How to live well on a budget - post tips here

Stop eating out all the time

Every time you think of buying something, ask yourself "A year from now, will I be glad I bought this? Why is my life truly better with this?"

Make your recreation cheap: walk, ride a bicycle, birdwatch, go kayaking. Not all hobbies have to cost an arm and a leg.

What a coinky-dink.

5 minutes ago, I cancelled my HBO Max subscription 5 minutes ago because I wasn't watching it and didn't want to pay for it.

Next up, my Spectrum cable is going to be downsized.

Stock up on canned and dry food stuffs when they are onsale.

oops -5 minutes ago, I cancelled my HBO Max subscription because I wasn't watching it and didn't want to pay for it.

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You can cut out all the $5 cheap shit you want, but it's not going to make much of a difference to you (unless you're retired and living off meager funds). Here's what makes a difference. Renegotiating your salary. Finding a better-paying job. Pursuing a landing a promotion. You can eat all the beans and rice you want and it won't make a material difference. You need to reframe the game, OP.

"Pursuing and landing..."

Siphon gasoline out of your neighbor's car.

Wait overnight before purchasing anything over a certain amount - oftentimes, one will realize it wasn’t that necessary after all.

Only wear a rider.

A rider is an outfit you jump into on Monday and ride it straight into Friday.

Shop for BOGOs everywhere. Buy only what you need or want.

Don’t skip showers to save money. That’s not “living well.”

[...]

Stop buying toilet paper. It’s expensive and bad for the environment. Install a bidet or use warm wash cloths you can reuse.

In general, live under your means.

Specifically:

Eating out is expensive. Don’t eat take out because you can’t be bothered to cook.

Take transit if it is feasible. Cars are expensive.

Don’t be a designer label queen.

When you go out to eat choose Hardees’. Order a plain hamburger and a cup of ice water.

Drink at home, not in bars. The mark-up on alcohol in restos and bars is high.

As a trade-off, you can buy yourself something nicer than you’d order in a bar.

R17, please explain the concept of reusable warm wash cloths.

Sell ass on the side- if you are still young enough to do it. It’s my one biggest regret. l could have bought a second home as a rental with what my ass could have gone for. I’m very serious.

Trying to figure out which of these tips constitutes “living well.” Don’t eat out, don’t travel, don’t socialize, don’t buy toilet paper. How much are you spending on Charmin to make it worth your while to launder shitty washcloths?

[quote] Wait overnight before purchasing anything over a certain amount - oftentimes, one will realize it wasn’t that necessary after all.

And if you’re shopping online, exit out of the page and see if you even remember about it the next day.

All good tips, also keeping friends with similar budget mindfulness.

You can live and eat well on a budget folks, the choices are not throwing all your money away or wipe your ass with a cloth people.

don't leave your house

This thread has some potential. DL has lots of threads re: frugal tips, but this one could be about "living well," also.

R17 you wipe your asshole with a warm wet wash cloth then you rinse the rag out in the sink. Then you put the wash cloths in the washing machine and reuse

Invest in single serve containers you can freeze. When you cook, make enough for multiple meals, portion into the containers, and freeze. You end up with a variety of meals you can heat up quickly and you reduce waste.

I'm with r9. If you're underearning, into addressing that.

A book that really helped me is the one by Jerrold Mundis - How to Get Out of Debt, Stay Out of Debt, and Live Prosperously. If you don't have unsecured debt, you're already ahead of the game.

Read The Book " The Millionaire Next Door" and adopt the habits

1. No Starbucks and No Kurieg maker single-serve cups 2. Get a library card. Tons of free streaming services and online classes and services 3. Learn basic cookery and buy groceries from Aldi, Lidil and Walmat 4. don't succumb to social pressure and social media when making purchases

Come on. are you calling in from the Dust Bowl? I'm not buying Walmart groceries or watching commercials every 5 minutes on Tubi. There has to be another way -- good quality food and content is basic.

R32 please start wiping your ass with a reusable washcloth while maintaining your lavish lifestyle and report back to us in a month.

How much money would taking 100 fewer showers a year realistically save you?

(And if you're that poor, how do own your own house, instead of living in an apartment where water is likely included in the rent.)

5 minute showers. Maintain 65 degrees in the winter. Drive your car 30 yrs. No Wi-Fi,

r7 = stinky fucker

[quote] 5 minute showers

LOL. Unless it's a weekend, my showers last about three minutes max. Soap, rinse and out.

One of the best things about being a guy

Cancelling your DL subscription can save you $1.99 a month.

Buy all clothes at Salvation Army, good will and yard sales. Piss in the bathroom sink, hand deliver greeting cards ( no mailing).

Don’t buy condoms. Go for that bareback ride. Think of the money you whores would save!

Use a tea bag 3 times before disposing

Some of you bitches are posting from 1932.

I think the big issue is how to LIVE WELL when you have to live on a budget. The answer is to shift your attitude from "FUCK! I'm so broke!" to "isn't it amazing how much money I save with this neat, little trick?". Embrace the opportunity for personal growth and re-evaluating one's priorities and values.

Have utilities turn off. Use several blankets and throw a tarp over your dining room table and live inside of it.

Piss/shit in empty buckets or plastic containers.

[quote] Some of you bitches are posting from 1932.

[quote] What a coinky-dink.

So it would seem R42. I keep waiting for someone to post "23 Skidoo"

Never say or type "restos" instead of restaurants. It will save on hospital bills.

I have been living very well on a budget for the last 20 years or so.

I moved to Mexico in 2002, right after 9/11.

I guess cheap bitch r42 hates greeting cards because she feels that a gif or text is better and because she’s too forgettable and unlikeable to ever receive one.

"How many times do I have to tell you to turn off the lights when you leave the house!!!"

Use Vaseline as your only skin care product

In many cities it's very hard to evict squatters

You can live rent free and cold showers are actually a trend these days.

Supermarkets throw away perfectly good food every night. Know what time they are doing it and you can intercept the food before it hits the dumpster

Prosecutors in cities like New York and San Francisco are no longer seeking jail time for shoplifters.

So why pay for clothes or drug items?

Move in w/ family or friends. Fake illness so u don’t have to work and pay rent

If you like something (a product) and use it a lot, buy as much as you can reasonably store in your apartment / house. (Not talking about very perishable products.) This is what helped me during the beginning of the pandemic. I didn't feel so frantic about needing things.

r52. Get friendly with the supermarket's staff, and they might set some stuff aside they have to throw out anyway.

And yes, "getting friendly" can also include handjobs and blowjobs, you cheap whores!

Don’t pay for movies. Reenact favorite scenes in your own home.

Eat food off of plates next to you in restaurants instead of appetizers.

Steal toilet paper from bathrooms wherever you go.

Rinse out condoms after each use.

Try on multiple outfits in a dressing room and “accidentally” forget to take them back off when you leave.

Sell photos of your nasty feet and hole to fetish magazines.

Volunteer to be on the neighborhood watch so you can go through their trash each week “searching” for clues to who stole Mrs. Jones’ lawn gnome.

Volunteer at a nursing home and steal whatever isn’t nailed down. Old people don’t need their dignity or that extra tube of Ben Gay!

R58 is posting from 1970

r55, isn't that what people usually do with stuff toilet paper during a crisis? It's not about needing it during the crisis, just to feel safe having it at home.

sorry, with stuff like toilet paper during a crisis ...

