30 Easy Frugal Swaps That Save THOUSANDS of Dollars
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- Опубликовано: 21 сен 2022
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We save thousands of dollars a year by making a few easy changes to our regular habits. in this video, we’ll list 30 of them. so, get ready to take notes.
If you’re stretching your budget, a few, simple swaps could save you hundreds of dollars a year. We’re Hope and Larry and this is under the median, where every week we talk about practical frugality.
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sorry but I just have to comment. I'm 60 yr old lady and I'm so jealous of your beautiful hair. you 2 must be doing something right in your diet cause in a world where most people are losing their hair as they age, well you two both have heads of hair like teens! you guys are so cute together. I love all your tips!
I shop once a month. When my fresh veg is gone I use my frozen veg. I make spaghetti on Sunday and have left over on Monday. Tuesday I make chicken strips, fries and veg. Wed Salmon or Haddock mashed taters n veg. Thurs I do rice n noodles. Fri I make a home made soup either clam chowder or lentil. Sat we eat any left over soup and lunch meat n cheese n buns. I do not go back to a store the entire month! If I am out of something then I will plan better the following month. We eat oatmeal Mon- Fri and on weekends we eat eggs and hash browns. I am not able to put blinders on and go into the store for 1-2 items, What I spend for three people is pretty low in comparing to my friends. I am now using less than a pound of burger for my spaghetti and bulking it with different beans. Love your channel.
8pm dst
Vegan here. Thankfully I grow a garden
Made 3 calls and saved $472 on car insurance, $96.00 on trash pick up, $60 on bank fees. Today our bank offers 3.05% for a 19 month CD! Doing home cooking, and once a week we get together with friends for a potluck dinner and movie on TV. Shop Aldi's, Rulers(Kroger discount store) and an Amish salvage store. We shop the sale ads at a chain store. Trying to skip one week a month from shopping by keeping food storage. We use a Ranger station loyalty card and pay cash to get a total of 8 cents off per gallon of gas. We make a Sam's run 4 times a year for some bulk buys on months there are extra instant savings. Enjoy your frugal suggestions!🤗
I grew up watching the beginning years of Sesame Street. I can’t remember the character but every time something was broken he fixed it. Little things like toasters were brought in for repairs. It drives me crazy that so many items today are made cheaply and are not fixable.
We have a supper club with two other couples. we get together every month and rotate houses. The host makes the main dish and provides beverages. The other two couples bring all of the sides and desserts. Supper club usually winds up lasting for hours as we fellowship or play games and it is just beneficial to all.
Luis (theFixItShop owner) 💞
When I was a single mom of three, once per month I used to grant the kids a junk food night. They got to choose whatever junk food they wanted. It could be anything, but that was their dinner for the night. They loved it and carried the tradition with their own families later in life. That night also included a favorite movie or games. It was fun and they quickly learned how they felt after eating junk food versus eating healthy.
We do that but it's homemade
What a fun tradition! We had what our boys called "Snacky Supper". We put out all kinds of finger foods: crackers, cheese, fruit, raw veggies, dip. And watched a movie while we ate our snack foods. So much fun!
I always teach my grandchildren to have dessert first in life so that might just mean a tablespoon of ice cream before they eat their cereal for breakfast but it's a great thing to teach them to do something pleasant for themselves first everyday like maybe listen to their favorite upbeat song
One of my favorite tips is : if I want something on any website I put it in the "cart" and often when I go back to look in a cart I'm no longer that interested in the product and don't purchase it. If I really still want it it's there.
I also noticed , many times, after the purchase is still in the cart for a couple of days, they send you a discount code, so you get a better deal.
Water bottles: I save the glass bottles from Kumbucha. They are made of thick glass and have good screw top lids. I have dozens of them. No waste. and no BPA leaching from plastic. It's environmentally responsible and free. I use a bottle brush and dish soap... easy to clean
I live alone, once a month por so, I buy a bunchnof burger,put into meal size portions freeze,I do the same with chicken& pork chops all on sale. Every night after dinner .i decide whats for dinner Tomorrow, pull from freezer I find I inly need to cook a couple if tines a week!
Delighted to see movement towards re-usable! I switched out everything in my house over the past 5 years or so to re-usable everything. Very low waste. Frugality and environmental sustainability complement each other.
Ito oh e moved
Drone
Disposal back to reusable it is amazing how much this can save you. For a month I costed this out and was amazed
On why it saved.
