#frugal

[bitchesgetriches]

I dunno if this is a success story, but I found out a few years ago that you can make juice without a juicer? Just put fruit chunks into a blender with water (not a lot, it dilutes the taste in my experience). Then blend the fruits and strain it. You can use a cloth to strain it, or a mesh strainer. With the cloth you put the juice mixture in, then squeeze it. With the mesh strainer you pour it in, then use a fork and mix it to get the maximum amount of juice out.

This absolutely counts! You saved money on an expensive appliance by making due with what you already had. That is a huge win! We're very proud of you, kitten.

This should be what you all do before making an expensive purchase: see if you can borrow, repurpose, or make do what what you already own. It's always saved me tons!

Here's more money-saving advice, my loves:

{ MASTERPOST } Everything You Need to Know about Saving Money and Being Frugal

Did we just help you out? Say thanks on Patreon!

[hillbillyoracle]

You Should Get A Radio

I want to convince you to get a radio. It can be a pretty cheap one - you can sometimes thrift them even - just something to listen to the music and shows that are literally streaming completely for free all around you right this very moment.

Libraries get a lot of love - deservedly so. They are such a frugal resource for entertainment and the community at large. I would argue that radio is very similar.

Find New Music

Radio can introduce you to music you never would have run across otherwise. Spotify and the like have a goal of getting you to listen for as long as possible. This incentivizes the alorgithm picking your music recs to stay very safely within your known listening profile. But since a radio station is broadcasting to a large number of people, not you individually, you're more likely to run into music you personally wouldn't have picked but actually enjoy.

Not to mention that if you're in the US at least, you're very likely within range of a public broadcasting station which not only has local and national news, but various music shows as well - World Cafe is a treasure. College radio stations, if you have one nearby by, can be hit or miss, but in general, it is a great way to find local and very niche music you wouldn't hear played anywhere else. If you're in a city, you very likely have a couple of hyperlocal low power FM stations - many who serve communities who don't speak English and who have their own unique music programming. I also enjoy a lot of the adult contemporary and "oldies" stations I can get near me.

The Ads Aren't Targeted

On most stations, you'll hear some ads. Some stations you'll hear more than a few. But none of those ads are based on an ever growing mass of information being collected about you and your listening habits to decide what specific ad you're most likely to actually act on. They're just...an ad. When you turn it off, it can't follow you around until you actually buy it.

Also, if you're listening to local stations, a lot of the ads are for local businesses in your community; places owned by your neighbors and the people you live with. For me, it's been a nice way to be reminded of what places exist in my community since I usually go to my regular haunts and nothing else.

Frugal and Fun

Radios can be pretty cheap. I see them in thrift stores pretty regularly around here and you might be able to try Marketplace for one. Mine was a birthday gift and I paid a little more to upgrade the antena later. Mine uses rechargeable batteries but I think they make ones that are just straight up rechargeable now.

Since I can't control the music, I'm not turning to it to skip through music or pick a different playlist or look up a given artist I want to hear because I just remembered they existed. I'm more present, whether I'm just listening to the show or pairing it with something else (recently it's been knitting or solitaire games).

Similar to the way that libraries can be one way you decrease your reliance on subscription culture, radio is another. Especially for public broadcasting stations, the programming is always changing, there are new shows every week, and there are often ways for you to get involved. It's another form of entertainment that often gets overlooked.

It's Screen Free

Not much to say here. It's just a big plus to me. I'm trying to take more breaks from screens and make the time I do spend on screens less addictive. I like that I can throw on a radio station and listen to a show without ever having to resist the urge to check email or something.

Vital in Emergencies

Have you thought of how you'd get information during an emergency if the internet goes out? Radio is a great option and still regularly saves lives. In the event of emergencies, local radio stations are often some of the very first people to get information on where shelters are being set up, where resoruces are being distributed, and how to stay safe through the course of the event. Depending on the event, emergency managers will actually bring in radio equipment to keep broadcasting going if there's been damage to a tower and even set up temporary/mobile station up to get the word out if there's not a local station they can partner with.

On days when the weather isn't looking so great, I often have the weather band radio turned on so I can get the latest NWS forecasts and hear when a watch is issued - phones usually only get warnings unless you go out of your way to sign up for more. And out where I live, I usually don't even get those since cell signal is spotty.

It's a great investment in your safety that you can also enjoy whenever.

