I didn't know a lot of what we do is "doubling up" until social media came along and showed us people who don't wear a garment more than once or who buy new shoes before the soles wear out. Except for stinky work clothes and underwater, we put on the same outfits twice or thrice between wash days, and most of my clothes are also several years old like your dress - still comfy and sturdy!
I tear up toilet rolls & use for tissues in an empty tissue box. I cut my late mother’s new wash cloths in half & will be reusing cloth when they run out. I have loose tea leaves with a strainer stick & just keep filling up the cup or make a thermos for the day & only have to boil the kettle once, then use leftover hot water for washing up or cleaning.
Big😊 ups to everyone working effortlessly trying to earn a living while building wealth. I’m 62 and my husband 65 we are both retired with over $3 million in net worth and no debts. Currently living smart and frugal with our money. Saving and investing lifestyle made it possible for us this early even till now we earn monthly through passive income
Alright phyllis, speaking in general terms, investing requires a good amount of knowledge. That's why it's essential to have a solid support system like a financial counselor, especially when picking out assets. I've been working with Regina Louise Collaro, who is an investment advisor at a registered wealth management company. I can't recommend her enough; my financial journey has been fantastic thanks to her. She's quite well-known for her services, and she helped me achieve financial stability through investments. Now, I benefit from her passive income strategies every month. So, I'd strongly suggest finding a reliable investment advisor for yourself.
Regina Louise Collaro is based in the United States and can work with anybody wherever they stay. If you would like more information about her, you can conduct a search online.
personally, I'm blessed and realizing I'm not the only one working with Regina Louise Collaro. I will consider myself lucky. I've been able to feed and make a living through her advice and great work. For such a person as Regina, I owe her gratitude, support and endless prayers as it is not easy to gain access to such a competent and reliable adviser. Who isn't just wise but has all it takes to handle an investment and is good at what she does..
I can't wrap my head around the average piece of clothing only being worn seven times. I've made some purchasing mistakes in my life that were either shrunk in the wash or tore after one use, but even those get given away or fixed as much as possible. Most things live in my closet for 10+ years and get reworn and repaired until they can't anymore, and then I try to rehome them after, undergarments aside. Things last way longer if you just dry them on delicate. Grew up poor, and grateful for it. Love these tips!
I have handkerchiefs i bought as a boyscout when I was 10. I am now 69. The boots I wore today to do yardwork were my fireman duty boots bought over 30 years ago. I appear to agree with her.
Dang. I buy my clothes used to begin with, and wear them to shreds. Yesss on the ten year old dress! And yeah, we don't eat out, and we track all expenses - ALL of them.
You could also cut your worn out clothes or old towels into into reusable little towels and cloths for the kitchen or cleaning in general. Additionally We still use my grandmas good quality linen kitchen towels were she has stitched her initials in as a young woman ❤
We don’t use paper towels anymore ( since last summer) and we never missed it. We do meal preparation and we order our groceries and just pick them up ( so I don t get the chance to buy other things). That safes us a lot of money every month
@@Marjol Both the planet and your bank balance are grateful. Before covid I was speaking with an German guy that works for Aldi, dealing with U S stores. He told me that an average US state uses more paper towels than Germany France, Spain & Portugal combined. We tend not to use them so much this side of the Atlantic. I think I have a pack, not sure. Seldom use them. Unless they're yucky the cloths can be used several times, rinsed under tap.
I cut all facial eye scrub pads at least in 1/2. I am a professional organizer and I just want to tell you what a value provide to thousands, be proud of yourself!!!! you give folks a platform to learn and share.
I had a dress for over 20 years (it was already vintage when I got it). I stitched it up so often. It finally wore down where there was no helping it any longer and I had to say goodbye, but I am totally one of those people who wear things for a decade like you. Left over stir fry and burritos are great! My husband and I budget. We have been tracking our food shopping more than ever since inflation. It is crazy how much more things are. I also use a lot of left over jars for storage items. I don't have washing machine/dryer at all and haven't for 15 years. I am the washing machine. There are so many ways to be frugal or save money and I think everyone has to find out what works best for them. Great video. Congrats on your husband learning how to put a hot water heater in for you to have access to hot water, by the way! Awesome job.
@@Peaceful_Yogi I used to use a crank washer that did the draining in my kitchen sink. Now I just hand wash my clothes in my sink, wring them out, and dry them on a rack. Being a minimalist family of 4 (2 adults, 2 teens, and a baby on the way), it helps that everyone's clothes fits in one drawer each, so laundry doesn't pile up as much for us. I do one to two loads a week. I do have to go to a laundromat every other month or two months to do bed sheets & towels.
I love these. I wear the daylights out of my clothes- I wash them in delicate cycle & hang to dry only when they’re actually needing a wash. I do a weekly menu based on the 5 protein categories in my fridge freezer. Sunday dinner, pork, beef, chicken and fish. I have a legume allergy so I buy meats on special. I keep a cheat sheet of 4 tried and true recipes for each meat and stock my small apartment pantry with the other ingredients. I don’t stray from that very often. I know each recipe well and I always have what I need on hand. I plan 5 meals per 7 days allowing 2 nights for leftovers or a meal out. I shop for 5 main veggies per week plus potatoes, garlic and onions to go with the main dish. Double servings of each veggie. Rice, pasta, kasha or potatoes on the side. I repack the meats from the sales in ziplock freezer bags and freeze flat so I can maximize the room in my fridge freezer. I use the same cleaning supplies- microfibre cloths, spray bottles that I dilute commercial concentrated all purpose cleaner or vinegar with. Vim in the kitchen and Lysol toilet disinfectant cleaner in the bathrooms. Paper towels for raw meat juices or cleaning the toilet outsides where I don’t want to contaminate my microfibre cloths. Buying new cleaners to try stuff chews up the money. Once I find what works I stay with it and buy on specials. Same thing with the food - find what works and stick to it. Variety can be expensive. That’s what meals out at the restaurant are for. Dh & I are retired, on a pension and living in an apartment condo. Space is limited and we stick to our budget. We can travel and enjoy everything we want because we save on the daily expenses.
I’m currently sat In my dressing gown. Im a single mum with 3 kids in the uk. The kids are at their dads so no heating on today . Just a big blanket 😊. I was such a shopper before. Mostly for the kids not myself I still have the same pair of shoes from about 4 years ago ( my only pair) plus I don’t buy clothes for myself. Now I’m saving money and finding more joy from doing that. Thank you for a helpful video. I need to work hard on food shopping as I could be better organised. I love all your videos xxx
Nothing, or at least almost nothing, feels as good as using things up and not wasting them. 😊 I used to be really wasteful but now I’m conscious about using food before it expires, using products before buying new ones, etc.
Invest in a sewing machine and learn to sew. I got a Singer Basic for a bit over 100 euros and I watched TH-cam videos to learn. Now I can mend my clothes and repurpose old fabrics. One example: I made make-up bags using old bed sheets and gave them to friends/family for Xmas :)
Zest lemon or orange rind and use it to flavor water or add it to sugar cookie dough, it elevates the flavor! Don't throw out the juice from a can of garbanzo/chickpeas. Drain the chickpea liquid into a container. Use 3 tablespoons of the liquid per whole large egg called for in your recipe. Use 2 tablespoons of the liquid per large egg white called for in your recipe. Great tips, Marissa🌼
My friend taught me to make "kitchen cloths" from worn out white bed sheets, by cutting them into squares or rectangles - 12" x 16" makes a nice size. They fray very little in the laundry, and they can be bleached if necessary. I do keep paper towels on hand, but almost never use them. Also I use colored terry dish cloths for napkins.
great suggestions! and if you do find that any of your "kitchen cloths" made from old bedsheets do start to fray, you could either sew a zig-zag-stitch around the edges, or cut them with pinking shears.
My dad always did every house repair by himself, and my mom made lots of DIY and clothes mending. So now, even though I’m a doctor and I could pay someone to do my house repairs, I do them myself. I specially love doing electrical and building furniture.
