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62% of employees have reduced their short- and long-term savings contributions amid high inflation and concerns about a possible recession. Moreover, 71% of employees said money-related stress has negatively affected their work and personal lives, a 7% increase from 2021.

And while we at Bored Panda don't have the instruments to change the monetary policy, there is something we can do to help the situation. Have a laugh about it. After all, humor makes everything better, doesn't it? So this time, we invite you to join us in exploring the subreddit 'Frugal Jerk.'

Its 147k members constantly share memes about being poor, often taking things to ridiculously extreme levels to accentuate the painful realities of bills, taxes, and everything else related to personal finances.

"We, the proud few who stand on the cutting edge of frugality. We hold our heads high as we steal toilet paper, shoplift lentils, reuse condoms, syringes, and drink our own piss to save multiple dollars each year," the people behind the online community write in its about section.

So continue scrolling to check everything out and don't miss the chat we had about spending and saving with Doug Nordman, who managed to retire at 41 and now runs the website Military Financial Independence and is the author of The Military Guide to Financial Independence and Retirement.

#1

When The Machines Try To Take Over

When The Machines Try To Take Over

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#2

How To Furnish A Home

How To Furnish A Home

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Becky Klebe
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Check out the Johnny Cash song, "One Piece at a Time" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uErKI0zWgjg

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Nordman told Bored Panda the biggest mistake he sees people make in their early steps toward financial independence is trying too hard.

"Frugality is challenging and fulfilling, and it's sustainable," he said. "Deprivation has its uses (paying off credit-card debt) but it can lead to burnout. Strive for work/life balance, lead a quality of life that makes you enjoy the journey, and put your investing in autopilot."

#4

Could Becoming A Murderous Clown Be The Secret To The Ultimate Frugal Lifestyle?

Could Becoming A Murderous Clown Be The Secret To The Ultimate Frugal Lifestyle?

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It's easy to form bad financial habits. For example, a 2021 study found that panic buying transformed into impulsive buying.

The survey of 2,000 online shoppers, commissioned by Slickdeals and conducted by OnePoll discovered that Americans impulsively spend an average of $276 every month. (That adds up to an extra $3,312 spent every year and about $198,720 in a lifetime.)

The most common spontaneous emotional purchases were food and groceries (48%), household items (42%), clothing (40%), and coffee (33%).

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#7

Tip: How To Do Laundry For Free!

Tip: How To Do Laundry For Free!

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#8

Save A Fortune In Christmas Presents

Save A Fortune In Christmas Presents

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Just Jeff
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

New Years Goal: Rekindle old friendships that I've recently ruined

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#9

How To Get Absolutely Hammered (In A Frugal Manner)

How To Get Absolutely Hammered (In A Frugal Manner)

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To get rid of these pesky (and often expensive) habits, we need to be mindful about our budgets.

"Start by understanding your spending," Nordman suggests. "If it's valuable to you then you're willing to work for the extra years of life energy to pay for it."

#10

If You’re Not Part Of The Economic Elite That Can Afford To Flush

If You’re Not Part Of The Economic Elite That Can Afford To Flush

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InvincibleRodent
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Everybody sing it with me: Boss makes a dollar while I make a dime, that's why I poop on company time.

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#11

Cat Trying To Collect Insurance

Cat Trying To Collect Insurance

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Smiley_Cat
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Cat: Oh no i have been hit with this car. I will need to collect $5,000,000 from you

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#12

Deli Meat And A/C Are For Fat Cats

Deli Meat And A/C Are For Fat Cats

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"If it's wasted spending then cut it ruthlessly and invest it in your retirement accounts. Here's the important part: automate your investing so that it's a habit you won't have to decide with every paycheck," Nordman added.

"You used to be a person who lived only for today. Now you’re the person who’s stacking new habits for a better life."

#14

Not A Bad Idea

Not A Bad Idea

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Katy Cordeth
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Pro tip: Defer his second birthday for another year. In the meantime, teach him rudimentary reading/math skills and other stuff. By the time he enters kindergarten, your 'four-year-old' (who's actually five at this point) will be more academically advanced than his peers and the teachers will assume he's gifted. If you're worried he'll be taller than his classmates, limit his diet to non-nutritional food to keep his height down. That's what I did with my three boys. Although it would also work for girls.

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#15

5 Dollar Thrift Store Chair. On Mondays Everything Is Half Off So We Got It For $2.50. Upon Bringing It Inside We Found $3.88 In The Cushions. #blessed

5 Dollar Thrift Store Chair. On Mondays Everything Is Half Off So We Got It For $2.50. Upon Bringing It Inside We Found $3.88 In The Cushions. #blessed

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#16

Join The Revolution, Brothers

Join The Revolution, Brothers

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#17

This Wendy Person Is Clearly An Elitist Fatcat!

This Wendy Person Is Clearly An Elitist Fatcat!

ForgottenJoke Report

It looks like people have been increasingly interested in saving (or earning) an extra dollar. At least on the internet.

For example, membership on the subreddit r/FinancialPlanning grew 87% between June 2020 and 2021 to more than 241,000.

