Husband and I are debt free at ages 36 & 39. House, 3 trucks, 2 cars, 1 rv, 2 boats, 1 Semi truck and a fork lift all paid off based on what you taught me on this channel. Thank you!
@@christineg6123 my husband drives semi for a living, he’s got a beater truck for hauling trailers/grass clippings, a truck for hauling the rv, a truck he has had since we met and were dating. I have a daily driving car and so does he. 🤷🏼♀️
Profiting is possible as every crash or recession offers market opportunities if you're prepared and knowledgeable. I've seen people amass up to 800k during crises and even thrive in a bad economy. I want to learn how to make such profits.
There are strategies that could be put in place for solid gains regardless of economy or market condition, but such executions are usually carried out by investment experts or advisors with experience
Yes, financial advisors can make a significant difference, especially in the current market. Stocks are quite volatile now, but with the right calculations and a good advisor, you can achieve substantial profits. That's the best protection against a recession.
My CFA Annette Christine Conte , a renowned figure in her line of work. I recommend researching her credentials further. She has many years of experience and is a valuable resource for anyone looking to navigate the financial market.
I gotta say this in my personal opinion is your best video...I often refer your channel to people who are struggling ..and I have gotten many tips from you...this is a person talking to people about a successful journey...thank you for what you do
Any time my husband says any amount of time, I’ve learned to double it and add 20 minutes. So if he says, “I’ll be home in 20 minutes.” he actually won’t be home for an hour. If he says “I’ll fix this in an hour.”, it’s actually gonna take him 2 hours and 20 minutes. I used to get so mad at him, but now that I understand his time tables, it’s all good. I’ve adjusted my expectations! 😂
Same!! My husband insists that he gets home by 6:30 each night. Babe! You text me at 6:15 and it's a 40 minute drive!! Like you, I manage expectations by adding time to his projections. lol!
Our family does a lot of large diy/building/rehab projects. We have learned if my husband says three weeks, it’s actually 2 months. 3 months, is more line 7months. 🤷🏼♀️🙃😅
You’re a wise woman. I’ve been with my husband for twenty years and I still get mad at him. He thinks it’ll be twenty minutes, but it’s always three hours. Adjusting your expectations is one of the most important things you can do in any relationship!
My husband is one of Weird Al's BIGGEST FANS!!! He literally knows EVERY word to EVERY song on EVERY album!!! My daughter found out about Weird Al's tour next year, and she bought us 3 tickets (for her dad, her and me) to go! Yes, they are nose-bleed seats, but WE DON'T CARE! WE ARE SOOOOOO EXCITED!!!!!
Weird Al went to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, California in the 1970's. He still looks the same. We used to sit in the Quad at lunch every day and have some laughs. He had a following back then. I took to butchering the words to every song thanks to him.
When I was younger my mom sewed clothes for my sister and I. We are short people and could not find clothing that was cute and could fit us. Back then the sewing was out of necessity and we could look good and it was cheaper. Back then the clearance table of fabric was as low as 39 cents a yard and patterns (that my mom knew how to alter and tailor to us) were a couple bucks. But now the patterns are $15-30 EACH ! Now fabric, well it's outrages. I bought some to cover 2 dining room chair seat cushions and it cost me $36 ! I still sew (thank You Mom), but I find fabric at thrift stores, and I learned to make my own patterns (nothing complicated).
I know! I made a couple of dresses and some shorts for a granddaughter…not frugal! I then moved on to make those little dresses that do not require a pattern!
My 12 year old daughter sews, and we are always on the hunt for cheap fabric or ways to reuse old clothes for fabric because the prices these days can get crazy!
Awesome video. Love when you show old pictures, of you, Dave and the Dave-lings. LOL I've never seen children resemble one parent SO MUCH in my life. His genes are DOMINANT. Wow.
#1 is so true! 2 examples at our house: clogged kitchen sink - the chemicals used ruined the finish in our stainless sink and did not remove the clog. Turned out a professional plumber was hardly able to fix it from inside the house because the clog was almost at the street. The plumber bill was less than cost of replacing the sink 🤪 Ants! Fought them for 2 years with multiple trips to hardware store for bait traps and other ant stuff. when we finally called an exterminator it was less than $200 dollars and they were gone within 1.5 weeks and gone for years! Seriously, call a professional 😂😂😂 I have finally convinced my husband that it is worth it for both peace of mind, ease, quickness and eventually overall cost
We wanted to change out the shower tap in our daughter's bathroom. My husband thought that he could do it, turns out he couldn't. We called a handyman service and it got done in about 10 minutes and only cost €35. Definitely worth the money and no mess or fighting about the mess 😂. Totally worth it 😊
To the people who comment on the expensive yet super-durable Le cruset pot. I rather spend a good amount on a really good quality piece of cookware that will last for many years and produce high-quality meals instead of burnt, stuck on food etc. You can then turn the frugal food into amazing tasting and looking meals. Spending more on tools and items that you use everyday is being frugal than replacing them every couple of years because they are worn out.
I agree!! My Le Creuset dutch oven will be handed down to my kids! Nice quality can be found 2nd hand. I bought a like new KitchenAid stand mixer with attachments at Goodwill for $15!!
We bought an expensive to us analon pot and pan set a few years ago. Our 15 year old set was starting to fail so I looked for a few months to find what I wanted. It was $300 on sale but the set will last us several years and cooks like a dream.
Exactly! Spending once on a thing that will last many years is being frugal. Buying a so so alternative that won’t last is being cheap, it will end up costing more and mess with the environment more than buying just one well made thing.
Ooh I will tell you that I worked at a haunted hayride while I was in college and while we got paid crap, it was one of the best jobs I ever had. The first year I worked it I helped build sets and learned construction and painting techniques that I would not have learned otherwise. The second year I worked it the owner sent us to Brooklyn to learn special effects makeup techniques. Most importantly I made friends there that have remained my friends 30 years later. The bonds we formed running through the woods scaring people and climbing on haywagons together connected us for life.
Love the parenting advice you've started giving. It's great to hear other parents go through similar things and how they handle it. 😊 he's working when many kids his age could, but WON'T. ❤❤
I spent mucho time researching our 50 year old garage springs (all 4 snapped in succession) and watched numerous videos. Spent over a year manually pulling open a door (required 2 people) before getting the guy in whom everyone recommended. Fixed in less than an hour and for less than half of what other installation companies estimated! Bonus: he gave me the name of a construction guy who liked to do handyman jobs on the side.
They are extremely dangerous! My husband had one of our sons try to help him fix ours. He ended up having to drive our son to the emergency room with a bleeding gash right next to his eye and one on his shoulder, so he needed stitches and other things. It came to $6,000 out of pocket. Needless to say, the garage door is still broke a year and a half later.
