Reduce Expenses! 12 Frugal Money Tips for Families (of any size)
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- Опубликовано: 23 сен 2023
- #moneysavingtips #howtosavemoney #frugalliving
In this video I share 12 money saving tips that can help families of any size save more money and spend less starting today!
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Email: jennmariecook2018@gmail.com
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My tip is to stop meal planning 😮 I just buy the ingredients we use all the time (rice beans meat veggies etc) and I find that our food stretches longer than if I buy only specific ingredients for specific meals. I have a large family and this works even for us
Thanks for sharing!!
A small tip, but as we use so many onions in our meals, I’ve started to buy huge bags , chop them all up and put them in the freezer for when I need them, saves so much money & time!
Great idea!!
I do this with celery, carrots and garlic too. Then I can just grab some of each when I'm making soup, and it really cuts down on time and cost.
@@vcmomof3 Amazing! Definitely doing this too , just haven’t got further than the onions yet xx
I do this also.If I need fresh onion for something and I use only part of it I dice the rest of it and freeze for latter. I also buy green peppers on sale and cut them up and freeze.
We are a family of 6, live an hour away from larger shopping centers (hallelujah 😂). We grocery shop every 2 weeks, we do not go at all in-between. Saves us so much time and money 🎉 we also grow a significant portion of our food which helps out a ton.
That is awesome!
What about getting your groceries delivered to your home?
@@bevanbuckwheatshea5520 haha they don't deliver groceries in rural areas like ours. That doesn't bother me, I don't want a populated area lol
Hi Jennifer! I do reverse meal planning. I go shopping, buy things that we use that are on sale, then make a plan around those options. If you plan before you shop, you end up spending too much money because you are focused on the plan or you have to modify the plan on the fly based on things you find on sale. I've been doing this for nearly 40 years and it works very well.Have a lovely day! ~Angel
Love that!
I've only been meal planning for a few months now and that's exactly the way I do it. It makes the most sense to me.
My grandkids get one item from me. I ask them to give me three items that they would like, then I get to choose which one they get. Or I will make them something. This year some of them will be receiving a pillow made out of a t-shirt from their late grandpa.
I also buy snacks in bulk and portion them out into individual bags instead of buy the pre-packaged ones.
We are a family of 4 and we grow a LOT of our own food. We have cows on our property and we use the manure as free fertilizer and I save seeds on all our heirloom plants. Tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, squash, etc. It really helps supplement our grocery bill 👍🏼 we just mainly buy meat at the grocery store and I buy whatever’s on sale
The next generation will have to be given the methodology of cooking and being frugal. Food has gone up really fast esp Oct 2023 and finances have also become a real hassle. We're getting into a possibility of no choice as our paychecks stay the same but everything is going up. 🎉🎉
What a great video, with such specific tips! Thank you!
I go shopping once a month. Period. If I run out of fresh fruits and veggies, it's canned or frozen for the rest of the month. If I run out of milk, it's canned or powdered for a while. Plus, milk freezes, so there's not much chance I'll run out.
I do have room for a small stash of extra food, so I try to keep that full.
When I get a utility bill, I take it as a challenge to get it to be smaller the next month. At times it's been amazing how low I've gotten those bills.
Another thing I've done is have no-spend years. I used to try literal no-spend years, but as I'd end up splurging around October, I decided to cut myself a little slack this year. At the beginning of the year, I created a list of things needed... not urgent, but needed. Through the year so far, I've made 4-5 purchases. All were on the list, but one. That was a pot holder and kitchen towel set for$6 at a dollar store. Each purchase has been around $6, except one for $19 and one for $12.
I almost never drive. Last year, I got 3 tanks of gas. The last was in December, so it lasted a long time into this year. This year , I've filled up 1.5 times. I really almost NEVER drive. I use all the free transportation I can find. There's a free medical transport system where I live. I'm disabled, so I qualify. There's another transportation service for non-medical needs, with a small fee. I can drive cheaper, so that's when I drive. Everything else is delivered: prescriptions, groceries (free delivery fee, but there are some other fees). Since I only shop once a month, this is minimal.
I don't wash clothes every time I've worn them. If they still look and smell OK, I wear them again. My washing machine has a second rinse. I don't use it anymore. When I used to wash nursing uniforms, worn in the hospital where the worst germs lived, I definitely washed those after every use and I bleached them. I didn't want to smell bleach the next time I wore them, so I put them through a second rinse. I don't work in hospitals anymore.