R60 psychologists say that TP provides people with a sense of comfort during a pandemic

I knew a very wealthy old woman who would reuse greeting card that had been sent to her, she would just cross off whatever they had written to her and write her message, the envelopes were new though.

When you are rich they call you eccentric not crazy.

R60, yeah, toilet paper is one of those comfort things. The difference is that, it was already in my cabinet. I didn't have to rush out and fight the crowds to get the last roll of TP at Costco.

In winter, keep your heat in your house at 55 or so and use a room heater in the room you sleep in.

r63 my depression-era grandmother would recycle greeting cards into postcards

[quote] "How many times do I have to tell you to turn off the lights when you leave the house!!!"

And shut that door, the AC is on!

People with scrapbooking skills can just glue some paper over the greeting card page, where something was written on, and use the greeting card again.

A lot of people use way to many paper towels, I use paper towels for soaking up grease or anything just too nasty to put in the wash but most things paper towels are used for, a dish towel or mirco fiber towel would work just as good.

[quote][R60], yeah, toilet paper is one of those comfort things. The difference is that, it was already in my cabinet. I didn't have to rush out and fight the crowds to get the last roll of TP at Costco.

What I found fascinating was the fact that so many people kept so little toilet paper in their homes.

I generally always had about a month's worth because I vowed after college (and roommates) that I would NEVER run out of toilet paper ever again, so always replenish. I usually have an open 12-pack of triple rolls, plus an unopened one, for each toilet. Whenever I open the new pack, it's time to buy another. When the initial frenzy started, I just bought a couple more 12-packs over the course of a couple weeks, then continued my usual replenishment timing.

And what do you do with the $10.54 you save on paper towels each year?

And do you subtract the electricity you use washing the dish towels from that?

Or do you hand wash them?

[quote] I vowed after college (and roommates) that I would NEVER run out of toilet paper ever again,

AS GOD IS MY WITNESS, I WILL NEVER BE TOILET PAPER-LESS AGAIN!!!

And where do you people live that (other than in the early days of the pandemic) finding toilet paper is such an issue?

Worst case is you use a brand that's not your favorite for a few days.

Or go to another supermarket

[quote]AS GOD IS MY WITNESS, I WILL NEVER BE TOILET PAPER-LESS AGAIN!!!

LOL - I almost went with that but figured it was too much.

My big assed 60 roll toilet paper pack from Costco is soothing and comforting.

Don't carry credit card debt.

Cook and eat at home.

The trick to "living well" is to get value out of the money you do spend, and credit card interest offers zero value. The other things can be changed if they don't make you miserable, but only then.

Just mooch off of a movie star like Robby Benson, that's what I do.

That's the second random Robby Benson post tonight

Steal rolls of toilet paper from the office, you cheap Whores.

#vanlife and a Youtube channel of your own!

Stop breathing

Whenever you can, pay with cash instead of card. It makes spending feel real and keeps it in perspective.

The point of this thread was to acquire tips on how to live well, not how to live frugally. I’m quite adept at the latter. I’d like to make small affordable changes that would IMPROVE my lifestyle.

For instance, planting perennials in planters to enjoy from year to year without having to budget for expensive flowers and plants each sprung.

Buying my favorite house made salad dressing from a local deli so I can make salads at home that are almost as good as the fancy deli.

Splurging a little on face soap and skin care as it lasts a very long time without needing to repurchase.

Buying like new name brand clothing and shoes off of EBay.

Splurge on shoes. Find a deal, but always wear well made shoes.

Move to a cheaper country if possible.

[quote]The point of this thread was to acquire tips on how to live well, not how to live frugally. I’m quite adept at the latter. I’d like to make small affordable changes that would IMPROVE my lifestyle.

Interesting point.

What a lot of folks don't recognize is that saving a few pennies now actually ends up being more expensive. There are lots of products from soaps to cleaning supplies to some foods where the "cheap" version actually requires more because it's less concentrated and is watered down - hence why it's cheaper.

Stuff like cheap containers need to be replaced. Cheap garbage bags break. And some things require a lot more effort, even if they are cheaper.

Get a single cash-back credit card and put ALL your purchases on that one card. Everything from rent and utilities to fast food and your bus pass. At the end of every month you will see exactly where every penny goes and that will help you make smarter decisions the following month and thereafter.

Here are My Tips !!!

1. Pre moisten your, pits, crotch and rectal area wiith liquid antibacterial soap before you shower. Then use moisturizing body soap on the rest of your body with a scrubbing brush., Install a turn-off valve for your showerhead so you get wet, turn off , then scub and then turn on to rinse off.

2. Do not rinse your dishes and run your dishwasher only once per week if you live alone. I would recomend 1 rinse and hold cycle mid week to mitigate smell.

3. For you dog and cat. Unless they have a diagnosed health issue regular brand food is fine .

5. If you have space buy a small chest freezer to buy meat in bulk.

6. Buy the largest capacity washer and dryer you can afford that will fit in your space.. You can accumulate l dirty laundry longer and can do laundry twice a month rather than weekly .

7. Drive to cities with large retirement communities and shop at the thrift stores When residents pass on the family usually just donate stuff rather than keep or sell it

8. Buy birthday, Christmas , wedding, and graduation gifts throughout the year and do not wait to buy right the event. Buy items on clearance only .

9 . Avoid the following take and go meals at the supermarket, food delivery services, leasing a car, getting married .

[quote] And what do you do with the $10.54 you save on paper towels each year?

[quote] And do you subtract the electricity you use washing the dish towels from that?

[quote] Or do you hand wash them?

I beat them on the rocks down by the river, the same as I do with annoying people.

R87 sounds psychotic

The biggest surprise for me was how much I saved moving from the city to the suburbs. Cooking at home and shopping at a supermarket was a huge savings for me. But there is a trade off - much less social life. I still have decided if suburban life is “living well”. The city, while expensive, made life much richer, fuller, filled with socializing and life experience.

“Not decided” ^

You can shop at a supermarket and cook at home in the city, too. You don't have to go out to restaurants, have food delivered or take out all the time.

Get Republicans to pay your legal bills. Fuck you daughter instead of whores. Charge the Secret Service for stays in your hotel while they guard your life. Get citizens to overthrow the government for you.

Do you live in a part of Africa where water is very expensive R87?

I ask because several of your tips involve saving money on water bills, which, for most Americans, are not very high

I do a lot of the smaller things to save money, but it is the big ticket items that will really move the needle. Doing the smaller things is still important though, like exercising your frugal muscles and keeping the mindset in place.

Things that make the biggest difference for me was increasing my income but maintaining my expenses at the same level. When I moved into my 1 bedroom apartment, I was earning in the mid 60s. I still live in the same place but now earn over 120k. Sure, sometimes I daydream about a higher end apartment with amenities or even buying a condo but for the most part, my apartment works just fine. And it leads to the 2nd big item, no car ownership for 2 decades. I live in a downtown area where nearly everything I need is within walking distance. If I need to go elsewhere, there is the train station and many bus lines. I also have 2 bikes. Car cost add up over the years. Sure, sometimes there are transport limits when you don't have a car, but there is freedom too. Free from expenses, free from worrying about theft, insurance, accidents, crazy drivers, finding parking, etc. Nowadays, even having a rental car after a few days is stressful for me.

