When you unwrap your bar soap to dry it out before you use it, put it in your dresser drawers til time to use. Gives the drawer and what's in it a wonderful scent.
You guys are so special. I can’t tell you how good it is to have down to earth people like you Hope and Larry, to give us GREAT practical tips for saving money and being good stewards of our money. I just love you both and I get excited every time you post a new video!! Keep them coming friends!!
My dryer went out and my friends father was about to move into assisted living…he heard about my dryer and he offered it to me for free. So thoughtful and I used my drying rack until he moved. I appreciate my dryer now but still air dry some items
Tip: when heading out on a road trip, plan ahead. A small crockpot & ingredients saves from eating out. Use 12v appliances (truckers & rvers do) to cook reroute, if it's a longer trip.
The shower cleaner with dawn, vinegar, and water is awesome. My mom came and stayed with me for awhile and kept asking me how i get my tub so clean. It is the best cleaner for shower/tub I have used.
We do "no-till" gardening, which requires a lot of dead plant matter for mulching. We spread the word that we'll accept certain items dumped in our yard. This saves others the fees of dumping, but gives us matter. Local tree companies have even dumped the shredded branches, saving me thousands of dollars in wood mulching. It's win/win.
May I ask for prayer for mom? Her name is Kathy. She was diagnosed with lung cancer yesterday. Doctors don't think that she will live through the year.
I've been adding beans to meat dishes to stretch then a bit farther & not only am I spending less on meat but it's less fat too! Thank you for turning me on to the many uses of lentils ☺️
Thanks Hope and Larry for all you do to help us frugal-minded folks find even more ways to be frugal! My wife and I love watching your videos. Here are a few things we do to keep costs down: 1. Take your trash and recycling to the dump yourself in order to avoid the cost of weekly trash pickup services. Recycling is free in our town and a kitchen sized bag of trash costs $2 to dump. This saves me about $300 a year. We also compost whatever we can to further reduce that amount of trash we have to transport to the dump, and it cuts down on the quantity of trash bags we use. 2. Bucket bathing to save on water and heating costs. This is a common practice in places like India where fresh water can be scarce. I bring a 2.5 gallon bucket with me into the tub and fill it with warm water. Using a cup, I pour water from the bucket over my head and body, and then I shampoo my hair and scrub my body with a washcloth and soap. The cup is then used to dip water out of the bucket to rinse myself off with. I end up filling the bucket from the faucet one more time so I can fully rinse off any soap residue. This only uses 5 gallons of water, which I think is a significant savings compared with your average bath or shower, and I always feel perfectly clean afterwards! (Some caveats: I'll admit that I don't do this if I've gotten really dirty doing yard work or something of that nature, but if you're not filthy this works really well. If you need to wash longer hair it can be a bit of a challenge; my wife doesn't really care for bucket baths for this reason. Also, this can be pretty chilly in the wintertime unless you keep your house super warm, which I don't.) 3. Set a timer when you shower. I have a timer in my bathroom that I set for 5 minutes when I take a shower so I don't lose track of time and waste water. 4. When we go out to the movies we always go to a matinee because the tickets are significantly cheaper, and we bring our own snacks from home. Most theaters don't want you to bring in outside food, so we just put the snacks in a pocket or in my wife's purse. 5. I am lucky enough to live in the same neighborhood as a coworker, so we carpool to work. We switch off on whose week it is to drive so it's not just one person's car taking all the wear and tear. This really helps in these times of extremely high gas prices! I hope these tips are helpful for someone out there. I know that I've been really inspired by all the great ideas I've heard from others!
I unplug absolutely everything I can until I'm going to use it..for instance, the TV, radio, the electric ignition on a gas oven, only plug my fridge in for 1/2 the day.. I wear outside clothing inside including a stocking cap I always wear shoes, I study nutrition on you tube..powdered fruits/vegt..yellow pea protein powder..added to applesauce from the Dollartree.. being very careful I can usually put together a healthy meal for $0.30
One of the things I did to save on electricity was to buy some cute solar lights for the patio. Not the string lights, ones that are separate and that can stand or hang. I hang them in my sunny windows all day and use them at night. The one in the bathroom is actually bright enough that I can shower without turning on the light! It's also good for emergencies because you don't have to worry about batteries or trying to charge them with no power! Another little thing I do is, if I am using the oven, is to turn it off a few minutes before the cook time is up and let the ambient heat continue the cooking process. And if you have the time, soak your dried pasta for about an hour before cooking it (save the water for plants, cooking something else, etc) and then boil it. You will cut a significant amount of cook time off of the meal!
So happy no poo works for some people! It ruined my hair 😭 (tried it for 6 months) hairloss (a friend actually noticed), pretty much always still dirty/waxy. Had to stop so I finally went to bulk eco shampoo.
my late husband loved bar soap I found a stash he had of 24 bars. They were 6 years old. They are Irish spring. I guess that is why I don't have bugs in my house. haha ha, They still smell like when I bought them.
I learned while working in construction not to waste money of clothing, instead of dropping 40 dollars on jeans that would be ruined in a few weeks, I bought jeans from Goodwill wheee I could get 8 pairs for the same 49 dollars. I like Goodwill so much now I stop by and often find high quality shirts or suits for a fraction of their original price.
Hello from Ca! We Love watching your Channel. Dollar Tree I buy Cleaning Supplies Fabuloso air fresheners, reusable mop pads (at least a $12 savings compared to name brand) Tupperware. My Husband is the barter king! He has bartered his handy skills for many large household items lawn mowers/small ice freezers/bike racks, even special projects around our home. Even a free lunch or dinner for our Family of 4. It saves us so much money. My family loves to camp pack up food & explore the Oceans or Forest areas in our State. 😊
Thank you to whom ever suggested the Medical baseline rate!! Just signed up for it! When it comes to the “pink price”, mens razors seem to shave better than women’s too! Instead of using disposable Swiffer’s pads, I use microfiber cloths. I attach them to my Swiffer mop but I can wash and reuse. Thank you for all the viewers suggestions! Always learning new things!
My sister-in-law had several devotional books she was finished reading. She wanted to donate them somewhere. I took them and wrapped them in Christmas paper and used them as party favors at a ladies Christmas party. No one was expecting a present and I explained they were second hand books. Everyone enjoyed having a gift to take home and it only cost me the wrapping paper and tape which I already had.
Here is what has worked for myself and my family to save money: 1. Only buy "store brand" groceries, cleaning products, OTC medications, and health/beauty products wherever possible. I save at least $1.00 per item if not more. 2. Make a monthly spending plan, written on paper, to see where my money goes and to keep from forgetting to pay any bills or forgetting to contribute to savings. 3. Avoid the mall and shop at Walmart instead. 4. Avoid the movie theater and rent dvd's from Netflix instead (same movies, just 6 months later.) Also borrow older dvd's from the library for free. 5. Avoid restaurants except for special occasions like birthdays and graduations. 6. Avoid fast food meals which are up to $10 per person now, and eat at home instead for about $3 per person. 7. Drive a hybrid car; my Toyota Prius gets 52 mpg on the highway. 8. Buy a small starter home, fix it up and sell it at a profit, then buy your dream home using that money. Don't try to buy your dream home as your first house. 9. Have your teenagers get good enough grades to qualify for college scholarships. Also have them work part time during high school and during college, and send that money to their college savings accounts- they don't need a ton of extra spending money, as everything is paid for by their dorm rent and dining hall meal plans. 10. Adopt pets from your local shelter instead of buying them from a puppy mill. Get a vet plan that charges a low monthly fee to avoid surprise outrageous vet bills. 11. If you are applying for jobs and one job pays a little less but offers health insurance and a retirement account, while the second job pays a little more but offers neither, take the lower paying job. Health insurance and retirement accounts add a huge amount to your salary package, you just can't easily see it when you are young.
I adore you two your so kind and never talk down to others and act like what you say goes ❤ and are willing to listen to other opinions you are amazing people 🥰
Once or twice a year my husband would move the family room furniture into the living room and the living room furniture into the family room. Not only changed how things were arranged but the view from the windows.
First of all, Larry your hair looks very nice combed to the side! Ok... my daughter uses Chewy for her cats and bunny. She says they have the lowest prices (guaranteed), a huge variety, and free shipping right to your door so that saves time and gas. There is not a Dollar Tree where I live, but there is a Dollar General and I use it frequently. One example; I buy the coffee caramel Werther's for $1.00 but the exact same sized bag is $3.99 at Safeway. I always check the clearance aisle, and the $1.00 aisle for terrific bargains. Lastly, about Sally Beauty Supply store, they have everything you could ever want and more, and at very good prices.