Good job Mom!!! I am a caseworker that only works with teens in foster care. Everyone wants to solve their problems for them and I am not about that. They need to try to figure things out with some guardrails so that when they are adults they know how. Anything safety related I get to decide but if you pick a job where you are out in the rain making no money, that is a lesson I will let you make the hard way. But also, he's making money to have fun on a Friday and Saturday night instead of spending money to have fun. Could be worse.
I am of an age where grandma and mom knew how to pinch pennies and passed on that knowledge to me. I, in turn, have passed it on to my daughter. I think that knowledge is kind of missing now. So happy to see a vid like this to bring penny pinching back in vogue!
Ty for sharing your early days~ my ex left when my kis were babies so l struggled & finished my degrees & raised them alone so lm proud of how well they grew up & have done well~l know living frugal 😊❤
Thanks for the reminder that this stage to meet our financial goals won’t always be like this! Already we’re thankful for the freedom we have with no debt, other than the mortgage (working on that), and a fully funded emergency fund and being able to be generous with our home and time. It’s all a blessing from the Lord!
I replaced a broken garage door spring once. Learned my lesson. It took me ALL DAY. I didn’t have any special tools either. The next time one broke, I called the door company. I wised up.
I did that with pulling carpet out of my house. I did the living room myself and made myself miserable and sore while taking so much time. Well worth the $100 per room I could hire someone to do it!
Smiles...maybe kitty should have helped. I made a stirrup on a chain with an S hook, stand on it to stretch the spring, and have a helper hook the chain on the door frame. The old spring broke on a cold morning and imbedded itself in the ceiling drywall. My kitty jumped 2 feet high when we heard it. The spring could have hit my car. I then replaced 4 springs on 2 doors and made sure they had safety cables inside so they don't get launched when one breaks. I do everything myself but I'm slowing down in my early 70's and the arthritis doesn't help.
I got my Weird Al ticket a few weeks ago and I am SO excited. I have loved him forever and I hear, that he is bringing back all the old sets, costumes, everything. THIS will be the tour to see! :)
Love that your son took the initiative to find a job. This should give him a head start on his next (paying) job because he has some experience and hopefully a reference. I do appreciate that you have to stay up late to bring him home, though. Love your videos!!
Thank you for explaining the difference between being cheap and being frugal.My sons are bartenders and restaurant managers and people that don’t tip do not understand how they are hurting people and their families.Those servers have to tip out the bus, boys, the kitchen, staff, etc. Whether you tip or not. Sometimes it cost the server money to wait on you.😮
I’m 66 and worked in restaurants for many years. My nineteen year old twins know the cardinal rule: If you can’t afford to tip, you can’t afford to eat out.
My 21 yr old informed me last week that Weird Al is coming to our area in 2025. WHAT!! Now I have to figure out how to purchase 8 tickets (our entire household)!! Our family loves Weird Al's songs. We definitely need to attend that concert!!
About your teenage son's job. It is great! Coming from a nurse, learning and being prepared to work uncomfortable hours and settings for a limited amount of money is a skill and mindset needed in life. This is great as a side job, learning how to be responsible. Let's face it. In the future, he might have a job that isn't as much fun. However, he will remember this great thing and learn a lot. You should be proud.
@@FrugalFitMom but it sure is fun seeing your reaction to his life decisions!! The real question is - WILL HE WEAR A COAT? 🤪 Seriously, though, hearing about a teenager with initiative gives me real hope for our future. Good job, Mom & Dad!
When I worked outside during the Christmas light show (think cold), I wore a fleece penguin adult costume. I wore long johns, jeans, a flannel shirt, stuck hand warmers in my pockets, a knit hat, thermal socks, thermal gloves, then wrapped a bright red scarf at my neck...so toasty except when the wind blew or it rained....ugh!
I had an electrician move an outlet in order to make room for a medicine cabinet. $212. My hub threw a fit, bc he “knew how.” But the amount of screaming and terror that would have resulted from DIY justified the cost.
As a clumsy man I agree it is better to get an expert to fix stuff. In a perfect society people get employed to provide a service they are good at! Now destroying a tree with a chainsaw…..now that I can do!
I went on a bicycle trip for a few days and when I came home, my ex had removed the stairs going up to our second floor! He had an extension ladder to climb to get upstairs. Our bathroom was downstairs. He eventually build makeshift stairs. After about a year of me nagging him, I hired a carpenter to build stairs and dry wallets… We split up a year or two later. He was the worst procrastinator I ever met. The funny thing is when I walked towards the door to leave on my bike trip, I saw stairs where there weren’t any. It came in a flash and was gone. I said huh! U
@@davidneal6920 I patched the drywall myself! But I paid someone to deal with the ⚡️zappy zappy⚡️ The light fixture was very low, and all medicine cabinets that look even OK are BIG now. So the light fixture needed to be raised. I paid for the bathtub to be reglazed for $950. All together the whole Reno cost me $1500
My husband is like this, he is a machinist by trade, so..he loves messing with machines. He does pretty good but..some things maybe not so much, otherwise he’ll leave it up to the pros, but..he’ll always try.
My husband is a general contractor, house framer, volunteer firefighter, and now a county building inspector. He calls in an electrician for our house. It is worth it for the safety.
Retired at 53. House paid. Paid cash for a brand new vehicle. Able to make $1100 from our investments without losing equity. We buy clearance things so we can donate them to a local clothing drive. We give money in an envelope anonymously to people. So much fun! We live simply so we can enjoy experiences. Day trips, coffee with friends, or crop dusting.
We are older and 3 years ago .. got a big impact on life.. my husband is sick with cancer and we have been having a lot of tough times good and bad. He has a lot of ups and downs, but we’ve been trying to take trips at least once a year with doctors approval and we have to take it so we are planning one in November just me and him I want to try to take one instead of once twice a year and I wanna stay in the USA there’s so many beautiful cities in our own USA that we want I want to Visit, I have friends over all over United States but I wanna experience that with him and I just wanna do a quick maybe 3 or 4 day weekend I don’t wanna overdo him, but I do want him to enjoy OUR time 💜💜
I love the idea as doing experiences for birthday gifts. I remember the times I had gotten concert tickets etc for birthdays ir graduations I was super excited and looked forward to these events.
It is totally worth it scaring people. We actually do it on volunteer basis every year to help raise money for a Christmas fund in our small town to help out people who need it. It has become a family activity that we still do and all of our children are adults now.