I used to tear dryer sheets in half so I could get two uses per sheet. Now I don’t buy dryer sheets at all. I use wool dryer balls instead. I also found that by setting the dryer to a setting which doesn’t dry the clothes quite as much it almost completely cuts out getting static. Also air drying nylon type clothes also cuts down on static
Be careful choosing cheap pantry staples over less starchy, healthier options. The key is plan your meals, don't over-buy, and don't waste food. But don't trade health for frugality.
I'm happy to say we do a lot of these things in our home ... except I'm terrible at meal planning ... but I'm amazing at keeping clothes for much more than four years (to a fault!). A few things in addition include cutting up old t-shirts for cleaning rags; using grocery bags (paper or plastic) as my trash and waste basket liners; not only dry goods in reused glass jars but storing leftovers in them as well (I send dinner gathering leftovers with family or friends in glass jars too); reusing greeting cards (cut off and use the front of the card for gift tags or another greeting card). Thanks for the tips.
My husband and I are big meal planners! With four kids and a busy life, it saves us sanity as well as time and money. We keep a master list of meals we make, categorized by proteins. Then we check what's on sale, and match up what we can get for a good price with ways to prepare it.
Growing up I never worried about money and my parents were in a good place financially. However, unlike my parents I'm a broken human living in a broken world, so I have to learn new ways of being. Currently I'm a student again, and I think I'm going to still be deliberate in my spending even if I don't have to sometime in the future.
I do or have done pretty much what you suggest. I am old now and live alone but I used to plan our meals for the week too. Be careful where you shop, unless you are well organized and disciplined, stay away from places like Costco. Their “ treasure hunt “ merchandising gets a lot of people. If you do shop there Make sure you don’t waste or overeat from the large amounts. It’s not cheap if you have to throw it away. Learn how to mend. Change out of your good work clothes when yo get home. If you live in a hot climate as I do, you rarely need ac if you close the curtains and the blinds and awnings in the morning before going to work. Open everything up in the evening. Lots of simple things add up. I have an inexpensive smart phone ( from China !!!) I’ve had it for a number of years, I pay about $25 a month for my phone plan which includes the phone. It does everything my kids’ iPhones do. 😂 And definitely get a clothesline, when my son was a baby we all had clothesline’s in our carports - that’s where we hung out the diapers to dry !!! A heck of a lot cheaper that what most people do today! ❤️😊 Don’t dismiss what old people have to tell, I’m glad I listened to my mother when I was first married and especially when my son came along. Bless you all for trying to do the right thing for yourselves and our planet 🥰
Double-up tip: When the groceries I usually buy, are at half price, I buy several jars/packs to last until the next time they are half price. This way I often get my groceries at 2 for the price of 1.
Yes ma'am, I graduated in 2006 and experienced the great recession as well. Ultimately that feeling of a sinking ship carried over and has probably influenced the way I spend my money.
We switched to cloth kitchen/dining linens years ago, and it was one of the best money-saving things. We use cheap washcloths & kitchen towels in the kitchen, and slightly better washcloths as napkins. I haven’t bought paper napkins in over 10 years. We do buy paper towels to use for really messy things like draining bacon or raw meat stuff, but that adds up to about one roll of paper towels per month.
Just changed over to cloth napkins at the table. We have not used any paper since (for months now). Very easy to do and I find that you can use that one napkin for a very long time before you need to wash it. Purchased on sale cotton napkins at Walmart 6 for $5 and found a set of beautiful vintage 8 for $12 on Poshmark. All wash up wonderfully and add flair to our everyday eating. Next thought is to cut down on paper towels. Thank you for the cut in half idea❤️🐕🐕
I use my clothes with care. I never wear clothes at home that I use for work. I have clothes that last me 12 years. And people think they are new. Treat things with care!
Double up: I thought I was the only one who tore the paper towels in half! I buy the ones that are half sheets to start. Mostly I use wash cloths and towels to clean and dry, the paper towels are just for real messes. I use the same tea bag for multiple cups of tea and I keep my clothes much longer than most, in spite of my minimal wardrobe. I am also a fixer and DIY er. TH-cam can teach just about anything! I am also not a shopper, I never go to a store without a list and only buy what is on the list. I am also very conscious of the cost of gas and batch any errands so only to make one trip, or to do them when I have a Dr appointment, etc. I’ve been frugal out of necessity forever, very conservative in everything I do. Things I don’t buy anymore: fabric for making clothes, decor items, costume jewelry, etc. When I do need to shop, I go to the thrift stores on their sale days. I’ve given up doing crafts just for fun, supplies are expensive and then you have to store the left overs. Those days are gone. I paint in watercolor and draw using ink. Hobbies that take up very little space and supplies last forever… besides, they make great gifts when it’s time and satisfies my need for creativity. Sometimes I even sell them. The last thing I do to be frugal is eat at home. I sold my house when the last of my kids left the nest and moved into a senior apartment. Life is so much simpler and satisfying. I enjoy your videos, keep them coming. ❤
Agree with everything you explained. Your leftovers can often make a stirfry, wrap of some sort or soup. I stretch out protein (meat) with lentils, beans et dry peas. I do use half of the disposible paper towel at the time but this is only if i can’t use my baby face cloths that I still use from when my kids were young. Of course the cloths were only used for face or minor messes and still to this day we have so much use for them! Sometimes we have a few different leftovers or revamped meals with leftover so we do “buffet” night and just pick a bit from each dish.
A super easy way I like to "double up" is to do quick things around my house while TH-cam ads play. Content creators get paid when we let their ads play all the way through, so I just let the ad play and pop up off the couch and do something small I've been meaning to get around to, like take my supplements or switch the laundry to the dryer. Then sit back down and watch the rest. I'm getting home tasks accomplished and supporting a small business at the same time, and it's free.
I know it may sound selfish, but I use adblock online because it saves me a ton of money by avoiding all the new trends and temptations. I have bought a few things off the Facebook ads even if I gave it a few days to think over and I know online ads everywhere would just kill my budget and my mental wellbeing.
I am a leftovers fan, I pack my own food, water, and coffee using reusable containers for work everyday so that I save money on take-out and basic needs. We could work on meal planning, I’ve put that one on the back burner since our son has been at college. Like you, I stretch the use of paper towels, and tea bags are meant to be for 16 oz of water, not just a single cup. I also reuse plastic bags instead of reaching for new ziplocks. I so appreciate your smart and sensible ways 💕
Something I recently learned for myself was sometimes you have to spend money to save more money in the long term. I had a very ill equipped kitchen that was leading to food waste & one time use storage. I invested in a bunch of mason jars and glass containers so I no longer have to use plastic baggies. I also bought freezer storage so I can freeze a lot of the bits of food I was wasting on a regular basis.
-Plan your meals so you don't over buy, -freeze what needs freezing, -portion correctly, -eat everything on your plate! it seems like you'll put weight on, but just snack less and look forward to quality planned dinners. It's easier to maintain a better weight if you plan dinners. Never scrape a plate again!
One big energy expenditure - the hot water heater. When we moved into our 60-year-old home a few years ago we found the heater was set to 140°F. We lowered it to a more reasonable (not burning people immediately) temperature and it did help with some of our energy cost. Now we're planning on replacing the aluminum single-pane windows. Just in general, good home maintenance can save you a fortune over time.
Be careful with changing the water temperature, though. In Latvia this year we had a lot of people infected with legionella bacteria, unfortunately there were lethal cases, too. Bc of the energy crisis it was allowed not to preheat the water till 55C, and colder water stipulated the growth of this bacteria. Take care!
I shop the freezer one week every month so that’s a no spend week. I make soup from veggies regularly for lunches. I also double up when making tomato sauce etc
Great tips! I don't cut my paper towels in half but I do purchase the kind that is perforated at the half size mark. I've gotten much better at shopping my pantry before making my grocery list and menu planning based on what I already have. I've started hanging more of my clothes to dry (found the clothes rack you told me you found at Ikea...love it!) and I've decided to tackle my dryer repair on my own. That will save me HUNDREDS of dollars!! I've been budgeting on a spreadsheet for years but I recently changed to an app on my phone and I think having it with me will help me stick to it better.