Dollar Tree items that I have found great value in ; pink himalayan salt, push lights, they are super bright and great for emergency lights in our hurricane storage, Reynold's foil sheets, books, coloring books, spring rolls (sounds weird, but the ones they carry are really good, 10 for $1.25) those are just a few of the things that I find are a great deal. Excellent video, thank you!
I, too, love the spring rolls from Dollar Tree. I also buy the pancakes/sausage frozen meals...they're delicious. In fact, i like most of Dollar Tree's frozen food. Diane in NC
@@larryware1 you're welcome! Thank you for what you both are doing. It helps those of us who are still developing a frugal lifestyle to have calm amongst the storm. :)
@@jimmiepatrum those rolls are great, I learn from another RUclipsr about them, so good! I have not seen the pancake and sausage meals at our, but I will keep an eye out for them! Thanks!
Those who are allergic to laundry soaps can grate a bar of ivory soap and resolve into a gallon of water to wash your laundry. I use apple cider vinegar as conditioner. It works great and smells alot better than using regular vinegar. I also buy bubble bath for $1.00 and do half it and half water and put in my pumper to wash hands. Yes I'm allergic to alot of soaps. Love all your tips.
I moved to a different state several years ago, and I discovered that the library in my new town had a much smaller ebook selection for borrowing. The next time I traveled to see family back home I visited my old library to ask if they had a “remote access” library card for borrowing ebooks. They did, for a small fee, and I now enjoy borrowing ebooks from both libraries.
I’m a peel off girl. We actually slice and put ion a cookie sheet to freeze. Once frozen we dump them in a freezer storage bag and safe for cooking, nice cream, smoothies or a sweetener for our oatmeal.
Thanks guys! For anyone who has AAA Auto Club, they have free tour guide books for every state, listing museums, tours and historical sites, and many are free or minimal cost. Love your channel 👍
These are such great tips!! Most I haven't thought of or heard of. Great chat! My mother (who would've been 103 now) also said to put a towel in with heavy items. She also always said, when buying appliances, don't buy the cheapest or the most expensive. Cheap ones can be cheaply made. Expensive ones just have a lot of unneeded bells and whistles. My Dawn power wash recipe is 1/4 cup Dawn, 2 Tablespoons rubbing alcohol, and slowly fill with water. Works so well.
Tip for parents: buy your kids clothing a year in advance after the current year goes on deep discount. I did this for years with my son and daughter. I could buy end of season clothes and stick it away for the next year. I was able to get Gymboree and lands end clothing for target prices. My kids were so well dressed on a price I could afford. You just have to wait till your kids reach a stage where they wear one size and is predictable.
Yes! I go to a yearly second hand Bag Sale and get 2 bags. Things I need now or next season, things I need next size up for the Kiddos. I wash them all then airbag store them separated by sizes and seasons (just a large ziplock and a vacuum to seal the bags) I break them out when we need them and store what we can save for the next kid down. The rest gets sold to a second hand shop the leftover gets given away on my local no but group
Here's my tip! I had NO IDEA until a couple of months ago that I can make my own veggie broth with scraps! We use a lot of veggie broth for cooking, so this is saving us a LOT of money now. Plus I'm learning how to can soon so it lasts even longer! Other tip, learn how to cook things that you normally buy premade, such as pizza! Homemade pizza is incredibly easy and delicious
I save all my veggie scraps in bags in the freezer. When I get enough, I use them to make veggie broth or bone broth to can. Whatever parts I can't use, go in my compost bin.
Ask contractors if you can have leftover construction materials, new and old. My husband and I had been wanting to extend our backyard and our privacy fence. It just so happened our neighbor was having a new privacy fence built. We asked the contractor what he was going to do with the old fence panels and he let us have them for free. They were going to be thrown away anyway and the material was still in pretty good condition. We saved him the labor of taking the materials to the dump and we were able to piece the panels back together. We ended up being able to double the size of our yard, and we only paid for the bucket of screws it took to put it back together.
SHOUT OUT! Yep, that was my grandfather, Samuel Otis, who was the restauranteur. His coffee-stretching tips (including extra-fine grind, and re-using grounds) allowed him to get through the Depression and all the rationing of WWII while still serving a decent cuppa Joe.
Linda! Thanks for waving your hand at us. I read your tip and then lost it. I looked and looked through the tips to try to find your tip again and couldn't locate it. Your grandfather sounds like he was very smart.
My fave go to Dollar Tree items are the Reynolds Wrap Aluminum foil sheets, certain dog treats, greeting/bday cards, the generic Swiffer wet floor wipes, sandwich baggies, batteries, tissues. Recently my DT has had lots of Goya canned Vegan refried beans we love!! Have bought tons of them when I see them!
Wow, what great ideas. So lucky to have you guys helping us all out like this. I meant to add one tip about free firewood. Locally we have a lot of merchants who put untreated wooden pallets out for people to help themselves. People get them and either use for firewood or turn them into furniture. Some awesome ideas, must try the baking soda for hair...
I love this! Great ideas! I do the 'dryer towel' thing...I keep an old beach towel with a rip in it inside the dryer and run every load with it. It does seem to save time on drying~~especially heavier loads like bath towels. I do the foaming hand soap thing, too! I buy whatever is the cheapest at the time~~dish soap, bubble bath, shampoo, etc. and add a little to the container, fill with water leaving room to shake, shake it up, and you have foaming hand soap! I have made homemade instant oatmeal, too! You can add raisins, dehydrated fruit, nuts, etc. and spices. I remember one year we went on vacation to Pigeon Forge and I took some with us for breakfasts. I think I'll make some of this for my Mom, who is elderly and can't stand for long periods of time to cook. Thanks for the viewer tips!
I save money and time by using my used tennis balls in the dyer. My towels fluffed so that, they are too big to put in the pantry area they came out of. That's how I knew, it really worked. Helf the dyer time is needed.
For the most part stores allow you to “double dip” if it’s a “manufacturer coupon”. Because it’s the manufacturer of the item who is going to reimburse the store for the discount they offer. And the store itself is only accountable for their sale. I’m in Canada, so for me that includes grocery stores, Walmart, Canadian tire, dollarama and more. Yes, Dollarama accepts coupons! This is a great way to get things for free. And some stores used to actually put any extra savings toward your other purchases. So if soap is on sale for 0.75 and you have a $1 off coupon, that 0.25 would be put toward your other purchases. They used to actually pay you out the change but most places don’t do that anymore, so you have to make sure your buying something else to get that extra $0.25 off. I hope that makes sense to people!
We all (2 women 1 man) use men's deoderant. Gotta unwrap the bar of soap. I have bought Bath and Body Works liquid soap for super cheap and then when they are almost done I put more water in the pump to make it last longer. I love you guys! You don't preach but share helpful money savings tips.
My building had a give away table and fridge/freezer until the bed bugs infestation a few years ago. It was removed then to prevent recirculating them between apartments. We never got them back. Honestly, I am glad. No worry about contracting COVID-19. Got a pair of tennis shoes that way-- and hats. I am known as the hat lady😊😁👒👒 for my collection of over 20 hats.
Cheese ravioli, gnocchi, mild Italian sausage links removed from casing,, meatballs, and kielbasa sausage are secret weapons for your budget in the kitchen. Can't eat rice and beans and cornbread. Switch to canned black beans add corn salsa cheese sour cream onions and warm tortillas. Eat potatoes and eggs. Add seasoning and ketchup or salsa for dinner vibes. Make your get out of debt rice and beans or potatoes and eggs twice a month instead of once. Have taco and spaghetti night instead of takeout pizza night
We have geo- thermal for our heating and cooling. Our cooling costs are much less in cost than our heating costs in the winter! We also live in the mid-west area,Iowa,so you are so correct about the heat and humidity in summer. Blackout curtains on most windows helps cut down on the heat of the sun shining through the window.
I buy Colgate Whitening toothpaste at Dollar Tree. It's almost $4 a Walmart. I also buy my Brillo pads, exfoliating washcloths, craft supplies, and gift bags.
You guys are wonderful I have a book I call it my DIY book. My friends beg me to write them a copy as a Christmas gift. I make my own laundry detergent and all kinds of things. DIY A lot I got online. I live alone. The stores are set up for families. I said to my mom there should be a widow swap of meals. Since there isn't. I do my own. I make meals in my instant pot for about 6. I eat it for about 2 days and freeze the rest. Then I pull out one of my other meals from a different day. I only cook once a week and I never waste food. Also, I can't drive so I have a service bring me food. People say to me isn't that expensive. Yes, you pay more. But when you actually go to the store your eyes wander even when you try to just stick to your list. I always have the person that took me as a cheerleader egging me on to buy something else. My shoppers can't believe I live on the 20 items or less they buy me. I don't worry about gas because of this. I don't really worry about food. I am very happy. I see that God is providing for me as promised.