Knowing when to step back and let your kid do it themselves is always difficult. It doesn't matter the age they are it's always a learning moment for both the kid and the parents. ❤
Why am I crying over the gifting of your stepmom 😂😭 idk if it was the way you said it or what I felt the appreciation in my soul 😭😭 thank you for such a wonderful video ❤
Your husband sounds like my husband. 😂 We purchased a fixer upper home, and every time we have to repair something, the stress I get from his muttering in German doesn’t justify the money savings. I affectionately call our house “our money pit”. This weekend’s project is replacing our heater system before the German winter arrives in a few weeks. 😅 Luckily , he is deferring to a master plumber for this major job. Germans are masters at being frugal, let me tell ya!
You know, although it's hard to let your kids do things that you might not choose to do, I think it's great that he's willing to do it! Most of the great jobs that I've had required me to work overnight shifts, out in the cold and heat, unsupervised.... whatever.... as long as it paid well, I was willing to do it. He'll be able to try those conditions out and find out how he feels about them. I didn't try to do as well as I could have in High School and didn't have money for college so those jobs gave me the opportunity to make some good money. If he doesn't like it, it will be motivation to do good in school to get a job that doesn't require those conditions.... so it really is a win-win!! ❤
My husband loves to do some things himself. It can be cheaper. Every Time he plans a new idea/adventure he tells me what it will cost in money and time I double everything. I'm correct more often than he likes😅
I was taught by an employer to calculate my time- my time is also valuable, and sometimes, it is cheaper to pay to have it done. Homemade isn't always cheaper, BUT is is healthier.
for me homemade food is healthier i love to make homemade egg McMuffins i use 2 egg whites a slice of black forest ham and a slice of american cheese on an english muffin and it comes in at only 240 calories per sando w a lot of clean protein and low sodium
I'm only 2 minutes in, and I'm an absolute DIY fanatic. There's a few things I refuse to DIY. Garage door springs, microwave repair, furnaces. If it's something that can kill you VERY easily, yeah I'd prefer to be humble enough to accept I need the help of a trained professional. Anything else, I'll try my hand at, even plumbing and basic electrical, but there's some things you really just shouldn't mess around with.
My husband and I rarely hire people to fix things. We do pay a yard guy because we have a huge yard and nowhere to store a mower. One thing I will not do is move heavy furniture or appliances. I would rather hire someone with the proper equipment and save our backs!!
Your son is going to love his first job. What could be more fun than scaring people for a teenage boy. He won’t even notice the cold. Luckily Halloween is only 3 weekends away. Enjoy this stage of life it will be over too fast. I miss picking up and dropping off my kids.
Weird Al puts on THE BEST concerts! Even when it’s just a county fair, he dresses up. He shows videos & clips. It’s never just him singing. It’s a whole thing!!! GO SEE IT!!
Brother worked at a haunted house during high school. He loved it. Started as a volunteer thing for boy scouts and moved to a paying job. Had many nights having to stay up for the pick up time before he got a license!
I have been working at a haunt since 2011 (unfortunately missing this season due to health issues) and honestly some of our best scare actors are the kids that are his age... it's a great way to teach them responsibility and they can actually learn alot of teamwork/life skills in an unconventional environment... scaring people in a haunt is also a great way to constructively release stress and excess energy! Congratulations to him on the new job 🎉🎃
Oh my gosh! The story about fixing stuff with your husband, sounds just like my husband! Especially with the underestimating how long things will take😂😂
Weird Al is one of my absolute favorite musical artists!!!! UHF is such an underrated B movie, it's so good. The "ad" for Spatula City lives in my head rent-free 😂
We LOVE Weird Al!! We saw him as a family and enjoyed every minute. It was right after his “Perform this Way” had come out. Raul’s Wild Kingdom with turtles as nature’s suction cup! 😂
I want to say I truly respect your stance on taking a step back, and that your son will absolutely appreciate it as he gets older. I’m positive my dad heard that he should’ve made me get a job as a teen but I didn’t because we were a single parent household, with a significantly younger sibling who needed care, elderly grandparents who needed care, and that fell on me to pick up the stuff at home my dad couldn’t do between his job and being sick. My brother got a job and a vehicle and that seriously helped everyone, but it still took both of us and dad to handle the entire family situation exactly as we were. A job for me as a teen wouldve actually been a huge detriment to my family.
Love this. I got a part time job in addition to my full time job to pay off my student loans once and for all. After that I’ll be debt free. I also track and budget carefully. I should be able to pay them off in 2.5 yrs instead of 8+. Love your channel.
Awesome Video!!!! Being a single Mom & Accountant & Minister!!! I totally agree with you!!!! My Parents taught me to save and live a debt-free life!!!! But I'm a "giver" & love to share my blessing when I go out to eat!!!! I want "everyone" to not be "prisoned by debt"!!!! Thank you for sharing!!!! God Bless!!!
I’m with you on the DIY/homemade. Last year I saved every veggie scrap I could in my freezer to make homemade veggie broth. Was it good? Yes. Was it a pain in the 🍑? Also, yes. No matter how much you clean them, veggie scraps have grit and dirt and needs to be strained at some point usually through a cheese cloth. Messy and time consuming. Now I just use better than bouillon. I will make broth from chicken or beef bones. Just as messy but definitely worth the effort. I think it’s all the fat. 😀
My husband and I give at church and other needs. I also love you talking about relationships over stuff. I have too many times and still do clutter my life with stuff. Thank you.
I love what you said about the difference between being frugal and being cheap, and explained about tipping. You are 100% correct about all of these things and I found your video today very inspiring!
Oh I'm feeling you on the midnight pick up. It was my major motivation for my son to get his driver's license because i wake up at 5 am. I was cranky momma for awhile. It's hard to step back, but so important.
My sister asked me what I want for Christmas. I tied her I need wool socks and would love some gray or dark colored ones. She called back and asked if I want pretty colored ones. I said no just dark colored ones. She called back and asked if I needed a battery charger for my car. I said no, just wool socks, she just couldn’t compute I really needed socks and didn’t want any more stuff. Last Christmas she got me a hydroponics garden, I can’t use it because I get earwigs if I have plants in my house or even porch. I’ve tried to train my sisters to not buy me stuff because they love to give gifts but it’s usually something I don’t need nor want, I’ve asked for gift cards for like hardware stores because I’m a single woman who has to fix stuff and could use tools. They just don’t get it. Why?
When one of my nephews graduated from college I told him that in the end no one is going to remember how much money you make or how many awards you may have won. No. What they are going to remember is how you treated them. Take care.
