A year of EXTREME FRUGALITY | our budget as a low income family

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  • Опубликовано: 5 янв 2025

Комментарии • 201

  • @kemi1486
    @kemi1486 22 дня назад +30

    Love to see fellow Americans are finally living their lives by design instead of by default 🌻

    • @MummyB20
      @MummyB20 8 дней назад

      Beautifully said.

  • @bradlafferty
    @bradlafferty 23 дня назад +28

    You have done remarkable work in living and budgeting frugally. Thanks for this vid!

  • @TJ-yv3kp
    @TJ-yv3kp 23 дня назад +18

    You go girl...keep living life on your terms❤

  • @budgetwithfatima6530
    @budgetwithfatima6530 17 дней назад +2

    You and your family are doing a excellent job in living in today’s world living frugally is the way to go , we use to live with our sons we use to spend so much money on food now we bought a home and for me and my husband I’m hoping this coming year we’re going to live more frugal.

  • @grannyprepper1181
    @grannyprepper1181 23 дня назад +28

    That is amazing. I’m a single senior and I live on $15,468 per year. My housing is $480. a month just to park my 5th wheel, that’s my biggest expense and so on.

    • @ashleybosvik3031
      @ashleybosvik3031 23 дня назад +5

      My expenses are 8000 a year but I own my own home

    • @joni1
      @joni1 23 дня назад +2

      🏡

    • @debbieframpton3857
      @debbieframpton3857 22 дня назад +6

      I'm a single senior living on Social Security of $1,272 a month I am able to put $450 into savings each month my monthly expenses of homeowners car insurance utilities is less than 350 because of my frugal shopping I'm able to live on this easily. I pay my real estate taxes once a year. Having a paid for mortgage a 2020 vehicle and no debt I feel blessed. I do have a small 401K Roth IRA and one CD that I'm not spending right now

    • @CountryLadyInBoots
      @CountryLadyInBoots 21 день назад

      Same here almost, 2 seniors on 13k per year .. installed a bidet , color and cut hair myself, stay home, never eat out, drive a 1998 vehicle, eat minimally (I've lost 30 pounds🙌) rent movies at the library, and we try to stay healthy with the Lord's help🙏

  • @NoOneUKnow-c3y
    @NoOneUKnow-c3y 23 дня назад +14

    My husband and I are also working on trying to live differently than we have. Thanks for your tips and going through your budget. You are always inspiring.

  • @dereksmallsuk
    @dereksmallsuk 9 дней назад +1

    You're inspiring. I'm in Scotland and even here your tips are valid.

  • @laurab7379
    @laurab7379 4 дня назад

    I appreciate all that you tell us and ways to save money and live a better life. Food especially, we get trapped with all the convenience foods which are crap. Cooking our meals is coming back,, people need to eat healthy and not with posions in our food! I love this channel and look forward to 2025 and your land improvements. Very refreshing!

  • @grannyprepper1181
    @grannyprepper1181 23 дня назад +41

    Yes, what happened to the thrift stores? They aren’t so cheap anymore.

    • @ashleybosvik3031
      @ashleybosvik3031 23 дня назад +9

      They are double what they used to be

    • @clysdale
      @clysdale 23 дня назад +7

      yep and rummage sales are very expensive. gone are the days where a person can get a bargin any where !😮😢

    • @grannyprepper1181
      @grannyprepper1181 23 дня назад +3

      @ ain’t that the truth!

    • @cynthia57169
      @cynthia57169 23 дня назад +5

      Resellers have stripped away all the bargains and online sales allow thrifts to sell their best items that way. 😢

    • @tessramos8828
      @tessramos8828 23 дня назад +1

      Thrift stores in Pennsylvania are no longer affordable !

  • @Boringcountrylife
    @Boringcountrylife 17 дней назад +1

    High five, great video! Congrats on the septic being completed.