I grew up on cloth napkins. Felt fancy but I’m sure it saved my parents lots of money over the years
I keep the many napkins that restaurants give you for take out and reuse them several times at home. As a retired library technician, I'm happy to suggest that you move the library as your first place to get books instead of a used bookstore. Firstly, they are free, they can get you anything you want to read, and they have more than books. Consider the dvds, magazines and non-fiction books as well (instead of Google 😀). They also have digital collections that include ebooks, audiobooks, movies, TV series, music, and because they are online, you save money and time by selecting what you want from the comfort of your own home (even at midnight, when you need something to read!)
Thanks, I did not know that !!! I live 30 miles from the nearest library so I don’t go :(
@@rnupnorthbrrrsm6123 Some library networks organize library bus tours or have a stand at the local market in order to reach further population. I'm sure that if you contact the library you mentionned they could hook you up with some useful tips! :)
(a fellow librarian)
My local library always has a book sale going with books that have been donated. You can choose what you want, and they only ask for a free will offering. I have gotten some really great books.
Great to hear you spreading the message! Always support your local library🙏 (retired UK reference librarian).
Also, your library may have an interlibrary loan system. Ours does, and if you get materials through it, it's only $2 per item. You can get videos and books that way, and you're supporting your library. Win, win. 😀
This is such a great video! About 2 years ago, lightning zapped our Samsung smart tv. So we called to have a repair man come out to assess the damage. He determined that the main power supply board would need to be installed, to the tune of $400.00……😱 . We did not want to spend that much. So I asked my husband to check out RUclips for info on how to DIY the repair. He found one, ordered the part for about $69 and he was able to fix it!!!!!
I am horrified when so many RUclips channels tell folks to turn down a dinner invite. In today’s society there are so few opportunities the socialize with others, & these fools are cutting yet another opportunity for this important part of humanness. Split a meal or order an appetizer - but DO NOT deny yourself a chance to connect with others. This is how you nurture the strong ties that bind us!
Btw - not pointing to Larry & Hope - loved their idea of suggesting a potluck get together with friends instead of a restaurant.🤩
I have washed clothes in cold water my whole life. Mom and grandma did as well. I make my own laundry soap. I make 20 gallons for around 15 dollars and it lasts over a year. Discovered I use way more hacks then so thought. Thank you from Ohio.
Is the laundry soap liquid or powder can you tell me how to make it? I'm 63 disabled low income I really need it to save money please thank you
@@deborahfew1979 , it is liquid. All you need are a a bar of fels naphta soap, a box of borax and a box of arm n hammer washing soda. Grate the bar of soap put it into n a med sauce pan with 4 cups hot water and melt. Pour into a 5 gal bucket add 1 cup washing soda and 1/2 cup borax stir together and then fill bucket up leave about 3 inch head space mix well. Put lid on, wait 24 hours mix and use. It will look like jelly but stir well and it will look ok. I use about 1/4 in my wash along with baking soda. Been making it since 2011 and it works great. Some people add essential oils for fragrance but I like it the way it is. I sure hope this helps. You can make it powder just put everything in a food processor. Have a blessed day.
@@raneesteele4560 Ranee, I use the same ingredients but just dump them in powdered form in the empty washer and dissolve it that way for a few gyrations before I add the clothes. If you use cold water, you can always melt the soap flakes in a little hot water first. I have been making my own laundry soap for over three years. It's so much cheaper, cleans well and I don't need to use fabric softener! It's amazing the crud buildup that comes out of your laundry the first time you use this homemade soap. Your wash water will look like mud! All those products left behind by commercial laundry products! I think my clothes also last longer and keep their shape better.
@@deborahfew1979 homemade laundry soap is a huge money saver !!! I will just add that the recipe also may need to be adjusted to the type of washing machine you use. There is a lot of “recipes” on RUclips for liquid and powder versions, just type in the search bar (tap that little magnifying glass up in the right hand corner for the search bar) “homemade laundry detergent” and you’ll get more videos. My washer broke so I had to go to the laundromat and used a front loader, ugh, what a mess ! Those dumb washers are horrible and stinky 😏
Blessings
Also it’s probably TMI but I use cloth period pads and sewed them myself just over a decade ago- I haven’t paid for menstrual products in 10 years! I highly recommend them!
When I eat out, I usually only eat half my meal there and take the other half and have it for another meal. In some cases they're big enough that makes a 3rd meal
Instead of spending all that time making cloth napkins out of sheets (which aren't very absorbent,, just go to your local charity thrift shop and buy them there very cheaply. Most places have beautifully crafted table napkins in all sorts of colors and trim and you can get them for about 25 cents each. They last a very long time and, if they get worn, give them a new job as a cleaning cloth!.
