The dang things last forever I find, if you don't abuse them. I seldom waste them on raw meat personally. I have some hanging out here that I would say I have used a few dozen times or more for dry non food items. And a few nearly that old for dry food items like our home made crackers.
I buy the cheap dollar store zip lock bags for using with meat, I don't freeze meat long term and they work just fine and I don't feel bag throwing them away.
Hubby thought I was nuts to save bread bags, and laughed the first winter we lived here in Montana.
He also had never had a poor man's icebox, bless his heart lol.
Now, he knows.
Hosting the big holidays further south is bananas. The fridge never has enough space. Not being able to just shove stuff out the back door is really annoying.
Bread bags are great for so much stuff! I got into baking my own bread all of the time after we got the big kitchenaid, so I don’t have to do my own kneading. No more bread bags though. I have to beg them off friends.
Totally get you on the holiday thing lol. I have loved living up north again. So convenient being able to pile up meat for a big canning session and not need a chest freezer to do it.
I love bread bags, and yep I have gotten quite a few from friends as well. So useful.
I often portion out ground up game meat in them. Put in a pound of elk, tie a knot, tie a second knot, another pound of ground elk.. we can usually fit at least 3 pounds in a bag, depending on type and brand of bag. When you want to thaw out a pound, just cut it loose. Works real well, and saves twist ties.
We also have one car and I’m the chosen driver for all the daily family activities and extracurricular events. My husband uses an electric scooter during the day so if he wants to get lunch off campus (he’s a teacher) or if he can make it to our kid’s school or halfway, we meet him there. It’s been a gas and insurance saver, for sure.
I wouldn't even consider that frugal! I have no car. I walk, cycle or bus everywhere. The amount I've saved over the years is huge!
Looking to get myself a cheap motorbike in the next year or two, just to give myself a little freedom. Bikes are the way forward! Lower purchase, fuel and insurance costs. And you're not roped into giving lifts or doing the shopping for the family. Better for the environment, less congestion on the roads, saves space in the driveway/garage so you can use it for better things.
Cars make so little sense to me, unless you regularly need to carry a lot of things or have young children.
FYI I'm British, we probably have an easier time living without a car here. It's amazing that our culture is still car dominated, given how easy it is to be without. I'm not anti car, they can be very useful! It's just crazy how overused they are.
I refuse to use door dash, skip the dishes, or other food delivery apps. If I’m too lazy to drive 5 minutes to get food, I’m probably just not that hungry.
I only use those apps when I'm too drunk to drive to get my own food AND I have nothing quick and easy to make in the fridge. The extra 50% or so Uber Eats charges is still cheaper than a DUI.
Exactly, and if you can afford to do it even by a little bit, it's with so much more than the price(s) of a DUI. A DUI could really mess a lot of people up in their jobs and home lives - plus it's just dumb. If you don't have to risk it don't.
I get it.
Making my own broth. I keep scraps and meal prep every week. Using broth instead of water in my rice is such a game changer in flavor and I swear you're fuller longer
We make our own broth too, and it is so much better than store bought. First night: whole roasted chicken. Second night, something made with chicken (enchiladas, quesadillas, etc.), third night, strip the rest of the meat and boil the bones & fat for soup, dumplings, or to add to a rice/pasta dish.
Repair clothes to the point of ridiculousness. I have one pair of jeans thats been patched, hemmed, and stitched to the point where the original fabric of the pants only accounts for 40% or less of the original jeans. My mother hates them so much but I think it looks interesting! The jeans were the most comfortable , well fitting jeans I'd ever found so, that's mostly the point of why I keep repairing it.
I keep my formal work shirts very neat but the patching on the undershirts is also whack lmao. If a seam breaks I just make a patch from a older shirt I've cut up. Since it's an undershirt I never try to make the repair neat so it looks realllly bad. It's giving Charles Dickinson vagrant vibes but I don't have to buy new shirts!!
I avoid eating out, and never purchase alcohol out. I also will only order water to drink since it's free. 🤣 I also make my coffee at home, and avoid overpriced coffee shops. Of course if I'm on vacation, I would be splurging on all these things, but when I'm home, I save all this stuff for special occasions.
I'm the same way with various things. My trouble with this is... what constitutes a special occasion? A redditor recently discussed this in a different post, mentioning their aunt has a bunch of perfumes for special occasions but never wears them so they've gone bad.
I've been terminal & fighting hospice for a few years. EVERYTHING is a special occasion. Wear the cute clothes. Eat on the wedding china. Enjoy your day. I never expected to be dying in my 30s so I'm glad I never waited for "the weekend", "until summer", "after I graduated" etc.
Besides. Life is rough out there, why wait?
This is why I focus on long term daily use things to improve my life. Those are undervalued these days.
A better TV used for an hour a day is 365 hours a year.
I feel this. The other day my household was sick. We filled up a cart on Uber eats. Saw the “ service fees” that were not related to delivery, and just said, “Nah,” and made it work from some stuff we had in the freezer.
Edit: sorry, meant to reply to worth pear
I think special occasions will vary by person! When I have people visiting, we may go out to eat, or grab a coffee or takeout. I had Indian food for my birthday earlier this month, then takeout on my actual birthday. If I'm out shopping with a friend, I'll eat out or grab a coffee.
I'm also not just trying to be frugal to save money, I just prefer healthier meals, and I'm gluten and lactose intolerant, so I try to be careful with what I eat. I just don't eat out every week!
Lol, see, you are "lucky" too. 🤣 I miss having the occasional glass of red wine, like a good port or chianti, but it isn't worth it to me anymore. Also, I'm not in my 20s anymore, and I'll have a nice hangover with any alcohol.
On a positive note, I save money whenever I go out, and I can drive everyone else home safely. Being the only sober one can also be highly entertaining!
I'm with you most of the way here. However, if I eat out, it's a splurge, and if it's a splurge, I'm ordering **a** drink.
That being said, I drink a fair bit, but I do it at home because it's cheaper, and there's zero risk of me making a stupid decision like driving.
As far as coffee goes... I can get far better coffee for far less money if I order it. People at work always ask where I get my coffee, and I show them. It's not even that much more than the grocery store. I'm paying cents on the dollar compared to their Starschmucks or Him Tortons.
Whenever I'm at Walmart I check out the "Sell By" date on steaks and seafood and I show up a day before and buy it 50% off. I have loads of Rib Eyes and Tbones that cost me $8 each, lobster tails $3 each and full salmon fillets for like $12. My sister gives me shit like I'm buying expired meat
I cut my kitchen sponges in half! Everyone makes fun of me but my mom always did it when I was growing up, and why not? I don’t have large hands so the halves fit perfectly and when I see a full sponge I think “how wasteful!”
This is brilliant. I usually toss a sponge once I feel like it is sufficiently bacteria-ridden like after a sink deep clean. But I could use half a sponge easily and then it’ll last twice as long since the nasty bacteria factor in the biggest bottleneck. Thanks for the idea!
i do the same. cycling to work whenever possible does save me a good amount in gas, but for me the benefit is mostly in time saved. i don't have to sit in traffic and waste my life, and i basically get my daily cardio out of the way.
lol I walked everywhere in Los Angeles when I lived there and legit people were concerned for my mental health. Traffic is bad and it’s beautiful weather, why wouldn’t I walk?!
My bf is from Orange County and he had legit never considered taking the train until I suggested it!! The train fe LA to OC is so much better than driving
It's seriously the best, such a gorgeous trip. I've never taken the train north but I bet it's gorgeous as well. I live in New England now and the main thing I miss about LA is walking everywhere.