  • @bikeangel05231
    @bikeangel05231 22 дня назад +3

    I love your videos, all your helpful tips, and your upbeat attitude. Thank you for posting. ❤

  • @Mrs.Frugal-i6h
    @Mrs.Frugal-i6h 23 дня назад +4

    Love your channel! I grew up off grid in Brazil, that was really fun as a kid.

  • @flutingaround
    @flutingaround 22 дня назад +3

    impressive. Working as a team it seems possible. Thanks for tracking and sharing with us.

  • @janvas7690
    @janvas7690 20 дней назад

    You are truly amazing! Your family is close and you do some truly awesome things!

  • @annecamplin3534
    @annecamplin3534 18 дней назад

    Glad to hear you use your library. I work in a library in Australia and I'm always telling people about Libby, borrow box and hoopla.

  • @CherylthPearl
    @CherylthPearl 19 дней назад

    Thank you for sharing…and thank you for your honesty.
    The nature of sharing can leave you vulnerable to the good in people as well as the vitriol.
    I just wanted to stop by to say that I appreciate your channel and your decision to share.
    And remember…”To thine own self be true.” Your truth has absolutely nothing to do with someone’s opinion of “your truth.”😊🌺

  • @tessramos8828
    @tessramos8828 23 дня назад +2

    Hi Katie 🌻
    You are so resourceful and efficient . . . You Go Girl 🎉

  • @sheryl_8713
    @sheryl_8713 22 дня назад

    Greetings from Canada! I absolutely love your channel and your very detailed methods of living with frugality and intention. You are an inspiration. With gratitude and thanks!

  • @FrugalFunMum
    @FrugalFunMum 22 дня назад +1

    Well done! Love your videos! I am inspired with some ideas you share

  • @kateglastic9826
    @kateglastic9826 22 дня назад +3

    I love your videos..what a beautiful life😍

  • @kb8990
    @kb8990 22 дня назад +5

    I personally think you work very hard to not have to just do an income-generating job, but kudos for tracking your spending so closely.

  • @lindc1070
    @lindc1070 21 день назад +3

    If you are happy with this lifestyle, that is what matters. But a rule everyone should follow is to always live below your income, as much below as possible. Those who fail to will some day run into a road block because emergencies occur in many forms to everyone.

  • @thepovertyprincesssharonsa8122
    @thepovertyprincesssharonsa8122 20 дней назад +3

    I would not be able to be so polite as you are in these comments. Hon you have patience and calm, qualities I do not possess in large quantities. How you choose to live is your business. I see no problem with it, sad other people do! Keep doing what you do to live YOUR best life! There is a trend I seen on TikTok of people voluntarily living in vans and cars and RVs because they can't afford high rent and prefer owning the vehicle they sleep in vs paying someones mortgage. Some people just don't understand the decision to break out of the mold and do what you can afford and what brings you peace and satisfaction. Merry Christmas ! I am going to try some of your recipes for my channel and cooking videos in 2025. I will absolutely credit your channel for the recipes I use.

    • @raisingwildflowers
      @raisingwildflowers  20 дней назад

      Thank you so much! ❤️ I hope you enjoy the recipes! Merry Christmas 🎄

  • @royrosete7085
    @royrosete7085 22 дня назад +5

    Life is what you make it..... and they say, true wealth is living content with little... I admire this lady and her family... God bless.

  • @yosoylily.
    @yosoylily. 20 дней назад

    Hello thank you so much for sharing with us 🫧✨

  • @ClairenParkerontheRoad
    @ClairenParkerontheRoad 23 дня назад

    Can't wait to see the trip or whatever it is! Love you guys!

  • @CassieDavis613
    @CassieDavis613 22 дня назад +11

    To the lady who has peppered the comments section: Comparison is the thief of joy. I'd like you to work on regaining your joy. Only you can do that.

    • @Jenny-dg4sb
      @Jenny-dg4sb 21 день назад

      @CassieDavis613 If you are speaking of me, I have much joy. I have not peppered the comments: I have responded to comments made to me. Unfortunately, YT does not put the comments in order, so they appear disjointed.