Approaching cooking as an enjoyable hobby. I was shocked by how much SO & I started saving after the pandemic hit and we cooked 100% at home. This includes embracing all of the related tasks like meal planning to avoid waste, and planning meals around seasonal (cheaper) produce and (if a meat eater) meats on sale in the supermarket ads. We've been eating better, and getting a sense of enjoying our home life more.

Also, I have come to realize how few garments I need compared to how many I've bought over the years. This has guided my spending habits over the last couple of years, and it's helped a lot. I've tried to have plenty of amusements on hand -- like library books downloaded to kindle or stuff for journaling or my "dog pile" puzzle -- to turn to instead of boredom-shopping.

Examine whether recurring charges are enhancing your life and if not, cut them. I bought a treadmill and ditched my gym membership. Next up is selling or donating some things and ditching my storage unit. If you don't like paying for cable television you could ditch it and get a Mohu Leaf (or similar). It expands how much broadcast TV you can pull in. I did that for a while, enjoyed it, and saved about $3k. Cars or second cars can may sometimes be ditched without missing them, thanks to rentals and gig cars/zipcars. If you pay for services, some may be able to done yourself (e.g., housekeeping, hard work, personal care).

[quote] saving a few pennies now actually ends up being more expensive

Amen to that, R85. My parents' mantra: "You buy cheap, you buy twice."

Here's a tip: Stop using so much toilet paper on your nasty asses, evidently maintained in some perennial state of scattershot diarrea.

If it's just me, 4 rolls of Scott 1000 sheets will last through the year, with my ads (and my hands) clean.

What are you, women? How can you use so much?

Dear God - while I can appreciate appreciate eliminating toilet paper and paper towels for the environment, as a money saving tip it’s stupid. Why sacrifice life quality for a few pennies? Cancel the streaming service, reduce heating and cooling bills, buy a cheaper car that uses less gas, shop at Walmart for basics - but don’t skip TP to save $10/month

R98 I use copious amounts of Kirkland Signature toilet paper for a multitude of reasons. The same applies to Kirkland Signature paper towel.

Adding to what was said above: Declutter your flat. Pick a few quality clothes that you love, give away the rest. Learn to cook. Every cusine has quick, very satisfying dishes that on top of this are healthy.

Learn to love seeing the balance in your bank accounts rise more than you love the fun things you're spending your money on.

[quote] Adding to what was said above: Declutter your flat.

Great advice. There's also a "shopping your closet" or "shopping your pantry" aspect to this. When I declutter, I usually find something useful that I forgot I had.

It does feel luxurious, to me, to have some clear surfaces. Nice to come home and have somewhere to place your stuff, etc.

r98 That is the longest lasting TP I have ever purchased.

[quote]...but don’t skip TP to save $10/month

How is it even possible to spend a tenner each month on toilet paper? Unless you're supplying a sorority house, I can't imagine.

You can try to think of it as making a game out of seeing how long you can go without spending some money -- be creative and try to see what you can make out of what you have in your pantry and refrigerator/freezer for a weekend before going to the market. See if clothes you packed away or have in the back of your closet fit and if they still look good. Rummage through your old CDs, LPs, cassettes, and DVDs and watch something you haven't seen in years or perhaps never opened. You might find a whole weekends (or more) entertainment right there without having to spend anything more.

Read some books and magazines around the house. Borrow from the library as well, which you can look at as giving you the experience of shopping but you can take away things without having to pay for them at checkout!

To R83, because I'm also interested in what you are referring to, I'll add a couple of things I do.

Skin care - I use Kiehl's Ultra Facial Moisturizer (the kind the comes in the plastic bottle, not the little tub). The last time I bought it, I think it was around $55, but it lasts me around 13-14 months, and I use it daily. So sort of pricey upfront, but as a monthly rate it's actually quite reasonable, and I really like it. Moisturizes with no shine or greasiness. I've found it works well in all seasons and climates.

As for shopping for random household goods, clothing, shoes, athletic/fitness equipment, check out estate sales. Even if you don't find anything you want, it can be a pretty entertaining free activity. It's basically taking a peak inside people's personal lives, checking out different homes, neighborhoods. I love it. You'd be surprised what you can find, for sometimes very little money, especially if you wait until the final sale day (biggest markdowns).

As an elder (& I do mean elder 74year old, 75 in 5 mos.) gay I found the secret is to Live, with a capital L, the same way broke or flush. Stay as mentally de-stressed, emotionally calm & happy as I can. Money is a vehicle to spread goodness & joy to myself & others. It is not my master, I am not its slave.

Yes, have usually cooked at home, because I like to cook. Learn to cook, yes will save money & enrich your life with mindfulness . Cutting up ingredients lovely meditation. Looking at the colors, feeling the textures, Sautéing, broiling, grilling, boiling filling that amazing sense called smell with the aromas. Plus being able to excel at it & bring sensual joy to myself & others with a nice tasting dish.

Yes, have shopped sales because it became a fun challenge & filled me with a sense of pride & achievement that I could do it. And boom there was moe money in my account because of it. Have gone to farms to pick produce after their harvest. Such fun & nothing like a sweaty farm hand in need of some 'Creature Comfort', free produce +

Love to picnic instead of restaurants. And picnic under the stars at free concerts, WOW. Live music.

Have always supported local talent, many free shows of art, drama music.

As to clothes & frippery. Choose wisely. I have 'old friends'.. sweaters & trousers that have served me for over 40years & still get oohs & ahs when I wear them. I have one wool winter coat that always draw raves. Belonged to a dear friend, who died. Now its mine & it never fails to get me a compliment & a chance to flirt whenever I wear it.

Love darlings & then you won't want to distract yourself with waste!!

Oh, and to add to my R108, although this is not fancy, just cheap. For body wash, I've been using Suave body wash for years. It's around $2-$3, and has become my favorite.

Of the money you spend, spend most of it on things you need rather than things you want. That doesn't mean you should never again have anything you really want but don't need. Give yourself a gift about once a quarter and make it a reasonably priced gift.

And never, I REPEAT NEVER, buy anything on time unless it's a vital necessity. If you don't have the money to pay in full for it, save up until you do.

I have three fun things when money is tight: cloth, food, and reading material.

Cloth is still heavily subsidized so used clothing and linens are cheap. Sewing experience let's me tailor everything and sometimes the result is stupid and sometimes it's perfection.

I'm kind of done with beef and pork, so my cooking tricks are more about disguising my main protein - chicken. I've wandered into pho territory because it allows me to add more carrot, cabbage, and egg. I only discovered the wonder of bok choy two years ago. This is fun.

Most of my reading sources have been paywalled, but my library membership gives me access. I still visit the library for glossy scented magazines.

OP, you need to share your budget if you want real advice. How much do you need for fixed, regular expenses? How much are you saving? What are your needs vs wants? Having a budget is great for living within your means and accomplishing your financial goals (paying down debt, saving for retirement, etc).

I used version of the 50-30-20 system (it goes by various names and configurations). I tracked my spending for a month (by saving receipts) and then built a realistic budget. I then kept track of my spending to see how I was doing. I paid off credit card debt and then was was able to redirect that money toward saving (first an 'emergency fund' and later in retirement savings. Now more than 10 years later my budget is more a guideline but I do update it when necessary. Having a budget doesn't mean never living well, it means living well enough without going into debt.

r108 Nordstrom marks down their Keihls products on their semi annual sale. They just had one so check back in June. Sign on and add it to your wish list and they will send you an email when it goes on sale.