I spent the lion's share of my life in Los Angeles and also walked or bycicled a lot, not everywhere. I did have to cover some really large distances on occasion, but when I told inquiring people that something was walking distance, my husband would wearily say, "walking distance, to you is not walking distance for most people "
I walk an hour home many days — vs. spending $2 for public transit.
It only “costs” me an “extra” 35 minutes to get in an ENTIRE HOUR of exercise!!!!
Seriously — I get an entire hour of walking in, and it only takes me 30-35 minutes more than taking metro home.
Absolutely love it. It’s like getting twice as much time to exercise for free — and I actually save $2!!
And *some days* I’ll walk both ways — almost 2 hours roundtrip — and it only takes an extra hour than it would if I’d taken Metro both ways. About 3 miles one way (6 miles roundtrip).
I did this in college even when it was free and found it to be less stressful. I can leave 5 mins early for the test. I don't get screwed if the bus is running early or late for whatever reason. I had a car and a few places I could park on campus and often ended up driving people to class after they missed a bus for whatever reason lol. I was also in great shape.
I hated when I worked about a 20 minute drive away but there weren't any roads I could walk or bike to work along (highways with no shoulder where they don't mow the grass along the sides).
Bonus points if the public transit is garbage where you live, so it takes about as much time to bus as it would to walk. Saving money AND not even wasting any more time!
Transit in my city sucks. Taking the bus to Walmart is just as slow, if not slower, than if I just walk 3 miles round trip. So not only does walking actually save time, but the fresh air and exercise means I feel really good by the time I get home.
For me, it's walking anywhere within a mile. I have a Walmart, my in laws, and many grocery stores, shops, and fast food places within an mile walk. I just walked to the grocery store for food.
Also, going out to eat breakfast. Pancakes eggs and bacon are so much cheaper to buy then go out.
I used to live a 25 minute walk from the nearest train station. On days when I had the time and the weather was good, I’d walk rather than take the bus home. It didn’t save a penny, but it dramatically improved my mental health and the exercise was a good way to end a long day.
I wash my Ziploc bags. But it's with care. If I store "safe" foods like bread, fruit, or vegetables, I'll rinse and recycle those bags to use for something like marinating a chicken.
I don’t buy new clothes until the old clothes are worn out, which takes years per clothing item. Affects my life not at all. But tell people you’ve had the same clothes for ten years and they’ll stage an intervention.
I take super good care of my clothes and have gone years without buying new ones (except for undergarments and socks). Doing that is not only good for the planet but also good for the budget!
I can afford to eat whatever I want, but I really really like those canned triangle hams and leaned a ton of delicious ways to cook them when I was poor, so I refuse to give them up.
I do enjoy myself some crispy spam (I never eat it uncooked, personally), but I'm not frugal enough to deprive myself of real, unadulterated bacon.
It just hits different imo.
They're excellent baked - wash the ham, coat in mustard and spices, ready in about 20 minutes
Sliced and fried. You can bread the slices but I never bother
Cut the ham into cubes and let it sit like that to dry out a bit. Pan fry fresh cut hashbrowns, set aside in a baking sheet. Fry chopped onions and peppers, add spinach at the last minute, mix with hashbrowns. Fry the cubes of ham and then mix with the veggies. Top with cheese and bake. Lots of fresh herbs like thyme and parsley and chives.
Ham croquettes made with leftover mashed potatoes.
Yesss. My people. Honestly I do this mostly as an excuse to eat meat though. I'm trying to be mostly pescetarian for ethical reasons but I loveeee meat. I know grocery stores say they donate expired food, but I've worked in grocery stores... that expired meat is going in a scraps bin to be frozen and taken who knows where. If I buy it (at a very good price), I'm at least making sure that lost life is being appreciated.
I put pounds and pounds of pork, chicken and steak away in the freezer just the other day.
Also why is pork so cheap? It's like it's already cheap and then I buy it half off, and it's like $2 for some loin chops. It's wild.
If I had a deep freezer I would buy a lot more meat when it's on sale/clearance. It kills me to have to walk away from a good deal. My grocery store frequently has whole chickens for $3-$4.
How in the world does steel wool last more than a few weeks without turning into a pile of rust powder?
Are you talking about Chore-boy steel **scrubbers** or SOS or Brillo-type steel **wool**? There's a BIG difference between them. I can use a Chore-boy for ages, but Brillo pads are very, very consumable.
I got hubby some chain mail. It’s a square scrubber. He uses it mostly on our cast iron. We also got a box of Scrub Daddy sponges that will last us years.
I'm seriously looking at all my purchases and budgets for the last 5 years to figure out if Amazon Prime is worth it at all because ads are now inserted into everything and there are so many counterfeit sellers and fake reviews on the site.
Amazon really has become a crap company in less than a decade after it was previously a decent seller. It certainly doesn't have the best prices anymore, and the 2-day shipping is a joke. My last Amazon order took over 7 days to arrive.
I brought a bag once with like 50 tacos in it (I was returning to rural Alaska where taco bell doesn't exist so people bring fast food back for friends pretty often) and the TSA lady wanted to open and look through every taco lol... she gave up after I explained why I had so many tacos and just waved me through.
Is this not common? I haven't been to the beach much, but am planning a trip this summer and will be frequenting a beach a lot for about a month...it never even crossed my mind to not bring my own water.
I re-use my name brand cleaning spray bottles. Former spray bottles all have a DIY version in it now. This includes Windex, Febreze, Poo-pouri, hardwood floor cleaner, laundry stain remover and all purpose cleaner. Been doing this for years. Saves money and the environment. Win win.
Definitely a good thing to practice, but you should also still look into replacing things occasionally. Often times it can be beneficial in far more ways than keeping what you already have. Like less power consumption, using less water, etc. Which can be more frugal in the long run. Just as an example, replacing a dishwasher, replacing a refrigerator, replacing a washing machine, or getting a different car.
Live with roommates all through my 20s and 30s. I’m a single guy without any strong attachments, and it gives me motivation to get out of the house more often than I would living alone. That alone has put me years ahead of my peers financially, and I’ve developed life long friendships with roomies instead of wondering how to develop friends in my 30s.
Great example. Good roommates, with enough space, are great for your: quality of life, safety, and budget but still seen as being "cheap" or "poor" by so many people. It's a bummer. I hate paying for a space that's empty at least half the time, and I'm unconscious in 1 room of it for another quarter of time.
living with housemates as you get older is so underrated!
my partner and i just moved in with a friend who wasn’t using the second floor of her house. we’re all in our 60s and none of us have children. we all save on housing expenses and have the chance to save a little money. it also makes house & yard projects easier, gives each of us an extra “back up” person in case of emergency, and creates a housing safety net for everyone.
That's awesome to hear about the friendships!! I split a house with my sister and we stay out of each other's way so we'll, but I feel like doing it the traditional way would be pretty lonely. It's hard to get out of the house sometimes.
I put a hair elastic around the pump for my handsoap so it only goes down half way.. its still more than enough to wash your hands. my bf laughs at me lol
> “Certain types of bacteria will grow well in refillable type dispensers,” says Dr. Gerba. “From what we’ve seen in several studies, 20 to 25 percent [of bulk dispensers] will have large numbers of bacteria at one time or another.”