Menstrual cups have saved me lots for my daughters.
Thank you for sharing more enlightening frugal ideas! One problem worth mentioning, though, about re-using plastic water bottles is that the plastic breaks down over time and you end up eating bits of plastic. Lifestyle doctors, chemists, and others in the know advise using glass or stainless steel for keeping drinking water and any hot foods safe.
Definitely!!!!
Nalgene or PBA are safe but glass and stainless are my favorite !
Warning, if you live in a cold climate, those glass bottles with the rubber sleeve protector cannot be left in your car overnight, ask me how I know 😏
No Amazon Prime, Netflix, etc in our house. Internet only cable plus Roku. But..and I know this is considered very out of fashion…I’ve collected DVDs for years. Pawn shops, garage sales, etc. for $2 (more typically a dollar or less) and once people realized I like DVDs, they often give them to me. I now have an embarrassingly large collection and it is great fun. I ditch the cases and keep the discs in binders/cases. My husband has dementia, and he loves going through the binders to select the entertainment for the evening. It’s less overwhelming for him than channel surfing.
Yes on the DVD's. I now have over 2000 in my collection.
I like using some for my moms kitchen items. They were made bette4. I’m almost 75, so you know they’re old items
When my kids were young we purchased inexpensive wash cloths for napkins at dinner. They were usually able to use the same one for two meals. Each child had their own color so they always knew which one was theirs. Now that it is just me I use the white terry cloths that you can get in a bundle at Costco. Use one for my meal and then use it to wipe down the table and counters.
I too have started cycling to work. Its only a 3 mile journey, and it takes me less time than when I take my car, as I'm not sat in traffic! I feel healthier, get in some fresh air, and its a great way to decompress after a hectic day at work! 👍
One of my big tips is host or attend a Santa’s grotto. It is basically a toy or childrens book swap. My church preschool holds one every year. Bring new or gently used kids items. Kids often get duplicate items for gifts or never opened presents. Bring them to the grotto. For every item you donate, you get the same number of tickets to pick up other items. So we often had 5-8 brand new toys still in original packages. I would drop them off and get 8 tickets to pick up other items. I have two kids. So I would give each one a ticket to pick out a new to them toy. We donated the other tickets to families who could not donate but needed new items for their children. We call it Santa grotto because we host it during the lead up to Christmas. We also decorate , do face painting and sell snacks. Proceeds and left over toys and books were donated to children in need. Great way to some cheap holiday shopping, or clean your house.
As far as winter bedding, my best garage sale purchase EVER was a queen size down comforter for $2! I pair that with a wool afghan that my Grandma made in the 1960's, and a homemade quilt. I am able to keep my thermostat at 50 to 55 degrees and stay nice and toasty.
Years ago I bought many sets of gray flannel sheets at an incredible price. Price has gone way up since but still have some saved. When the sheets wear out I cut them into large cloths for kitchen and smaller cloths for bathroom cleaning (so they don't get mixed up), sew around edges so they don't fray and they last for years. I only use paper towels for throw away--for example draining bacon. When the flannel cloths become too worn for household use they become rags that can be thrown away after one use. I also have flannel curtains and have re-covered chairs to match. Love flannel.
@Cheryl Castaneda Yes, I think it does. Any little bit helps. Flannel curtains wash well also.
I used to be a firm believer in having only one set of sheets. I would wash, dry, and remake my bed. Last Thanksgiving my Aunt put fresh flannel sheets on her guest bed for me and it was heaven. I live extremely "hot" and really love to be cold. Fortunately it is COLD in my aunts guest bedroom. It was cozy heaven to have both a cold room and flannel sheets. I can't remember the brand name, and I NEVER EVER Black Friday shop, but last year those exact sheets were on sale for $30 at Kohls, so I bought a set. It's been worth breaking my rule of one set of sheets per bed, and worth storing them when things warm up later this spring. Summer is the electric bill killer for me. Because I am always hot, I actually don't even turn on my baseboard heaters in the winter as I live on the 3rd floor and there is a little old lady living below me. However, in the summer, I am so hot. With a window air conditioner, I've learned not to leave it on all day long while I'm gone to work. Also, I bought a portable floor AC unit for my bedroom, so at night I turn off the wall AC unit in the livingroom, then turn on the portable unit in my bedroom and set the timer for 2 hours. If it's really hot I do wake up and set it for another 2 hours. Making those changes has helped me to bring down my bill some.