And in the past year, it nearly doubled, reaching 423,000.

#18

This Genius Has A Good Idea About Keeping Rent Low

This Genius Has A Good Idea About Keeping Rent Low

therock21 Report

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Sue User
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have told this story before. Moved into a new house in new neighbor hood. I was outside cleaning my throw rugs with an oldtimey wire thing. Cop pulls up, asks me if i heard anything, they have had reports of gunfire. No, i havent. He drove away. I thought " where have i moved to?" . Picked up the rug beater, hit the carpet. Oh.. um my bad. Beat the carpets a little less vigourously from then on.

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#20

My Father, Smuggling Cheese Slices Into A Local Burger Joint, Rebelling Against Their $.60 Upcharge... Resist!!!

My Father, Smuggling Cheese Slices Into A Local Burger Joint, Rebelling Against Their $.60 Upcharge... Resist!!!

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#21

Imagine Thinking You're Poor When You Have Four Whole Slices Of Bread!

Imagine Thinking You're Poor When You Have Four Whole Slices Of Bread!

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BasedWang12.3
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

this is hella legit... specially when the lights are off because they were Too Much

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Dilly Millandry
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Rather like the forthcoming winter... we've topped up our stock of candles, matches and other 'power-cut' necessities!

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Lisa H
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don't have to imagine this scenario is is literally how I grew up!

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Gin
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We only had the sandwich bread. Hotdogs, burgers and garlic bread... unheard of delights.

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Gg
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We weren't poor but we did all of this. To this day I enjoy a hot dog on white bread, Wonder bread is my preferred hot dog bun.

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cogadh
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I do this now, by choice. I bake my own bread and it's a million times better than store bought loaves or buns.

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Irene McIver
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My sister and I used to toast bread at the electric fire when we were young.

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Karen Grace
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Try having to buy gluten free bread! It runs between $5 - $8 for a 14 oz loaf. And you don't want the $5 one as it's dry and crumbly, not to mention it tastes like cardboard. They've improved a lot the last few years but that comes at a cost.

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steaky
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If I wanna make it fancy. cut it in triangle's and toast it.

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Jack
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Toast first, then cut. I can’t afford those fancy toaster tongs to dig those little triangles out! 😁

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Lea S.
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is still what I do. Why have four different kinds of breads in the house?

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Chris K
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don't think we were poor growing up but I had no idea hot dogs had their own buns till I was like 12 and went to a friends house for a cookout. We used regular 'white' bread for all the above. I still buy Sunbeam or Wonder bread, some hot dogs and a bag of Lays chips occasionally for a comfort food lunch. Takes me back to being a kid and having no worries just for a short while.

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Ozymandias73
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Maaaaaan, that homemade garlic bread was bomb if you did it right!

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Donna Summers
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is also growing up lazy... if this is what is at home for, for example, hot dogs, it becomes hotdogs buns lol

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Bridget Myers
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Heh. Loved a baloney slice with just hot sauce, f**k bread or a plate, straight with the fridge door still open...🦾

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JayWantsACat
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I still do this. I dont eat enough of these types of meals to have different types of bread.

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Gareth Baus
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yeah, I don't particularly like pre sliced bread anymore. Getting a bun was a rare treat growing up.

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Shelby Moonheart
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My husband tells me they used bread like this for everything. But it was only WONDER Bread.

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Don Keideck
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well boo frigging hoo! Some of us had to eat our bread straight up, with no fancy garnish.

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Rebecca Wohl
Community Member
1 year ago

This comment has been deleted.

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LeeAnne B
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I grew up like this but we didn't have sliced bread. If any South Africans are reading this and are past a certain age, they will recall government loaves being used this way.

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For investing-specific conversations and news, over 2.1 million users turn to r/investing. (That subreddit's membership grew 83% between June 2020 and 2021.)

Then there's the subreddit r/personalfinance with a whopping 16.6 million-member army that hosts conversations about anything and everything related to spending, earning, saving, and investing.

So there's much more than memes to discover. Although these are savage, not gonna lie.

#23

This Guy Understands Us

This Guy Understands Us

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#24

Look At Mr Fancy Pants Here With Tupperware. I Use Leaves To Carry My Food

Look At Mr Fancy Pants Here With Tupperware. I Use Leaves To Carry My Food

reddit.com Report

#25

Lpt: Peel All Produce Before Weighing To Save $$$ At The Grocery Store

Lpt: Peel All Produce Before Weighing To Save $$$ At The Grocery Store

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#26

Saving On Graduation Pics

Saving On Graduation Pics

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Sue User
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I actually did this. Just kept the samples of my senior pictures. Luckily only small watermark in corner.

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#27

Easy Grill

Easy Grill

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Alan Green
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Before anybody actually tries this. That's likely made from galvanized steel. You could get zinc poisoning or worse if other metals/compounds are present.

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#28

I Got Outed As A Fat Cat

I Got Outed As A Fat Cat

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#30

I Already Live In A Cardboard Box And Don't Eat, When Do I Get The Money???

I Already Live In A Cardboard Box And Don't Eat, When Do I Get The Money???

notsure500 Report

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