I got my weird Al tickets too! I got mine 15 minutes after they went on sale for the Philadelphia show. I was at a retreat sitting around the fire literally squealing. I kept telling people all weekend long that I got weird Al tickets
Yes, that is the most difficult thing to do as a Mom, to take that step back. It is necessary for our teenage children to get a little "grit in their gullet" to figure out how and what it takes to be successful. Yes they need to step in manure to find out how to step over or around it. Congratulations for having a 15 year old that wants to get his bum off the couch and try something. Alot of teens i know of, are complacent and prefer to play video games all day with the only interruption is for a snack or a rest room break then it is right back to the video games.😢 So sad really.
Speaking of Le Creuset, they’re going on sale everywhere. I’m getting a 4.5 qt from Sam’s club for less than $200 and that includes tax and shipping. My husband got me a 5.5 qt last year discounted because he bought a display model. These are perfect for no knead bread. 😁
I dont need to pay their price when lodge or others are the same..no need to pay for their name. I remember when I could get le cruset TJMax for $20 bucks!
Thank you for the video. In our family, my older sister has a garden and makes scrumptious salads and salsas out of what it produces, and my younger sister threw a gorgeous outdoor wedding, catered, for less than 10 grand. We learned from my mother, who knew what supermarkets had what sales when. My brother was smart enough to get married to a frugal gal and he and his family have a nice lifestyle near Charleston, S.C. Myself? I have been low income my whole adulthood, so I HAD to learn frugality. Yet, I was able to go to Paris two early Novembers in a row. How? Airfare from Chicago to CDG is much less expensive then, I stayed in the dreaded "Banlieu" at a nice, clean Airbnb, and I ate supermarket food instead of overpaying at sidewalk cafes. Plus, they have excellent free museums and Montmartre is also basically free!
I saw Weird Al in 1987 when he opened for the Monkees! He put on an awesome show! Now I need to look and see if he’s coming to Cleveland or Pittsburgh!
Oldest son first job was detasseling corn. It was horrid, boots full of water, mud everywhere and blisters on blisters.. It also was his low bar.. Do you want to go back to detasseling corn?... Nope, he will always strive to do better.
Great points! Im very frugal when i want to be. We do 90% of our own car maintenance, but some jobs i will pay a shop to do when we just dont have the time, but ive always replaced engines and transmissions myself as a women. I have not paid off my house yet, but already have a plan in getting that done in a few years. It takes planning and the willingness to skimp on some things while trying to get debt free, but still ensuring you are enjoying life, even by doing free things.
Sahm with a teacher husband, just had our second kiddo. But, I grew up with a frugal mentality. My husband is oretty handy and can do auto work. I can do canning, preserving, sew, and other handy things. We both can cook. I utilize our local buy nothing group, fb marketplace, and mostly shop our local discount grocery store. We hang dry our clothes whenever possible. Most of the kids items are second hand or got at a discount. We cloth diaper, and stock up when something is on sale. We prioritize activities with the kids, and get a membership to places like the aquarium or a museum to go to, but only get one or two a year and the next year we get something else (they are usually tax deductible too). We also don't get too many toys, and most are second hand. Definitely not perfect, but we are pretty happy so far with it, and so thankful I am able to stay home with the kids, and we can have a 529 college account for each kid, and still have fun.
Garage doors are not a do it yourselfer, they are dangerous. We’re fortunate that our son’s job while in college was working at a local garage door installer company.
I’ve been frugal my entire life. You set priorities and understand everything cannot be a priority. If you don’t have money for a car if you eat out … you choose your priority . I enjoy finding great deals, I shop at the thrift stores. I always bargain for everything. Im very frugal with things that aren’t important to me so that I can spend more on things we enjoy. I also learned quickly that I don’t care to impress people. That important when you live a frugal life. Some friends are embarrassed to be seen in Goodwill, I’m thrilled to find a shirt that I like in a good brand with original tags on it for 5 dollars. We are debt free and have a very healthy net worth, can afford to do what we want, and we do. However, we are still frugal, because it’s simply a lifestyle we enjoy.
The ability to be wildly generous is the best part of frugality
Amen!
That makes no sense.
@@Mo4Honesty My family lives well below our means so that we can give away a lot of $ to others
Important to remember quality vs cheap, especially food. Cheap out now you pay more later
Husband and I are debt free at ages 36 & 39. House, 3 trucks, 2 cars, 1 rv, 2 boats, 1 Semi truck and a fork lift all paid off based on what you taught me on this channel. Thank you!
Wow, that is impressive. I mean in a good way. So much discipline. Congratulations
Great job!! 🎉
Well done 👍
Why do you own so many vehicles?
@@christineg6123 my husband drives semi for a living, he’s got a beater truck for hauling trailers/grass clippings, a truck for hauling the rv, a truck he has had since we met and were dating. I have a daily driving car and so does he. 🤷🏼♀️
Profiting is possible as every crash or recession offers market opportunities if you're prepared and knowledgeable. I've seen people amass up to 800k during crises and even thrive in a bad economy. I want to learn how to make such profits.
There are strategies that could be put in place for solid gains regardless of economy or market condition, but such executions are usually carried out by investment experts or advisors with experience
Yes, financial advisors can make a significant difference, especially in the current market. Stocks are quite volatile now, but with the right calculations and a good advisor, you can achieve substantial profits. That's the best protection against a recession.
This sounds great. Is there a way I could connect with an advisor you recommend? I would really appreciate it.
My CFA Annette Christine Conte , a renowned figure in her line of work. I recommend researching her credentials further. She has many years of experience and is a valuable resource for anyone looking to navigate the financial market.
Thank you for the lead. I searched her up, and I have sent her an email. I hope she gets back to me soon.
I gotta say this in my personal opinion is your best video...I often refer your channel to people who are struggling ..and I have gotten many tips from you...this is a person talking to people about a successful journey...thank you for what you do
Any time my husband says any amount of time, I’ve learned to double it and add 20 minutes. So if he says, “I’ll be home in 20 minutes.” he actually won’t be home for an hour. If he says “I’ll fix this in an hour.”, it’s actually gonna take him 2 hours and 20 minutes. I used to get so mad at him, but now that I understand his time tables, it’s all good. I’ve adjusted my expectations! 😂
Same!! My husband insists that he gets home by 6:30 each night. Babe! You text me at 6:15 and it's a 40 minute drive!! Like you, I manage expectations by adding time to his projections. lol!
Our family does a lot of large diy/building/rehab projects. We have learned if my husband says three weeks, it’s actually 2 months. 3 months, is more line 7months. 🤷🏼♀️🙃😅
Especially if it's a plumbing project because you have to go to the store at least two or three times!
So true 😊
You’re a wise woman. I’ve been with my husband for twenty years and I still get mad at him. He thinks it’ll be twenty minutes, but it’s always three hours. Adjusting your expectations is one of the most important things you can do in any relationship!