I love the idea of meatless meals a couple times a week. Also, having a themed meal sounds like fun.
Why not every day?
@@grahamstefaan People LIKE meat. Get over it.
@Graham stefan All bodies are different. I was a vegetarian for 7 years but my body finally told me I needed some actual meat protein... so I started eating SOME chicken, turkey, and fish and my body responded very positively.
Now I find a happy balance.
We are using a line. I often turn the clothes inside out so they don't get sun bleached if we leave them out too long. The other half loves the resulting harsh texture of many line dried items; he grew up with line dried clothes. I grew up with clothes dryer, dried items and like to line dry until barely damp then toss into the dryer for the last 5 to 10 minutes worth. It should be noted that the only 2 times its rained in weeks we had long to dry, heavy cottons on the line.
Oh yes, if you need rain hang blankets or sleeping bags on the line 🤣🤣🤣
@@rnupnorthbrrrsm6123 good idea! Had completely forgotten about that-- it definitely seems to work. We desperately need rain here - I will double the chance by hanging sleeping bags AND blankets.
Doing extra spins in your washing machines might help get rid of excess water.
One of my favorite ways to save is going to library book sales. My local libraries will have small ongoing book sales and larger sales 2-3 times per year. The typical prices are 50 cents for paperbacks and $1 for hardcovers. You can often get recent titles and those prices can’t be beat!
My clothes always seem a bit stiff when I air dry them, so I’ve started letting them air dry until they are about 90% dry and then putting them in the dryer for 5 minutes.
Add some dryer balls and it should soften them.
if you put a little white vinegar in your wash, it softens your clothes and takes away smells.
I just scored a NWOT (new without tags) perfect condition set of LL Bean silk long underwear from Poshmark for $45, retail cost $130 new!! I’m thrilled
It's so nice to see a couple that doesn't fight about the thermostat.
I do the bulk of my grocery shopping once a month at the first of the month. But I watch the weekly sales papers and if there is a good sale that week I will go for those items.
Yup, I do the same
I have a Stanley and a yeti I like the Stanley better. My parents have had a Stanley thermo since i can remember so over 30 years and it’s still in great shape.
For those not liking the shoe “advertisement”. Just because shoe shopping is not your thing, it is apparently Hope’s thing. And if they are timeless and lasts a long time, that’s frugality! You can always skip the shoe-part and watch the rest of the video with fantastic ideas.
I watch these videos even if most of the ideas does not apply to us here in the Northern Europe. Flannel sheets are hard to find, but wool blankets are wonderful! I love cozying up in our sofa with a woollen sweater, a woollen throw, woollen socks, a hot cup of tea and RUclips. ❤️
I cut jersey (cotton-elastane mix) to napkins. The edges don’t fray so all you don’t need to serge or sew anything. I still have napkins in use from the time my kids were babies. The older one is 10 yo… Also leggings and pants with holes at the knees, bum, you name it, are perfect napkin material. (Don’t use 100% Lycra/Polyester.) And when you have the flu, the cotton napkins won’t make your nose “raw”.
We get fantastic drinkable water from the tap. No need for filtering. 😍
I love my insulated Hydro flask. Add water from the tap anywhere and you don’t have to buy water anywhere. Or fill it with coffee. 🥰
Our family have three different diets, so to ditch meat is a bit hard, but we “extend” our food with extra veggies. I add red lentils, carrot, potato, tomatoes, etc to use less meat in the food.
Electrical-bikes. 💕 We buy most of our weekly groceries biking and we bike to the kids’ hobbies. Saves us gas, parking fees and nerves. And you get a free workout.
Both me and my hubby are crafty. I sew, knit and crochet. My hubby does woodwork, metalwork, renovations and a lot more. Our kids think everything is repairable. They just have to ask the right parent to fix the thing. 😂 However cooking is not either’s favourite. We can do it, but we take the easiest way out. So batch cooking or air fryer food is our favourites.
I wish we were neighbors. We're kindred spirits.
💞
Yes I like my flannel sheets. They are also very economical source of flannel for sewing nighties.
I've a few swaps to add. Handkerchiefs (esp. make by using old pajamas or linens), buying gas in the cooler morning (since by purchased by volume), making condiments (especially if using an alternate sweetener), passive whole house fan in summer by: opening basement windows; closing those on other floors; then opening attic windows/vents, learning price points rather than being caught by fake sale prices, one errand/grocery shopping loop a week, shop with neighbor/friend so not alone in car, review weekly ads to find out what store is winning your money that week based on where you believe you'll get the best value, hang up and air out gently worn clothes if can be worn a second time before washing, re-grow green onions or celery from their base in water once or twice. Sorry, I hate the Velcro-like action of flannel; I use a low/diabetic heating pad in winter (shuts off itself in 30-60 minutes) to warm the bed (not the house).