OMG! Who is only wearing their clothes 7 times and only keeping them 2 years?! I still have clothes from high school and college and am now in my 50's. If something gets too raggedy for wearing in public it gets demoted to pj's or working around the house (changing into "work" clothes means my nicer clothes stay nice longer) and if they are absolute rags, I cut them up into literal rags for gross jobs instead of paper towels. Fashion trends are basically designed for consumers to waste money and resources and I would rather be kind to the environment and keep my money in my unfashionable pockets. ;)
Most important thing: check and re-check your fix costd, as they are the biggest things in your budget. Especially rent and health insurance, because changing those deals can make such a big difference...
I use a crock pot to make big batches of stews and freeze in meal portions, also if we've had chicken I cook broth from the bones. We have a dog who gets carrot stumps, zucchini ends and other scraps!
Yes! My husband has become “TH-cam Certified” in countless things. Most recently, he built and replaced all of our baseboard heating after the pipes burst .
Digital content from libraries and revisiting old magazines for relevant info. Example. Martha Stewart magazines are a wealth of info. Thank you. Double up is very cool...
I’v started cutting the portion on me and my kids plates in half and that helps not only our budget but our health 😊 I think in America je have the biggest portioning problem.
yes! I've always been a "small portion" eater. On the rare occasion when we're at someone else's house and they plate the food up for us, I always feel bad because they serve me a full "American adult" portion size. Whenever possible, I try to intervene before this happens, either by offering to help, or to dish up my own meal, or politely speak to the host first beforehand. I hate wasting food, and I feel that it would be rude of me to not finish my plate but a lot of the time, I physically cannot. I would rather have "not enough" on my plate to begin with, and possibly ask for seconds... than to not finish what I was given, and be wasteful.
I have been doing the "double up" with sponges I use for dishes and pots...I buy a sponge at the dollar store and cut it in half.I always buy the sponges with the scrubby green backing.
I love how you’re not talking about cancelling Netflix or stop buying Starbucks and you go straight to true frugal living with cutting paper towels in half and using tea bags twice:)
When it comes to buying toilet paper from Costco, I carefully unwrap the plastic bag the rolls come in, & use it as a large kitchen trash bag to save/recycle on using more of my trash bags. Also, when I'm done using either lemons or limes, instead of discarding the used scraps I use them to scrub my sinks down & keep them shiny/clean. If I have expired shampoos or body wash instead of just tossing them out, I'll use the rest of the product to clean the toilet bowls with lol.
I use a squeezed lemon half to scrub my wood cutting board with salt, the put it in a glass measuring cup and microwave it to clean that, then I run it down the disposal to freshen that.
@@ameliat8981 that's a nice tip, thanks I'll have to try that next! I forgot to mention if you enjoy oranges, I also like to take the peels once I use them, boil them w/ water & cloves or cinnamon sticks on the stove so the air smells like Fall...
Yes! I never buy garbage bags anymore. I use bread bags, toilet paper packaging etc. It helps that our town has curbside compost pick up so there isn’t any food waste going in my garbage bin.
We need a dryer for our venue business. Those things break down easily. When the repair man came, my husband was following his every move and asking questions. Next time he tried out, what he had learned and indeed, it fixed the problem. Did not the next time, but it already did safe us money. We also usually look up several internet sites on which products do a great job. We now have the 'best value' washing machine, that actually gets most of the stains out. That saves a lot of time and work! So it was more expensive at the start, but has worked up much value.
We wash clothes in cold water (90% less energy use). Use cloth napkins & cleaning cloths (not paper towels). Have been using DIY laundry soap & deoderant (50/50 cornstarch/baking soda) for yrs. Make own bread in bread machine (cheaper & healthier). This is random, but when mustard & ketchup bottles get near empty, add white vinegar. Shake & the rest will easily squirt out. DIY household cleaning products using vinegar, baking soda, rubbing alcohol & squirt bottles. Many recipes online.
One of my many frugal ways is to save money is to make a grocery list and only get what is on the list. Meal plan for the week and buy things that will last awhile instead of getting the cheapest item available. Being a minimalist really helps with saving money as well.
We pretty much follow the same tips as you do. We use washable napkins and bar mop towels for clean up. We rarely have leftovers as we plan for lunch the next day.
So refreshing to see a young person practicing frugality instead of spending money they don’t have on things they don’t need. Wish a lot more would take your advise. Good job!
Ive used cloth napkins for 40 years. Had a rag bag for years, now have a rag drawer. I mend, water down a small supply of laundry detergent at a time, and if i grab a bite out, it is something with a coupon, or an app deal, or already inexpensive. I could go on, but I'm glad that people are thinking about the environment with frugality. I know i do.
Making a stir fry or soup out of odds and ends in my kitchen is fairly common for me. Last night's beef & quinoa stirfry used up my leftover veggie bits and cost me maybe $5 for 3 liters of healthy food.
I bought cloth vipes instead of paper towels a couple of years ago and it works really well. I always cut up things to get the last drops out and I’ve gone ”back” to using hard soap as much as possible. We’re really lucky because my mother in law is a mending wizard and mend everything for us. She’s also really good at changing zippers and knit, she makes us clothes as a hobby.
Actually, my brother mocked me a little with that I had no paper wipes. It just never occurred to me. I have cleaning rags and cloths - why would I waste paper if I had them. They're doing the job just fine!
I've never got into the habit of using paper towels. I normally buy the blue "J" cloths and just wash them as many times as I can until they fall apart.
I dilute soap and shampoo, usually it comes very concentrated and adding a bit of water doesn't affect its effectiveness and it does make it last longer.
I have a two story home. Each level has it's own ac/ heat and thermostat. All our bedrooms are upstairs so I set the downstairs one to a lower temp at night in the winter to save energy.
Marisa, what we do is identify where we can eliminate a purchase all together with items that do double duty. So I haven't bought paper towels for years because we use Swedish cloths which absorb much more and can be thrown in the wash and used over and over. I also don't buy different cleaning supplies. We get soap concentrates like Mrs. Meyers brand or liquid organic castile soap and a capful can be added to warm water in a spray bottle. I use this mix to wipe down stone countertops, bathrooms etc. and only need to replace the concentrate once every couple of years or once a year at most. Finally, we don't purchase dryer sheets, scented laundry additives or other specialty items that are not necessary and are often toxic. Thanks for your great advice!
I recently bought some papertowels that were made to rip in half. It took me a while to realize it too. But I thought it was a great thing since sometimes you only want a small square.
Theres alot of clothing I have that are many years old in my wardrobe. I think its been several years since I have bought any tops. And only buy pants when I basically wear through the other ones. I have been tracking my spending for the last several years. And it has really helped me out. There are still sometimes when I go over my determined budgets. But then I can address that figure out why I might have had to go over that month. And adjust the categories. It also helps me really thing about what I buy now. I don't tend to go out to Target or Walmart or other stores and spend a few hours walking about and spending $100 in no time. If I know I need to go pick up something I have been better about getting in and out only with what I know I need. Still some problems. But progress is important.
I am definitely most frugal when it comes to grocery shopping. In Norway, a lot of towns have a store that sell food and grocery store items for up to 90 per cent less because it's close to its expiration date, out of season (like chocolate with christmas wrapping in January), or because the can has a scratch or whatever. I buy almost all of my food there and freeze it. Grocery stores usually also has a bin for food that is priced lower due to its close expiration date, and that is where I get most of my fruits and veggies, and make my meals from what I got for cheap. I also have a rule that I check my local "Craigslist" to see if I can get something second hand first, no matter what it is. Whether it is a big purchase like patio furniture or a freezer, or if it is something small, like a coat rack for the entrance or leftover materials for a bird house.