My husband is one of Weird Al's BIGGEST FANS!!! He literally knows EVERY word to EVERY song on EVERY album!!! My daughter found out about Weird Al's tour next year, and she bought us 3 tickets (for her dad, her and me) to go! Yes, they are nose-bleed seats, but WE DON'T CARE! WE ARE SOOOOOO EXCITED!!!!!
Weird Al went to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, California in the 1970's. He still looks the same. We used to sit in the Quad at lunch every day and have some laughs. He had a following back then. I took to butchering the words to every song thanks to him.
When I was younger my mom sewed clothes for my sister and I. We are short people and could not find clothing that was cute and could fit us. Back then the sewing was out of necessity and we could look good and it was cheaper. Back then the clearance table of fabric was as low as 39 cents a yard and patterns (that my mom knew how to alter and tailor to us) were a couple bucks.
But now the patterns are $15-30 EACH ! Now fabric, well it's outrages. I bought some to cover 2 dining room chair seat cushions and it cost me $36 !
I still sew (thank You Mom), but I find fabric at thrift stores, and I learned to make my own patterns (nothing complicated).
Your own patterns will fit you better than anything you can buy for $30.
I know! I made a couple of dresses and some shorts for a granddaughter…not frugal! I then moved on to make those little dresses that do not require a pattern!
My 12 year old daughter sews, and we are always on the hunt for cheap fabric or ways to reuse old clothes for fabric because the prices these days can get crazy!
I go to Goodwill thrift stores and buy old drapes. I cover dining room chairs with that fabric. Covered 6 chairs for my daughter and it cost $7.
I’m pretty good at finding the cheap stuff at the fabric stores but my max is $5 a yard for anything not fancy(linen, velvet)
Awesome video. Love when you show old pictures, of you, Dave and the Dave-lings. LOL I've never seen children resemble one parent SO MUCH in my life. His genes are DOMINANT. Wow.
I agree!
#1 is so true! 2 examples at our house: clogged kitchen sink - the chemicals used ruined the finish in our stainless sink and did not remove the clog. Turned out a professional plumber was hardly able to fix it from inside the house because the clog was almost at the street. The plumber bill was less than cost of replacing the sink 🤪 Ants! Fought them for 2 years with multiple trips to hardware store for bait traps and other ant stuff. when we finally called an exterminator it was less than $200 dollars and they were gone within 1.5 weeks and gone for years! Seriously, call a professional 😂😂😂 I have finally convinced my husband that it is worth it for both peace of mind, ease, quickness and eventually overall cost
We wanted to change out the shower tap in our daughter's bathroom. My husband thought that he could do it, turns out he couldn't. We called a handyman service and it got done in about 10 minutes and only cost €35. Definitely worth the money and no mess or fighting about the mess 😂. Totally worth it 😊
To the people who comment on the expensive yet super-durable Le cruset pot. I rather spend a good amount on a really good quality piece of cookware that will last for many years and produce high-quality meals instead of burnt, stuck on food etc. You can then turn the frugal food into amazing tasting and looking meals. Spending more on tools and items that you use everyday is being frugal than replacing them every couple of years because they are worn out.
Agreed, so true! I also have a LeCreuset that I got at a garage sale for $15. You never know how people have acquired things, so best not to judge.
I agree!! My Le Creuset dutch oven will be handed down to my kids! Nice quality can be found 2nd hand. I bought a like new KitchenAid stand mixer with attachments at Goodwill for $15!!
We bought an expensive to us analon pot and pan set a few years ago. Our 15 year old set was starting to fail so I looked for a few months to find what I wanted. It was $300 on sale but the set will last us several years and cooks like a dream.
Facts! 💯
Exactly! Spending once on a thing that will last many years is being frugal. Buying a so so alternative that won’t last is being cheap, it will end up costing more and mess with the environment more than buying just one well made thing.
Ooh I will tell you that I worked at a haunted hayride while I was in college and while we got paid crap, it was one of the best jobs I ever had. The first year I worked it I helped build sets and learned construction and painting techniques that I would not have learned otherwise. The second year I worked it the owner sent us to Brooklyn to learn special effects makeup techniques. Most importantly I made friends there that have remained my friends 30 years later. The bonds we formed running through the woods scaring people and climbing on haywagons together connected us for life.
My golly, this is too sweet 😊
I loved that phase of my kids becoming independent and still needing us. It made us felt like we had raised them right 😊
You are so right about that relationships are more important than things. And good for you knowing it was time to step back and let him learn.
Love the parenting advice you've started giving. It's great to hear other parents go through similar things and how they handle it.
😊 he's working when many kids his age could, but WON'T. ❤❤
If you make it, you know what is in it.
Garage door springs are DAN-GER-OUS too!
YES!
AMEN!
I spent mucho time researching our 50 year old garage springs (all 4 snapped in succession) and watched numerous videos. Spent over a year manually pulling open a door (required 2 people) before getting the guy in whom everyone recommended. Fixed in less than an hour and for less than half of what other installation companies estimated! Bonus: he gave me the name of a construction guy who liked to do handyman jobs on the side.
They are extremely dangerous! My husband had one of our sons try to help him fix ours. He ended up having to drive our son to the emergency room with a bleeding gash right next to his eye and one on his shoulder, so he needed stitches and other things. It came to $6,000 out of pocket. Needless to say, the garage door is still broke a year and a half later.
Sooooo dangerous!
Good job Mom!!! I am a caseworker that only works with teens in foster care. Everyone wants to solve their problems for them and I am not about that. They need to try to figure things out with some guardrails so that when they are adults they know how. Anything safety related I get to decide but if you pick a job where you are out in the rain making no money, that is a lesson I will let you make the hard way. But also, he's making money to have fun on a Friday and Saturday night instead of spending money to have fun. Could be worse.
I am of an age where grandma and mom knew how to pinch pennies and passed on that knowledge to me. I, in turn, have passed it on to my daughter. I think that knowledge is kind of missing now. So happy to see a vid like this to bring penny pinching back in vogue!
I love your idea of experiences instead of gifts.
Ty for sharing your early days~ my ex left when my kis were babies so l struggled & finished my degrees & raised them alone so lm proud of how well they grew up & have done well~l know living frugal 😊❤
Thank you for tipping well from a bartender waitress it means alot we work hard for our money ✌️
No taxes on tips.
Thanks for the reminder that this stage to meet our financial goals won’t always be like this! Already we’re thankful for the freedom we have with no debt, other than the mortgage (working on that), and a fully funded emergency fund and being able to be generous with our home and time. It’s all a blessing from the Lord!