I unplug everything imaginable. I even turn the stove off at the breaker box until I'm ready to use it. It takes a LOT of vampire energy.
My car is 17 years old. I've taken care of it though the years. It only has 91,000 miles on it. It's been LONG paid off.
I use sinking funds to save up for what I need. I quit using credit about 5-6 years ago, so I pay no interest.
I also found that it's possible to get "high yield" accounts at banks and other financial entities. While I was checking into this, I learned that the bank I use also has a high yield account. So I went to the bank to inquire. I asked what it took to get the higher rate and was told, "Ask for it and you get it" I was astonished! They don't advertise it, or tell people about it, but if you ask, you get it. So, I asked!! It's 3.5%. I know I could get 4.5% online, but it's way easier to be able to go to the bank if I need to. Before, the rate was 0.01%. It's amazing what can happen when you ask!
I also ask for discounts almost everywhere. If you don't ask, you won't get it. You could say: "because I have 5 children, or because I come here often, or because I send all my friends and co-workers here, is there a discount?" Come up with whatever reason you can think of.
I've also haggled prices at the grocery store on things on discount and broken things. I found a broken tea pot. All I wanted was the tea strainer inside. So I asked for a lower price and got it. There's some extra fancy bubbly fruit juice from France that's available only around Christmas and New Years. It sells for about $8 a bottle (and probably more now). At the end of the season, it's marked down to $4 a bottle. Then as the inventory gets really low, it becomes $2 a bottle. Once when I found only 20 bottles left, I offered to buy all of them for $1 each. I took 20 bottles home for $20. They made wonderful hostess gifts.
Probably I've gone on too long. Sorry, I tend to do that.
Love listening to your videos!
Wonderful tips!!! You are a frugalnista!
Thanks
Wow! Would love to hear more! You are very wise. 😊
It’s not too long and a lot of great ideas, thanks for sharing.
We are a family of 4 and we each get a day of the week to cook and clean. For example my 13 year old son has Tuesday and he may cook nachos and then he cooks and cleans ever Tuesday and we all each nachos that Tuesday. But ever Tuesday is his day to cook and clean. It makes it easy on everyone and helps him learn to cook and clean. Dad’s day is Monday, sister Wednesday and mom on Thursday. Friday we do leftovers or take out. Weekends are who ever wants to cook if no one wants to it results back to the parents .
I don't have a Costco membership so my daughter ordered an 11cubic foot frost free upright freezer with drawers and shelves from Costco on their Labor Day sale and paid with my credit card. I looked online to find the best price first, of course. Every Wednesday I look at the grocery ads to see what meat and fruit is on sale. Often chicken thighs or pork butt is on sale for 97¢ a pound. I portion it out and cook some fresh and freeze the rest in freezer bags, not just regular plastic bags. Also, my son is friends with the owner of a Thai restaurant and he brings them fresh fish and they teach him how to cook.
My husband and I are lactose intolerant so we have coconut milk instead. We buy the full fat coconut milk in a can and combine our own water into jugs and it lasts a week or so. Store bought coconut milk in a carton is triple the price and pretty much the same thing!
I bought the huge pack of AA and AAA batteries at Sam’s the sams brand it was over $20 bucks per pack but lasted from last December to this August. Yes it was close to $50 at the time but the little 4 packs are so pricey. And yes off brand but they worked great 😊
I buy the bulk pack at Costco when they go on sale always need AA and AAA
Great idea!
I buy my batteries at Dollar Tree.
We don't buy huge loads of groceries at once. We're near several grocery stores so it's always convenient for us to stop at one. We only buy enough for approximately 3 days at a time and seldom ever have food go to waste. Like you, I used to love watching the tv show Semi-Homemade Cooking with Sandra Lee!! Regarding gift-giving, make a note when people mention something they would like to have. For instance, my sister mentioned she would like to have a Pioneer Woman baking dish. Her favorite dessert is peach cobbler so for her birthday that's coming up soon, I'm going to get her a Pioneer Woman baking dish and bake her a peach cobbler in it. I love this type of video ....thanks!! Have a great week and enjoy the beautiful Fall Season.
Linda, that is such a wonderful idea to get the dish she wants and make her favorite dish in it! ❤️
Buying cheap white washcloths (a case from online) has helped me with cleaning. If they get nasty, just throw away & keep going.
