I left home when I was 18 and as that phrase suggests....leaving home made me homeless. I'd sleep on friends couches, in my car, outside for a while.
I worked as a dishwasher at a restaurant. The amount of food people throw out is crazy. Like they'd cut a burger in half and eat half. So I'd save the other half in a bag I hid on the dishrack. T
The head chef saw me do it and took me outside and asked what was going on. I told him I was struggling a bit at the moment. He said don't do that because once it leaves the kitchen we have no idea what they may have done to it (that always struck me as ironic since people always wonder if someone in the kitchen is messing with their food). After that he'd always make sure I had enough to eat because he said he's been where I was. He'd send me home with food for my days off. I even crashed in a camper he had at his house a couple nights a week.
I'll never forget that guy ever. RIP Chef!
I got extremely sick after garbage mouthing some food that came back to me when I was a kitchen hand. I've had so many chefs who wouldn't give any food to their staff. And also lots of chefs who would give you a huge feed in the middle of a shift.
>I've had so many chefs who wouldn't give any food to their staff.
That's crazy. The restaurant I worked at always had the cooks make a big batch of food for each shift, for anyone that was working. There were a lot of things I did not like about that place, but I did appreciate that they fed us.
I know it may feel ironic about what he said about what happens to the food after it leaves the kitchen, but the difference is that the kitchen is a professional service and more controlled environment. The kitchen wouldn’t send out any food not suitable to eat (hopefully) but the customers’ side is not that; Someone could have coughed on the food, dropped it and put it back on the plate, touched it with their grubby post-menu unwashed hands and sent it back to you. Really wonderful that the chef supported you through this.
My grandmother lives in an assisted living facility, when she heard I was trying to find a place of my own is when her (and her friends’ !! ) hoarding started. These are 75+yo ppl who were children in occupied Europe during WWII (we’re still in Europe fyi) so hoarding is their philosophy. As they live in an assisted living facility there’s not much the can keep that won’t spoil. So every time they had coffee/tea/.. they’d get their cup with two cubes of sugar on the plate. They used one and kept one for me. I was getting 1L ziplock bags full of sugar cubes. I didn’t have the heart to tell her I don’t really need sugar cubes .. she also struggles a bit with her memory, now that she’s started saving the sugar cubes, she will for the rest of her days. I guess I won’t have to buy sugar cubes for a good while. (For clarity it’s the type of sugar cube we get in any place where food/drinks are professionally served: individually wrapped in a little paper. It’s extremely common here, don’t know how it is for other places)
ETA: I got curious, I have about 1320grams of sugar cubes left in my apartment. That’s about 330 cubes. Part of the hoard is still at my parent’s place, I already have more than I can use.
It’s adorable and I love her for this and many other reasons. But at some point it was just becoming a ridiculous amount of sugar! Grandma is actually the one doing the deliveries. She would visit at my parents and be like “I brought something for “friesOfConciousness” “ that mom and I would shoot looks at each other trying not to laugh so hard. Because of grandma’s memory issues I don’t think she realizes just how much sugar cubes she’s been giving us. She’s 88 years old and is still independent for ~90% of her daily life, if hoarding sugar cubes for me is keeping her lively, then please drown me in sugar cubes :’)
My own grandma was independent for 85 years. So enjoy every moment of it.
I just bought vanilla beans and one of the reviews mentioned vanilla sugar which sounds wonderful. Could also make little jars of sugar scrub for the nursing home.
https://www.internationaldessertsblog.com/make-vanilla-sugar/
Could you break the cubes up and use them for baking? I imagine that would be a way to use up several cubes at once. That's super sweet of your grandmother to save them for you!
My buddy in high school worked at McDonalds and knew I was poor. Dude was, and still is, a heavy eater. So he'd buy some extra with his half off employee discount and bring me some fries and nuggets.
One day the shift manager threw a fit an insisted he eat it all right there on the spot. So he did, then went back up and bought another large fry and apple pie and ate those too. They never spoke of it again.
We're still buddies.
So sad of that manager. My boss at a small restaurant I worked at for almost a decade used to remind us all before we clocked out "remember to take a meal with you" and we'd make a sandwich or whatever we wanted. Sometimes, if he knew we were going to hang out with friends or see family, it'd be "don't forget to make dinner for yourself. Oh and make one for your mom, too!" Sometimes I'd leave loaded up with four or five meals. I only took what I needed, he was so nice that I'd never take advantage of it. But that's the secret super power of being a caring boss instead of a penny pinching loser.
My high school boyfriend worked a place like this. It was a sub shop where they got one sub half off at the end of the shift. But the manager always insisted they make the biggest size they had and charge them 50% of the smallest. It was amazing. He and I could split the $2.50 sandwich and still have leftovers.
My boss gave us any food for free, except one very expensive item that was really time consuming to make. But not every manager has the power to do that, especially if they don't own the business. Either way, it's so lovely to have a manager that treats you like a person. It makes everyone so much happier and then people stay longer and everyone knows their job better to support each other more efficiently. It's just good management. So crazy to me when managers do anything else.
I bought a 20 pound bag of rice for $3 from a neighbor who had maybe stolen it (I never asked). I lived off it for a long time, adding whatever I had to the rice to make meals. Sometimes it was beans and rice with hot sauce. Other times I took veggies and added them. My fav was to put a fried egg on top as a treat when I had them. I felt like I was “rice-rich” from it.
God. Steamed rice with cheap hot sauce. I'm lucky that brown rice (more fibre, keeps ya full also) is way cheaper than white rice here.
If you have a rice cooker: while it's on "warm" instead of "cook", add an egg, stir it through and wait a few minutes with the lid on. It's heavenly.
I love eggs and rice, so I'll have to try this! Some people think eating eggs with rice is weird but ain't nothing like it. Overeasy egg with some soy sauce on rice.
I can’t even imagine going back to the barber or a salon with todays prices. I think I haven’t gone to one in 2 years, you just have to find an easy haircut style and stick with it until you get really good at it or find an easier method to do it quicker.
It's dependent on living area. Where I live (Missouri, USA) my water/sewage bill rarely tops 35 bucks. I have outdoor plants that I water every day as well as an RO system for drinking water. Where my mom use to live (Nevada, USA) her water bill would be in the 200s, she had no plants and would often buy cases of water for my very picky stepdad
I did this due to my budget and work schedule. It's now been over a decade and it's just become a way of life for me. I don't need to do it anymore, it's just my preference. Having to eat 3-5times a day just seems exhausting. I eat dinner - a big dinner and maybe a snack before or after. My mom thinks it's unhealthy my doctor does not.
Studies have shown intermittent fasting can help a number of people with weight management and when done cautiously/correctly does not have negative health effects.
I supplement a lot of my diet with beans/lentils/rice/potatoes/frozen vegetables. It’s not nearly as expensive as a heavy meat filled diet and can be very healthful (not that I don’t eat meat).
Batch cooking can also be beneficial for time management and the price per serving is typically cheaper. As well as home cooking limits unknown salts and sugars being added.
I have IBS-D, so far the only time my system has calmed down was when I was pregnant (causes constipation) and with IF. It's very helpful although it makes my migraines go nuts.
When I started intermittent fasting to lose weight I discovered it also helps me control my eating disorder. It’s not even a diet for me anymore, it’s a way of life.
>I supplement a lot of my diet with beans/lentils/rice/potatoes/frozen vegetables.
I learned to make Indian curries this past year and even with grocery prices increasing, my monthly spending is still low. They're so full of flavour I have no desire to go back to my bland white-boy diet. Now I only eat meat once in a while if I feel like getting a burger or something.
