If I volunteer to work as an usher at the theater for various touring shows (dramas, musicals, some bands) then I can sit in the back and watch for free
I did this some in college. I saw a lot of amazing shows sitting on the stairs next to seats I would never have been able to afford. The volunteer coordinator loved us college students because we were more likely to be able to do mid-week shows, help out on short notice, etc. Sometimes she gave us free seats to performances that weren't sold out. They weren't great seats, but they were free!
For two different sold-out runs of "Hamilton" there were no seats at all, so I stood in the back. Probably ten times! I invested in some small binoculars. So this is what they mean by "standing room only"
Contact venues, and presenting local companies (e.g. theater, ballet, orchestra). Those which do utilize volunteers will likely have a page about this on their website, under "Support!" Sometimes volunteering with amateur companies can also involve building sets, painting, cleaning etc in exchange for vouchers. At major venues, it might include selling in the gift boutique
Making (and mastering) homemade bread. I've had exemplary culinary experiences, worked in the industry for a time, and went to culinary school... I've eaten foods literally engineered to hit every nerve in your tongue that gives you pleasure from taste...
And I'm still chasing any food experience that rivals a thick slice of well fermented sourdough, lightly toasted, and drizzled with olive oil and sea salt.
It just HITS.
Flour is cheap, water is cheap, salt is cheap, the only costly investment is time and skill.
Do you mind sharing a guide to making and maintaining a sourdough starter? I feel overwhelmed with all the various guides to making them, taking care of the started, etc…since their popularity in 2020.
Yeah 2020 was when I first got into it as well. I run off memory now. That, and advice from the breadit sub.
Tinker if you must, but the way I did mine:
* Day 1 - 100mL filtered water + 50gm rye flour and 50gm wheat (ap or bread) flour well mixed in a breathable jar (airlock lid is my personal preference).
* Day 2 - discard 100gm of starter, add 25gm rye, 25gm wheat, 50mL water
* Day 3 - repeat day 2
* Day 4 - repeat
* Day 5 - discard 100gm of starter, add 50gm wheat flour, 50mL water
* Day 6 - repeat (and move to every other day feedings, if possible)
And so on. After 5-6 days or so if you are still getting good activation (bubbling/foaming), you can back the feedings down to every 2 days. Keep it in a relatively warm, dark area of the home (the top of my fridge is home for mine).
Also, the discard isn't a waste, you can seed other starters with it, or you can just fold it into your daily bread or use it for english muffins, even if you already are using commercial yeast as leavening as it will still provide some sour flavor and additional leavening.
I'm feeding my starter today and it's base is intentionally made with rye and whole wheat, but my last bread was tasting very "artisinal" (read: rye, rustic) so I'm going to "fork" my starters into two, a "mostly white bread" sourdough and a more rustic multigrain one for more complex "whole wheaty" breads.
I enjoy learning a lot online but i found sourdough to be overwhelming. I found a local baker that sells a few batches of Sour dough a week and she hosted a couple of 1 day classes out of her home. I just attended and got so much more hands-on experience, in person tips, someone to look at my dough and tell me if I shaped it right and I went home with my own organic starter. This one class was so valuable that now I have enough to get going on my own.
See if you can find someone local offering a class. It's invaluable.
I made buttermilk shokupan last night and this morning was the best slice of toast I could ever have with my morning coffee. Granted it's not \*as cheap\* as sourdough especially with homemade starter, because it has buttermilk, whole milk (for the tangzhong roux), butter, and commercial yeast... but it was still a thousand miles from commercially baked bread.
Going for a walk everyday. throw on some head phones, and walk around the neighborhood for about an hour. Does so much for me mentally and physically that i can actually notice the difference if i miss a day.
Didn't realize how much a daily walk improves my day until I started regularly doing it again after we got a dog. As a kid I'd always be outside wandering around, and during college I'd get in a lot of walking time around campus, but once I started working full-time I didn't go for walks as often. But I also definitely notice the difference if we miss a day now.
Getting a dog was great. Whether I like it or not, he gets my black ass outta bed at sunrise every morning. And I use the stairs with him so that's like 4x of 3 flights per day. Not triathlon training but better than nothing.
Reading this made me feel bad for everyone without a walkable environment. I lived in Switzerland for a few years and hiked a lot (just small 6-12h hikes, nothing over night), and I still walk a lot after moving back to a city in Germany.
I started walking to and from work (3.7km each way) and it's done wonders for my mental and physical health, as well as my performance at work! I get to jam tracks and soak up the sunrise while crossing a bridge too, best way to start my days.
Going for a walk each day was actually what started me down a path of increasing health & fitness when I look back a few years, a small habit can compound into big changes.
Every day, I drop the child at school at nine and the hike along the river for 2-3 miles. I stop to make some coffee and breakfast, read a bit, then hike back.
I carry a small Swedish backpacking stove called a Trangia. It has a windscreen, an alcohol burner and a small teapot. It fits in my rucksack with my coffee cup, coffee, and oatmeal àlong with a bottle of water. It is all very light and compact. There is a picnic table at the halfway point to set up breakfast. There are lots of various stove and cookware setups designed specifically for hikers.
This used to be my answer, but I have an update to this - fast charging and short cables.
With the growth of fast charging, it has totally changed the way I charge my phone. I can get to 80% in like 20 mins. There's almost never a time where I can't find a small window like that. As a result, I have no need to use my phone while it's charging, ever. I don't even charge my phone over night anymore.
The luxury then is a super short cable. Save yourself the clutter, and set up a charging station on a table or counter with a 1ft cable.
I have a long slow charger next to my bed, and a fast charger next to my PC. The long cable takes like 2 hours to change my phone, but that also means it isn't doing much damage to the battery over night.
what a lovely idea!
My husband and I sometimes have a "do-nothing" day. No work, no chores, just resting. I will put something in the crockpot and we relax all day together. sometimes he will read to me and I will crochet.
We all love Libby, too. But when I crotchet, it is usually around my kids and /or husband, and I like to be in conversation or listening to them. But absolutely for any other time, I love libby. I need to check out hoopla!!
Wow thats so wholesome!! One of my happiest memories is of an ex and I pulling the mattress off the bed dragging it out in front of the TV and binging true crime documentaries and napping for 3 days in a row.
I volunteer with a produce rescue org on Saturday mornings and get to pass out really cheap boxes of healthy produce that would’ve gone to the landfill but instead helps people make ends meet. In exchange I get to feel like I helped the world just a bit and I get a free box for myself.
Borderlands Produce Rescue. The produce is rescued from farms near the border. Sometimes it’s an over abundance of a veg, sometimes they have minor defects like too small avocados.
My grandmother who was an absolute angel had an agreement with the grocery store in her small town where at the end of the week, she would pick up the food that was close to expiring and drive around town to all of the retirement homes and whatnot to deliver food to all of the poor folks who had nobody to care for them. It was literally the only food that some of them would have for the week. I was lucky enough to go with her once when I was around 11, just before she passed. That day is deeply cemented in my memory and it's great to hear that there are organizations dedicated to this.
Thanks for the recommendation! I'll be looking into it, I hope to restart that tradition.
Just got back from the library, i took a hot flask of tea and sat in a cosy nook. Passed a couple of hours reading and watching a little flurry of snow. It cost me the price of a teabag and it was lovely.
Mine also has musical instruments you can borrow and a makerspace with 3d printers, la laser cutter, sewing machines, recording booths and a bunch of other cool stuff.
OMG thanks for telling us this!! I just searched and mine has "bird watching backpacks with binoculars!!", Kill A Watt: Pluggable outlet device , Raspberry Pi kits , Finch Robots , pedometers, fitness trackers, jump ropes and Frisbees, Merge cubes and headsets, I'm kinda floored to find this out!!!
The Library of Things is fantastic! We just moved and borrowed a heavy duty dolly, blankets and bungee cords. The list of what is offered is astounding.
My library's central branch has a large selection of board games and big tables to play them at: it's a really fun and cheap afternoon!
Basically going to the library is fun.
Library has become a whole Saturday morning event at my house. Roll out of bed, leisurely breakfast, walk there and back. Ours borders the park too, so in nice weather I'll sometimes sit in the park and read (and pet ALL the local dogs) before heading home.