Don’t flush if its just pee. Wait until you make a doo doo. Saves tons of $$.

OnlyFans and Chaturbate

Meet Ghislaine when she approach you at cafe in Slovenia and ask you to go to parti to meet riech Amwericans who want to take you to diner and then make sex with you. After long work and too ole, they marry you to business man who become prezedent and you be best furs ladee.

Move to Russia.

Learn to eat cheap, healthy and nutritious food only.

Beans (canned or dry).

Eat canned sardines, bananas and peanut butter ONLY. buy tuna and rob a 7-11 of their free packs of mayo, ketchup, mustard, relish, jelly, free crackers from restaurants. Then you can make a tuna sandwich.

Water=tap.

I once survived on crackers and jelly for three days!

OP here. Again, I can afford all living expenses including toilet paper and water. I’m fine financially and have savings. My point in posting this topic was to gather ideas for living well. How to feel like I’m wealthier than I am. How to live a good life while budgeting and often scrimping. For example, seeking out free concerts and local arts or investing in a nice set of sheets. Giving up toilet paper and showers is the complete opposite of what lifestyle changes I am seeking.

Nobody ever seems to notice that the same people who say "don't use toilet paper, never socialize, spend no more than ten bucks for a month's worth of meals that you put into cheap plastic containers and freeze" are also the "I own four rental properties and have $15M in my 401K and travel to Europe twice a year" people.

OP, start with the kind of things you want to do -- travel, concerts, art galleries, what have you -- and then work on how to make those more affordable. There are a lot of online tips and still some forums out there dedicated to single issues like, say, collecting antiques.

I wouldn't rely on DL advice because too many people here are either a bit, er, enthusiastic about pinching pennies, or they're just making stuff up so they can pretend to be participating in a conversation, or they're outright lying because they think it's funny.

Move to a country with socialized medical care

I think Americans are much more addicted to buying things, anything it seems. The big hauls to Costco to stuff the pantries and storage rooms and basement with a year's supply of foodstuffs and toiletries and clothes by the bag full. The impulse purchases from aisle-end displays at TJ Maxx, Kohl's, Target, Macy's, Yankee Candles, Dollar General, PetSmart, Walgreen's, Old Navy ...the strip mall franchises and shops filled mostly with cheaply made plastic things, cheap enough to appeal to people who love to shop and bring home bags of dubiously useful goods that they dump on a bed or the floor of a guest bedroom and forget that they bought three fun plastic belts for only $10! Americans will see a sale and buy a new blender —an appliance they use not more than twice a year— because they saw one in cherry red at Williams-Sonoma for 10% off when purchasing two items or more.

At some point in life adults should consider that their house is furnished, their kitchen outfitted, their wardrobe sufficient, their basket of untouched pet toys overflowing. At that point think. Think about whether the thing you want to buy is useful or beautiful or preferably both (William Morris once again). Focus your buying on the occasional replacement of things that have grown tired or dated or worn. Buy quality that will outlast this year's hot color in coordinated potholder and kitchen towel sets or sofas or pink gold iPhones. Having beautiful, well made things is a luxury but also a savings because they were not bought as disposable on-a-whim junk. Most people don't need a whole pantry stuffed with pasta makers, ravioli presses, festive wassail mugs (with snowflakes on them!), bagel toasters, another Le Creuset Dutch oven (but this one in the special Harry Potter edition!), and a pack of 12 bamboo tongs to put in the drawer with the set of 12 bamboo tongs bought on sale last year.

Stop spending large sums in many small purchases of stupid shit to make yourself feel better to be surrounded to too much shit. I love things but choose well, FFS. More is not always better. Knowing what you have; having good quality, lasting things; and buying things that you enjoy seeing and using are all luxuries, and they make room for other luxuries of time and experience.

I cannot part with my Evian water delivery

R125 So common ...

[quote] Don’t flush if its just pee. Wait until you make a doo doo. Saves tons of $$

Sorry to dispel that rumor. Not flushing for every pee, if it saves any money at all, saves very little. All water systems have a minimum usage billing amount. With mine it's 2700 gallons. So, if I use 1 gallon a month or 2699 gallons the bill is the same. My usage averages about 1200 gallons/mo in the winter andaround 2000 gallons in the summer (when I'm doing outside watering). Not flushing every time I pee wouldn't save me a dime because I sure don't flush 700 gallons of water down the toilet every month by flushing 3 or 4 times a day. If water systems billed for only the amount of water people used most of them would go broke. At the most not flushing every time you pee might save you enough money every month for 1 trip to Burger King for a combo meal, especially with the low flow toilets mandated by almost all building codes these days. And dear God you should never let your toilet sit overnight with a bowl full of fetid piss in it. That's a good way to get bacteria growing in your toilet bowl that you can't even see, but if you're a big boy and the your pee hole touches the bowl or the piss loaded water you're very likely to end up with a massive kidney infection. One microscopic bit of bacteria that gets in your pee hole will travel up the urethra into the kidneys and you'll make sure you never do that again.

I think Americans are much more addicted to buying things, anything it seems.

IMO 'spendaholism' is a sickness just like alcoholism and drug addiction. I firmly believe it's a direct result of clinical depression. Some people over indulge in food, spirits, or drugs when they're depressed, some spend money. Some spend money they don't even have.

Amazon is my financial downfall along with other online shopping

I knew a gal (dead now) who was an Amazon addict. She had Amazon orders coming in almost daily. I would see boxes of unopened Amazon shipments in her house and I asked her once why she hadn't opened them yet. Her answer was "oh I'll get to them". After a while I figured out it wasn't the merchandise that gave her joy. It was the process of ordering it and waiting for the package to be delivered. Once she got the stuff she wanted little to do with it. She was already onto another order she was anxiously waiting for.

When she died I talked to her daughter about all the stuff she bought and she told me by the time she died she was close to having her mother declared incompetent so she could take away all her credit cards. She had closets all over the house packed to the gills with unopened boxes of stuff she'd ordered from all sorts of businesses.

BOGO's are us.

Why do I have three jars of pickles in my fridge?

R124 One man's shit is a another man's Shinola.

Unless I have them on ignore (and it doesn't look like I do) there hasn't been a single person on this thread who R124 could be talking to. He sounds like he made up some strawman American Hoarder (tm) and just went on a long and outdated rant about it, including complaints about rose gold, which was popular a decade ago.

Plush terry robes for drying after bathing or showering feel more luxurious to me than their actual cost. Nice towels pack a much bigger bang for the bucks than average towels. I have a couple of really plush socks that satisfy the yen to have extra cozy feet for reading, drinking not beverages, and padding around the house. There's a French triple-milled one (in "Linden") sold at the local health food store that smells great and lathers luxuriously.

Laying out snacks on a tray or assembling a charcuterie platter feels a lot nicer than it costs. A super deluxe dinner salad, like an Asian-themed one with grilled salmon on top, mandarin gems, and whatever other goodies, and and ginger-citrus dressing feels more special than it costs. there's a place in town that has a bunch of elaborate salads, and I sometimes replicate those. I'm not a big drinker, so for me it feels good when I do buy wine to get the finest my budget allows. I'm no connoisseur, so I tend to look for wines scored around 98 points by Wine Spectator and narrow down from there.

