Since my husband and I have been in crisis since we lost our home in 2020 and covid shut our small business down, we paid for a Netflix subscription, feeling we would want the comfort of that entertainment. After about six months, we really looked at the value and turned it of, promising ourselves that we would spend that same amount on DVDs in any month if we were feeling the need for more entertainment. We never looked back. We buy occasional DVDs, but mostly enjoy TH-cam. It's how I found Under the Median! I've learned so much letting go of Netflix and tuning into stuff I can learn from. Double win!
What a smart thing to do to re-evaluate after six months. It's all about determining the value of what you buy. Frugality is never about deprivation. It's about deciding when, where, and how you will spend your money.
I wish more people knew that when you obtain financial stability it also gives you more mental stability. When you don't have to constantly worry about money your stress level decreases and your mental state improves!
Yep! When we didn't have a son working at a thrift store, we didn't spend much money at that store. Now, we are either taking him to work or dropping him off five days a week. So, we are spending more time and money there.
We did the debt snowball and paid off all our debt.( except the mortgage) We starting following Dave Ramsey about 2 years ago and are on baby step 3. It feels so amazing!!! You guys have great information! Thank you!
I love the part about paying attention to what is most important. I’m a single mom and I want to one day buy a home for my family. You brought tears to my eyes. Thank You for the great advice. ❤️
My hubby and I did the snowball method, and it worked for us. We never believed we could ever be debt free, but we did become so a couple of years ago, and it's an amazing feeling. We now live very frugally and intentionally. Thanks so much for your channel x
Guys, you know what? This year is the FIRST TIME IN MY WHOLE ADULT LIFE that I am writing green numbers! I'm 43 btw! I did it by cutting things short here and there without my family even noticing it! I am super excited about that
Many years ago I was in debt and I used the snowball method to get rid of it, although I didn't know that was what it was called. Now I needed a new chair and I put money aside each month til I had enough to get it. I also managed to find one that was cheaper than what I had saved for, so got my chair and had money left over!
I learned from Dave but some of his ideas I couldn't do because I run a daycare. But I still was able to pay $100 ,000 in 5 years as a single women. I literally work 92 house each week I also do home health care . And I'm 50. I'm out of Shape ;). You can do this.
Wow! That's remarkable, Kelley!!! You've done great! We take the best ideas from Dave Ramsey and ignore the ones that don't work for our situation. Like suggestions received from others, we use what we find helpful and discard the rest.
We did the debt snowball and have only our HECO left besides our mortgage. I really wish we figured things out sooner than later but it's never to late to teach an old dog a new trick. I love that phrase, "it's not meant to be spent."
I used the avalanche method. I avoided paying a total of $2,833 on interest on my credit card. I'm debt free, and saved $10,000 in 7 months with a low income.
We had four major debts in our married life. They happened at the same time. We didn't use the avalanche or snowball method. We plugged away by paying the minimum until we were done. Since then, we've avoided debt like the plague, whatever it took.
i love how honest you guys are, it seems like you are reading the script of my life with your mistakes. I made you part of my mentoring group. Thank you for all you do.
This video is amazing, it's exactly what I needed this week. I discovered your channel few days ago and I'm watching everything! You seem like such a smart, happy couple. Thank you for sharing your wisdom
You can buy couch covers to fit over your current couch and they can make it look like a brand new couch. Also, if it’s a little bit sagging or it’s in need of support, you can put a flat piece of plywood in there underneath the cushions. It might get you another couple years who knows?
Thank you so much for this video!! I really needed to hear this. I have been discouraged with my finances and getting out of medical debt. :( I live in New Jersey with my husband and daughter and the house prices are so unaffordable. We have been renting for years and want a home so bad. I really appreciate your encouragement to keep going. May God bless you and your family.
Peg Englishman- New Jersey is a high cost of living. We would not be able to afford a home there. We reside in Wisconsin in a 1100 sq fit ranch home. Our mortgage is $791 a month. Homes in the Midwest are cheaper and southern states like Alabama. To buy a home in NJ you need to earn over $100,000 - $200,000 a year.
I began to save so much money when I stopped "looking" in stores for entertainment. Now, if I need something, I try first at the thrift store and craigslist. If I don't see it, after looking for 2-3 months, I decide how badly I need it. Only then do I look in a "regular" store or website. I have trouble saying no at the house party sales, so I either don't go, or I just give a few dollars to the hostess to buy something she wants. I don't need anything more, anyway.
I used the snowball method. In Estonia, if you take loans from one bank, they often have the same interest index, so it made most sense. If I had them different, or changing, I would do avalanche method because those little extras seriously load up over time.
Great tips! I know one of my weaknesses! Thrift stores!!! So now I cut back going no.1 and no.2, I write a list of things I accurately need! This has helped me a lot! Occasionally I may fall of the wagon but rarely!!
