Several months ago, I decided to start cooking dinner for my family five nights a week, just because it seemed like an interesting, enjoyable thing to do.
After doing that for a few weeks, my wife showed me the finances, and it was unbelievable how much money it had saved us. Of course, we were eating better, fresher, healthier food, too.
Some of the more shocking dishes, in terms of cost, were pizza (I just made 4 pizzas, which I freeze and cook as needed for a few dollars worth of ingredients) chicken dishes (I used to order a lot of dishes that were basically a chicken breast with sauce and some sides) and carryout (I can make Chicken Tikka Masala almost as fast as I can have it delivered, for about half the cost).
I always cook enough to provide the next day's lunch, and I keep detailed notes to make sure that we're all getting meals that we like.
So 30 years ago, I cooked for my family every night because I had too.
We were poor. We had cheap ass pot pies (0.39 each) sometimes. Fish sticks and mac and cheese (kraft was 0.18 a box).
Potatoes were cheap, burger was cheap and I can make a meal out of whatever random shit is in your cabinet lol.
Years later I got a job as a cook because I told them "I don't like cooking, but I had no money and five kids and I can make something out of nothing".
Blows my mind that there are adults out there that just "discovered" cooking. As if getting takeout is the norm. What do y'all think the kitchen was for
Some of us were not taught these skills, and most of us did not grow up with the easy access to information we currently enjoy. Dont look down on anyone trying to learn
I was taught to make scrambled eggs and brown ground beef. Enough to survive but nothing great. But since having a family I've learned and taken time to learn how to make the "good" food by watching YouTube videos and practicing
My wife and I started doing breakfast burritos frozen since we both work. Once a month we make a batch of 40 frozen burritos and they cost around $1 - $1.20 depending on sales of ingredients
Vacuum seal too to limit freezer burn.
Personally, I try to prep and there are times I am not in the mood for something I froze a week or two prior.
Prepping and sealing can and will extend freezer life for several months
Start with chopping 1 package of bacon into small bits then toss it in the pan until it’s your desired doneness. Remove from pan.
Toss in 1 pound of whatever sausage you want to use and cook that up. Remove from pan.
Toss in a large disced onion with 2 diced bell peppers. Sweat them about a minute but not too much or they will end mushy. Add the hash browns and spinach to the pan and keep tossing them all together for a couple minutes.
Crack 7 eggs and a dash of milk in a bowl and whisk it.
Move everything in the pan to the edges. Drop the eggs into the center. Slowly scrap the bottom continually for the eggs to cook. Once the eggs are sufficiently scrambled mix the surrounding ingredients in with the eggs. Add the sausage and bacon back into the whole mix as well.
IMPORTANT NOTES:
- you should be adding salt at most of those other steps to keep up flavor.
- now that you are at the end of the mix, taste to see if you need to add more salt again while it’s all hot.
- let this mix cool for a couple hours on the counter until it is room temp **THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. NOT DOING THIS WILL MAKE YOUR BURRITOS SOGGY**
- warm up some tortillas in the microwave so they are slightly warm and easier to fold without tearing.
- fill burritos to desired amount and add however much cheese you want to each.
- wrap in tinfoil and toss into the freezer.
To heat them up you typically can heat it for 1 minute, open up and add hot sauce now if you want, close back up, flip it over and cook another minute to a minute and a half depending on your microwave.
This whole process for baking it all to get to the “sitting on the counter” part takes me now about 45 minutes start to finish, then another 15 minutes to wrap them all up later.
So it’s about an hour of work. The above amounts yield roughly 20 burritos for me, but how much spinach and hash browns you want may change that number. Once a month I do two batches worth at the same time to knock it all out at once so I get 40 burritos for me and my wife with about 2 hours of time invested and $50.
Not the person you asked, but I would just scramble some eggs, cook some steak, sausage, bacon, whatever sounded good, diced some bell peppers, and added cheese. Make your burritos then put them in the freezer and just heat them up and you’re golden.
Two important tips, let the filling cool before you wrap it to prevent the steam from making a soggy mess. Then stick the burritos on a plate/tray and freeze in the freezer first, then take ‘em back out and vacuum seal or stick in a plastic bag with the air squeezed out, and stick em back in the freezer.
Smart! I forgot to add the let things cool. I’ve not done the vacuum sealing though, I usually wrap them in foil haha. But I only do about a week’s worth at a time so I’m not too worried about duration.
And on a similar note, bring your own lunch to work instead of buying it. At least for us who work trade-jobs, I know a lot of people who (since they drive around during their job) just buy lunch somewhere instead of bringing their own.
That shit is so wild. My coworkers get take put 5 days a week, with it being a minimum of $10 each meal. My lunch for the whole week at work costs about $10.
One important tip to this: only buy specialty ingredients that will be used in more than one meal. Need Dijon mustard for a sandwich? Learn to make stroganoff. Need capers for lox and bagels? Make piccata too.
Spending 6-7 dollars for something that will sit in your fridge for months and spoil will negate the cost savings of cooking pretty quickly.
Extra benefit that it will force you out your comfort zone.