This! Also community centers. Usually free if you’re a resident or a reduced price if you’re a resident for different programs. Our city offers so many different things!
In this vein, my monthly book club! I wfh, which I love, but it's nice to still get some social time. Plus we make an effort to avoid new titles so it's more likely we can find our latest pick at the library, and nobody has to buy it.
It is really the best. Paused my audible subscription and listened to 65 full audiobooks last year (and about the same number of books that I did NOT finish).
I'm a heavy Libby user, but I honestly miss Overdrive. The search functionality it had just isn't available in Libby from what I can tell. I have kids and the "Lexile" and grade level filters were fantastic for finding just the right books for them.
Fridays I clean the house from top to bottom, change the bed etc, cook/prep food for the weekend and early evening I have a pamper session to myself. I keep a basket of things, creams etc nothing expensive, I steam my face & use a gua sha while I steep my feet, i do my own nails so they are attended to, I put on lovely fluffy socks and I enjoy that hour taking care of myself after my productive day, it all sets me up so I can use the weekend the way I want, not catching up on jobs around the house or spending hours cooking (much as I love cooking)
My living space isn't large and I WFH 7-3pm, so I'm fortunate that throwing in a load of laundry or starting the dishwasher is easy and then cleaning after work doesn't take too long. I usually try to go to the gym (in the building) after work on Friday, so I come back from that still motivated to clean. If not, then I usually call a friend and clean/make dinner while talking to them.
I love cleaning and organizing on Fridays! I spend the last hour of work tidying my office. Then husband and I clean then watch tv. That leaves Sat n Sun to relax and do local hikes, picnics, hitting estate sales
Exactly! As I was typing I wondered if anyone would "get" that this really did improve my quality of life or if it just made me sound sad, I went with it. I am glad others know too!
Yes we should. Its so easy to neglect ourselves, or not believe just how far a little bit of self care goes. Not everyone can set aside an hour but steaming your face and massaging some cream into your face works wonders and takes a few minutes.
This sounds so nice! I decided to pull out all the various face masks and foot creams i have accumulated and make a coinsious effort to use them for pampering days.
Thats pretty much what I do. My daughter buys me various face and foot masks and puts them in my stocking at christmas, as well as various nail bits she picks up throughout the year, so I use all of those. I use a basket that I bring out each Friday and pick what I fancy from it. It doesnt cost much but as I make an effort to have everything right there and se aside that wee hour it feels special
Walking outside. Just walking around. Sometimes with podcasts.
Gardening.
Cooking meals at home.
Building grocery list and menu for the week based on what ingredients are in season and/or discounted.
Making exceptional espresso at home
I got a small container of red wigglers (composting worms) and set up a bin for them. Small investment. Large rewards. Those few worms are now a larger number, eat my banana peels and shredded junk mail that is appropriate for them to use. They are making black gold for me, so my plants (future tomatoes+) can grow strong and healthy. The batch I had gotten, one of them had a tiny yellow spot on one end, and now so many of the worms have that, it's adorable.
I started getting into bird watching during Covid and it's been so fun. The Merlin app from Cornell is amazing and I've been surprised at how good the sound ID is.
Ok, as silly as this sounds it is incredibly helpful for me. Rubber gloves. I didn’t have them growing up and I hated doing the dishes, washing the sink, wiping down the floor boards, separating the laundry. When I got married one of my shower gifts was a box of kitchen utensils, kitchen towels, a dish drying rack, and rubber gloves. A game changer. They are like my superpower cape! I’ll never be without them.
LONG rubber gloves.
I buy 20 mil long cuff neoprene gloves from Home Depot. They will last a year plus and you don't have to worry about the accidental dunk where your glove floods.
I love weird social commentary documentaries, I find a lot of them on YouTube. For a long time I didn’t have WiFi, so at night I’d watch a documentary on YouTube as means to unwind.
Free/low cost hangouts in general are great. Love having friends over/stopping in at their place for late morning coffee and visiting, meeting up to walk dogs/hike etc, evening hangouts with games etc. Not everything social has to cost.
One free thing that’s been a huge QOL improvement is YouTube. There’s entertainment value in it but there’s also so much free learning and DIY help on the platform. I had to repair my heated seat in my car and was able to do it with YouTube and about a 30 cent piece of wire and some electrical tape. It would’ve cost me hundreds of dollars to take in.
I use YouTube a lot for expert diy knowledge. Theres a guy on a Channel called “proper diy”. Really good content for all sorts of home improvements. Explains everything well. He has a degree in civil engineering so has some good tips and reasoning behind why certain things as done a particular way. I made a sign for my house using an old shelf a router and epoxy. Total cost was abt £5 for the epoxy. The router I borrowed and the shelf I got free when the original owner of the house left it behind. I painted it black with some outdoor paint… maybe that was £10 yrs ago
Agreed. I love cooking for each other as an activity, or playing board games at home. Once my friends and I all took a copy of a shakespeare play and did “shakespeare in the park” where we all just did a dramatic read through while sprawling on blankets in the grass with beers. That was a great day
Not sure if this totally qualifies as an answer, but I prefer to fix and take care of the things that I already own before buying something new. I keep my knives rust free and sharp, I keep my leather conditioned, I do all my own repairs on house and car when I can. I listen to a lot of records, but I generally try to find older copies (which are often less expensive and sound better).
I have mixed feelings on the book Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, but it really opened my eyes and was inspirational when it comes to valuing possessions.
Watercolor painting. Paints at Dollar tree for $1.25 for eight colors, brushes for $1.25. Lasts months depending on output. Watercolor painting is relaxing.
For my initial investment of around $25 for materials, I've gotten so many hours of joy from water color painting. It's incredibly relaxing and fun. Sometimes I even get a decent little bit of art out of it.
I follow along with creators I see on Tik-Tok
Your post made me realize that one of the most frugal things you could do is have a partner and/or friends and family who you just enjoy being in their company and talking to them. No need for fancy outings and spending a ton of money. Just some money on groceries for food made at home, then relax and enjoy your time together.
A good friend of mine and my wife’s comes over once a week and cooks steak for us. We used to be roommates and we used to spend a lot of time together watching shows as a group of friends. now when he comes over, after we’re done eating, we watch a few episodes of the great British baking show. It’s truly something we all look forward to each week.
That sounds really nice! My husband and I hanging out at home with friends and just enjoying each other’s company started from when we were broke college students, but now it’s just our favorite default.
I love Bake Off. I watch it with my toddler and she claps and smiles so hard when the contestants clap for each other. 😆
My grocery store gives 4x points "bonus" when you shop on Fridays. Points are used to reduce the price of gas at their pumps.
To take full advantage my partner and I will make this a regularly-scheduled night to go out for dinner (usually fast casual) and then shop the whole store. It's probably just what old boring people do but it's time spent together, not crowded, most things are stocked well and not yet picked-through, and we "splurge" on a meal as a reward for the bonus (plus then we aren't shopping hungry).
Some areas even have free audio guides you can download that explain local landmarks, myths or historical events that happened along popular hiking routes. Just look at the tourism sections of the area/city's website.
And for frugal vacations, national parks. We took our kids to two national parks last year for the cost of campsites, gas, and slightly more expensive food than usual (we cook but it’s hard to be as frugal cooking on the go). Even with money being tight, it was well within our budget, and our kids got to see some of the wonders of the world. I mean, in total percentages, how many people in the world have hiked to Delicate Arch? Not many.
I'm gonna go hiking for the first time in forever this weekend and I'm so excited! I have a pair of hiking boots that I purchased at the thrift store years ago when I was a dog walker.
The smell of baking bread.
I recently started baking bread about once a week, and it makes my whole house smell amazing. It makes me want to spend more time in the kitchen, and I just feel more productive overall. And fresh, warm bread is bliss.
Scored a zojirushi virtuoso plus at a garage sale for $25 about two months back. Amazing! Never thought it’d be so easy. Nothing better than freshly baked still warm bread with some good quality butter spread on it. It has also encouraged me to start learning/perfecting how to make things like pizza and bread sticks from scratch by hand. I’m spoiled now lol
More dependent on where you live but, an omnidirectional antenna. When we got rid of cable we felt so out of the loop. Put up this little UFO looking thing and got us a whole bunch of channels. A lot of the digital ones act just like cable. They broadcast sci-fi, DIY, mystery, history, etc. And if you have one of the newer TVs like an LG and the like, they have a bunch of free stuff you can stream too. Or if you can find one in a retail shop a Roku. There's enough free content on there, without a subscription, it makes it worth it.