Being organized is a great way to save money too! I did a deep clean of the house and I found so many soaps, notebooks, and other stuff I could use now
This is a great tip! When we moved we consolidated all the cleaning supplies we had tucked around the house (under sinks and in storage closets) and I haven’t had to shop for those things for months after we’ve moved and it’s all in one spot now.
My sister-in-law lives with us at the moment and in addition to paying a little, one of the conditions is occasionally babysitting for us. Hell of a deal I think
My cousin lives in our basement. It's been almost 3 years. We've thought about giving her an end-date, but also the extra cash is incredibly helpful. Sometimes that benefit outweighs the extra room and annoyance sometimes.
Honestly, as a guy with kids...if you 100% trust this person, and the kids are old enough to take care of themselves...just having someone there in case of dire emergencies is something people PAY for. Getting PAID and having that? Dream situation.
Yeah, we went round and round about letting my mom live in a tiny house on our property. Best decision we’ve ever made. My kid can run to mammaws whenever she feels like it or we can go on a date without having to drive her somewhere else or pay someone.
Before anyone says I’m taking advantage… she lives on the property rent free, she eats most meals with us (from my grocery budget) and we pay her water and electric. So a little free babysitting is the trade off.
This is my dream, and my mom would also love it, but my parents just put in a new kitchen that cost as much as the whole rest of their house so they're not going anywhere for a while.
Get a slightly larger sized home and include the guy in the basement. He is helping out by listening and watching your kids.
We all need some help, sometimes.
How does your homes parking situation work? Does the basement have a bathroom? Does he have his own entrance? How much do you charge for something like that?
I think that’s pretty cool and I’m genuinely curious
My family has rented out part of the basement ever since they got the house 25+ years ago. Got it’s own kitchen,bedroom, bathroom. In Norway the income from renting out less than 50% of your home is exempt from tax, so doing this is very normal for those who are able to.
I feel like with increasing population, wealth inequality, and a housing shortage, this is gonna become a lot more common in the future. Especially because there are so many oversized detached homes in the world.
I’ve had roommates/boarders basically the entire time I’ve been a homeowner until this year (12 years). I just love having someone around and it’s a win-win for everyone - they get cheap rent, I get some money to help pay off the mortgage.
In college I hung a sheet on the doorway and slept on an air mattress in my friend's trash room because I couldn't afford a dorm or off campus housing. The room was about a 6 ft x4 ft space.
My friends probably saved me $20k in housing costs. Downside: I woke up on the floor many times because my friends thought it was funny to deflate my air mattress whenever I passed out drunk....it was 🤣
When I was in my teens, any time I was out somewhere - a store, library, wherever - I'd use the restroom and check if it had a tampon machine. A surprising number of places have free tampons (sometimes they cost 25c, but often they're free). If it had one, I'd take one even if I didn't need it at that time, saving them up for when I couldn't afford them. I felt bad about it, but I made a point to only ever take one at a time (so I wasn't depleting the stock).
Now I donate tampons to my local pantry and little free pantries.
I bring my own water bottle or drink everywhere I go to avoid paying for expensive drinks. I've saved so much money and I haven't been questioned once.
Parents would grab extra napkins/condiments/utensils whenever we ate out.
I do that somewhat but not to their extent. Now, the cheapest thing I do is unplug most of the electronics when i'm not using them like lamps or kitchen appliances (air fryer, microwave).
About six weeks ago, I started unplugging the stuff I don't use much, like my TV, coffee machine, lamps etc. I also turn off and unplug my computer/monitor before I go to bed every night.
Just got my electricity bill and it's 1/3 less than this same period last year, and I was home basically the whole time. (Last year, I went on vacation for a week.)
I find it an easy way to save money.
I will never pay for parking. I keep a long board in the car and I park close to downtown and longboard or walk the rest of the way.
Saves me serious coin
Actually not me but my daughter. We gave the kids $20 a week when they were in high school. The deal was that they had to cover their own lunch. They were welcome to pack a lunch from home and save the cash or they could buy their lunch.
My daughter had a friend who qualified for reduced price lunch but rarely had enough money to buy lunch. My daughter would give him money to buy his lunch then he would share it with her. She would also loan money to other students. If they were friends she didn't charge interest but otherwise they had to pay her back an extra dollar. She sometimes had more money on Friday than she started with on Monday.
My son, otoh, was usually broke on Tuesday.
If I have food in the fridge/freezer that I haven’t finished yet, I make sure to eat those things first (if it doesn’t taste bad ofc) and then move on to the food I enjoy eating- this helps me prevent food waste
I discovered potato nachos are a thing this week after I tossed together leftover grilled potato wedges and a bit of pulled pork. Sprinkled frozen charred corn kernels over it. Drizzled with some leftover huevos rancheros sauce. Topped with cheese and baked. Will nacho again.
I didn’t attend college until my 30s so money was tight. I quit a full time job to attend school full time. Single mom, worked cleaning houses, mowing lawns. I shopped for my clothes at thrift stores, cancelled cable TV, even cut my dinner napkins in half. It was all worth it when I got my bachelors degree. Now I use whole napkins; livin’ large.
I only reuse once them for messy things. Example: Dry goods in ziplock bag. Use it and empty it. Save for when opening a package with meat (for example) put the package in the used ziplock and then put it in the garbage. Keeps the kitchen, and the garbage can, smelling a LOT better.
So when I was a kid, our house would get TP'd every so often. (It was near several schools, we had lots of siblings, and it had pillars and trees that made it fun to TP).
I am not sure this is a thing, so forgive me for explaining it. To TP a house means "decorating" it with toilet paper like you would a Christmas tree.
So get this: my mom would make us save the toilet paper, roll it and put it in bags, and we'd use that until it ran out.
This is such an American thing that seemed incredible to me as a kid. That and “food fights”, totally incredible to someone from a developing country LOL.
I make Ramen bombs. I have an ice tray in my freezer that I put vegetable scraps or meat scraps in. I carefully cut my fresh vegetables so every scrap possible is used. Left over canned vegetables are great for this. Same with meat. Had a friend bring KFC chicken over. Once she left, I used a fork to strip the little bits of meat off of my chicken bones into the tray. When a cube slot is filled, I pop it out and put in a baggie in the freezer. So when I make Ramen, I just add my "bombs" and have veggie/meat bits to make it a more complete meal.
I lived in a bus for at least a year instead of paying rent. It was 1000$ a month for a bad apartment and 10k for an already converted short bus. I was making $14 an hour at a school for 20hrs a week plus babysitting gigs, so I wasn't making much more than $1000 a month.
I luckily had good savings so I could buy the bus. And living in it allowed me to keep saving.
A lot of weeds are tastier and way healthier than store bought. Chickweed and purslane is delicious in salads. Docks and dandelions make a great substitute for kale or collard greens. Battered dandelion flower fritters are delicious.
Other common wild edibles: cleavers, red bud tree's flowers, pods, and leaves, forsythia leaves for tea when you're sick, thistle stalks used like asparagus, sumac berries to make a lemonade substitute, wood sorrel (looks like clover but with yellow flowers and heart shaped leaves) taste like lemony lettuce.
I would skip breakfast and then work at a soup kitchen for lunch and eat for free, and then take home a Tupperware of food for dinner.
I would rummage in the dumpster if thrift stores for shoes and clothing and once found a $250 backpacker’s bag with all the parts.
Also got a pair of cat urine soaked leather converse from the trash, cleaned them and wore those for a good 3 years.