Thank you for addressing the pink tax!! Other good examples are socks, and tee shirts. I buy extra large boys socks and pay less than half what I would in the women’s section. Edit; we also have free libraries! I mean, the regular library here is free and they will bring books in from other libraries. We also have the boxes on poles in neighbourhoods. I try to add kids books, because when my kids were toddlers there wasn’t often kids books. As we all know, access to books is very important for childhood development!
Yes to the pink tax. I buy mens white cotton t-shirts. They are a little thicker so no undergarment show through, fit better since I don’t have the figure of a 12 year old and are just more comfortable. Also they come in larger quantities per pack. And probably TMI, but mens cotton boxers are my go to for pajamas. I just make sure they are in a different color than my husbands to avoid any mixup after laundry.
my area,Edgewater,in Chicago,has thousands of free book bins.its how I got all my books.the entire vampire academy series,Buffy,lauell k.hamilton,etc. got a bunch of astrology,tarot,witchcraft books free.same exact books at ,say,barns and noble,thousands of dollars,easily
oh,yes,the pink tax.ive used men's hygiene products and tees forever. men's razors are sturdier,have sharper blades for a smoother shave,and are way cheaper than the flimsy women's. also,deodorant.a twin pack of old spice high endurance is $7at our local dollar general. secret women's,for one,is $10 and a much smaller size,too.
Libraries are an underutilized resource. Free internet, periodicals and books but also often have other kinds of lending services included! My local library has an artwork lending program. Suppose you're having guests and don't have nice decor you can fancy up your house for free for event or even for staging a house for sale.
Sally's is where I get my clippers and scissors for cutting hair at home! I have bought 2 sets in 10years! And only spent $100 ... for cutting 5/6 people's hair in my house!
Hi Hope and Larry! Love watching your videos... just saying! Beating inflation is our next challenge! Was thinking about your coffee dilemma: I grew up watching my seriously frugal Mum always put a pinch of salt on the coffee before brewing it. It enhances the taste. I kid you not- try it! Oh, and of course the coffee grinds, just like the used tea leaves, eggshells and banana peels were used to fertilise her roses... Another tip about bananas, straight from Rarotonga: if you buy them green-ish, keep them in a plastic bag in the fridge, they last a long time before getting brown!
Flea treatment…Something that I started doing several years ago that a friend of mine does and I found that it works wonderfully. Professional flea treatments are expensive but in some cases very necessary. The fleas and Mississippi were God awful. The only way that we were ever successful in eliminating the fleas was using prescription medication. The flea drops were very expensive and not as good. I also didn’t like applying those chemicals to my dogs coat. Bravecto is a godsend! Started out spending $50 a pill now it’s around $60 a pill. For two dogs that could be expensive except the one thing is this. I only bought one pill you only had to give the dog one pill every 3 to 4 months. The one pill I would buy would be the largest one possible. It was For a dog 80 to 120 pounds. My Yorkshire terriers 10 pounds and my Irish wheaten terrier weighs 38 pounds. I would divide the pill into fourths. It’s a soft chewable pill. I would give each dog half the pill and put the rest in a Ziploc bag and stick it with a magnet to the side of my refrigerator. That one pill would last me a year. It got me completely through flu season. I would wait until I would see there were fleas appearing and give them the pill. I did not just keep them on a rotation by season but by need. I wouldn’t let my dogs be eaten up but I didn’t wanna unnecessarily give them the pill. My vet never had a problem selling me the pill in that quantity. I just said that it was for my largest dog and went with it. It has saved us a fortune. Much cheaper than buying the drops that were the really good ones but still weren’t good enough. We had fleas so bad when we first started using this that when I gave them to my large dog within 20 minutes I saw fleas dancing on his nose and dying. We managed to keep the fleas at bay and everything was good but that year was really a rough year. I have been loyal to that pill ever since. This is one of those cases that I spend the extra money if it works. Also find a way to stretch that and that’s what I did by splitting the pill up. Been doing this since 2015. Never had a problem. My friend she was doing it before I started and had told me that’s what she does.
Three months ago I bought a commuter bicycle to ride to and from work five days a week. I have saved more than $160 each month in fuel. The only time I drive to work is on a bad weather day.
Immensely proud to have been mentioned - thanks, Hope & Larry, and thank you to the entire Under The Median-community for all these great tips. 😊 As a librarian, it warms my heart to hear that so many of you benefit from your local libraries. Maybe Hope and Larry would want to make an entire video of good, frugal library use? I’d be happy to contribute, though I am living in Europe. I’m sure our library systems are similar. 🎶📚❤️
And I got to read yours, Katrine! We certainly could address the virtues of the public library systems some more. Thank you for your great tip! We enjoy our community of frugal people!
For those who use electric blankets, once they stop working, keep the blanket. They are usually very warm blankets. You can strip the wires out, if you want to, by cutting a small slit at the bottom of each set of wires and pull.
We belong to a buy nothing FB site for our town. We gave up landline phone, newspaper and cable TV some time ago. We buy gardening supplies off season when it is marked down.
I'm relatively new subscriber and wanted to thank you for the content. It's so helpful! Especially these days! I've also been inspired to return to plant-based eating. We did it for 5 years but over the last two years began adding more animal products. Doing this one thing has already begun to save us money. Another thing I did to reduce energy costs is using indoor hanging racks to avoid using the dryer. It's helping so much! I chose indoor over outdoor because we get a good bit of rain. Found the racks at Walmart. Oh! And we also decreased our internet cost by inquiring about lower rates. Our bill went from 84 to 54.00/mo keeping the exact same service, and it will stay at this lower price for 2 years!
If people can not afford,or find black out curtains maybe sew some non see thru fabric to your existing curtains making sure to copy the original stitching. I did this and it has help on my cooling costs!
I use my local library constantly. The interlibrary loan program is wonderful and includes many surrounding counties. There is also a Blessings Box at my library where it's convenient for me to drop off food, toiletries, etc. for those less fortunate. Additionally, the community college in my town issues library cards to non-students. Diane in NC
You can freeze the zest, but I think you put it in water, like some herbs. I make pesto from the garden in summer and freeze in ice cube trays. We add 2 cubes to homemade vegan spaghetti sauce and thaw for pizza.
You guys’ posts are so educational it would be so cool if you had your own show or what have you because they are just super super helpful. Just thank you so much.
I freeze fresh lemon juice and lemon zest all the time! Love all the tips! I peel bananas before freezing. I also freeze many things in ziplock baggies. I do not let whatever it is to defrost all the way. When things are still a bit frozen it doesn’t get stuck in the bag and therefore less waste. Then I wash the ziplock out and reuse for something else.
The lemon juice yes I did this and then I make up bulk amounts of lemon butter and u can freeze it for about a year also great ti have on hand when some one is not well at home hot lemon tea with a dash of honey
May i thank you both for your sound advice regarding all things to save on . I am in the UK and at present we are also going through a really tight squeeze on living standards , more than any place in Europe. Inflation is near 10 % !!. I enjoy your videos because of your knowledge and engaging personalities . I have picked up many tips so far and no doubt will need more as we all head for hardship in the following months . Thank you both .
For the coffee, I just started making smaller cups and it seems to trick my mind. I'm making the same amount of cup but actually am drinking less. Another tip a few years ago I found this on Pinterest but has since been removed. Take a large bar of Ms. Meyers soap and grate the entire thing into a gallon of water, add 2 tbsp of bandaid gel/glycerin in the bandaid section. Heat all the way through and mix well. Let cool and blend. Now you have a gallon of liquid hand soap of your favorite scent. Only works with Castile type soap. Another tip: I use reusable painters drop cloths for everything in my house. They are some of the largest single cut pieces of material you can find and bleach very well and clean easily. I see my own curtains, pillowcase covers, table runners, and covers for furniture. For wrapping gifts we use either the brown paper that comes from delivered packaging or brown paper bags from purchasing groceries. I have never purchased paper for gifts or bags. We keep old gift bags and tissue paper from gifts people have given us. One thing I do now is if there is something that we need, I first see if I can make it instead from what we already have. Then I weigh the reality, how much time will it take to make and how much will it cost, compared to buying it new. Or better yet, living without it until it can be found at a thrift shop.