I replaced a broken garage door spring once. Learned my lesson. It took me ALL DAY. I didn’t have any special tools either. The next time one broke, I called the door company. I wised up.
I did that with pulling carpet out of my house. I did the living room myself and made myself miserable and sore while taking so much time. Well worth the $100 per room I could hire someone to do it!
Re : replacing garage door spring is a dangerous repair! Always call a pro for this!
Smiles...maybe kitty should have helped. I made a stirrup on a chain with an S hook, stand on it to stretch the spring, and have a helper hook the chain on the door frame. The old spring broke on a cold morning and imbedded itself in the ceiling drywall. My kitty jumped 2 feet high when we heard it. The spring could have hit my car. I then replaced 4 springs on 2 doors and made sure they had safety cables inside so they don't get launched when one breaks. I do everything myself but I'm slowing down in my early 70's and the arthritis doesn't help.
I got my Weird Al ticket a few weeks ago and I am SO excited. I have loved him forever and I hear, that he is bringing back all the old sets, costumes, everything. THIS will be the tour to see! :)
Love that your son took the initiative to find a job. This should give him a head start on his next (paying) job because he has some experience and hopefully a reference. I do appreciate that you have to stay up late to bring him home, though. Love your videos!!
Thank you for explaining the difference between being cheap and being frugal.My sons are bartenders and restaurant managers and people that don’t tip do not understand how they are hurting people and their families.Those servers have to tip out the bus, boys, the kitchen, staff, etc. Whether you tip or not. Sometimes it cost the server money to wait on you.😮
I’m 66 and worked in restaurants for many years. My nineteen year old twins know the cardinal rule: If you can’t afford to tip, you can’t afford to eat out.
@@ramonasurprenant2122 Amen to that! Exactly
It actually reveals your heart.
My 21 yr old informed me last week that Weird Al is coming to our area in 2025. WHAT!! Now I have to figure out how to purchase 8 tickets (our entire household)!! Our family loves Weird Al's songs. We definitely need to attend that concert!!
He came to my area in the recent past. My friend went with her young son, who was dressed in his Weird Al costume. Kiddo had a huge blast.
I would love to see a video of the cost effectiveness of buying certain meals in store VS making them at home.
That's a great idea!
I love this idea, and it seems like a perfect fit for her channel!! Good suggestion.
Werid Al puts on the Best show! I saw him a few years ago, and met him after the show- he was so kind and sweet!
About your teenage son's job. It is great! Coming from a nurse, learning and being prepared to work uncomfortable hours and settings for a limited amount of money is a skill and mindset needed in life. This is great as a side job, learning how to be responsible. Let's face it. In the future, he might have a job that isn't as much fun. However, he will remember this great thing and learn a lot. You should be proud.
I totally agree!
@@FrugalFitMom but it sure is fun seeing your reaction to his life decisions!! The real question is - WILL HE WEAR A COAT? 🤪
Seriously, though, hearing about a teenager with initiative gives me real hope for our future. Good job, Mom & Dad!
@@FrugalFitMomplease block the scammers!
Yes . From me who is a Retired RN….
When I worked outside during the Christmas light show (think cold), I wore a fleece penguin adult costume. I wore long johns, jeans, a flannel shirt, stuck hand warmers in my pockets, a knit hat, thermal socks, thermal gloves, then wrapped a bright red scarf at my neck...so toasty except when the wind blew or it rained....ugh!
I had an electrician move an outlet in order to make room for a medicine cabinet. $212. My hub threw a fit, bc he “knew how.” But the amount of screaming and terror that would have resulted from DIY justified the cost.
As a clumsy man I agree it is better to get an expert to fix stuff. In a perfect society people get employed to provide a service they are good at! Now destroying a tree with a chainsaw…..now that I can do!
I went on a bicycle trip for a few days and when I came home, my ex had removed the stairs going up to our second floor! He had an extension ladder to climb to get upstairs. Our bathroom was downstairs.
He eventually build makeshift stairs. After about a year of me nagging him, I hired a carpenter to build stairs and dry wallets… We split up a year or two later. He was the worst procrastinator I ever met.
The funny thing is when I walked towards the door to leave on my bike trip, I saw stairs where there weren’t any. It came in a flash and was gone. I said huh! U
@@davidneal6920 I patched the drywall myself! But I paid someone to deal with the ⚡️zappy zappy⚡️
The light fixture was very low, and all medicine cabinets that look even OK are BIG now. So the light fixture needed to be raised. I paid for the bathtub to be reglazed for $950. All together the whole Reno cost me $1500
My husband is like this, he is a machinist by trade, so..he loves messing with machines. He does pretty good but..some things maybe not so much, otherwise he’ll leave it up to the pros, but..he’ll always try.
My husband is a general contractor, house framer, volunteer firefighter, and now a county building inspector. He calls in an electrician for our house. It is worth it for the safety.
Retired at 53. House paid. Paid cash for a brand new vehicle. Able to make $1100 from our investments without losing equity.
We buy clearance things so we can donate them to a local clothing drive. We give money in an envelope anonymously to people. So much fun! We live simply so we can enjoy experiences. Day trips, coffee with friends, or crop dusting.
We are older and 3 years ago .. got a big impact on life.. my husband is sick with cancer and we have been having a lot of tough times good and bad. He has a lot of ups and downs, but we’ve been trying to take trips at least once a year with doctors approval and we have to take it so we are planning one in November just me and him I want to try to take one instead of once twice a year and I wanna stay in the USA there’s so many beautiful cities in our own USA that we want I want to Visit, I have friends over all over United States but I wanna experience that with him and I just wanna do a quick maybe 3 or 4 day weekend I don’t wanna overdo him, but I do want him to enjoy OUR time 💜💜
Wishing you and your husband all the best, from France.
May the blood of Jesus heal your husband.
I love the idea as doing experiences for birthday gifts. I remember the times I had gotten concert tickets etc for birthdays ir graduations I was super excited and looked forward to these events.
It is totally worth it scaring people. We actually do it on volunteer basis every year to help raise money for a Christmas fund in our small town to help out people who need it. It has become a family activity that we still do and all of our children are adults now.
You scare people for $? I don’t get it
@KJDogluv we volunteer at a haunted woods and yes technically people pay to be scared
❤❤❤😂😂😂
Love the pics of the family when you were all younger.
Knowing when to step back and let your kid do it themselves is always difficult. It doesn't matter the age they are it's always a learning moment for both the kid and the parents. ❤
Why am I crying over the gifting of your stepmom 😂😭 idk if it was the way you said it or what I felt the appreciation in my soul 😭😭 thank you for such a wonderful video ❤
Going to the When We were Young festival next week in Vegas. So excited... MCR, Fall out boy, Taking back sunday, the used... my emo heart is happy :)
Oh my gosh, I wanted to go to that so bad! Pretty far for me to travel but have SO much fun!