With a son who works at a thrift store, they are definitely a weakness for us, too. I drop him off and pick him up. It's all to easy just to pop in to "see what they have".
😲Larry!! You drew that car??!! I was eyeballing that through the whole video and thought how fantastic it was!! 💕 I absolutely love sitting back with my ‘new found’ favourite coffee. Yup! We decided to never buy coffee we didn’t enjoy! Thank you guys, from Don!! 🤣 He darn near fell over when I bypassed the no brand and stood in front of the ‘expensive’. Lol! God love him!! 🥰 I loved the idea of saying no to the friends party but invite them to still get together. Impulse buying is real!! Even to the best of the budgeters! AND what an excellent idea of sitting with your partner to decide the most important things to us, as a couple! We are having a month end meeting this weekend because we realized one of our goals will not be met as planned. Thank you for that tip!! And I guess if one or more categories gets cut down in size for a while, it doesn’t mean we can’t pick it up at a later time?? As always my dear friends, I love watching and listening to your videos. You are a truly beautiful and genuinely blessed couple! ♥️💕♥️
Regina, as always, we love hearing from you. Larry actually did that drawing when he was going through a very difficult time and it was a wonderful release for him to draw.
What a nice comment (as always), Regina. So glad you are one of our regulars. I went through a terrible 6 years of depression back in the mid '70s. I took up art as a form of therapy during a time when I couldn't hold a job because of it. I only did about a dozen drawings, some of them I kept. Most of them I gave away. Blessings to you and Don!!
@@larryware1 God certainly held you up during that time and kept you safe until you were healed. And yes, this certainly could be a inspirational video. There are so many people who suffer alone.🥲
One suggestion for some people who drive a distance to work is to see if you can work from home a couple days. This won't of course work for all. When covid began mt daughters company allowed people to work from home or office. She is still working from home and her boss is agreeable for her to start working 2 days in the offics for client meetings, ect and be at home 3 days. With about a 40 minute drive each way she has saved a lot on gas and car depreciation plus she is able to put meals in the oven much earlier and saved on take out on late nights. I enjoy watching you and Larry and saying," yeah we did that". LOL
Thank you for the video and the inspiration to move forward. I'm going to start utilizing your steps to reach my goal. I'm on my own with this though as I'm 50 and single. But I have faith I can do this even though I know it will be a daily challenge.
Change is critical, when our budget needs a change, my Husband is spot on with what I put out there on the paper, nothing fancy by any means.... A, B, C, and D...... Honesty is the Best Policy plus keeps your Marriage rocking and rolling 😃 doing our Zero Base Budget truly gets your brain working until we did this, we had a budget that didn't work. Making categories is a must for us, We always Give Tithing then we pay ourselves, the utility bills and mortgage is what we pay monthly. Cash Envelopes has totally saved us to stay on budget. Now we have our goals, and our grocery bill, $25 to $35 per week , if it's not spent let it roll over to the next month. Bought $1.29 Kroger salad kits on Manager Special regular price was $4.00 each, I actually bought 4 pkgs. the fresh vegetables I steamed then added cooked rice, and there was a meal. more meatless meals !!! Thank you Hope & Larry love your channel 🌻🇺🇲
You can also combine both debt methods and divide bigger debts with high interest into smaller regular goals you can celebrate. That way you still get small wins but also get rid of the high interest first. :) I recently found that I find shopping in general stressful, too many options, even with lists. So my new thing is avoiding shopping as much as I can and do it mostly at shops/markets in which I only get the basics.
August 2022. Started Ramsey plan a few months ago. Slid back to baby step 2 with lack of work hours at job 1, but should be back in tune in 2 months with side jobs & 2nd job bonuses.
I'm doing avalanche, since higher interest being paid off 1st puts a few $$ each month back in budget to pay off what I have left. Seeing payoff weeks early gets me more motivated.
Your couch looks fine! Your couch was built to last. Anything you buy today will be broken down in 5 years. 1) Buy a piece of foam the size of all 3 cushions and cover it in a solid color that matches one of the colors in the pattern. 2) Find someone to recover your couch if you do not have the means but you two are so talented I think you could find a TH-cam video and redo your couch yourselves! Side note --- snowball method
We're getting ready to start the envelope system (soem cash, some cashless) and we're going to have a family meeting before the new year. Hubby thinks it's goofy to include the kids. But even though they are young, they need to know what's going on. I see so many people in my budgeting group that talk about how they were never taught how to manage money. It took us a long time before we were able to talk about money and be honest about our situation. I think having a monthly meeting will help us in so many ways...
Jennifer, we are so excited for you! Sounds like you have some fantastic goals for 2022. I don't know how young your kiddos are, but we always included the boys at some level. They didn't get to necessarily help make the decisions, but they understood that buying things took money and we talked a lot about making decisions which allowed us to stay within our budget. Once they started earning allowance for the jobs they did for us around the house, the concepts of budgeting your money became much more real to them.