I do have a Roku and love it!!! We get a ton of free movies and TV shows, as well as have our subscriptions on it. I get unlimited data and hotspot on my phone and use that for my internet for everything (except our tv, laptop, and printer) which we have an extremely cheap internet plan for since it's used for these few things and for about an hour or 2 a day. We also shop at Dollar Tree. We buy movies, coloring books, crayons, colored pencils, school supplies, plastic buckets, snacks, cleaning supplies, organization items, etc. For our emergency supplies we have solar & hand crank chargers, lanterns, emergency radios, mini power stations, and lanterns. We have a portable solar sun kettle for cooking & boiling water, emergency sleeping bags, sleeping bag liners, a solar battery recharger, rechargeable batteries, USB batteries, portable solar panels, safe heat indoor heater (similar to Sterno), a solar shower, water bottles and jugs to hold water, a portable solar bug zapper, battery operated lamps, solar outdoor lights, a Scrubba wash bag (also saves money on laundry from not using the washing machine all the time, a clothes line, a first aid kit, a trauma kit, safety goggles, work gloves, whistle, map of your area, compass, a multitool, a pocket knife, a knife sharpener, extra food & water, extra prescription & OTC meds, a magnifying glass/fresnel lens/jewelers loop, a hatchet, wrench, shovel, tarp, paracord, backpacks, etc.
Love your channel and you all don't speak doom and gloom like other channels. Appreciate the joy and pleasant spirit you all possess.You all give good advice of what to do. Love this video and all the others you all have uploaded.❤️🔥❤️
OK you guys, I'm age 65, you just sprung something new to me, a "tool library". Looks like none near me but the idea is very interesting, to quote "Hogan's Heroes".
@@greeneyedredhead61 There is a database on the internet that shows international locations but most are in the USA. Unfortunately, none in Texas. Check the internet?
Speaking of bar soap. I switched back to bar soap when I shower, because the liquid soap was making my skin way too dry. It has definitely made a difference in my skin.
My son uses shampoo as his shampoo and soap, has for 20 yrs, but they must have changed the formula because now he says the same thing about drying skin. I get it free or for pennies but have to pay for bar soaps
Anyone who works in NYC can get a library card. This entitles you to online access, printing, classes, lectures, books, movies, ebooks and lots more. You can even borrow artwork! There are so many branches accross the city that there will be one close to wherever you work. Highly recommend. AND if you ever need I.D. for bureaucratic purposes, it may often count as secondary proof of identification.
Uncrustables! Hope, I'm right there with you. When I first saw those I said to my husband "Who could possibly be that lazy?!?" Apparently lots of people, because they still make them. In fact there are lots of things in the freezer section you can make at home for a fraction of the cost, and keep in the freezer for convenience meals.
A couple of things I've seen in stores and my first thought is 'are you crazy?'. Like a potato wrapped in plastic wrap so you can throw it in the microwave. ? You can't do that at home? (I don't do anything to my microwaved potatoes except use a fork to poke a few holes in them) A box of 'half size' spaghetti. / Seriously? You can't break your spaghetti in half on your own? Precooked rice in little containers. It takes like 5 minutes to cook rice. Mercy. I just don't understand why people can't seem to do things on their own.
About a hundred years ago when I was 18, I made wine. A empty bottle, half pack of yeast, sugar, Welches grape juice, the frozen cans then, fill with water, cap with large balloon for a ferment lock. Find a cool dark place to his for maybe six weeks like in a closet, not forgetting but checking on occasion for fruit flies.
Good stuff, man!! Love it. Especially saving dehumidifier water and washing your hair with baking soda. Oh and putting a timer on your hot water heater!! They were all good ideas really! Thanks guys.
My youngest has spina bifita and has up to 5 showers a day as he is in incontinate lots of washing also my sons doc con tacted the water company and they have put us on a companiinate plan
You have lot on your mind and heart. May you have the strength to continue the loving care for your son. Try to reward yourself with little treats or rest breaks daily.
I was listening and wanted to mention that when you harden your scented soap, you can then “store” in your dresser drawer to help scent your clothes until you need the soap in your bath.
I use the dehumidifier water to water my garden. I have to dump daily and usually have enough water for my small potted plants. Also use the silver packing materials from my Misfits orders to put on my windows to keep my house warmer or cooler. Also bought a roll of reflectix to make curtains to place over windows during the heat of the day. My front windows face the west and get lots of hot afternoon sun. The reflectix reduces the heat entering the home covered by my heavy curtains. I put my soap bits into a cotton soap saver to use all of my soap instead of having the bits flow down the drain.
When I travel I always carry emergency blankets, an ice chest with food in case I get stuck in traffic overnight. I freeze bananas peal off. They break apart easily. I have one south facing bedroom. It has a south window and an east facing window. All of my windows in the house are dual pane. They were all installed with a window screen. They are also covered with an additional screen on the outside. On the inside of the bedroom windows I have made by me custom white blackout with beautiful lace sewn on one side. They are installed with the lace side showing in the bedroom with a print panel curtain on both sides of the blackout. I get loads of compliments on those curtains. I did the same thing in the living room and I made country scene with blackout for the kitchen. The kitchen curtains were installed by simply having the curtain rod straddle the tops of 2 kitchen cabinets left and right. The bathroom window is blackout on the window side with a cut piece of shower curtain on the inside to keep the blackout from getting wet. They were installed with a tension rod installed backwards so the rod is inward against the window instead of jutting outward. This was done to discourage peeping toms. The coolest window fits my custom made by me Arcadia window curtains. They were made with a French print fabric facing inside lined with a colored matching flat bed sheet. They will fit an Arcadia window exactly and were supposed to be installed in my Arcadia window in the townhouse but I moved. The best liners for curtains are matching flat bed sheets. All these things have reduced my electric bill. In the south facing bedroom I placed a bowl of water on the dresser so it can't fall and leave the ceiling fan on. Just doing this made the temperature in that room drop 15 degrees in the summer time. Since that worked so well, I placed a bowl of water in the shed where there is no AC or heat and suddenly the shed was cool during the summer. I remember to check the water regularly.
Great tip especially the flask taking to work, many of those tips we also use in the UK. Thank you for your brilliant videos in sharing your ideas and other peoples ideas, we are all learning different tips off each other. I'm all the way from Torquay a seaside town in the UK
Put a bucket (I use 5 gallon) in the shower for the minute or two while the shower is warming up. I then use the water in the garden
When you unwrap your bar soap to dry it out before you use it, put it in your dresser drawers til time to use. Gives the drawer and what's in it a wonderful scent.
That's a good tip and I believe it also wards off insects such as moths. I'm not sure if that's true but that is what I've heard.
I like to put a bar of sosp with my sheets that I have for each bed in an under the bed storage box.
Save the vegetable water and either use for soup or water your plants with it. My aunt told me to put mine on my roses years ago.
You guys are so special. I can’t tell you how good it is to have down to earth people like you Hope and Larry, to give us GREAT practical tips for saving money and being good stewards of our money. I just love you both and I get excited every time you post a new video!! Keep them coming friends!!
Awe, thank you so much, Lyn. We enjoy sharing with people like you!
We love watching them as well!
@@RetiredLovingIt Thank you so much! It makes it all worth it when we hear things like this!
I agree with you Lyn. Hope and Larry are just a lovely genuine couple. I love their videos and handy tips x
@@alliestrachan2188 we do as well! Such a great channel to follow!
My dryer went out and my friends father was about to move into assisted living…he heard about my dryer and he offered it to me for free. So thoughtful and I used my drying rack until he moved. I appreciate my dryer now but still air dry some items
Tip: when heading out on a road trip, plan ahead. A small crockpot & ingredients saves from eating out. Use 12v appliances (truckers & rvers do) to cook reroute, if it's a longer trip.
Yes I agree with using a road pro roaster 12 volt appliance to picnic with on a road trip!👍
I have been only using baking soda to wash my hair for several weeks now, and I love it. Got many compliments yesterday about how shiny my hair was.
The shower cleaner with dawn, vinegar, and water is awesome. My mom came and stayed with me for awhile and kept asking me how i get my tub so clean. It is the best cleaner for shower/tub I have used.
Yes, a little baking soda added to it works great, too.
We do "no-till" gardening, which requires a lot of dead plant matter for mulching. We spread the word that we'll accept certain items dumped in our yard. This saves others the fees of dumping, but gives us matter. Local tree companies have even dumped the shredded branches, saving me thousands of dollars in wood mulching. It's win/win.
May I ask for prayer for mom? Her name is Kathy. She was diagnosed with lung cancer yesterday. Doctors don't think that she will live through the year.
Sending you a virtual hug.
💐🌸🌺
Praying for your Mom’s peace and comfort and hope in the Lord 💜
Praying now! 🙏
So very sorry. Prayers.
I've been adding beans to meat dishes to stretch then a bit farther & not only am I spending less on meat but it's less fat too! Thank you for turning me on to the many uses of lentils ☺️
Oatmeal is another thing to add to food for cheap nutrition
PLUS you are getting so much more fiber, potassium and other goodness in your diet! :)
Also Rice and potatoes are best as fillers
@@rossicastellanos1333and pasta! 🧡❤️💚🇦🇺
Thanks Hope and Larry for all you do to help us frugal-minded folks find even more ways to be frugal! My wife and I love watching your videos. Here are a few things we do to keep costs down:
1. Take your trash and recycling to the dump yourself in order to avoid the cost of weekly trash pickup services. Recycling is free in our town and a kitchen sized bag of trash costs $2 to dump. This saves me about $300 a year. We also compost whatever we can to further reduce that amount of trash we have to transport to the dump, and it cuts down on the quantity of trash bags we use.