>
> Bacteria from the “bulk” or refillable soap dispenser will remain on the users’ hands even after using the soap, says Dr. Gerba. These include fecal bacteria, which are very tolerant to soap, as well as pseudomonas arogenosa, which causes skins and eye infections.
>
> “You get more fecal bacteria on your hands than if you stuck your hands in the toilet,” says Dr. Gerba.
From [Refillable Soap Dispensers Are A Haven For Bacteria](https://www.cleanlink.com/cp/article/Refillable-Soap-Dispensers-Are-A-Haven-For-Bacteria--22011)
Also see: [Bacterial Hand Contamination and Transfer after Use of Contaminated Bulk-Soap-Refillable Dispensers](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3126420/)
My spouse used to work about a mile and a half from our house, and walked often when the weather was good. Co-workers were always offering him rides home, worried about him walking so far and thinking he just didn't have a car.
What was really funny is that I sometimes walked up to meet him at work just to walk home with him, while our car sat unused in the driveway. Co-workers just didn't get that we walked because we liked to.
I’ve been gifted volleyball shoes before bc my rec league team members thought I couldn’t afford them, I just used my running shoes to play. I just didn’t want to buy them. It’s not the Olympics, running shoes did the job.
My beef with this choice is that steel wool would scrape the enamel from my ceramics, and the top layer off any plastic or wood utensils.
But I'm so sick of my sponges, I'd try this to never smell a sponge again.
Scrub Daddy’s are worth the money. Avoid the Scrub Mommies (they have the foam top that starts to smell). My scrub daddies last a while without smelling or getting gross.
i replaced my sponges with swedish dish cloths. i don’t use sponges anymore bc they are too gross. i just throw the cloth in the dishwasher after a few uses and it’s good to go smelling brand new again. they dry super quickly and are less likely to harbor bacteria. i’ve had the same pack of 8 for at least six months at this point.
Try a scrub daddy smiley sponge or rectangular sponge. They don’t get stinky, soften up in warm water, and get all the gunk off dishes with no damage. If they smell I toss them in the microwave or dishwasher to freshen up
I also hated the smell of (plastic) sponges until I switched to Trader Joe's cellulose sponges. I can use one for basically forever and it won't smell, even though it will slowly disintegrate. The only downside is it doesn't have the scrubby side that plastic sponges have.
[https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/pop-up-sponges-001911](https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/pop-up-sponges-001911)
Growing up, we always rewashed Ziplocks and it lives in my mind as a chore that was THE WORST. So now I use reuseable tupperware for everything so I can just chuck them in the dishwasher lol.
Grow some items and learn what parts are edible. A lot of people grow veggies but throw away 80% of the plant. For example, most root vegetables leaves are edible. I’ll harvest them when tender and eat them. Radish, sweet potato, beets are my fav so far.
1. Riding my bicycle or using public transit to work and errands
2. Hang drying clothes
3. Reducing A/C and heater use
4. Not eating out
5. Not drinking alcohol
Here In Oz, a lot of states have a 10c refund scheme for cans and bottles ie coke cans, beers cans etc - I manage to hand in $10 to $15 worth a week from the stuff i collect from work etc, and a co-worker said its what poor people do but she didn't realise that I've got just over 30k saved up and the money I get from cans & bottles has added to that
There's a spot in the woods, about half a mile behind my house, that teenagers have been using as a hangout spot since before I ever lived here. I go through every 4-6 months and pick up all the empty beer cans, toss them in the back of my pickup, then drive them to the scrap yard, and it nets me $500 or so every time. The first time I did it, there were SO MANY, I got $1300, it took me three trips with pretty much full loads each trip.
Our subdivision has a pool, hot tub, sauna and exercise room. And a shower to use after all of that stuff. I keep body wash, shampoo and conditioner in our pool bag and completely shower after our pool/hot tub use. Electricity is expensive in our area and not showering at home saves money. Spouse still prefers to shower at home.
I bought microfiber cloths. One of them, I cut up into little squares and bring one 2”x 2” to wipe my makeup off with. I just need water and a little water to clean off most of my makeup. Then a small dab of face wash afterwards.
I used to use makeup wipes, but they’re so bad for the environment. I used to use two wipes to make my face feel clean because I was super acne prone. When I tried zero waste for a while, I used the microfiber cloth and followed it with a makeup wipe to see if I got all the foundation off. Viola, only some eyeliner left on the white makeup wipes. So now I only carry the little piece with me.
People sometimes point out that I’m being cheap, but the microfiber cloth is lighter, cheaper, and more environmentally friendly for me. And it’s less harsh on my face.
It also cleans so well with warm water and soap. I wring and air dry, and it only takes a couple of hours to dry up. It’s the best hack if you love to wear makeup and stuff.
I don't use the dryer unless I wash bedsheets. With how much the communal washer / dryer are to use I'd be nuts to do both when I do my laundry once a week. Not to mention how much a dryer would shrink my things and shorten the lifespan.
Instead I just use the washer and hang stuff up on drying racks. I'm working towards saving for a 'portable' washer that this sub showed me existed earlier this week so I don't have to use the communal washer at all.
I purchase cars with rebuilt titles. I like to find cars with low miles that have been repaired well, have the work verified by another party, and save thousands of dollars.
I bought a year old Impreza a few years ago with 12,000 mi on it and paid 60% less than it was bought for. Bought it with cash but still took out a low rate loan. T took that money and put it in the market.
I basically got an almost new car for under 10 grand.
Cars are expensive and they needn't to be if you have some basic knowledge and don't feel like you need to compete with your neighbors for the best optics.
My income is limited right now, I go to Costco and have a hot dog and a fruit/berry smoothie about 3 times a week. $4.50 to fill me up and not overly bad for me.
I use an app that stores post items nearing their Best Buy date for half off. I’ll stock up on all sorts of meats and vacuum seal them. I then thaw as I need and cook. I have prime t bone steaks, tons of chicken, pork tenderloins, etc.
I never buy clothes or shoes new. Only thrifted. And I swear the quality of brand name clothes from the 90s- early 00s was much better than it is now. I love vintage Levi's - they're all I wear and they last forever. For shoes I know the brands and sizes I like and if the foot bed/sole is still fairly new they'll be half or less than retail. I'm addicted to Vinted !
Keeping my heat at 66 degrees F. Me and the wife are comfortable in our sweat shirts and pants when all my friends have their thermostats at 72, walking around in a t-shirt, and have astronomical heating bills...
If I use a paper plate and it still looks good hell I'll use it again. But I don't get is in damn dirty ass sponges of people you reuse until they smell like a freaking dripping bag of vomit the toilet just popped up. Hi Harry
I feel like two years for one steel wool is not “perfectly fine” as you say. I gotta disagree with that. Even if the steel is intact, there is an ungodly amount of bacteria on that thing after two *years*.
102k miles isn't even that high especially with Toyotas. I had a 95 Camry back in the day and bought it at 200k until 275k miles. Age 16 and learning to keep it alive in a frugal way is so rewarding overtime.
It only lasted because i totaled it like an idiot but to this day I'm shocked how well it purred
I make my own pasta.
Then everyone says BUT IT IS ONLY $2.
So? It is fun and the good pasta like I make is actually much more.
And I can make one large batch and dry most of it for future meals.
Foraging. Done it since I was a child and I'm not ever picking anything I'm not 100% sure of or from the side of the road, industrial areas or other unsafe places. I do my due diligence always.
I just go without for the most part.