    • @SandraHay-kp3sc
      @SandraHay-kp3sc 21 день назад

      That was very well put

  • @AnaViolinViola
    @AnaViolinViola 23 дня назад +1

    Great planning, you guys rock! 😊

  • @jewelskitchen
    @jewelskitchen 21 день назад +1

    Great job! I would like to see a video about vehicles. How did you decided to buy the truck you did and weighed the cost of a more expensive vehicle with the reliability factor and also insurance andgas mileage factors?

  • @reginafisher9919
    @reginafisher9919 22 дня назад

    That's absolutely amazing!

  • @carolwoodward6141
    @carolwoodward6141 22 дня назад +1

    Can’t wait for your 2025😎

  • @Gioli565
    @Gioli565 21 день назад

    Wow! We have spent that in a month sometimes 😅

  • @Kittenmom2
    @Kittenmom2 22 дня назад

    Those are amazing numbers 👍

  • @ValerieLain-v1z
    @ValerieLain-v1z 23 дня назад

    Great video. Take Care.❤

  • @sandraboose3686
    @sandraboose3686 23 дня назад

    You guys are awsome!

  • @carolwoodward6141
    @carolwoodward6141 22 дня назад +1

    Housing in 2024 was creative and different, not weird.

  • @rachelday9585
    @rachelday9585 21 час назад

    Wouldn't the purchase of the property count as "housing" since you had to buy it to live there?

  • @carolwoodward6141
    @carolwoodward6141 22 дня назад +3

    Property improvements equate to assets not living expenses.

  • @Acr24608
    @Acr24608 23 дня назад

    Damn, impressive!

  • @makeanddohandmade
    @makeanddohandmade 23 дня назад

    I would love to see you guys budget travel in Europe 💗🙏✨👌🏻

  • @nzmoneykarma
    @nzmoneykarma 23 дня назад

    That’s awesome

  • @amiepant9349
    @amiepant9349 23 дня назад

    In my county in michigan , my property tax includes library tax 🙃. It is $61.00 a year.

    • @raisingwildflowers
      @raisingwildflowers  23 дня назад +1

      True lol. The library is free in the sense that you don't have a choice so you might as well use it 😂

    • @Cat22275
      @Cat22275 22 дня назад

      Mine offers streaming service call Kanopy at least. I wonder how much our tax is now.

  • @ashleybosvik3031
    @ashleybosvik3031 23 дня назад +3

    Have you decided when you're going to start building your house.

    • @raisingwildflowers
      @raisingwildflowers  23 дня назад

      It's been a slow process just getting everything set up to start building, so not yet 🙃

  • @ms.budgetmom8472
    @ms.budgetmom8472 23 дня назад

    How about a video on hour2025 goals?

  • @carolwoodward6141
    @carolwoodward6141 22 дня назад

    Hello fella Virginian 👋

  • @indsrnty707
    @indsrnty707 22 дня назад

    Question - have you done a video on how you all downsized from your house to your RV and living on your off-grid homestead?
    My family is in the phase of downsizing to do exactly that.
    So far we are doing it in phases, we have 6 months from now to downsize to live in an RV on our new soon property.

    • @cleopatrablackwell3414
      @cleopatrablackwell3414 22 дня назад

      Research minimalist living and learn to live with basically what you would have in an extended stay hotel. It's very similar living aside from dumping tanks.