2. Bucket bathing to save on water and heating costs. This is a common practice in places like India where fresh water can be scarce. I bring a 2.5 gallon bucket with me into the tub and fill it with warm water. Using a cup, I pour water from the bucket over my head and body, and then I shampoo my hair and scrub my body with a washcloth and soap. The cup is then used to dip water out of the bucket to rinse myself off with. I end up filling the bucket from the faucet one more time so I can fully rinse off any soap residue. This only uses 5 gallons of water, which I think is a significant savings compared with your average bath or shower, and I always feel perfectly clean afterwards! (Some caveats: I'll admit that I don't do this if I've gotten really dirty doing yard work or something of that nature, but if you're not filthy this works really well. If you need to wash longer hair it can be a bit of a challenge; my wife doesn't really care for bucket baths for this reason. Also, this can be pretty chilly in the wintertime unless you keep your house super warm, which I don't.)
3. Set a timer when you shower. I have a timer in my bathroom that I set for 5 minutes when I take a shower so I don't lose track of time and waste water.
4. When we go out to the movies we always go to a matinee because the tickets are significantly cheaper, and we bring our own snacks from home. Most theaters don't want you to bring in outside food, so we just put the snacks in a pocket or in my wife's purse.
5. I am lucky enough to live in the same neighborhood as a coworker, so we carpool to work. We switch off on whose week it is to drive so it's not just one person's car taking all the wear and tear. This really helps in these times of extremely high gas prices!
I hope these tips are helpful for someone out there. I know that I've been really inspired by all the great ideas I've heard from others!
I unplug absolutely everything I can until I'm going to use it..for instance, the TV, radio, the electric ignition on a gas oven, only plug my fridge in for 1/2 the day.. I wear outside clothing inside including a stocking cap I always wear shoes, I study nutrition on you tube..powdered fruits/vegt..yellow pea protein powder..added to applesauce from the Dollartree.. being very careful I can usually put together a healthy meal for $0.30
I always pick up change from the ground and I come home and put it in the Penny jar. I put new linoleum in my bathroom thanks to the tips from God.
I do the same..pick up change..turned it in once at the time of my anniversary and paid for our night out because I had $75 ...
@@r.p.9829 that is so cool
One of the things I did to save on electricity was to buy some cute solar lights for the patio. Not the string lights, ones that are separate and that can stand or hang. I hang them in my sunny windows all day and use them at night. The one in the bathroom is actually bright enough that I can shower without turning on the light! It's also good for emergencies because you don't have to worry about batteries or trying to charge them with no power!
Another little thing I do is, if I am using the oven, is to turn it off a few minutes before the cook time is up and let the ambient heat continue the cooking process. And if you have the time, soak your dried pasta for about an hour before cooking it (save the water for plants, cooking something else, etc) and then boil it. You will cut a significant amount of cook time off of the meal!
So happy no poo works for some people! It ruined my hair 😭 (tried it for 6 months) hairloss (a friend actually noticed), pretty much always still dirty/waxy. Had to stop so I finally went to bulk eco shampoo.
Larry’s humour is very appealing too 🤣😂🤣. Thank you guys!
Taking the bar soap out of the wrapper has been something I learned to do years ago. I’m currently using a bar of soap I started last September.
I know I heard this tip before but I forget so I really like hearing tips again.
I also enjoy making my own body wash out of the bars of soap.
I’m going to start letting the soap dry out. We always use bar soap. I find it last so much longer
my late husband loved bar soap I found a stash he had of 24 bars. They were 6 years old. They are Irish spring. I guess that is why I don't have bugs in my house. haha ha, They still smell like when I bought them.
I learned while working in construction not to waste money of clothing, instead of dropping 40 dollars on jeans that would be ruined in a few weeks, I bought jeans from Goodwill wheee I could get 8 pairs for the same 49 dollars.
I like Goodwill so much now I stop by and often find high quality shirts or suits for a fraction of their original price.
Zest your lemon, fill an old spice bottle with the zest, put the lid on the spice bottle and place in your freezer. Ready to use!
Wrong Old Spice!
I peel the lemons and limes very thinny. dehydrate then powder.
Hello from Ca! We Love watching your Channel.
Dollar Tree I buy Cleaning Supplies Fabuloso air fresheners, reusable mop pads (at least a $12 savings compared to name brand) Tupperware.
My Husband is the barter king! He has bartered his handy skills for many large household items lawn mowers/small ice freezers/bike racks, even special projects around our home. Even a free lunch or dinner for our Family of 4. It saves us so much money.
My family loves to camp pack up food & explore the Oceans or Forest areas in our State. 😊
Thank you to whom ever suggested the Medical baseline rate!! Just signed up for it! When it comes to the “pink price”, mens razors seem to shave better than women’s too! Instead of using disposable Swiffer’s pads, I use microfiber cloths. I attach them to my Swiffer mop but I can wash and reuse. Thank you for all the viewers suggestions! Always learning new things!
My sister-in-law had several devotional books she was finished reading. She wanted to donate them somewhere. I took them and wrapped them in Christmas paper and used them as party favors at a ladies Christmas party. No one was expecting a present and I explained they were second hand books. Everyone enjoyed having a gift to take home and it only cost me the wrapping paper and tape which I already had.
Here is what has worked for myself and my family to save money:
1. Only buy "store brand" groceries, cleaning products, OTC medications, and health/beauty products wherever possible. I save at least $1.00 per item if not more.
2. Make a monthly spending plan, written on paper, to see where my money goes and to keep from forgetting to pay any bills or forgetting to contribute to savings.
3. Avoid the mall and shop at Walmart instead.
4. Avoid the movie theater and rent dvd's from Netflix instead (same movies, just 6 months later.) Also borrow older dvd's from the library for free.
5. Avoid restaurants except for special occasions like birthdays and graduations.
6. Avoid fast food meals which are up to $10 per person now, and eat at home instead for about $3 per person.
7. Drive a hybrid car; my Toyota Prius gets 52 mpg on the highway.
8. Buy a small starter home, fix it up and sell it at a profit, then buy your dream home using that money. Don't try to buy your dream home as your first house.
9. Have your teenagers get good enough grades to qualify for college scholarships. Also have them work part time during high school and during college, and send that money to their college savings accounts- they don't need a ton of extra spending money, as everything is paid for by their dorm rent and dining hall meal plans.
10. Adopt pets from your local shelter instead of buying them from a puppy mill. Get a vet plan that charges a low monthly fee to avoid surprise outrageous vet bills.
11. If you are applying for jobs and one job pays a little less but offers health insurance and a retirement account, while the second job pays a little more but offers neither, take the lower paying job. Health insurance and retirement accounts add a huge amount to your salary package, you just can't easily see it when you are young.
I adore you two your so kind and never talk down to others and act like what you say goes ❤ and are willing to listen to other opinions you are amazing people 🥰
Thank you, Lori. Appreciate your kind comment.
Yes you two are so real
Once or twice a year my husband would move the family room furniture into the living room and the living room furniture into the family room. Not only changed how things were arranged but the view from the windows.
First of all, Larry your hair looks very nice combed to the side! Ok... my daughter uses Chewy for her cats and bunny. She says they have the lowest prices (guaranteed), a huge variety, and free shipping right to your door so that saves time and gas. There is not a Dollar Tree where I live, but there is a Dollar General and I use it frequently. One example; I buy the coffee caramel Werther's for $1.00 but the exact same sized bag is $3.99 at Safeway. I always check the clearance aisle, and the $1.00 aisle for terrific bargains. Lastly, about Sally Beauty Supply store, they have everything you could ever want and more, and at very good prices.
I recycle my fruit or veg mesh bags make a 3 inch by 3 inch draw string bag to save soap scraps in to scrub dirty garden hands!
The library is here have free planting seeds sometimes too...
Dollar Tree items that I have found great value in ; pink himalayan salt, push lights, they are super bright and great for emergency lights in our hurricane storage, Reynold's foil sheets, books, coloring books, spring rolls (sounds weird, but the ones they carry are really good, 10 for $1.25) those are just a few of the things that I find are a great deal. Excellent video, thank you!
We still buy from Dollar Tree. They do have some really good deals. Thank you for your suggestions and your kind comment, Simply.
