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‘How are we supposed to live?’, too many people have been continually asking themselves lately with prices becoming so high, we can no longer afford things.
The numbers speak for themselves. In the US, consumer prices increased 8.6% from May 2021 to May 2022, the highest increase since 1981. Food prices have increased more than 10% over the year. A gallon of gas is over 50% more expensive than a year ago. And nobody knows when it’s going to stop.
Luckily, you’re not the only one living under a tight budget. Some people with lower incomes have been doing that for years, so they now have an invaluable experience to share with others. And this is what they did in this popular thread on Ask Reddit. Read below to find out the best life hacks for people living with a tight belt.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Little late to the party and this comment will probably get buried but your local Sikh temple will feed you hot food any day of the week. No conversion or preaching. In fact, no questions will be asked. Just make sure that you don’t drink or smoke before going in. Also, they will do this indefinitely. Some will also let you take food home if you ask them nicely. Sikhs have been feeding the hungry and homeless for 500 years and it seems that service is needed more than ever today. There is no reason anyone should ever go hungry. That is one of the core beliefs of Sikhism. It’s actually a pretty cool philosophy!
Jayne Kyra 3 years ago
Once I had two Sikh flatmates at University dorms. When they found me eating instant ramen again, while I was listening to some Daler Mehndi, we got talking for the first time. Then they insisted on me joining them for the big dinners they would host. And the food those gentlemen made was incredible! I hope they´re doing well.
John Topper 3 years ago
Sikhs are amazing. They're entire religion is incredibly kind and compassionate. I'm atheist, but Sikh is my favorite religion by several miles.
Sapna Sarfare 3 years ago
Sikhs are awesome. In fact, if you are in trouble or need help, ask for a gurudwara nearby.. that is if the city has a sikh population
RELATED:
#2
Okay, I’ve got this. I’ve been really, really super poor. I’m upper middle class now through busting my a*s but I still live as if I am poor.
1. First of all, food is expensive. You do not have to eat that much. Really you don’t. Mentally, being hungry as a teen screwed me up a bit. I learned that an empty stomach was normal, or even an accomplishment if I only had a couple of bucks and had to make them last.
2. Learn to cook dried beans. Pat boil them first. Then rinse and cook until done. Google it if you need to. Super cheap and nutritious meal. Bonus points for cooking them in a crockpot in a small room. It will help heat your room while they cook.
3. Cheap hotdog buns are a cheaper alternative to loaves of sliced bread if you are on your own. A whole loaf of bread can often go stale before you eat it. A pack of 8 hotdog buns is usually $1.00. So that’s a weeks worth of bread for $1.00.
4. Wear a knit hat and scarf in the house. It makes a huge difference. Keep that thermostat on 60 degrees. You will make it. Also, if you are a single person spend time at the library or other public space. Free heat and often free entertainment.
5. If you can afford it, buy an electric blanket.
6. If you can’t afford it, get one of those plush acrylic throws. Use it as the first layer of bed covering. Top it with some type of heavier cotton quilt. If you don’t have a quilt, top it with a sheet and then some other type of blanket. You will stay warm. It’s amazing.
7. Do not buy bar soap. Buy body wash and use one of those mesh loofahs. You will use much less product.
8. If your house and windows are old, cover them with anything you can find. Sheet plastic or bubble wrap are ideal but are also expensive. Use trash bags, cardboard, anything you can come up with. Tape around all edges with duct tape. It works.
9. Don’t heat space you don’t need. It was not unusual for us to stay mostly in one room during the really cold parts of winter. Just heat that room. If there are no doors, tack up blankets in the doorways to stop the airflow.
10. Cram anything you can under doors to stop drafts.
11. Take care of your possessions. No matter what it is, it’s all you have. Make the most of it. Don’t toss your things about or leave your clothes on the floor.
12. If doing laundry is as issue, have some clothes set aside as strictly “public” clothes. Pull them off ASAP and put on your hous clothes. At least you can look presentable longer between washes.
13. Learn all you can about everything possible. It is so good for your mind and can help stave off depression.
14. Join a church unless you find it offensive. Many churches provide weekly meals. Go eat, enjoy the climate controlled environment, and maybe even enjoy the fellowship.
15. Know your true worth is not related to money.
There are so many other things. I need time to think.
Edited:
Thank you so much for the kind words, silver, and gold.
I am female.
Some people asked how I made it out. I won’t give my life story but will keep it short and simple. I worked. I worked my a*s off for survival and an education.
There was so much about my young life that I could share but this isn’t the place for pity or such. There was abuse, parental drug addiction, father committed suicide, and I became intensely focused on building my life. I wanted a home and to feel secure.
I hope my comment helped somebody as much as all the replies have helped me. Every time someone commented that “this guy gets it” or similar I started to remember that I do get it. I was reminded of the determination I showed and everything I overcame. This is important and valuable to me right now. Life is messy and I am facing some difficult life choices. I have been haunted by fear surrounding these choices because it will jeopardize my financial stability. But reading through this comment thread has helped me remember what I’ve already faced and overcome. I feel so much stronger.
So where am I today? I spent my morning watching my youngest child play basketball. I drove there in my car that is warm and dependable. Then I went to the grocery store. I treated myself to my favorite cheese. I bought my kids 3 big boxes of Lucky Charms (they were on sale - 3/$10!) And I came home to a warm house with a working washer and dryer. I put my food in a working refrigerator. I truly know I am blessed.
I just want to add that being poor is exhausting. And scary. It’s so hard. But happiness is very, very possible no matter your income level. Money will make some parts of life easier but not all.
Marie Dahme 3 years ago
These are the kind of tips that are really applicable to our daily lives. Thank you so much. Congratulations on being where you are today. Your family should be proud of you!
B 🇺🇦🇨🇦 3 years ago (edited)
What a beautiful and heartbreaking story 🧡 Only thing I would change about the advice is - soap bars last way way WAY longer than liquid soap (which is just soap mixed with water to make it liquidy and pour out of a bottle for your convenience) so I’d recommend a bar. My mum makes handmade bar and liquid soap and it’s kinda funny how much less “soap” goes into the liquid version.
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Emma Starr 3 years ago
I've found that bar soap lasts much longer than shower gel, but I'm sure it depends on how it is made, etc.
Diolla 3 years ago
I once was so poor I stole food in supermarkets. Did consider killing myself in those times. Now I own a 2-story home and have everything I need. I must say it is a lot easier to be happy when you don't have to stress about where your next meal comes from and whether you will be evicted this month or the next.
Britt Massez 3 years ago
These tips are helping a lot. Also, if you are not into hot dog buns, you can split your loaf of bread and freeze what you don't need immediately, just don't forget to take it out in time when you want some bread. This way it won't go stale/moldy too fast
Lillukka79 3 years ago
Yes. With shower gel you are just paying for a bottle of water.
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Patti Vance 3 years ago
unless you have been at the bottom it is hard for some to understand how hard it was to exist, survive and then thrive.
Angela B 3 years ago
I wish the OP every health and happiness. Thank you for the pieces of advice. I wish you well.
Wandaluzt 3 years ago
Go tell them on Reddit then where it was posted 4 years ago
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Kate Jones 3 years ago
If you are truly hungry and have exhausted all the legal options, if you have a decent outfit and rolling luggage, you can walk into just about any busy hotel around 7am and just follow the people to the breakfast room. Most hotels do free full or continental breakfast. Even if you need a key card to get to the floor, 7am is usually super busy so just get on the elevator with a group of other people and get off with them. At the very least you'll get yourself a free meal. But you can't walk in looking dirty and gross. Try to clean yourself up a little and walk in like you know where you're going. Most people won't stop you. Try not to catch the eye of the staff. It's not the most ethical but if you're truly destitute it's an option. You might also see an open cart if you walk around the floors around checkout time and can snag some shampoo and soap.
M O'Connell 3 years ago
Start your meal planning in the clearance section at the grocery store. I was eating shrimp tacos all weekend (I estimate $0.25/ea) due to some nearly expired precooked cocktail shrimp marked down from $10 to $3.50.
jon gilbertson 3 years ago
we get 8 buns per pack, but hotdogs (gross) come 10 to pack.could never figure that out. bratwurst buns, 6 per pack, bratwurst 8 per pack. yes I'm American lol
Load More Replies... #3
Don't have kids.
Ace 3 years ago
Yes, it's true, but I see nothing sad about it. A win-win, you save money and have more time to enjoy it.
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Debbie 3 years ago (edited)
Too bad about the recent development in the us regarding abortions. Not having kids unfortunately is no longer an option for some women and girls.
AnotherAtheist 3 years ago
Thats just sad. Anyone living in modern world on their own can survive. Life without children if you want them is no life and deffinately not a life hack if you're poor. Families should be helpped by society as much as possible.
Lion's Stare 3 years ago
Mire like, wait to have kids. When you are in a good place financially and with stability
Kaitlyn Berry 3 years ago
True, but so sad that having a family may become (or already is) a luxury only the rich can afford.
Erin Mitchell 3 years ago
Me when my family kept trying to get me to give advice/mentor my cousins. Especially bc even with kids they werent frugal at all. Why does your child need fancy nikes and special kid food/snacks? You refuse to potty train your kid bc youre "tired". Well have fun spending so much money on diapers then. Youre broke but you order takeout several times a week? tf do they expect me to do??
#4
If you have access, ethnic grocery stores usually have cheaper produce
Caro Caro 3 years ago (edited)
I took my husband to a toko. It's a shop in the Netherlands with Indonesian produce. I piled my basket to the brim and at the check out it was really cheap. His look of happy surprise will always stay in my memories...
Stijn Kraft 3 years ago
Same with the Polish shops and Arabic shops in the Netherlands. I rarely go there as I don't live near any but it's a pretty awesome thing :)
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Alex Smith 3 years ago
Buy spices in your ethnic aisle at the grocery store. Its much cheaper.
Aisling Raye 3 years ago
I came here to say exactly this. IDK why people are still buying spices in the pretty packaged spice aisle. (I suppose it's because they like the pretty packages lol) You can save so much by going something like two aisles over. Being broke doesn't always have to mean eating unseasoned food.
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pat martin 3 years ago
Super mercado in the neighborhood I grew up in, hand grinds your meat. I go there 20 years later and am still child-like in awe, watching the butcher run a chunk of meat through the grinder 3, 4, 5 times til he's happy with the end result, trimming fat as he goes. Take pride in what you do, and the flock will follow.
Josh Patterson 3 years ago
Go to Lidl a hour or so before they close, they have "too good to waste" boxes in produce, dairy and meat. You can often get gallons of milk for 50-cents, whole boxes of assorted fruits for $2.50, I've gotten a dozen packs of assorted cheeses for $4. Its unreal!
Foxxy (The Original) 3 years ago (edited)
Most ethnic grocery stores have a limited selection of produce, so not always an option. Plus I don't have an ethnic grocery store anywhere near me. The closest is a small Phillipino deli (aka corner shop) and they don't have any fresh produce. They only do things like sauces, pre-made packet foods etc.
LongCoolWomanInABlackDress 3 years ago
I love our turkish stores. Cheap, good veggies and fruit and my kids get to try varieties they've never seen before. Fried up some luffah a while ago, tasty!
Maureen Matthew 3 years ago
Even just going to the international food aisle you will get cheaper things like spices, noodles, canned beans etc.
Sapna Sarfare 3 years ago
Quite right... I prefer going to the local stores which are called Kirana stores. They stock all brands both expensive and cheap and in between. people think branded is better. I think local is better. Another advise... from Indian stores, go for non-basmati rice. They are cheaper and for daily use. Basmati is not used to daily cooking. Also ask if the stores provided things like pulses by kg. might be cheaper
#5
Supercook.com has a recipe generator that will help you make good meals with whatever you have at home. Best thing ever. Went from boring basic meals to actual tasty meals
Wang Zhuang 3 years ago
Yeah, never heard about it until I saw this post. Many thanks!
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SpookyPanda 3 years ago
I just checked this out. Thank you so much! I have started to hate cooking because the daily mental gymnastics trying to figure out what to make has become overwhelming. This is a lifesaver!
Pizzagirl 91 3 years ago
Yeah, every week I am too exhausted to plan and change my grocery shopping list, and I always end up having the same basics at home... I'm getting better at collecting ideas and mixing it up, but it's the worst part about cooking... I love the actual cooking, but I hate the time it takes and the planning what to do.
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Erin Mitchell 3 years ago
I used this site for years in college! Ive been trying to remember the name for ages!
#6
Not sure it’s a hack, but never, EVER, let anyone or anything convince you that you’re any less of a human being because of your sh*tty financial situation.
AlanandLeila Hoyt 3 years ago
This is actually not just for mental health but a great hack- comparison and expectations is why people often feel the need to upgrade things. They don’t want to look bad. We don’t care. Our minivan is pretty old and as noticeable cosmetic damage but it runs just fine. We dii on my wear name brand stuff. We don’t care what people think
AlanandLeila Hoyt 3 years ago
And never have a fatalist mindset about it. We are low income on minimum wage. Dave Ramsey 7 Baby Steps is the BEST financial life hack and you can learn the basics for free on his website-or get the book Total Money Makeover from the library or used. On our low income, we have gotten out of nearly all debt, our mortgage is nearly paid off and will be within the next couple years (we are 34 and 35) by following his method the last several years. And we do have kids-expecting our 5th! We budget carefully-and we’ve made mistakes! But overall, we’ve always had what we need, we prioritize fun times with the kids (for free!) and they are so happy. We’ve been able to give them so good things by saving up over time-the biggest thing is save up for an emergency fund and avoid (if you haven’t started) or don’t go back into debt! The book and website go into more details, but there is a LOT you don’t need to spend so much on! If we can do it on min wage, ANYONE can!