    • @raisingwildflowers
      @raisingwildflowers  22 дня назад +2

      I have not done that video yet - let me brainstorm if I can turn that into an interesting video :) But basically what we did was start with selling the bigger, most expensive items on FB Marketplace. Went room by room clearing out every closet and drawer. It's more of an emotional process of letting go than a physical one - at least at first, then it gets exciting to let things go lol. Each person in our house got one storage container for their fun stuff. Once we got a lot of that stuff done, we packed everything in a room away, then unpack something only when we really need it. This let us know what we actually use and we got more creative with multi-use items. We donated everything we didn't really need. I am excited for you guys! It really is freeing to not have so much stuff ... or room to bring in more stuff because then you save even more money 😁

    • @indsrnty707
      @indsrnty707 22 дня назад +1

      @raisingwildflowers it is an emotional process like you said. Lots of memories are attached to things understandably. So we have been purging, by stages. Just last night purged first time our bookshelf full of books. We went from four full shelves to now one. And so we carry on. Thank you. To freedom

  • @joaquimrodriguez8961
    @joaquimrodriguez8961 22 дня назад

    $17K? That's rough thumbs up

  • @AlexisManning
    @AlexisManning 20 дней назад

    Did that include the purchase of your land? (sorry havent been able to make it through the whole video yet)

  • @MaggieHessYoga
    @MaggieHessYoga 13 дней назад

    Hey how do you earn money? Do you have any tips for generating income?

  • @tamarasmith1023
    @tamarasmith1023 22 дня назад

    Do you get any public assistance like food stamps? Are any of your children in school? If so, how do you manage traveling with school schedule? Thanks!

    • @raisingwildflowers
      @raisingwildflowers  22 дня назад +3

      We do not get food stamps or anything (although I have in the past when I was a single parent). We homeschool so are able to travel and move easily 😊

    • @tamarasmith1023
      @tamarasmith1023 21 день назад

      @@raisingwildflowers Thanks!

  • @galedobschuetz4007
    @galedobschuetz4007 23 дня назад

    😊

  • @WifetoJohn
    @WifetoJohn 22 дня назад

    Does the 17k include your truck?

    • @raisingwildflowers
      @raisingwildflowers  22 дня назад

      It includes insurance, maintenance, and gas on the truck. We purchased the truck the end of last year. It was more than $17K 😅

  • @lynnquette
    @lynnquette 21 день назад +2

    Commenting to say i love your channel and that Jenny character is a massive jerk. Keep doing your thing!

  • @mayaibarra5230
    @mayaibarra5230 22 дня назад

    How much do you spend on toilet paper??

  • @Sonoragrove4
    @Sonoragrove4 21 день назад

    Are you able to save for retirement?

    • @raisingwildflowers
      @raisingwildflowers  20 дней назад +1

      We are 😊 When your expenses are low, it's possible to save, even on a low income

  • @nt6719
    @nt6719 23 дня назад

    Overseas travel?

  • @Nativewoman1
    @Nativewoman1 21 день назад

    You say a family of 5 BUT I just see 3 ? Where are the other 2 ?

    • @raisingwildflowers
      @raisingwildflowers  21 день назад +8

      I stopped showing my teenage daughters when I started getting inappropriate comments. Beyond that, adolescents need privacy and I am not interested in sacrificing that for social media.

    • @Nativewoman1
      @Nativewoman1 21 день назад

      @@raisingwildflowers I see I didn’t know you had 2 elder daughters living with you…Good video

    • @lindc1070
      @lindc1070 21 день назад

      ​@@raisingwildflowersdidnt your eldest move out?

    • @raisingwildflowers
      @raisingwildflowers  21 день назад

      She did :)

    • @CherylthPearl
      @CherylthPearl 19 дней назад

      @@raisingwildflowers Good for you🥰❤️

  • @landeeld9596
    @landeeld9596 22 дня назад +4

    The downside is that I had to sacrifice health care for 12 years while I was working. Because I could not qualify for Obamacare subsidies and couldn't afford the $700 per month payments, yet I had to pay for those like you, through my taxes so that you could have health care while you chose not to work traditional jobs. Kinda sucked.