My husband and I enjoy going out to eat and we figure it's a good way to support local business (that's what we tell ourselves, LOL). But I make up for it in other ways. I buy almost all my clothes at thrift stores. $80 jeans for $5? Yes, thank you. I've stopped using dryer sheets, stopped using paper napkins (you can get nice cloth napkins at the thrift store, too), limited my use of paper towels, and turned the thermostat even further down at night. I don't launder clothes until they really need it, wash most stuff in cold water, and limit how much detergent I use. A lot of laundry (for example, socks, undies, dish towels, dish rags) goes on a drying rack instead of in the dryer. A bunch of little things can add up over time!
yes - I do all the "thrifty things" you listed!!! I enjoy eating out too, but limit it to once or twice a month, which is fairly easy since I work from home, and my lunches are often "leftovers" from dinner throughout the week. My husband, however, is the opposite: he works out in public, hates leftovers, hates taking lunch to work, and eats out nearly every work day. So I like to think that my "food savings" are negating his "food spending" habits
I was raised frugally so all of these tips are my normal living. My parents were children during the great depression and WW2.( yes I'm a boomer) That generation raised their kids accordingly. My husband is awesome with repairs. Now when we get repairs done we figure out what it would cost us medically to do it ourselves lol. Ambulance, hospital deductible physical therapy pharmacy. We tend now to hire the pros to besure its done right and we don't get hurt. Love your channel. Keep up your good work.
I save some plastic containers that things come in to use other things such as drawer organizing. My husband's lunch meat containers are opaque with red lids, so perfect for gifting homemade goodies with a ribbon tied around it.
Some products are packaged in small plastic net. I use the netting as a scrubber for my cast iron skillet or other very dirty things before tossing, instead of ruining a dish sponge.
I, too, plan my menus. It not only saves money and food wastage, but I also know what to buy and what I am eating each day. That said, it helps to have plenty of accessible freezer space, and it helps to like leftovers and/or know how to creatively repurpose leftovers. -- Wonderful and informative video, thanks for sharing!
I've learned how to fix a lot of things to save money. I have a 20 year old car and I've fixed many small things to keep it running. I also fix small electronics and video game consoles to keep them running. Installing doors and locks and fixing tile are a few other things I've learned to do. It's cheaper and I feel a sense of accomplishment when I learn a new skill.
Hey, I just got complimented on a shirt I've had for 15 years! 😅 I keep stuff forever haha. I think it's important to be content with what you have. As long as you take care of it and maintain it will last. Chasing "newer and better" is super costly. My latest double up is yoga on TH-cam. I'm already paying for internet and own a TV. It's so much easier than going to the gym, is targeting my core better and I'm not spending $51 hoping I can get to the gym enough to make it worth it!
Meal planning was a game changer for us. When we moved and I had a longer commute, I frequently found myself having no clue what to make once I got home, which usually resulted in us eating a strange combination or going out to eat. Once I started meal planning, it made it easy the night before to decide what I needed to thaw out and it also cut way down on leftovers, things hanging around in a freezer too long, etc. Twice a year we do an "eat down" and I don't grocery shop until most everything is gone from our freezer and sometimes our pantry too.
Hubby and I did an almost weekly leftover buffet night not to waste food or money but a lot of the times the items really didn’t go well together and we weren’t really enjoying that night. Now I separate the leftovers into two separate meals if they don’t go together and I make a starch and vegetables if needed and maybe Hubby will have the beef leftovers and I’ll have the chicken leftovers instead of two bites of beef and two bites of chicken each. That works better for us.
I wear my clothing on average of eight years and l purchase both new and used clothing. I have a small wardrobe and feel my clothing looks nicely presentable. Thank you for your practical advice.
When we couldn't get paper towel during the stay home order, I cut up my daughter's outgrown (clean) clothes to use as disposable napkins, and am still doing this to save money. I sew most of our clothes so I have plenty of small scraps to use as napkins. Also, I discovered that some fabrics make excellent, disposable powder or makeup applicators. I wish I had figured this out decades ago!
I would personally avoid not using the heating enough in an old building because of mould formation: I did that in my house and because the windows (still good but a bit old) were damp in the mornings I decided to turn the heating on more (it needed to be around 20degrees Celsius to solve the problem) So: more heating costs could save you house renovations and your health.
The same goes to changing the water temperature on purpose. This year it was allowed in Latvia to not preheat water up to 55C (energy crisis, the costs). As a result, there were a lot of ppl infected with legionella respiratory disease, triggered by colder water. some cases were lethal:( and who knows how many places have had mold:(
@@olgaemelianova goodness never heard of that I’m so sorry for you and your people :( I thought everyone knew that it needed to be more than 60C because of legionella :((
I laughed so hard when you cut the paper towel roll in half. I cut paper towels in half too!! Obviously chewing gum is a luxury; I only chew half a stick of gum because it freshens my breath for meetings but lasts twice as long.
I wear my clothes till they're totally worn out...lol... I couldn't even imagine wearing only a few times and discarding and getting new....great video👍
Regarding the paper towels , not only do I tear off only what I need , but if at a restaurant , or coffee shop , will save one of the (paper) napkins to take home to use , and will wipe knives and forks with already used napkins to get grease and food off them prior to washing , so the drains don't get clogged . I have many articles of clothing 30 years old , and my wife and I shop mainly at the Salvos or other op shops here in Australia . She often gets new designer clothes for next to nothing ! We generally buy vintage Scandinavian furniture - cheaper and better investments than anything else , recycle cans and bottles for 6 monthly visits to the depot , and as a landlord to two properties plus my own - do as much of the maintenance as I can . Have never had a new car , and don't really care , as long as the mortgage is paid . We have a full life though , go out for dinner , wineries , entertain etc , shop for groceries wisely and have a great circle of friends and family , so not missing out at all !
I keep a roll of paper towels but seldom use them. (Same for paper napkins and other such items). I prefer cloth unless it's some horrible cat mess etc.
What are your tips for using the "double-up" rule? Please like 👍 video + comment below with your ideas! 😊
I didn't know a lot of what we do is "doubling up" until social media came along and showed us people who don't wear a garment more than once or who buy new shoes before the soles wear out. Except for stinky work clothes and underwater, we put on the same outfits twice or thrice between wash days, and most of my clothes are also several years old like your dress - still comfy and sturdy!
Drinks. If a person in my house wants pop, juice or kombucha, we always water it down and it's perfectly fine.
Follow the wash instructions on your clothes to keep them longer. Don't waste money by shrinking or ruining clothes because you are lazy
I tear up toilet rolls & use for tissues in an empty tissue box. I cut my late mother’s new wash cloths in half & will be reusing cloth when they run out. I have loose tea leaves with a strainer stick & just keep filling up the cup or make a thermos for the day & only have to boil the kettle once, then use leftover hot water for washing up or cleaning.
I cut napkins in half as well as paper towels 😂.
Big😊 ups to everyone working effortlessly trying to earn a living while building wealth. I’m 62 and my husband 65 we are both retired with over $3 million in net worth and no debts. Currently living smart and frugal with our money. Saving and investing lifestyle made it possible for us this early even till now we earn monthly through passive income
Alright phyllis, speaking in general terms, investing requires a good amount of knowledge. That's why it's essential to have a solid support system like a financial counselor, especially when picking out assets. I've been working with Regina Louise Collaro, who is an investment advisor at a registered wealth management company. I can't recommend her enough; my financial journey has been fantastic thanks to her. She's quite well-known for her services, and she helped me achieve financial stability through investments. Now, I benefit from her passive income strategies every month. So, I'd strongly suggest finding a reliable investment advisor for yourself.
Regina Louise Collaro is based in the United States and can work with anybody wherever they stay. If you would like more information about her, you can conduct a search online.
personally, I'm blessed and realizing I'm not the only one working with Regina Louise Collaro. I will consider myself lucky. I've been able to feed and make a living through her advice and great work. For such a person as Regina, I owe her gratitude, support and endless prayers as it is not easy to gain access to such a competent and reliable adviser. Who isn't just wise but has all it takes to handle an investment and is good at what she does..
I cut open squeezeable tubes of hand cream toothpaste etc when can't squeeze out any more. Once open there is still lots left!
I can't wrap my head around the average piece of clothing only being worn seven times. I've made some purchasing mistakes in my life that were either shrunk in the wash or tore after one use, but even those get given away or fixed as much as possible. Most things live in my closet for 10+ years and get reworn and repaired until they can't anymore, and then I try to rehome them after, undergarments aside. Things last way longer if you just dry them on delicate. Grew up poor, and grateful for it. Love these tips!