Exotic Butters 3 years ago
100% oh my gosh, never never never. But neither should wealthy people be judged as low chatracter because they have money.
#7
Go to the library. Not only are there books there, but also you can check out video games, sewing machines, movies, museum passes... so much more. Not to mention the software, education and events that can help you get a raise, promotion, or better job.
Ozacoter 3 years ago
Assuming that you have a library nearby... and that it has interesting content.
Jenn C 3 years ago
Our library is part of a network with other libraries in NW Ohio, so we can order things from a different library and pick them up at ours. See if you can find a library that has Canopy or Hoopla services, for digital content.
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Scarlett Fox 3 years ago
Having a library card in my city means you get to access all the museums and historical sites for free all summer (:
Sapna Sarfare 3 years ago
I am building my personal library. I also ask my friends to give me books they dont want. unfortunately, the library i was part of went online. I try using the online version at times. Not the same. Will be asking another library near my office
jon gilbertson 3 years ago
if you live near Wisconsin i have 70 boxes of books, dating back to the 1800s and many fron early 1900s.no body wants them. so sad
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GirlFriday 3 years ago
Our library his an app. If you have a card, you get electronic access to almost everything the library has to offer: books, movies, music. You can even reserve books to be picked up at the library.
Brian Stanton 3 years ago
My county has seed banks in each branch. Patrons get 5 packets per day!
James Baker 3 years ago
There are over 9000 public libraries in the united states, should be one close to everyone.
#8
If you wind up homeless, get a Planet Fitness gym membership ($10 a month) so you can shower every day. The one near my work also has free WiFi.
Foxxy (The Original) 3 years ago
Don't you usually have to pay an upfront membership fee? Not really something most homeless can afford upfront.
digitalin 3 years ago
Planet fitness is super cheap. I don't know if they have an upfront fee. If they do, it's definitely cheaper than rent. Also, sometimes homeless people have money and are fully employed, but cannot afford a room.
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GirlFriday 3 years ago
I have a friend that is Nomading. He had a Planet Fitness gym membership. It is a $100 enrollment fee and $10 per month. That is where he showers and gets ready for work. By Nomading, he saves thousands each month on living expenses.
Kate Jones 3 years ago
A lot of van-lifer's use this as well. They will get a membership to planet fitness or 24 hour fitness... any popular country-wide health clubs and charge devices, take showers, use the wifi, fill water tanks, empty trash, etc. They also tend to be open 24 hours which is nice. Another benefit is if you buy a lock and know you're going somewhere for the day--say an amusement park or something-- and don't want to cart your laptop, phone or don't trust leaving expensive things in the car/van, you can leave them in the lockers as long as it's not more than 24 hours. So you can park, lock up your stuff, then drive to the location and have a good time w/o worrying that your stuff is overheating in the car or that it's going to get stolen. As long as you pay your fees they could care less.
Cathy Jo Baker 3 years ago
PF is only 10 a month, plus whatever they want as a down payment, sometimes it's $1 or sometimes it's nothing. There is a yearly membership fee that's about $40, but still, $160 for the gym for a year is pretty good. There are some people who live in their cars near a PF that I frequent. They're older, in their 70's. Very sad.
Load More Replies... Diolla 3 years ago
You can proably give them the address of a friend or something. My gym only uses my address to see which gym should be set as my "home gym".
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honky canuk 5 months ago
I was a member of the local government sports facility for $9 a year with more amenities and a more lax cancel system.
Kaitlyn Berry 3 years ago
Also great if they have childcare included! We didn’t have money for babysitting when we had little ones and my husband was away a lot, it was such an amazing mental break for me to have a couple hours to myself that we couldn’t afford otherwise.
#9
Rich people throw out amazing stuff. If you know someone with a truck, you can go around the wealthy areas on garbage day and get all sorts of furniture, appliances, and clothing. A little cleaning and maybe a few minor repairs and you have lots of stuff to use or sell.
Diolla 3 years ago
I used to do this, was poor and living in a bedsit ni a rich area. Once a month it was "large rubbish day". We separate stuff that doesn't fit into a garbage bag (like furniture, equipment, mattresses) from other rubbish. Unfortunately our gov't does not like scavenging and makes people call for an appointment to have their large items picked up. To bad because I used to get most of my furniture from this.
Valley Girl 3 years ago
My mom went dumpster diving at Tractor Supply the night after a late frost. They literally threw away all of their plants! They were right on top and she had a full garden and still a lot to give away. Two trailers full.
Joshua 3 years ago
Sadly, I’ve thrown out a lot of good stuff because it’s inconvenient giving strangers access to gate codes. St. Vincent de Paul picks up certain items, but not all. Any leftovers get tossed.
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Shay Tracy 3 years ago
The Goodwills and thrift shops close to rich neighborhoods usually have really, really good stuff in them as well. Not as cheap as free, but still legit
Amy S 3 years ago
Join Freecycle.org. People give away stuff and you can ask for things as well. Absolutely no money is exchanged, ever.
Stijn Kraft 3 years ago
They unfortunately don't put garbage outside anymore in the Netherlands. It's all in small containers so good stuff is taken to the dump directly. I used to find so much when I was a kid. I still look in skips when I see them though. Recently pulled out a perfectly good TV that I gave to a friend, and a surprisingly nice pile of records (eagles, doobie brothers, ccr, little feat). Most of the sleeves were ruined by moisture but nothing a clean and some generic white sleeves can't fix.
A. 3 years ago
We call it "shopping at the curbside mall" & even if I don't need something but see a perfectly good item just being tossed in the garbage, I'll grab it (small items only) & take it to a local thrift store. The ones in my area actually use the income they generate for the greater good, & it literally takes me only seconds to do.
Green Eyed Raven 3 years ago
Second Hand shops - I buy most things second hand if I can. There is no shame in second hand belongings.
NamiKoa 3 years ago
We’re currently emptying out my late father-in-laws house. Because we’re on such a tight schedule (new owners want to move in in four weeks) there’s so much perfectly good stuff we have to throw out. We’ve been trying to put bigger things on eBay for free, but even that is so time consuming. I wish there were a simple way to connect people who need things with everything we could give away. Second-hand stores and help centers for refugees don’t have the storage capacities either, particularly because of Covid. If anyone has any recommendations, I’d be truly grateful.
#10
Drink only water. It's one of those ripple effect things that improves every other area of your life.
I work in a welfare office. The number of people who are both 1) unable to afford proper nutrition (supposedly), and 2) morbidly obese is counterintuitive until you see the enormous sodas so many people travel with. It's incredibly easy to drink more calories than you think you're drinking, and the fattening nature of these drinks is all in the sugar content. Switch to carrying water instead of soda or other sweetened beverages and I assure you the following will happen:
1) You will save more money than you imagine,
2) You will sleep better,
3) Food will taste better,
4) You will have more consistent energy throughout the day,
5) Your skin/overall appearance will improve, and
6) You will lose weight.
If you do nothing other than stop spending money on soda/sweet tea/etc and just drink filtered tap water, you will thank yourself.
Source: Was poor, now am not poor. Still drink only water (and unsweetened coffee). Am over 40 lbs lighter, sleep well, and feel better.
GirlFriday 3 years ago
Um, when a soda is seven nine cents and water is $2, people will choose a soda every single time. Access to clean drinking water for free is not always available.
iseefractals 3 years ago
In the US, which i'm virtually certain the OP is referencing, yes it pretty much is. All that expensive bottled water, is the same stuff running through your tap, and in the rare instance (like flint, MI) a brita pitcher, or really any water filtration device will cost exponentially less.
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Molly Whuppie 3 years ago
"unable to afford proper nutrition (supposedly)" This vastly depends on where you live in the world. Healthy nutritious food is not cheap everywhere.
AmAndA_Panda 3 years ago
Exactly. Some of those obese people DO drink just water. But when you can get a 12 pack of ramen noodles for half the cost as a bag of grapes, nutrition is what suffers. You can buy an 8 pack of off brand hot dogs for $2 or you can buy a 2 pack of chicken breasts for $8. That's more the problem than water consumption.
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Scotira 3 years ago
That part could def have been worded in a better way. This OP sounds pretty frustrated.
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Purplescales 3 years ago
I drank nothing but water for years and lost absolutely no weight. It’s not magic, it is good for you but don’t act like that’s going to work miracles.
IDK_Something 3 years ago
Yes!! There are so many other factors for weight issues, just drinking water isn't likely to help many people.
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#11
Stop. Buying. Weed.
Edit: To elaborate, I'm not anti-weed. I'm trying to help.
I grew up in poverty, and nearly everyone smoked weed. The only people who didn't smoke weed, were able to focus on a way out. Everyone I knew, used weed as a bandage to cover a gaping hole in their ambition.
Vanja Vidovic 3 years ago
This also applies to smoking cigarettes. It's throwing money through a window.
Diolla 3 years ago
True but the point is that weed makes you passive so you do not improve you situation. That does not happen with cigarettes.
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SpookyPanda 3 years ago
I grew up poor, with mostly getting hand me downs and other used items. But not poor enough that my parents could afford beer, cigarettes, and pot daily plus sometimes something “extra”. I once calculated how much just their cigarette habit costed, and it was thousands of dollars. Like low 5-digits. When I pointed it out, they just told me to shut up. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Kate Jones 3 years ago
I totally agree. A girl i worked with would complain constantly about being broke and I'd feel bad for her. I even tried to promote her (she didn't want more responsibility, even if it meant more money). She had mentioned she and her boyfriend were 2 months behind on their rent and I gave her 40 dollars out of my own pocket to help her buy food because she was crying about how she didn't know how they were going to eat that weekend. He had kids so I just assumed they were struggling because of that. But, no.. she mentions the next day being so happy she was able to buy weed finally. I was like...did you buy food? And she's like, 'yeah we got pizza'. I was kind of pissed. She could have bought some food at the grocery store but no... they used it for pizza and weed. Weed is not a necessity. It's so insane.
Stephanie Hewitt 3 years ago
This! My sister used to complain about how poor she was. But her and her hubby smoke a pack a day, plus constant weed and beer on weekends. Those are luxuries.
Foxxy Panda 3 years ago
I live in the UK, work full time and I need to use a food bank. Can't afford prescriptions (just over £9). It's a shitty place to be. I don't drink, smoke or do drugs and I still can't get by. I'm not the only person at work struggling either....
Rick Seiden 3 years ago
"Everyone I knew, used weed as a bandage to cover a gaping hole in their ambition." That's called, "self-medication"
Sally Barry 3 years ago
If my husband and I had kept smoking (we quit years ago) - today one pack of name brand cigarettes is nearly $12. That would have cost us $24 a day, and we smoked a pack a day, each! That would have been $720 a month....those really determined move hellll and high water to get to the Indian Rez and get cheap cartons of no-name brands, for about $30 a carton. smh. I am glad that monkey is off my back!
#12
At walmart or most grocery stores you can buy a rotisserie chicken for wicked cheap. They're actually cheaper to purchase cooked instead of raw, and you can make several meals out of just the meat you scrape off the bones. I often make sandwiches or wraps and it'll typically last for like 6 meals, all for like 5 bucks! Then you get to use the carcass to make a stock!
Foxxy (The Original) 3 years ago (edited)
That's a bloody cheap chook. Our supermarket roast chickens are approx $11 and they are tiny. It's definitely cheaper to buy one raw and cook it yourself.
CrunChewy McSandybutt 3 years ago
Here in the States the stores actually sell them at a loss knowing that you'll probably buy a few other items while you're there.
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Hime 3 years ago
I can buy a rotisserie chicken - fairly large one too - at the HEB (super large and usually overpriced grocery store in Texas) for about $7 and pull the wings and legs off for a meal for two. Then, I pull the rest of the meat off the bones and usually cube it, and add it to about 1/2 cup batches of seasoned water, and freeze it. Then when a recipe calls for cooked chicken or not, I add it in 1 cup prepackaged batches. It thaws easier in the water and helps keep freezer burn off. Also, I keep the bones and boil them for bone broth. Altogether I can make about 4 - 5 good sized meals from one chicken, including soup, salad, casserole, tacos, etc. I even found a little recipe book called 101 Things to do with Rotisserie Chicken. I've been doing this for years now. If you like chicken soups, this is the the ultimate cheap and easy way to do it. I always try to buy two of the same flavor so I can do all the work once every couple of weeks, but I usually have an over abundance of stock.
Patti Vance 3 years ago
most places that sell rotisserie or roasted chicken are cheaper than getting the raw product. i usually get a cpouple a month and save the carcasses in the freezer until i get enough to make a huge pot of stock. i also save the ends of celery, carrots, onions and any other stock type veg in the freezer with the carcasses so it can all go in together.
Dave Thompson 3 years ago
Most people throw put so much when they fail to properly remove all the meat.
Jerry Lane 3 years ago
Very true about rotisserie chicken being a very cheap meal. And delicious. About $5 here.
Илья Белкин 4 months ago
Ah, the grownups still believing in Santa. Rotisserie chicken is that cheap for the simple reason: it is on the last days before expiration date, usually no more than 3 days. And this is the best outcome. By default, the grill/rotisserie is the last stop on the way of a chicken. The cheap small shops and dodgy places often use chicken way past due, smelly and slimy. There are special industrial solutions that allow masking the smell and improve consistency, but the meat is still rotten. Then there are others - to add weight, to improve appearance, to prevent all of the above to run down when the chicken is already on a turnspit. And trust me, there is a market for that, for there is a demand, which exists in a universe parallel to the one where FDA and sanitary inspections testing all the food (and where you naively believe you live in). And by the way this is not about only rotisserie chicken, any kebab or shawarma from the dodgy place goes through the same stages
Buttrnutsquash 4 months ago
Wow, a grocery store rotisserie chicken here is $13-15 CAD ($10 USD) When the sales are on, I can get a whole raw chicken for around $6. I stock the freezer on those sale weeks!