    • @lindawilson8434
      @lindawilson8434 22 дня назад +2

      I agree with you
      Probably a lot think it but will not say it

    • @WittyMcTwitty
      @WittyMcTwitty 22 дня назад +10

      She is working. Content creators are self-employed and pay taxes. Just to clarify, you were too poor to afford healthcare coverage, but instead of blaming your greedy employer for not providing insurance that they could afford, you are blaming other low-income people. Make that make sense! 🤦🏻

    • @Jenny-dg4sb
      @Jenny-dg4sb 22 дня назад +5

      @@WittyMcTwitty How do you know that the employer could afford the health insurance? You don't even know who he worked for. She is not a true low income person. She and her husband choose to not work traditional jobs. They just want to do RUclips and odd jobs so they can travel and do what they want. This allows them "freedom", all while they are perfectly happy allowing other hardworking taxpayers to provide the tax subsidies for their health insurance. Who is greedy here??

    • @carolwoodward6141
      @carolwoodward6141 22 дня назад +1

      It is to ignore the Health Insurance Lobby which bribes government leaders to prevent universal health care in favor of billions to the C-Suite and wealthy shareholders. You need to understand who is really robbing us peons.

    • @melodypaz7247
      @melodypaz7247 22 дня назад +1

      That's how insurance works. It's also how our U.S.
      national budget works. If you don't like it, contact your government.

  • @GigiEmbrechts
    @GigiEmbrechts 13 дней назад

    Mule and horses are very expensive and not very productive. What about the cost of camper truck and gas for travel? If your going to be real be real

    • @raisingwildflowers
      @raisingwildflowers  13 дней назад

      100% real. Our equines do not cost that much (I've done an entire video on the cost to care for our animals). The camper is parked on our property and we do not trave with it. Gas for the year was included.

    • @GigiEmbrechts
      @GigiEmbrechts 13 дней назад

      @ are you not buying hay? Getting the hoof trimmed on the horse? Horse wormer and vaccines, I just think you are not sharing every expense dogs going to the vet for at the very least rabies and wormer. You’re going to build your house?? Even doing the whole thing yourself you are going to spend a lot. Well septic concrete running electrical to the property. Then your new house tax bill. I can’t see it and have been around awhile. Good content
      For RUclips but it is not realistic in the real world in my calulations

    • @raisingwildflowers
      @raisingwildflowers  13 дней назад

      Here, watch this for animal care: ruclips.net/video/TjA2BiHdo2k/видео.html
      We have money in savings to build our house - I know how much it will cost. I will share all those costs as they happen. The real-life numbers. Just because you don't understand something, like how we are able to live so frugally, doesn't make it not true.

  • @Amanda-zd7ei
    @Amanda-zd7ei 22 дня назад

    But you have land

  • @jessicatounkara8753
    @jessicatounkara8753 23 дня назад +1

    I have no idea how you managed to live on this amount of money. Everything is so expensive.

    • @Jenny-dg4sb
      @Jenny-dg4sb 22 дня назад +3

      She is probably not including WIC or SNAP benefits in her totals. If she can feed five people for only $360 per month, without any government benefits, she needs to go to work for the federal government to teach people how to do this so they can make their SNAP benefits go much, much further.

    • @lindawilson8434
      @lindawilson8434 22 дня назад

      ​​@@Jenny-dg4sb she wont say if she gets Snap
      Probably does
      When seniors who can no longer work getcso little
      Would not want them to be role models for anyone in my family

    • @raisingwildflowers
      @raisingwildflowers  22 дня назад +6

      @@Jenny-dg4sb We do not receive SNAP or WIC but I have in the past. I think maybe it would be a good idea for me to start a YT channel to help other people save money on their groceries too. Maybe I will do that one day 🙃

    • @Jenny-dg4sb
      @Jenny-dg4sb 22 дня назад +1

      @raisingwildflowers Great! But the federal government would pay you better than RUclips, and you would have access to medical insurance for your family. However, you would then have to pay health insurance premiums like the rest of us.

    • @raisingwildflowers
      @raisingwildflowers  22 дня назад +5

      @@Jenny-dg4sb I've actually worked for the federal government before (ACF) and qualified for Medicaid at that time lol. Sorry, it's a nice idea, but even a lot of government jobs don't pay enough for their employees to cover the insurance costs as a family.