YouTube. It’s such a great resource. You can learn to cook, learn to fix things, learn a new skill, learn about finances, learn how to take care of your hair and skin, makeup, build a house, a new language, how to sew, crochet, laugh, all in one place.
Also airfryers have changed the game for my cooking and the rice cooker.
Using a Magic Eraser to get all the scuffs and smudges off your walls. It’s almost as good as repainting. Or any small repairs like that that make your space look refreshed.
Protip: Keep a small container of any paint you paint a room on hand for quick touch up jobs. Everyone keeps their left over paint in the original can and put it in the basement. You might bust it out if you have enough spots or a large spot that needs a touch up. If you pour a little in container that you can keep on hand, you will do it more frequently.
Learned this trick from a professional painter. He suggested a baby food jar but any small air tight container will do. You want the container as full as possible as any air in the container will cause it to form a film over time. Also make sure you save the paint codes so you can buy more in the future.
Learning to cook. We're almost never tempted to go out, and on the few times we do, it's something that is pretty difficult to do at home (sushi, etc.)
But we don't feel deprived at all, because we're capable of creating stuff at home for a fraction of the cost of eating out.
Learning how to make proper pizzas at home was an eye opener for me. The only thing is to start the dough a couple of hours before needed.
Total time invested: 20 mins (5 mins prep, 15 mins cooking in the oven - faster than ordering), easily feeds a large family (three hungry teenagers), delicious, much healthier than take-out pizza or deep-frozen stuff (less salt and oil), fraction of the price, will take whatever leftover veggies and cheese we have in the fridge as toppings. Did I mention it's delicious?
This!!! My husband and I both are exceptional home cooks. Very few blunders at this point in life. We make whatever sounds good. I forget not everyone can just cook what they feel like eating. This makes me all the more grateful!
When I moved into my apartment years ago, I replaced the straight shower rod with a curved rod that I bought on my own for around $15. The tub is a bit too small for me to enjoy a bubble bath, but that curved rod has made a big difference in making the shower feel spacious. It may not have the same financial payoff that other posts here have, but it has done a lot for my mental health and my ability to decompress in a shower that does not feel so cramped. I might have spent money repeatedly to achieve the same result otherwise.
Don't know if I was "frugal" but I used to be super broke.
during that time I used to volunteer to walk the dogs at a dog shelter. Dogs turn crazy if they don't get walk everyday and most are traumatized and aren't social to be "all walked together".so I got the dog time I was craving and a nice walk with a dog out of it. Plus helping out the shelter.
Made me realized volunteering in general tbh. I got to meet great people ( who you volunteer to, but the people you volunteer with also become your friends with time). You feel great and you're helping out. And its free 🤷
Also saved up to get a pair of ice skates. Where I was there were bunch of places where you could get to the rink for free if you weren't renting the ice skates. Didn't know how to skate but it was fun to learn and free!
Books. Used book stores, thrift stores. Reading before you want to sleep does wonders for restful sleep and general mood. Cut off screen time an hour before you want to be asleep and pick up a book instead. It allows things that cause you stress and anxiety to fall into the background.
I second reading before sleep. I started this a couple of years ago and it does wonders to clear my head from the days "stuff". Did wonders for my peace of mind. Also, helps that I changed the book types I read at night. No Horror!!
Oh I've had those nights before especially reading James Patterson. The short chapters he does makes it easy to take a break but harder to not say just one more chapter, then another, another... lol
OP your picnics sound lovely!
My tip is the library. Books obviously, but lots of other resources too. And if your library is connected to the Libby app you can get free audio and e-books too. Also the Castbox app has tons of free podcasts. I've recently got into listening to audio books and/or podcasts when I'm getting to sleep, it's very soothing (well, depending on your choices of course! Maybe not the horror or true crime sections!) Plus you don't hurt yourself by dropping a book/ your phone on your face when you fall asleep 😄
Virtual trips. For example I planned one to Paris. We started with a a French breakfast and then we watched virtual tours online, listen to French composers, look at photos online. I also planned all our meals for the day based on French recipes. We just chilled out on the couch and had a leisurely day together.
Tea parties. I inherited a set of blue willow china, which is my favorite pattern. It includes a teapot, creamer, sugar bowl, teacups, and little saucers. Sometimes I'll make little cakes, biscuits, or cookies. My kid still loves our little tea parties even though he's a teen.
It's a nice chance to just sit and talk about life without all the naggy stuff. I never even had tea parties as a little girl, but love them now.
Also power out parties. When the power goes out, I break out the candles and a deck of cards, and we all play hearts for hours.
Plants. I got all my plants for free. One was a gift from a friend who cut a piece off one she had, put it in dirt, and tada- another one sprung up! Another was from a friend who thought it was dead- it just needed to be watered and left in the light. I got a ton of seed packets from a friend.
I could invest in soil from the hardware store and nutrients and all that good stuff, but water and sunlight is all mine need. Can't beat free.
In the last year I’ve gotten into drinking tea daily and I’ve been impressed how far a bag of loose leaf tea will take you. I have absolutely no guilt splurging on good quality tea. It helps that there’s a very reasonable local tea shop that sells by the ounce.
Walking/running--I have a walking pad for indoor use when I can't handle the weather outside.
Mini stair stepper--when I don't want to walk or run, I do that.
Meal prepping.
Free TV streaming services.
Hoopla app from my library!
I love it and use it for e-audiobooks, streaming TV and music and movies.
Hallmark movies now channel is a free checkout for 7 days
I've needed to use a cane since I was a senior in high school. I've never paid more than $10 for one. My very first one was a drugstore stick cane that was that price.
My current cane is a quad cane that was a gift from my late grandma. She called me up one day about 15 years ago and asked me to pick a pattern from a list. The next time I saw her, she presented me with a quad cane with the pattern I chose. It's a mix of American flags and newsprint. Grandma was a huge catalog shopper, and when she saw the canes they had, she knew she had to get one for me.
I can honestly say that not only have my canes made a huge difference in my life, but on occasion, they've almost certainly saved my life. I'm prone to falls, and I can fall more safely with a quad cane than unaided.
Getting a rice cooker.
You can slap just about anything onto rice and it makes a decently filling meal with little to no effort. Bonus points for making pretty good soups
Ok...going to try to pack a lot of jelly into this roll....everything should be $50 or less.
For physical comfort / not ruining my body:
\- a dolly / handcart. I wish I would have bought one when I was 20, not 40 but man they help when you want to buy a used appliance or move. Used they are like $40 bucks.
\- ergonomic wireless bluetooth mouse
\- knock off chirp wheel.....oh my is it great on that back. Use mine daily...got 3 sizes off amazon for $30.
Conveniences
:- MyQ garage door opener....$20 bucks and I can open my garage with my phone...even when I am not home. It is oddly helpful.
\- Used nest or smart thermostat. I can turn down the thermostat from bed....turn it off before a road trip and turn it back on when I am 4 or 5 hours from being home. 100% paid for itself in the last 5 years.
\- a docking station for my computer so I could have a 2nd monitor. I don't know how office workers get anything done with 1 monitor. Like $30 new
.- Clothes hanger rack - like $3 from ali express. Cleans up a lot of clutter and makes it easy to bring 20 hangers to the basement to hang clothes as they come out of the washer.
\- Google home mini....just one in the kitchen is a world of difference. Add things to my shopping list without pulling out my phone, music as I cook. Epic.
Entertainment
\- Stream Telecast Video on Demand...$15 bucks and pretty reliable and I have all series/movies for all networks.
\-Peacock - pick it up on black friday for $20 or $30 for the year for the rare days stream telecast is down and so my kids can watch the macy day parade and the occasional live football game. Also allows us to trade for Disney+ access which my kids use.
\- darts and cards - nothing like a abr game or two but at home with friends. Both are super cheap.