Michelle 3 years ago
Additional to buying these, save the bones in the freezer. Once u get 3 of them u can make chicken broth! Just save any scraps from veggies too (if u shave ur carrot skin as well as carrot tops, toss it in the freezer in a bag to save it, same with onion skin and the cut offs of celery stalks and so many more veggies. The broth can even be frozen for future use
#13
Don't bank with Bank of America or Wells Fargo. Those banks might give descent service if you've got six figures in your savings, but not if you've got six dollars in your checking. Credit Unions, USAA (if you're eligible) and literally almost any other bank is a better option than those con-artists.
Saber4 3 weeks ago
Not always. Try Chime, they are fantastic for no fee banking
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Mark Serbian, PK&RG,W 3 years ago
I've banked with WF and BofA - both places are horrible! NEVER EVER bank with them!!!
Stephanie Did It 3 years ago
Anyone can bank at USAA. The only service for which you have to qualify is insurance. Source: I worked for USAA for 9 years.
Jerry Lane 3 years ago
Yes! Credit unions are the best! All banking at a fraction of the cost!
Nightshade1972 3 years ago
When my wife and I lived in the US, we banked with WF. My wife has British citizenship through her mother, and Irish through her maternal grandmother. After my inlaws passed away, we decided we wanted to relocate to the UK. As part of applying for British citizenship, my wife needed to send a certain amount of money, in pounds, to the UK for the filing fees. WF would tell her that it "wouldn't be a problem" to send the money to the UK--then they'd cancel the transaction at the last minute for "potential fraud." They did this enough times that my wife ended up calling WF to talk to one of their customer service ppl. Unbeknownst to WF, my wife had the phone on speaker the whole time, and I was in the room listening to the conversation. When the WF employee asked to speak to me, she was very surprised when I spoke up and said I'd been listening to the whole call--evidently the WF employee thought it was some kind of "Gotcha!" moment, where my wife would be (part 1)
Nightshade1972 3 years ago
..."forced to admit" that she'd played fast and loose with our finances "behind my back." Really threw the WF employee for a loop when I told her I knew all about how my wife was trying to get funds transferred to the UK, and why. WF never did do the transfer, so we ended up having to open an acct with USAA. USAA was ready, willing, and able to do the transfer immediately. Not long thereafter, we each tried to use our WF debit cards, we each had th transactions declined, and next thing we knew we both got new WF debit cards in the mail, "for your protection, to protect against potential fraud!" We live in the UK now, and we don't miss WF at all...
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Julia Sankaran 3 years ago
I once got an overdraft fee from bank of america. They refused to waive it even though it was very obviously a mistake on the part of a vendor. (He charged me $3,333 for a bag of cat food instead of $33. He immediately refunded that balance.)
#14
PLEASE tell your doctor if your medications are too expensive.
My parents worked themselves to the bone and we ate like s**t to help pay for medicine for me and my sister (hemophilia, we needed medicine to help clot during our periods)...they never complained and just worked - my mom didn’t want anyone to know we were poor. There were cheaper alternatives!! They could have saved thousands of dollars.
I’m a family doctor now and I make it a point to talk about medication costs and ask at all of my follow ups if things are affordable. We don’t know what your copay is and it’s not always easy to tell what will be covered on your plan. PLEASE let us know if something is too much, this is what we are here for!
Edited to add hey thanks stranger for the gold and silver! That’s a first for me.
To answer some recurring questions:
I have Hemophilia C, which I like to call the off brand hemophilia because it’s quite different than the more common ones. It’s autosomal recessive, both of my parents are carriers. My two boys are carriers and one is symptomatic. The medication was Amicar oral solution.
And as someone more eloquently describes in the comments below, prescribing the “cheap” medicine isn’t always that simple. It depends on your insurance company, your deductible, which pharmacy you use (yes that matters!! Especially for psych meds), and if Jupiter is in line with Venus and the pharmacy gods smile down on us. For some people $50 a month is reasonable and they would rather pay more for a long acting and other people can only afford $5 a month and are re-using supplies like lancets and catheters.
I work in the US. If your medication is too expensive, and you have something other than Medicare or Medicaid try looking for manufacturers coupons (symbicort has a great one for 1 year no copays right now, and some of the newer long acting stimulants do too). Ask about local compounding pharmacies, mail order, three month supply or off label dosing...pharmacists look away... like you can use eye drops in your ears for an acute bacterial infections and sometimes they are significantly cheaper. I’ve done that once or twice when patients just didn’t have the extra cash to get the one designated for your ears.
If you need a procedure done and have a residency program or medical school local to you, see if they need any volunteers for didactics or demonstrations. We’ve done ingrown toenails, warts, skin lumps and bumps for free during lectures to teach the other residents how to do them.
Two great sites:
NeedyMeds.org
GoodRx.com
General Anaesthesia 3 years ago
The US spends more per capita on healthcare than any other nation on earth, yet healthcare coverage is at a third-world level for so many people. We're so scared of the word 'socialism' that we allow giant corporations to turn medical care from a right to a costly privilege. Shame.
Robert T 3 years ago (edited)
In the UK (specifically England, as prescriptions are free in Scotland and Wales), you can get free prescriptions under certain circumstances, but even if you don't qualify for those, you can limit your spending by buying a Pre-Payment Certificate. This costs just over £100/year and will pay for itself if you get at least one prescription item every month. If you get 3 items a month it will cut your prescription spend by two-thirds.
Maiun 3 years ago
You can also get free prescriptions if you have certain medical conditions in the UK, check out gov.uk for a list. I have a colostomy and as the bags are one of the items that make you exempt I don't pay for ANY of my prescriptions.
Load More Replies... Gwyn 3 years ago (edited)
Also some pharmaceutical companies have discount programs your doctor may be aware of. We applied for one for allergy meds. Cut the price down to like 20 percent. Also check good rx (free prescription discount program). You can't use it WITH your insurance but my son has a ADD prescription that is $250 normally and I can get it with good Rx for $40.
Uncommon Boston 3 years ago
I was prescribed a medication with a copay of $400 a month. It was better than anything else I had tried. When the free samples run out, I was done. The big drug companies say they will help pay if you can't afford their medication, but the criteria excludes most low income people.
Stymied Egan 3 years ago
Talk to your pharmacist too. We've lived in two location and had pharmacists that always went a step beyond to help save money. Dr's prescribe meds that are the same as some OTCs. A pharmacist that recommended similar less costly meds that were new on the market. Dr's don't always know what is available. My Dr. prescribed a new med for me and said, it may be too expensive let me know. She couldn't find it on the web site. Sure enough our pharmacist called to let us know that the new drug was very costly before he even filled it.
Jaybird3939 3 years ago
I worked for a Dermatologist. He regularly rx'd a certain sort of skin cream. A pt came back a few days after she was seen and said it was $135/tube and her insurance didn't cover it. When I told the Dr., he had no idea it was that expensive. Unlike the physician posting, some doctors have no clue about the price of patient's rx's.
Keley Babs 3 years ago
I'm a surgeon in the U.S. if you're American and don't like this situation, Please vote for politicians that want to reduce the cost of prescription medications, and aren't in the pocket of pharmaceutical industry
#15
If you live close to one, planet fitness membership. $10 per month and the location near me does free pizza once per week, and free bagels once per week. That's 8 meals for $10. Plus you can save on your water if you want by using their showers.
Also when you're broke, it's hard to kill time and not spend money. So go to the gym and use their wifi to watch Shows while you walk on a treadmill. Its honestly a great way to kill time
Diolla 3 years ago
Wow! Free food at a gym? That's great. Not the healthiest food though. But hey beggars can't be choosers.
Griffin McKinley 3 years ago
It's the companies "cheat day" for you, stop complaining, the place is meant for working out and it probably won't do jack s**t to you
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Julia Sankaran 3 years ago
Free pizza is exactly why i would never join this gym. Its like going to rehab but youre still allowed heroin once a week. So odd.
Cathy Jo Baker 3 years ago
I always thought it was kind of weird, too, but I love PF! You don't have to be some super-buff person to go there (although there are some people at PF who ARE super-buff) because it's a normal person's gym. Since Covid, though, no more pizza, bagels or Tootsie Rolls. Hate on PF all you want, PF keeps me alive!
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#16
Learn to Cook! Less money and Better food quality than eating out
Sara Williams 3 years ago
But also learn that cooking takes time. If you are working your butt off every day trying to make ends meet, you might not have energy for cooking, and that's okay too.
Elizabeth Elliot 3 years ago
Second-hand slow-cooker (electric crockpot) is a winner; lets you cook cheapest cuts of meat and tastes wonderful.
Honu 3 years ago
Slow cookers are great! Also pressure cookers! Like the slow cooker, it makes those tough (and cheap) cuts of meat tender, but does it quickly. Cheap, cheerful, and fast. Even if I hadn't planned ahead, I could cook a nice meal from a tough cut of meat or dried beans in an hour. Dried beans are so cheap and a good source of protein!
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Celtic Pirate Queen 3 years ago
My Dad (RIP) was an amazing cook. He told me from the time I was pretty young - "You want to eat well? Learn to cook well". And if you can afford it, pay $2 more for the better cut of meat. Go to the Farmers Market for produce if at all possible. Not only are the prices better, the quality is outstanding. Grow your own herbs. And ALWAYS have rice, pasta & beans on hand!
Lp Johnson 3 years ago
This one I fully agree with. Let the restaurant industry make do WITHOUT the dollars of those who can barely afford to exist. Cook at home, EVEN if you can afford to eat out. The industry treats its workers like c**p.
#17
Shop at Goodwill/second hand stores!
Gwyn 3 years ago (edited)
I agree with this depending on your area. Where I used to live goodwill was a godsend when we were poor. The goodwill where I live now though is, strangely, just as expensive as a regular store and is often not in as good condition. Walmart or dollar store is still a better option here. If you have the time do some comparisons.
CanadianaKa 3 years ago
That's because thrifting has become trendy. :( It's worth looking around to see if there are other second-hand stores that are still less expensive. In the Toronto area, there's a chain of second-hand stores called Talize where my niece, my assistant and I went shopping when we all had to go back to the office and between us, we got about 12 full outfits (dresses or pants and tops) for $300.
Load More Replies... Hannah Edwards 3 years ago
If you’re stuck trying to entertain children in town, give them £1 to spend at the charity shop.
Sarah Matt 3 years ago
Goodwill and even the salvation army in my area has been pricing items for as much as bought-new. Idk if it's specific managers deciding this or if it's bigger than that. In my experience, even these second hand stores are overcome with greed.
BrookeBT 3 years ago
I knew someone who said "I wouldn't shop at Goodwill. What if someone I know sees me?" Okay, are your friends constantly following you around everywhere you go? If they are that judgemental are they really your friends? And plus - you can find some really awesome stuff in there. Don't be ashamed of what you wear - it's just clothes.
Amy Taylor 3 years ago
I'm a huge thrifter from way back and it used to actually be thrifty. I'm finding that all the chain thrift stores are super pricey. I've been sticking to independently owned ones and they are far more reasonable. There's one by me that directly benefits animals and I'm always finding great stuff there.
GirlFriday 3 years ago
My friends and I have shopping days with each other. We gather up the clothes we want to get rid of (ours, kids, husbands, whatever) and we get together at someone's house and go through the clothes. We pick out of each other's wardrobes and pack what isn't taken off to the local shelters.
Marie Dahme 3 years ago
I bought a spice rack from goodwill that I couldn’t pass up. It’s large and hold 28 small glass jars…all for $7 y’all. Could not pass that up. I shop Savers too. Ask which days they get deliveries and look for days when they discount things too. Us seniors get a discount as well.
Lisa Samuelson 3 years ago
I have been doing that since 1980!! And that is the only way my children (25 & 29), will shop!!
Amy Taylor 3 years ago
Same!! And my grandma owned several different thrift shops in the 60's-90's!!
Load More Replies... #18
Congee with a broth cube and leftover veggies and meat. When things are really tight, just rice, broth cube and water. 1 cup of rice with 6-8 cups of broth or water will stretch into several meals this way. It can be made really nutritious by adding more things, but when money's tight this can satisfy your belly.
Also, make use of all social services available to you. All of them. You're poor, these services exist to help you get by and make things easier. Apply for them even if you're 100% sure you don't qualify, you never know how else they might be able to help you.
If you have pets, find charities on Facebook that help provide food for pets to people with a low income. I can't tell you how much stress this took off my shoulders knowing I had enough kibble for my cats so they wouldn't starve *and I could buy my own food* *instead*.
Don't be ashamed of being poor. I know people look down on you for that, but shame gets in the way of coping with poverty. Everybody can get poor at no fault of their own if circumstances align right. Even if you made less than smart choices, got a drug habit or whatever, you're not less deserving of basic human respect and kindness. Nobody is perfect, and poverty exists because governments don't implement or fund social services well, f**k with minimum wage etc. Everybody deserves to live comfortably and not have to turn over every penny three times before spending it (no matter how much character that builds, poverty f*****g sucks) and still come up short on basic necessities.
Seedy Vine 3 years ago
My mother was too embarrassed to seek help when we were very poor. I went without all kinds of things that I didn't need to, and she was constantly stressed out. I also learned never to ask for help from her. Please don't repeat my mother's mistake.
Celtic Pirate Queen 3 years ago
Well said. Yes, being poor sucks - but when you live in a well off community and your husband of 15 years dumps you for the 20 y/o hottie, you still have three kids to feed & he's not paying child support - it's embarrassing to have to ask for help.
Sally Barry 3 years ago
You still have to ask. You still have to pursue him for child support. I live in the suburbs, fairly well off, I know friends and neighbors who get food stamps, partial rent vouchers, and go to food banks. (I may be doing that myself someday, and I don't care who knows it.)