,@@jenniferwang3489 awesome. So, they are super ready to become a part of what we called, "The Happy Helper Club". They begin to learn how awesome it is to practice new skills and be rewarded. Although you may not want to have them involved in the actual monthly budget meetings, we suggest making time to have a separate talk with them at their level each month. We have a workbook and series that I wrote about teaching children about money from a Biblical perspective. Here's a link to check it out: underthemedian.com/biblical-financial-parenting-book-and-video-set/
I have saved lots of money this past year and a half . I used to go to the thrift store a few times a week. I love second hand Christian and Natural health books. We have been in 3 lockdowns in that amount of time. So that actually contributed to the no buying of books. You both are fantastic and informative. Have a great weekend.
I'm right there with you with the natural health books. I actually added a "book" category to our budget. So, I know I can spend that money. But, once the fund is gone, then I can't spend any more. It has caused me to be more particular with the money that I do spend on books.
Sure, the shelf is a built-in bookshelf in our basement. I change out the background each week with items that have some meaning to Hope and I. Just want to keep the videos interesting.
Hope,you and Larry are right.pay more for quality items will save money in the long term.how?you guys like camping.if you buy cheap camping gear,it falls apart,isnt waterproof,you get sick from the cold.a higher cost tent will save these issues,last damn near forever with proper care.
I tried both the debt avalanche and the debt snowball. The avalanche seemed much more "logical". It was an epic fail for 2 reasons: 1. "Logic" didn't get us into debt- BEHAVIOR did. 2. The avalanche leaves one toiling away without seeing real progress. It's demotivating. THEN, I tried the Debt Snowball. I was successful using the Dave Ramsey snowball method. It not only gives a motivating 'Quick Win' by paying off that 1st small debt, it immediately frees up money to add to the next debt.
Argh, I want a new (or new to us) sofa too, ours isnt quite 20 years old, but it hit me watching this video that it's almost 10 years old and I bought it second hånd back then. But it's 3rd or 4th on the priority list so I need to be patent too, watching this helps.
Hi Hope and Larry. Ireally enjoy all your videos. Can you tell me which video tells how I can use a barcode scanner to check prices in other stores? Thanks and keep up the upbeat frugality:)
We didn't do the live stream tonight. We were actually driving back from our vacation today and we knew we wouldn't get back in time to join you all live. So, I just had to post the video without doing a live premiere. (Yes! Vacation video and all the details is coming soon.)
Today Hope,you are looking beautiful.Always helpful ideas.Love from India.I budget by allocating a fixed amount per month,come whatever may,shd not exceed that limit.So it is saving by compulsion first than waiting for the end of month,to save.Like no amount shd be spent beyond 20-25% of total income.Rest automatically is either saved or invested.
I live in an area where there is only one electric company. While their are choices of other phone companies the other ones have spotty phone service so feel trap to the main company. I have been thinking about what my goals were when I brought this house. I wanted to grow most of my own food, with a veggie garden and fruit trees. Started my veggie garden last weekend.
fliping is getting more tof in canada..the gouvernement take lots of taxe on it! love your advise! thanks! the best is living in the house few years beafore selling it..less tax that way.
I've daliberatly NOT looked at the grocery ads lately. I'm pretty well stocked up. So I go with my basic list of needs. I know myself and if look at the ads I'll see things that I really don't Need right now. I try to stay away from that temptation. Like you said, 'It's easy to justify any purchase.' I guess I should add to that I see very little TV, so I'm not seeing the grocery commercials. (That's not the reason I see very little TV.)
These days nothing tempts me. If I see something cute or nice that I don't really need, all I can think is "one day I'll have to declutter this item". Easier to just not bring it home in the first place.
We don't buy much anymore. We did when we were first married, though. It was a hoot to go to antique malls with Larry's parents. They were raised on the farm in the 1920's and 1930's. Most of the stuff they actually used. It was fun to see them pick up and item and they gasp when they saw the price tag.
We used the debt snowball and paid off almost $46k of debt in 20 months and bought a family vehicle in cash to accommodate having 3 children. Now we have an emergency fund and are buying our first house. We plan to try to pay the house off early, retire in it, and die in it. Lol
My weakness is that I spend that “found” money 💰 more than once. I tell myself I have that extra $5 I found in my winter coat pocket” forgetting I already used that justification.
Thanks for your thoughts. We prefer snowball, but realize that there can actually be a greater savings if the avalanche method is used - especially if people have some high interest rates. Both methods work. We like being able to cross items off a list quickly.