ANy ideas on making ketchup? I love using pillow cases for the kids when their nose hurts. We do have tissues but at night they always use a clean pillow case.
@@breezybre2670 HI! Yes I make catsup/ketchup all the time since I use alternative sweeteners and part potassium chloride salts. It is really easy from tomato paste - I love when I can find the organic paste on sale! I follow Wholesome Yum's recipe (I only whisk) but always make a double or triple batch and freeze the other jar(s). Use whatever sweetener you want as long as it measures like sugar. Right now Walmart has 12 oz Contadina paste for $1.68 (less for Great Value) so that would make about 24 oz of catsup. That is still a better cost than Heinz but not Hunts or Great Value - where you see the real savings is against the "Simply", "Organic", "No Salt", "No-Sugar" versions with each about $3 or more for 20 oz. The price works out even better for a triple batch with 18 oz Contadina doe $1.98. Of course once you have catsup, you just need some mustard, spices and sweetener to get to BBQ sauce. Since I make my own mayo (no soy or seed oils that way), I can also use the catsup to make 1000 Island salad dressing with some pickle relish. I also use a touch of catsup with mayo and chili sauce (homemade as well) to make bang-bang/boom-boom sauce. Heck, tartar sauce is easy too! Condiments are a real markup "value added" scam industry though I do occasionally buy the shelf stable stuff as an emergency/backup. Its avoiding the plastic leachate in a product with acid (vinegar & tomato), sugar, chemicals, excessive salt - that really costs to a (now) health conscious dietarily controlled diabetic with a history of estrogen receptive cancer. Hope you opt to make it for you and your kids for the benefits as well as a bit of savings if you are buying regular.
Sometimes we buy the thicker toilet paper because it is less expensive than paper towels and many times it's all you really need
Thank
Great list friend
Over a decade ago, I swapped Dish Satellite for Roku, I use to pay $100.00 a month.
I use old tee shirts for rags. Also I had some worn out thermal underwear, they were nice because the waffles in the fabric helped with scrubbing something. I find sheets fray and often aren't very absorbent.
The library has such a good selection of movies and tv shows, for free, that I don't think Netflix is worth the price.
I just love you both and I look forward to every video you post! You have the BEST frugal ideas! And I think it’s wonderful that you two are such a strong team and you have mutual respect and for each other. You make a sweet team💙
Our locally owned restaurants have huge portions. We are able to get 3 or 4 portions from one meal. We save the extra bread and butter and bring it home.
Tina, Al's wife
RUclips has plenty of free movies, a lot of great old ones. I buy less fruit, chips, snacks, lunch meat, juice. I use more veggies, potatoes, pasta, and rice these are cheaper than fruit, chips, and snacks. I buy less bread, and tend to make my own as a filler between shopping trips. Biscuits are easy and quick if you use self rising flour and cream. Cornbread. Pancakes. Fruit- apples and bananas. Apples keep and bananas can be frozen for smoothies if you don't get them used up. We also occasionally do just two meals a day. I just make a good hearty breakfast then do early supper. Basically I'm using less processed, trying to make fewer trips, use up what I have and don't buy things that go bad fast. Avoid empty calories. Sometimes I just look at the price of something and say to myself Im not spending money on that. I also realize that for a long time my eyes were bigger than my grocery cart. I started doing two meals a day because I was pleasantly surprised when sometimes my kids said they weren't hungry for a noon meal. My grocery bill has dramatically reduced.
When eating out order water and add a water enhancer to it. I carry packets of a Kool aid single to go packet to the water and the kids are happy and it costs less then a soda.
Our restaurant mgt no longer allow carry ins. (Please tip your server) 😀
This weekend I am cutting up my son's outgrown flannel shirts for reusable tissues and his outgrown t shirts for unpaper towels. We bought a set of paper napkins at Costco 5 years ago....still going thru the pack.
We have a Roku. With that we get multiple shows and movies for free. Also have Tubi, Peacock, Discover, and many others that are free. The movies/shows change about monthly so there is always something to watch.
Once a week we go out to trivia at a restaurant. What we have started doing is eating something light at home before hand so while there we get an appetizer and drinks. Cut our night out by about 1/2 yet we still support the business.