Thanks for sharing!!
I do the same thing
And you can wash them, too. I bought mine like 20 years ago.
Good afternoon - the one thing I have found is to invest in a better quality item if it is something you use often. In the end you will end up spending less because you will not replace the item as often. Socks come to mind, buy a quality sock and it will last so much longer than most inexpensive pairs. Sheets are another item that comes to mind. Great video, have a good day everyone. Edit to add - yes learn how to cook and how to bake, you will save so much and you control the contents.
Very true! ❤️
Christmas/ Gift fund. 30.00 a week. When the school donations start, birthdays, and Christmas. Husbands desktop computer died, Gift fund.! Paid cash. His birthday gift for October.🤗 We buy for 5 family kids at Christmas ages 2-11. This is a help for sure. No stress.
Oh thank you I really appreciate your videos! tip nb 3, about the paper towel vs rags is something we have done for years when we alltogether stopped buying paper towels. It'saves a lot
When i cut my hair i would normally use a paper towel but now i did yesterday i use my wash cloth istead.. which was so easy. I just shaked out the clippings into the trash can. Which was so easy to do ..😊
We do bulk meat purchaes, especially when we find great deals. About a year ago, we found whole briskets for $50, so we got two and cut them into 8 roasts and put them in the freezer. That gave us roasts that cost $12.50 each, and we get 4 or 5 meals from each one. One of the best bargains we've ever found. But we also find others that are good. Dividing the meat into meal-sized portions and freezing them is a big help.
Meal planning was a huge help for us. I would place a menu on the fridge and I put meal ingredients on the top shelf of the fridge so no one would eat something that I would need for dinner. Shopping was quick and easy.
We also stopped using paper towels. Huge difference with teens in the house.
I too use a food saver. They are a life saver!! I've used them for so much and has saved me so much time n money...I've been able to save so much food like food saving walnuts or to save some chicken for months ahead n still have them in the freezer n it has been well over a year I've had them in the freezer. And so it helps me to save so much money in the long run...😊
I have learnt ine valuable tip as a 55 year old woman there must be unity harmony in our home if there is conflict ir division its sad
I work in two different locations that are across town from each other so I often take advantage of having to be out around town every day with stopping by the store almost daily whenever I have a need for something, it’s so convenient for me to stop in the store while I’m going by it anyways. It took me soooo long to figure this routine out because I always assumed it would cost more to shop frequently but in my personal experience it’s been very beneficial to my budgeting
I do a monthly shop twice week fresh produce
Love that you said "Go HAM" funny!
Menu planning with day before (some bulk pre prep as mentioned in a different comment) prepping of ingredients. Saves time & lessens stress.
Great tip!
live UNDER your means & pay yourself first
100%!
So happy to see your video again. I love your frugal tips which are very motivating and helpful. Thank you!
You are so welcome! 🤗
We love the puma socks from Costco! My whole family wears them!
Yea!!!
I don't like meal planning. I buy what is on sale, and is for decent price that I love. This means sometimes to be creative, combine ingredients new way, or try new way of cooking from internet. My family loves it. Of course we have some favorite staples... We avoid sweets, snacks, sweet sodas... very very occasionally someone asks for such a thing - we just do not have this addictions.
I love this perspective so much!! I have so many friends that can barely cook. To cook is to show love!! Let’s bring our babies along with us!! Sharing stories. Recipes. Life!! ❤❤
Absolutely!!
Hey Jennifer glad to see you again I loved all the great tips you are such an inspiration to me , what I stopped doing was buying books instead I down loaded the Libby app from our local library and you can borrow books and read them on my tablet and return them when you finish reading it it’s so much better then having to store all those books . Thanks for another great video .
Beatrice, thank you so much! I hope you are doing well 🤗
There's some great tips here, thanks for sharing Jennifer & I hope that you & yours are well ❤️
Bex! Thank you so much 🤗 I hope you are having a great week!
You help not only to save money but to rise healthier families. Congratulations truly from the bottom of my heart. Thank you so much.
Great 😊
Hi Jennifer , Really enjoyed this video!! spot on with everything !! Very helpful. Sher.
So glad!
Can u pleeeeeeeeeease do something on budget I've been trying to create a budget and follow it but is there like a easier way to do budgeting? And is there different types of budgeting?