My husband and I don't have any debt and haven't for many years. My trouble is now he is retiring in 3 weeks and I'm trying to figure out the best way to adjust our budget to fit with his social security checks (we will get those starting in 2022) and his retirement savings. Obviously, I want to help make this money stretch for as many years as possible. Thankfully, we have both always been very frugal, and he is very patient when looking for items we need, he has been known to search for a year or more before buying a new to us car. Sadly, we need a car now, because two weeks ago I was on my way home and a man hit my car and totaled it. (No one was injured thankfully) All that to say, if you have any tips for after retirement and no debt budgeting I would appreciate any advice.
I'm so sorry about your car - and right before retirement. That's really stressful. Larry and I are right in the middle of figuring out a retirement budget. He is counting down and looking at retiring in 18-24 months from now. One of the biggest items for us is that he will be on Medicare, but I will not because I'm 7 years younger. So, healthcare costs will be a huge item for us. We're meeting with the person who handles our investments and getting some advice. Even though we are in the midst of making decisions, it might be helpful for us to do some videos as we work through the process.
@@UndertheMedian my husband will be going on medicare too, but I won't because I am 17years younger. Medical insurance is a huge issue for sure. I look forward to future videos and any advice I can get for you two or other subscribers in the comment section.
Since my husband and I have been in crisis since we lost our home in 2020 and covid shut our small business down, we paid for a Netflix subscription, feeling we would want the comfort of that entertainment. After about six months, we really looked at the value and turned it of, promising ourselves that we would spend that same amount on DVDs in any month if we were feeling the need for more entertainment.
We never looked back. We buy occasional DVDs, but mostly enjoy TH-cam. It's how I found Under the Median! I've learned so much letting go of Netflix and tuning into stuff I can learn from. Double win!
What a smart thing to do to re-evaluate after six months. It's all about determining the value of what you buy. Frugality is never about deprivation. It's about deciding when, where, and how you will spend your money.
I wish more people knew that when you obtain financial stability it also gives you more mental stability. When you don't have to constantly worry about money your stress level decreases and your mental state improves!
You are absolutely right!
Amen
The snowball method WORKS!! 👍 On a side note, interesting how I found an extra $30 to $50 a month after our local thrift store closed. 👕👖👜👗👠
Yep! When we didn't have a son working at a thrift store, we didn't spend much money at that store. Now, we are either taking him to work or dropping him off five days a week. So, we are spending more time and money there.
@@UndertheMedian uh oh! Does he get an employee discount?
@@Sheila-ru1iu , yes, he does. And the store management is gracious and extends his discount to items that we buy.
We did the debt snowball and paid off all our debt.( except the mortgage) We starting following Dave Ramsey about 2 years ago and are on baby step 3. It feels so amazing!!! You guys have great information! Thank you!
Debt free is the only way to go! Always great advice guys! 🤗👍
Good for you! Keep going and soon we'll be hearing your debt-free scream.
I love the part about paying attention to what is most important. I’m a single mom and I want to one day buy a home for my family. You brought tears to my eyes.
Thank You for the great advice. ❤️
Awe, thank you, Bardin. You are so very welcome!
I did without a lot of things to make sure when I had kids I had a house paid off for them
We are so happy to have you with us and that the videos are helpful to you.
With such purpose and intent, I am confident you will own your own place in the future.
@@UndertheMedian Thank You 😁❤️
We did the Snowball method! Dave Ramsey! No debt here- even home! Took time but so worth it!👍👍
Nice work!
My hubby and I did the snowball method, and it worked for us. We never believed we could ever be debt free, but we did become so a couple of years ago, and it's an amazing feeling. We now live very frugally and intentionally.
Thanks so much for your channel x
Guys, you know what? This year is the FIRST TIME IN MY WHOLE ADULT LIFE that I am writing green numbers! I'm 43 btw! I did it by cutting things short here and there without my family even noticing it! I am super excited about that
Good for you! 👍
How exciting, QuiltingCrow! Way to go!
Good for you, I am 72,I am hoping to do that SOON, thanks for the motivation
Many years ago I was in debt and I used the snowball method to get rid of it, although I didn't know that was what it was called. Now I needed a new chair and I put money aside each month til I had enough to get it. I also managed to find one that was cheaper than what I had saved for, so got my chair and had money left over!
We agree. We think that the snowball method is pretty intuitive. Once you get going, it's really encouraging to keep moving forward and being frugal.
I learned from Dave but some of his ideas I couldn't do because I run a daycare. But I still was able to pay $100 ,000 in 5 years as a single women. I literally work 92 house each week I also do home health care . And I'm 50. I'm out of Shape ;). You can do this.
Wow! That's remarkable, Kelley!!! You've done great! We take the best ideas from Dave Ramsey and ignore the ones that don't work for our situation. Like suggestions received from others, we use what we find helpful and discard the rest.
We did the debt snowball and have only our HECO left besides our mortgage. I really wish we figured things out sooner than later but it's never to late to teach an old dog a new trick. I love that phrase, "it's not meant to be spent."