Your husband sounds like my husband. 😂 We purchased a fixer upper home, and every time we have to repair something, the stress I get from his muttering in German doesn’t justify the money savings. I affectionately call our house “our money pit”. This weekend’s project is replacing our heater system before the German winter arrives in a few weeks. 😅 Luckily , he is deferring to a master plumber for this major job. Germans are masters at being frugal, let me tell ya!
I’ve seen Weird Al in concert 6 times and can’t wait to see this next tour. You are going to love it!!
I love movies and buy a lot of dvds at Goodwill. My go to place, and I enjoy searching through the bin for an unforgotten classic
You know, although it's hard to let your kids do things that you might not choose to do, I think it's great that he's willing to do it! Most of the great jobs that I've had required me to work overnight shifts, out in the cold and heat, unsupervised.... whatever.... as long as it paid well, I was willing to do it. He'll be able to try those conditions out and find out how he feels about them. I didn't try to do as well as I could have in High School and didn't have money for college so those jobs gave me the opportunity to make some good money. If he doesn't like it, it will be motivation to do good in school to get a job that doesn't require those conditions.... so it really is a win-win!! ❤
My husband loves to do some things himself. It can be cheaper. Every Time he plans a new idea/adventure he tells me what it will cost in money and time I double everything. I'm correct more often than he likes😅
lol!
Yes! I second the double the $$ 😂
Seeing live music is self care.. ❤
I was taught by an employer to calculate my time- my time is also valuable, and sometimes, it is cheaper to pay to have it done. Homemade isn't always cheaper, BUT is is healthier.
for me homemade food is healthier i love to make homemade egg McMuffins i use 2 egg whites a slice of black forest ham and a slice of american cheese on an english muffin and it comes in at only 240 calories per sando w a lot of clean protein and low sodium
I'm only 2 minutes in, and I'm an absolute DIY fanatic. There's a few things I refuse to DIY. Garage door springs, microwave repair, furnaces. If it's something that can kill you VERY easily, yeah I'd prefer to be humble enough to accept I need the help of a trained professional. Anything else, I'll try my hand at, even plumbing and basic electrical, but there's some things you really just shouldn't mess around with.
My husband and I rarely hire people to fix things. We do pay a yard guy because we have a huge yard and nowhere to store a mower. One thing I will not do is move heavy furniture or appliances. I would rather hire someone with the proper equipment and save our backs!!
I switched to experiences this year. Best decision ever! Memories last a lifetime, whether good or bad. Many gifts don't last til the next season. Lol
Your son is going to love his first job. What could be more fun than scaring people for a teenage boy. He won’t even notice the cold. Luckily Halloween is only 3 weekends away. Enjoy this stage of life it will be over too fast. I miss picking up and dropping off my kids.
Weird Al puts on THE BEST concerts! Even when it’s just a county fair, he dresses up. He shows videos & clips. It’s never just him singing. It’s a whole thing!!! GO SEE IT!!
Thanks, I needed to hear that sometimes you’re going to mess up on your frugal journey. I beat myself up about it sometimes.
Brother worked at a haunted house during high school. He loved it. Started as a volunteer thing for boy scouts and moved to a paying job. Had many nights having to stay up for the pick up time before he got a license!
I love Weird Al - he's the best! I've seen him a few times live and it was always a great show. I hope you and your family have a wonderful time!!!
I have been working at a haunt since 2011 (unfortunately missing this season due to health issues) and honestly some of our best scare actors are the kids that are his age... it's a great way to teach them responsibility and they can actually learn alot of teamwork/life skills in an unconventional environment... scaring people in a haunt is also a great way to constructively release stress and excess energy! Congratulations to him on the new job 🎉🎃
Oh my gosh! The story about fixing stuff with your husband, sounds just like my husband! Especially with the underestimating how long things will take😂😂
Weird Al is the loudest concert we've been to. We had heard that, but didn't believe it until we experienced it. He was awesome!
Weird Al is one of my absolute favorite musical artists!!!! UHF is such an underrated B movie, it's so good. The "ad" for Spatula City lives in my head rent-free 😂
We LOVE Weird Al!! We saw him as a family and enjoyed every minute. It was right after his “Perform this Way” had come out. Raul’s Wild Kingdom with turtles as nature’s suction cup! 😂
I want to say I truly respect your stance on taking a step back, and that your son will absolutely appreciate it as he gets older. I’m positive my dad heard that he should’ve made me get a job as a teen but I didn’t because we were a single parent household, with a significantly younger sibling who needed care, elderly grandparents who needed care, and that fell on me to pick up the stuff at home my dad couldn’t do between his job and being sick. My brother got a job and a vehicle and that seriously helped everyone, but it still took both of us and dad to handle the entire family situation exactly as we were. A job for me as a teen wouldve actually been a huge detriment to my family.
This is a great video and she and her husband are great examples for living frugally. Always remember that set backs can occur and not to give up
So true on the home DIY 😂. One thing about homemade is that you know exactly what ingredients goes into it 😊. ❤ this video.
She is speaking about balance. It is more than money, and building wealth ( faith, health, marriage, home & relationships )
Love this. I got a part time job in addition to my full time job to pay off my student loans once and for all. After that I’ll be debt free. I also track and budget carefully. I should be able to pay them off in 2.5 yrs instead of 8+. Love your channel.
Awesome Video!!!! Being a single Mom & Accountant & Minister!!! I totally agree with you!!!! My Parents taught me to save and live a debt-free life!!!! But I'm a "giver" & love to share my blessing when I go out to eat!!!! I want "everyone" to not be "prisoned by debt"!!!! Thank you for sharing!!!! God Bless!!!
I’m with you on the DIY/homemade. Last year I saved every veggie scrap I could in my freezer to make homemade veggie broth. Was it good? Yes. Was it a pain in the 🍑? Also, yes. No matter how much you clean them, veggie scraps have grit and dirt and needs to be strained at some point usually through a cheese cloth. Messy and time consuming. Now I just use better than bouillon. I will make broth from chicken or beef bones. Just as messy but definitely worth the effort. I think it’s all the fat. 😀
My husband and I give at church and other needs. I also love you talking about relationships over stuff. I have too many times and still do clutter my life with stuff. Thank you.
Garage door springs are dangerous. I had a friend nearly take his head off when a spring came off as he was trying to fix it.
Christine, this hair is best ever! Beautiful.