Load More Replies... #19
Might sound like common sense or not quite a life hack, but a clean house improves mood significantly. Seen alot of less well off friends or coworkers with absolutely trashed houses, and they're always sour and irritable, leading to less productivity at work and less chance to move up to better wages. Just tidy up, organize and your mood will improve dramatically and help in the long run.
Rachael Smith 3 years ago
My grandma, who at times made due with very little and a whole lot of kids, said "just because you live in poverty doesn't mean you have to live in squalor."
Kate Jones 3 years ago
I completely agree that a good cleaning of your living space makes you feel so accomplished and feels great. As hard as it is to sometimes get up and do it, I try to clean at least one thing every day off I have. And no matter how tired I am I'm always happy I did it. I live alone and I barely use my living room but I have 2 cats and their hair is everywhere. I don't know how it gets so messy considering I barely use it, lol. But I try to at least clean my kitchen top to bottom. Clean the floor, wipe the cabinets down, etc. I always just feel better when it's done. It really does affect your mood.
Sally Barry 3 years ago
Clean kitchen, clean bathroom, a clean comfortable place to sit, trash taken out, windows opened to air the place out (no, those plug-in stink bombs or $30 scented candles don't do it for me!) . Takes half an hour, if that, every day.
Load More Replies... Celtic Pirate Queen 3 years ago
I so agree with this. Not only does having a clean house improve your mentality/outlook, the physical act of cleaning can be really cathartic. Also - make your bed each morning! If nothing else, you will have accomplished at least one task today.
Janet C 3 years ago
And it takes very little time to keep a place clean. People complain about not having time to clean, but if they timed how long it actually takes they'd find it's minutes, at least once the first cleaning is done (assuming the place is a rathole).
Sally Barry 3 years ago
I used to set the timer for 5 minutes before doing a big task and it was amazing how much could be done in just 5 minutes. A sink full of dishes, a quick mop of the floor, pay the bills...
Load More Replies... WordWeaver 3 years ago
Not just dirt but also air your house or dwelling out when you can - keeps down moulds and prevents buildup of toxic vapours from furniture glues.
AlanandLeila Hoyt 3 years ago
Clean and presentable home and good personal hygiene is always more dignified and comfortable. I’d rather be poor in a clean home than rich in a dirty, cluttered house.
Featherytoad 3 years ago
Yes, I just love it when my whole house is clean. It's just a really satisfying feeling.
#20
So, in my area, boneless chicken breasts cost at least $10 for two. A whole chicken costs about $10 or less if it's on sale. I learned from youtube how to "dress" (cut up) a chicken. So now I get two boneless breasts, two boneless thighs, two drummies and two wings for the price of two breasts. Also you use the carcass and the bits of meat attached to it to make soup.
Robin Roper 3 years ago
I grew up cutting up whole chickens for frying. I was an adult (I'm now 66) before I knew chickens came any other way.
#21
Go to Aldi. Most stuff there (eggs, lettuce, salt) are just as good as other stores and much cheaper.
GirlFriday 3 years ago
I freaking love Aldi. I think that even if I were to become extremely wealthy, I would still shop there.
Robert T 3 years ago
Or look out for reduced items in your local supermarket. They normally get put on a separate shelf. They will either have that day's expiry date on them, or in the case of non-perishables, have some damage to their packaging. They usually get marked down a second time towards the end of the day, so try to find out when and be there for when they are doing their final reductions. If you have a freezer, you can stock up on meat etc. for a fraction of the full price.
Brian Stanton 3 years ago
Only small or indie stores. Most big chains dont
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Duane Ringlein 3 years ago
Our small town opened an Aldi about a year ago. It's my first stop when grocery shopping because the prices are so good, and the vegetables and fruit are a lot cheaper than the big chain groceries.
Foxxy (The Original) 3 years ago
One thing I like about Aldi where I live is that most of the products are Australian made/sourced. The only downfall is the lack of variety. They make the best hamburger patties, which is what I am currently cooking for dinner.
Philly Bob Squires 3 years ago
I love our ALDI here in the US (NE Pennsylvania) and a lot of the stuff is equal to or sometimes even better than name brands and cheaper too. I buy because of the quality of the foods I get over the cost.
Jacqueline Riley 3 years ago
Also, living rural, Aldi is not an option, especially in the south.
John Topper 3 years ago
Aldi is perfect if you don't need a huge selection. If you're the type of person who likes one particular brand of everything it might not be for you, but if you want good peanut butter and don't need or want 30 different brands Aldi is great. They usually have one brand, and that one is good. No wading through a whole isle of 200 brands of grape jelly.
James Baker 3 years ago
I live in Indiana and Aldi is more expensive than Wal-Mart on a lot of stuff.
#22
I'm going to drop some things that I've learned over the years. DISCLAIMER: don't hate me. Not everything works for everyone and tbh I don't expect most to be able to keep up with this ridiculously strict "diet." No eating out. No Starbucks. Don't stop at stores "to grab a drink." Do not shop while hungry. Always shop at Goodwill, value village, and other stores like that. Don't go out to watch movies. Collect your change. Save any cash that you get. (Depends on how you get paid.) No alcohol, cigarettes, drugs, etc Buy in bulk. Always. Stay in. Do free things - like going to parks, going on walks, libraries, hiking, etc. Find creative ways to have fun. Avoid driving as much as possible. Odd jobs. Use supplies sparingly. Practice self - control. If it helps, treat yourself to ONE $5 thing a month. When I was a teenager I worked three days a week and made $175 a MONTH. Every payday I bought one Starbucks drink and that was that, managed to save up to $500 in three months by following my own advice ^ Good luck, everyone!
Deborah B 3 years ago
If you don't have a bike, see if you can borrow one, or buy one cheap secondhand. Gets you around faster than walking, and cheaper than a car or public transport. If you're waiting for busses and changing buses, you may even find it faster to use a bike than take the bus. I did in college.
Anne McKinney 3 years ago
I have an electric fat tire trike. I LOVE that thing! The 'trunk" can hold quite a bit including groceries, going to laundromat, picking up take-out etc. Also it's a blast to ride...best part...NO DAMN GAS !!
Load More Replies... Nupraptor 3 years ago
Managed to save up $500 in three months... by having literally ZERO expenses. That's not how the grown-up world works, kid. Not eating out? It's a lot more difficult when mom & dad work 40+ hours a week and have to come home and cook dinner for the family. Avoid Driving? Yeah, right. Never have any indulgences at all, ever? That won't work in the long-term.
$cagsy 3 years ago
Most of this is pretty good advice. I would warn against blindly buying up bulk offers though. Do the math and make sure it is actually cheaper to stock up than to buy individually. My local supermarket started making a big song and dance about these 'multibuys' and it turned out that buying them individually was cheaper than their special offer.
Amy Taylor 3 years ago
When I lived in an apartment in my starving artist days. my parents gifted me a Costco membership. A few of my neighbors would go with me and we'd split large quantities of staple foods and household products.
Load More Replies... Alma Muminovic 3 years ago
I managed to save 16k in a year once by saying no to everything. My friends would invite me to concerts, to hang out, and I just said no automatically and only went to work then home. Was it a boring year? Yes, but I had plans to move so it was a sacrifice worth making.
El Dee 3 years ago
'Buy in bulk'? You need the money up front to do that. Feels like they haven't been at the sharp end of poverty. Nobody's going for meals and the cinema..
Tara Calvin 3 years ago
I think the author means by "buying in bulk", they don't mean by large quantities, they mean shopping in the "bulk" section of the grocery store. With the bins and the bags to bag yourself.
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Mosheh Wolf 3 years ago
Have shared dinners with friends. Each person spends bulk prices on one or two items, but eats a varied dinner.
Tara Calvin 3 years ago
I think what the author means by "buying in bulk" is shopping in the bulk section of the grocery store, which is considerably cheaper than prepackaged foods.
Ari Niemelä 3 years ago (edited)
Also if you want to have a good and cheap, you need to buy 2 things. May be useful for some people to buy things that lasts for year is usually cheaper than buying cheap time by time. Also biking place to place saves money if does not want to use money to public transport or own car. I learned during pandemic that distances that felt silly to travel with bike is actually very nice to do and not so difficult while used to it.
#23
Certified Poor Person: Born into extreme poverty, Now I'm just above the loverty line. -Save the seasoning packet from Ramen for broth. -Use emergency candles at night -Unplug everything when you aren't using it, to save energy. -Combat boots are year around shoe -Thrift stores! -Hit up local food banks -If your phone gets shut off, go to public places to use the wifi. -If your electricity gets shut off, keep your blinds open during the day, snd use candles at night. Charge your phone(and computer if you have one) at the library, or bus station. -Art! Even if its origami with printer paper from the library, art in any form will help you clinge to your sanity, in a world that does not seem to want you.
Emma Dakin 3 years ago
cheap solar lights for your garden... I have two that I use indoors if ever there is a power cut and I shall be using them indoors more now energy prices have risen!
Shelli Aderman 3 years ago
Who can afford a living space with a garden? 🤣🤦🏽♀️
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Sapna Sarfare 3 years ago
For phone, go for a plan. I know my usage and calls. My plans cover everything except international calls which is not needed now with Whatsapp. I get a decent amount of data too. Every month, i pay a fixed amount and enjoy stuff without worry.
Stijn Kraft 3 years ago
Candles are actually pretty expensive here. Dollarstores sell solar lights for peanuts (like Emma below stated) so that's probably a better bet :)
Alma Muminovic 3 years ago
I will also add turn your lights off when you are not in the room. My bf is terrible about this but it’s just a good habit to have to keep your costs down.
WordWeaver 3 years ago
Yes - ghost power is when you are paying for ready lights on electric and electronic items. It may significantly contribute to your power bill.
M O'Connell 3 years ago
Regarding point #3: combined, my microwave oven and washing machine cost me $1 per month in electricity just to be plugged in when I'm not using them. Some appliances do much better regarding standby current than others.
Brian Stanton 3 years ago
Some libraries have watt meters to loan or you can score for about $20 to test. You cam always cut the breaker or unplug to save $12 a year lol
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Mary G----no 3 years ago
our city's bus station won't allow you to use the outlets to charge phones. but some parks have outlets for events, especially those downtown
#24
If you're female, check out reuseable menstrual products. There are plenty of affordable cloths pads on amazon or you can save even more by making your own. Menstrual cups are great too but they come with a bit of a learning curve.
One you have your system sorted you can stop buying disposables completely. Pads and cups last 10 years.
WordWeaver 3 years ago
Would be even better if essential female products were NOT TAXED! I have heard that some governments offer supplies? True?
Amanda Lalonde 3 years ago
There's a women's centre in my city that will give out toiletries and period supplies to their clients for free once a month.
Rachael Smith 3 years ago
PSA: menstrual products are now tax deductible and can be purchased with pre-tax accounts like HSA. Cups are often 30-40 bucks and its worth the save.
Erin Mitchell 3 years ago
can confirm. when i was leaving a job with over $1000 left in my HSA allowance I spent most of it on pads and tampons and donated them. June cups are also high quality and they dropped their price a couple of years ago to under $10.
Load More Replies... Sarah Matt 3 years ago
Menstrual cups have become better and better. 6 months use on most, gentle, painless and Leakproof! Not to mention the lack of waste and ease of empty, rinse,re-place. Saves money, sewage system, the environment and a smelly trashcan.
Kate Jones 3 years ago
I tried the cup but I just couldn't do it. It was so painful trying to put the thing in and you need to be a contortionist to try and pull it out. God help you if you have heavy periods and try to pull on this thing with slippery fingers. And even when it does work, you pull it out and it basically Kill Bill's the blood wherever your arm goes. If you have heavier periods or are overweight like me this is not really viable or comfortable.
Ovata Acronicta 3 years ago
Size of the cup and where it's going are important factors too - a wrong fit will be a miserable experience. I do agree they're not for everyone. In my experience, I'd much rather be using a cup for my excessively heavy first couple days than anything else though. Holds the most with the greatest comfort, and occasionally I get to appreciate fighting off the sharks that come up through the shower drain, which are the real reason no one should ever use a cup.
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Fanstacia D 3 years ago
Extend the life of your menstrual cup by soaking the cup in Polident (yes the fizzy denture cleaner) when finished each cycle. Kills the bacteria, eliminates odour and discolouration. Rinse well after soaking, then store until next month. 🙂
Amy Broderick 3 years ago
I went to Planned Parenthood and got an IUD inserted. No more periods. And I don't have to shell out monthly for BC. Planned Parenthood takes all insurance and charges on a sliding scale for people without insurance. I went there when I wasn't insured and got such amazing care I still go for my yearly tests.
#25
Ask to speak to a social worker at the hospital when giving birth. Ask about the visiting county nurses or another home visiting program. Best thing I did with my kids- we had be a waitlist for a year but now they get free daycare on tuesdays and thursdays through the county. Literally 100% free (if you're poor enough). My home visitor comes and shoots the s**t with me every 2 weeks and brings me free diapers and clothing hamdmedowns from her other clients. Really easy to get connected to if you find the elusive social worker
AlanandLeila Hoyt 3 years ago
Are you in the United States? That’s awesome. We have WIC and all of our kids have been in Early HeadStart and HeadStart. I’m a stay at home mom but for moms working or getting an education, HeadStart also provides free childcare
#26
You can donate plasma and be paid $30. Up to 6 times a month. Extra $180. It is supposed to hurt a little.
Claudia Schmid 3 years ago
Not where I live. And that's good - otherwise people donate for the wrong reasons
Foxxy (The Original) 3 years ago (edited)
You don't get paid in Australia for donating plasma or blood etc.