Taking 30 minutes or so to call up or Zoom people you want to connect with helps make life worth living.

R135 "hot" not "not," "soap" not "one. "

OK. OP, make a budget. Fixed costs like housing, HOA fees, car note and other loans. Then utilities: Gas, electricity, water, trash and high speed internet. Third, credit cards, and unexpected expenses like home or auto repairs. (Set up a kitty for emergencies.) It's important to know what your monthly living expenses are. Now. Look at what you spend on groceries, entertainment, impulse buys, recreation, etc. Small expenses like the auto pays for Netflix, Hulu, etc. add up.

How much do you pay for auto and homeowners insurance? Your insurance ought to be reviewed every 2-3 years to see where you can get a better rate. Can you refinance a home or a car or a bank loan to lower your payments? How many credit cards do you have? How much of your monthly budget is eaten up by credit card payments? Get rid of store cards. Limit yourself to two credit cards. One to use for most purchases and another for emergencies or special expenses, that has almost a zero balance.

Either bite the bullet and pay them off all at once or do it through calculating. I take the one I want to pay off, and stop using it. I pretend I don't have it. And I pay it down every month, making sure to pay more than the interest and the minimum. I once called the credit card company and asked if they could lower the interest rate. They made me shut the card down and lower it to 6%. It was a good deal. Never charge groceries to a credit card. That's why you have a debit card.

If you eat out, limit yourself to weekend lunches or brunches. They're less expensive. Spend one day a week cooking. Make big batches of stuff and freeze them in serving sized containers. Sometimes you don't feel like cooking, or you work late. Instead of ordering take out, reach in the freeze. I try to avoid clubs. I Limit my outings to twice a month for clubs and twice a month to eat out.

Look for free activities. A membership to the art museum might be a good investment. Our History museum features famous authors at a cost of $10 for the lecture. So look at libraries and museums as possible entertainment venues. Churches too. Several I know of have free concerts once a month of classical music. And Summer is coming. So free concerts outdoors is another option. Feed your curiosity. Go for nature walks. and if you play tennis use the free outdoor courts.

I have a good life. I eat well, I have a nice home, nice clothes, a nice car (always buy used cars) and an active social life. You have to be conscious. Pay attention. And every month, evaluate how much you spent and figure out where you can improve. Reviewing your budget regularly is a must. Give yourself an allowance. For example, I have a food budget. I also make sure to limit my credit card debt. Once it's manageable try to keep it under $1,000 balance. Even better, $500.

Yes, reducing expenses ...AND increasing your income is a great, but sometimes you can only do the one. It is something you can control.

The pandemic has completely changed my mind set on what living well means. Going out to restaurants? A long wait, out of the food you want, harried waiter who you cannot say a word to even if your order is wrong---and don't forget you can't tip any less than 25% now that they are short staffed! Grocery stores out of everything and be prepared to wait in checkout lines for up to an hour. I tried to buy a couch and 2 salespeople gave me an attitude---one when I wanted to actually see the sofa before I bought it, and the second one was upset that after I learned the couch I wanted was never coming back in stock, I didn't buy one of the others he showed me.

Even something as simple as Doordash is crazy these days. Markup on the food, service fees, and remember to tip your driver at least $10 per order! And unfortunately, I think this is our new normal. Businesses are making money hand over fist without having things in stock AND not having enough employees. Why would they ever change now, even when they can?

So living well to me now means going out as little as possible. Going to Aldi for most of my groceries. Picking up my own takeout and not eating in restaurants very often. Only buying something if I really need it, since it's going to be difficult to find what I want anyway. I'm using my library's ebook selections more. I'm using my streaming services more. I'm enjoying my home just as it is. And really it's kind of great...but I would have never gotten to this point without things being so bad out there. So I guess that's something.

Adding to r137's recommendation to make an actual budget, take it further to anticipate annual expenses: haircuts, medical/dental/vision co-pays, subscriptions, charitable giving, gifts (birthdays, Christmas, upcoming weddings, housewarmings). Then start logging how much you spend each day/week/month on incidentals: gas, tolls, public transportation, groceries, eating out, basically everything you pay for to come up with a weekly or monthly allowance and live withing that. Include savings and investments plus vacations and any luxury purchases you are considering.

I live well below my means and want for nothing. I recently had to upgrade my iphone from a 6+ to a 12 (literally days before the 13 came out) and did so under protest and outrage. There was nothing wrong with my phone except it wouldn't update any more, posing a security risk. I haven't bought an article of clothing or shoes in three years. Haven't taken a vacation, seen a play, concert, movie in a theater, and can count on one hand the number of times I've been to a restaurant in over two years due to COVID, and have been saving and investing extra unspent money that would usually be allocated to entertainment. My big splurges were a new down duvet and cover and sheets. I don't scrimp on food or wine but could pare back my food and wine budget to $70 per week if I needed to.

If you live in a climate with long winters, buy the best outerwear and shoes/boots you can afford. A classic wool dress coat should last decades, and an every day jacket should last at least 10 years.

You pay me quarter million dollers for hat an peecture.

On R137 post: I switched to budget billing for my gas and electric, and I now pay about $90 a month fixed price. My apartment is small at 920 SF but still.

There's the Coca-Cola theory (one of them). Coca-Cola is something that everyone can afford. Whether you're rich or poor, that Coke will be as delicious. iPhone is supposed to be similar in that it's the "best" phone. The middle-class guy has the same phone as Bezos.

Anyway, borrowing classics from the library is the equivalent. "East of Eden" will read the same whether you're rich and have a copy on your shelf or whether you're poor and borrowed your copy from the library.

R139 you may want for nothing, but your lifestyle seems austere to me. I like to shop so I allow myself one purchase a month and there is a range of how much I allow myself to spend. My weakness is books. So I always try to buy used in good condition. The days of having friends over and ordering pizza are over, but I will have 5-6 people in and the frozen pizzas at the supermarket are very good. And Costco has an excellent Kirkland Cauliflower pizza that is to die for. $10 for two large.

Last spring we got in the car and took a drive to the ocean. Four hours. We stayed at a nice resort, nothing elaborate. We bought our own electric tea kettle, drinks and snacks, we rented bikes to explore and had a great time for a week. Normally we would splurge on a vacation but this time we were sensible about what we decided to spend money on and had fun and it was great. As for vacations, Even 4-5 star resorts have policies were housekeeping is on request. Some don't even provide room service or have sharply curtailed the hours. So why spend the extra money on some posh resort when you can stay at a 3-4 star that is highly rated. You want it clean, right? And comfy. But if you intend to be out of your room most of the time, and it has good comfortable bathrooms, save some money and spend it on other leisure activities. We usually ate a late breakfast at a local diner that had really good food, and then a nice dinner. Dinner was our most expensive meal, but it wasn't outrageous.

Plant herbs for use in the kitchen. A few pots in a window will save you money every week. Every time I snip a bit of chives for an omelet, I tell myself I just saved $2.49 on a package of fresh herbs.