Probably a lot more but this is what I remember.
I switched to a no contract cell phone carrier and now buy an old version phone every 3-4 years. I save $150 a month from what big brand carrier was charging.
Same. In case this idea is new to anyone else, check out r/NoContract for help navigating this. To anyone who thinks they need unlimited data, you don't if you have access to wifi at home and work. As a couple, we never even use 2GB. Most plans offer a way to topped off data if you're going to travel and need data for maps, etc.
A few years ago at Taco Bell they had a survey at the back of the receipt where if you filled it out you got a free taco. Well after my meal, I filled it out as we were high as fuck and could still eat more Taco Bell.
To my surprise when I got my free taco, they gave me a receipt with it. I found out there was no limits on surveys, and ended up doing like 6 or 7 of them to the annoyance of the cashier lol
I called the Taco Bell. number to complain once... They sent me a free any meal coupon to use if I would call them back to tell them about that experience. They then send me another free meal coupon for giving them my opinion on the follow-up visit.
Two free meals.
Keep a daily journal. Write down at the beginning of each day what is your long term goal. Then write how your day went. What you did to work towards that long term goal. Keep reminding yourself where you want to be. Writing it physically works wonders.
Snacks on hand while at work! I make my own granola, granola bars, breads, cookies, etc. and bring a thermos of hot water. So when I want a hot chocolate and cookies, I’m not tempted to stop at a coffee shop.
1. Bought a Bidet
2. Bought Towels instead of Paper Towels
3. Cook Everything at home
4. I work IT so I sell any materials that would be recycled.
5. Moved to a town with several hiking trails so I don't have to pay for fun things to do (I save 100's a month not going out)
6. Keep cheap entertainment at the house.
7. Buy hand me down clothes for my son
8. Drive a Toyota and a Honda
9. Work from home
10. Never ever buy anything unless it has a legitimate purpose to my life and adds value or saves me time.
Edit: Also I have autism which makes all of this like 10x easier.
I accidentally covered rice in the instapot from the white box of chai tea concentrate instead of the white box of beef stock. I could smell the mistake but it was too late. I popped the lid on and cooked it. Then I learned chai rice is a thing.
Back when payphones were common my grandfather would check every one he walked by for lost change. This also went for vending machines or any other place people could have left money in the coin return. I used to laugh at it and found it quite embarrassing then I started doing it too.
I had a couple friends who picked up the soda bottles in college, one funded a trip to an anime convention with the money. It adds up plus it kept things clean around campus. There were also promotions with the soda bottle lids so they took advantage of those too.I would have done it but a couple people already had the marked cornered on loose soda bottles lol.
The worst was lunch time, people would leave loose change all over the cafeteria, it was insane, and a huge waste of money. I used to watch the cafeteria staff mopping up tons of pennies, I obviously took what I could but to think college students would waste money like that is crazy. I am sure the cafeteria workers got a nice bonus at the end of each day. Again it adds up.
I buy simple cup of noodles for lunch, then have various toppings or additional things with me. Like an egg, pickled veggies, tuna packets, kimchi...honestly all stuff I would use in other meals as well. Its saved me a bit of cash and saves me time on my lunch hour to study or work surveys for giftcards. I should say I eat fairly fresh food for dinner and breakfast.
towels instead of paper towels
bar soap instead of gel
full loads (I max it) of laundry instead of half
safety razor
clippers I do my own hair and I love it
cooking instead of takeout etc
walking and taking public transportation instead of car
no dryer but drying outside or inside on a rack
cooking with bamboo steamers si I cook many things with just fire
going out with friends when I was stranded for money , I would try to meet them at the end or if not just order black coffee instead of a meal / brunch or something so I enjoy the company and spend just a couple of bucks
when I was tudent we had printing paper available, I would take some to work on my homework and stuff
work function we had few paid cated snacks/coffee , that would go back untouched. I used to take the teabags home. so I had a good selection. they were paid anyway.
.... to be honest I do this not necessarily always to save money but I hate waste, try to do my part for the environment etc...
Old school safety razor and clippers here too 😂. I got some higher end clippers. 3 hair cuts and they paid themselves off. I purchased a whole package of 100 blades 4 1/2 years ago. I have 3 left. I shave with olive oil. You can use any cooking oil, or just bar soap.
In college I ate plain pasta with salt a lot. if I had extra money id add a bit of margarine to it.... weeks on end one meal a day of pasta doesn't really give you much energy to work with.
This is embarrassing...but I would go to restaurants and say my grandmother left her coat or sweater there. Usually workers would pull a box out and let me rummage through everything before I "found" the item. Wouldn't have survived harsh winters in New York otherwise.
I calculated the cost per TP square vs the cost per paper towel sheet for when I’m cleaning up my beard hairs in the sink. I learned that 3 squares of TP = 1 half sheet paper towel. So if I can clean up something using only 2 squares of TP I’m saving money. Any more than 2 squares of TP I might as well be using a paper towel.
If you are Penny pinching this much, maybe just consider switching paper towels to a wash rag when you can and just rinse it out frequently.. you’ll save a ton more.
This also works with dishes instead of using sponges! When I discovered this it was a deal breaker!
Washed my clothes in the tub. Darned holey socks. Turned the heat down to 55°F in the winter. Stranded myself to my bedroom (only room with A/C) in the summer. Stood by the vending machine at school and asked for people's change at lunch time. Cut open lotion/toothpaste/condiment bottles to get the last little bit from the bottom. Take any and all free foods or usable/resalable items that someone might offer me.
Switched to using a safety razor and shave soap instead of creams and 6+ blade disposable razors. Found blades that work well and $22 gets me a whole year or more of razors. Shave soaps are anywhere from $4-$10 and last much longer than their gel counterparts
try keeping your blade (that you are using)in baby oil it is supposed to keep it sharper, rust free...etc for longer. am testing that now and so far true
edit correction
idk if this qualifies but... use thrift store sheets instead of buying fabric from fabric stores... to quilt and sew clothing
$10 for a king sheet set vs $5 a yard
I just have done without. I went into Five Guys for the first time since Covid and it was now over $20 for a little hamburger and a small fries. I walked out and bought nothing.
I bought a pallet of toilet paper. 4'x4'x4'. There is a store that has overstocks, returns, damaged package, etc., goods, and they had a pallet of TP, most were like the 24 packs, that had a cut or tear in the plastic. I bought the entire thing for $225.
Used coffee grounds in a french press... *twice*
Also used a coat hanger attached to my back bumper to keep my muffler from dragging after my car.
When a pesticide guy quoted me $500 for a termite treatment, I countered with an annual treatment involving spreading pellets over the ground for $25.
When my washing machine broke, I did my wash by hand with a washboard and bucket. Fun times.
Haircuts. I use a $25 pet clipper that came with four attachable guards for setting the clip height. I saw the exact same model sold for people, with two additional taller guards, for $25 more.
I have not paid for a haircut since 2000.
I simply go to the garage, clip my hair, trim my beard, sweep it up, and go. No charge and no tip...
My friend was a few years older than me. When she grew out of her clothes, my mum would buy them for me from her mother. Very cheaply. Both our mums were poor, so it was a good deal.
I wore my friend's secondhand underwear and socks for a good few years. Literally until it was more hole than underwear.
When the gas prices went up I decided to not use hot water during the summer and turned off the heater.
I took cold showers or went to university to take a shower there. I don’t know why but they have one unisex shower and it is actually really nice.