RK Barbo 3 years ago
Sadly I am banned from donating forever because I spent time in the UK. (Possible exposure to mad cow disease)
Foxxy (The Original) 3 years ago
I'm banned because my family has a hereditary condition called GSS which is a prions disease like mad cows. The difference is that GSS is not transmissible through blood, they just have a blanket ban on anything to do with prions diseases. I can't donate my organs either.
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Susan Bosse 3 years ago
It's more than that in my area. You can make nearly $1K. I've done it a few times when I had to.
Oki 3 years ago
I try to donate plasma regularly. No money involved in my country. You can only donate if you are AB+, the exact opposite of a universal blood donor. Also you can't donate if you've ever been pregnant (even if not carried to term). It doesn't hurt very much though, just uncomfortable and takes quite a long time (about 1.5 hours) as your blood is spun around in a special machine, the plasma is collected and the rest goes back into you. Then you're given some IV fluids to replace the plasma volume. All in all, easier on the body than giving blood. Incredibly important for many who need it, and a good way to give something if you're AB+ like me, a pretty useless blood donor.
Gabriela Cink 3 years ago
You are not useless donor. Universal blood donor was used during world wars, when there was a shortage. Usually you get blood of your group.
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Wysteria_Rose 3 years ago
I did this through school for when money was super tight. I'd take my earnings next door to the grocery and go home with milk, bread, and anything else I'd use the money for. It's also a decent way to get extra spending money in general. But yes, it is a pinch for the needle part. Big tip: make sure you're hydrated when you go in or otherwise the process takes forever.
Disgruntled Pelican 3 years ago
If you have low iron like me, you're screwed. I tired to do this during college and they wouldn't even let me try.
Ovata Acronicta 3 years ago
Or inadequate veins, whatever that means. I've heard about my "Good Veins" in blood draws so many times, but go to the plasma place and they tell me they're 'not good enough, drink some water' and...okay I guess.
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Rich Cain 3 years ago
Where I live too..$180 twice a week and you're helping someone? With your own personal God-given body? It's a Win Win. By the way, the plasma centers sell those containers of plasma for around $3,800 each. Don't ask how I came by this info, but it vetts. So anyone wonders if donors are greedy for receiving compensation, well, once again look to big pharma. You already know what time it is.
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Sarah Stalder 3 years ago
First donation where I live pays $100 then $30-60 for each subsequent donation.
Evelien Stijger Martens 5 months ago
We don't ger payed for that and we have to wait 3 months in betweenm
#27
* Learn where to shop. Going to the grocery store will not save you money. The Latin markets, the Asian markets, the halal and African markets and Indian markets each have their own specialties. * Stockpiling is a necessity. Always have basics like flour, sugar, and spices you use. Stock canned goods you use frequently. * Buy in season and avoid things like Starfruit and Avocados when possible. * The dollar store is in general, not a good place to save a buck, though there are deals there if you look around. * Community Garden in the summer, or just garden if you have the land for it. Hunt and fish during the fall and winter. A deep freezer, even if shared with friends, is a must. * The bread outlet store will save you lots of money. * The thrift store is an amazing place for dishware, clothes, and electronics, especially cables.
Aileen Grist 3 years ago
We've discovered that our local recycling centre has a shop. There's a wide variety of stuff - from brand new to ancient - work benches, flooring, pans, lampshades. We bought a deckchair for GBP4 and nightshades for GBP1 each
Alma Muminovic 3 years ago (edited)
I find that food shopping every 2-3 days works best. Your buying enough for a few days and your using it all before it goes bad. I can’t tell you how much food I end up wasting when I buy in bulk because I don’t have time to eat it all before it goes bad. Small fridges are the secret.
Lp Johnson 3 years ago
The markets mentioned don't "usually" accept EBT. Garden? In the middle of the slum? Equals stolen stuff. Dollar store is ALLLLLLLLLLLL some communities have. Still the avocado's fault, huh? Hunt? Fish? FROM THE GHETTOS? With WHAT? And how does one GET TO the places where one can hunt and fish? Who pays for the licence?
Stephanie Did It 3 years ago
A store where surplus and day-old bread products are sold at a deep discount.
Load More Replies... #28
Hot Sauce is a simple investment to turn sad, bland food, into sad, slightly less bland food
Jayne Kyra 3 years ago
One Sriracha bottle 720? ml) I got lasted almost two years and I put that thing into everything. Amazing! Now we have homemade sauce that is thick and burns twice.
#29
Eliminate food waste. Things you'd normally throw away like vegetable peelings and bones can be turned into flavorful stock for future meals.
Marie Dahme 3 years ago
When my veggies start to get old, I pull out my old Jack Lalane juicer. I get to enjoy healthy juice and all that pulp goes in ice cube trays. Once the pulp is frozen, I pop the cubes in freezer safe baggies. The pulp cubes are great for soups or sauces or anything you want to flavor! Nothing is wasted.
Brian Stanton 3 years ago
I had one, not bad. ill Never forget when Jim Carey did a bit on it and him
Load More Replies... WordWeaver 3 years ago
Not everything needs peeling eg potatoes, carrots. Bones are excellent for soup bases. Mmmm ... google what our great grandparents ate and how they saved money. I know they ate things that my generation would turn their noses up at! eg brains, tripe etc. Famine foods became delicacies like snails and frog legs. My parents (who were children of the Great Depression) used to take us out to market gardens and orchards and buy there, plus we were lucky enough to have a good backyard with decent soil, so we grew a lot of our own produce.
Celtic Pirate Queen 3 years ago
THIS! I keep a large Ziploc bag in the freezer & throw peelings/veggie/meat leftovers into it. Once it gets full, I boil everything and make stock. Way better than the stuff from the grocery store, AND I can control how much sodium goes into it.
#30
Probably not what you're asking for, but if you really want to look at the data, Haskins and Sawhill found there were three things that most determined whether people escaped poverty:
- finishing high school
- waiting until you are 21 to get married and not having kids before that
- managing to hold down a full time job
Of course these three things are not entirely down to choice, but if you focus on them and pull them off, there's only a 2% chance you stay poor.
https://www.brookings.edu/opinions/three-simple-rules-poor-teens-should-follow-to-join-the-middle-class/
Vae 3 years ago
Good question. I feel this is USA specific. I know a lot of other countries have far less hours worked to stay above poverty, so full time in the USA is different than that of other places. I am curious now about what others would think of these rules.
Load More Replies... Lp Johnson 3 years ago
According to what I'm reading, COLLEGE GRADUATES, who are purposefully CHILD FREE, are working MULTIPLE "good paying" jobs and are still living in their CARS. Or if they do have a roof to sleep under, they're sharing it with multiple people and are STILL food insecure. None of this great advice changes the fact that Corporate WANTS PEOPLE POOR, so they'll be more willing to accept "anything", and be unable to stand up against it!
nooneimportant 3 years ago
all bunk from people who have never had to wonder when they will eat next!!
Mosheh Wolf 3 years ago
Not bunk - read what they are saying about it not always being a choice.
Load More Replies... AlanandLeila Hoyt 3 years ago
I learned this from Dave Ramsey! He shares so much financial wisdom that actually works. However for the people who haven’t done things this way-it’s never too late to fix the finances in any situation! Go the the library, and check out “Total Money Makeover”. Posting that everywhere because people really need to know. It changed things for us!
Caroline Sinclair 3 years ago
Wrong, wrong, wrong. The most important thing is to be and stay healthy. Cancer, type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and so many other conditions are not a "choice".
iseefractals 3 years ago
This was updated to graduate high school, don't have children out of wedlock and hold down a full time job for 10 years.
Luna Crow 3 years ago
It should be updated further then. I've done all those things and am still way below the "poverty line"
Load More Replies... #31
If you are hungry and have no food, go to sleep.
#32
When buying something that you expect to last, buy the cheapest version of it that makes sense. If it doesn't break and lasts forever - awesome! If it does break though, go out and buy the best quality one you can. If you broke the cheap one once chances are you'll break the cheap one over and over again so spending a bit more now will save future-you from having to spend more money down the road.
This is especially good advice with tools.
Chich 3 years ago
"But the thing was that good boots lasted for years and years. A man who could afford fifty dollars had a pair of boots that’d still be keeping his feet dry in ten years’ time, while the poor man who could only afford cheap boots would have spent a hundred dollars on boots in the same time and would still have wet feet. This was the Captain Samuel Vimes ‘Boots’ theory of socioeconomic unfairness."
Michelle Carlson 3 years ago
I will upvote this quote anytime it happens. My dad was a contractor and anytime he had to buy a new tool, he bought the best he could buy. He has tools he bought 40 years ago because he bought quality.
Load More Replies... Marie Dahme 3 years ago
Especially good advice with shoes too. I bought a great pair of sneakers from Payless shoe store and they lasted me five years.
Deborah B 3 years ago
If it breaks within a year, take it back to where you got it, and explain politely that you think it broke within X months of normal use, ask if they can give you a refund or a replacement. If you are polite, customer service staff will often do their best to help you, and many things especially tools and electrical items have a one-year's manufacturers warrantee.
#33
Don't be afraid to research every single support system you can locate... snap, HUD, any help of any kind (whatever it takes.) If on snap save out 25% of your funds for end of month emergencies like running out of bread, produce or milk. Become absolutely frugal in every thing you purchase. Consider the container for not only the things that come in it - can the container be reused? There is a lot to be said for learning to cook with and using dehydrated products... so learn to cook by scratch. learn to dehydrate and then how to safely store foods. Every thing you make should leave no left overs - and any left overs should be set aside and used immediately for follow up meals. I've gotten used to next day leftovers for breakfast. (IF making bacon those drippings from the bacon should be saved to be used in other dishes, so take great care with bacon grease, it's like liquid gold. ) Learn to regrow kitchen cast offs.... use the long green stems from green onions for chives and replant the bulb (celery hearts can be replanted, as can lettuce, cabbage, ginger and some herbs) so try your hand at gardening even if only in an indoor pot. If you try to regrow carrots it won't work... you have to let them grow tall stalks until they make seeds and then harvest the seeds for growing in a following season. Bad potatoes should be quartered and replanted if they've developed eyes or roots. My dogs get a boiled egg every morning (I make boiled eggs in my pressure cooker, nad when opened I save the shells, then bake the shells until fragile, then powder them for the calcium and add the calcium to my dogs nightly wet food as a calcium supplement!) Set up your pantry for survival for when times are tough... stocking up on staple supplies like rice, beans, flour, corn-meal, canned milk, canned veggies, and other products you normally use (long term stored food for short term emergencies) and when you do go to buy food - make an effort to buy one can of veggies to use and one can to store away (in several months you'll quickly have a supply built up. I do the same with pasta, but it has a short shelf life.) Learn to forage your area for things like dandelion, edible flowers and greens from coldwater streams for salads, etc. ONe of my neighbors has a tea bush and a kaffir lime tree, plus lemon grass which she allows me to use. I exchange pecans from my tree for equal amounts of walnuts from a friend a few miles away and exchange my tomatoes for other veggies with neighbors who garden. I had to learn how to make and can home made dog food (much like canning chicken soup - I buy chicken in bulk and making home made dog food using rice, pumpkin and veggies and then after grinding and blending I sterilize it thru canning in 4 oz jars (my dogs are so small they only eat two ounces at a time.) I put a two year limit on the dog food and rotate my stock. This dog food is made of quality 'people food' and actually tastes damn good as a soup and is healthier for them than regular store bought wet dog food [made of questionable rendered meat that is unsafe for human consumption.] I bought a bread baker on sale at goodwill and make bread every day for pennies per loaf. I hand make the bread in the spring, summer and fall but not in the winter as it's too cold....I use the oven for heating the kitchen when I bake. I usually bake in the morning after I've had coffee... I also make homemade yogurt once a week using 42 oz of whole milk to make seven full servings in 6 oz glass cups. WE freeze the yogurt as treats in the summer and fall and add fruit in season for extra flavor. My family loves basic vegetarian style meals and we're all looking and feeling better since I we gave up beef, pork, slat, sugar and seafood. [I'd had a stroke, unable to work, and we're now living on my social security retirement which pays 1/4th of my normal income.] Sugar is forbidden in my home (I've got about one pound left from my last original bag bought in 2015.) Giving up fast foods and sugar has been one of the single best changes in our lives. IF you do go out to eat at a fast food place , take as many condiment packets and napkins as you can reasonably take home with you. Why spend money if you don't have to? I invested in a bidet to save on TP expense. It's nice to freshen up without touching TP. I keep diluted body soap close by, if needed, plus a regular washcloth and keep a bucket of soapy water with bleach in it next to the toilet to soak the used washcloth. I also dry my clothing on a line instead of running the household dryer (average cost is 75 cent per load to use.) I keep two extra shower rods over my tub and a rolling clothing butler so I can hang wet clothing to dry indoors (I can't hang anything outside due to HOA requirements.) The humidity is nice in the summer. We also keep AC at no higher than 78° in summer and heat at 68° in winter (wearing double layers of clothing to stay warm, plus my dogos in sweaters most of day. I've learned to wear fewer clothes in the heat of the summer as have both of my adult sons.) Peak hours for electricity prices are 2-7:00 in most communities so we turn everything in house off (except refrigerator) for one hour, then back on for one hour, then off again back and forth until 7:00 pm. In summer we gather in living room under the fan and watch our DVD player (12" portable one on batteries, charged overnight.) IN summer in afternoon we go out to sit in shade under the tree and listen to the radio or visit with neighbors. On really hot days we go down to the local river to cool off and watch our pups play and swim. My sons also try to fish while we are there (usually not catching anything.) My two adult sons live with me after my stroke as my primary care givers, but I am able to remain alone for brief periods, so they picked up part time jobs mucking stalls or helping as hired hands with local farmers as needed. Often they take me with them to "stuper-vise" their work, often bringing my two small dogs along to go ratting on the farm (they kill rats quickly but we don't let them eat the rats) and I'll go help the farmers wife as able with kitchen chores or meal making (I can still find my way around the kitchen, and am still a fairly good cook. I only lost partial use of my left arm and leg, but am very slow moving around....but my memory is more or less intact for recipes, babysitting and advice.) Don't be afraid to put yourself out there as help to others with whatever talents you have even when broke; it will come back to you a thousand fold, I promise. Let others know your financial resources are in bad shape, people honestly do want to help out if able. The best hack is to learn to be capable in everything you do, don't let life's hard knocks keep you down - Do what you can and learn what you don't know. Be self sufficient, Plan for the worst and pray for the best!