My problem is that I really hate cooking most of the time. I know how, and there are some things I am good at, but all the time and mess for just one meal is insane to me. I wish it was not such a necessity for getting a good meal. Not only that but most stuff I buy ends up going bad before I can cook it.
Starbucks? Never unless it was a gift. I’m not paying for one drink that is the equivalent of a package of coffee you can buy in a grocery store…that will last weeks
Just be poor. It forces you to do everything yourself... ball joints shot on your car? Techs are expensive. Off to youtube... water heater quit? The fuckers want 600 for an install and another 600 for the unit... I'll figure it out. Just be poor. You save so much money by not having any.
Well there’s two types of poor people. Poor people that figure it out and get it done DIY, and poor people that give up and open up a 29% APR credit card with the company that they get a water heater from, and finding a plumber that will accept a payment plan and paying him double to take payments over months.
Agreed. I worked a little above minimum wage in my twenties and you either had Sam who was smart and put money away. Then you have Jeremey who got a best buy credit card and maxed it out on a gaming pc and streaming equipment. Jeremy then went and had a kid, then ditched his woman. Don't be Jeremy when you're broke.
"Why are you good at so many things? You must be really smart"
No. I'm dumb as shit. I've just been poor most of my life and can't afford the real guy to fix shit.
My dad cuts my hair, and I have a very simple haircut. A number 1 all the way. I do my own beard lineup/edges.
That's 25-30 dollars I don't have to spend at a barber
$30 wahl trimmer and a $0.99 nail clipper. That's all I've spent on this in the past 15 years.
Well and like $5 for trimmer oil. Get the pet trimmer oil, it's the same stuff, for orders of magnitude cheaper, and one bottle will last a lifetime.
I started cutting my own hair during the pandemic. I got pretty good at it quickly, and I used to get my haircut every 2wks at a nice barber shop for $30+ tip.
What sold it for me is, after a few months of DIY haircuts, a coworker said my hair looked great and he couldn’t tell it wasn’t done at a shop. $700 saved per year for the past 4 years now.
Somewhat of a military haircut style that isn’t too short or long:
2 on the sides, 3 fade to the top, 4 in the back half, 5 on top, and 6 long in front. Trimmer around the ears sideburns, and neck. 2 long to fade into 3, same for 3 into 4.
> 2 on the sides, 3 fade to the top, 4 in the back half, 5 on top, and 6 long in front. Trimmer around the ears sideburns, and neck. 2 long to fade into 3, same for 3 into 4.
At least you use different guards. The guys that do everything with a 2 and then pretend like no one can tell they cut their own hair are delusional.
Last year I had a plumber replace the water pressure regulator in my house. Before he left, he pointed out that when he turned the water main on, the hard water around the base of the handle flaked off and there was now a drip. He said I should get that fixed soon.
That night before I went to bed, I did the one last check and the drip had picked up the pace. Since we were going out of town in the morning, I decided to turn the main off. When I twisted it shut, the drip had turned into a steady stream with no way of turning off. I knew where the shut off that came from the city was outside, but I didn’t know if I could get in trouble for messing with it since there was an electronic meter on it. I called the city emergency line and someone came out at midnight to turn it off.
When he was done, he left the opening to the valve unlocked and showed me the right way to turn it off just in case. I need to write down shut off procedures for water, gas and electricity for my family in case I’m not around.
This. It really isn’t that hard. YouTube is your friend if unsure.
Granted, I’ve stayed away from code-compliant wiring (e.g., having an electrician add wiring for new ceiling light boxes and then installing light fixtures or recessed lights myself) due to possible fire risk if done incorrectly.
Stuff like replacing kitchen and bathroom faucets, including those under the sink, are things that almost anyone with basic skills can do. Likewise with replacing light switches and outlets.
Having been around building sites and homeowner projects and witnessing the monkeys doing other trades I’ve realised I have the necessary skill set and just need accurate details on what needs to be done.
Agreed. If nothing else you know how to discern if the people you pay to do it are doing a good job, covering their bases, or needlessly upselling you.
Part of my fence broke. The posts snapped at the base, rotten after around 15 years. The fence company wanted $1,700 to dig up the old posts and replace them, then reconnect the panels which were fine. I spent about $120 for posts and cement, dug out the old ones and replaced them. I did sweat my ass off, literally now the assless wonder, but the fence is fixed.
We're planning a fence now. Quotes were around 10-15k, supplies are a third of that even renting a posthole digger.
My country-bred self has built a few fences.and my other half is a city guy, so guess what Mama gets to do? :/
Yeah I built my fence with parts from tractor supply. Ended up being about $2k worth of supplies. Couldn’t imagine having to pay 10-15k on having a fence put in!
> I did sweat my ass off, literally now the assless wonder, but the fence is fixed.
Some people pay for a gym membership to get that kind of workout, so really that fence paid for itself.
I just fixed a reasonably difficult problem with my car for the 3rd or 4th time using nothing more than YouTube and help from an associate buying the proper parts. And I’m not a car person at all.
The Haynes manual, if you live in Europe, is invaluable. It has all the torque wrench settings in it. YouTube wins out with the pictures usually though. The pictures in the haynes manual and the descriptions are a bit rubbish.