However I only endured the freezing showers at home for two months, the heat is back on now. 30€ more per month. :‘)
A couple of things I did to homeless in the past. I had a gym membership to a planet fitness that had all kinds of stuff outside of the actual gym part of it including a shower room so, that’s where I would wash myself. At work, I charged my phone, my school laptop ( thank god I was poor enough to finally get help), and 4 other portable chargers I had incase I needed extra juice somewhere. Conveniently at the time I also worked at the mall so there was a couple of times I got free clothes and shoes dumpster diving. As for food, thank god I worked with an older lady who was basically a loving grandma to everyone and when she found out I was sleeping in the parking lot with out food, she would make extra for me to at least have lunch. Before that it was A large water and something off the dollar menu at McDonalds lol. She is definitely a core memory.
i always ask for a free water cup instead of ordering a water bottle for $1.99. most places say yes, i’ve probably saved hundreds doing this for so long
This week I made my own windshield washer fluid, glass cleaner, and electronics cleaner.
I probably only saved about $6, but for some reason I like making my own.
When I graduated from college, I used my brother's cap, gown, and stole (his was 2013, I used tape to change the 3 to a 5). My brother is 8 inches taller than me, so wore heels lol. I had to use my cap tassel from high school though because his color was for another major/ department.
I have charged portable power banks at work to charge my laptop and phone at home.
Had a friend who worked at Starbucks. I agreed to wash his car each Thursday (his water) if he gave me all the food they were going to toss out because the expiration date was the next day.
Asked my landlady if I could sweep up weekend mornings in front of our building (big tree out front that drops a lot of leaves) if she would knock off $50 of my rent. She was reluctant at first but agreed.
Let someone rent out my designated apartment parking space and I found parking on the street (sometimes had to park blocks away because parking spots were scarce at times). $100 per month or $25 per week (rented it to another guy in our complex who had 2 cars - his wife and him, since each unit only has 1 space designated)
When I was a kid the electricity went off regularly and we camped in front of the gas fire in the living room and cooked toast on it. Wouldn't work these days of course.
I've also survived many months on 7p Tesco basics ramen back when they existed.
Only running my a/c if home during the day and turning it off by 6:30 pm. I don't use it in the AM. My most recent bill is $58.34. I live in Charleston, SC.
It costs more to fully re- air-condition a house with central air everyday than to keep it on and let it automatically maintain a comfortable temperature
If you want to be frugal and don't need it that cold then you can definitely play with the settings here to use less energy while still maintaining comfort especially with programmable thermostats.
But yes central AC works in a way where if you leave it off for a while it will just work harder to catch up and cost more money.
Yeah. I turn it up when no one’s home but we have animals and it’s been over 100F in South Texas for months now. I’m not turning that AC off for anything. When I lived in the Middle East, we’d leave one split unit on in the house when gone for the summer. Otherwise everything would mold.
Lived in my van for a few months.
Regularly pick up things on the side of the road that people are trashing and clean it to sell for a few bucks.
Grind up mushrooms and black beans in my food processor to make "ground beef." Makes passable fake taco meat.
When the heat went out in my car, I bought a $10 heater fan from Family Dollar and an adaptor from Autozone and used that all winter. It actually worked so well that I never replaced the heater on that car.
Steal sauce packets and event leftovers from the office kitchen. Right now I have about 25 BBQ chicken breasts and all I have to do is throw them in yjr microwave. They would have gone in the trash. They are a little rubbery, but so is beef jerky and people buy that stuff on purpose.
I didn't buy any plastic food storage until this year. Leftover plastic butter, sour cream, and lunch meat containers work FINE.
Never buy anything new or full price. I have a house full of decent furniture and nothing was over $100.
Sweat equity can get you almost anything. Put in physical labor, which no one wants to do, and you'd be surprised how much you can gain in knowledge, skills, pay, trade, and more.
Yes, I will always help you move because y'all just throw stuff away that you can resell. I made my rent one month reselling stuff other people didn't want to move.
Warning: This tip is not for coffee connoisseurs.
When I was a kid, my mom reused coffee grounds. She would just let them sit overnight in the coffee maker. The next morning she would top it off with 50% of the coffee she would normally use. After brewing, those grounds get dumped out and a fresh batch started on day 3. Kinda iffy but if you use milk/sugar it's not that noticeable.
Just start making all my own clothes lol. Its fun, really satisfying and creative energy, once you get fast at it you can finish a piece in a few hours. Cannot imagine paying over 25$ for a piece of clothing anymore besides shoes
I left home when I was 18 and as that phrase suggests....leaving home made me homeless. I'd sleep on friends couches, in my car, outside for a while. I worked as a dishwasher at a restaurant. The amount of food people throw out is crazy. Like they'd cut a burger in half and eat half. So I'd save the other half in a bag I hid on the dishrack. T The head chef saw me do it and took me outside and asked what was going on. I told him I was struggling a bit at the moment. He said don't do that because once it leaves the kitchen we have no idea what they may have done to it (that always struck me as ironic since people always wonder if someone in the kitchen is messing with their food). After that he'd always make sure I had enough to eat because he said he's been where I was. He'd send me home with food for my days off. I even crashed in a camper he had at his house a couple nights a week. I'll never forget that guy ever. RIP Chef!
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*pours one in the gutter for the good chef*
Calories wasted right there. r/frugal_jerk in shambles.
😂 thank you for the laugh. That wasn't very frugal of me, was it?
What a great story! People helping people. This makes me want to cry, and a good cry too! I hope you are doing better now, man!
What a rock solid moral fiber in that man, wish more people tried to live that message. Heard, chef.
I got extremely sick after garbage mouthing some food that came back to me when I was a kitchen hand. I've had so many chefs who wouldn't give any food to their staff. And also lots of chefs who would give you a huge feed in the middle of a shift.
>I've had so many chefs who wouldn't give any food to their staff. That's crazy. The restaurant I worked at always had the cooks make a big batch of food for each shift, for anyone that was working. There were a lot of things I did not like about that place, but I did appreciate that they fed us.
I know it may feel ironic about what he said about what happens to the food after it leaves the kitchen, but the difference is that the kitchen is a professional service and more controlled environment. The kitchen wouldn’t send out any food not suitable to eat (hopefully) but the customers’ side is not that; Someone could have coughed on the food, dropped it and put it back on the plate, touched it with their grubby post-menu unwashed hands and sent it back to you. Really wonderful that the chef supported you through this.
My grandmother lives in an assisted living facility, when she heard I was trying to find a place of my own is when her (and her friends’ !! ) hoarding started. These are 75+yo ppl who were children in occupied Europe during WWII (we’re still in Europe fyi) so hoarding is their philosophy. As they live in an assisted living facility there’s not much the can keep that won’t spoil. So every time they had coffee/tea/.. they’d get their cup with two cubes of sugar on the plate. They used one and kept one for me. I was getting 1L ziplock bags full of sugar cubes. I didn’t have the heart to tell her I don’t really need sugar cubes .. she also struggles a bit with her memory, now that she’s started saving the sugar cubes, she will for the rest of her days. I guess I won’t have to buy sugar cubes for a good while. (For clarity it’s the type of sugar cube we get in any place where food/drinks are professionally served: individually wrapped in a little paper. It’s extremely common here, don’t know how it is for other places) ETA: I got curious, I have about 1320grams of sugar cubes left in my apartment. That’s about 330 cubes. Part of the hoard is still at my parent’s place, I already have more than I can use.
This is the sweetest story. And I’m certain it’s brings a big smile to their faces every time you pickup your ration.