I, too, love the spring rolls from Dollar Tree. I also buy the pancakes/sausage frozen meals...they're delicious. In fact, i like most of Dollar Tree's frozen food. Diane in NC
@@larryware1 you're welcome! Thank you for what you both are doing. It helps those of us who are still developing a frugal lifestyle to have calm amongst the storm. :)
@@jimmiepatrum those rolls are great, I learn from another RUclipsr about them, so good! I have not seen the pancake and sausage meals at our, but I will keep an eye out for them! Thanks!
diabetic sugar,too.
Those who are allergic to laundry soaps can grate a bar of ivory soap and resolve into a gallon of water to wash your laundry. I use apple cider vinegar as conditioner. It works great and smells alot better than using regular vinegar. I also buy bubble bath for $1.00 and do half it and half water and put in my pumper to wash hands. Yes I'm allergic to alot of soaps. Love all your tips.
I moved to a different state several years ago, and I discovered that the library in my new town had a much smaller ebook selection for borrowing. The next time I traveled to see family back home I visited my old library to ask if they had a “remote access” library card for borrowing ebooks. They did, for a small fee, and I now enjoy borrowing ebooks from both libraries.
Nice 👍🏻
Good thinking Lefty! Great tip!
I’m a peel off girl. We actually slice and put ion a cookie sheet to freeze. Once frozen we dump them in a freezer storage bag and safe for cooking, nice cream, smoothies or a sweetener for our oatmeal.
Thanks guys! For anyone who has AAA Auto Club, they have free tour guide books for every state, listing museums, tours and historical sites, and many are free or minimal cost.
Love your channel 👍
OMG, totally forgot about AAA discounts. Thanks.
And for us seniors, check out AMAC. They have free maps/travel route things etc too with their roadside plan.
These are such great tips!! Most I haven't thought of or heard of. Great chat!
My mother (who would've been 103 now) also said to put a towel in with heavy items. She also always said, when buying appliances, don't buy the cheapest or the most expensive. Cheap ones can be cheaply made. Expensive ones just have a lot of unneeded bells and whistles.
My Dawn power wash recipe is 1/4 cup Dawn, 2 Tablespoons rubbing alcohol, and slowly fill with water. Works so well.
Yes, in the "old" days things were made MUCH better and Lasted FOREVER. But now, even the expensive appliances suck!
We have free libraries all over my town. I take one I leave one. It’s like Christmas! Especially when I go back and the book I left got taken!
Tip for parents: buy your kids clothing a year in advance after the current year goes on deep discount. I did this for years with my son and daughter. I could buy end of season clothes and stick it away for the next year. I was able to get Gymboree and lands end clothing for target prices. My kids were so well dressed on a price I could afford. You just have to wait till your kids reach a stage where they wear one size and is predictable.
Yes! I go to a yearly second hand Bag Sale and get 2 bags. Things I need now or next season, things I need next size up for the Kiddos. I wash them all then airbag store them separated by sizes and seasons (just a large ziplock and a vacuum to seal the bags) I break them out when we need them and store what we can save for the next kid down. The rest gets sold to a second hand shop the leftover gets given away on my local no but group
@@cjhoward409 awesome
Here's my tip! I had NO IDEA until a couple of months ago that I can make my own veggie broth with scraps! We use a lot of veggie broth for cooking, so this is saving us a LOT of money now. Plus I'm learning how to can soon so it lasts even longer!
Other tip, learn how to cook things that you normally buy premade, such as pizza! Homemade pizza is incredibly easy and delicious
I save all my veggie scraps in bags in the freezer. When I get enough, I use them to make veggie broth or bone broth to can. Whatever parts I can't use, go in my compost bin.
Ask contractors if you can have leftover construction materials, new and old. My husband and I had been wanting to extend our backyard and our privacy fence. It just so happened our neighbor was having a new privacy fence built. We asked the contractor what he was going to do with the old fence panels and he let us have them for free. They were going to be thrown away anyway and the material was still in pretty good condition. We saved him the labor of taking the materials to the dump and we were able to piece the panels back together. We ended up being able to double the size of our yard, and we only paid for the bucket of screws it took to put it back together.
SHOUT OUT! Yep, that was my grandfather, Samuel Otis, who was the restauranteur. His coffee-stretching tips (including extra-fine grind, and re-using grounds) allowed him to get through the Depression and all the rationing of WWII while still serving a decent cuppa Joe.
Linda! Thanks for waving your hand at us. I read your tip and then lost it. I looked and looked through the tips to try to find your tip again and couldn't locate it. Your grandfather sounds like he was very smart.
My fave go to Dollar Tree items are the Reynolds Wrap Aluminum foil sheets, certain dog treats, greeting/bday cards, the generic Swiffer wet floor wipes, sandwich baggies, batteries, tissues. Recently my DT has had lots of Goya canned Vegan refried beans we love!! Have bought tons of them when I see them!
Wow, what great ideas. So lucky to have you guys helping us all out like this. I meant to add one tip about free firewood. Locally we have a lot of merchants who put untreated wooden pallets out for people to help themselves. People get them and either use for firewood or turn them into furniture. Some awesome ideas, must try the baking soda for hair...
I love this! Great ideas!
I do the 'dryer towel' thing...I keep an old beach towel with a rip in it inside the dryer and run every load with it. It does seem to save time on drying~~especially heavier loads like bath towels.
I do the foaming hand soap thing, too! I buy whatever is the cheapest at the time~~dish soap, bubble bath, shampoo, etc. and add a little to the container, fill with water leaving room to shake, shake it up, and you have foaming hand soap!
I have made homemade instant oatmeal, too! You can add raisins, dehydrated fruit, nuts, etc. and spices. I remember one year we went on vacation to Pigeon Forge and I took some with us for breakfasts. I think I'll make some of this for my Mom, who is elderly and can't stand for long periods of time to cook.
Thanks for the viewer tips!
I save money and time by using my used tennis balls in the dyer. My towels fluffed so that, they are too big to put in the pantry area they came out of. That's how I knew, it really worked. Helf the dyer time is needed.
For the most part stores allow you to “double dip” if it’s a “manufacturer coupon”. Because it’s the manufacturer of the item who is going to reimburse the store for the discount they offer. And the store itself is only accountable for their sale. I’m in Canada, so for me that includes grocery stores, Walmart, Canadian tire, dollarama and more. Yes, Dollarama accepts coupons!
This is a great way to get things for free. And some stores used to actually put any extra savings toward your other purchases. So if soap is on sale for 0.75 and you have a $1 off coupon, that 0.25 would be put toward your other purchases. They used to actually pay you out the change but most places don’t do that anymore, so you have to make sure your buying something else to get that extra $0.25 off. I hope that makes sense to people!
Wait.... Dollarama takes coupons?!
I am a couponer, totally understand.❤️
We all (2 women 1 man) use men's deoderant. Gotta unwrap the bar of soap. I have bought Bath and Body Works liquid soap for super cheap and then when they are almost done I put more water in the pump to make it last longer. I love you guys! You don't preach but share helpful money savings tips.
The unwrapped bar soap can give a drawer or cupboard a pleasant smell until it is needed for its intended job.
Local library and inter loan opportunities are a great way to save money,as long as you have a library card a person is good to go!
My building had a give away table and fridge/freezer until the bed bugs infestation a few years ago. It was removed then to prevent recirculating them between apartments. We never got them back. Honestly, I am glad. No worry about contracting COVID-19. Got a pair of tennis shoes that way-- and hats. I am known as the hat lady😊😁👒👒 for my collection of over 20 hats.
Cheese ravioli, gnocchi, mild Italian sausage links removed from casing,, meatballs, and kielbasa sausage are secret weapons for your budget in the kitchen. Can't eat rice and beans and cornbread. Switch to canned black beans add corn salsa cheese sour cream onions and warm tortillas. Eat potatoes and eggs. Add seasoning and ketchup or salsa for dinner vibes. Make your get out of debt rice and beans or potatoes and eggs twice a month instead of once. Have taco and spaghetti night instead of takeout pizza night
We have geo- thermal for our heating and cooling. Our cooling costs are much less in cost than our heating costs in the winter! We also live in the mid-west area,Iowa,so you are so correct about the heat and humidity in summer. Blackout curtains on most windows helps cut down on the heat of the sun shining through the window.
I buy Colgate Whitening toothpaste at Dollar Tree. It's almost $4 a Walmart. I also buy my Brillo pads, exfoliating washcloths, craft supplies, and gift bags.
You guys are wonderful I have a book I call it my DIY book. My friends beg me to write them a copy as a Christmas gift. I make my own laundry detergent and all kinds of things. DIY A lot I got online. I live alone. The stores are set up for families. I said to my mom there should be a widow swap of meals. Since there isn't. I do my own. I make meals in my instant pot for about 6. I eat it for about 2 days and freeze the rest. Then I pull out one of my other meals from a different day. I only cook once a week and I never waste food. Also, I can't drive so I have a service bring me food. People say to me isn't that expensive. Yes, you pay more. But when you actually go to the store your eyes wander even when you try to just stick to your list. I always have the person that took me as a cheerleader egging me on to buy something else. My shoppers can't believe I live on the 20 items or less they buy me. I don't worry about gas because of this. I don't really worry about food. I am very happy. I see that God is providing for me as promised.