I have handkerchiefs i bought as a boyscout when I was 10. I am now 69. The boots I wore today to do yardwork were my fireman duty boots bought over 30 years ago. I appear to agree with her.
Dang. I buy my clothes used to begin with, and wear them to shreds. Yesss on the ten year old dress! And yeah, we don't eat out, and we track all expenses - ALL of them.
Thankfully my husband, dad and brother know how to build, fix and repair anything. Saves soooooo much money ❤
I still wear a sweater i bought secondhand when i was in middle school. Which was over 20 yrs ago...Still get compliments on it...😁
That’s epic 😄
You could also cut your worn out clothes or old towels into into reusable little towels and cloths for the kitchen or cleaning in general. Additionally We still use my grandmas good quality linen kitchen towels were she has stitched her initials in as a young woman ❤
That is so SPECIAL - love it ❤️
We don’t use paper towels anymore ( since last summer) and we never missed it. We do meal preparation and we order our groceries and just pick them up ( so I don t get the chance to buy other things). That safes us a lot of money every month
I've never bought a roll of paper towels in my life. I use cloth wipes that I throw in the wash. Doesn't take up much space in the machine.
@@Marjol Both the planet and your bank balance are grateful. Before covid I was speaking with an German guy that works for Aldi, dealing with U S stores. He told me that an average US state uses more paper towels than Germany France, Spain & Portugal combined. We tend not to use them so much this side of the Atlantic. I think I have a pack, not sure. Seldom use them. Unless they're yucky the cloths can be used several times, rinsed under tap.
I cut all facial eye scrub pads at least in 1/2. I am a professional organizer and I just want to tell you what a value provide to thousands, be proud of yourself!!!! you give folks a platform to learn and share.
Thanks so much for your kind words and love your double-up hack, Tee! 👏
I had a dress for over 20 years (it was already vintage when I got it). I stitched it up so often. It finally wore down where there was no helping it any longer and I had to say goodbye, but I am totally one of those people who wear things for a decade like you.
Left over stir fry and burritos are great!
My husband and I budget. We have been tracking our food shopping more than ever since inflation. It is crazy how much more things are.
I also use a lot of left over jars for storage items.
I don't have washing machine/dryer at all and haven't for 15 years. I am the washing machine.
There are so many ways to be frugal or save money and I think everyone has to find out what works best for them.
Great video. Congrats on your husband learning how to put a hot water heater in for you to have access to hot water, by the way! Awesome job.
Wow, such an impressive list! Especially the washing machine part. 💧
I’d love to know how you wash your clothes…?
@@Peaceful_Yogi I used to use a crank washer that did the draining in my kitchen sink. Now I just hand wash my clothes in my sink, wring them out, and dry them on a rack. Being a minimalist family of 4 (2 adults, 2 teens, and a baby on the way), it helps that everyone's clothes fits in one drawer each, so laundry doesn't pile up as much for us. I do one to two loads a week. I do have to go to a laundromat every other month or two months to do bed sheets & towels.
@@TheMennomilist So cool. Thanks for sharing!
I love these. I wear the daylights out of my clothes- I wash them in delicate cycle & hang to dry only when they’re actually needing a wash.
I do a weekly menu based on the 5 protein categories in my fridge freezer. Sunday dinner, pork, beef, chicken and fish. I have a legume allergy so I buy meats on special.
I keep a cheat sheet of 4 tried and true recipes for each meat and stock my small apartment pantry with the other ingredients.
I don’t stray from that very often. I know each recipe well and I always have what I need on hand.
I plan 5 meals per 7 days allowing 2 nights for leftovers or a meal out.
I shop for 5 main veggies per week plus potatoes, garlic and onions to go with the main dish. Double servings of each veggie.
Rice, pasta, kasha or potatoes on the side.
I repack the meats from the sales in ziplock freezer bags and freeze flat so I can maximize the room in my fridge freezer.
I use the same cleaning supplies- microfibre cloths, spray bottles that I dilute commercial concentrated all purpose cleaner or vinegar with. Vim in the kitchen and Lysol toilet disinfectant cleaner in the bathrooms.
Paper towels for raw meat juices or cleaning the toilet outsides where I don’t want to contaminate my microfibre cloths.
Buying new cleaners to try stuff chews up the money. Once I find what works I stay with it and buy on specials.
Same thing with the food - find what works and stick to it. Variety can be expensive. That’s what meals out at the restaurant are for.
Dh & I are retired, on a pension and living in an apartment condo. Space is limited and we stick to our budget. We can travel and enjoy everything we want because we save on the daily expenses.
I’m currently sat In my dressing gown. Im a single mum with 3 kids in the uk. The kids are at their dads so no heating on today . Just a big blanket 😊. I was such a shopper before. Mostly for the kids not myself I still have the same pair of shoes from about 4 years ago ( my only pair) plus I don’t buy clothes for myself. Now I’m saving money and finding more joy from doing that. Thank you for a helpful video. I need to work hard on food shopping as I could be better organised. I love all your videos xxx
Thanks for watching, Rachel and sending warm and cozy vibes your way. ☀️
Nothing, or at least almost nothing, feels as good as using things up and not wasting them. 😊 I used to be really wasteful but now I’m conscious about using food before it expires, using products before buying new ones, etc.
Invest in a sewing machine and learn to sew. I got a Singer Basic for a bit over 100 euros and I watched TH-cam videos to learn. Now I can mend my clothes and repurpose old fabrics. One example: I made make-up bags using old bed sheets and gave them to friends/family for Xmas :)
Zest lemon or orange rind and use it to flavor water or add it to sugar cookie dough, it elevates the flavor! Don't throw out the juice from a can of garbanzo/chickpeas. Drain the chickpea liquid into a container. Use 3 tablespoons of the liquid per whole large egg called for in your recipe. Use 2 tablespoons of the liquid per large egg white called for in your recipe. Great tips, Marissa🌼
My friend taught me to make "kitchen cloths" from worn out white bed sheets, by cutting them into squares or rectangles - 12" x 16" makes a nice size. They fray very little in the laundry, and they can be bleached if necessary. I do keep paper towels on hand, but almost never use them. Also I use colored terry dish cloths for napkins.
great suggestions! and if you do find that any of your "kitchen cloths" made from old bedsheets do start to fray, you could either sew a zig-zag-stitch around the edges, or cut them with pinking shears.
My dad always did every house repair by himself, and my mom made lots of DIY and clothes mending. So now, even though I’m a doctor and I could pay someone to do my house repairs, I do them myself. I specially love doing electrical and building furniture.
I absolutely hate food waste, so I've gotten very adept at figuring out creative ways of using leftovers. Plus it saves me money too.
SUCH a good money saver 💰
I agree.
I used to tear dryer sheets in half so I could get two uses per sheet. Now I don’t buy dryer sheets at all. I use wool dryer balls instead. I also found that by setting the dryer to a setting which doesn’t dry the clothes quite as much it almost completely cuts out getting static. Also air drying nylon type clothes also cuts down on static
Wearable blankets have been a game changer for our family and has helped us drastically cut down our energy consumption.
Be careful choosing cheap pantry staples over less starchy, healthier options. The key is plan your meals, don't over-buy, and don't waste food. But don't trade health for frugality.
Fruit is worth the extra $.
@hollistandridge1117, starches like rice, beans and potatoes are very nutritious, sometimes having higher protein than meat.
@@ajvintage9579 that’s not actually true as they all convert to sugar. But if they don’t concern you then I’m sure it’s fine.
I'm happy to say we do a lot of these things in our home ... except I'm terrible at meal planning ... but I'm amazing at keeping clothes for much more than four years (to a fault!). A few things in addition include cutting up old t-shirts for cleaning rags; using grocery bags (paper or plastic) as my trash and waste basket liners; not only dry goods in reused glass jars but storing leftovers in them as well (I send dinner gathering leftovers with family or friends in glass jars too); reusing greeting cards (cut off and use the front of the card for gift tags or another greeting card). Thanks for the tips.
My mom taught me to cut dryer fabric softener sheets in half. Half a sheet works just as well as a full one!
My husband and I are big meal planners! With four kids and a busy life, it saves us sanity as well as time and money. We keep a master list of meals we make, categorized by proteins. Then we check what's on sale, and match up what we can get for a good price with ways to prepare it.