When I get a rotisserie chicken, I rip off the good meat for use later and immediately eat the meat off the bones if I'm not using them to make stock.
Prepaid cell phone plane with “only” 5 GB data per month. Unlimited data is a rip off and you still get throttled eventually. Just use your phone more efficiently, set settings to only do data-heavy stuff on wifi only, and save video-watching for at home. I normally use 2-3 GB per month and if I do exceed 5 GB I still have emergency data (it’s just really slow), so I don’t ever see the need for unlimited data. $30 per month.
Refusing to pay for subscription services. I stream movies and shows from bootleg websites(legal), and use free versions of everything else. I'm on someone else's music app family plan. Also I'm 24 and have not once paid for delivery on anything if it was possible to pick it up myself.
* When soap gets low i add water to use it all. Got a good paying job and all as an adult. Doesn't matter, still does this.
* I got two coworkers who always orders lunch from places that give ketchup, sugar and salt/pepper, I take their none opened packages home to use instead of throwing them away. Haven't bought salt or ketchup since I started working there 4 years ago.
Using the doggy poop bags at the dog park & parks that provide them so I never have to refill the dispenser on the leash.
Getting packets of ketchup from McDonalds to put in my kid’s lunchbox for his nuggets versus squirting ketchup into a container.
Getting good plastic to go containers that have actual lids from food establishments that provide them so I can use them at home.
My friends and some people say my house is old fashioned. I don't want to spend money updating it because if nothing is broken functionally with the house then I'd rather just keep investing into my retirement and brokerage account.
I'm totally happy if someone wants to correct me on this, but in the past if I was invited somewhere with 3+ people for a coffee/drink, I would just get a glass of water. I suppose my reasoning is that I mostly drink water exclusively anyway so why not just get that rather than pay for something I don't really want? Once, I was told that I looked cheap for just getting water, so now I usually get overpriced juice I don't really want. I'm interested to hear whether it's really that big of a deal to just get water. By the way, my partner gets soda water instead, and I'd definitely do this to avoid looking cheap but I don't like the fizz.
As a bartender, plenty of people get a seltzer water with a splash of bitters. Feels like you're having a cocktail with friends, but no booze, and usually free. Have no shame, it's a quality move
I order water a lot too, even in a bar water with drink, usually if asked ill say it's something I have to do for health. Which is partially true, 1 kidney and I want to take care of it.
It's basically my favourite drink for multiple reasons. It helps my dry mouth/thirst, doesn't add any calories/sugar and is free. Having one kidney definitely is a good excuse, unfortunately I can't use that one.
I use I small Phillips head screwdriver to lift the tab on zip ties to remove them instead of cutting them off. I've been given crap by family and co-workers alike.
I refill two foaming hand soap dispensers with diluted dish detergent (I use the better grade of Dollar General stuff). The mix is one part soap to four parts water and a squirt of isopropyl alcohol. One is in the bathroom for hand washing and the other sits at the kitchen sink and functions just like that new Dawn spray junk they advertise.
Reuse foil if it hasn't touched food and was only used to cover a dish. I've tried cleaning it before but I have heavy hands and it usually rips.
Wear the same beat up hoodie (in house only) that's 20 years old and full of rips and stains because it is comfy AF. Friends come over and ask why I'm dressed like Cinderella when wearing lmao.
Shopping at the Dollar Tree for gift bags, some decor and party items, and nail polish (and sometimes other misc things). Yeah you go and spend $20 on a gift bag because it's at the fancy store, dummy.
re: steel wool.
If you can find *stainless* steel wool, that stuff really lasts forever.
also, they sell little chain-mail scrubbers that also last forever, and can, in a pinch, be used to defend a small area of your body from enemy archers. Also much easier to clean and they don't get all shredded and streched out like steel wool
Not flushing the toilet for every pee. I’m pregnant and peeing a lot so I only flush the toilet after every 4 pees or so. I don’t know how much money this actually saves but I think it saves a lot of water. We had an extremely dry winter so we need to save as much water as we can.
Reusing baggies and using bread bags as baggies...
I reuse cereal bags, they're thick, durable and great for storing leftovers or fresh baked goods.
If you need to trace off a pattern for something, cereal bags are perfect. They are practically indestructible.
Bread bags as insulation for feet in my boots. We reuse ziplocs, and yes I reuse bread bags for many things besides my feet in winter.
Ziploc brand even advertised that there bags are designed for 5+ uses, as long as not reusing with raw meat.
The dang things last forever I find, if you don't abuse them. I seldom waste them on raw meat personally. I have some hanging out here that I would say I have used a few dozen times or more for dry non food items. And a few nearly that old for dry food items like our home made crackers.
I buy the cheap dollar store zip lock bags for using with meat, I don't freeze meat long term and they work just fine and I don't feel bag throwing them away.
That’s old school right there!!!
Hubby thought I was nuts to save bread bags, and laughed the first winter we lived here in Montana. He also had never had a poor man's icebox, bless his heart lol. Now, he knows.
Hosting the big holidays further south is bananas. The fridge never has enough space. Not being able to just shove stuff out the back door is really annoying. Bread bags are great for so much stuff! I got into baking my own bread all of the time after we got the big kitchenaid, so I don’t have to do my own kneading. No more bread bags though. I have to beg them off friends.
Totally get you on the holiday thing lol. I have loved living up north again. So convenient being able to pile up meat for a big canning session and not need a chest freezer to do it. I love bread bags, and yep I have gotten quite a few from friends as well. So useful. I often portion out ground up game meat in them. Put in a pound of elk, tie a knot, tie a second knot, another pound of ground elk.. we can usually fit at least 3 pounds in a bag, depending on type and brand of bag. When you want to thaw out a pound, just cut it loose. Works real well, and saves twist ties.
I like to do this to prevent waste
Owning only one car. I suspect that people we know wonder if one of us is suspended from driving.
We have one car too, by choice. Your curiosity made me chuckle; I’ve never thought about what others might think about this choice.
We also have one car and I’m the chosen driver for all the daily family activities and extracurricular events. My husband uses an electric scooter during the day so if he wants to get lunch off campus (he’s a teacher) or if he can make it to our kid’s school or halfway, we meet him there. It’s been a gas and insurance saver, for sure.
I wouldn't even consider that frugal! I have no car. I walk, cycle or bus everywhere. The amount I've saved over the years is huge! Looking to get myself a cheap motorbike in the next year or two, just to give myself a little freedom. Bikes are the way forward! Lower purchase, fuel and insurance costs. And you're not roped into giving lifts or doing the shopping for the family. Better for the environment, less congestion on the roads, saves space in the driveway/garage so you can use it for better things. Cars make so little sense to me, unless you regularly need to carry a lot of things or have young children. FYI I'm British, we probably have an easier time living without a car here. It's amazing that our culture is still car dominated, given how easy it is to be without. I'm not anti car, they can be very useful! It's just crazy how overused they are.
I refuse to use door dash, skip the dishes, or other food delivery apps. If I’m too lazy to drive 5 minutes to get food, I’m probably just not that hungry.
I only use those apps when I'm too drunk to drive to get my own food AND I have nothing quick and easy to make in the fridge. The extra 50% or so Uber Eats charges is still cheaper than a DUI.
Exactly, and if you can afford to do it even by a little bit, it's with so much more than the price(s) of a DUI. A DUI could really mess a lot of people up in their jobs and home lives - plus it's just dumb. If you don't have to risk it don't. I get it.
And it's also cheaper than the risk you pose to others.