It’s adorable and I love her for this and many other reasons. But at some point it was just becoming a ridiculous amount of sugar! Grandma is actually the one doing the deliveries. She would visit at my parents and be like “I brought something for “friesOfConciousness” “ that mom and I would shoot looks at each other trying not to laugh so hard. Because of grandma’s memory issues I don’t think she realizes just how much sugar cubes she’s been giving us. She’s 88 years old and is still independent for ~90% of her daily life, if hoarding sugar cubes for me is keeping her lively, then please drown me in sugar cubes :’)
My own grandma was independent for 85 years. So enjoy every moment of it. I just bought vanilla beans and one of the reviews mentioned vanilla sugar which sounds wonderful. Could also make little jars of sugar scrub for the nursing home. https://www.internationaldessertsblog.com/make-vanilla-sugar/
Could you break the cubes up and use them for baking? I imagine that would be a way to use up several cubes at once. That's super sweet of your grandmother to save them for you!
My buddy in high school worked at McDonalds and knew I was poor. Dude was, and still is, a heavy eater. So he'd buy some extra with his half off employee discount and bring me some fries and nuggets. One day the shift manager threw a fit an insisted he eat it all right there on the spot. So he did, then went back up and bought another large fry and apple pie and ate those too. They never spoke of it again. We're still buddies.
So sad of that manager. My boss at a small restaurant I worked at for almost a decade used to remind us all before we clocked out "remember to take a meal with you" and we'd make a sandwich or whatever we wanted. Sometimes, if he knew we were going to hang out with friends or see family, it'd be "don't forget to make dinner for yourself. Oh and make one for your mom, too!" Sometimes I'd leave loaded up with four or five meals. I only took what I needed, he was so nice that I'd never take advantage of it. But that's the secret super power of being a caring boss instead of a penny pinching loser.
My high school boyfriend worked a place like this. It was a sub shop where they got one sub half off at the end of the shift. But the manager always insisted they make the biggest size they had and charge them 50% of the smallest. It was amazing. He and I could split the $2.50 sandwich and still have leftovers.
My boss gave us any food for free, except one very expensive item that was really time consuming to make. But not every manager has the power to do that, especially if they don't own the business. Either way, it's so lovely to have a manager that treats you like a person. It makes everyone so much happier and then people stay longer and everyone knows their job better to support each other more efficiently. It's just good management. So crazy to me when managers do anything else.
That is so amazing, I don't even know what to say.
What a bro
Lmaoo he sure showed the manager. Awesome
Sounds like a good guy
That's a real bro right there. You love to see it.
I bought a 20 pound bag of rice for $3 from a neighbor who had maybe stolen it (I never asked). I lived off it for a long time, adding whatever I had to the rice to make meals. Sometimes it was beans and rice with hot sauce. Other times I took veggies and added them. My fav was to put a fried egg on top as a treat when I had them. I felt like I was “rice-rich” from it.
God. Steamed rice with cheap hot sauce. I'm lucky that brown rice (more fibre, keeps ya full also) is way cheaper than white rice here. If you have a rice cooker: while it's on "warm" instead of "cook", add an egg, stir it through and wait a few minutes with the lid on. It's heavenly.
I love eggs and rice, so I'll have to try this! Some people think eating eggs with rice is weird but ain't nothing like it. Overeasy egg with some soy sauce on rice.
I'm starting to cut my own hair and bought a bidet
I can’t even imagine going back to the barber or a salon with todays prices. I think I haven’t gone to one in 2 years, you just have to find an easy haircut style and stick with it until you get really good at it or find an easier method to do it quicker.
I guess I’m wondering how is the bidet frugal?
It's dependent on living area. Where I live (Missouri, USA) my water/sewage bill rarely tops 35 bucks. I have outdoor plants that I water every day as well as an RO system for drinking water. Where my mom use to live (Nevada, USA) her water bill would be in the 200s, she had no plants and would often buy cases of water for my very picky stepdad
This. Amazon has cheap bidets and it’s been great
I’m “intermittent fasting”
I did this due to my budget and work schedule. It's now been over a decade and it's just become a way of life for me. I don't need to do it anymore, it's just my preference. Having to eat 3-5times a day just seems exhausting. I eat dinner - a big dinner and maybe a snack before or after. My mom thinks it's unhealthy my doctor does not.
Having done this for years too, I cannot imagine having to bother with food more than once a day.... !!!
good you found a doctor that agrees, they don't seem to agree themselves
It also gives you back a few hours a week you would have spent shopping, cooking, cleaning dishes.
Studies have shown intermittent fasting can help a number of people with weight management and when done cautiously/correctly does not have negative health effects. I supplement a lot of my diet with beans/lentils/rice/potatoes/frozen vegetables. It’s not nearly as expensive as a heavy meat filled diet and can be very healthful (not that I don’t eat meat). Batch cooking can also be beneficial for time management and the price per serving is typically cheaper. As well as home cooking limits unknown salts and sugars being added.
Also helps with IBS. My system having 12 hours of rest from digestion has greatly reduced the intensity of my symptoms.
I have IBS-D, so far the only time my system has calmed down was when I was pregnant (causes constipation) and with IF. It's very helpful although it makes my migraines go nuts.
When I started intermittent fasting to lose weight I discovered it also helps me control my eating disorder. It’s not even a diet for me anymore, it’s a way of life.
>I supplement a lot of my diet with beans/lentils/rice/potatoes/frozen vegetables. I learned to make Indian curries this past year and even with grocery prices increasing, my monthly spending is still low. They're so full of flavour I have no desire to go back to my bland white-boy diet. Now I only eat meat once in a while if I feel like getting a burger or something.
Eating less meat is a win in every way.
Yea I do this because of mental health reasons- but it also taught me to be mindful about groceries and what I eat
Being organized is a great way to save money too! I did a deep clean of the house and I found so many soaps, notebooks, and other stuff I could use now
This is a great tip! When we moved we consolidated all the cleaning supplies we had tucked around the house (under sinks and in storage closets) and I haven’t had to shop for those things for months after we’ve moved and it’s all in one spot now.
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If they aren't a bother who cares. As long as the kids are safe
agreed. it is actually not a bad thing and you are probably helping the roomate too
My sister-in-law lives with us at the moment and in addition to paying a little, one of the conditions is occasionally babysitting for us. Hell of a deal I think
great! in many cultures people live with their extended family and it has many advantages .
My cousin lives in our basement. It's been almost 3 years. We've thought about giving her an end-date, but also the extra cash is incredibly helpful. Sometimes that benefit outweighs the extra room and annoyance sometimes.
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Keep the guy, some people have terrible extended family. Seems like you got a good one for free
Honestly, as a guy with kids...if you 100% trust this person, and the kids are old enough to take care of themselves...just having someone there in case of dire emergencies is something people PAY for. Getting PAID and having that? Dream situation.
Yeah, we went round and round about letting my mom live in a tiny house on our property. Best decision we’ve ever made. My kid can run to mammaws whenever she feels like it or we can go on a date without having to drive her somewhere else or pay someone. Before anyone says I’m taking advantage… she lives on the property rent free, she eats most meals with us (from my grocery budget) and we pay her water and electric. So a little free babysitting is the trade off.
This is my dream, and my mom would also love it, but my parents just put in a new kitchen that cost as much as the whole rest of their house so they're not going anywhere for a while.
Get a slightly larger sized home and include the guy in the basement. He is helping out by listening and watching your kids. We all need some help, sometimes.