Thank you for addressing the pink tax!! Other good examples are socks, and tee shirts. I buy extra large boys socks and pay less than half what I would in the women’s section.
Edit; we also have free libraries! I mean, the regular library here is free and they will bring books in from other libraries. We also have the boxes on poles in neighbourhoods. I try to add kids books, because when my kids were toddlers there wasn’t often kids books. As we all know, access to books is very important for childhood development!
Yes to the pink tax. I buy mens white cotton t-shirts. They are a little thicker so no undergarment show through, fit better since I don’t have the figure of a 12 year old and are just more comfortable. Also they come in larger quantities per pack. And probably TMI, but mens cotton boxers are my go to for pajamas. I just make sure they are in a different color than my husbands to avoid any mixup after laundry.
my area,Edgewater,in Chicago,has thousands of free book bins.its how I got all my books.the entire vampire academy series,Buffy,lauell k.hamilton,etc.
got a bunch of astrology,tarot,witchcraft books free.same exact books at ,say,barns and noble,thousands of dollars,easily
oh,yes,the pink tax.ive used men's hygiene products and tees forever.
men's razors are sturdier,have sharper blades for a smoother shave,and are way cheaper than the flimsy women's.
also,deodorant.a twin pack of old spice high endurance is $7at our local dollar general.
secret women's,for one,is $10 and a much smaller size,too.
@@DCupcake58 I've used men's boxers for years for PJ's. I am almost always too hot so a tank top and boxers are my go-to jammies.
Libraries are an underutilized resource. Free internet, periodicals and books but also often have other kinds of lending services included! My local library has an artwork lending program. Suppose you're having guests and don't have nice decor you can fancy up your house for free for event or even for staging a house for sale.
Lov little free library 📚 use them all the time
Sally's is where I get my clippers and scissors for cutting hair at home! I have bought 2 sets in 10years! And only spent $100 ... for cutting 5/6 people's hair in my house!
Hi Hope and Larry! Love watching your videos... just saying! Beating inflation is our next challenge! Was thinking about your coffee dilemma: I grew up watching my seriously frugal Mum always put a pinch of salt on the coffee before brewing it. It enhances the taste. I kid you not- try it! Oh, and of course the coffee grinds, just like the used tea leaves, eggshells and banana peels were used to fertilise her roses...
Another tip about bananas, straight from Rarotonga: if you buy them green-ish, keep them in a plastic bag in the fridge, they last a long time before getting brown!
In our area, we have many free events. You can bring your own picnic, watch plenty of bands and even plays.
Flea treatment…Something that I started doing several years ago that a friend of mine does and I found that it works wonderfully. Professional flea treatments are expensive but in some cases very necessary. The fleas and Mississippi were God awful. The only way that we were ever successful in eliminating the fleas was using prescription medication. The flea drops were very expensive and not as good. I also didn’t like applying those chemicals to my dogs coat. Bravecto is a godsend! Started out spending $50 a pill now it’s around $60 a pill. For two dogs that could be expensive except the one thing is this. I only bought one pill you only had to give the dog one pill every 3 to 4 months. The one pill I would buy would be the largest one possible. It was For a dog 80 to 120 pounds. My Yorkshire terriers 10 pounds and my Irish wheaten terrier weighs 38 pounds. I would divide the pill into fourths. It’s a soft chewable pill. I would give each dog half the pill and put the rest in a Ziploc bag and stick it with a magnet to the side of my refrigerator. That one pill would last me a year. It got me completely through flu season. I would wait until I would see there were fleas appearing and give them the pill. I did not just keep them on a rotation by season but by need. I wouldn’t let my dogs be eaten up but I didn’t wanna unnecessarily give them the pill. My vet never had a problem selling me the pill in that quantity. I just said that it was for my largest dog and went with it. It has saved us a fortune. Much cheaper than buying the drops that were the really good ones but still weren’t good enough. We had fleas so bad when we first started using this that when I gave them to my large dog within 20 minutes I saw fleas dancing on his nose and dying. We managed to keep the fleas at bay and everything was good but that year was really a rough year. I have been loyal to that pill ever since. This is one of those cases that I spend the extra money if it works. Also find a way to stretch that and that’s what I did by splitting the pill up. Been doing this since 2015. Never had a problem. My friend she was doing it before I started and had told me that’s what she does.
Thank you people
Love your tips! I've always used the dehumidifier to water my outside plants when it's hot and no rain for several weeks.
Thanks so much, Eric! It never occurred to me to do this, but I certainly will from now on! 😁
Also use to flush the toilet.
Wonderful tips - Thank you Hope & Larry and Thank you for all who contributed their ideas! God Bless you all xx
Three months ago I bought a commuter bicycle to ride to and from work five days a week. I have saved more than $160 each month in fuel. The only time I drive to work is on a bad weather day.
Immensely proud to have been mentioned - thanks, Hope & Larry, and thank you to the entire Under The Median-community for all these great tips. 😊
As a librarian, it warms my heart to hear that so many of you benefit from your local libraries. Maybe Hope and Larry would want to make an entire video of good, frugal library use? I’d be happy to contribute, though I am living in Europe. I’m sure our library systems are similar. 🎶📚❤️
And I got to read yours, Katrine! We certainly could address the virtues of the public library systems some more. Thank you for your great tip! We enjoy our community of frugal people!
Love the Symphony. Ticklets are expensive ...what a great exchange!!!🎶
@@lindycarol3365 - it was!
Yes I love my library
Could never afford all the books i am able ro read
I love Dollar Tree for gift wrap, bags and greeting cards. Saves so much!
For those who use electric blankets, once they stop working, keep the blanket. They are usually very warm blankets. You can strip the wires out, if you want to, by cutting a small slit at the bottom of each set of wires and pull.
We belong to a buy nothing FB site for our town. We gave up landline phone, newspaper and cable TV some time ago. We buy gardening supplies off season when it is marked down.
I'm relatively new subscriber and wanted to thank you for the content. It's so helpful! Especially these days! I've also been inspired to return to plant-based eating. We did it for 5 years but over the last two years began adding more animal products. Doing this one thing has already begun to save us money. Another thing I did to reduce energy costs is using indoor hanging racks to avoid using the dryer. It's helping so much! I chose indoor over outdoor because we get a good bit of rain. Found the racks at Walmart. Oh! And we also decreased our internet cost by inquiring about lower rates. Our bill went from 84 to 54.00/mo keeping the exact same service, and it will stay at this lower price for 2 years!
If people can not afford,or find black out curtains maybe sew some non see thru fabric to your existing curtains making sure to copy the original stitching. I did this and it has help on my cooling costs!
I use my local library constantly. The interlibrary loan program is wonderful and includes many surrounding counties. There is also a Blessings Box at my library where it's convenient for me to drop off food, toiletries, etc. for those less fortunate. Additionally, the community college in my town issues library cards to non-students. Diane in NC
Roku is the absolute best savings . I bought an extra one to keep on hand . I went from $117 a month to a one time $20 buy.
You can freeze the zest, but I think you put it in water, like some herbs. I make pesto from the garden in summer and freeze in ice cube trays. We add 2 cubes to homemade vegan spaghetti sauce and thaw for pizza.
You guys’ posts are so educational it would be so cool if you had your own show or what have you because they are just super super helpful. Just thank you so much.
I do the pickle juice saving too! Makes great veggie dip.
My daughter earns alot,but does not listen when it comes to prepping,Jesus open her eyes,I've been doing my best
The small jar of coconut oil goes a long way making microwave popcorn from $1.25 Tree, bought mine for a dollar.
I buy plain bran flakes and add my own raisins (not sugar coated), craisins, almond slivers etc from jars in my pantry. This also works for yogurt.
I am a banana peel off! I use frozen banana chunks in my juicer machine to make frozen banana ice cream!🍦
I freeze fresh lemon juice and lemon zest all the time!
Love all the tips!
I peel bananas before freezing.
I also freeze many things in ziplock baggies. I do not let whatever it is to defrost all the way. When things are still a bit frozen it doesn’t get stuck in the bag and therefore less waste. Then I wash the ziplock out and reuse for something else.
The lemon juice yes I did this and then I make up bulk amounts of lemon butter and u can freeze it for about a year also great ti have on hand when some one is not well at home hot lemon tea with a dash of honey
May i thank you both for your sound advice regarding all things to save on . I am in the UK and at present we are also going through a really tight squeeze on living standards , more than any place in Europe. Inflation is near 10 % !!. I enjoy your videos because of your knowledge and engaging personalities . I have picked up many tips so far and no doubt will need more as we all head for hardship in the following months . Thank you both .