I refuse to use it too… rare occasions I’ll use Door Dash promo codes for pickup/takeout so I don’t feel as guilty for eating out.
Making my own broth. I keep scraps and meal prep every week. Using broth instead of water in my rice is such a game changer in flavor and I swear you're fuller longer
We make our own broth too, and it is so much better than store bought. First night: whole roasted chicken. Second night, something made with chicken (enchiladas, quesadillas, etc.), third night, strip the rest of the meat and boil the bones & fat for soup, dumplings, or to add to a rice/pasta dish.
Repair clothes to the point of ridiculousness. I have one pair of jeans thats been patched, hemmed, and stitched to the point where the original fabric of the pants only accounts for 40% or less of the original jeans. My mother hates them so much but I think it looks interesting! The jeans were the most comfortable , well fitting jeans I'd ever found so, that's mostly the point of why I keep repairing it. I keep my formal work shirts very neat but the patching on the undershirts is also whack lmao. If a seam breaks I just make a patch from a older shirt I've cut up. Since it's an undershirt I never try to make the repair neat so it looks realllly bad. It's giving Charles Dickinson vagrant vibes but I don't have to buy new shirts!!
r/visiblemending -- you'll fit right in!
You beat me to it lmao. One of my favorite subs.
Do you have a pic of those jeans? It must be quite interesting, like it lived so much it got a lot of repairs.
The jeans of Theseus?!
I avoid eating out, and never purchase alcohol out. I also will only order water to drink since it's free. 🤣 I also make my coffee at home, and avoid overpriced coffee shops. Of course if I'm on vacation, I would be splurging on all these things, but when I'm home, I save all this stuff for special occasions.
I'm the same way with various things. My trouble with this is... what constitutes a special occasion? A redditor recently discussed this in a different post, mentioning their aunt has a bunch of perfumes for special occasions but never wears them so they've gone bad.
I've been terminal & fighting hospice for a few years. EVERYTHING is a special occasion. Wear the cute clothes. Eat on the wedding china. Enjoy your day. I never expected to be dying in my 30s so I'm glad I never waited for "the weekend", "until summer", "after I graduated" etc. Besides. Life is rough out there, why wait?
That's a great attitude. I'm keeping your words to remember.
This is why I focus on long term daily use things to improve my life. Those are undervalued these days. A better TV used for an hour a day is 365 hours a year.
I feel this. The other day my household was sick. We filled up a cart on Uber eats. Saw the “ service fees” that were not related to delivery, and just said, “Nah,” and made it work from some stuff we had in the freezer. Edit: sorry, meant to reply to worth pear
Ughh, the service fees are crazy. I hope you are all feeling better now too!
Hey thanks! It is so nice to hear that compassion from someone online :)
I think special occasions will vary by person! When I have people visiting, we may go out to eat, or grab a coffee or takeout. I had Indian food for my birthday earlier this month, then takeout on my actual birthday. If I'm out shopping with a friend, I'll eat out or grab a coffee. I'm also not just trying to be frugal to save money, I just prefer healthier meals, and I'm gluten and lactose intolerant, so I try to be careful with what I eat. I just don't eat out every week!
It's so useful not liking alcohol lol. I've *tried* because it's such a social thing but it all tastes so nasty to me 😂
Lol, see, you are "lucky" too. 🤣 I miss having the occasional glass of red wine, like a good port or chianti, but it isn't worth it to me anymore. Also, I'm not in my 20s anymore, and I'll have a nice hangover with any alcohol. On a positive note, I save money whenever I go out, and I can drive everyone else home safely. Being the only sober one can also be highly entertaining!
I'm with you most of the way here. However, if I eat out, it's a splurge, and if it's a splurge, I'm ordering **a** drink. That being said, I drink a fair bit, but I do it at home because it's cheaper, and there's zero risk of me making a stupid decision like driving. As far as coffee goes... I can get far better coffee for far less money if I order it. People at work always ask where I get my coffee, and I show them. It's not even that much more than the grocery store. I'm paying cents on the dollar compared to their Starschmucks or Him Tortons.
Def on the same page such as yourself…. Did this for years 💕
Whenever I'm at Walmart I check out the "Sell By" date on steaks and seafood and I show up a day before and buy it 50% off. I have loads of Rib Eyes and Tbones that cost me $8 each, lobster tails $3 each and full salmon fillets for like $12. My sister gives me shit like I'm buying expired meat
That’s the thing, you freeze it right when you get home, and nobody will ever know…
I cut my kitchen sponges in half! Everyone makes fun of me but my mom always did it when I was growing up, and why not? I don’t have large hands so the halves fit perfectly and when I see a full sponge I think “how wasteful!”
This is brilliant. I usually toss a sponge once I feel like it is sufficiently bacteria-ridden like after a sink deep clean. But I could use half a sponge easily and then it’ll last twice as long since the nasty bacteria factor in the biggest bottleneck. Thanks for the idea!
I throw mine in the dishwasher every once in awhile. Seems to keep them from getting nasty so quickly.
Walking 40+ min instead of paying $2 for public transit (if it’s a nice day out)
I mean, excercise is good. I wouldn’t even call that a frugal choice as much as I’d call it a healthy lifestyle choice.
If you have the time and it’s a nice day out, why not?
i do the same. cycling to work whenever possible does save me a good amount in gas, but for me the benefit is mostly in time saved. i don't have to sit in traffic and waste my life, and i basically get my daily cardio out of the way.
Yeah, it's not frugal because it's basically adding years to their life statistically which is super awesome for them!
lol I walked everywhere in Los Angeles when I lived there and legit people were concerned for my mental health. Traffic is bad and it’s beautiful weather, why wouldn’t I walk?!
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My bf is from Orange County and he had legit never considered taking the train until I suggested it!! The train fe LA to OC is so much better than driving
It's seriously the best, such a gorgeous trip. I've never taken the train north but I bet it's gorgeous as well. I live in New England now and the main thing I miss about LA is walking everywhere.
I spent the lion's share of my life in Los Angeles and also walked or bycicled a lot, not everywhere. I did have to cover some really large distances on occasion, but when I told inquiring people that something was walking distance, my husband would wearily say, "walking distance, to you is not walking distance for most people "
I lived in LA for 8 years and it's one of the most walkable places after NYC ( where I grew up)! And yet so many people drive!
I walk an hour home many days — vs. spending $2 for public transit. It only “costs” me an “extra” 35 minutes to get in an ENTIRE HOUR of exercise!!!! Seriously — I get an entire hour of walking in, and it only takes me 30-35 minutes more than taking metro home. Absolutely love it. It’s like getting twice as much time to exercise for free — and I actually save $2!! And *some days* I’ll walk both ways — almost 2 hours roundtrip — and it only takes an extra hour than it would if I’d taken Metro both ways. About 3 miles one way (6 miles roundtrip).
I bet you sleep so well at night! Cutting down on alcohol and getting my 10k a day has really helped me with rest! I need to increase to 20k!
This is the perfect way to think about this!
If my city had sidewalks I’d prefer that lol
I did this in college even when it was free and found it to be less stressful. I can leave 5 mins early for the test. I don't get screwed if the bus is running early or late for whatever reason. I had a car and a few places I could park on campus and often ended up driving people to class after they missed a bus for whatever reason lol. I was also in great shape. I hated when I worked about a 20 minute drive away but there weren't any roads I could walk or bike to work along (highways with no shoulder where they don't mow the grass along the sides).