Yes, I can work on this.🤗
I'm a cook and baker from scratch. My son also cooks for himself when im not around. There are standard recipes that everyone should know: how to roast a chicken, make meatballs, chicken soup, cook a steak or a roast...
Great video with good information
Thank you so much!
I no longer use a whole pound of hamburger meat in spaghetti sauce. I use half and buy a bigger bell pepper and onion to add the bulk. I have saved so much money on meat by using less and adding more veggies.
Menu planning bulk cooking
Paper towels are cheaper than doings laundry 😢😮😊😅
This is hard for some but I have seen significant savings in the hundreds of $$$ per month by grocery shopping through my local stores grocery app. It was hard to get used to at first but now I would never go back to going in the store. Through the app I am able “clip” coupons first, then shop the weekly sale circular enabling me to combine sales and coupons when I wouldn’t have been able to in person. I also completely avoid impulse purchases. I go to a separate store for fresh produce like berries and lettuce that we like, but that is the only time I go directly into a food store anymore. Regarding meal planning, I plan meals with what we have at home and buy only the few ingredients needed to complete the meal. Everything else is something we typically use and try to keep in stock in our pantry, bought in bulk while on sale!
We go to thrift stores, antique stores to get our furniture. Pay so much less for the pieces we need. Plus they are so much better quality.
I buy meat in bulk and individual portion freeze and lable
4380 meals a year, made for my family of 4. 3 homemade meals a day for a year. Plus snacks. And then guests and friends and family. We NEVER go out to eat and we miss nothing. Batch cook. Slow cooker. Repetitive meals that we all enjoy. It is never a chore to serve my family healthy nourishing food. It is a pleasure.
Costco has the best deals on socks and other clothing items. They also have great deals on gum, mints, water, bottled juices, vinegar, alcohol, peroxide, pumpkin pies, and the rotisserie 🍗 chicken, of course! And the gasoline, too!
❤️
Back when my kids were smaller and babies I would go grocery shopping once a month but I can't afford to do it that way especially with my two older kids are teenagers and they eat a lot, so now I have to go once a week.
Ive goong to Trader Joe's every three weeks. In between fruits & veggies. Have set recipe meals that I rotate and that works for me. We made meals that last 3-4 days.
Yes for Costco! My daughter wears puma ones! And youngest gets coats from there!
Love it!
I get Costco ground beef. Brown all of it. I make it into Taco meat using homemade seasoning. It will take 2-3 batches or more.
I freeze in 1 pound packages.
You can pull it out to make:
Tacos
Taco Salad
Taco Soup
Stuffed Peppers
Manwich (just add ketchup to season it and warm it up) It tastes just like the real thing. My husband adds Velveeta Slices on top and puts in the toaster oven to melt the cheese. Yum!
Sounds great!
Cooking is easy. Today there are so many videos of how to cook simple from scratch meals today. It is just practice. But …baking is a different skill. I would love to bake really good bread! I need to practice! 😁
So true!
Buy market stuff when they are cheap and store in freezer.
Can't we teach our kids to give away one of their toys to a child that could enjoy it? Can we buy something nice for child in the hospital or a child friend that could enjoy the gift given.
Can we not check the animal shelter to get a pet Tha is wanted as a companion. Just look at the person or senior citizen to see what size, sex and energy level they could enjoy. Save a pet while you're at it. We have so much. We even have the basics. Christmas is a time to give from our hearts. 🎉
I love that! "Give from the heart" ❤️
Eating leftovers!!!! I usually freeze and label them and use them a week or so later so they don't seem like left overs. Just add a different side or salad.
Please may I ask what you use to film? A iPhone or camera? X
Hi Leanne, I have used the Sony ZV- 1 for years.
If you can't afford a food saver, my family we just buy butcher freezer paper and buy large cuts of meat. I cut them down and put them in the paper myself.
Great idea!
Stay out of service stations & drive thrus. Keep water & snacks in vehicle.
❤️
Quality verses quantity use cash
Whats cookin
Here’s my tip: don’t break the law. Driving home last night, I picked up my cell phone to hit “pause” on the podcast I was listening to, and immediately got pulled over. 😢 Ticket will be between $80-$150, said the officer. Total frugal fail! My teenager will never let me live this down! 😂
Cut open toothpaste, shampoo container. Get every drop