Youtube! I have done so many free yoga classes, mediation exercises, and looked up “how to” videos on youtube rather than paying for these things.

r143, I guess I am lucky that I don't shop for sport and only when I need something. My lifestyle during COVID is a bit austere but we're in a pandemic. When things return to normal and start to open up again, I like to spend my money on experiences rather than things, so look forward to life getting back to normal.

I agree with r142 about the library. Unless something is a new release and I can't wait, or I buy as a gift for someone, I hardly ever buy books (printed or electronic). For a highly anticipated new release, I can reserve a copy so I don't have to wait.

The “Free” stuff sections on Nextdoor and Facebook Marketplace…a lot of junk but once in awhile you can find some real treasures, especially on Sunday nights when people are trying to unload their garage sale leftovers

I’m reenacting the movie Jaws in my bedroom

Seriously, move to a much less expensive country as you can. It is the easiest way to upgrade your life. 2000 USD doesn't go far in the USA but you will be one of the richest people in the country if you pick your country wisely.

If you really want to buy something, put if off for a day or two and think about it. If you're not still excited to buy it and are not thinking about it, then don't. Don't impulse buy.

On Amazon...if something looks interesting to me, I just put it in the cart. I let the cart fill up with my impulse items....then revisit it and usually delete, or put in the buy it later option. I do that with Etsy, too.

Jack off to memories

Make lunch a more important meal than dinner. Better for your body, and if you eat out, better for your budget.

Many lovely restaurants that are quite pricey at dinner time are very affordable for lunch.

Want to save more? Order a lunch that will be good as leftovers, eat only half (which in many restaurants is already a full adult portion) and have the rest for dinner or the next day’s lunch.

Some great tips here!

Don’t get your hair cut professionally, only buy new clothes every 10 years, bathe only every few days, don’t use toilet paper, and cancel your gym membership. Not only will you save on those items, but you’ll never get a date or be invited out with friends so you’ll save there ad well.

If it's yellow, let it mellow. If it's brown, flush it down. Saving water..

Guys piss in their sinks

I try to put some money, if I can when I get paid, into my savings account. No matter the amount, it does add up. It's nice to have some money put aside, just in case.

Streaming services are a small luxury that allow you to watch whatever you want, whenever. Cutting out Netflix for $120/year isn’t going to improve his lifestyle.

If you’re into travel, go on vacation but get your hotel on Hotwire/Priceline. You won’t know the exact name (unless you do some easy research), but you’ll get a 4-star instead of 3. For longer stays get an Airbnb with good reviews. Even with the exorbitant cleaning fee it’s always cheaper and bigger than a nice hotel. Sign up for airfare alerts to cities you’re interested in. Once one airline drops the price, other carriers usually match it.

If you’re into entertaining, splurge on a big tv (which aren’t that expensive anymore) and speakers and have people over for potluck movie nights. Make your space the place people want to hang out at.

I like the above idea of eating at restaurants at lunch or happy hour. Still an “event” but cheaper. Switching grocery stores is huge if you like to cook a lot. Aldi has been beaten to death here but it still has the highest return on investment and has many “gourmet” ingredients at affordable prices.

Never pay full price for Broadway / West End shows. Use apps like TodayTix and save $50+ unless it’s something like Hamilton.

Make a few extra bucks by hanging out at truck stops *wink, wink*

If I actually enjoyed Netflix, I'd subscribe. I've subscribed twice and, within a couple of months, felt like I had watched everything worth watching (for me).

Get your teeth pulled

Coffee.

Try using a moka pot. No, it doesn't make a mocha or chocolate-flavored coffee drink.

It's an inexpensive device (maybe $30) that you use on your stovetop. (There are versions that come with a fitted hot plate.)

Apparently, it's what people in Italy use at home.

Anyway, it makes really good, hot, and strong coffee. It extracts a ton of flavor / strength from your ground coffee, way more extraction than a French press or drip.

I use mine every day. Mix my coffee with half 'n' half and granulated sugar.

Just have your hair cut at the start of each season -- 4 times a year. If that's too long for you, then every 2 months.

R161 Only subscribe to a streaming channel when there are things on you want to watch -- watch them relatively promptly and then cancel after a month or so; switch to another if there's enough stuff there. You can always turn streaming channels back on if you want to return. That way you don't need more than one at a time.

If you can afford it, buy it.

If you can't, don't.

R23, you forgot sell your ass on the side.

Always great advice.

R157, that's great advice. "Pay yourself first" the experts say. I built in some savings to my budget. It helps me fund things like house repairs (spent 200 on an electrician recently), vacations, and a general "emergency fund".

[quote] If it's yellow, let it mellow. If it's brown, flush it down

If it's red, go to bed.

Don't spend any of your money during work hours; bring from home or go without. You save money and waiting/travel time.

Extra time allows you to prowl your work neighborhood and see bizarre shit. Last week I saw two guys fucking; the fucker was missing fingers -looked like mini hotdogs wrapped in croissants.

I would never see that sort of thing waiting in line at an eatery. OK, I have seen pantless people waiting in line at eateries, but that's just a PNW custom (I believe).

R169.. If it's green....then scream.

Do they really still have zip car? I haven’t see that around for a decade.

Bring in a few lush, leafy plants..they can improve air quality, and less expensive than fresh cut flowers. They are pretty and if you do an herb garden, elevates your cooking and saves money on store bought herbs.

Use cloth napkins and kitchen towels. Replace bath towels, undergarments. Mix distilled water and essential oil for spritzing pillows before sleeping. Declutter and simplify as much as you can, have areas that are open and clean. Update ugly light fixtures and light switch plates. Bring in lamps and layered lighting sources for ambient light versus overhead lighting. Create a reading area with comfy seating and throw blanket...use it over sitting in bed or on couch with devices or on reading books. Bring in colors, or neutrals, that make you happy with paint, textiles, clothing. Get rid of stuff you don’t like or use...donate, someone else can benefit. Use steamer or iron on clothing, curtains. IKEA has great curtains that are not expensive and add warmth and luxury. Minimize plastic, drink out of glasses and ceramic and replace plastic soap dispenser with another material for hand soap and dish soaps.

Get into cooking... you have more control over your food quality and make extra. You can freeze meals and heat up when you don’t feel like cooking and avoid eating out, which will taste better, less expensive and just easier. Play music, have a glass of wine and make it fun. Be selective in what you bring into your life, people, energy...avoid lousy music, excessive news stories that don’t serve you.

I have purchased many items of clothing on eBay, posh mark great quality things I love and enjoy. Make your life as nice for yourself as you can. Use library for books, films and audiobooks.

Go on YouTube for tutorials on things you want to learn, languages, DIY projects or just for inspiration.

Have covered trash receptacles or hidden so you’re not looking at trash.

Silly one: buy neutral dish sponges and brushes, again IKEA and get rid of yellow or garish stuff around sink.

R173 Sounds like a very nice person.

Make your own food. Buy secondhand.

R173, thanks! I’m actively working all of these things to try to get out of a depression… It’s the little things that make a difference for me. Other than DL, I try to avoid negativity. I LOVE the posts with twisted humor and enjoy he snark. When trolls come I move it along and avoid. Appreciate the humor and irreverence, helps!

XXX's and OOO's to you R176

Travel is the one thing that I find I can’t do in a budget. Hotels - even cheap Airbnbs- are just obscenely expensive now. Even with a cheap fare, the lodging just can’t be done cheaply. And definitely not a rental car. So driving to a mountain town and camping is really the only option to travel on a truly tight budget. A shame.