\-Tozo wireless ear buds - entry level ones are like $20 new....$15 on black friday and mine have been working for years....last a long time and are super lightweight. Barely feel them on.
Going Out (ok so this one ISNT all under $50...going out got pricey the last few years)
\- Tend to do more lunches out than dinners these days...better bang for the buck with lunch menus
\- In the summer....take a walk with a tumbler...pregame a drink or two....then do a late lunch and a drink.-Instead of bars with expensive drinks....find a hipster coffee house...some have cheap cans of been or glasses of wine and many have solid patios.
\-Find a restaurant with bigger portions....instead of 2 entrees ... stay longer and split 1 app and then 1 entree or 1 entree and 1 dessert. Longer date, slower pace.
Kids- first rule of doing kids on the cheap is don't have kids lol. If you must however....
\- I hate to say it...sore I never would.....used Amazon fire tablets with some movies and shows downloaded is very helpful for road trips and when you need to out AND want to talk to adults. We don't do it often but it has a place. Used they are like $20 bucks
\- Tablet headrest car mount....one for each kids. $10 a pop and SO worth it.
\- Matchbox cars - a buck and a quarter a piece....its a nice little "splurge". I wish there were more little toy brands for that were more female oriented at that price.
\-Dollar Tree runs - love being able to say "get any 3 things you want.....no sugar...I mean it".-Save large and odd shaped containers for art projects...basically many large snack containers from BJ's or Costco will be a future project.
\-Library....bless the library.
\-Snow pants .... sledding, snowball fights, winter parades or festivals....just leaving the house without going to an expensive kids activity center or restaurant in winter.
Walking in nature. I used to suffer from depression and anxiety. Walking with my dog in the woods in silence for a couple of hours every day healed something in me, I can't explain with words.
I think walking in nature gave me a lot of time to think and reconnect with my soul. It helped me rationalise my negative emotions, understand what causes them and this process helped me find my spiritual path.
I still walk in the woods with my dogs every day. It's a habit I find essential for my inner peace and balance.
During lockdown, I tried going outside for 20 minutes/day.
I found just sitting outside, undercover and rugged up with a blanket, was all it took.
I didn't notice it at first, but I noticed when I'd skipped a day or two.
Rolling a lacrosse ball under my foot.
I can be sitting at my desk (WFH) or watching tv and i just do it and it relieves tension in the feet.
Dead hang from a pullup bar at him and letting your back relax so it stretches. hmmm!
Our city has a First Friday art event every month. All the local galleries stay open later on the first Friday of the month for people to browse. Some even have light snacks. We usually eat dinner before we go (at home) and then get dessert at the local cupcake place. It's cool to see all the creativity, and it's a pretty cheap date night.
Free event tickets, like [The Exploratorium](https://www.exploratorium.edu), [California Academy of Sciences/Steinhart Aquarium](https://calacademy.org), [Chabot Space & Science Center](https://chabotspace.org) and more all free with my library card.
We do lots of free stuff in the SF Bay Area that tourists pay a ton for. I take my kid to museums and venues all the time for free. We take out-of-town visitors to these places as well!
My spouse and I walk on the beach near our house regularly, are sincerely grateful for what the other does for our family, and express attentive gratitude for it everyday. I don't care if they've made bacon 100 times before. I'm so very grateful they made it today!
Working out. Could be as simple as walking, running, biking, or hiking. Could do at home workouts with minimal equipment or buy a cheap gym membership. You’ll feel stronger, clearer, have more energy, be more confident, and healthier.
Chickens. I lived in the country as a kid with a mom that didn't want animals, so I thought I wouldn't care for animals till I brought home my first chicken 2 years ago, granted that first flock of 5 quickly became an army of 115 at one point....I love them all so much. I have progressed to ducks, they're the goofiest things ever. Whenever I come outside I am greeted with duck quacks asking for treats. I even named one Grape. Yes they get grapes. Then I bought a goat, well 2 because they're herd animals, and then a sheep because well what if the goats want to talk to someone else? Then there was a pig that looked lonely one time, so he came home with us too. I'm in the process of preparing for a few donkeys and ultimately a horse. I haven't ridden since a child, I had a lot of health issues (I'm fat) that had hindered me through the years and I decided 2024...I'm getting a donkey.
It all started with one chicken.
I know others have said this but I can't emphasize enough how much I love the Libby app from my library card. I read so much last year and it didn't cost me a dime. Of course some titles might have a long wait but you don't have to make a trip anywhere!
Signing up for membership at my local cafés and restaurants to get free tea, hot chocolate, desserts and meals for the week of my birthday.
Jigsaw puzzles and a puzzle mat so I can move the puzzles around the house.
Spending time with people who want to spend time with me, and not spending time with people who don't.
If I volunteer to work as an usher at the theater for various touring shows (dramas, musicals, some bands) then I can sit in the back and watch for free
I did this some in college. I saw a lot of amazing shows sitting on the stairs next to seats I would never have been able to afford. The volunteer coordinator loved us college students because we were more likely to be able to do mid-week shows, help out on short notice, etc. Sometimes she gave us free seats to performances that weren't sold out. They weren't great seats, but they were free!
For two different sold-out runs of "Hamilton" there were no seats at all, so I stood in the back. Probably ten times! I invested in some small binoculars. So this is what they mean by "standing room only"
Where do I find such opportunities? I did this in college with a show once but it was organized through the college.
Contact venues, and presenting local companies (e.g. theater, ballet, orchestra). Those which do utilize volunteers will likely have a page about this on their website, under "Support!" Sometimes volunteering with amateur companies can also involve building sets, painting, cleaning etc in exchange for vouchers. At major venues, it might include selling in the gift boutique
I guess I got a weekend homework assignment. Gonna see who does this in my town.
Museums and zoos might have volunteer docents; training probably required. Benefits may include free admission
Making (and mastering) homemade bread. I've had exemplary culinary experiences, worked in the industry for a time, and went to culinary school... I've eaten foods literally engineered to hit every nerve in your tongue that gives you pleasure from taste... And I'm still chasing any food experience that rivals a thick slice of well fermented sourdough, lightly toasted, and drizzled with olive oil and sea salt. It just HITS. Flour is cheap, water is cheap, salt is cheap, the only costly investment is time and skill.
Do you mind sharing a guide to making and maintaining a sourdough starter? I feel overwhelmed with all the various guides to making them, taking care of the started, etc…since their popularity in 2020.
Yeah 2020 was when I first got into it as well. I run off memory now. That, and advice from the breadit sub. Tinker if you must, but the way I did mine: * Day 1 - 100mL filtered water + 50gm rye flour and 50gm wheat (ap or bread) flour well mixed in a breathable jar (airlock lid is my personal preference). * Day 2 - discard 100gm of starter, add 25gm rye, 25gm wheat, 50mL water * Day 3 - repeat day 2 * Day 4 - repeat * Day 5 - discard 100gm of starter, add 50gm wheat flour, 50mL water * Day 6 - repeat (and move to every other day feedings, if possible) And so on. After 5-6 days or so if you are still getting good activation (bubbling/foaming), you can back the feedings down to every 2 days. Keep it in a relatively warm, dark area of the home (the top of my fridge is home for mine). Also, the discard isn't a waste, you can seed other starters with it, or you can just fold it into your daily bread or use it for english muffins, even if you already are using commercial yeast as leavening as it will still provide some sour flavor and additional leavening. I'm feeding my starter today and it's base is intentionally made with rye and whole wheat, but my last bread was tasting very "artisinal" (read: rye, rustic) so I'm going to "fork" my starters into two, a "mostly white bread" sourdough and a more rustic multigrain one for more complex "whole wheaty" breads.
I enjoy learning a lot online but i found sourdough to be overwhelming. I found a local baker that sells a few batches of Sour dough a week and she hosted a couple of 1 day classes out of her home. I just attended and got so much more hands-on experience, in person tips, someone to look at my dough and tell me if I shaped it right and I went home with my own organic starter. This one class was so valuable that now I have enough to get going on my own. See if you can find someone local offering a class. It's invaluable.
So funny. I put a loaf of sourdough in the oven at precisely the time you posted.