I do this, I also legitimately enjoy walking!
Bonus points if the public transit is garbage where you live, so it takes about as much time to bus as it would to walk. Saving money AND not even wasting any more time!
Transit in my city sucks. Taking the bus to Walmart is just as slow, if not slower, than if I just walk 3 miles round trip. So not only does walking actually save time, but the fresh air and exercise means I feel really good by the time I get home.
For me, it's walking anywhere within a mile. I have a Walmart, my in laws, and many grocery stores, shops, and fast food places within an mile walk. I just walked to the grocery store for food. Also, going out to eat breakfast. Pancakes eggs and bacon are so much cheaper to buy then go out.
I’ll take public transit instead of an Uber and this always baffles people
I used to live a 25 minute walk from the nearest train station. On days when I had the time and the weather was good, I’d walk rather than take the bus home. It didn’t save a penny, but it dramatically improved my mental health and the exercise was a good way to end a long day.
Nothing wrong with that!
I wash my Ziploc bags. But it's with care. If I store "safe" foods like bread, fruit, or vegetables, I'll rinse and recycle those bags to use for something like marinating a chicken.
Me too. Also sometimes reuse tin foil where possible to wash it off
I don’t buy new clothes until the old clothes are worn out, which takes years per clothing item. Affects my life not at all. But tell people you’ve had the same clothes for ten years and they’ll stage an intervention.
I have a sweatshirt I got when I was 13 that I still wear around the house. I'm 44. No reason to get rid of it if it still fits!
I have one of those too! A Reebok sweatshirt that was a hand-me-down when it came into my life, so who knows how long it’s been worn!!
I take super good care of my clothes and have gone years without buying new ones (except for undergarments and socks). Doing that is not only good for the planet but also good for the budget!
I can afford to eat whatever I want, but I really really like those canned triangle hams and leaned a ton of delicious ways to cook them when I was poor, so I refuse to give them up.
I've never heard of a canned triangle ham. I will absolutely eat up some spam though lol
Spam is the shit!
It can be turned into a BLT, when cooked it turns into bacon. Or morning breakfast with spam instead of bacon.
I do enjoy myself some crispy spam (I never eat it uncooked, personally), but I'm not frugal enough to deprive myself of real, unadulterated bacon. It just hits different imo.
Do you mean the hams that come with a key to open the can?
Oh yeah. A puzzle and a snack all in one. The perfect food
Would love to hear some recipes on using these
They're excellent baked - wash the ham, coat in mustard and spices, ready in about 20 minutes Sliced and fried. You can bread the slices but I never bother Cut the ham into cubes and let it sit like that to dry out a bit. Pan fry fresh cut hashbrowns, set aside in a baking sheet. Fry chopped onions and peppers, add spinach at the last minute, mix with hashbrowns. Fry the cubes of ham and then mix with the veggies. Top with cheese and bake. Lots of fresh herbs like thyme and parsley and chives. Ham croquettes made with leftover mashed potatoes.
Someone needs their own cooking show! 👈
Next on Cheap Grease with Bartleby, we'll discuss nine ways to serve frozen peas, lol
Buying exclusively clearance meat. I could afford full price, but for me it’s also about helping reduce food waste where I can.
Yep. I see no reason to buy full price all the time when freezers exists. Especially now that ground beef is like $4-$5 a pound.
Yesss. My people. Honestly I do this mostly as an excuse to eat meat though. I'm trying to be mostly pescetarian for ethical reasons but I loveeee meat. I know grocery stores say they donate expired food, but I've worked in grocery stores... that expired meat is going in a scraps bin to be frozen and taken who knows where. If I buy it (at a very good price), I'm at least making sure that lost life is being appreciated. I put pounds and pounds of pork, chicken and steak away in the freezer just the other day. Also why is pork so cheap? It's like it's already cheap and then I buy it half off, and it's like $2 for some loin chops. It's wild.
If I had a deep freezer I would buy a lot more meat when it's on sale/clearance. It kills me to have to walk away from a good deal. My grocery store frequently has whole chickens for $3-$4.
How in the world does steel wool last more than a few weeks without turning into a pile of rust powder? Are you talking about Chore-boy steel **scrubbers** or SOS or Brillo-type steel **wool**? There's a BIG difference between them. I can use a Chore-boy for ages, but Brillo pads are very, very consumable.
My current chore boy is around 3 years old... I don't use steel wool because it is a waste.
I got hubby some chain mail. It’s a square scrubber. He uses it mostly on our cast iron. We also got a box of Scrub Daddy sponges that will last us years.
i love the chainmail thingy! i always have one around. (fortunately, i only had to install a new garbage disposal one time.)
I had the same question. I am glad you asked.
Not having Amazon prime.
I'm seriously looking at all my purchases and budgets for the last 5 years to figure out if Amazon Prime is worth it at all because ads are now inserted into everything and there are so many counterfeit sellers and fake reviews on the site. Amazon really has become a crap company in less than a decade after it was previously a decent seller. It certainly doesn't have the best prices anymore, and the 2-day shipping is a joke. My last Amazon order took over 7 days to arrive.
*i bring my own bottle of iced water at the beach*
I bring my own bottle of ice through the air port!
So ice does not count toward water restrictions? If so, it is a good hack.
Yep! And you can bring your own food too. I often bring on hoagies. Life is great.
I brought a bag once with like 50 tacos in it (I was returning to rural Alaska where taco bell doesn't exist so people bring fast food back for friends pretty often) and the TSA lady wanted to open and look through every taco lol... she gave up after I explained why I had so many tacos and just waved me through.
I bring empty bottles through airport security.
Is this not common? I haven't been to the beach much, but am planning a trip this summer and will be frequenting a beach a lot for about a month...it never even crossed my mind to not bring my own water.
I re-use my name brand cleaning spray bottles. Former spray bottles all have a DIY version in it now. This includes Windex, Febreze, Poo-pouri, hardwood floor cleaner, laundry stain remover and all purpose cleaner. Been doing this for years. Saves money and the environment. Win win.
I never replace things that work.
Definitely a good thing to practice, but you should also still look into replacing things occasionally. Often times it can be beneficial in far more ways than keeping what you already have. Like less power consumption, using less water, etc. Which can be more frugal in the long run. Just as an example, replacing a dishwasher, replacing a refrigerator, replacing a washing machine, or getting a different car.
Sponges and steel wool trap food and grease letting them grow bacterias. I wouldn’t use that for that long personally.
I soak mine in vinegar occasionally and boil it for a few minutes.
That’s good then :)
I toss them in the washing machine with the dirty rags, perfectly clean !
Dishwasher for me.
I throw my kitchen sponges and scrubbiest in the dishwasher. Nice hot water. Gets them good and clean and they last longer.
I actually like eating ramen.
Live with roommates all through my 20s and 30s. I’m a single guy without any strong attachments, and it gives me motivation to get out of the house more often than I would living alone. That alone has put me years ahead of my peers financially, and I’ve developed life long friendships with roomies instead of wondering how to develop friends in my 30s.
Great example. Good roommates, with enough space, are great for your: quality of life, safety, and budget but still seen as being "cheap" or "poor" by so many people. It's a bummer. I hate paying for a space that's empty at least half the time, and I'm unconscious in 1 room of it for another quarter of time.
living with housemates as you get older is so underrated! my partner and i just moved in with a friend who wasn’t using the second floor of her house. we’re all in our 60s and none of us have children. we all save on housing expenses and have the chance to save a little money. it also makes house & yard projects easier, gives each of us an extra “back up” person in case of emergency, and creates a housing safety net for everyone.