Love the idea of organizing by proteins! 🍗
@@AtoZenLife Organising like this will be hard for me, i just eat starches, fruit and vegetables and get plenty proteins :D.
And an excellent opportunity to get your children involved in meal planning and preparation!
Growing up I never worried about money and my parents were in a good place financially. However, unlike my parents I'm a broken human living in a broken world, so I have to learn new ways of being. Currently I'm a student again, and I think I'm going to still be deliberate in my spending even if I don't have to sometime in the future.
I do or have done pretty much what you suggest. I am old now and live alone but I used to plan our meals for the week too. Be careful where you shop, unless you are well organized and disciplined, stay away from places like Costco. Their “ treasure hunt “ merchandising gets a lot of people. If you do shop there Make sure you don’t waste or overeat from the large amounts. It’s not cheap if you have to throw it away. Learn how to mend. Change out of your good work clothes when yo get home. If you live in a hot climate as I do, you rarely need ac if you close the curtains and the blinds and awnings in the morning before going to work. Open everything up in the evening. Lots of simple things add up. I have an inexpensive smart phone ( from China !!!) I’ve had it for a number of years, I pay about $25 a month for my phone plan which includes the phone. It does everything my kids’ iPhones do. 😂 And definitely get a clothesline, when my son was a baby we all had clothesline’s in our carports - that’s where we hung out the diapers to dry !!! A heck of a lot cheaper that what most people do today! ❤️😊 Don’t dismiss what old people have to tell, I’m glad I listened to my mother when I was first married and especially when my son came along. Bless you all for trying to do the right thing for yourselves and our planet 🥰
Double-up tip: When the groceries I usually buy, are at half price, I buy several jars/packs to last until the next time they are half price. This way I often get my groceries at 2 for the price of 1.
Good thought. Thank you.
Freeze lemon and lime slices for cold drinks or gin and tonics - no waste and ice cube is combined👍
Yum! 🍋
Yes ma'am, I graduated in 2006 and experienced the great recession as well. Ultimately that feeling of a sinking ship carried over and has probably influenced the way I spend my money.
We switched to cloth kitchen/dining linens years ago, and it was one of the best money-saving things.
We use cheap washcloths & kitchen towels in the kitchen, and slightly better washcloths as napkins.
I haven’t bought paper napkins in over 10 years.
We do buy paper towels to use for really messy things like draining bacon or raw meat stuff, but that adds up to about one roll of paper towels per month.
Just changed over to cloth napkins at the table. We have not used any paper since (for months now). Very easy to do and I find that you can use that one napkin for a very long time before you need to wash it. Purchased on sale cotton napkins at Walmart 6 for $5 and found a set of beautiful vintage 8 for $12 on Poshmark. All wash up wonderfully and add flair to our everyday eating. Next thought is to cut down on paper towels. Thank you for the cut in half idea❤️🐕🐕
I do this too! I get mine at antique malls usually. I am just now wearing out the first ones in my collection, which are about 20 years old.
Yes! We’ve done this for 35 years!!!
I use my clothes with care. I never wear clothes at home that I use for work. I have clothes that last me 12 years. And people think they are new. Treat things with care!
Double up: I thought I was the only one who tore the paper towels in half! I buy the ones that are half sheets to start. Mostly I use wash cloths and towels to clean and dry, the paper towels are just for real messes. I use the same tea bag for multiple cups of tea and I keep my clothes much longer than most, in spite of my minimal wardrobe. I am also a fixer and DIY er. TH-cam can teach just about anything! I am also not a shopper, I never go to a store without a list and only buy what is on the list. I am also very conscious of the cost of gas and batch any errands so only to make one trip, or to do them when I have a Dr appointment, etc. I’ve been frugal out of necessity forever, very conservative in everything I do. Things I don’t buy anymore: fabric for making clothes, decor items, costume jewelry, etc. When I do need to shop, I go to the thrift stores on their sale days. I’ve given up doing crafts just for fun, supplies are expensive and then you have to store the left overs. Those days are gone. I paint in watercolor and draw using ink. Hobbies that take up very little space and supplies last forever… besides, they make great gifts when it’s time and satisfies my need for creativity. Sometimes I even sell them. The last thing I do to be frugal is eat at home. I sold my house when the last of my kids left the nest and moved into a senior apartment. Life is so much simpler and satisfying. I enjoy your videos, keep them coming. ❤
Agree with everything you explained. Your leftovers can often make a stirfry, wrap of some sort or soup. I stretch out protein (meat) with lentils, beans et dry peas. I do use half of the disposible paper towel at the time but this is only if i can’t use my baby face cloths that I still use from when my kids were young. Of course the cloths were only used for face or minor messes and still to this day we have so much use for them! Sometimes we have a few different leftovers or revamped meals with leftover so we do “buffet” night and just pick a bit from each dish.
A super easy way I like to "double up" is to do quick things around my house while TH-cam ads play. Content creators get paid when we let their ads play all the way through, so I just let the ad play and pop up off the couch and do something small I've been meaning to get around to, like take my supplements or switch the laundry to the dryer. Then sit back down and watch the rest. I'm getting home tasks accomplished and supporting a small business at the same time, and it's free.
This is such a good idea!!
I do the same. Sometimes I click on them too as it ups their revenue, especially if they are a favourite TH-camr.
Hahaha, what great ideas! I´ve never thought of this before! Thank you for sharing!
I know it may sound selfish, but I use adblock online because it saves me a ton of money by avoiding all the new trends and temptations. I have bought a few things off the Facebook ads even if I gave it a few days to think over and I know online ads everywhere would just kill my budget and my mental wellbeing.
Love this!
I am a leftovers fan, I pack my own food, water, and coffee using reusable containers for work everyday so that I save money on take-out and basic needs. We could work on meal planning, I’ve put that one on the back burner since our son has been at college. Like you, I stretch the use of paper towels, and tea bags are meant to be for 16 oz of water, not just a single cup. I also reuse plastic bags instead of reaching for new ziplocks. I so appreciate your smart and sensible ways 💕
Thanks for sharing, Marisa 😄👍
Something I recently learned for myself was sometimes you have to spend money to save more money in the long term. I had a very ill equipped kitchen that was leading to food waste & one time use storage. I invested in a bunch of mason jars and glass containers so I no longer have to use plastic baggies. I also bought freezer storage so I can freeze a lot of the bits of food I was wasting on a regular basis.
Buy the best you can afford so you only have to buy it once
-Plan your meals so you don't over buy,
-freeze what needs freezing,
-portion correctly,
-eat everything on your plate!
it seems like you'll put weight on, but just snack less and look forward to quality planned dinners. It's easier to maintain a better weight if you plan dinners. Never scrape a plate again!
Yep. Initial investment is always high but you won't have to buy those items again soon
I boughy my oldest t-shirt in 1985 when I was in London!🙂
One big energy expenditure - the hot water heater. When we moved into our 60-year-old home a few years ago we found the heater was set to 140°F. We lowered it to a more reasonable (not burning people immediately) temperature and it did help with some of our energy cost. Now we're planning on replacing the aluminum single-pane windows.
Just in general, good home maintenance can save you a fortune over time.
Be careful with changing the water temperature, though. In Latvia this year we had a lot of people infected with legionella bacteria, unfortunately there were lethal cases, too. Bc of the energy crisis it was allowed not to preheat the water till 55C, and colder water stipulated the growth of this bacteria. Take care!
I shop the freezer one week every month so that’s a no spend week. I make soup from veggies regularly for lunches. I also double up when making tomato sauce etc
Great tips! I don't cut my paper towels in half but I do purchase the kind that is perforated at the half size mark. I've gotten much better at shopping my pantry before making my grocery list and menu planning based on what I already have. I've started hanging more of my clothes to dry (found the clothes rack you told me you found at Ikea...love it!) and I've decided to tackle my dryer repair on my own. That will save me HUNDREDS of dollars!! I've been budgeting on a spreadsheet for years but I recently changed to an app on my phone and I think having it with me will help me stick to it better.