Yeah, R178, lodging can be a bitch. It's the prohibitive aspect of traveling.

It's why I'm considering car camping. I don't own a car now but if and when I do, save some money on lodging. I don't if I could actually do it though. May be too old to rough it.

People already do all these things and even more extreme.

It’s called being poor.

Move into a storage unit.

Eat at Hardees and KFC with coupons

R149? What countries would you recommend?

The problem with moving to another country to save $ is that of course, I would want to visit there first -- why would I move to a country I have never been to before? So that costs $. And how many countries would I have to visit before I find one I like enough to want to move to?

Then you have to find a place to rent, because it is often 1) prohibitively expensive to purchase real estate in a foreign country and 2) sometimes illegal for non-citizens. Then there are the moving expenses. Even if I sell almost everything I have and move to a foreign country, there are going to be things I want to take, and it will be expensive to ship them and often there are import taxes.

As you can tell, I have researched this before, R149 -- and I just don't see how I would save any money unless I was moving from, let's say, San Diego to Tijuana, i.e., just down the road. So I'm curious about your take on this. TIA

Find out how much it costs to rent a small camper vehicle. A bathroom with a shower and a cook stove is all you really need. Drive someplace interesting. If you can't go to the ocean go to someplace else that's interesting. Use you imagination. You like tennis or golf or a nice pool? Use public courts and courses. Museums? concerts and plays? Make concessions. One of the best days I had a few years ago was a picnic in Central Park. We went to Whole Foods and got take out, and then to the park. It was a gorgeous day, this was unplanned. Do something different. If you travel by car you can always BYOB and make your own cocktails at the park. Go birding or on nature hikes. The world won't end if you can't stay at a 5 star hotel.

Yeah, you're going to need a nest egg to fund moving overseas. But once you are settled, you can save up again. Let's say you move to Vietnam, you could live comfortably for less than 2k a month. I think the average monthly income is 500.

But yeah, you're likely not going to be able to do it if you do not funds to kick things. Or be young enough to rough it and work your way up. When I traveled in the SE Asia in my 20s, I slept at the airport or in huts or overnight buses to save money. Not going to do any of those things now.

Re: travel & cost of accommodations.

Consider (in the US) a long road trip, even if you have to rent a car. You can stay at inexpensive places (motel-type, as long as it's clean & comfortable to sleep). There really is a lot to see in the US.

I'm a bit obsessed with credit cards/airline miles and that stuff.

Since I'm not currently carrying debt, and was anticipating a couple large purchases I opened a few new credit cards for the huge sign-up bonus they offered. I can fly round trip to Europe and use hotel points to stay somewhere nice for a week. It's a fun hobby and keeps me aware of everyday discounts and credits available to anyone. I'm not one of the super crazies, but a free vacation was my goal and it's been fun to work toward it with a strategy.

Travel

Since 9/11, I've only travelled by plane if it was company paid. Too much TSA bullshit.

Trains stop off in metro areas where I can rent a car if needed. They are also cheaper than buses for some reason.

There are hostels in US urban areas where I've met assholes and flakes as well as fascinating people.

Use extra perks when available. Long ago I worked for a company that offered movie passes at a discount. I loved going to the movies, so I kept passes in my wallet so I could go with my friends w/o always going to the matinee. I wouldn't have taken that job just for that perk, but it made life a little nicer. One job gave me access to a credit union; I kept the account until I moved out of town. Sometimes credit unions themselves offer perks.

I use Amazon Prime for streaming and deliveries. The service includes free audio books. I'm not into those, but a friend who commutes loves them, so he uses it occasionally.

Be pleasant to service people. You should do that anyway, but I'm been offered the occasional goody or upgrade. When I tutored, I used Starbucks. The staff recognized me and knew I tipped. Occasionally they'd offer me free pastries if I was there near closing time. Again, not my thing, but my neighbor loved those.

R 190, I also find passing along things to others makes my life well lived. Thanks for reminding m of that!. Have to go to into questionable situation today, so needed the reminder to go in there from a spirit of Love & giving. Then the gift will come to me.

Dead cats make excellent throw pillows.

I will say this. It seems like a small thing but it isn't. Avoid late fees. Period. Also if you have any situations where you might be able to negotiate lower interest rates do it. Go on budget billing for gas and electricity. And never walk in to a supermarket without a list. The weather will get better soon. Use farmers markets as much as you can.

I shop at farmer's markets, especially for locally raised meat. The prices at the farmer's market is much higher than at the supermarkets though.

Figure out what is important to you and what isn't. Don't spend money on the latter... in fact, try to save money on the latter to spend more on the stuff that's important to you. But also think about why it's important - sometimes with expensive stuff, you're paying extra for stuff that isn't important to you because it's included with something that is. It's different for everyone.

Food is important to me. McDonald's is fine, and sometimes I want it. But I mentally check with myself if I'd rather have a steak that I make at home, because it's the same cost and barely any more trouble. Sometimes I still want the McDs. At restaurants, I want things that I won't make at home. I can cook a great steak or steam a lobster. I'm not gonna order something where I'd be disappointed if it didn't match up to something I can make myself. But I'm unlikely to deep fry something or do a really fancy preparation. So those are what I'll buy outside - both cheap and expensive.

Also I split my fun budget into two: Big Ticket items and Everyday Things. The goal is to spend as much as possible and plan for the big ticket items while still having some money for everyday spending.

My mother has discovered online shopping. She's a retiree on Medicare, and is in love with the internet. Loves "researching" information. Fine she's happy. She's also on a monthly allowance. She has this one site where she "finds" designer goods for cheap. She wanted new athletic shoes. She saw Pumas for $49.99. Then she checked Costco, looking for something else, and happened to find Pumas for 29.99. She was so fucking proud of herself.

Aww, good for her, R197. My mom is dead, but I think that's the kind of things she'd enjoy (finding good deals on the internet).

If all else fails, when you really wanna buy something you normally can't afford -suck cock for $$$ or have Arab sheiks doo doo on you!

This thread has been exhilarating to read. I personally find good quality toilet paper a treat, along with getting a bidet ($30-50 attachment on Amazon). I had a whole pack of Charmin last me a year with this combination. $8-10 for a non-chafed clean bum is pretty cheap to me. Serves its purpose. I couldn't sell myself as the other people on here are specifying, I have a little self-dignity and don't stoop that low. I'll just play piano and sing on some camboy sites. I'm still young and good-looking, so hey, that's an income I need. At this stage in my life, I am an only child and am currently living in a freshly-renovated home with my parents. It seems ridiculously silly for me to rent an apartment when I can live here, rent-free as long as I'd like. Home improvement DIY is something that is not at all difficult. Believe me, I learned. Repairing drywall and basic plumbing are skills any homeowner should have under their belt. Handymen really are overpaid for a lot of the things they do. And carpenters are underpaid honestly, wtf?

I also receive free products to test out and review because of being a part of a panel. Many of my favorite things were free, in that situation. I've even been sent a luxury outdoor gazebo and tons of quality gaming stuff for computers. Try getting free samples off the internet, look up product testing panels. It's all worth the time and Corporate America is willing to give it all away to make some sucker spend money. I've received thousands of dollars of merchandise this way. I've done this since I was a teenager. And no catch.