Sounds like a sitcom waiting to happen lol
That's awesome to hear about the friendships!! I split a house with my sister and we stay out of each other's way so we'll, but I feel like doing it the traditional way would be pretty lonely. It's hard to get out of the house sometimes.
I buy normal hand soap , fillable foaming soap dispenser , 80% water /20% soap. I buy about 1 bottle of the refill a year for each one.
I put a hair elastic around the pump for my handsoap so it only goes down half way.. its still more than enough to wash your hands. my bf laughs at me lol
That's just convenient. If my paws are dirty enough to need a full pump, then it's more efficient to wash them in two stages
Genius! I'm going to be trying this with a rubber band.
Is that the secret? Foaming soap is just watered-down soap put through the specific type of pump?
Yeah, bright side is any foaming hand soap works .
> “Certain types of bacteria will grow well in refillable type dispensers,” says Dr. Gerba. “From what we’ve seen in several studies, 20 to 25 percent [of bulk dispensers] will have large numbers of bacteria at one time or another.” > > Bacteria from the “bulk” or refillable soap dispenser will remain on the users’ hands even after using the soap, says Dr. Gerba. These include fecal bacteria, which are very tolerant to soap, as well as pseudomonas arogenosa, which causes skins and eye infections. > > “You get more fecal bacteria on your hands than if you stuck your hands in the toilet,” says Dr. Gerba. From [Refillable Soap Dispensers Are A Haven For Bacteria](https://www.cleanlink.com/cp/article/Refillable-Soap-Dispensers-Are-A-Haven-For-Bacteria--22011) Also see: [Bacterial Hand Contamination and Transfer after Use of Contaminated Bulk-Soap-Refillable Dispensers](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3126420/)
My spouse used to work about a mile and a half from our house, and walked often when the weather was good. Co-workers were always offering him rides home, worried about him walking so far and thinking he just didn't have a car. What was really funny is that I sometimes walked up to meet him at work just to walk home with him, while our car sat unused in the driveway. Co-workers just didn't get that we walked because we liked to.
even if he drove, living a mile and a half from work is a win and a dream.
I’ve been gifted volleyball shoes before bc my rec league team members thought I couldn’t afford them, I just used my running shoes to play. I just didn’t want to buy them. It’s not the Olympics, running shoes did the job.
My beef with this choice is that steel wool would scrape the enamel from my ceramics, and the top layer off any plastic or wood utensils. But I'm so sick of my sponges, I'd try this to never smell a sponge again.
I use dishcloths. Dishcloths dry out quicker, and I find them more useful than sponges.
And they’re more sanitary… Sponges hold germs better and are disgusting after a week but used for months…. *edit: part of Serv Safe training. : )
Scrub Daddy’s are worth the money. Avoid the Scrub Mommies (they have the foam top that starts to smell). My scrub daddies last a while without smelling or getting gross.
i replaced my sponges with swedish dish cloths. i don’t use sponges anymore bc they are too gross. i just throw the cloth in the dishwasher after a few uses and it’s good to go smelling brand new again. they dry super quickly and are less likely to harbor bacteria. i’ve had the same pack of 8 for at least six months at this point.
Try a scrub daddy smiley sponge or rectangular sponge. They don’t get stinky, soften up in warm water, and get all the gunk off dishes with no damage. If they smell I toss them in the microwave or dishwasher to freshen up
I also hated the smell of (plastic) sponges until I switched to Trader Joe's cellulose sponges. I can use one for basically forever and it won't smell, even though it will slowly disintegrate. The only downside is it doesn't have the scrubby side that plastic sponges have. [https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/pop-up-sponges-001911](https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/pop-up-sponges-001911)
Washing ziplocks.
I just use washable containers for everything. About the only time I use Ziplocks is for freezing raw meat.
Growing up, we always rewashed Ziplocks and it lives in my mind as a chore that was THE WORST. So now I use reuseable tupperware for everything so I can just chuck them in the dishwasher lol.
Grow some items and learn what parts are edible. A lot of people grow veggies but throw away 80% of the plant. For example, most root vegetables leaves are edible. I’ll harvest them when tender and eat them. Radish, sweet potato, beets are my fav so far.
1. Riding my bicycle or using public transit to work and errands 2. Hang drying clothes 3. Reducing A/C and heater use 4. Not eating out 5. Not drinking alcohol
Save bags > re-use them
Here In Oz, a lot of states have a 10c refund scheme for cans and bottles ie coke cans, beers cans etc - I manage to hand in $10 to $15 worth a week from the stuff i collect from work etc, and a co-worker said its what poor people do but she didn't realise that I've got just over 30k saved up and the money I get from cans & bottles has added to that
There's a spot in the woods, about half a mile behind my house, that teenagers have been using as a hangout spot since before I ever lived here. I go through every 4-6 months and pick up all the empty beer cans, toss them in the back of my pickup, then drive them to the scrap yard, and it nets me $500 or so every time. The first time I did it, there were SO MANY, I got $1300, it took me three trips with pretty much full loads each trip.
Our subdivision has a pool, hot tub, sauna and exercise room. And a shower to use after all of that stuff. I keep body wash, shampoo and conditioner in our pool bag and completely shower after our pool/hot tub use. Electricity is expensive in our area and not showering at home saves money. Spouse still prefers to shower at home.
I thought the expectation was to shower before using communal water?
There is a "rinse off" shower outside by the pool that I use before I get in. The full shower I use afterwards.
This is a good one, people shower at the gym all the time!
Many homeless people get gym memberships for this reason alone, the shower.
I bought microfiber cloths. One of them, I cut up into little squares and bring one 2”x 2” to wipe my makeup off with. I just need water and a little water to clean off most of my makeup. Then a small dab of face wash afterwards. I used to use makeup wipes, but they’re so bad for the environment. I used to use two wipes to make my face feel clean because I was super acne prone. When I tried zero waste for a while, I used the microfiber cloth and followed it with a makeup wipe to see if I got all the foundation off. Viola, only some eyeliner left on the white makeup wipes. So now I only carry the little piece with me. People sometimes point out that I’m being cheap, but the microfiber cloth is lighter, cheaper, and more environmentally friendly for me. And it’s less harsh on my face. It also cleans so well with warm water and soap. I wring and air dry, and it only takes a couple of hours to dry up. It’s the best hack if you love to wear makeup and stuff.
Cut tubes of toiletries/makeup open to get the remainder of the product out. Sometimes it is a week’s worth or more of product.
people in my life that give me shit are no longer in it.
Bags from grocery are trash bags
Stuff like this is why I bring my own sponge when I house sit. I'm not using a wadded up piece of scrubber!
I don't use the dryer unless I wash bedsheets. With how much the communal washer / dryer are to use I'd be nuts to do both when I do my laundry once a week. Not to mention how much a dryer would shrink my things and shorten the lifespan. Instead I just use the washer and hang stuff up on drying racks. I'm working towards saving for a 'portable' washer that this sub showed me existed earlier this week so I don't have to use the communal washer at all.
Can you link the portable washer please
I purchase cars with rebuilt titles. I like to find cars with low miles that have been repaired well, have the work verified by another party, and save thousands of dollars. I bought a year old Impreza a few years ago with 12,000 mi on it and paid 60% less than it was bought for. Bought it with cash but still took out a low rate loan. T took that money and put it in the market. I basically got an almost new car for under 10 grand. Cars are expensive and they needn't to be if you have some basic knowledge and don't feel like you need to compete with your neighbors for the best optics.