Conclusion

Buy a radio. Especially if you're looking to get away from subscriptions and cut costs. You can own your radio - you can't own Spotify. It's also just something I think everyone should have since it's such a vital resource in emergencies.

ETA: I am a young millinial. I grew up with radio and remember a time before the internet so I'm not saying any of this as if I'm discovering it. It's more I've been not only enjoying it a lot lately but reminded that a lot of people aren't aware of everything it offers so I wanted to share that in case it was news to anyone.

[bootleg-nessie]

Pro tip for broke college students: learning how to cook and bake will save you soooo much money. Homemade bread is only 4 ingredients, costs about 1/10th of what you’d pay for a loaf at the store, tastes 10x better, and is WAY easier than you’d think

[smell-the-dirt]

DIY newspaper pots: an illustrated guide

Cut a newspaper sheet into quarters, then fold each quarter in half.

Find a beer bottle or other cylinder (~2" in diameter) and wrap a folded quarter-sheet around it. Ensure the "hanging" portion of the wrapped sheet is longer than the radius of the bottle.

Fold the hanging portion over the end of the bottle to form the bottom of the pot.

Remove the formed pot from the bottle.

Roll the rim inward to help the pot maintain its shape. The weight of the soil should prevent the bottom of the pot from unfolding.

The end result is a biodegradable dirt-holder. This size is ideal for starting seeds.

[introvertedx10]

[theunaestheticstudyblr]

Some of my favorite easy and fast foods/snacks for $5 or less that aren't ramen and spaghetti:

Couscous. You can get boxed couscous for like $3 and it's enough for 2-3 side dishes at least and takes literally 5 minutes and no extra ingredients. You can get large containers of it for like $5 at Walmart too so you can season however you want. A nice grain that's easy to digest and pairs well with almost anything.

Popcorn. Everyone's favorite healthy junk food that can satisfy most cravings. You can usually get a box for like $4 or a jar of kernels for like $6.

Oats. Whole oats. Extremely versatile. Put them in smoothies, make cookies, granola, snack bars/balls, brownies, oatmeal, etc. Truly the best bland fiber and filler out there. You can even easily make your own oatmilk for super cheap by blending them with water and straining!

Frozen veggies. Last for months in the freezer and usually under $2 a bag. Not great if you prefer raw veggies, but if you are fond of sautéed or roasted ones, save some money and just get them frozen.

Chocolate chips. Cheaper than chocolate bars and you get a lot more chocolate. Perfect for those cravings!

Powdered potatoes. I know I know but if you ignore the package directions and put some butter and milk and seasonings in it, you can't tell. Ready in like 2 minutes and you get a shit ton of mashed potatoes for like $2.

Vegan Mac and cheese. I'm lactose intolerant and so I will forever be thankful for the vegan movement of the early 2010s for making nondairy products easier to find and more affordable. Vegan Mac and cheese literally tastes the exact same and bakes so well. Annie's so far has been my favorite brand and they have other pastas with sauces too like squash which is so good.

Crepes. You can make your own batter for cheap but who likes all them dishes? You can find pre-made crepes for like $3 for 10.

Apples. You can find 2lb bags of these for $3 at a lot of places. I never knew they were so cheap and I go through phases where I'll eat like 4 a day.

Lunch meat. Packs of turkey cost like $4. I use turkey on so much. Bagels, omelets, salads, sandwiches, wraps, croissants, etc.

Ready to bake pastries. I'm not a big bread person but croissants ready to bake have my whole heart and cinnamon rolls can really help make a bad day a little better.

Pretzels. I'm an absolute whore for Pretzels and eat so many of these things. They're so easy to pack for snacks for class or anything really. I can't go two weeks without them.

Rice crisps. Rice cakes are great but they're big and crumbly and get stale if you don't close the bag JUST right. But little Rice crisps??? Elite. They come in so many flavors and are super crunchy and they're just super cute too and they're bogo a lot at publix.

Frozen potstickers. You can get them for so cheap and I have a giant bag of them in my freezer right now that I got for like $7. I usually get smaller portions for $4 or so though but decided to splurge and get 3lbs of them cus why not.

Frozen shrimp. A bag of extra small Frozen shrimp is about $5 at Walmart. Eat them thawed and cold or put them in pastas or rice or Soups. They're a staple in my house.

These are just a few I could think of off the top of my head. Please add to the list!