Marie Dahme 3 years ago
These are all great ideas. On the bidet, I got one from Amazon for less than $35. Easy to install and hooks up to the cold water line on your toiddy. OP, if your sons are helping you as caregivers; can’t they be paid for that? They should be. In New Mexico I am qualified as a Medicaid recipient because of a Medicaid waiver. A Medicaid waiver is for those who don’t qualify for Medicaid because of a little too high of income which is usually the case but because of my disability I qualify. Google Medicaid Waiver in your state to see what benefits you are entitled to. I get free prescriptions and non emergency transportation to Dr visits because I’m in a wheelchair as well. And I have a caregiver that takes care of me as the state gave me 37 hours of caregiving services. Medicaid waivers are definitely a lifeline for people who are disabled and poor.
Sarah Stalder 3 years ago
You mentioned your HOA which leads me to believe you are frugal, rather than poor. That's a good way to keep having an HOA, anyway.
#34
Community. Being poor is difficult especially when you do it alone but if you can get together with other poor people and pool resources you will be able to stretch your budgets further. For example pork chops can be upwards of $6 a pound. But a whole pork loin which is where those chops come from is $3.99 a pound. I've seen pork butt go for as little as $2.50 a pound. Go in together spend just a little bit more and butcher it yourself. Plus you get all the trimmings for soups and for rendering grease.
Michelle Carlson 3 years ago
There's an app called Flashfood that I have found to be amazing. It allows you to buy food 50% off from local participating markets for items that are close to their pull date. $5 produce boxes filled with AMAZING produce, meat, breads and pastries, cheeses. All sorts of stuff.
Lyone Fein 3 years ago
Same with a whole chicken. But eat less meat, in general. It is not good for your heart. You want to get your protein from lentils, beans, eggs, etc.
WordWeaver 3 years ago
Create a co-op - work out what you all want/need and can afford then buy in bulk.
#35
Get a foaming hand soap dispenser and a giant thing of regular liquid hand soap. Use 1 part liquid hand soap to 5 parts water in foaming hand soap dispenser to dilute liquid hand soap. Boom, foaming hand soap is created and your liquid hand soap now lasts you 5 times as long. Foaming hand soap refill is nothing but diluted liquid hand soap.
Amanda Davids 3 years ago
Lol I did this when I was a kid because I didn’t feel like going to find the right kind of soap
#36
* EBT aka Food Stamps are available to people in poverty. Even if you have a job you can be eligible for up to $200 a month in food stamps. * The cleanest public bathrooms are in hotel lobbies and hospitals. Just act like you know where you're going and dress decent, you'll never be stopped. * Best place to shop for nice clothing is Goodwill and Hospice stores. Also, Ross and Burlington. Dress cheaply but neat it will help lift you out of poverty by building relationships with people. * Men, look for work as a laborer. This will get you into the trades, where people are paying $100k a year to swing a hammer. I started as a site cleaner, sweeping up dust. 5 years later I have a General Contractor's License and a Realtor's license. * Save your money. Stay living poor for as long as possible. As Too Short says, Get in where you fit in/Dont buy a $100k car before you buy a house. I lived off $200 a month for years. I was able to save almost $100k in my first year of business. Because I still live like I'm poor.
Marie Dahme 3 years ago
And guys, think twice about going to a college or university. Lots of guys go into trade schools. We will always need plumbers, welders, electricians and HVAC technicians. It’s cheaper than uni and these guys make decent money.
Michelle Carlson 3 years ago
This shouldn't be limited to men; women are just as able to swing a hammer and solder a pipe as guys. Not that you meant it was just for men, but work is work.
Load More Replies... Sarah Stalder 3 years ago
Nobody has mentioned food banks yet. They can be good or bad, depending on location, you can get day-old bread, produce, milk and fruits/vegetables galore.
WordWeaver 3 years ago
Competent trade workers are always in demand especially plumbers, mechanics, bricklayers and carpenters - and NO TRADE is gender specific. ANYONE can wield tools. ANYONE can learn a trade.
#37
Buy the store-version (aka imitation brand) version of things. Cheaper and it works the exact same save for a few exceptions.
Sarah Stalder 3 years ago
As a female, every single shirt at Wally World are sheer and require a tank top underneath. I buy my work t-shirts from the mens section now. Not sheer and MUCH cheaper. Even for branded shirts.
Ann Dennis 3 years ago
I often buy men's clothes when possible. They last a lot longer.
Load More Replies... Sapna Sarfare 3 years ago
Go for packs rather than single stuff like your panties.. and decent brands last longer..
Marie Dahme 3 years ago
Um, unless we’re talking ketchup. Don’t buy the store brand, always buy Heinz. Lol
#38
Manage every dollar you spend. Know **exactly** where your money is going. You can't reduce spending (and save more) if you don't understand where your money is going.
There are a number of apps out there that help you budget and tell you what you're spending money on (Mint, Truebill, etc).
Once you see the breakdown, you might notice that you're spending more on meals than you should. Or you had that subscription you forgot about that suddenly took $25 out of your account.
Remember, being poor and being constantly broke aren't always the same thing. Sometimes you're just bad with money.
WordWeaver 3 years ago
And online automatic renewals! Took me a while to get rid of McAfee for instance. Don't let agencies have their hands in your pocket!
#39
pop an egg into your ramen. Simple, cheap, and improves the taste a lot.
Kimberley McMillan 3 years ago
Not that egg though. Solid with the dark grey ring around the yolk? Bleh.
Libby Tailor 3 years ago
On the oicture they cook the egg too long, that's why the dark ring.
Load More Replies... Marie Dahme 3 years ago
There are ramen noodle cookbooks where you turn ramen into gourmet anything. And free sites do this too. Google it.
#40
- Live below your means and try to put whatever you have leftover into savings for a rainy day.
- Meal prep every Sunday for the whole week. I only spend $40-$50 on groceries a week but that's without trying to be cost effective. Could get it down to $30 if I needed.
- Use ebates if you shop online for cash back.
- Do online surveys in your free time. I do some on e-rewards and eventually redeem the points for Southwest points to help pay for trips.
- Use the fetch app. You scan your grocery receipts for points and can redeem them for Visa gift cards, gift cards to certain stores, etc.
- Learn how to say no if someone asks you to do something you know will put you in financial stress.
Foxxy (The Original) 3 years ago (edited)
$40-$50 on groceries to last a week? yeah right. Unless your cooking for one and living off beans and rice. A loaf of bread alone is minimum $2 and that goes stale within a day or 2. You wouldn't get a lot of fresh produce for that price either. Doesn't help that most of these tips don't account for other countries and their costs. We also don't get coupons for shopping like they do in the US. Plus not everyone can live within their means no matter how hard they try.
Marie Dahme 3 years ago
For food prep…Amazon sells this food prep trays. You get a dozen of them $20 and they come with lids. The meal trays are divided into three areas so your food is portioned out perfectly. Buy a bag of skinless boneless chicken breasts in a bag at Walmart and you can make more than a week’s worth of meals.
AmAndA_Panda 3 years ago
The Ibotta app rewards can be redeemed for cash. And you can still use coupons.
Sapna Sarfare 3 years ago
There is a store on my way to office which is a bit fancy. But you get points here. I buy once in a while here.. but once i have enough points, i buy something nice
WordWeaver 3 years ago
I bought an upside down fridge because I needed freezer space more than I needed fridge space. Has turned out to be very good economic choice. Beside that, not all freezers are big, and you can buy 2nd hand.
Lisa Samuelson 3 years ago
All of this, was very good advice!! Especially the food prep! Thank you!
#41
The debt snowball. Basically, write down the debts you have and their current balances. Everything like credit cards, cars, student loans, and so on should be on the list. Then, look to see what the smallest amount is. Set all of your other payments to minimum, and pour as much money as you can possibly afford into paying off the smallest debt. Once it is paid off, add that payment amount to the next smallest amount and get that paid off. Continue that until your debts are paid. In the event that you have debts of similar amounts, choose the debt with the highest interest rate to pay first. Also, do not add more debt. Avoid swiping your credit card like the f*****g plague. Also, if you have multiple credit cards, close all but your oldest account the second you pay the balance off. It may take you years to accomplish, but this is the most effective, tried and true way to eliminate debt.
WordWeaver 3 years ago
Pay off those cards as soon as you can and GET RID OF THEM! The interest rates are extortionate. It's financial madness to burden yourself with more debt when money is tight.
WordWeaver 3 years ago
Went through a rough patch when I still had a mortgage, so I talked to my bank manager about my situation. We came to a sensible arrangement. Always be honest with your bank or credit union (though considering the horror stories I have been reading in BP about the US, I'm not sure that's great advice for everyone!)
Lyone Fein 3 years ago
Look around for offers on new credit cards that are 0% interest for the first year. If you can open a new account under one of these deals do it. Then consolidate and transfer all your other balances to this new card. This will simplify things and reduce your payments. While also improving your credit score, as long as you keep making your payments on time.
#42
Get clothes from the thrift shop, or if you're crafty you can buy plain versions of t-shirts and sweatshirts and some fabric paint and make yourself anything you want from that. As far as heating-- it's far cheaper to dress for the weather than to turn up the heat so you can wear shorts in December. There are free apps for streaming TV that don't require cable. Crunchyroll and Drama Fever for Asian TV, Tubi and Crackle for American and some British stuff. You don't get first run movies or sports, but it's free, and generally good. Learn to think of money as time. Chances are you're paid hourly, so at $12 you're looking at $24 as 2 hours. For me personally, anything above 2 hours of pay is an automatic "24 hour hold" item. Don't care what it is, unless it's a dire need (like you need it today or bad things happen) you go look at it, and then make yourself leave and come back later.
Marie Dahme 3 years ago
You can spend hours enjoying your evening watching free documentaries on YouTube.
M O'Connell 3 years ago
It's also a good way to acquire new skills, even if you don't immediately know what to do with them. On that note, don't waste time with "life hack" videos, they are usually BS. Watch tradespeople do their work :)
Load More Replies... Boris Long-Johnson 3 years ago
Very uk centric I’m afraid but if you don’t watch anything live or on iplayer you can save the £14/month-ish on a TV license no matter what the BBC/Crapita claim. Just bin the nasty letters and tell the folk who come round to bolt! YouTube had loads of people explaining in more detail.
#43
On top of learning to cook, try to buy healthy food. Fresh vegetables usually cost less than frozen pizzas. If you can't afford meat all the time, beans and eggs are great tasty ways to incorporate more protein in your diet.
Foxxy (The Original) 3 years ago
Yeah, sorry. Not the case in Australia where 1 lettuce costs more than 1 frozen pizza. You can actually buy 3 pizzas for $10 in one of our supermarkets. Produce is very expensive here.
GirlFriday 3 years ago
Not the case in the US. A quality frozen pizza is $5 and will feed a family of four. Ingredients to make a vegetarian dish (with no protein) for a family of four is $18.00.
AmAndA_Panda 3 years ago
I can buy a frozen pizza for $5. Or Little Caesar's "hot and ready" for $5. And it feeds my family of 3. $5 worth of fresh produce doesn't.
#44
Grow your own garden for food, use layering and jackets instead of heaters, and if you are trying to make money, go ahead and sue any third party company that calls your household without consent after 9:00pm, it's apparantly illegal.
#45
Take your own lunch to uni/ work. Get a month ticket for the public transport. Table always public transport and I mean always. Don't throw away clothes, put them in a corner where you can't see them. Believe me. After a while you'll like some of them again. Edit: Sure public transport availability depends where you are. Maybe try ride-sharing
Marie Dahme 3 years ago
Use Facebook marketplace to trade your clothes with someone else. I lost over a hundred pounds but all my clothes were really nice. Found a person who could use them. I got her smaller clothes and she got my larger sized clothes. If you don’t have something like that in your area, create a group on Facebook marketplace.
Foxxy (The Original) 3 years ago (edited)
I spend approx $40 a fortnight on public transport. Paying monthly makes no difference because you pay per trip and one validation of your metrocard lasts 2 hours. After that you are charged for another trip etc. My hubby has no choice but to drive, he needs his car for work.
JJ 3 years ago
It might actually be cheaper to eat at university. At my university you pay 1,30 Euro for the main dish at lunch (could be stew or fish or meat) and 60 cents for a side dish (like bread, rice, vegetables, potatos, salad). That's a proper warm and healthy meal for less than 2 Euros.
Freya the Wanderer 3 years ago
In Atlanta, when you buy 20 rides from MARTA (our public transit) you get a discount. I always buy 20 rides at a time.
#46
One is to go to www.missingmoney.com to see if you are owed money. This is full legit. Essentially, if a company can't find you, they give the money to the state (called escheatment) who holds it in escrow for you to claim. Examples are utility deposits, expired gift cards, insurance proceeds, overpayments on bills, bank accounts you forgot about, you name it. I ran it for my parents and they actually got 25k fro an insurance policy that wan't caught in probate.
GirlFriday 3 years ago
I just did this and found out an old job that I had in the late 90's owes me $642.
Lyone Fein 3 years ago
I did this right after reading this. Had never heard of this website before. And guess what? Found out that there was 75 dollars out there waiting for me. Wild.