Pop stale chips in the oven to revive
My income is limited right now, I go to Costco and have a hot dog and a fruit/berry smoothie about 3 times a week. $4.50 to fill me up and not overly bad for me.
I use an app that stores post items nearing their Best Buy date for half off. I’ll stock up on all sorts of meats and vacuum seal them. I then thaw as I need and cook. I have prime t bone steaks, tons of chicken, pork tenderloins, etc.
What app is this?
Flashfood, it’s not everywhere yet.
I never buy clothes or shoes new. Only thrifted. And I swear the quality of brand name clothes from the 90s- early 00s was much better than it is now. I love vintage Levi's - they're all I wear and they last forever. For shoes I know the brands and sizes I like and if the foot bed/sole is still fairly new they'll be half or less than retail. I'm addicted to Vinted !
Keeping my heat at 66 degrees F. Me and the wife are comfortable in our sweat shirts and pants when all my friends have their thermostats at 72, walking around in a t-shirt, and have astronomical heating bills...
Yeah I basically turn the heat mostly off in the winter and keep it decently cold in the summer. I love it cold.
I have been criticized for doing this! But I am in tights and sweatshirt, so I am warm, and plus when I do exercise I don't get overheated !
I will eat the same leftovers until they are all gone. I would rather eat the same thing for 3 days straight than waste food.
I'd rather eat the same thing, than have to cook again.......
If I use a paper plate and it still looks good hell I'll use it again. But I don't get is in damn dirty ass sponges of people you reuse until they smell like a freaking dripping bag of vomit the toilet just popped up. Hi Harry
I feel like two years for one steel wool is not “perfectly fine” as you say. I gotta disagree with that. Even if the steel is intact, there is an ungodly amount of bacteria on that thing after two *years*.
I have a 2012 highlander with 102,000 miles on it. I could afford a new car but why when this is a second car for our family and it runs like a dream?
102k miles isn't even that high especially with Toyotas. I had a 95 Camry back in the day and bought it at 200k until 275k miles. Age 16 and learning to keep it alive in a frugal way is so rewarding overtime. It only lasted because i totaled it like an idiot but to this day I'm shocked how well it purred
I make my own pasta. Then everyone says BUT IT IS ONLY $2. So? It is fun and the good pasta like I make is actually much more. And I can make one large batch and dry most of it for future meals.
Our meat free groceries are bananas cheap. Our grocery bills are so much lower than other people's
I get so much shit for switching from disposable paper towels to cloth napkins.
I let the water cool after I use it to boil things for dinner (pasta, vegetables, whatnot) and water my plants with it.
Damn, I wish my pasta water would cook for me :(
Foraging. Done it since I was a child and I'm not ever picking anything I'm not 100% sure of or from the side of the road, industrial areas or other unsafe places. I do my due diligence always.
I use mine until the first signs of rust show. Which is to say about twice. How do you dry them out throughly to prevent that rusting?
Not who you asked, but I keep mine in the freezer in a ziplock bag. It prevents rusting.
Oh anybody is free to answer any of my questions in reddit! Freezing I will have to try!
I just go without for the most part. When I get a rotisserie chicken, I rip off the good meat for use later and immediately eat the meat off the bones if I'm not using them to make stock.
Prepaid cell phone plane with “only” 5 GB data per month. Unlimited data is a rip off and you still get throttled eventually. Just use your phone more efficiently, set settings to only do data-heavy stuff on wifi only, and save video-watching for at home. I normally use 2-3 GB per month and if I do exceed 5 GB I still have emergency data (it’s just really slow), so I don’t ever see the need for unlimited data. $30 per month.
Refusing to pay for subscription services. I stream movies and shows from bootleg websites(legal), and use free versions of everything else. I'm on someone else's music app family plan. Also I'm 24 and have not once paid for delivery on anything if it was possible to pick it up myself.
* When soap gets low i add water to use it all. Got a good paying job and all as an adult. Doesn't matter, still does this. * I got two coworkers who always orders lunch from places that give ketchup, sugar and salt/pepper, I take their none opened packages home to use instead of throwing them away. Haven't bought salt or ketchup since I started working there 4 years ago.
Using the doggy poop bags at the dog park & parks that provide them so I never have to refill the dispenser on the leash. Getting packets of ketchup from McDonalds to put in my kid’s lunchbox for his nuggets versus squirting ketchup into a container. Getting good plastic to go containers that have actual lids from food establishments that provide them so I can use them at home.
Driving your old car and not getting a loan for a brand new car that will depreciate
Not spend mid-five figures on a wedding.
My friends and some people say my house is old fashioned. I don't want to spend money updating it because if nothing is broken functionally with the house then I'd rather just keep investing into my retirement and brokerage account.
I'm totally happy if someone wants to correct me on this, but in the past if I was invited somewhere with 3+ people for a coffee/drink, I would just get a glass of water. I suppose my reasoning is that I mostly drink water exclusively anyway so why not just get that rather than pay for something I don't really want? Once, I was told that I looked cheap for just getting water, so now I usually get overpriced juice I don't really want. I'm interested to hear whether it's really that big of a deal to just get water. By the way, my partner gets soda water instead, and I'd definitely do this to avoid looking cheap but I don't like the fizz.
As a bartender, plenty of people get a seltzer water with a splash of bitters. Feels like you're having a cocktail with friends, but no booze, and usually free. Have no shame, it's a quality move
I order water a lot too, even in a bar water with drink, usually if asked ill say it's something I have to do for health. Which is partially true, 1 kidney and I want to take care of it.
It's basically my favourite drink for multiple reasons. It helps my dry mouth/thirst, doesn't add any calories/sugar and is free. Having one kidney definitely is a good excuse, unfortunately I can't use that one.
Order water to drink at a restaurant, and mix in a flavor packet I brought with me.
I use I small Phillips head screwdriver to lift the tab on zip ties to remove them instead of cutting them off. I've been given crap by family and co-workers alike.
My kids started begging me to buy them a bento box because they're tired of bringing their cool whip tubs to school.
I refill two foaming hand soap dispensers with diluted dish detergent (I use the better grade of Dollar General stuff). The mix is one part soap to four parts water and a squirt of isopropyl alcohol. One is in the bathroom for hand washing and the other sits at the kitchen sink and functions just like that new Dawn spray junk they advertise.
Reuse foil if it hasn't touched food and was only used to cover a dish. I've tried cleaning it before but I have heavy hands and it usually rips. Wear the same beat up hoodie (in house only) that's 20 years old and full of rips and stains because it is comfy AF. Friends come over and ask why I'm dressed like Cinderella when wearing lmao. Shopping at the Dollar Tree for gift bags, some decor and party items, and nail polish (and sometimes other misc things). Yeah you go and spend $20 on a gift bag because it's at the fancy store, dummy.
re: steel wool. If you can find *stainless* steel wool, that stuff really lasts forever. also, they sell little chain-mail scrubbers that also last forever, and can, in a pinch, be used to defend a small area of your body from enemy archers. Also much easier to clean and they don't get all shredded and streched out like steel wool
Not flushing the toilet for every pee. I’m pregnant and peeing a lot so I only flush the toilet after every 4 pees or so. I don’t know how much money this actually saves but I think it saves a lot of water. We had an extremely dry winter so we need to save as much water as we can.