Congrats on the debt pay off!! Wonderful!
I used the avalanche method. I avoided paying a total of $2,833 on interest on my credit card. I'm debt free, and saved $10,000 in 7 months with a low income.
Good job!
wow.that is awesome
We had four major debts in our married life. They happened at the same time. We didn't use the avalanche or snowball method. We plugged away by paying the minimum until we were done. Since then, we've avoided debt like the plague, whatever it took.
I watched Dave to learn how to work on my debt but I did it so different and it worked for me.
Good for you for figuring out what worked for you and sticking with it.
Love your transparency and openness in your videos
i love how honest you guys are, it seems like you are reading the script of my life with your mistakes. I made you part of my mentoring group. Thank you for all you do.
You both are very inspiring. Not only do you make things seem doable, you actually make me want to get my budget in order.
This video is amazing, it's exactly what I needed this week. I discovered your channel few days ago and I'm watching everything! You seem like such a smart, happy couple. Thank you for sharing your wisdom
You can buy couch covers to fit over your current couch and they can make it look like a brand new couch. Also, if it’s a little bit sagging or it’s in need of support, you can put a flat piece of plywood in there underneath the cushions. It might get you another couple years who knows?
Thank you so much for this video!! I really needed to hear this. I have been discouraged with my finances and getting out of medical debt. :( I live in New Jersey with my husband and daughter and the house prices are so unaffordable. We have been renting for years and want a home so bad. I really appreciate your encouragement to keep going. May God bless you and your family.
Peg Englishman- New Jersey is a high cost of living. We would not be able to afford a home there. We reside in Wisconsin in a 1100 sq fit ranch home. Our mortgage is $791 a month. Homes in the Midwest are cheaper and southern states like Alabama. To buy a home in NJ you need to earn over $100,000 - $200,000 a year.
#9: In engineering terms, an impulse is a force of very short duration but high enough to cause serious damage.
I have been thinking and have come to the realization that what is wrong with my budget is ME !! I need to work on that!
I began to save so much money when I stopped "looking" in stores for entertainment. Now, if I need something, I try first at the thrift store and craigslist. If I don't see it, after looking for 2-3 months, I decide how badly I need it. Only then do I look in a "regular" store or website. I have trouble saying no at the house party sales, so I either don't go, or I just give a few dollars to the hostess to buy something she wants. I don't need anything more, anyway.
It's amazing how much I realize that I don't need when I just stop looking around for ways to spend money.
I decided to use the debt snowball method. It just happened to be the debt avalanche method as well. Best of both worlds!
LOL! I love it!
Focusing on what I need vs. what I want has helped on my budget this year.
Nice drawing!
I used the snowball method. In Estonia, if you take loans from one bank, they often have the same interest index, so it made most sense. If I had them different, or changing, I would do avalanche method because those little extras seriously load up over time.
Great tips! I know one of my weaknesses! Thrift stores!!! So now I cut back going no.1 and no.2, I write a list of things I accurately need! This has helped me a lot! Occasionally I may fall of the wagon but rarely!!
With a son who works at a thrift store, they are definitely a weakness for us, too. I drop him off and pick him up. It's all to easy just to pop in to "see what they have".
I identify, Jackie. I fell off the wagon last night and made a $10 purchase that I shouldn't have....
😲Larry!! You drew that car??!! I was eyeballing that through the whole video and thought how fantastic it was!! 💕
I absolutely love sitting back with my ‘new found’ favourite coffee. Yup! We decided to never buy coffee we didn’t enjoy! Thank you guys, from Don!! 🤣 He darn near fell over when I bypassed the no brand and stood in front of the ‘expensive’. Lol! God love him!! 🥰
I loved the idea of saying no to the friends party but invite them to still get together.
Impulse buying is real!! Even to the best of the budgeters!
AND what an excellent idea of sitting with your partner to decide the most important things to us, as a couple! We are having a month end meeting this weekend because we realized one of our goals will not be met as planned.
Thank you for that tip!! And I guess if one or more categories gets cut down in size for a while, it doesn’t mean we can’t pick it up at a later time??
As always my dear friends, I love watching and listening to your videos. You are a truly beautiful and genuinely blessed couple! ♥️💕♥️
Regina, as always, we love hearing from you. Larry actually did that drawing when he was going through a very difficult time and it was a wonderful release for him to draw.
What a nice comment (as always), Regina. So glad you are one of our regulars. I went through a terrible 6 years of depression back in the mid '70s. I took up art as a form of therapy during a time when I couldn't hold a job because of it. I only did about a dozen drawings, some of them I kept. Most of them I gave away. Blessings to you and Don!!
@@larryware1 depression, sadly, has no boundaries.
I am so happy you kicked it too the curb!! 💕
@@reginagosse417 - yes indeed. God healed me. That could be another story for my channel.