OMG! Who is only wearing their clothes 7 times and only keeping them 2 years?! I still have clothes from high school and college and am now in my 50's. If something gets too raggedy for wearing in public it gets demoted to pj's or working around the house (changing into "work" clothes means my nicer clothes stay nice longer) and if they are absolute rags, I cut them up into literal rags for gross jobs instead of paper towels. Fashion trends are basically designed for consumers to waste money and resources and I would rather be kind to the environment and keep my money in my unfashionable pockets. ;)
Most important thing: check and re-check your fix costd, as they are the biggest things in your budget. Especially rent and health insurance, because changing those deals can make such a big difference...
Excellent tip 🙏
I use a crock pot to make big batches of stews and freeze in meal portions, also if we've had chicken I cook broth from the bones. We have a dog who gets carrot stumps, zucchini ends and other scraps!
You are also describing how to be sane. MORE PLEASE!!
Yes! My husband has become “TH-cam Certified” in countless things. Most recently, he built and replaced all of our baseboard heating after the pipes burst .
Go hubby 💪😁
I have been tearing up kitchen roll for years 👍😊
My frugal sister cuts dish sponges! :)
We are all about the DIY house maintenance. We do everything ourselves!
Digital content from libraries and revisiting old magazines for relevant info. Example. Martha Stewart magazines are a wealth of info. Thank you. Double up is very cool...
I’v started cutting the portion on me and my kids plates in half and that helps not only our budget but our health 😊 I think in America je have the biggest portioning problem.
Yes! And it reduces food waste too in case they aren’t that hungry. 👏
That’s what I’ve been trying to do too.
yes! I've always been a "small portion" eater. On the rare occasion when we're at someone else's house and they plate the food up for us, I always feel bad because they serve me a full "American adult" portion size. Whenever possible, I try to intervene before this happens, either by offering to help, or to dish up my own meal, or politely speak to the host first beforehand. I hate wasting food, and I feel that it would be rude of me to not finish my plate but a lot of the time, I physically cannot. I would rather have "not enough" on my plate to begin with, and possibly ask for seconds... than to not finish what I was given, and be wasteful.
Yes, absolutely. In America, we could switch to using desert plates instead of huge dinner plates to control portions and save money.
02:09 that is a very beautiful 🤩 dress 👗 and glad you got it on sale.
Agree with the meal list, I do a week's worth of groceries to suit the meal planner on the fridge whiteboard 😊
I have been doing the "double up" with sponges I use for dishes and pots...I buy a sponge at the dollar store and cut it in half.I always buy the sponges with the scrubby green backing.
I love how you’re not talking about cancelling Netflix or stop buying Starbucks and you go straight to true frugal living with cutting paper towels in half and using tea bags twice:)
I very rarely buy paper towels, I have set rags and cloth for cleaning ect.
When it comes to buying toilet paper from Costco, I carefully unwrap the plastic bag the rolls come in, & use it as a large kitchen trash bag to save/recycle on using more of my trash bags. Also, when I'm done using either lemons or limes, instead of discarding the used scraps I use them to scrub my sinks down & keep them shiny/clean. If I have expired shampoos or body wash instead of just tossing them out, I'll use the rest of the product to clean the toilet bowls with lol.
I use a squeezed lemon half to scrub my wood cutting board with salt, the put it in a glass measuring cup and microwave it to clean that, then I run it down the disposal to freshen that.
@@ameliat8981 that's a nice tip, thanks I'll have to try that next! I forgot to mention if you enjoy oranges, I also like to take the peels once I use them, boil them w/ water & cloves or cinnamon sticks on the stove so the air smells like Fall...
Ooh I like the toilet paper wrapper idea. It would make sense to use that to line the bathroom bin. I'll have to try and remember that one.
@@thisnthat42 yes, It def saves a few bags (big & smaller ones in the bunch)!
Yes! I never buy garbage bags anymore. I use bread bags, toilet paper packaging etc. It helps that our town has curbside compost pick up so there isn’t any food waste going in my garbage bin.
We need a dryer for our venue business. Those things break down easily. When the repair man came, my husband was following his every move and asking questions. Next time he tried out, what he had learned and indeed, it fixed the problem. Did not the next time, but it already did safe us money.
We also usually look up several internet sites on which products do a great job. We now have the 'best value' washing machine, that actually gets most of the stains out. That saves a lot of time and work! So it was more expensive at the start, but has worked up much value.
In our house we kept old or excess dress into pillow covers and couch cushions. First benefit is space saving. From India🎉
We wash clothes in cold water (90% less energy use). Use cloth napkins & cleaning cloths (not paper towels). Have been using DIY laundry soap & deoderant (50/50 cornstarch/baking soda) for yrs. Make own bread in bread machine (cheaper & healthier). This is random, but when mustard & ketchup bottles get near empty, add white vinegar. Shake & the rest will easily squirt out. DIY household cleaning products using vinegar, baking soda, rubbing alcohol & squirt bottles. Many recipes online.
One of my many frugal ways is to save money is to make a grocery list and only get what is on the list. Meal plan for the week and buy things that will last awhile instead of getting the cheapest item available. Being a minimalist really helps with saving money as well.
We pretty much follow the same tips as you do. We use washable napkins and bar mop towels for clean up. We rarely have leftovers as we plan for lunch the next day.
So refreshing to see a young person practicing frugality instead of spending money they don’t have on things they don’t need. Wish a lot more would take your advise. Good job!
TikTok generation (current pre teens to very early 20s) is even worse....
Ive used cloth napkins for 40 years. Had a rag bag for years, now have a rag drawer. I mend, water down a small supply of laundry detergent at a time, and if i grab a bite out, it is something with a coupon, or an app deal, or already inexpensive. I could go on, but I'm glad that people are thinking about the environment with frugality. I know i do.
Making a stir fry or soup out of odds and ends in my kitchen is fairly common for me. Last night's beef & quinoa stirfry used up my leftover veggie bits and cost me maybe $5 for 3 liters of healthy food.
ye! they often make great fillings for omelets or quiche or quesadillas too!
I bought cloth vipes instead of paper towels a couple of years ago and it works really well. I always cut up things to get the last drops out and I’ve gone ”back” to using hard soap as much as possible. We’re really lucky because my mother in law is a mending wizard and mend everything for us. She’s also really good at changing zippers and knit, she makes us clothes as a hobby.
Same. Totally relate to all your frugality
Actually, my brother mocked me a little with that I had no paper wipes. It just never occurred to me. I have cleaning rags and cloths - why would I waste paper if I had them. They're doing the job just fine!
I've never got into the habit of using paper towels. I normally buy the blue "J" cloths and just wash them as many times as I can until they fall apart.
Ya I grew up have kitchen towels and rags we never had paper towels and I’ve never bought them I’ve never understood why they even exist honestly
Great idea ,thank you, could you tell what in size you buy or cut it please???
Bises
I dilute soap and shampoo, usually it comes very concentrated and adding a bit of water doesn't affect its effectiveness and it does make it last longer.
I have a two story home. Each level has it's own ac/ heat and thermostat. All our bedrooms are upstairs so I set the downstairs one to a lower temp at night in the winter to save energy.
Line drying clothes also makes things last longer and keeps clothes from shrinking.
"Do I already have something that fulfills this role" is one rule of thumb that I could apply more often. I have so many versions of the same thing!
Marisa, what we do is identify where we can eliminate a purchase all together with items that do double duty. So I haven't bought paper towels for years because we use Swedish cloths which absorb much more and can be thrown in the wash and used over and over. I also don't buy different cleaning supplies. We get soap concentrates like Mrs. Meyers brand or liquid organic castile soap and a capful can be added to warm water in a spray bottle. I use this mix to wipe down stone countertops, bathrooms etc. and only need to replace the concentrate once every couple of years or once a year at most. Finally, we don't purchase dryer sheets, scented laundry additives or other specialty items that are not necessary and are often toxic. Thanks for your great advice!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts 👏
I recently bought some papertowels that were made to rip in half. It took me a while to realize it too. But I thought it was a great thing since sometimes you only want a small square.
Theres alot of clothing I have that are many years old in my wardrobe.