  • @Jenny-dg4sb
    @Jenny-dg4sb 23 дня назад +11

    So you are living frugally so that you can have freedom to do the things in life you want to do without working much, and the rest of us taxpaying Americans are paying for your ACA insurance?? I hope you are thankful for the people who do work hard so you don't have to.

    • @raisingwildflowers
      @raisingwildflowers  23 дня назад +20

      ACA is available to those households making up to 400% of the Federal Poverty Level. So for a family of 5, that is under $146,000 a year. Of course we should utilize this resource to save money on America’s extremely overpriced health care costs. It would be silly not to. We do work and do pay taxes so I have zero issues with it. The problem with EVERY persons ridiculously high health care expenses are not a result of the Marketplace.

    • @nzmoneykarma
      @nzmoneykarma 23 дня назад +14

      That’s it, the US has high healthcare costs because it is a business….. rather than a public service. Healthcare is a right that everyone should enjoy, not a privilege reserved for those with $$$$

    • @tessramos8828
      @tessramos8828 23 дня назад

      ​@@nzmoneykarmaYou are correct

    • @ClairenParkerontheRoad
      @ClairenParkerontheRoad 23 дня назад +5

      Lady, my brother is a practicing lawyer, and he has Obama Care.

    • @Jenny-dg4sb
      @Jenny-dg4sb 22 дня назад +5

      @raisingwildflowers So, are you thankful to the taxpayers who afford you a no premium insurance plan? Because millions and millions of people work their butts off to pay the taxes needed to provide this insurance to you. It is a fair question. And the families of 5 making $146,000 per year do not get premium-free ACA insurance. It is a great benefit to your family, but it costs other families thousands of dollars in taxes for your family to benefit.

  • @raisingwildflowers
    @raisingwildflowers  23 дня назад +4

    *My FAVORITE Budget Planner!* amzn.to/3K1VIW1
    Low-Cost Phone Service *MINT MOBILE* mint-mobile.58dp.net/do4DnM
    *Health Insurance* www.healthcare.gov
    *Watch Next* How We Saved $10K on Groceries in 2024 ruclips.net/video/H3534sDQ8aY/видео.html

  • @lindsaysimplified
    @lindsaysimplified 21 день назад +1

    This is what I aspire to in 2025. And girl, you are so much kinder than I am in the comment sections. I instantly block any negative, trolling, just want to argue or nitpick comments immediately. 😂
    How do account for your sinking funds in your monthly budget when using the Clever Fox budgeting journal? That’s the only “I’m not sure how this would work” moment I’ve had with it.
    Thankful for your channel! 🤍

    • @lindsaysimplified
      @lindsaysimplified 21 день назад

      I wanted to add some clarification - specifically when spending from your sinking funds? Do you account for it somewhere in your budget that you spent that money?

    • @raisingwildflowers
      @raisingwildflowers  20 дней назад +2

      Oh, I do really want to be mean to them sometimes 🤣 I usually decide to leave up the comments so other people know they are not alone in all the negativity they receive. And it just makes those negative commenters look bad 😁 I really am generally laughing at their comments. I would never waste my time watching someone's YT channel and then posting negative stuff because what a waste of time 🤣
      Honestly, I use to do sinking funds, but gave up this past year ... my ADHD brain isn't a fan lol. At least for the little things - I just budget those into our monthly expenses as we go (homeschool stuff, pantry stock-ups, etc). We do have a savings account that is kinda one big sinking fund for big expenses, and as an overflow if we have a month that we make less income. I throw all our extra money at the end of the month in there. If money comes out of there, I do count it towards our monthly expenses (unless it is an investment for our property.) Because our income is so inconsistent, I have kinda learned to go-with-the-flow more than I think most people would have to/want to 🙃 I hope that made sense lol

    • @lindsaysimplified
      @lindsaysimplified 19 дней назад

      SO HELPFUL. Thank you! 😊 I am terrible at sinking funds but just always assumed it’s what people do. 😆