I went to a concert last Friday. I saw Jesse McCartney and met him after the show. It was AMAZING
Needed to hear this, thanks for the help refocusing. Love the practical info you put out but the mentality at the root is important too.
I love what you said about the difference between being frugal and being cheap, and explained about tipping. You are 100% correct about all of these things and I found your video today very inspiring!
I took my husband to see Weird Al Yankovik years ago for his Valentine’s Day gift. It was a fantastic concert! You are going to love it, so fun!
Oh I'm feeling you on the midnight pick up. It was my major motivation for my son to get his driver's license because i wake up at 5 am. I was cranky momma for awhile. It's hard to step back, but so important.
Great video as always!
My husband and I have been to two weird Al concerts and he is fantastic. It is a great time you will have a blast!
I've decided I'm more about birthday experience than gifts. I'm over the clutter!
My sister asked me what I want for Christmas. I tied her I need wool socks and would love some gray or dark colored ones. She called back and asked if I want pretty colored ones. I said no just dark colored ones. She called back and asked if I needed a battery charger for my car. I said no, just wool socks, she just couldn’t compute I really needed socks and didn’t want any more stuff. Last Christmas she got me a hydroponics garden, I can’t use it because I get earwigs if I have plants in my house or even porch. I’ve tried to train my sisters to not buy me stuff because they love to give gifts but it’s usually something I don’t need nor want, I’ve asked for gift cards for like hardware stores because I’m a single woman who has to fix stuff and could use tools. They just don’t get it. Why?
When one of my nephews graduated from college I told him that in the end no one is going to remember how much money you make or how many awards you may have won. No. What they are going to remember is how you treated them.
Take care.
I got my weird Al tickets too! I got mine 15 minutes after they went on sale for the Philadelphia show. I was at a retreat sitting around the fire literally squealing. I kept telling people all weekend long that I got weird Al tickets
Yes, that is the most difficult thing to do as a Mom, to take that step back. It is necessary for our teenage children to get a little "grit in their gullet" to figure out how and what it takes to be successful. Yes they need to step in manure to find out how to step over or around it. Congratulations for having a 15 year old that wants to get his bum off the couch and try something. Alot of teens i know of, are complacent and prefer to play video games all day with the only interruption is for a snack or a rest room break then it is right back to the video games.😢 So sad really.
You are looking pretty good for your age! Your husband is lucky!
The editing, "Get him!"😂😂 That's is exactly my panic when my husband wants to fix something
Speaking of Le Creuset, they’re going on sale everywhere. I’m getting a 4.5 qt from Sam’s club for less than $200 and that includes tax and shipping. My husband got me a 5.5 qt last year discounted because he bought a display model. These are perfect for no knead bread. 😁
I dont need to pay their price when lodge or others are the same..no need to pay for their name. I remember when I could get le cruset TJMax for $20 bucks!
She said UHF.....love it!!
Spatula world!
I don't buy Jimmy Dean or anything where I'm not in charge of ingredients. You don't know what they are feeding you.
Sure you do you just can't pronounce any of it!! It's yummy chemicals!!!😮😮😮
There is only one FFM I’ve looked and found a few good ones, but you are my #1 cheerleader ❤️⭐️❤️⭐️❤️⭐️❤️
Thank you for the video. In our family, my older sister has a garden and makes scrumptious salads and salsas out of what it produces, and my younger sister threw a gorgeous outdoor wedding, catered, for less than 10 grand. We learned from my mother, who knew what supermarkets had what sales when. My brother was smart enough to get married to a frugal gal and he and his family have a nice lifestyle near Charleston, S.C. Myself? I have been low income my whole adulthood, so I HAD to learn frugality. Yet, I was able to go to Paris two early Novembers in a row. How? Airfare from Chicago to CDG is much less expensive then, I stayed in the dreaded "Banlieu" at a nice, clean Airbnb, and I ate supermarket food instead of overpaying at sidewalk cafes. Plus, they have excellent free museums and Montmartre is also basically free!
I saw Weird Al in 1987 when he opened for the Monkees! He put on an awesome show! Now I need to look and see if he’s coming to Cleveland or Pittsburgh!
I saw weird al back in The 90s as a kid my mom took me to the fair. It was a fun time!
I always say just because you can watch a video of something. Does not always mean you should do it.
Yeah, I can watch Olympic ice skating, but that doesn't mean I can do it the same.
Oldest son first job was detasseling corn. It was horrid, boots full of water, mud everywhere and blisters on blisters.. It also was his low bar.. Do you want to go back to detasseling corn?... Nope, he will always strive to do better.
this is the cutest video. youre the sweetest! and super helpful mindset tips. love it
Your top is beautiful. Thanks for all the advice.
Great points! Im very frugal when i want to be. We do 90% of our own car maintenance, but some jobs i will pay a shop to do when we just dont have the time, but ive always replaced engines and transmissions myself as a women. I have not paid off my house yet, but already have a plan in getting that done in a few years. It takes planning and the willingness to skimp on some things while trying to get debt free, but still ensuring you are enjoying life, even by doing free things.
Sahm with a teacher husband, just had our second kiddo.
But, I grew up with a frugal mentality. My husband is oretty handy and can do auto work. I can do canning, preserving, sew, and other handy things. We both can cook.
I utilize our local buy nothing group, fb marketplace, and mostly shop our local discount grocery store. We hang dry our clothes whenever possible. Most of the kids items are second hand or got at a discount. We cloth diaper, and stock up when something is on sale.
We prioritize activities with the kids, and get a membership to places like the aquarium or a museum to go to, but only get one or two a year and the next year we get something else (they are usually tax deductible too).
We also don't get too many toys, and most are second hand.
Definitely not perfect, but we are pretty happy so far with it, and so thankful I am able to stay home with the kids, and we can have a 529 college account for each kid, and still have fun.
Garage doors are not a do it yourselfer, they are dangerous. We’re fortunate that our son’s job while in college was working at a local garage door installer company.
Needs over wants is a solution for many, over time those needs and wants certainly change.
I’ve been frugal my entire life. You set priorities and understand everything cannot be a priority. If you don’t have money for a car if you eat out … you choose your priority . I enjoy finding great deals, I shop at the thrift stores. I always bargain for everything. Im very frugal with things that aren’t important to me so that I can spend more on things we enjoy. I also learned quickly that I don’t care to impress people. That important when you live a frugal life. Some friends are embarrassed to be seen in Goodwill, I’m thrilled to find a shirt that I like in a good brand with original tags on it for 5 dollars. We are debt free and have a very healthy net worth, can afford to do what we want, and we do. However, we are still frugal, because it’s simply a lifestyle we enjoy.