Peels off. They get so weird and shriveled otherwise.
Thank you for all your hard work on these videos. So grateful for both of you ☺
Larry & Hope, I love your youtube channel.
Great, helpful ideas for everyone and very sustainable! Love how down to earth and very relatable you both are! Melbourne Australia 🇦🇺
Awe, thank you, Natalie!
For the coffee, I just started making smaller cups and it seems to trick my mind. I'm making the same amount of cup but actually am drinking less.
Another tip a few years ago I found this on Pinterest but has since been removed. Take a large bar of Ms. Meyers soap and grate the entire thing into a gallon of water, add 2 tbsp of bandaid gel/glycerin in the bandaid section. Heat all the way through and mix well. Let cool and blend. Now you have a gallon of liquid hand soap of your favorite scent. Only works with Castile type soap.
Another tip: I use reusable painters drop cloths for everything in my house. They are some of the largest single cut pieces of material you can find and bleach very well and clean easily. I see my own curtains, pillowcase covers, table runners, and covers for furniture.
For wrapping gifts we use either the brown paper that comes from delivered packaging or brown paper bags from purchasing groceries. I have never purchased paper for gifts or bags. We keep old gift bags and tissue paper from gifts people have given us.
One thing I do now is if there is something that we need, I first see if I can make it instead from what we already have. Then I weigh the reality, how much time will it take to make and how much will it cost, compared to buying it new. Or better yet, living without it until it can be found at a thrift shop.
I do have a Roku and love it!!! We get a ton of free movies and TV shows, as well as have our subscriptions on it. I get unlimited data and hotspot on my phone and use that for my internet for everything (except our tv, laptop, and printer) which we have an extremely cheap internet plan for since it's used for these few things and for about an hour or 2 a day. We also shop at Dollar Tree. We buy movies, coloring books, crayons, colored pencils, school supplies, plastic buckets, snacks, cleaning supplies, organization items, etc. For our emergency supplies we have solar & hand crank chargers, lanterns, emergency radios, mini power stations, and lanterns. We have a portable solar sun kettle for cooking & boiling water, emergency sleeping bags, sleeping bag liners, a solar battery recharger, rechargeable batteries, USB batteries, portable solar panels, safe heat indoor heater (similar to Sterno), a solar shower, water bottles and jugs to hold water, a portable solar bug zapper, battery operated lamps, solar outdoor lights, a Scrubba wash bag (also saves money on laundry from not using the washing machine all the time, a clothes line, a first aid kit, a trauma kit, safety goggles, work gloves, whistle, map of your area, compass, a multitool, a pocket knife, a knife sharpener, extra food & water, extra prescription & OTC meds, a magnifying glass/fresnel lens/jewelers loop, a hatchet, wrench, shovel, tarp, paracord, backpacks, etc.
Love your channel and you all don't speak doom and gloom like other channels. Appreciate the joy and pleasant spirit you all possess.You all give good advice of what to do. Love this video and all the others you all have uploaded.❤️🔥❤️
OK you guys, I'm age 65, you just sprung something new to me, a "tool library". Looks like none near me but the idea is very interesting, to quote "Hogan's Heroes".
I have great very interesting. I've never heard of such a thing I wonder if that is all over the place or just in that particular town.
@@greeneyedredhead61 There is a database on the internet that shows international locations but most are in the USA. Unfortunately, none in Texas. Check the internet?
Speaking of bar soap. I switched back to bar soap when I shower, because the liquid soap was making my skin way too dry. It has definitely made a difference in my skin.
My son uses shampoo as his shampoo and soap, has for 20 yrs, but they must have changed the formula because now he says the same thing about drying skin. I get it free or for pennies but have to pay for bar soaps
@@kenyonbissett3512 I used to do the same thing, but I couldn't handle the dry skin any longer.
Anyone who works in NYC can get a library card. This entitles you to online access, printing, classes, lectures, books, movies, ebooks and lots more. You can even borrow artwork! There are so many branches accross the city that there will be one close to wherever you work. Highly recommend. AND if you ever need I.D. for bureaucratic purposes, it may often count as secondary proof of identification.
Uncrustables! Hope, I'm right there with you. When I first saw those I said to my husband "Who could possibly be that lazy?!?" Apparently lots of people, because they still make them. In fact there are lots of things in the freezer section you can make at home for a fraction of the cost, and keep in the freezer for convenience meals.
A couple of things I've seen in stores and my first thought is 'are you crazy?'. Like a potato wrapped in plastic wrap so you can throw it in the microwave. ? You can't do that at home? (I don't do anything to my microwaved potatoes except use a fork to poke a few holes in them) A box of 'half size' spaghetti. / Seriously? You can't break your spaghetti in half on your own? Precooked rice in little containers. It takes like 5 minutes to cook rice. Mercy. I just don't understand why people can't seem to do things on their own.
About a hundred years ago when I was 18, I made wine. A empty bottle, half pack of yeast, sugar, Welches grape juice, the frozen cans then, fill with water, cap with large balloon for a ferment lock. Find a cool dark place to his for maybe six weeks like in a closet, not forgetting but checking on occasion for fruit flies.
I pour 1/8 cup Castille soup in a foaming hand soap bottle, thin fill with water. Works great!
Good stuff, man!! Love it. Especially saving dehumidifier water and washing your hair with baking soda. Oh and putting a timer on your hot water heater!! They were all good ideas really! Thanks guys.
Thanks to our frugal family! Blessings, Barbara.
Love your programs. Really helps us all out here. God bless you 🙏 ❤ 🙌 ♥ 😘
Yes,I agree that Larry&Hope are a breath of fresh air with many helpful ideas that can help all of us!
My youngest has spina bifita and has up to 5 showers a day as he is in incontinate lots of washing also my sons doc con tacted the water company and they have put us on a companiinate plan
You have lot on your mind and heart. May you have the strength to continue the loving care for your son. Try to reward yourself with little treats or rest breaks daily.
I was listening and wanted to mention that when you harden your scented soap, you can then “store” in your dresser drawer to help scent your clothes until you need the soap in your bath.
I use the dehumidifier water to water my garden. I have to dump daily and usually have enough water for my small potted plants. Also use the silver packing materials from my Misfits orders to put on my windows to keep my house warmer or cooler. Also bought a roll of reflectix to make curtains to place over windows during the heat of the day. My front windows face the west and get lots of hot afternoon sun. The reflectix reduces the heat entering the home covered by my heavy curtains. I put my soap bits into a cotton soap saver to use all of my soap instead of having the bits flow down the drain.
Buy men's t-shirts at thrift store for women's pajama top. I also buy men's pajamas for myself because they are cheaper than pajamas for women.
When I travel I always carry emergency blankets, an ice chest with food in case I get stuck in traffic overnight. I freeze bananas peal off. They break apart easily. I have one south facing bedroom. It has a south window and an east facing window. All of my windows in the house are dual pane. They were all installed with a window screen. They are also covered with an additional screen on the outside. On the inside of the bedroom windows I have made by me custom white blackout with beautiful lace sewn on one side. They are installed with the lace side showing in the bedroom with a print panel curtain on both sides of the blackout. I get loads of compliments on those curtains. I did the same thing in the living room and I made country scene with blackout for the kitchen. The kitchen curtains were installed by simply having the curtain rod straddle the tops of 2 kitchen cabinets left and right. The bathroom window is blackout on the window side with a cut piece of shower curtain on the inside to keep the blackout from getting wet. They were installed with a tension rod installed backwards so the rod is inward against the window instead of jutting outward. This was done to discourage peeping toms. The coolest window fits my custom made by me Arcadia window curtains. They were made with a French print fabric facing inside lined with a colored matching flat bed sheet. They will fit an Arcadia window exactly and were supposed to be installed in my Arcadia window in the townhouse but I moved. The best liners for curtains are matching flat bed sheets. All these things have reduced my electric bill. In the south facing bedroom I placed a bowl of water on the dresser so it can't fall and leave the ceiling fan on. Just doing this made the temperature in that room drop 15 degrees in the summer time. Since that worked so well, I placed a bowl of water in the shed where there is no AC or heat and suddenly the shed was cool during the summer. I remember to check the water regularly.
You were so good in that Alfred Hitchcock film.
One of those orange/red netted bags they sell onions in, bar soap & water, an easy scrub trio to clean dishes or other such stuff.
My daughter and I bought soar fans that last a long time on one charge. The kids each have their own fan and no need for battries.
Great tip especially the flask taking to work, many of those tips we also use in the UK.
Thank you for your brilliant videos in sharing your ideas and other peoples ideas, we are all learning different tips off each other.
I'm all the way from Torquay a seaside town in the UK