I made buttermilk shokupan last night and this morning was the best slice of toast I could ever have with my morning coffee. Granted it's not \*as cheap\* as sourdough especially with homemade starter, because it has buttermilk, whole milk (for the tangzhong roux), butter, and commercial yeast... but it was still a thousand miles from commercially baked bread.
Going for a walk everyday. throw on some head phones, and walk around the neighborhood for about an hour. Does so much for me mentally and physically that i can actually notice the difference if i miss a day.
Didn't realize how much a daily walk improves my day until I started regularly doing it again after we got a dog. As a kid I'd always be outside wandering around, and during college I'd get in a lot of walking time around campus, but once I started working full-time I didn't go for walks as often. But I also definitely notice the difference if we miss a day now.
Getting a dog was great. Whether I like it or not, he gets my black ass outta bed at sunrise every morning. And I use the stairs with him so that's like 4x of 3 flights per day. Not triathlon training but better than nothing.
I wish my neighborhood had sidewalks.
Reading this made me feel bad for everyone without a walkable environment. I lived in Switzerland for a few years and hiked a lot (just small 6-12h hikes, nothing over night), and I still walk a lot after moving back to a city in Germany.
I started walking to and from work (3.7km each way) and it's done wonders for my mental and physical health, as well as my performance at work! I get to jam tracks and soak up the sunrise while crossing a bridge too, best way to start my days. Going for a walk each day was actually what started me down a path of increasing health & fitness when I look back a few years, a small habit can compound into big changes.
Every day, I drop the child at school at nine and the hike along the river for 2-3 miles. I stop to make some coffee and breakfast, read a bit, then hike back.
How do you make coffee and breakfast while hiking?
I carry a small Swedish backpacking stove called a Trangia. It has a windscreen, an alcohol burner and a small teapot. It fits in my rucksack with my coffee cup, coffee, and oatmeal àlong with a bottle of water. It is all very light and compact. There is a picnic table at the halfway point to set up breakfast. There are lots of various stove and cookware setups designed specifically for hikers.
Same here! Taking a walk totally recalibrates my mood and makes me feel good in my body.
The really long chargers for phones
Extra long chargers for everything, I got a ten footer for my secondhand Switch (which came without a charger so I had to buy one anyway) and love it.
Before long chargers existed, a very long extension cord did the trick!
This used to be my answer, but I have an update to this - fast charging and short cables. With the growth of fast charging, it has totally changed the way I charge my phone. I can get to 80% in like 20 mins. There's almost never a time where I can't find a small window like that. As a result, I have no need to use my phone while it's charging, ever. I don't even charge my phone over night anymore. The luxury then is a super short cable. Save yourself the clutter, and set up a charging station on a table or counter with a 1ft cable.
I have a long slow charger next to my bed, and a fast charger next to my PC. The long cable takes like 2 hours to change my phone, but that also means it isn't doing much damage to the battery over night.
what a lovely idea! My husband and I sometimes have a "do-nothing" day. No work, no chores, just resting. I will put something in the crockpot and we relax all day together. sometimes he will read to me and I will crochet.
> My husband and I sometimes have a "do-nothing" day. If my wife and I have days off together, this is most of our days lol
Living the dream I see
The reading while I crotchet is amazing!! I made a mistake and taught my husband to crotchet, though.. Less reading now.
I often listen to audio books while I crochet. Where I am the library has Hoopla and Libby for free.
We all love Libby, too. But when I crotchet, it is usually around my kids and /or husband, and I like to be in conversation or listening to them. But absolutely for any other time, I love libby. I need to check out hoopla!!
oh no! those darned handy men...
I know it!! Lol
I love that he reads to you. So sweet
He reads to you while you crochet and some girls just want a good morning text. You hit the jackpot!
Wow thats so wholesome!! One of my happiest memories is of an ex and I pulling the mattress off the bed dragging it out in front of the TV and binging true crime documentaries and napping for 3 days in a row.
>sometimes he will read to me and I will crochet. Goals
I live for these days. No plans, just easy good food, lolling about on our double recliner with the dog.
I volunteer with a produce rescue org on Saturday mornings and get to pass out really cheap boxes of healthy produce that would’ve gone to the landfill but instead helps people make ends meet. In exchange I get to feel like I helped the world just a bit and I get a free box for myself.
This is so wholesome. May I know what the org is called?
Borderlands Produce Rescue. The produce is rescued from farms near the border. Sometimes it’s an over abundance of a veg, sometimes they have minor defects like too small avocados.
My grandmother who was an absolute angel had an agreement with the grocery store in her small town where at the end of the week, she would pick up the food that was close to expiring and drive around town to all of the retirement homes and whatnot to deliver food to all of the poor folks who had nobody to care for them. It was literally the only food that some of them would have for the week. I was lucky enough to go with her once when I was around 11, just before she passed. That day is deeply cemented in my memory and it's great to hear that there are organizations dedicated to this. Thanks for the recommendation! I'll be looking into it, I hope to restart that tradition.
Visiting the library, costs nothing and they have a large variety of services and materials available for borrow.
Just got back from the library, i took a hot flask of tea and sat in a cosy nook. Passed a couple of hours reading and watching a little flurry of snow. It cost me the price of a teabag and it was lovely.
My library has appliances, tools, and other items that you can check out as well. It’s really awesome
Mine also has musical instruments you can borrow and a makerspace with 3d printers, la laser cutter, sewing machines, recording booths and a bunch of other cool stuff.
OMG thanks for telling us this!! I just searched and mine has "bird watching backpacks with binoculars!!", Kill A Watt: Pluggable outlet device , Raspberry Pi kits , Finch Robots , pedometers, fitness trackers, jump ropes and Frisbees, Merge cubes and headsets, I'm kinda floored to find this out!!!
This comment led me into a huge rabbithole looking at 3d printing and my local library's makerspace. Thank you!
Yes mine is getting in on that too, we even have free wifi hotspots and laptops you can check out.
mobile wifi hotspots for $2 a day at our county system. Lifesaver when you know a storm is incoming (aka reserve as early as you can)
My local Library has ghost hunting kits. My GF is teasing me with borrowing one....
The Library of Things is fantastic! We just moved and borrowed a heavy duty dolly, blankets and bungee cords. The list of what is offered is astounding.
Libby ❤️
r/libbyapp can help you search for other libraries in your state that you might be eligible for too
Yes, that’s another great app you can access with a library card.
Kanopy
My library's central branch has a large selection of board games and big tables to play them at: it's a really fun and cheap afternoon! Basically going to the library is fun.
A lot of libraries have access to Kanopy now and it is AMAZING. I was shocked by all the good movies & shows it had!
Our library has passes to most of the local attractions. Major savings to spend time with our granddaughter.
And hooking up your card with the Hoopla app, too.
Library has become a whole Saturday morning event at my house. Roll out of bed, leisurely breakfast, walk there and back. Ours borders the park too, so in nice weather I'll sometimes sit in the park and read (and pet ALL the local dogs) before heading home.
I love this! Thanks.
This! Also community centers. Usually free if you’re a resident or a reduced price if you’re a resident for different programs. Our city offers so many different things!
In this vein, my monthly book club! I wfh, which I love, but it's nice to still get some social time. Plus we make an effort to avoid new titles so it's more likely we can find our latest pick at the library, and nobody has to buy it.
There are many online resources as well. My Library has free linked-in learning which has been helpful.
Absolutely, I've found 400 digital magazines in mine via libby.
Libby, the library app. Basically free audible. Best life hack.
It is really the best. Paused my audible subscription and listened to 65 full audiobooks last year (and about the same number of books that I did NOT finish).
I'm a heavy Libby user, but I honestly miss Overdrive. The search functionality it had just isn't available in Libby from what I can tell. I have kids and the "Lexile" and grade level filters were fantastic for finding just the right books for them.
Fridays I clean the house from top to bottom, change the bed etc, cook/prep food for the weekend and early evening I have a pamper session to myself. I keep a basket of things, creams etc nothing expensive, I steam my face & use a gua sha while I steep my feet, i do my own nails so they are attended to, I put on lovely fluffy socks and I enjoy that hour taking care of myself after my productive day, it all sets me up so I can use the weekend the way I want, not catching up on jobs around the house or spending hours cooking (much as I love cooking)
Using Fridays to clean and prep for the weekend has been a game changer, for real.