I do many of these things on a regular basis, cloth napkins, rags instead of paper towels, Roku instead of Satellite, paying bills online or by phone....as well as many others. Lots of good advice here!
Sometimes thicker toilet paper is less expensive than a paper towel when you simply can't use a cleaning cloth
Yes! Stamps are 60 cents now!
Are you related to Wilona Scheidler (Betzen)?
@@starbrightblue4936 we bought forever stamps in the 1990's
I do most of the tips you suggested here. Gave up cable finally a few months ago. Only kept it as long as I did because my husband wanted it but we don't miss it at all because we got a Roku and I do pay for Hulu and Frndly because there's a couple of shows we really like on the rare occasion we sit down to watch something. But those few dollars a month really beats the cost of cable we were paying. We got rid of my husband's phone because he can use his work phone and I went with a much lower company and recently that company was bought out by dish Network so I switched to mint mobile. But my monthly cell phone bill has rarely been over $30 a month for quite some time now. This summer, I joined a CSA with a farm and they delivered boxes of vegetables fresh from the farm each week for 12 weeks. I locked in on the price in February so we got a box of vegetables and some fruit throughout the summer. I miss getting that fresh food now. I even cooked something that I had in years or have never cooked. My husband discovered he liked the squash and zucchini and I even made zucchini bread and sliced it up and froze a couple loaves. We used very little from our pantry as far as canned foods all summer so it really stretched things out for us. There was so much food that I gave quite a bit to friends and family since it's just the two of us. If it was things that couldn't be Frozen for future use.
My menu consists of whatever is on sale at the grocery store. I haven't been going grocery shopping but maybe every 2 to 4 weeks. I had stocked up pretty good each time going to the grocery store for the last few months and so I've been able to shop less often. Which saves money. And have been able to pay extra toward the house mortgage. The goal is to pay the house off early.
Some of these swaps I’ve done. My kids and I are plant based and my hubby is not. So it cuts our food budget because I only buy meat for him. I bought reusable menstrual pads for my daughters (2) and they actually love them! My daughter is away at college and she doesn’t have to buy them in her college budget. I use a cup myself. We also use reusable water bottles. Hydroflask.
In case you don’t know, peroxide on the pads will remove the blood, especially when fresh. Some sort of container with a lid set next to toilet or in the tub to place pads in then douse with peroxide, then they are easy to hand wash or toss in the machine when ready. It controls orders as well.
Blessings
Have you ever done a program on making your own homemade mixes for spices and different seasonings for food? If not, would you consider doing that please?
I've actually thought about doing a video on that topic.
Your one of the few youtube sites on saving that has ideas I haven't heard before, like taking out light bulbs, and keeping things unplugged, i did that and my bill lowered... thanks. Sometimes with constant uptick of costs it is depressing, because i am usually doing so many swaps already, and doing with more labour instensive options, because that is free, like washing dishes, not running dishwasher. Thanks for encouragements!
Love flannel sheets😊
Heat with wood burning stove. Sometimes use covered flat rocks or an electric blanket
To warm up sheets.
I live way out in a rural area so I can't bus or bike anywhere. But we can and do carpool and cluster our errands into one trip. Or just check with each other to see if we can pick up a few items at the store for the other person. It's just the neighborly thing to do.
Have a soup night once a week and use up any limp vegetables. Make it count extra by packing into freezer safe containers and use it for lunch each day.
Push your grocery shopping out a day or a few days and force yourself to be creative.
Do home haircuts and coloring. Watch videos, get good hair cutting scissors at a beauty supply school. Those scissors pay for themselves quickly.
Always cut open tubes of lotion, toothpaste etc… there is usually at least a couple more uses inside.
I like the foam hand soap. I buy 1 bottle of it for the bottle and usually only have to buy a new bottle 1 x year when the old one stops working. When the soap is gone, I fill the bottle 1/2 way with water, give a squeeze of the cheap Suave shampoo abt 1/4 cup, not too much. Fill the bottle almost to the top with more water. When I screw the lid back on I want it ooze out some foam and use that to wash the outside of the bottle esp the pump top. The bottle shampoo lasts 4-6 months for me.
I've been using reusable menstrual cloth pads for years! Such a good swap
The bamboo pads I think bought on Ali Express are my favorite. I like them better than the more expensive Scandinavian brand (bit flanel like).
I use them for incontinence.
Plain washcloths work awesome for leaky bladders.
Just use a little bleach and soap to clean. Saves so much money!
we shop groceries like once per month,but add filler as needed,such as bread,milk,eggs,etc.
we also freeze a lot of food
We have a Mexican place here where your best to split a meal. The burritos alone feel like they are 2lbs lol. One burrito feeds 3 small grandkids.