@@larryware1
God certainly held you up during that time and kept you safe until you were healed.
And yes, this certainly could be a inspirational video. There are so many people who suffer alone.🥲
Thankful every day of my life. Praise God.
That's the best way to enjoy the blessings God has to give us - being thankful for them.
Us, too. Larry nearly died three years ago. So, every day is a gift to unwrap from God for us.
amen
One suggestion for some people who drive a distance to work is to see if you can work from home a couple days. This won't of course work for all. When covid began mt daughters company allowed people to work from home or office. She is still working from home and her boss is agreeable for her to start working 2 days in the offics for client meetings, ect and be at home 3 days. With about a 40 minute drive each way she has saved a lot on gas and car depreciation plus she is able to put meals in the oven much earlier and saved on take out on late nights. I enjoy watching you and Larry and saying," yeah we did that". LOL
That's a great idea. I think a lot of companies realized the advantages of allowing employees to work from home during the pandemic.
shoping can be a real task for me but saving money means evrything to me. Thank You for this video. Take Care.
Love that number 10 idea!
Thank you for the video and the inspiration to move forward. I'm going to start utilizing your steps to reach my goal. I'm on my own with this though as I'm 50 and single. But I have faith I can do this even though I know it will be a daily challenge.
So blessed!
I like the sofa! Get a throw and new throw pillows at the goodwill.
Cover the sofa with a colorful cloth or spread and it will look fine.
Thanks! I think I'll do that and keep it a while longer.
Great thought, Renate!
Great tips Hope & Larry 😊 Thanks for sharing 👍
You are welcome, bex438!
Love all your videos! Thanks for all the great tips!
You are very welcome.
Its not bad the couch. I know how you feel . Its worth the wait. Just love you guys
Great video this is!.Lots of useful information here!.👍
Thank you, Lee!
Thanks, Lee!
@@UndertheMedian you are quite welcome 😇
@@larryware1 you are welcome!.😇
Sometimes I just come here to feel better lol
Good enough reason! :-)
Wow! I really, really enjoyed this video. Thanks for the strategic tips. I enjoy the long videos! Keep them coming.
Thanks, Val! We're happy to have you with us!
Change is critical, when our budget needs a change, my Husband is spot on with what I put out there on the paper, nothing fancy by any means....
A, B, C, and D......
Honesty is the Best Policy plus keeps your Marriage rocking and rolling 😃
doing our Zero Base Budget truly gets your brain working until we did this, we had a budget that didn't work.
Making categories is a must for us, We always Give Tithing
then we pay ourselves, the utility bills and mortgage is what we pay monthly.
Cash Envelopes has totally saved us to stay on budget.
Now we have our goals, and our grocery bill, $25 to $35 per week , if it's not spent let it roll over to the next month.
Bought $1.29 Kroger salad kits on Manager Special regular price was $4.00 each, I actually bought 4 pkgs. the fresh vegetables I steamed then added cooked rice, and there was a meal. more meatless meals !!!
Thank you Hope & Larry love your channel 🌻🇺🇲
Always fun to read your perspective. We think a lot alike! You are better with groceries than we are.
You can also combine both debt methods and divide bigger debts with high interest into smaller regular goals you can celebrate. That way you still get small wins but also get rid of the high interest first. :)
I recently found that I find shopping in general stressful, too many options, even with lists. So my new thing is avoiding shopping as much as I can and do it mostly at shops/markets in which I only get the basics.
I like the idea of repaying the debt that way.
Love the message grateful for what you have! Gina in lights
August 2022. Started Ramsey plan a few months ago. Slid back to baby step 2 with lack of work hours at job 1, but should be back in tune in 2 months with side jobs & 2nd job bonuses.
I'm doing avalanche, since higher interest being paid off 1st puts a few $$ each month back in budget to pay off what I have left. Seeing payoff weeks early gets me more motivated.
Your couch looks fine! Your couch was built to last. Anything you buy today will be broken down in 5 years. 1) Buy a piece of foam the size of all 3 cushions and cover it in a solid color that matches one of the colors in the pattern. 2) Find someone to recover your couch if you do not have the means but you two are so talented I think you could find a TH-cam video and redo your couch yourselves!
Side note --- snowball method
Great video! Love your lipstick hope!!
We're getting ready to start the envelope system (soem cash, some cashless) and we're going to have a family meeting before the new year. Hubby thinks it's goofy to include the kids. But even though they are young, they need to know what's going on. I see so many people in my budgeting group that talk about how they were never taught how to manage money. It took us a long time before we were able to talk about money and be honest about our situation. I think having a monthly meeting will help us in so many ways...