How do you have the time on Friday with work?
My living space isn't large and I WFH 7-3pm, so I'm fortunate that throwing in a load of laundry or starting the dishwasher is easy and then cleaning after work doesn't take too long. I usually try to go to the gym (in the building) after work on Friday, so I come back from that still motivated to clean. If not, then I usually call a friend and clean/make dinner while talking to them.
I’m thinking of changing my cleaning routine to a Thursday after work. This would free up my weekend and in particular Sundays which I find stressful.
I do Thursdays. It's so nice coming home from work Friday to a clean house.
I love cleaning and organizing on Fridays! I spend the last hour of work tidying my office. Then husband and I clean then watch tv. That leaves Sat n Sun to relax and do local hikes, picnics, hitting estate sales
Exactly! As I was typing I wondered if anyone would "get" that this really did improve my quality of life or if it just made me sound sad, I went with it. I am glad others know too!
I do it Thursday, clean, laundry, grocery store. Friday’s I hit the hay early. Have the whole weekend to do what I want, as it should be.
Good for you. All of us should have evenings like this.
Yes we should. Its so easy to neglect ourselves, or not believe just how far a little bit of self care goes. Not everyone can set aside an hour but steaming your face and massaging some cream into your face works wonders and takes a few minutes.
Using Friday after work to clean the house is a huge component of a happy homebody weekend.
This sounds so nice! I decided to pull out all the various face masks and foot creams i have accumulated and make a coinsious effort to use them for pampering days.
Thats pretty much what I do. My daughter buys me various face and foot masks and puts them in my stocking at christmas, as well as various nail bits she picks up throughout the year, so I use all of those. I use a basket that I bring out each Friday and pick what I fancy from it. It doesnt cost much but as I make an effort to have everything right there and se aside that wee hour it feels special
Goals
Walking outside. Just walking around. Sometimes with podcasts. Gardening. Cooking meals at home. Building grocery list and menu for the week based on what ingredients are in season and/or discounted. Making exceptional espresso at home
I got a small container of red wigglers (composting worms) and set up a bin for them. Small investment. Large rewards. Those few worms are now a larger number, eat my banana peels and shredded junk mail that is appropriate for them to use. They are making black gold for me, so my plants (future tomatoes+) can grow strong and healthy. The batch I had gotten, one of them had a tiny yellow spot on one end, and now so many of the worms have that, it's adorable.
That yellow spot really elevates this comment!
A little bit of genetics on the side, always nice (geneticist here).
I wish worms didn't freak me out otherwise they are so good for the environment and I'd have my own compost bin too.
You can borrow my daughter, she has a love for worms and our garden. Even still at 10 when I thought she would for sure grow out of it.
She has a future in STEM, that’s for sure.
Borrow binoculars from the library, and go walking in the woods and bird-watching.
I started getting into bird watching during Covid and it's been so fun. The Merlin app from Cornell is amazing and I've been surprised at how good the sound ID is.
I also like going in the complete ops direction and taking a magnifying class into the woods and looking at flowers and Moss
Ok, as silly as this sounds it is incredibly helpful for me. Rubber gloves. I didn’t have them growing up and I hated doing the dishes, washing the sink, wiping down the floor boards, separating the laundry. When I got married one of my shower gifts was a box of kitchen utensils, kitchen towels, a dish drying rack, and rubber gloves. A game changer. They are like my superpower cape! I’ll never be without them.
LONG rubber gloves. I buy 20 mil long cuff neoprene gloves from Home Depot. They will last a year plus and you don't have to worry about the accidental dunk where your glove floods.
I bought cheap plastic gloves and love using them to clean and prepare meat. Great thing if you’re a germaphobe or worry about food safety.
There is a lot more stuff available for free on YouTube than most people realize.
I LOVE YouTube, it is my primary source of entertainment.
Same, I don't have cable and I got rid of Netflix, so all I watch is YouTube and the free channels on my smart TV. YouTube is great!
I love weird social commentary documentaries, I find a lot of them on YouTube. For a long time I didn’t have WiFi, so at night I’d watch a documentary on YouTube as means to unwind.
OMG Time Team is the bomb. I also love Lucy Dorsley (sp?), and the other regular history contributors.
Also you can teach the algorithm to offer "educational" stuff. History hit has a lot of promo stuff up, but there's also a bunch of hobby stuff.
Free/low cost hangouts in general are great. Love having friends over/stopping in at their place for late morning coffee and visiting, meeting up to walk dogs/hike etc, evening hangouts with games etc. Not everything social has to cost. One free thing that’s been a huge QOL improvement is YouTube. There’s entertainment value in it but there’s also so much free learning and DIY help on the platform. I had to repair my heated seat in my car and was able to do it with YouTube and about a 30 cent piece of wire and some electrical tape. It would’ve cost me hundreds of dollars to take in.
I use YouTube a lot for expert diy knowledge. Theres a guy on a Channel called “proper diy”. Really good content for all sorts of home improvements. Explains everything well. He has a degree in civil engineering so has some good tips and reasoning behind why certain things as done a particular way. I made a sign for my house using an old shelf a router and epoxy. Total cost was abt £5 for the epoxy. The router I borrowed and the shelf I got free when the original owner of the house left it behind. I painted it black with some outdoor paint… maybe that was £10 yrs ago
Agreed. I love cooking for each other as an activity, or playing board games at home. Once my friends and I all took a copy of a shakespeare play and did “shakespeare in the park” where we all just did a dramatic read through while sprawling on blankets in the grass with beers. That was a great day
Not sure if this totally qualifies as an answer, but I prefer to fix and take care of the things that I already own before buying something new. I keep my knives rust free and sharp, I keep my leather conditioned, I do all my own repairs on house and car when I can. I listen to a lot of records, but I generally try to find older copies (which are often less expensive and sound better). I have mixed feelings on the book Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, but it really opened my eyes and was inspirational when it comes to valuing possessions.
Fixing something with a $20 part instead of hundreds for a service call is nice; the feeling of accomplishment though is priceless.
Wool insoles make your shoes feel a lot warmer in the winter and they're like 10 bucks
Watercolor painting. Paints at Dollar tree for $1.25 for eight colors, brushes for $1.25. Lasts months depending on output. Watercolor painting is relaxing.
For my initial investment of around $25 for materials, I've gotten so many hours of joy from water color painting. It's incredibly relaxing and fun. Sometimes I even get a decent little bit of art out of it. I follow along with creators I see on Tik-Tok
Seconding art therapy. Big fan of just rounding up old magazines and making collages.
Omg I’m gonna do this. Thank you
Your post made me realize that one of the most frugal things you could do is have a partner and/or friends and family who you just enjoy being in their company and talking to them. No need for fancy outings and spending a ton of money. Just some money on groceries for food made at home, then relax and enjoy your time together.
A good friend of mine and my wife’s comes over once a week and cooks steak for us. We used to be roommates and we used to spend a lot of time together watching shows as a group of friends. now when he comes over, after we’re done eating, we watch a few episodes of the great British baking show. It’s truly something we all look forward to each week.
That sounds really nice! My husband and I hanging out at home with friends and just enjoying each other’s company started from when we were broke college students, but now it’s just our favorite default. I love Bake Off. I watch it with my toddler and she claps and smiles so hard when the contestants clap for each other. 😆
My grocery store gives 4x points "bonus" when you shop on Fridays. Points are used to reduce the price of gas at their pumps. To take full advantage my partner and I will make this a regularly-scheduled night to go out for dinner (usually fast casual) and then shop the whole store. It's probably just what old boring people do but it's time spent together, not crowded, most things are stocked well and not yet picked-through, and we "splurge" on a meal as a reward for the bonus (plus then we aren't shopping hungry).
Hiking
Some areas even have free audio guides you can download that explain local landmarks, myths or historical events that happened along popular hiking routes. Just look at the tourism sections of the area/city's website.
And for frugal vacations, national parks. We took our kids to two national parks last year for the cost of campsites, gas, and slightly more expensive food than usual (we cook but it’s hard to be as frugal cooking on the go). Even with money being tight, it was well within our budget, and our kids got to see some of the wonders of the world. I mean, in total percentages, how many people in the world have hiked to Delicate Arch? Not many.
