Your one money saving tip and approximate amount saved using tip? Anything goes...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Slowly trickle water into brita pitcher when refilling. Tastes much better and filters last much longer.

Unfortunately, can't stop drinking coffee from higher end places. Home-brewed just doesn't do it for me.

I use a brita - why does a trickle work better? I never seem to know when the taste has changed, I kind of wing it.

Also, have you tried nespresso or any other types of brewing methods?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Go on summer vacations in early Sept. This only works for no kids, or grown kids. But airfare and hotel rates drop significantly after labor day, you avoid crowds and the weather is still warm.

Last kid is a senior in HS this year. Can’t wait to be free of the school schedule.

+1 And with long college winter breaks, we're planning on family vacations in mid January. Much more affordable than during the K-12 winter break and for a few years both kids will have time then vs. unpredictable summer schedules because of jobs/internships.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I cook. Probably saves us thousands a year compared to some people.

Don't buy organic or much packaged food.

Make our own coffee. Always. Drip. Store brand. It's fine.

Installed mini-splits to replace underfloor heating. I expect that's saving us thousands a year, as well. We only turn on the units in the rooms we're using.

Ditto on the food stuff. I have lots of simple recipes that I rotate. It’s 15 minutes to cook salmon. Concurrently, cook frozen veggies in 10 minutes. Serve on a warmed plate. I like my coffee perked. I use a simple $35 percolator.

Will you share your 15 min salmon recipe?

Not PP but salmon takes 10-15 minutes to bake (8-10 if you like it undercooked like I do). 400 degree oven, put salmon on baking sheet already cut to the portions you want, season fish, bake. My family most enjoys when I douse it with teriyaki sauce. But really any marinade works, or just do olive oil, salt, pepper and lemon slices. Or whatever spice blend you like.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do my own manicures at home, natural nails only. Not sure what gels or acrylics cost but I think I'm saving at least 50/month. My nails look really good and a couple of ladies have asked me where I get my nails done
with home mani there is the outlay of nice polishes, cuticle oils, nippers, glass files etc. But that pales in comparison to gels. Plus natural nails with a nice polish just look better imo.

I stopped getting manicures and pedicures after covid. Saves a lot! I can clip and file my own nails and nail polish smells toxic anyway. Also, right before covid, I got a cold from a manicurist who was sniffling the whole time and told me she had “allergies.” Yuck- I’m a lot more conscious of things like manicures where people are super close to me for a prolonged period.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My tip:

Meal prep on weekends and bring lunch into work every day. (I work in office setting.) I estimate I save at least $10/day.

I prepackage lunches into individual containers. A typical lunch for me will be a layered grain bowl in a wide jar, with dressing on top. I layer grains (bulgar, einkorn, couscous, kamut etc.) on base, top with cherry tomatoes, cucumber, olives, feta, roasted peppers, spicy chickpeas, greens on top, pistachios. Dressing is a lime cilantro vinaigrette with harissa. It sounds like a lot but it is quick and easy when you make five salad jars, assembly line. Dressing is in its own container so it doesn't get things soggy. The key is to have the same thing everyday for a week, to save money and time. The following week I'll vary it and do a Baja style one with roasted corn jalapeño salad, black beans, brown rice etc.

I don’t think you save money making lunch.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I bake my own bread. It takes 1.5 minutes to load up the bread machine and it tastes SO much better than the store bought. Two 10lb bags of organic flour from Costco ($18) make roughly 20 loafs of bread. So our bread machine investment paid for itself long long time ago.

Timer option is a big plus, there is nothing like the smell of freshly baked bread at 7 am.

This cost me more money. Had to have lots of high quality real butter to slather on that fresh l, aromatic warm bread every morning. I also had to buy all new clothes due to the weight gain.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some of you have made up an expense and then go on to tell how to save money on it.
Last time I had cable was in 2009.
I don't have most of the expenses people are saving money on. One example: food is free at work and can be taken home.
Parking? Free at work and home.
Hair, nails? Don't grow.

Hmm, interesting that you think food is a made-up expense. Also, if your hair and nails don't grow, I'd consult a doctor as soon as possible.

I don't pay for anything except maintenance on my crypt and the occasional treat of pig's blood.

Too expensive. Try a plain hole in the ground, and eat bugs. I save at least $1500/year that way, plus so much protein and forest bathing.

We both work from home and share one car. Savings - no idea, but a lot I think.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Before I make any nonessential purchase, I think long and hard about whether I will be glad 6-12 months from now about the purchase or whether I’ll be more likely to prefer having not spent the money. It stops a lot of impulse buying in its tracks.

This! And make sure you are getting the best price.

If I'm thinking about splurging... I divide the price by my hourly TAKE HOME rate (what actually gets deposited into your account after all - even 401k deductions). Then I ask myself if I really want to work the extra 250 hours (or whatever) for it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ve cut my own hair since I was a teen (it’s very long and straight so easy to trim). How much do haircuts cost? I feel like it’s at least $100/year, so maybe $1500 saved?

My hair's yearly savings:
Cut $200 x 6 = $1200
Blow outs $50 × 104 = $5400
Styling/updos $150 x 30 = $4500
$11, 100 a year saved but I get professional color

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Before I make any nonessential purchase, I think long and hard about whether I will be glad 6-12 months from now about the purchase or whether I’ll be more likely to prefer having not spent the money. It stops a lot of impulse buying in its tracks.

This! And make sure you are getting the best price.

If I'm thinking about splurging... I divide the price by my hourly TAKE HOME rate (what actually gets deposited into your account after all - even 401k deductions). Then I ask myself if I really want to work the extra 250 hours (or whatever) for it.

I do this too, consider my take home pay rate vs. time it would take me to do something myself. So far if I know how to do (or been able to learn how to do something) it I've done it myself.

[Anonymous]

I dye my own hair at home. I also only get pedicures 1-2 times a year as a treat and otherwise do them at home.

But really tbh I’m terrible at saving money. My husband is way better at it.

[Anonymous]

We do second hand for a lot of stuff, particularly furniture. Huge cost savings there. We send the kids to public school. We plan to send the kids to public colleges and universities.

[Anonymous]

DH and I stopped drinking - $20-30/day. $60-$90/month, probably more if you count restaurants/bars.

[Anonymous]

Decided not to have kids. $1-5M saved.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Live with parents. Factoring in rent/mortgage, utilities, food, etc., I probably save $40-50K a year. On a pre-tax basis, that probably equates to $60-$75K of my income a year.

Don’t you feel like a bit of a loser not helping your parents with rent or bills? Sad.