is really necessary to live well in my opinion...
You speak perfect english! And my grandmother's name was Vanderburgh, so I am a person with Dutch heritage! I really enjoyed your video and your apartment is beautiful.
No impulse buys!!! OK, I might try this for a period of time. Thanks
Thanks for these SPECIFIC tips you share with us 🎉 I literally understand and learn a lot. Thanks Thanks Thanks
Thanks, I now have a few more money-saving strategies.
I use the online grocery store flyers to add items on sale to my grocery list and plan my meals around what's on sale. I can email myself the list. I also use Alexa to add staples to the shopping list as I think of them or use them up. I can easily flip between lists to see what I need. Also, focusing on my lists means less wandering around looking at stuff and less temptation for impulse shopping.
Bonus, there are sometimes coupons and flash sales only available through store apps. That's also where the sale flyers with the built-in grocery list feature are, so they're worth getting. At least in Canada, where I live.
I subscribed without being asked to. That’s good content right here 👍 Awesome tips, gonna binge watch your channel 🫶
Tons of great tips! I was considering joining a gym but instead I’m going to try working out at home. I’m also going to try to do better at using up what I have and not wasting the last little bit of stuff. And I’m working on simplifying my diet and coming up with a few simple meals to keep on rotation.
Those are all great ideas!! 😇
Hi, Vera ! Super insightful & helpful tips. You are such an inspiring example! I find that sometimes , “having breakfast for dinner” can be a nice money saving & simple food option. Also, if it fits the day’s activities , I often have only 2 meals / day. Or at times , even just one ! With a snack somewhere of carrot sticks or such. For me , this is natural & not an austerity. I get a monthly bus pass instead of buying individual rides , b/c public transportation & walking are my sole forms of transportation. Def rarely go out to eat ! Fun to do on occasion, but I don’t miss it. It costs way too much now, & I do like to leave a good tip as well when I DO indulge. I’d rather that be a rarity & save the money ! And where I live , plenty of people still do go to restaurants so I’m not worried about denying these places my business. Win / Win !
We sometimes have breakfast for dinner as well :)
Lots of great reminders and tips. I'm going back to a movie theater for the first time in 10 years to see the Taylor Swift ERAs Tour movie. 😆
The $1 per hour rule is one I could follow a little bit better.
My favorite thing as a parent is find free library sponsored/hosted events for kids. We have found so much to do and so many places to visit with our toddler for free. It almost makes up for living in the suburbs with no reliable public transit.
Beauty products are expensive. I usually buy a good quality serum on sale for wrinkles and discoloration but skip Their recommended moisturizer and use the organic coconut oil from my kitchen. Works great.
Watching from
South Africa 🇿🇦
Hi there! 🤗
Le too in 2024
I rarely do online shopping, or shopping in general, except groceries. I have a huge problem with impulse shopping at the grocery store and now that the kids have moved out it's hard for me to remember I'm cooking for 1 not 6. I do a big online shop every 2 weeks and save $100 in my budget for the odd fresh things I'll need, like milk, produce, bread. Even with a $5 delivery fee, I save way more by not adding a bag of chips or candy to every purchase I'd made before.
Also with the streaming services, as you mentioned, they can be cancelled and reinstated with very little effort. I love Disney+ for all the new Star Wars stuff, so I keep my ears open for new content and reactivate my account only when I'm watching that stuff, and just cancel it after I'm done. It's the one big benefit cable/PVR doesn't have.
Contentment is far more valuable that stuff. ❤️ your channel.
Definitely have to love the use your craft inventory idea - I'm doing this at the moment and while it's slow going at times, I feel so much better as the craft stash diminishes xxx
Nice!! Way to go :)
I got some craft items brand new at a garage sale recently because she had bought too much to use before she passed away. So sad to see her husband have to get rid of all the things she constantly shopped for.
I keep teabags in my purse & most cafes give cups of hot water for free 😆 for no spend outings/work days
oh and another money saving tip is a freezer costs more or at least the same to run empty so when you mentioned freezing bread it reminded me that sticking a couple of cheap loafs of bread in your freezer helps the running cost. great video and I am surprised that I also do most of the things you mentioned haha.