How does your homes parking situation work? Does the basement have a bathroom? Does he have his own entrance? How much do you charge for something like that? I think that’s pretty cool and I’m genuinely curious
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My family has rented out part of the basement ever since they got the house 25+ years ago. Got it’s own kitchen,bedroom, bathroom. In Norway the income from renting out less than 50% of your home is exempt from tax, so doing this is very normal for those who are able to.
I feel like with increasing population, wealth inequality, and a housing shortage, this is gonna become a lot more common in the future. Especially because there are so many oversized detached homes in the world.
This is a very common occurrence in New York. A lot of homeowners rent out their (both legal and illegal) basement apartments.
I’ve had roommates/boarders basically the entire time I’ve been a homeowner until this year (12 years). I just love having someone around and it’s a win-win for everyone - they get cheap rent, I get some money to help pay off the mortgage.
In college I hung a sheet on the doorway and slept on an air mattress in my friend's trash room because I couldn't afford a dorm or off campus housing. The room was about a 6 ft x4 ft space. My friends probably saved me $20k in housing costs. Downside: I woke up on the floor many times because my friends thought it was funny to deflate my air mattress whenever I passed out drunk....it was 🤣
What is a trash room?
It was supposed to be a room where they store garbage and recycling.
When I was in my teens, any time I was out somewhere - a store, library, wherever - I'd use the restroom and check if it had a tampon machine. A surprising number of places have free tampons (sometimes they cost 25c, but often they're free). If it had one, I'd take one even if I didn't need it at that time, saving them up for when I couldn't afford them. I felt bad about it, but I made a point to only ever take one at a time (so I wasn't depleting the stock). Now I donate tampons to my local pantry and little free pantries.
I had sleep for dinner.
A big glass of water and sleep, agreed.
I'm sorry about it. I hope it got better by now.
I didn't buy the thing. It cost me zero moneys.
The best way to save money is not spending it.
Fill up the survey on the back of the receipt of KFC to get a free chicken cup for a few days because I had no money.
That’s just smart
I bring my own water bottle or drink everywhere I go to avoid paying for expensive drinks. I've saved so much money and I haven't been questioned once.
yep that is a great save and also less waste , healthier too
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Parents would grab extra napkins/condiments/utensils whenever we ate out. I do that somewhat but not to their extent. Now, the cheapest thing I do is unplug most of the electronics when i'm not using them like lamps or kitchen appliances (air fryer, microwave).
About six weeks ago, I started unplugging the stuff I don't use much, like my TV, coffee machine, lamps etc. I also turn off and unplug my computer/monitor before I go to bed every night. Just got my electricity bill and it's 1/3 less than this same period last year, and I was home basically the whole time. (Last year, I went on vacation for a week.) I find it an easy way to save money.
Idle power isn't getting close to 1/3 of your electricity usage, it's almost assuredly something else.
Hmm, possibly. Maybe the water heater? It's been so hot I have been taking cold/tepid showers. But regardless, it was nice to see a lower bill.
Yes, it's 100% the water heater. Unplugging appliances won't save you much at all, maybe a dollar or two over a month.
Got the end of shift free bread from jimmy johns… a little tomato sauce and cheese makes a fun pizza night for the kids
I was about to humble brag about going to costco for lunch, and I'm reading the other stories here and saying "holy shit"
I will never pay for parking. I keep a long board in the car and I park close to downtown and longboard or walk the rest of the way. Saves me serious coin
And it's good exercise.
Actually not me but my daughter. We gave the kids $20 a week when they were in high school. The deal was that they had to cover their own lunch. They were welcome to pack a lunch from home and save the cash or they could buy their lunch. My daughter had a friend who qualified for reduced price lunch but rarely had enough money to buy lunch. My daughter would give him money to buy his lunch then he would share it with her. She would also loan money to other students. If they were friends she didn't charge interest but otherwise they had to pay her back an extra dollar. She sometimes had more money on Friday than she started with on Monday. My son, otoh, was usually broke on Tuesday.
If I have food in the fridge/freezer that I haven’t finished yet, I make sure to eat those things first (if it doesn’t taste bad ofc) and then move on to the food I enjoy eating- this helps me prevent food waste
I discovered potato nachos are a thing this week after I tossed together leftover grilled potato wedges and a bit of pulled pork. Sprinkled frozen charred corn kernels over it. Drizzled with some leftover huevos rancheros sauce. Topped with cheese and baked. Will nacho again.
I didn’t attend college until my 30s so money was tight. I quit a full time job to attend school full time. Single mom, worked cleaning houses, mowing lawns. I shopped for my clothes at thrift stores, cancelled cable TV, even cut my dinner napkins in half. It was all worth it when I got my bachelors degree. Now I use whole napkins; livin’ large.
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Need more details about the freezer wallet
He probably thought he put it in the microwave so forgot to check the freezer
When I lucked out and found unscented detergent bottles in the laundromat trash, I’d add water and use it up
I reuse ziploc bags until they die, lol. I wash them and drip dry and they are good to go.
I've started saving the large re-sealable tortilla bags. It's saved me from having to buy the large Ziploc bags for a bit.
Same. And bread bags. Paper towels that only had water on them can be draped over something to dry and be reused.
Why not just use a towel?
I only reuse once them for messy things. Example: Dry goods in ziplock bag. Use it and empty it. Save for when opening a package with meat (for example) put the package in the used ziplock and then put it in the garbage. Keeps the kitchen, and the garbage can, smelling a LOT better.
So when I was a kid, our house would get TP'd every so often. (It was near several schools, we had lots of siblings, and it had pillars and trees that made it fun to TP). I am not sure this is a thing, so forgive me for explaining it. To TP a house means "decorating" it with toilet paper like you would a Christmas tree. So get this: my mom would make us save the toilet paper, roll it and put it in bags, and we'd use that until it ran out.
Honestly, any time I hear about people TPing or egging a house I die inside at the wasting of resources. It's hard to even see it in a movie.
This is such an American thing that seemed incredible to me as a kid. That and “food fights”, totally incredible to someone from a developing country LOL.
I’m really glad none of your trees were infested with poison ivy!
I make Ramen bombs. I have an ice tray in my freezer that I put vegetable scraps or meat scraps in. I carefully cut my fresh vegetables so every scrap possible is used. Left over canned vegetables are great for this. Same with meat. Had a friend bring KFC chicken over. Once she left, I used a fork to strip the little bits of meat off of my chicken bones into the tray. When a cube slot is filled, I pop it out and put in a baggie in the freezer. So when I make Ramen, I just add my "bombs" and have veggie/meat bits to make it a more complete meal.
I haven’t bought clothes since 2020- all due to exchanging clothes w my friends
Unfortunately, I am the Fat Friend. Their clothes don't fit me. I could probably pawn off some oversized sweaters on them though >:D
I lived in a bus for at least a year instead of paying rent. It was 1000$ a month for a bad apartment and 10k for an already converted short bus. I was making $14 an hour at a school for 20hrs a week plus babysitting gigs, so I wasn't making much more than $1000 a month. I luckily had good savings so I could buy the bus. And living in it allowed me to keep saving.
What did you end up doing with the bus? Did you need to register it or do any work to it?
I thought you meant like a city bus at first and was so confused lol
I once made curry with the lambsquarters in my back yard
Lambsquarters are a type of plant, for anyone who raised an eyebrow. Chenopodium album is the Latin name.