[toruandmidori]

Looking for a super simple halloween costume that also doubles as an ugly Christmas sweater? Get in here!

Get festively frugal with our hand drawn replica of that iconic sweater from everyone’s second favourite Christmas movie - Die Hard. 

Makes an easy trick or treat costume and great holiday gifts for movie fans. 

Buy online here.

[pieheda]

One of my favorite things is when financial advice YouTubers need to try and sound authentic about their sponsors.

They spend an entire video telling you how much you’re wasting on streaming services that you do enjoy and use frequently, and then they have to turn around and say “what is NOT a waste of your money is Audible. What are libraries? We have no idea! You get one lousy audiobook per month for $15! Some books retail for cheaper than that, but we will pretend this is a bargain! Audible! Pay for shit that is totally free somewhere else in your state!”

[dk-thrive]

My parents were frugal not simply because they had to be careful, but because they saw little reason for making life about money.

― Richard Flanagan, Question 7 (Knopf, September 17, 2024)

[rainyfestivalsweets]

DIY [dirt cheap & probably works better than a] Starbucks Medicine Ball:

Functional teas that I had on hand were:

Celestial Tea Well Organic Ginger Mint

Bigelow Benefits Lemon & Echinacea

Honey, the real good stuff (this is from my cousin's farm)

Lemon Juice 🍋

Sugar Free Peppermint Syrup

Bonus Add on: Young Living Peppermint

Although the OG diy recipe uses the Teavana brand and a metric shitton of sugar, I am not that boujee and trying to avoid extra sugar... Honey has enough sweetness, but honey also has its own special properties. Use the google, I ain't your momma.

This tea is what I had on hand, and likely bought on sale or clearance. Also...there are a ton of different teas that are specifically blending to aid immunity or cold season. Try varieties by Yogi or Traditional Medicinals if you can find them. Experiment & find what works best for you.

I also don't have the space for a bag of fresh lemons. It is really all about balancing what you have with the effect you want.

I have found that in most of my experiments, I will feel better with any combination of mint, lemon and honey. But if I have to work, a tea that has some caffeine will help me perk up.

And yes, I have to work. I work FT and caregiver FT, I am out of PTO. My FMLA is only if my patient is sick, it doesn't cover my illnesses. But I work from home so... it could be worse. At least I am not infecting people.

[bitchesgetriches]

{ MASTERPOST } Everything You Need to Know about Saving Money and Being Frugal

We’re all in this together. Don’t give up.

On food and groceries:

How to Shop for Groceries like a Boss

Why Name Brand Products Are Beneath You: The Honor and Glory of Buying Generic

If You Don’t Eat Leftovers I Don’t Even Want to Know You

You Are above Bottled Water, You Elegant Land Mermaid

You Should Learn To Cook. Here’s Why.

On entertainment and socializing:

The Frugal Introvert’s Guide to the Weekend

7 Totally Reasonable Ways To Save Money on Cheap Entertainment 

Take Pride in Being a Cheap Date

The Library Is a Magical Place and You Should Fucking Go There

Your Library Lets You Stream Audiobooks and eBooks FOR FREEEEEEE!

What’s the Effect of Social Media on Your Finances?

You Won’t Regret Your Frugal 20s

On health:

How to Pay Hospital Bills When You’re Flat Broke

Run With Me if You Want to Save: How Exercising Will Save You Money

Our Master List of 100% Free Mental Health Self-Care Tactics

Why You Probably Don’t Need That Gym Membership

How to Get DIRT CHEAP Pet Medication, Without a Prescription 

On other big expenses:

Businesses Will Happily Give You HUGE Discounts if You Ask This Magic Question

Understand the Hidden Costs of Travel and Avoid Them Like the Plague

Other People’s Weddings Don’t Have to Make You Broke

You Deserve Cheap, Fake Jewelry… Just Like Coco Chanel

3 Times I Was Damn Grateful for My Emergency Fund (and Side Income) 

When (and How) to Try Refinancing or Consolidating Student Loans

The Real Story of How I Paid Off My Mortgage Early in 4 Years 

Season 2, Episode 2: “I’m Not Ready to Buy a House—But How Do I *Get Ready* to Get Ready?”