Wow! That's a big burrito! Definitely makes sense to split.
On these fall mornings, Instead of heating the house all night, we just turn it on about 5 a.m. for a couple of run throughs. We don't let it get too cold before turning it on. Also, we stock up at Aldi when it is fall, and then go as needed usually 1x a week.
I saw your swap for paper towels and loved the idea. Bought 100 microfiber cloths from Amazon for about $25.00. That was a month ago, and the roll of paper towels in my kitchen haven't been touched. Thanks for the idea!
That is awesome!
I have recently switched to shopping for weekly groceries too buying every 10 days instead. I have my own travel water bottle that filters water (Brita)-works great when travelling. No buying expensive bottles of water on plane just make sure it's empty when going through security and fill up at water filling station.
We just had a Mexican Friday. I made fresh guacamole, spiced sweet potato fries, bread, salad etc and I bought a tray of Costco’s meat burritos. They are delicious! I cut them in half and freeze them. A half one is enough for me and husband has two. It was a great dinner and we had a bottle of red wine from Chilli to wash it down with. Very treaty and tasty.
We swapped cable for an antenna...
I thought… those shoes are nothing for you… and then the pictures came up! 🤩🤩🤩You rock, Hope! The first ones looks great on you!!
Thanks, Stine. I had a similar pair years ago and they wore out. I was so excited when these fit me just as well and were comfortable, too.
Just some frugal thoughts. One tip I use is to to turn the heater/air conditioner off about 20 minutes before the last person leaves the house, regulating indoor temperature to outdoor temperature and not having a warm/coll house with no one in it. Saving over an hour a week of costs and avoiding the big change in temperature. As Christmas and other holidays approach, reusable cups, napkins can make great gifts to either give or receive.
I raise the temp 5-6 degrees when I leave the house for a couple of hours or more. It only takes an hour or so to get things cooled down once I come home.
I cut the cable and bought a Roku for about $40 which enables me to get free stations.
I love flannel sheets especially in the winter time
We also cloth diapers for our 8 kids
We love our flannel sheets, use them year round
Mine are year 'round, too, and have Christmas elves on them!
@@chrisl418 , I love that you have the elves on the bed year round.
Almost every city no matter how small has a public library. Please support your local library. It is such a valuable resource!
I shop for groceries about twice a month. Many of my neighbors have given up grocery stores for food from food banks. They often give me a loaf or two of their bread. I was clthing just every two weeks.
I really enjoy your money saving tips.
Thank you so much for sharing.
For coffee, am using a French press...no filter needed and great coffee at the end.
I used to go to the grocery store once a week, but now I shop once a month!! I save so much money that way!!
our friends still like to go out to a nice place. What we do is one of the couples will host the group and have apps and a big dessert at their house. This saves a lot of money and each couple gets to show off their home and hospitality. After dinner we can sit and talk till late in the evening.
Last year for my December birthday I asked for a set of cloth napkins. My daughter found a lovely set of new napkins at a Christmas bazaar for only $5. I was thrilled and use them everyday.
I go to the local first native reserve where I live in Canada and I get a steep discount on my diseal. I save between $20 and $30/trip.
I have saved a lot of money by swapping disposable feminine hygiene pads for period underwear briefs. They last for months and months if not years and my 3 girls love them.
I got the bamboo washable pads thue r aweseome
I have found that by using swaps I am more successful with my budgeting goals because I don't feel deprived at all. I enjoyed hearing about these. Thank you!
Most of our libraries have "Friends of the Library" organization which solicit book, magazine, and electronic media donations which are stacked and sold within the library. The prices are always great, if too many stack up there are sales, and the money brought in goes for extras for that branch.
Love flannel sheets. When I was young we called the Winter sheets.
I've been doing Aldi pickup to save money. I'd spend so much more than the $1.99 fee! It has helped a lot!
Great modelling Hope! Those shoes look great on you, and those close up shots with the daisies in the back ground are catalogue worthy!
I love using flannel sheets. Last year after Christmas I treated myself to some flannel sheets on clearance. They were I want to say less than 10 bucks and saved me so much on heating last year because they keep my bed warm.