I've also never bought the top-end products when it comes to tech. I am writing from a MacBook Air M1, which I got on a good sale because these are going to be replaced by another 'new model' in a matter of months. It's fast, dependable, and gets the job done FWIW. But I didn't get any of the bells and whistle upgrades. This is the base model, and it's perfectly fine for 99% of the people who buy them. It looks like the expensive one, and honestly, I don't even care what people think about my possessions. I worked hard for this laptop and I love it. The same with my iPhone. It's the cheapest one with the smallest amount of storage. I do not use a real phone carrier because they are all ripoffs and scams with how they price out phones and the data plan. I use Mint Mobile, which has horrid customer service but a reliable inexpensive product that is indifferent from what somebody else is using. I expect both of my devices to be usable for at least 5-6 years before I consider replacements.

Ive long been an advocate of thrift stores and estate sales and the like for finding quality items dirt cheap. Why not drink your iced tea out of a Waterford crystal glass ? Or eat your tv dinner from a Spode plate ? Ive got a linen closet crammed full of high quality linens and towels I bought at estate sales. Quality we will never see in stores again. The slippers Im wearing were $300 leather Ralph Lauren scuffs brand new in the box for $5 . Youd be surprised how using and living with nice things (especially a baragin) makes you feel nice too.

R202 I love Estate sales. But I'm very "snobbish" of which ones I attend. The very high end very wealthy sales are definitely worth going to. Yesterday I was at a fabulous sale and a woman brought her own shopping bags. Extra large, and she must have purchased 6-7 dresses, then a fur evening jacket, and Hermes and Chanel scarves. Two Chanel bags. I was dumb stuck. I know she spent about $4,000. But she was tall, very slender and I'm sure the clothes fit her. They looked newish.

I got two pieces of La Creuset at an estate sale.

[quote] But I'm very "snobbish" of which ones I attend. The very high end very wealthy sales are definitely worth going to.

FAG

I have some lovely pieces from estate sales, lamps, end tables, accent pieces, artwork, etc. And they are very high quality. Look. If you go to the better ones, you're going to find excellent quality, and you will find in most of these wealthy homes, that a designer chose a lot of their stuff. I can't afford an interior designer. I can't afford the mahogany and gorgeous marbles, bass, and the fantastic lamps. Or the upholstery matching the drapes.. The $500 Kitchen Aid mixer or all the high end cooking and serving gear. Hell some of these houses they have 5-6 sets of China! Good china. I mean it's ridiculous. And no they don't make a lot of stuff like that any more.

Just how does one find these high-end estate sales?

Piss in a jar and flush once a week.

I once was a place-holder for someone at an estate sale. I parked and slept in my car to get them first place in line. I think I made $200? It was horrible though. That said, I'm always looking for odd jobs or various side gigs, even focus groups to make extra cash. They're mostly easy, fast and fun.

Not every geo area has estate sales, R207.

If you want something specific, I'd check eBay.

If you use eBay, check to see if the item you want indicates "Make An Offer". The last three times I tried it, it worked. I usually start at 40-50% off the price shown. Twice they took the offer immediately and once came back with a counter offer. I still saved money. My last purchase was a Theragun. Found an unused "open box" item with free shipping and returns accepted by a seller with 95% approval rating. (That's important, btw.) Got it for 40% below the retail price shown on Amazon.

I was recently emailing with an eBay seller. I said I needed some time to decide. The next day, I go online, intending to buy and the price went up! I emailed the seller and said what happened? Told seller that I was willing to purchase at yesterday's price. Seller said that eBay had suggested she raise the price. But she did sell to me at the previous price.

That was weird and kind of uncool, IMO. I had been really upfront in my emails with her. It was something new with tags (clothing) and one of the measurements sounded way off; she said that it was a mistake and gave me the right measurement. I hadn't even tried to bargain down the price, mostly inquiring about the measurement.

During the cooler times of the year, after your finished cooking something in your oven and have turned the oven off, leave the oven door open to allow that heat to get out of the oven and into your kitchen, helping to make it more toasty.

Use your young children to help with household chores.

Murder gay guys and eat their flesh. You will find phenomenal $aving$ in this time of inflation.

R207, here you go. just enter your zip

I have CIGNA health insurance and they have a Wellness program that isn't difficult to earn $. There is a $540 limit and you can apply it to a variety of gift cards for decent places. That's $1080 of free money that past 2 years that I've used for food and Amazon.

I bought a Brita filter to replace my monthly Arrowhead water delivery. Have saved hundreds and tap water tastes fine refrigerated.

RR18, I use the filters as well. The Brita ones are still pretty expensive. If you have a Costco membership, they sell a 10-pack for something like $30 or $40, which is way cheaper than the Brita. I don't think I notice any difference between the Brita and the Costco (Kirkland).

[quote]My last purchase was a Theragun. Found an unused "open box" item with free shipping and returns accepted by a seller with 95% approval rating. (That's important, btw.) Got it for 40% below the retail price shown on Amazon.

How is the Theragun? Does it help with muscle pain?

I find just boiling my water, then putting it in glass bottles works just as well. I have sulphur & hard water. It is great for the skin & hair. Friends who visit always say they go home with great skin & and hair after a stay.

I check out this website once a week.

The link is ight here. I check it every week.

R213, if you don't open the oven door, where do you think the heat goes?

Shop at Aldi for your weekly basics! I save easily 40% at Aldi over my regular big name market for pantry staples, dairy, basic fruit veg, nuts, bread etc. You can still go to a more upscale market if you are particular about meat/fish etc but wow so happy I have an Aldi nearby! (I do curbside pick up on my lunch hour for an extra $1.99) such a time saver.

You should stop at Kroger for panty items and basics, You get incredible savings with your Kroger card!

Amazon prime offers better prices than your local CVS. Especially on items like canned goods and toiletry, coffee, nuts, dried fruit, soap, etc. These items in bulk and which have a long self-life is cheaper than your local CVS/Rite Aid at regular price. It won’t be long before Amazon bankrupts your local drug stores. Don’t forget that Amazon also offers prescription drugs and owns Whole Foods. Sometimes retail stores have to learn the hard way if they keep passing on costs to their customers.

You read it hear first.

I'm enjoying the responses that are really addressing OPs question.

For me, I agree with some suggestions mentioned already. Nice soaps and lotions, replacing containers. For instance, I have some nice hand soap from l'occitane in my bathroom. I replace the dish detergent bottle and pour the detergent in that. I don't like seeing labels and plastic.

Fresh flowers purchased cheap, or plants tend to lift my spirits. Painting walls and replacing curtains are simple ways to feel a bit of a life upgrade.

I have always purchased fewer clothing items at higher prices. In my family, we call it CPWs cost per wear. In the end, well constructed clothes last longer but they also fit well and make you feel better.

Finally, I find candles upgrade the environment as well. I'm not big on scents so I use unscented and it still has that same effect. So for me, it's light splurges on nice soaps, candles, plants and flowers. Use expensive lotions once in a while. I do eat at nice restaurants for lunch, and recently had hot chocolate mid-day at the Ritz (making it clear in advance that's all I was doing and it was empty.)

For me, I think this whole pandemic has taught me what you really miss are the experiences and not the stuff.