Terri Hygate 1 month ago
I just looked up both my own name, and my late husband's. He has over $3k unclaimed, so I'm submitting a claim on that!!!!!
#47
If you’re poor, DO NOT GO INTO CONSUMER OR STUDENT LOAN DEBT. $25,000 in debt (say $7000 on a credit card and $18000 in student loans) will literally set you back a decade in your financial life. Avoid debt like it will literally kill you, because it will.
Mimi M 3 years ago
I tell everyone - how do you choose a graduate program? Choose the one where you don't have to go into debt (one that offers grants, work-study opportunities, teaching assistanceships, etc). Avoid debt like the plague. (Btw, BA's usually come with grants, so I specifically give this advice about grad programs).
Lyone Fein 3 years ago
Yes on this one. I always tell people, if they aren't paying you to go to school then they really don't want you.
Load More Replies... #48
Use coupons. I started doing this when I was making 8 bucks an hour, and still do it today... take some time to add coupons to your account for grocery stores that do them online, take some time to clip them from junk mail you get. In the average grocery trip, I still save between 30-40%... you don't have to be an extreme couponer or crazy person to save a lot of money.
Firstname Lastname 3 years ago
While I do use coupons from time to time, sometimes other brands, especially store brand, can still be cheaper after the discounted price. Do your math before the register.
Marie Dahme 3 years ago
It’s a shame coupons now have such a short expiration date. I remember 30 years ago when coupons were good for a year!
#49
If you have to choose between keeping the lights on and paying for heat in the winter, keep the lights on. First thing in the morning when you get up, turn the oven on (if you've got one) for a few minutes and let that warm up your kitchen (unless it's gas- don't take the Sylvia Plath route out of misery). Get the cheapest old sewing machine you can find and hem and maintain your clothes. While lots of sh*tty clothes are super cheap, they fall apart after a few wears. When you can, buy decent clothes and take care of them. It will cost less in the long term. Get a library card. Libraries are sanity savers when you're too broke for other entertainment. As well, get a local schedule of events and go out when something is free or very cheap. Keep yourself occupied, even when you are struggling with money. Get to know your local bakeries and other businesses, in particular they're baking and delivery schedules. Old product that didn't move that needs to be sold or disposed of before a new shipment comes gets big mark downs. You can get decently healthy food for relatively cheap. If you live in some states, you can make decent extra dough collecting cans and bottles. I went door to door collecting cans and bottles after leaving a super crappy job many years ago, and while it was sometimes fruitless (and some people are less than kind to a person on their doorstep), I made more money that week doing that than I had at the job I had just left. A lot of people were thrilled that I was there to take their cans and bottles off their hands! I did it until I found another real job, and got to know some of the other folks that did that for a living. Real nice people, very supportive of each other for the most part - as long as you stayed out of their 'territory.' Do what you can to maintain your friendships and relationships. Poverty is, among many other things, boring, and often very isolating. Stay connected to your people. Live with other people. Go out when you can. Suggest cheap things to do.
Marie Dahme 3 years ago
Learn to patch clothes. Even if you’re young and just learning, get an iron and use iron on patches to hold onto your clothes a little longer.
WordWeaver 3 years ago
Door collection of bottles reminds of a Depression era joke (Source: Mum). Tramp goes to the door of a well to do house and asks the haughty lady of the house, "Got any wine, beer or spirit bottles, lady?" Disgusted, she rears back and draws herself up and say in a nasty tone, "Do I look like the kind of person who drinks .... ALCOHOLIC beverages!" Without missing a beat, the tramp asks, "Got any vinegar bottles, lady?"
#50
Learn to make your own laundry detergent. It's a fraction of the cost and works just fine.
M O'Connell 3 years ago
Quite a few of the items we take for granted are actually "convenience items" or just creative marketing and cost quite a bit more than the sum of their parts. Glass cleaner is just water, vinegar and alcohol. All tub & shower cleaners can be replaced with dish soap, etc.
#51
once or twice a year, your bank will forgive an overdraft, call the main information line. when i was living paycheck to paycheck, this could be a lifesaver.
#52
This website will show you where your local free food pantries are: https://www.foodpantries.org There's lots of websites like this: * https://www.freedentalcare.us * https://www.freeclinics.com * https://www.needhelppayingbills.com * https://www.shelterlistings.org
#53
Practice safe sex.
#54
Find out what times the nearest supermarkets reduce products going out of date, especially if they reduce things twice (usually second time just before closing or very late at night if 24H). Shop at that time or just after. ​
WordWeaver 3 years ago
Supermarkets here have racks of items going out of code which they offer at a discount. Australia
#55
Living in your car? Tuck an aluminium packet of whatever food you want hot, in a safe place around your engine before a drive. Now, I'm not telling you it's safe, but it can melt some cheese. Also, keep 2 things with you all the time : Apple cider vinegar and baking soda. Both are very cheap, they work as shampoo and conditioner, toothpaste, laundry cleaners, deodorizers, food additives and preservatives. The list goes on.
#56
I had a broke friend that would go to the coffee shop and ask to buy a tea bag (15 cents) and get an extra large to go cup of hot water on the side. Lol she paid 15 cents for an extra large tea that normally costs $2-$3. Or she would bring her own tea bag and ask for a free cup of hot water lol. Never met anyone so cheap.
Diolla 3 years ago
I never go into coffee shops, or sit at terraces etc.. Drinking anything at home is waaay cheaper. If I want to drink outdoors I buy something in the supermarket (they have free coffe btw) and take it to the nearest park bench.
Sapna Sarfare 3 years ago
I rarely go to coffee shops now... once in a while as a treat. Have a local guy near my office who gives a good cup of coffee for literally 15 ruppees... it is cheaper than the coffee shops
Load More Replies... WordWeaver 3 years ago
I order a pot of tea and a pot of hot water. Get several cups out of that.
Dianellian 3 years ago
That’s just rude to the most likely small business. Starbucks? Go for it!
#57
Eggs and rice. Used to eat it all the time for dinner. Another honorable mention is instead of bringing a lunch keep a box of goldfish in your car. Drink a good amount of water between handfuls of goldfish. A $7 big box of goldfish would last me two weeks of lunches at work. Healthy? Probably not. Economical? Most definitely. Did this when I first started working general labor and had no money to eat good, it got me through the tough time though and occasionally I still use it.
MarioRossi 3 years ago
I know I could google what a goldfish is, but I'll just keep thinking you are Otto from "A Fish called Wanda".
Wang Zhuang 3 years ago
They are fish shaped crackers, generally cheddar flavored. Pretty good for a snack
Load More Replies... #58
Figure out the most expensive line item in your budget and get it as low as you can live with. Most likely it's housing. If your housing is more than you can afford, all the small tweaks you do to save money on groceries or packing a lunch every single day are going to be high-effort and low impact. Draw a circumference around your place of work that puts you within a livable commute and choose the cheapest place you can safely live that isn't a food desert. Get roommates if you have to.
#59
**Source: Am Often Aggressively Broke.** Being broke is often choosing between spending your health, money and time. You HAVE to give one. **Online:** Download Ebates, Honey, Wikibuy, and InvisibleHand addons. I've saved a couple hundred bucks over the years especially with online services. **Learn. To. Cook.** Start with boiled broccoli. Or better yet, scrambled eggs. They're cheap and will teach you about heat and how to use butter or oil. Then level up to an omelet. Then chopped up chicken breast. Get discouraged? Learn how to make a grilled cheese. The rest is pretty easy from there. Added benefit of impressing that person who's butt you like. **Meal Prep the same day you do laundry.** You're already in an errands mentality. Might as well cook meals for the next couple days. **If you live in a city, downgrade your unlimited plan.** There's wifi everywhere now and that extra $20 a month can really help (gas, food, bills) **Wash your underwear by hand and hang dry.** If your underpants aren't super fancy, why spend the extra money on that load when you can do it at home for free? No one will see it on you anyway. *"But my girlfri-"* NO ONE will see it. **Buy a good thing once instead of a c**p thing twice.** Trying to save that $20 bucks is good, but if the difference in price is a couple YEARS of use, make the right choice here. **Dollar Stores are your friend.** $1 deodorant, bleach, detergents and soaps. I'm told lady hygienics aren't the best (or safe) here but I can't comment. Plates, utensils, tape, mugs... They even have food here, like pastas for basic Mac and cheese recipes. Keep in mind though, you're usually trading your health for price here so I wouldn't recommend eating this stuff, buuuut...movie theaters be pricey, fam. **Off-Brand? In-Cart** You know that $3 bottle of dandruff shampoo next to the $8 Head and shoulders? Works the same. Same thing for those choco-puffs. Not great for your hair tho.. **Don't buy it cause it's on sale. Buy it cause it's cheap.** You didn't save $2 on that watermelon sale. You spent an entire $5 on watermelons at the supermarket when they're $2 at the Mexican spot down the way. Unless you're a god at coupon-ing **(takes time),** stay away. Having worked in restaurants, I avoid Marked Down meats at the store unless i'm going to cook it all THAT day. I won't risk a stomach bug now or later and miss a day of work because of it. **You can exercise away most minor and intermediate pains.** Blood flow increases through stretching or basic workouts like pushups, running, and dancing which release brain feelz (endorphins). Unless you have a clinical condition, you can usually skip tylenol or motrin after a good 10-15 minute stretching session. And the more you do, it, the more effective it'll be each time. I stretch while I watch TV (perfect for animes) at home and while I brush my teeth. It was distracting at first, but now i feel weird if I don't do it at some point. **Finally: Wealth doesn't generate from saving. Spend your money on things that will make you money.** Do this responsibly and only when all of your other basic needs are met, including emergency funds. I knew kids in school who used to buy the big bags of candy a few days AFTER halloween and sell the bite sizes to us sugar withdrawn addicts a few days later. Buy a cheap car and do Uber (major city only). Buy clothes bulk and flip it. Sell stickers. Whatever. Make your money make money. That's what its for. Good luck broke folks. It'll get better if you're smart about it.
Marie Dahme 3 years ago
Also, if you live in the southwest… don’t be afraid to buy the fruit from the Mexican guy selling them on the corner in the back of his truck. I once spent $15 for a twenty pound bag of oranges 🍊 and it was great. Keep your eyes on the look out in your area especially places like Phoenix for these guys. They do move around.
Kate Jones 3 years ago
Phones are the most crazy bills some people have and for no reason. I have a tracfone i buy with service that lasts a year, comes with data and more texts than i will ever use. It came with a samsung galaxy phone. If you're someone who is texting constantly then okay maybe it's worth it to you, but with wifi almost everywhere it seems silly to see the amount of money people pay for these unlimited plans. And if you're broke and know you're going to be texting someone for a while, use a free messenger app (think facebook or whatsapp) and use wifi to run it instead of using your minutes. If you use your phone like your personal computer, try to download what you need when you're using free wifi and only use your data when absolutely necessary. If you're struggling, you can save so much by not having a phone bill.
Lyone Fein 3 years ago
On that first point.......don't compromise your health if you can possibly avoid it. This will have the most profound long term effects of anything.
#60
Try not to fall for payday loans, auto title loans, or a majority of rent-to-own deals (a few rto agreements are legit usually involving two familiar private parties) . These are just a few businesses that are out there to seriously screw up a poor person's already challenging life. A few more are companies that pose as debt counselors, unsolicited student loan forgiveness programs, for-profit colleges and multi-level marketing schemes. If you're truly interested in making more money, go talk with a local union about a trade apprenticeship, or an advisor at your local public community college or university. I learned this the hard way in my late teens. It took a very long time to dig myself out.
#61
Making a budget and sticking to it has helped me a lot. Takes work and dedication but definitely worth it
#62
Bake your own bread, if you have access to oven. You’ll get bread, you’ll get heating of your apartment extra. It’s easy, loaf lasts a long time and the cost is nothing compared to same quality bread bought in a store (bet it’s even cheaper or maaaybe similar to the cheapest bread, but the quality you’ll get... that’s a 5$/loaf stuff we are talking about.) PM me for recipes, as I bake my own bread, and I can do $ math as well for you (for math will need to sit down in front of the Excel and I’m on my phone now plus I’d need to know energy consumption of your oven and such).
Isabel Care 3 years ago
Living alone, I freeze bread (non sliced loaves get cut into sections before freezing) and take out only what I need at the moment. Buy reduced to clear stuff that can be frozen. Also buy frozen fruit and veg as fresh stuff goes off before I get to use it all. When my clothes get holes in them, I glue applique flowers over the holes (small stains get covered too)
KILLA Du Jour 3 years ago
Tried this and it didn't really work due to the high energy prices. (Even when baking other dishes at the same time because having to freeze and then re-heat them) Depending on the area, it might be cheaper to buy quality bread on sale, freezing it and then re-heating it when the oven is already being used for cooking. It is possible to get vintage bread boxes in European thrift shops. The bread doesn't dry or get mouldy as fast)
#63
“Ends” at the deli counter. Lots of stores package them, too, but, they’re the “unwanted” ends of loafs of meat and cheese and are sold for a fraction of the cost per pound. They are also SO much cheaper than the prepackaged stuff in the dairy aisle.
GirlFriday 3 years ago
I love buying ham, roast beef, or cheese ends at the local deli and using them for casseroles, egg dishes, soup, etc. I can pay as little as $.79 per pound for ham ends and have the most delicious omelets! .
M O'Connell 3 years ago
I always ask for the end cuts if I sense they are about to open a new loaf of deli meat. Sometimes they look at me like I'm nuts, but the end piece has way more flavor per dollar than a center slice.
#64
Totino's Pizza's. Get the combination, you get the most pizza by weight for the money You are spending. If you get them on sale they are about $1 a pop. you only need to eat 2 a day and then a snack to get the calories you need for the day; That's about $60 a month just for the pizza. You get 24g out of the 30g of protein it recommends for the day and you are well within the daily values for fats, carbs, and sugar. When you add up the Totino's($60.83/mo), the multivitamin($2.65/mo) and your snack(peanut butter w/ banana ~$7.00) you can live well under $80 a month for food.