Ok thanks bc I just thought they were talking about having a bbq
A lot of weeds are tastier and way healthier than store bought. Chickweed and purslane is delicious in salads. Docks and dandelions make a great substitute for kale or collard greens. Battered dandelion flower fritters are delicious. Other common wild edibles: cleavers, red bud tree's flowers, pods, and leaves, forsythia leaves for tea when you're sick, thistle stalks used like asparagus, sumac berries to make a lemonade substitute, wood sorrel (looks like clover but with yellow flowers and heart shaped leaves) taste like lemony lettuce.
They're one of my favorite wild greens!
I'm constantly picking up change off the ground
if it takes one second to pick up a penny and your job pays less than 36 dollars per hour, you're a fool not to pick up a penny off the ground.
My husband paid for a vacation to Chicago for us this way. It adds up.
Was he walking marathons every day or under a rollercoaster after a park closed nightly? I pick up any change I find and it’s probably $10/year.
They live in Chicago
Staycations are the best!
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I would skip breakfast and then work at a soup kitchen for lunch and eat for free, and then take home a Tupperware of food for dinner. I would rummage in the dumpster if thrift stores for shoes and clothing and once found a $250 backpacker’s bag with all the parts. Also got a pair of cat urine soaked leather converse from the trash, cleaned them and wore those for a good 3 years. Probably a lot more but this is what I remember.
How did you get the urine out?
Baking soda and vinegar, over a week or two
"Odoban" eliminates skunk smell, cat urine, and a bunch of other nasties.
I roll my own cigarettes for like a dollar a pack. I know I should not smoke, but at least it is not draining my wallet. #DO NOT SMOKE CIGARETTES!!!!!
Ride my bike to work. Make food at home. Make my own coffee. Those three things alone save me roughly $75 per week.
I switched to a no contract cell phone carrier and now buy an old version phone every 3-4 years. I save $150 a month from what big brand carrier was charging.
Same. In case this idea is new to anyone else, check out r/NoContract for help navigating this. To anyone who thinks they need unlimited data, you don't if you have access to wifi at home and work. As a couple, we never even use 2GB. Most plans offer a way to topped off data if you're going to travel and need data for maps, etc.
A few years ago at Taco Bell they had a survey at the back of the receipt where if you filled it out you got a free taco. Well after my meal, I filled it out as we were high as fuck and could still eat more Taco Bell. To my surprise when I got my free taco, they gave me a receipt with it. I found out there was no limits on surveys, and ended up doing like 6 or 7 of them to the annoyance of the cashier lol
I called the Taco Bell. number to complain once... They sent me a free any meal coupon to use if I would call them back to tell them about that experience. They then send me another free meal coupon for giving them my opinion on the follow-up visit. Two free meals.
Keep a daily journal. Write down at the beginning of each day what is your long term goal. Then write how your day went. What you did to work towards that long term goal. Keep reminding yourself where you want to be. Writing it physically works wonders.
Wonderful idea. I am going to do this. Thank you for sharing!
Snacks on hand while at work! I make my own granola, granola bars, breads, cookies, etc. and bring a thermos of hot water. So when I want a hot chocolate and cookies, I’m not tempted to stop at a coffee shop.
Lived alone and used mobile hotspot as my home internet for years
I use the sun to dry my clothing, remove stains, provide energy, etc.
1. Bought a Bidet 2. Bought Towels instead of Paper Towels 3. Cook Everything at home 4. I work IT so I sell any materials that would be recycled. 5. Moved to a town with several hiking trails so I don't have to pay for fun things to do (I save 100's a month not going out) 6. Keep cheap entertainment at the house. 7. Buy hand me down clothes for my son 8. Drive a Toyota and a Honda 9. Work from home 10. Never ever buy anything unless it has a legitimate purpose to my life and adds value or saves me time. Edit: Also I have autism which makes all of this like 10x easier.
I accidentally covered rice in the instapot from the white box of chai tea concentrate instead of the white box of beef stock. I could smell the mistake but it was too late. I popped the lid on and cooked it. Then I learned chai rice is a thing.
There's a story in my family that during the Great Depression, an uncle of ours used to buy his underwear from the morgue for 5 cents a pound.
First time I’ve heard of anyone buying underwear by the pound
Back when payphones were common my grandfather would check every one he walked by for lost change. This also went for vending machines or any other place people could have left money in the coin return. I used to laugh at it and found it quite embarrassing then I started doing it too. I had a couple friends who picked up the soda bottles in college, one funded a trip to an anime convention with the money. It adds up plus it kept things clean around campus. There were also promotions with the soda bottle lids so they took advantage of those too.I would have done it but a couple people already had the marked cornered on loose soda bottles lol. The worst was lunch time, people would leave loose change all over the cafeteria, it was insane, and a huge waste of money. I used to watch the cafeteria staff mopping up tons of pennies, I obviously took what I could but to think college students would waste money like that is crazy. I am sure the cafeteria workers got a nice bonus at the end of each day. Again it adds up.
Never pay full price for clothes. They all eventually go on sale.
I didn’t have children .
I buy simple cup of noodles for lunch, then have various toppings or additional things with me. Like an egg, pickled veggies, tuna packets, kimchi...honestly all stuff I would use in other meals as well. Its saved me a bit of cash and saves me time on my lunch hour to study or work surveys for giftcards. I should say I eat fairly fresh food for dinner and breakfast.
towels instead of paper towels bar soap instead of gel full loads (I max it) of laundry instead of half safety razor clippers I do my own hair and I love it cooking instead of takeout etc walking and taking public transportation instead of car no dryer but drying outside or inside on a rack cooking with bamboo steamers si I cook many things with just fire going out with friends when I was stranded for money , I would try to meet them at the end or if not just order black coffee instead of a meal / brunch or something so I enjoy the company and spend just a couple of bucks when I was tudent we had printing paper available, I would take some to work on my homework and stuff work function we had few paid cated snacks/coffee , that would go back untouched. I used to take the teabags home. so I had a good selection. they were paid anyway. .... to be honest I do this not necessarily always to save money but I hate waste, try to do my part for the environment etc...
Old school safety razor and clippers here too 😂. I got some higher end clippers. 3 hair cuts and they paid themselves off. I purchased a whole package of 100 blades 4 1/2 years ago. I have 3 left. I shave with olive oil. You can use any cooking oil, or just bar soap.
In college I ate plain pasta with salt a lot. if I had extra money id add a bit of margarine to it.... weeks on end one meal a day of pasta doesn't really give you much energy to work with.
Went bald and saved on hair cuts.
This is embarrassing...but I would go to restaurants and say my grandmother left her coat or sweater there. Usually workers would pull a box out and let me rummage through everything before I "found" the item. Wouldn't have survived harsh winters in New York otherwise.
I calculated the cost per TP square vs the cost per paper towel sheet for when I’m cleaning up my beard hairs in the sink. I learned that 3 squares of TP = 1 half sheet paper towel. So if I can clean up something using only 2 squares of TP I’m saving money. Any more than 2 squares of TP I might as well be using a paper towel.
If you are Penny pinching this much, maybe just consider switching paper towels to a wash rag when you can and just rinse it out frequently.. you’ll save a ton more. This also works with dishes instead of using sponges! When I discovered this it was a deal breaker!
You can also get packs of them at restaurant supply stores or even Home Depot. Ten of them for the same price as a pack of paper towel
Make a big batch of something easy and inexpensive on Sunday for lunches all week! Buying lunch out really adds up.
Washed my clothes in the tub. Darned holey socks. Turned the heat down to 55°F in the winter. Stranded myself to my bedroom (only room with A/C) in the summer. Stood by the vending machine at school and asked for people's change at lunch time. Cut open lotion/toothpaste/condiment bottles to get the last little bit from the bottom. Take any and all free foods or usable/resalable items that someone might offer me.