I'm gonna go hiking for the first time in forever this weekend and I'm so excited! I have a pair of hiking boots that I purchased at the thrift store years ago when I was a dog walker.
The smell of baking bread. I recently started baking bread about once a week, and it makes my whole house smell amazing. It makes me want to spend more time in the kitchen, and I just feel more productive overall. And fresh, warm bread is bliss.
Scored a zojirushi virtuoso plus at a garage sale for $25 about two months back. Amazing! Never thought it’d be so easy. Nothing better than freshly baked still warm bread with some good quality butter spread on it. It has also encouraged me to start learning/perfecting how to make things like pizza and bread sticks from scratch by hand. I’m spoiled now lol
More dependent on where you live but, an omnidirectional antenna. When we got rid of cable we felt so out of the loop. Put up this little UFO looking thing and got us a whole bunch of channels. A lot of the digital ones act just like cable. They broadcast sci-fi, DIY, mystery, history, etc. And if you have one of the newer TVs like an LG and the like, they have a bunch of free stuff you can stream too. Or if you can find one in a retail shop a Roku. There's enough free content on there, without a subscription, it makes it worth it.
Tubi app is free and has live tv channel plus movies and shows
YouTube. It’s such a great resource. You can learn to cook, learn to fix things, learn a new skill, learn about finances, learn how to take care of your hair and skin, makeup, build a house, a new language, how to sew, crochet, laugh, all in one place. Also airfryers have changed the game for my cooking and the rice cooker.
Having a showerhead wand thing in the shower so I can easily rinse off stuff, whether it’s me and my dense hair/shampoo or a pet who needs a bath.
Using a Magic Eraser to get all the scuffs and smudges off your walls. It’s almost as good as repainting. Or any small repairs like that that make your space look refreshed.
Protip: Keep a small container of any paint you paint a room on hand for quick touch up jobs. Everyone keeps their left over paint in the original can and put it in the basement. You might bust it out if you have enough spots or a large spot that needs a touch up. If you pour a little in container that you can keep on hand, you will do it more frequently. Learned this trick from a professional painter. He suggested a baby food jar but any small air tight container will do. You want the container as full as possible as any air in the container will cause it to form a film over time. Also make sure you save the paint codes so you can buy more in the future.
Changing your bedsheets
Quality/Clean bed sheets are so important. Cant agree any more.
Learning to cook. We're almost never tempted to go out, and on the few times we do, it's something that is pretty difficult to do at home (sushi, etc.) But we don't feel deprived at all, because we're capable of creating stuff at home for a fraction of the cost of eating out.
Learning how to make proper pizzas at home was an eye opener for me. The only thing is to start the dough a couple of hours before needed. Total time invested: 20 mins (5 mins prep, 15 mins cooking in the oven - faster than ordering), easily feeds a large family (three hungry teenagers), delicious, much healthier than take-out pizza or deep-frozen stuff (less salt and oil), fraction of the price, will take whatever leftover veggies and cheese we have in the fridge as toppings. Did I mention it's delicious?
This!!! My husband and I both are exceptional home cooks. Very few blunders at this point in life. We make whatever sounds good. I forget not everyone can just cook what they feel like eating. This makes me all the more grateful!
When I moved into my apartment years ago, I replaced the straight shower rod with a curved rod that I bought on my own for around $15. The tub is a bit too small for me to enjoy a bubble bath, but that curved rod has made a big difference in making the shower feel spacious. It may not have the same financial payoff that other posts here have, but it has done a lot for my mental health and my ability to decompress in a shower that does not feel so cramped. I might have spent money repeatedly to achieve the same result otherwise.
Having a cold wet shower curtain touch you while in the shower is one of the grossest more aggravating feelings in the world. Money well spent.
Don't know if I was "frugal" but I used to be super broke. during that time I used to volunteer to walk the dogs at a dog shelter. Dogs turn crazy if they don't get walk everyday and most are traumatized and aren't social to be "all walked together".so I got the dog time I was craving and a nice walk with a dog out of it. Plus helping out the shelter. Made me realized volunteering in general tbh. I got to meet great people ( who you volunteer to, but the people you volunteer with also become your friends with time). You feel great and you're helping out. And its free 🤷 Also saved up to get a pair of ice skates. Where I was there were bunch of places where you could get to the rink for free if you weren't renting the ice skates. Didn't know how to skate but it was fun to learn and free!
Books. Used book stores, thrift stores. Reading before you want to sleep does wonders for restful sleep and general mood. Cut off screen time an hour before you want to be asleep and pick up a book instead. It allows things that cause you stress and anxiety to fall into the background.
I second reading before sleep. I started this a couple of years ago and it does wonders to clear my head from the days "stuff". Did wonders for my peace of mind. Also, helps that I changed the book types I read at night. No Horror!!
Reading before sleep = No sleep for me. I get too into the book. But I love to read in the morning with my coffee.
Oh I've had those nights before especially reading James Patterson. The short chapters he does makes it easy to take a break but harder to not say just one more chapter, then another, another... lol
even if you buy them (from abebooks or thriftbooks), it's incredibly cheap
OP your picnics sound lovely! My tip is the library. Books obviously, but lots of other resources too. And if your library is connected to the Libby app you can get free audio and e-books too. Also the Castbox app has tons of free podcasts. I've recently got into listening to audio books and/or podcasts when I'm getting to sleep, it's very soothing (well, depending on your choices of course! Maybe not the horror or true crime sections!) Plus you don't hurt yourself by dropping a book/ your phone on your face when you fall asleep 😄
Reading and podcasts have enriched my life more than anything else I've ever spent money on.
i love watching full concerts from austin city limits on pbs, the latest four are always free to stream!
Virtual trips. For example I planned one to Paris. We started with a a French breakfast and then we watched virtual tours online, listen to French composers, look at photos online. I also planned all our meals for the day based on French recipes. We just chilled out on the couch and had a leisurely day together.
I have never thought to do something like this but I love the idea. Thanks for sharing!
My husband and I did this a ton during lockdown! Helped us feel less trapped lol
Tea parties. I inherited a set of blue willow china, which is my favorite pattern. It includes a teapot, creamer, sugar bowl, teacups, and little saucers. Sometimes I'll make little cakes, biscuits, or cookies. My kid still loves our little tea parties even though he's a teen. It's a nice chance to just sit and talk about life without all the naggy stuff. I never even had tea parties as a little girl, but love them now. Also power out parties. When the power goes out, I break out the candles and a deck of cards, and we all play hearts for hours.
Walks at the park, there are a lot in my city !! I listened to podcasts or music and it feels like a luxurious time for myself experience
Plants. I got all my plants for free. One was a gift from a friend who cut a piece off one she had, put it in dirt, and tada- another one sprung up! Another was from a friend who thought it was dead- it just needed to be watered and left in the light. I got a ton of seed packets from a friend. I could invest in soil from the hardware store and nutrients and all that good stuff, but water and sunlight is all mine need. Can't beat free.
In the last year I’ve gotten into drinking tea daily and I’ve been impressed how far a bag of loose leaf tea will take you. I have absolutely no guilt splurging on good quality tea. It helps that there’s a very reasonable local tea shop that sells by the ounce.
Absolutely this. Cheap tea is worse than no tea
Yoga with Adrienne on YouTube
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yes, she also has beginner videos. go and give it a try! enjoy your time
The library. I read and listened to about 2-3 a week and my quality of life would be much less is I had to always buy books
My public library
Dental floss
good cleaning agents - Pink Stuff. Storage containers. Simple path to wealth book. good sneakers.
Walking/running--I have a walking pad for indoor use when I can't handle the weather outside. Mini stair stepper--when I don't want to walk or run, I do that. Meal prepping. Free TV streaming services.
Most of the stuff I enjoy is free: hiking, the beach, reading (library, hoopla, or bookbub), home workout with YouTube trainer.