Jennifer, we are so excited for you! Sounds like you have some fantastic goals for 2022. I don't know how young your kiddos are, but we always included the boys at some level. They didn't get to necessarily help make the decisions, but they understood that buying things took money and we talked a lot about making decisions which allowed us to stay within our budget. Once they started earning allowance for the jobs they did for us around the house, the concepts of budgeting your money became much more real to them.
@@UndertheMedian Oh, our boys are 3 (will be 4 in February) and 5.
,@@jenniferwang3489 awesome. So, they are super ready to become a part of what we called, "The Happy Helper Club". They begin to learn how awesome it is to practice new skills and be rewarded. Although you may not want to have them involved in the actual monthly budget meetings, we suggest making time to have a separate talk with them at their level each month. We have a workbook and series that I wrote about teaching children about money from a Biblical perspective. Here's a link to check it out: underthemedian.com/biblical-financial-parenting-book-and-video-set/
Ma’am, your lipstick is on point. 👍🏻👍🏻😊
I tend to do the snowball method too.
Been doing a home inventory as you were speaking.
I have saved lots of money this past year and a half . I used to go to the thrift store a few times a week. I love second hand Christian and Natural health books. We have been in 3 lockdowns in that amount of time. So that actually contributed to the no buying of books. You both are fantastic and informative. Have a great weekend.
I'm right there with you with the natural health books. I actually added a "book" category to our budget. So, I know I can spend that money. But, once the fund is gone, then I can't spend any more. It has caused me to be more particular with the money that I do spend on books.
You guys are great !
we had a couch that one cushion broke like the spring broke. still used it because we were too poor to replace it. loved it though lol.
Can you guys explain the shelf behind you? its always a little different.
Sure, the shelf is a built-in bookshelf in our basement. I change out the background each week with items that have some meaning to Hope and I. Just want to keep the videos interesting.
Snowball it definitely works 👍🏻
Plaid sofa -- mine just has a king size comforter covering it. Any big fabric item you like = instant DIY upholstery 😅
Yes, I think it's time to speed up the savings for a new sofa!
Wonderful tips!
Hope,you and Larry are right.pay more for quality items will save money in the long term.how?you guys like camping.if you buy cheap camping gear,it falls apart,isnt waterproof,you get sick from the cold.a higher cost tent will save these issues,last damn near forever with proper care.
I tried both the debt avalanche and the debt snowball. The avalanche seemed much more "logical". It was an epic fail for 2 reasons:
1. "Logic" didn't get us into debt- BEHAVIOR did.
2. The avalanche leaves one toiling away without seeing real progress. It's demotivating.
THEN, I tried the Debt Snowball. I was successful using the Dave Ramsey snowball method.
It not only gives a motivating 'Quick Win' by paying off that 1st small debt, it immediately frees up money to add to the next debt.
Just love the sound effects! 😆
Cash envelopes keeps you MORE on track than debit cards. 😉 Right Larry?? 😂
Your couch looks great- just needs a new cover 💗
Argh, I want a new (or new to us) sofa too, ours isnt quite 20 years old, but it hit me watching this video that it's almost 10 years old and I bought it second hånd back then. But it's 3rd or 4th on the priority list so I need to be patent too, watching this helps.
Glad you found it helpful, Rosie. Sometimes waiting is really hard.
Hi Hope and Larry. Ireally enjoy all your videos. Can you tell me which video tells how I can use a barcode scanner to check prices in other stores? Thanks and keep up the upbeat frugality:)
I started paying off credit cards last year. I am down to 3 cards and any extra money goes to paying off the next card.
Good job. You can do it. And you will feel so proud .
Good for you! Your snowball is rolling now!
Thank you I'm trying
Sorry. Missed stream. YT Clubbing tonight. Love your channel.
We didn't do the live stream tonight. We were actually driving back from our vacation today and we knew we wouldn't get back in time to join you all live. So, I just had to post the video without doing a live premiere. (Yes! Vacation video and all the details is coming soon.)
Today Hope,you are looking beautiful.Always helpful ideas.Love from India.I budget by allocating a fixed amount per month,come whatever may,shd not exceed that limit.So it is saving by compulsion first than waiting for the end of month,to save.Like no amount shd be spent beyond 20-25% of total income.Rest automatically is either saved or invested.
Thank you i need them
I live in an area where there is only one electric company. While their are choices of other phone companies the other ones have spotty phone service so feel trap to the main company. I have been thinking about what my goals were when I brought this house. I wanted to grow most of my own food, with a veggie garden and fruit trees. Started my veggie garden last weekend.
Interesting video...the information was helpful and appreciated.
.
You are very welcome.
I'm new here from UK 🇬🇧☺like ideas 💡8
Hi, Katy. Welcome to the channel. We're happy to have you.
I’m keeping my old couch- it needs a clean or a new cover 💖
I did the snowball method too.
Snowball! It works!