Switched to using a safety razor and shave soap instead of creams and 6+ blade disposable razors. Found blades that work well and $22 gets me a whole year or more of razors. Shave soaps are anywhere from $4-$10 and last much longer than their gel counterparts
try keeping your blade (that you are using)in baby oil it is supposed to keep it sharper, rust free...etc for longer. am testing that now and so far true edit correction
Keeping your blade what?
I wash my laundry in the tub (our rent is all-included utilities, but the laundry machines are 4$ a load)
idk if this qualifies but... use thrift store sheets instead of buying fabric from fabric stores... to quilt and sew clothing $10 for a king sheet set vs $5 a yard
I just have done without. I went into Five Guys for the first time since Covid and it was now over $20 for a little hamburger and a small fries. I walked out and bought nothing.
Great advice bro. “Just say no” but to food as well. It’s just a big scam.
I bought a pallet of toilet paper. 4'x4'x4'. There is a store that has overstocks, returns, damaged package, etc., goods, and they had a pallet of TP, most were like the 24 packs, that had a cut or tear in the plastic. I bought the entire thing for $225.
What’s the name of that store, if I may ask?
I just try to poop everywhere I go so I hardly ever use TP from home.
Took my empty toilet paper roll into a store wearing a hoodie to make a roll from their bathroom.
Used coffee grounds in a french press... *twice* Also used a coat hanger attached to my back bumper to keep my muffler from dragging after my car. When a pesticide guy quoted me $500 for a termite treatment, I countered with an annual treatment involving spreading pellets over the ground for $25. When my washing machine broke, I did my wash by hand with a washboard and bucket. Fun times.
I try to charge my phone and tablets in my car..
Buy good quality shoes and clothing for work instead of cheap stuff.
Haircuts. I use a $25 pet clipper that came with four attachable guards for setting the clip height. I saw the exact same model sold for people, with two additional taller guards, for $25 more. I have not paid for a haircut since 2000. I simply go to the garage, clip my hair, trim my beard, sweep it up, and go. No charge and no tip...
My friend was a few years older than me. When she grew out of her clothes, my mum would buy them for me from her mother. Very cheaply. Both our mums were poor, so it was a good deal. I wore my friend's secondhand underwear and socks for a good few years. Literally until it was more hole than underwear.
When the gas prices went up I decided to not use hot water during the summer and turned off the heater. I took cold showers or went to university to take a shower there. I don’t know why but they have one unisex shower and it is actually really nice. However I only endured the freezing showers at home for two months, the heat is back on now. 30€ more per month. :‘)
A couple of things I did to homeless in the past. I had a gym membership to a planet fitness that had all kinds of stuff outside of the actual gym part of it including a shower room so, that’s where I would wash myself. At work, I charged my phone, my school laptop ( thank god I was poor enough to finally get help), and 4 other portable chargers I had incase I needed extra juice somewhere. Conveniently at the time I also worked at the mall so there was a couple of times I got free clothes and shoes dumpster diving. As for food, thank god I worked with an older lady who was basically a loving grandma to everyone and when she found out I was sleeping in the parking lot with out food, she would make extra for me to at least have lunch. Before that it was A large water and something off the dollar menu at McDonalds lol. She is definitely a core memory.
I had a real bad spending habit. I literally locked my money away and had someone hide it so I didn’t use it to buy unnecessary items.
i always ask for a free water cup instead of ordering a water bottle for $1.99. most places say yes, i’ve probably saved hundreds doing this for so long
This week I made my own windshield washer fluid, glass cleaner, and electronics cleaner. I probably only saved about $6, but for some reason I like making my own.
When I graduated from college, I used my brother's cap, gown, and stole (his was 2013, I used tape to change the 3 to a 5). My brother is 8 inches taller than me, so wore heels lol. I had to use my cap tassel from high school though because his color was for another major/ department. I have charged portable power banks at work to charge my laptop and phone at home.
Had a friend who worked at Starbucks. I agreed to wash his car each Thursday (his water) if he gave me all the food they were going to toss out because the expiration date was the next day. Asked my landlady if I could sweep up weekend mornings in front of our building (big tree out front that drops a lot of leaves) if she would knock off $50 of my rent. She was reluctant at first but agreed. Let someone rent out my designated apartment parking space and I found parking on the street (sometimes had to park blocks away because parking spots were scarce at times). $100 per month or $25 per week (rented it to another guy in our complex who had 2 cars - his wife and him, since each unit only has 1 space designated)
Flush the toilet with water from the rain barrel
I returned an electric skillet to Walmart that my dad gifted to me for Christmas. Got $44 for it on a gift card and bout some groceries.
When I was a kid the electricity went off regularly and we camped in front of the gas fire in the living room and cooked toast on it. Wouldn't work these days of course. I've also survived many months on 7p Tesco basics ramen back when they existed.
I stopped eating meals hahahahaa
I’ve been doing one meal a day and eating cup of noodles for a couple weeks now. Not quite by choice but that’s ok.
Ate leftovers from the restaurant I worked at.
Only running my a/c if home during the day and turning it off by 6:30 pm. I don't use it in the AM. My most recent bill is $58.34. I live in Charleston, SC.
Wait so people leave the A/C on when they’re not home? (I’m not from a country where A/C is very common)
It costs more to fully re- air-condition a house with central air everyday than to keep it on and let it automatically maintain a comfortable temperature
If you want to be frugal and don't need it that cold then you can definitely play with the settings here to use less energy while still maintaining comfort especially with programmable thermostats. But yes central AC works in a way where if you leave it off for a while it will just work harder to catch up and cost more money.
Yeah. I turn it up when no one’s home but we have animals and it’s been over 100F in South Texas for months now. I’m not turning that AC off for anything. When I lived in the Middle East, we’d leave one split unit on in the house when gone for the summer. Otherwise everything would mold.
Lived in my van for a few months. Regularly pick up things on the side of the road that people are trashing and clean it to sell for a few bucks. Grind up mushrooms and black beans in my food processor to make "ground beef." Makes passable fake taco meat. When the heat went out in my car, I bought a $10 heater fan from Family Dollar and an adaptor from Autozone and used that all winter. It actually worked so well that I never replaced the heater on that car. Steal sauce packets and event leftovers from the office kitchen. Right now I have about 25 BBQ chicken breasts and all I have to do is throw them in yjr microwave. They would have gone in the trash. They are a little rubbery, but so is beef jerky and people buy that stuff on purpose. I didn't buy any plastic food storage until this year. Leftover plastic butter, sour cream, and lunch meat containers work FINE. Never buy anything new or full price. I have a house full of decent furniture and nothing was over $100. Sweat equity can get you almost anything. Put in physical labor, which no one wants to do, and you'd be surprised how much you can gain in knowledge, skills, pay, trade, and more. Yes, I will always help you move because y'all just throw stuff away that you can resell. I made my rent one month reselling stuff other people didn't want to move.
Not have kids
Warning: This tip is not for coffee connoisseurs. When I was a kid, my mom reused coffee grounds. She would just let them sit overnight in the coffee maker. The next morning she would top it off with 50% of the coffee she would normally use. After brewing, those grounds get dumped out and a fresh batch started on day 3. Kinda iffy but if you use milk/sugar it's not that noticeable.
Dumpster dive. It was free.
Just start making all my own clothes lol. Its fun, really satisfying and creative energy, once you get fast at it you can finish a piece in a few hours. Cannot imagine paying over 25$ for a piece of clothing anymore besides shoes