I LOVE my flannelette sheets! 😍
So enjoy your channel. Thank you for all the great information. My favorite water bottles are made by Klean Kanteen. They are stainless steel and come in both insulated and non-insulated versions. I have purchased quite a few of their bottles in the last few years, for my own family and as gifts. Yes, I love them that much! They are a bit pricey, BUT I still use my first bottle that I purchased about 8 years ago and the insulated bottles are perfect for taking my coffee or tea with me when I'm on the go. I also replaced my drinking glasses with their stainless steel cups in two sizes...got so tired of glasses getting dropped and broken. Worth every penny!
I have a small Kleen Kanteen that I found at a thrift store for $3.00 about 12 oz. I was surprised when I checked the price online.
I love flanalette bed sheets and pillowcases for winter. We are fortunate that we do not have extremes of temperature usually but I'm not as hardy as most and as I get older I find I like a bit more warmth because of my arthritis and softness to keep my skin intact. I use a small glass bottle that used to contain coca cola....long ago with a top on it...... to take water from the tap when going out. We are blessed to have good drinking water on tap. I am recovering from a long illness which kept me in hospital for a long while so I will use the enforced rest time to make napkins for our family. Thank you for all your wonderful tips and ideas. Vera
When talking about TV how about a Fire stick or Roku you can stream alot of free TV with them
About once a week we do a Reverse Dinner.
I serve a fancy desert first. This gives me more time to cook a nutritious dinner.
I do this when we get home late from activities and I haven't had time to prep dinner and the kids are hungry. It works so well for us and it negates the temptation of buying takeaway for this busy night of the week.
My friend, her younger brother, my son and I would have homemade Pizza Hut. The local supermarket would make 14” pizzas fresh. We’d buy one of those, frozen wedges, maybe chicken strips and salad stuff. Find a supermarket soft drink you think is as good as the brand name and watch a film wearing pyjamas. Honestly better than going out by far.
I thought everyone used flannelette sheets in autumn and winter! My mum bought me the most beautiful Noah's Ark colourful flannelette sheets when I was a kid. They must have been good quality because I now use them for my kids and they still look bright thanks to cold water washing and line drying by my mother and me .
I use a Klean Kanteen insulated water bottle and love it! You can usually find them on sale as well! :)
Thanks for the recommendation.
One reusable that most people don't consider is cloth for toilet paper. I bought a few sets of the larger, cloth reusable baby wipes off Amazon and use them when I pee. No different than the cloth diaper idea. Saves us a lot on tp, saves trees, and keeps our septic from filling up so quickly. I wish we had a library, but we don't even have bookstores for several cities. I did find a Half Price Books that isn't well stocked but I can sell my books to if I'm in the area. Check on Amazon if the book you want is cheaper through a used bookstore under the other options section of the page. I've been able to save doing that. For those who have septic, we used the grey water from ours to water our fruit trees this summer since the drought was so bad. Big savings and it was water that would have gone to waste otherwise. Oddly enough, we ordered Chinese the other day and they have the vegetarian and meat versions of their dishes priced the same now. That surprised me. I also save the take out napkins and keep them in the car in case of spills.
Swapping in relation to anything automotive: Learn to do as much of the basic repairs and maintenance as you can yourself. Things like changing your own oil, going to the carwash versus washing it at home yourself, spark plugs, the fluids, and light bulbs just to name a few. Check with local community colleges / trade schools, parts stores, or mechanics about basic automotive maintenance courses.
My husband and I have the same coffee thermos that you both have. Zojirushi, a wonderful company, also makes wonderful water bottles. They keep the water cold ALL day long!
: )
I use flannel sheets year 'round. If it is too warm during the summer for a blanket, covering up with just the sheet is perfect (for me) when it's flannel.
Wonderful video thank you Hope & Larry
Sure appreciate everything you all say. Thank you very much.
I got one more thing to add.
Can you please share frugal, last minute dinner ideas? We have run into the problem that when it's someone else cooking, they sometimes decide to bail and we order pizza because it's 8pm and everyone is starving. If I can whip something out of the freezer and heat it up, and have it be somewhat healthy, then that saves so much money. Two pizzas delivered always costs a minimum of $60. It's super frustrating.
We use flanel sheets.it's so warm and cosy.
I actually love to be colder at night so totally against the flannel sheets but we are already on board with all of the tips. Totally love our water bottles but we all have different ones. My husband needs his to fit into the cupholder and a finger hold to carry while at work. My son used to have to have one with a spout but now prefers an open spout. I like straws in my cups. So funny but hard to pick a reusable water bottle.
I thought the same on the flannel sheets. 😅
My hubby roasts in flannel sheets so won't work for us but great idea for some.
I’ve changed to cloth napkins a few years ago and also started buying cloth handkerchiefs. It saves a lot of money