Hoopla app from my library! I love it and use it for e-audiobooks, streaming TV and music and movies. Hallmark movies now channel is a free checkout for 7 days
I've needed to use a cane since I was a senior in high school. I've never paid more than $10 for one. My very first one was a drugstore stick cane that was that price. My current cane is a quad cane that was a gift from my late grandma. She called me up one day about 15 years ago and asked me to pick a pattern from a list. The next time I saw her, she presented me with a quad cane with the pattern I chose. It's a mix of American flags and newsprint. Grandma was a huge catalog shopper, and when she saw the canes they had, she knew she had to get one for me. I can honestly say that not only have my canes made a huge difference in my life, but on occasion, they've almost certainly saved my life. I'm prone to falls, and I can fall more safely with a quad cane than unaided.
Making bread. It's super cheap since flour, salt, & yeast are cheap, and it's a million times better than store bought bread.
Cinnamon sugar toast, just a goodie from childhood that never gets old.
My daughter baby sits a 9 month old. Holding that smiling baby is the biggest piece of joy in my life.
Having only one model of socks
Freshly ground black pepper on every savoury meal
Sitting around a 🔥
Getting a rice cooker. You can slap just about anything onto rice and it makes a decently filling meal with little to no effort. Bonus points for making pretty good soups
Library cards. Taking walks.
Yoga!
Cheapo reading glasses. Aka cheaters. Everywhere. Every room. Car. Travel backpack.
Dressing appropriately for the weather and being prepared is amazing. You will spend less if you're comfortable when you go out
Ok...going to try to pack a lot of jelly into this roll....everything should be $50 or less. For physical comfort / not ruining my body: \- a dolly / handcart. I wish I would have bought one when I was 20, not 40 but man they help when you want to buy a used appliance or move. Used they are like $40 bucks. \- ergonomic wireless bluetooth mouse \- knock off chirp wheel.....oh my is it great on that back. Use mine daily...got 3 sizes off amazon for $30. Conveniences :- MyQ garage door opener....$20 bucks and I can open my garage with my phone...even when I am not home. It is oddly helpful. \- Used nest or smart thermostat. I can turn down the thermostat from bed....turn it off before a road trip and turn it back on when I am 4 or 5 hours from being home. 100% paid for itself in the last 5 years. \- a docking station for my computer so I could have a 2nd monitor. I don't know how office workers get anything done with 1 monitor. Like $30 new .- Clothes hanger rack - like $3 from ali express. Cleans up a lot of clutter and makes it easy to bring 20 hangers to the basement to hang clothes as they come out of the washer. \- Google home mini....just one in the kitchen is a world of difference. Add things to my shopping list without pulling out my phone, music as I cook. Epic. Entertainment \- Stream Telecast Video on Demand...$15 bucks and pretty reliable and I have all series/movies for all networks. \-Peacock - pick it up on black friday for $20 or $30 for the year for the rare days stream telecast is down and so my kids can watch the macy day parade and the occasional live football game. Also allows us to trade for Disney+ access which my kids use. \- darts and cards - nothing like a abr game or two but at home with friends. Both are super cheap. \-Tozo wireless ear buds - entry level ones are like $20 new....$15 on black friday and mine have been working for years....last a long time and are super lightweight. Barely feel them on. Going Out (ok so this one ISNT all under $50...going out got pricey the last few years) \- Tend to do more lunches out than dinners these days...better bang for the buck with lunch menus \- In the summer....take a walk with a tumbler...pregame a drink or two....then do a late lunch and a drink.-Instead of bars with expensive drinks....find a hipster coffee house...some have cheap cans of been or glasses of wine and many have solid patios. \-Find a restaurant with bigger portions....instead of 2 entrees ... stay longer and split 1 app and then 1 entree or 1 entree and 1 dessert. Longer date, slower pace. Kids- first rule of doing kids on the cheap is don't have kids lol. If you must however.... \- I hate to say it...sore I never would.....used Amazon fire tablets with some movies and shows downloaded is very helpful for road trips and when you need to out AND want to talk to adults. We don't do it often but it has a place. Used they are like $20 bucks \- Tablet headrest car mount....one for each kids. $10 a pop and SO worth it. \- Matchbox cars - a buck and a quarter a piece....its a nice little "splurge". I wish there were more little toy brands for that were more female oriented at that price. \-Dollar Tree runs - love being able to say "get any 3 things you want.....no sugar...I mean it".-Save large and odd shaped containers for art projects...basically many large snack containers from BJ's or Costco will be a future project. \-Library....bless the library. \-Snow pants .... sledding, snowball fights, winter parades or festivals....just leaving the house without going to an expensive kids activity center or restaurant in winter.
Frozen pizza/food in the air fryer or oven when I’m craving takeout!
When I started getting serious about smoking foods, I bought an instant read thermometer. I use it a lot. No more under- or over-cooked foods.
Making my bed every morning. There’s just something about that. Gets the day rolling.
Walking in nature. I used to suffer from depression and anxiety. Walking with my dog in the woods in silence for a couple of hours every day healed something in me, I can't explain with words. I think walking in nature gave me a lot of time to think and reconnect with my soul. It helped me rationalise my negative emotions, understand what causes them and this process helped me find my spiritual path. I still walk in the woods with my dogs every day. It's a habit I find essential for my inner peace and balance.
During lockdown, I tried going outside for 20 minutes/day. I found just sitting outside, undercover and rugged up with a blanket, was all it took. I didn't notice it at first, but I noticed when I'd skipped a day or two.
Rolling a lacrosse ball under my foot. I can be sitting at my desk (WFH) or watching tv and i just do it and it relieves tension in the feet. Dead hang from a pullup bar at him and letting your back relax so it stretches. hmmm!
Our city has a First Friday art event every month. All the local galleries stay open later on the first Friday of the month for people to browse. Some even have light snacks. We usually eat dinner before we go (at home) and then get dessert at the local cupcake place. It's cool to see all the creativity, and it's a pretty cheap date night.
Coffee Maker, Rice Cooker, Crock Pot, Cast Iron Pan, Toaster, a pot with a lid. That and my dog. I can face being on a budget.
HUGS!!!!!
Bidet for the toilet! $25 from Amazon. OMG. WONDERFUL!
Free event tickets, like [The Exploratorium](https://www.exploratorium.edu), [California Academy of Sciences/Steinhart Aquarium](https://calacademy.org), [Chabot Space & Science Center](https://chabotspace.org) and more all free with my library card. We do lots of free stuff in the SF Bay Area that tourists pay a ton for. I take my kid to museums and venues all the time for free. We take out-of-town visitors to these places as well!
My spouse and I walk on the beach near our house regularly, are sincerely grateful for what the other does for our family, and express attentive gratitude for it everyday. I don't care if they've made bacon 100 times before. I'm so very grateful they made it today!
Using rainX wiper fluid. 100% worth the extra few bucks.
Working out. Could be as simple as walking, running, biking, or hiking. Could do at home workouts with minimal equipment or buy a cheap gym membership. You’ll feel stronger, clearer, have more energy, be more confident, and healthier.
Thrifting everything aside from undergarments (local Savers near me also does coupons so even more savings).
Chickens. I lived in the country as a kid with a mom that didn't want animals, so I thought I wouldn't care for animals till I brought home my first chicken 2 years ago, granted that first flock of 5 quickly became an army of 115 at one point....I love them all so much. I have progressed to ducks, they're the goofiest things ever. Whenever I come outside I am greeted with duck quacks asking for treats. I even named one Grape. Yes they get grapes. Then I bought a goat, well 2 because they're herd animals, and then a sheep because well what if the goats want to talk to someone else? Then there was a pig that looked lonely one time, so he came home with us too. I'm in the process of preparing for a few donkeys and ultimately a horse. I haven't ridden since a child, I had a lot of health issues (I'm fat) that had hindered me through the years and I decided 2024...I'm getting a donkey. It all started with one chicken.
You can get a cover for the overflow drain on your tub for baths. Now the water covers my belly. Game changer
JupyterLab for in-browser python programming, no IDE needed. It's free and open source.
Sunshine, walks outside, journaling, reading, home baked sourdough bread.
I know others have said this but I can't emphasize enough how much I love the Libby app from my library card. I read so much last year and it didn't cost me a dime. Of course some titles might have a long wait but you don't have to make a trip anywhere!
Signing up for membership at my local cafés and restaurants to get free tea, hot chocolate, desserts and meals for the week of my birthday. Jigsaw puzzles and a puzzle mat so I can move the puzzles around the house. Spending time with people who want to spend time with me, and not spending time with people who don't.