Great video! Thank you, Vera. I also want to compliment you on your English. I would have assumed that you grew up in the US. 😊
Aw thank you!! :)
Dear Vera, thank you for another inspiring and useful video!) The atmosphere of your videos is always so calm, friendly and harmonious)) Your speaking of taking meals with you instead of eating out in a cafe really resonated with me. Couple of weeks ago I started to take hot soup or something like this in a little thermos to work and just have my lunch on a bench in the park nearby. I enjoy this decision a lot! It is still quite warm here, so this is not only saving money, this is a way to enjoy some peace and quiet under the trees)) One more thing: I realised that I usually spend money on something nice or buy some unhealthy and expensive snacks when I feel down. Definitely, I should think of some more sustainable ways to feel better, heh.
Line drying is huge for women's clothing. I've started with delicates but I've been considering doing that for everything but any heavier pants I have.
Your channel is SO blessed - it is a true blessing to so many of us out here. It´s beautiful, no bull****, straight to points, and real. I love to have it available through my days! THANK YOU!
Aw thank you so much 🤗🌷 Have a wonderful day!
Like you idea about the art supplies. A few years ago I sorted all my stationary to discover just how many highlighters and sticky notes I have! Banned myself from buying any more until the current 'stach' is used up or dried out. That stopped my impulse buying of those two items. Difficult at times, they are so tempting. 😂😂
Fantastic and comprehensive tips! I needed to hear this today. Recently we had unexpected expenses for our home. To compensate, we're doing a low spend. I hope to reduce the number of times we dine out and limit my wardrobe expenses. I have more than enough! #8 made me laugh - online shopping as a hobby. Such a relaxing pastime that I need to break. A great tip I heard - ask yourself if you're going to use a wardrobe item more than 10 times.
Thanks so much for sharing and wishing you lots of luck with your low spend! Hopefully the house repairs have worked out 🤗🌱
Wonderful ideas Vera! Many I am doing, but oh how I wish I started as young as you are. My only “extra” tip is running appliances at night if possible as it saves on energy costs, and to that also making sure that you have preventative measures in place to keep heat/ac inside the house with easy installation draft dodgers, window kits, etc. thank you for all your videos 😍
Making sure your house is insulated is a really good one :)
@@SimpleHappyZen thank you so very much for your videos Vera. I love your wisdom and grace. I find such serenity in “visiting with you” through your videos. I am grateful that you have found peace through your own burnout and HSP and can pass your experiences on to others. Through you and others I hope that young people (and old 😉) may learn and hopefully avoid experiencing the worst of the trials. We are not alone 💖
I really like the tips, and after finishing watching the video I can even say that I already do a lot of the same things and rules 😊 sadly there are a lot of them too that depends on my work and health issues so I cannot put into practice, such as stationary and electronics (they get so used that they stop working) or out of season traveling, my only breaks are during high season sadly, my health also makes me spend quite a lot on medication that’s not covered 😢 btw, loved that you came to Madrid!❤
my tip for avoiding impulsive purchases: leaving my credit card at home when meeting friends for coffee or lunch and carrying only cash 😊 that way, even if we are browsing things I do not buy it and have time to think if I really want it or it’s necessary
Thanks for sharing your minimalism and saving tips. It inspired me and made me contemplate on my wrong practices.
Thank you Vera! I always appreciate and enjoy all your content.
So glad you're happy in your new home.🤗
Hello, Vera. Just got acquainted with your channel and absolutely loved it ❤ The tips are really useful both for your budget and environment.
I was a little bit surprised that you freeze bread, because we keep it in the fridge in the plastic bag and it's totally ok to eat even after 2 weeks and no need to defrost it 🤔
Thanks for numerous insights and ideas!🙏
I love that you game too! My fiancé and I have wanted Lost Judgment for almost a year and just got it on sale for $15! Love a good sale. Great tips here 😊