Thanks for sharing your drAwing. Yes# Time to start a couch saving. Fund!😍 Best Wishes and prayers. 🦒💕🎶
Great video 📹 👍, love your coffee ☕ cup Hope!!! **** we used the debt snowball
Thanks! The mug belongs to our youngest son, Philip. His favorite mug, which he drinks from it all the time.
It did work for me everytime over the years. Now I'm working on paying off my house. Ugh.
Good for you! 💕
Good for you!! Congrats on the debt pay off.
fliping is getting more tof in canada..the gouvernement take lots of taxe on it! love your advise! thanks! the best is living in the house few years beafore selling it..less tax that way.
Yes, it seems they keep looking for ways to impose new taxes.
I've daliberatly NOT looked at the grocery ads lately.
I'm pretty well stocked up.
So I go with my basic list of needs. I know myself and if look at the ads I'll see things that I really don't Need right now. I try to stay away from that temptation. Like you said, 'It's easy to justify any purchase.'
I guess I should add to that I see very little TV, so I'm not seeing the grocery commercials.
(That's not the reason I see very little TV.)
These days nothing tempts me. If I see something cute or nice that I don't really need, all I can think is "one day I'll have to declutter this item". Easier to just not bring it home in the first place.
👋💗😊🇦🇺 I love your channel - thanks so much
I try to treat antique malls like museums. The antiques are so interesting, but I tell myself I don't need to have more stuff in my house.
We don't buy much anymore. We did when we were first married, though. It was a hoot to go to antique malls with Larry's parents. They were raised on the farm in the 1920's and 1930's. Most of the stuff they actually used. It was fun to see them pick up and item and they gasp when they saw the price tag.
The national average income is $67,000! My income is $42,000 that’s why I watch you!
I used the snowball method. It was more rewarding to see the smaller bills paid off then use that money on the bigger bills.
The snowball has always made sense to me. I like that pretty instant gratification of seeing a bill paid off really quickly.
@@UndertheMedian it is a great feeling and instant gratification
My budget has def gone wacko before hahaha save me!!
I hope the video helped - and knowing that ours periodically goes wacko, too.
I am a fan of snowball .
Want to add I love you all. You are great people
Funny about the sofa. We all do that. I was looking recently knowing I didn't really need it even though ours is sorta worn too.
The flip side of having old furniture is that you don't worry about using it. I think it will be awhile before we actually replace it.
I raised my three daughters single mum on below wage am 54 debt mortgage free retired living a frugual thrifty money saving life
I wish I had found you when I was younger. But you weren’t around lol but I am trying now
We used the debt snowball and paid off almost $46k of debt in 20 months and bought a family vehicle in cash to accommodate having 3 children. Now we have an emergency fund and are buying our first house. We plan to try to pay the house off early, retire in it, and die in it. Lol
Corinna, you are grabbing those great big goals with both hands. Good for you!
My weakness is that I spend that “found” money 💰 more than once. I tell myself I have that extra $5 I found in my winter coat pocket” forgetting I already used that justification.
It's so easy to justify spending money. We all do it from time to time - us included.
AVALANCHE,,have used it successfully
Tricky question Which do I prefer- the avalanche method but realistically speaking I can only afford to tackle it with the snowball method
Thanks for your thoughts. We prefer snowball, but realize that there can actually be a greater savings if the avalanche method is used - especially if people have some high interest rates. Both methods work. We like being able to cross items off a list quickly.
Amazon is the thing that's hard to resist.
Snowball truly works but take the money that was completely paid and put that money into the next bill on your list.
Worked for us. too.
Can you give me ideas. How to save for a car on disbility
My husband and I don't have any debt and haven't for many years. My trouble is now he is retiring in 3 weeks and I'm trying to figure out the best way to adjust our budget to fit with his social security checks (we will get those starting in 2022) and his retirement savings. Obviously, I want to help make this money stretch for as many years as possible. Thankfully, we have both always been very frugal, and he is very patient when looking for items we need, he has been known to search for a year or more before buying a new to us car. Sadly, we need a car now, because two weeks ago I was on my way home and a man hit my car and totaled it. (No one was injured thankfully) All that to say, if you have any tips for after retirement and no debt budgeting I would appreciate any advice.
I'm so sorry about your car - and right before retirement. That's really stressful. Larry and I are right in the middle of figuring out a retirement budget. He is counting down and looking at retiring in 18-24 months from now. One of the biggest items for us is that he will be on Medicare, but I will not because I'm 7 years younger. So, healthcare costs will be a huge item for us. We're meeting with the person who handles our investments and getting some advice. Even though we are in the midst of making decisions, it might be helpful for us to do some videos as we work through the process.
@@UndertheMedian my husband will be going on medicare too, but I won't because I am 17years younger. Medical insurance is a huge issue for sure. I look forward to future videos and any advice I can get for you two or other subscribers in the comment section.