#65
Credit if used correctly. If you view it as extra money you've already lost. Instead make all your small purchases ($100 or less) with the credit card and pay it back inmediately. Do that and no interest accrues so all your expenses stay the same plus you build good credit to make it easier to buy a home or a car at an affordable interest rate or rent somewhere or even get a better paying job.
Ann Dennis 3 years ago
just a thought here: I always pay my credit card bill in full, I pay my bills, I've paid off my house and car....and now I find that I have no credit rating because I don't owe anybody. That's not to say go around owing money, but check your credit rating and talk with someone reliable about it.
#66
Keep on keepin on. No one ever thought Joe Dirt was a philosophic masterpiece, but that is one of the most profound pieces of advice I have heard. Context: about the time the movie came out I was finishing college. Graduated and moved home. Shortly thereafter my parents split and began a divorce. At the same time my 20 year old brother split and began divorcing, moving in with my dad and I. Thru the suicide attempts, my deployment overseas, medical issues with my body, we kept telling each other keep on keepin on. After departing from the military, I worked [hard] then forced myself thru grad school during a significant [passing away] in my new wife's family. I could keep rambling, but I kept on keepin on thru family [passed away people], jail, foreclosures, etc. In the next two to five years I will now have all debt paid other than student loans and will crest $100,000. Keep on keepin on.
#67
Quit smoking if you do. If you don’t then keep up the good work!
WordWeaver 3 years ago
Cigarettes, alcohol and other "recreational" drugs are just a drain on your resources. A waste!
#68
If you're eating at a mall food court, ask if there's a discount for working at the mall. There usually is and they'll usually just apply it without asking follow up questions.
#69
Hang out with and be friends with people that aren't poor. They may will know of opportunities in their circle of careers. Ones that pay better than what you are getting now.
Lyone Fein 3 years ago
MimiM. True. So this is one big advantage of being a regular at places like the public library, that $10/month gym, etc. You can get to know other people who also hang out in those places. Young parents, upwardly mobile types, etc. These are people who you already have shared interests with, clearly, since you are all regulars at the same spot. It's not outrageous to strike up friendships with new folks you meet in these kinds of places.
Load More Replies... #70
Use a tracker for spending that groups into categories, one category or several need to show you what money you spent that wasn't needed at all or was more costly than needed. It's basically all the advice on here as one thing,
#71
Eat vegetables, super cheap make them good with seasonings and real olive oil. Cut milk consumption. Put that window treatment that you shrink wrap with the hair dryer on the windows, it works wonders in saving on heating bills. Keep the heat on a lower temp. Avoid ac and heat at all costs. I don't like to turn my heat on till it's in the forties. Get a sweater. AC on only to sleep, use fans. Get some of that real thin insulation that is blue on one side and reflective on the other. You can cut it to the size of windows (or leave some space on the sides to lessen heat gain in summer and insulate in winter. The light still comes through and they glow this nice blue. Turns lights off. Meal prep. I could probably think of more.
M O'Connell 3 years ago
If you don't like the idea of living in a house that looks like a meth lab (foil in the windows), they make a film that you wet and apply to the window that's slightly tinted and includes UV and IR reflective layers that help keep the heat out in the summer and inside in the winter. As a test I did half a side-by-side window and there was a noticeable difference.
Evan Connolly 2 months ago
I cut milk consumption because milk has lots of sugar and I am diabetic, and now I have brittle teeth. I dont know if the two are connected, but I started back on milk, anyway.
Isabel Care 3 years ago (edited)
I have indoor hats, wraps and wrist warmers. If you need your hands free, so can't wear gloves or fingerless gloves, use wrist warmers. I made loads from a pound shop fleece scarf. Just a 6 inch long tube that you can get over your hand, then fold it double. Also good for blocking the gap between sleeve and glove. Also, put a folded blanket under the bottom sheet on the bed if you don't have memory foam. Old mattresses quite often lack insulation, and you can't get warm unless you are surrounded by insulation
#72
Salvation army has emergency funds for people who have a one-time emergency with utility bills. Just put a client in touch with them and she got her water bill paid 2 days before shut-off. Use food banks! That's what they are there for. Your local city or state govt often has small financial assistance programs, and mortgage assistance programs. The requirements are pretty stringent but it's worth checking out. If you think you are going to be struggling more in the future, get on the waitlist for section 8 housing NOW. Contact your local social service non-profit; they will know most of the places in your area to get these kind of services and more. Don't forget most cold-weather places have home heating bill assistance depending on income. You may have 211 in your area. It's run by United Way and it's just like 411 except for social services. If you need assistance with something, they may be able to help direct you. I've already made 100$ bucks on [respondent.com](https://respondent.com) and 25$ off of prolific, and I've only been doing them a month. If you are out of work, it's a good way to spend spare time and make a few bucks. Check out all the subreddits on those topics for extra money.
Emma Dakin 3 years ago
The UK here, the water rates and council tax don't tell you but, they have funds to help you pay off debt. they pay themselves!
#73
Take whatever income you make and put 10% into a savings account and forget about it. I've done this since the summer and as a student currently in exam period, I feel a lot more comfortable taking extra time off work to study knowing I have that extra cushion in my savings account to help with my bills/groceries. If you're not a student, having that extra money can really help during an unexpected emergency.
#74
To all my fellow college kids who use chegg as a life line but can't afford it! Use textsheet.com, copy the URL of the blocked chegg page and paste, answer that you're under 13 on the survey so they can't ask u anything else, and Bam! An unlocked text of the problem solution.
farbenzirkel 3 years ago
Tips from 4 years ago - the site had to shut down mainly because of copyright claims.
#75
Apply for free grants or student loans and study a useful major. My life was from ‘I was depressed and couldn’t afford to buy a bottle of water’ to ‘I make 10k dollars worth of salary a month and I am relatively happy’.
#76
Buying item on sale =/ money
M O'Connell 3 years ago
That depends on whether or not it was something you needed. For instance, I always wait for toothpaste and deodorant to be on sale before I buy them, and I buy the sale price limit. It's been a long time since I have had to pay the full retail price on either.
#77
Don’t smoke, drink, do drugs, or play the lottery. Cook at home. Pack lunches. Get Obamacare. Read. Get educated. Work hard. Exercise.
Kate Jones 3 years ago
A lot of things are simply common sense. When you're really struggling, try to omit anything that is considered not a necessity. Another thing I see a lot happening is people using money as a reward system. Don't get me wrong, I understand the struggle of being broke and it's not realistic to never go out or never spend at all especially if you're busting your butt at work and are still barely making it. You have to do something sometimes to give you some motivation to keep going. But try not to give in to the idea that you have 'earned' that new outfit or take out meal or amazon purchase that you don't necessarily need. Every time you give in to that money that could go into your savings. Even if it's just a little bit now, every little bit helps you to crawl out of debt or toward a goal. I'm guilty of doing this myself in the past and I often didn't remember the junk I bought, but I definitely remembered the bill I paid off or hitting that mark in my savings that I finally got to.
#78
Shop out of your neighborhood if you can, the Poor Tax is a real thing. If you have an Aldi in your neighborhood, disregard this advice for groceries.
#79
If you have a disability, use discounts places have for people with it and buy discounted bus passes. The transportation system here gives out $28 dollar passes to those with disabilities, senior citizens and veterans. Use food drives whenever they are offered. Sign up for any food drives that give you free food for the holidays, sign up for backpack buddies. Limit how much you eat a day and cut your portions. Sign up for affordable housing Sign up for any program that helps you save money if you qualify. If you plan to go back to school, sign up for any "free" grants. Cut back on smoking alcohol, drugs, etc. Cancel out luxury foods like pop and juice and desserts and snacks. Shop at any thrift stores or Goodwill and go to Ross or TJ Maxx for Christmas or any birthday shopping. Bundle up in your house to save on heating bill. Sleep under layer of blankets too. Don't go to moves, instead rent at redbox. Have Kindle Unlimited to read all the Kindle unlimited books you want. Go check out books in the library. Go join Google Survey Rewards and earn some cents every time you take a survey and watch all that money add up. Then go buy a book or a game or something on your phone. Join Gamefly and play all those video games than buying a new game every time it releases. Go to places to keep cool and also have fans instead of using AC. Also dress lightly or just go around in your boxers or just sports bra and shorts in your home. Drink tap water than buying it. Find any free events to go to and have fun Shop in clearance. Go buy games used. Join Bookmooch and give your books away on there and also mooch books you want. Go to a bookstore and just read and come back every day to finish reading that book instead of buying it. If you have talent, open a Patreon account, sell your work. Open a Onlyfans account and do stuff on there you know people want to see. Make your own porn videos and sell them.
Marie Dahme 3 years ago
Download Libby. If you love the library but because of a disability (like me) you find it hard to go. Libby allows you to check out books for a few weeks just like a real library. If you already have a library card, great! Download Libby and save yourself a trip.
KitKat 3 years ago
"Open a Onlyfans" and "Make your own porn videos and sell them" is not the best advice or the safest. A Google search by future partners, employers, etc will show this and may have negative consequences...
M O'Connell 3 years ago
I believe the key to that is to create a "screen identity" which is entirely separate from your real identity.
Load More Replies... #80
UK: If there's a heron foods nearby (there should be) they'll do a freezer with "meats" in, and part of it will have a saver bit. You can get f*cktons of boss stuff for about two quid a pop. I'm convinced it's stuff chippies use or even maccies use. If I'm proper skint I can survive off this for two weeks on a tenner.
DuchessDegu 3 years ago
It's a discount supermarket but I don't think they have branches in the South
Load More Replies... What do you think ?
RK Barbo 3 years ago
Powdered milk is your friend!!! Especially for cooking. Always shop off season. The dollar store is NOT always the cheapest!! Still watch DVDs? A lot of p**n shops let you exchange them straight across for other DVDs. Also, you can find all sorts of useful items at p**n shops. Buy cheap solar garden lights and let them charge outside during the day, then bring them in a night and you can cut down on electrical usage.
RK Barbo 3 years ago
Wow....P.a.w.n was censored? That's a bit ridiculous considering porn isn't.
Load More Replies... 
Sapna Sarfare 3 years ago
Public transport is a saviour... Also, look for deals always... free stuff is good. Recently got two tiny cups on a tea box... got the tea and plus good cups... have also got some boxes, bottles and more over stuff. second hand books are good if they are not too old. Ask for books from friends if they dont want some. No shame in that. Stop drinking alcohol or aerated stuff or have them rarely.
Lorna Lay 3 years ago
If you have a gas stove and are going hungry to pay your electric bill, stock up on canned and dry good foods and have it turned off before you get behind. You can use cheap candles for light at night and charge your phone at the library, at work if you’re allowed, or at a friend’s place. Play board games and read for entertainment. You can dry your wet hair over the open oven door and wash your clothes by hand in the sink or tub. Use powdered creamer in your coffee (it also works instead of milk in boxed mac n cheese) and if you want eggs or real cheese for something, buy tiny amounts that can be used up the same day. With all the money you save by having no electric, no internet, and wasting less fridge food, it won’t have to be off for long. Bonus points if gas is included in your rent.
blatherskitenoir 3 years ago
Get a shopping buddy. The bulk size is significantly cheaper, but you might never be able to afford it on your own. Pair up with a friend or another household to pool your funds to buy the huge bags of staple products to split. A 10 lb bag of flour is $4, but a 25 lb one is $8. Split it with a friend, and for your same $4, you'll get an extra 2.5 lbs of flour. Can be a good way to start stocking up. Just make sure your chosen buddy doesn't take advantage; always get the payment upfront.
kristen oschwald 3 years ago
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RK Barbo 3 years ago
Powdered milk is your friend!!! Especially for cooking. Always shop off season. The dollar store is NOT always the cheapest!! Still watch DVDs? A lot of p**n shops let you exchange them straight across for other DVDs. Also, you can find all sorts of useful items at p**n shops. Buy cheap solar garden lights and let them charge outside during the day, then bring them in a night and you can cut down on electrical usage.
RK Barbo 3 years ago
Wow....P.a.w.n was censored? That's a bit ridiculous considering porn isn't.
Load More Replies... Sapna Sarfare 3 years ago
Public transport is a saviour... Also, look for deals always... free stuff is good. Recently got two tiny cups on a tea box... got the tea and plus good cups... have also got some boxes, bottles and more over stuff. second hand books are good if they are not too old. Ask for books from friends if they dont want some. No shame in that. Stop drinking alcohol or aerated stuff or have them rarely.
Lorna Lay 3 years ago
If you have a gas stove and are going hungry to pay your electric bill, stock up on canned and dry good foods and have it turned off before you get behind. You can use cheap candles for light at night and charge your phone at the library, at work if you’re allowed, or at a friend’s place. Play board games and read for entertainment. You can dry your wet hair over the open oven door and wash your clothes by hand in the sink or tub. Use powdered creamer in your coffee (it also works instead of milk in boxed mac n cheese) and if you want eggs or real cheese for something, buy tiny amounts that can be used up the same day. With all the money you save by having no electric, no internet, and wasting less fridge food, it won’t have to be off for long. Bonus points if gas is included in your rent.
blatherskitenoir 3 years ago
Get a shopping buddy. The bulk size is significantly cheaper, but you might never be able to afford it on your own. Pair up with a friend or another household to pool your funds to buy the huge bags of staple products to split. A 10 lb bag of flour is $4, but a 25 lb one is $8. Split it with a friend, and for your same $4, you'll get an extra 2.5 lbs of flour. Can be a good way to start stocking up. Just make sure your chosen buddy doesn't take advantage; always get the payment upfront.
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