The Most Impactful Financial Decision I’ve Ever Made… and Why I Don’t Recommend It

On buying secondhand and trading:

Almost Everything Can Be Purchased Secondhand

I Am a Craigslist Samurai and so Can You: How to Sell Used Stuff Online

The Delicate Art of the Friend Trade

On giving gifts and charitable donations:

How Can I Tame My Family’s Crazy Gift-Giving Expectations?

In Defense of Shameless Regifting

Make Sure Your Donations Have the Biggest Impact by Ruthlessly Judging Charities

The Anti-Consumerist Gift Guide: I Have No Gift to Bring, Pa Rum Pa Pum Pum

How to Spot a Charitable Scam

Ask the Bitches: How Do I Say “No” When a Loved One Asks for Money… Again? 

On resisting temptation:

How to Insulate Yourself From Advertisements

Making Decisions Under Stress: The Siren Song of Chocolate Cake

The Magically Frugal Power of Patience

6 Proven Tactics for Avoiding Emotional Impulse Spending

On minimalism and buying less:

Don’t Spend Money on Shit You Don’t Like, Fool

Everything I Know About Minimalism I Learned from the Zombie Apocalypse

Slay Your Financial Vampires

The Subscription Box Craze and the Mindlessness of Wasteful Spending

On saving money:

How To Start Small by Saving Small

Not Every Savings Account Is Created Equal

The Unexpected Benefits (and Downsides) of Money Challenges

Budgets Don’t Work for Everyone—Try the Spending Tracker System Instead

From HYSAs to CDs, Here’s How to Level Up Your Financial Savings

Season 2, Episode 10: “Which Is Smarter: Getting a Loan? or Saving up to Pay Cash?”

The Magic of Unclaimed Property: How I Made $1,900 in 10 Minutes by Being a Disorganized Mess

We will periodically update this list with newer articles. And by “periodically” I mean “when we remember that it’s something we forgot to do for four months.”

Bitches Get Riches: setting realistic expectations since 2017!

Start saving right heckin’ now!

If you want to start small with your savings, consider signing up for an Acorns account! They round up your every purchase to the nearest dollar and save and invest the change for you. We like them so much we’ve generously allowed them to sponsor us with this affiliate link:

Start investing today with Acorns

[tilbageidanmark]

Pepe Mujica, Uruguay's former president, and the only politician I admire, is battling cancer.

[stonesbyhaille]

[mistyhollowcottage]

Frugal Christmas Gifts

🎄Christmas is quickly approaching and the conversations of “what the heck are we getting everyone?” have started in my house. This year looks different for us than years past as we prepare to welcome our second baby, thus the budget is a little tighter than usual. So this year we will be giving almost exclusively homemade gift baskets. This will look a little different for everyone/every couple but will essentially include:

Homemade wooden coasters - these will be made of oak and are only budget friendly because we already own the tools to make them. I do not recommend going out and buying 47 new tools to do this, you will not be saving money. BUT if you have family with the proper tools, ask if you can borrow them!

Hard candy - this was a holiday staple in my house growing up. It’s extremely inexpensive to make and is sooo tasty. Careful not to burn yourself, but nothing tastes better around the holidays than homemade cinnamon candy.

Beeswax candles - beeswax candles can help purify the air in your home and have a pleasant, light smell so they make a great gift for everyone. Beeswax pellets are inexpensive and you can make the candles in any type of container that suits your fancy. Some people use thrifted containers, we have a bunch of random jars we’ve been collecting that we will be using.

Hot pads/oven mitts - I swear everyone I know has the oldest, dingiest hot pads because they still work! No need to fix what isn’t broken, but we thought it’d be a nice thought to replace them with something nicer and homemade. We’ve been on the look out for fabric sales and I have my mom’s old sewing machine on standby ready to go. I highly recommend borrowing a sewing machine while you learn, there’s absolutely no need to buy a new one.

Mrs. Meyers dish soap - this is probably more focused to the circle of people we’re gifting to, but everyone around us loves mrs.meyers, so we thought some seasonal scented dish soap would be a nice touch.

Chapstick! - who doesn’t love chapstick?

This is also a great list for those people in your life that just already have everything. We have baskets we have thrifted to put all this stuff into but you could easily decorate some boxes too. Let me know if you guys use any of these ideas! 🎄

[datssokoolwhat]

Christian: for an alien you sure are squishy.

Ivan: maybe because your squishing my face— let go off me bro.

Christian: but bro important question— how much do alien weig-

Ivan: I’m not answering that. 💢💢