I think its been several years since I have bought any tops.
And only buy pants when I basically wear through the other ones.
I have been tracking my spending for the last several years. And it has really helped me out.
There are still sometimes when I go over my determined budgets. But then I can address that figure out why I might have had to go over that month. And adjust the categories. It also helps me really thing about what I buy now.
I don't tend to go out to Target or Walmart or other stores and spend a few hours walking about and spending $100 in no time. If I know I need to go pick up something I have been better about getting in and out only with what I know I need.
Still some problems. But progress is important.
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I am definitely most frugal when it comes to grocery shopping. In Norway, a lot of towns have a store that sell food and grocery store items for up to 90 per cent less because it's close to its expiration date, out of season (like chocolate with christmas wrapping in January), or because the can has a scratch or whatever. I buy almost all of my food there and freeze it. Grocery stores usually also has a bin for food that is priced lower due to its close expiration date, and that is where I get most of my fruits and veggies, and make my meals from what I got for cheap. I also have a rule that I check my local "Craigslist" to see if I can get something second hand first, no matter what it is. Whether it is a big purchase like patio furniture or a freezer, or if it is something small, like a coat rack for the entrance or leftover materials for a bird house.
My husband and I enjoy going out to eat and we figure it's a good way to support local business (that's what we tell ourselves, LOL). But I make up for it in other ways.
I buy almost all my clothes at thrift stores. $80 jeans for $5? Yes, thank you. I've stopped using dryer sheets, stopped using paper napkins (you can get nice cloth napkins at the thrift store, too), limited my use of paper towels, and turned the thermostat even further down at night. I don't launder clothes until they really need it, wash most stuff in cold water, and limit how much detergent I use. A lot of laundry (for example, socks, undies, dish towels, dish rags) goes on a drying rack instead of in the dryer. A bunch of little things can add up over time!
yes - I do all the "thrifty things" you listed!!! I enjoy eating out too, but limit it to once or twice a month, which is fairly easy since I work from home, and my lunches are often "leftovers" from dinner throughout the week. My husband, however, is the opposite: he works out in public, hates leftovers, hates taking lunch to work, and eats out nearly every work day. So I like to think that my "food savings" are negating his "food spending" habits
I was raised frugally so all of these tips are my normal living. My parents were children during the great depression and WW2.( yes I'm a boomer) That generation raised their kids accordingly. My husband is awesome with repairs. Now when we get repairs done we figure out what it would cost us medically to do it ourselves lol. Ambulance, hospital deductible physical therapy pharmacy. We tend now to hire the pros to besure its done right and we don't get hurt. Love your channel. Keep up your good work.
Yes, if safety is a concern better to hire out! Thanks for watching 🙏
Me too! 😀
My oldest workout pants are 13 years old and need some reinforced stitching but still going plenty strong.
💪 👖 Love that!
I save some plastic containers that things come in to use other things such as drawer organizing. My husband's lunch meat containers are opaque with red lids, so perfect for gifting homemade goodies with a ribbon tied around it.
Some products are packaged in small plastic net. I use the netting as a scrubber for my cast iron skillet or other very dirty things before tossing, instead of ruining a dish sponge.
We are frugal in different ways. I'm bad at and dislike cooking, very frugal in other ways but paying for a meal I can't make is worth it for me.
I, too, plan my menus. It not only saves money and food wastage, but I also know what to buy and what I am eating each day. That said, it helps to have plenty of accessible freezer space, and it helps to like leftovers and/or know how to creatively repurpose leftovers. -- Wonderful and informative video, thanks for sharing!
In regards to fixing outlets/doing your own electrical just make sure that anything needing code inspection gets inspected.
Always enjoy your channel Marissa... kudos !!
I've learned how to fix a lot of things to save money. I have a 20 year old car and I've fixed many small things to keep it running. I also fix small electronics and video game consoles to keep them running. Installing doors and locks and fixing tile are a few other things I've learned to do. It's cheaper and I feel a sense of accomplishment when I learn a new skill.
Switched laundry detergent for white vinegar. Cheaper and good for the machine.
Make meals that last a couple of days: curry, shepherd's pie, etc.
Hey, I just got complimented on a shirt I've had for 15 years! 😅
I keep stuff forever haha. I think it's important to be content with what you have. As long as you take care of it and maintain it will last. Chasing "newer and better" is super costly.
My latest double up is yoga on TH-cam. I'm already paying for internet and own a TV. It's so much easier than going to the gym, is targeting my core better and I'm not spending $51 hoping I can get to the gym enough to make it worth it!
Your videos are so good. Such an inspiration! I learn so much with a really humble and relatable delivery
Meal planning was a game changer for us. When we moved and I had a longer commute, I frequently found myself having no clue what to make once I got home, which usually resulted in us eating a strange combination or going out to eat. Once I started meal planning, it made it easy the night before to decide what I needed to thaw out and it also cut way down on leftovers, things hanging around in a freezer too long, etc. Twice a year we do an "eat down" and I don't grocery shop until most everything is gone from our freezer and sometimes our pantry too.
Hubby and I did an almost weekly leftover buffet night not to waste food or money but a lot of the times the items really didn’t go well together and we weren’t really enjoying that night. Now I separate the leftovers into two separate meals if they don’t go together and I make a starch and vegetables if needed and maybe Hubby will have the beef leftovers and I’ll have the chicken leftovers instead of two bites of beef and two bites of chicken each. That works better for us.
I wear my clothing on average of eight years and l purchase both new and used clothing.
I have a small wardrobe and feel my clothing looks nicely presentable. Thank you for your practical advice.
When we couldn't get paper towel during the stay home order, I cut up my daughter's outgrown (clean) clothes to use as disposable napkins, and am still doing this to save money. I sew most of our clothes so I have plenty of small scraps to use as napkins. Also, I discovered that some fabrics make excellent, disposable powder or makeup applicators. I wish I had figured this out decades ago!
I would personally avoid not using the heating enough in an old building because of mould formation:
I did that in my house and because the windows (still good but a bit old) were damp in the mornings I decided to turn the heating on more (it needed to be around 20degrees Celsius to solve the problem) So: more heating costs could save you house renovations and your health.
The same goes to changing the water temperature on purpose. This year it was allowed in Latvia to not preheat water up to 55C (energy crisis, the costs). As a result, there were a lot of ppl infected with legionella respiratory disease, triggered by colder water. some cases were lethal:( and who knows how many places have had mold:(
@@olgaemelianova goodness never heard of that I’m so sorry for you and your people :(
I thought everyone knew that it needed to be more than 60C because of legionella :((
I'm literally binge watching your entire channel 😂 I've already cleared out a few items, although my main problem is putting things back straight away
Great tips! Thank you! I use cotton cloths, from walmart, and cut them smaller for fabric paper towels!
I laughed so hard when you cut the paper towel roll in half. I cut paper towels in half too!!
Obviously chewing gum is a luxury; I only chew half a stick of gum because it freshens my breath for meetings but lasts twice as long.
Look into Brawnys brand that offers a quarter cut paper towel option. I love it. By buying it, you could skip buying paper napkins.
I wear my clothes till they're totally worn out...lol... I couldn't even imagine wearing only a few times and discarding and getting new....great video👍
Regarding the paper towels , not only do I tear off only what I need , but if at a restaurant , or coffee shop , will save one of the (paper) napkins to take home to use , and will wipe knives and forks with already used napkins to get grease and food off them prior to washing , so the drains don't get clogged . I have many articles of clothing 30 years old , and my wife and I shop mainly at the Salvos or other op shops here in Australia . She often gets new designer clothes for next to nothing ! We generally buy vintage Scandinavian furniture - cheaper and better investments than anything else , recycle cans and bottles for 6 monthly visits to the depot , and as a landlord to two properties plus my own - do as much of the maintenance as I can . Have never had a new car , and don't really care , as long as the mortgage is paid . We have a full life though , go out for dinner , wineries , entertain etc , shop for groceries wisely and have a great circle of friends and family , so not missing out at all !
I keep a roll of paper towels but seldom use them. (Same for paper napkins and other such items). I prefer cloth unless it's some horrible cat mess etc.