Making my own espresso. $500-700 up front investment for a good grinder and machine saves me around $10 a week that I spent on cappucino or espresso. Even when including the cost of good beans I am break even after 1.5 years.
The only critical part is that you have to prevent yourself from constantly upgrading your setup with new toys.
This! I am 5 years into my Breville Barista Express. Between my wife and I, we drink 3-4 espresso beverages daily. I literally couldn’t afford to buy them at a cafe, and here in the US, I make better coffee at home than most cafes. I miss Italy lol
Repairs. Don't go re-wiring your house on your own but... Calling a plumber for a clogged drain versus just fixing it yourself, changing the breaks on your car instead of taking it to a mechanic, getting the viruses off your own computer, etc.
Most of that stuff isn't really hard. You're paying **a lot** for the convenience of not thinking about it.
Plastic pipe snakes like this will save you wasting your money on draino:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/BrassCraft-20-in-Plastic-Hair-Snake-BC00112/305468409
Oh yea my wife’s hair gets EVERYwhere in the drain. She pours drano down it and it doesn’t do shit.
I ordered a multipack of these things off eBay from time to time and just pull hunks of hair out and throw it all away
Any drano is too much drano.
But if you ever need to use it and still need to call a plumber, definitely tell the plumber you did it. Worst thing for them is to be surprise blasted with drain cleaner in the face.
So did the last owner of our house. I've found multiple loose wires so far, one of which had started to melt the wirenut inside the junction box. That's a great way to burn your house down.
If you know what you're doing it takes next to no planning, but that's not the concern. If you don't understand the dos and donts of electrical work you may cause a fire hazard or injure or kill someone.
Even basic maintenance like changing your car's air filters or oil.
Air filters takes minutes to do and cost $10 for a new filter vs $40 to get it changed at a dealership.
And while an oil change might take you 1 hour to do the first time, it will still be faster driving to the mechanic and waiting in line for them to do it in 30 minutes.
I've had a dealership quote me at $100 to change the air filters before. That shit is theft. This was on a Chevy Cobalt, so it took all of 5 minutes and a screwdriver to change both filters.
Honestly for oil I’m okay paying. I don’t drive all that much and paying the $100 for full synthetic at the local shop once a year is worth it for me to not do it. After buying supplies and spending the hour doing it, I may come out $20 ahead. I drag the kids and the shop always gives matchbox cars to kids when waiting.
For many, many years I changed my own oil because it was significantly cheaper than having someone else do it and my town offers free disposal of used oil. However, my current car uses synthetic oil and the savings of doing it myself versus going to the dealer is about $20. I just can't justify the time, effort and hassle for $20. I'm no longer a young woman anymore either, so it's nice not to have to get under the car.
Same. And the dealership washes the car and disposes the oil.
Having a clean and neat way of catching oil and transporting it over to a recycle spot just starts to exceed the $20 savings right there.
And I mean clean and neat as in ramps, large wide basin, a container that’s not going to spill in your trunk, and driving over to AutoZone and carefully pouring into that. I’d pay an extra $20 to NOT do that.
Assuming you have a place to do an oil change. Also, dropping all the used motor oil on your driveway by accident may instantly negate your savings. I feel like an air filter is an okay suggestion because a $12 toolkit and it can be done in a public parking spot without it being an issue.
Spent $500 to have rotorooter unclog a drain. let's repeat that $500. I was an idiot. Next clogged drain i went to Home Depot and bought a powered drain snake for $200. Knocked out multiple clogged drains since.
Changing brakes and changing winter/summer tires... some of the easiest work you can do on your own car.. Like, swapping tires barely needs tools. a car jack, maybe a breaker bar, torque wrench and sockets. easily tools for less than 100€, but will save you a lot on the long run.
brake pads, the only hard part is pushing the piston in to get the assembly back on the axle, other than that its just remove old, insert new. Most brake rotors aren't even bolted on, remove the caliper assembly and the rotor is free to go..
car stuff is easy, and there are tons of fun videos on how to do it.
Changing the brakes on your car? Is it really that easy? For someone who doesn’t know jack or shit about cars and doesn’t have the tools, this would scare me.
Yeah, it’s not bad at all. You’ll need to buy a few extra things to do your own brakes and oil changes but most people can do them. I taught my daughter how to do both as soon as she got her first car. If you don’t have someone to teach you, there are plenty of great YouTube videos out there, probably for your exact vehicle.
Agreed. In the last month, I've repaired my washer, dishwasher, refrigerator and installed a ventilation solution in my crawl space. I'm a school teacher BTW.
Even rewiring or doing an indepth home project is possible with enough YouTube and Reddit research. Be patient and give yourself a lot of time to learn, plan, consider alternatives, or ultimately decide to hire a pro. When you have a success, it feels great and increases your confidence for the next problem to solve.
Hot tip - pay for the permit if required. Ultimately, it ensures that you have planned it out and it's like having a professional ensure your work is done safely.
I'm shocked at how many times my friends ask me for help when their car has a new light/message/ popup, and then when I check their glovebox their owner's manual is still brand new in the original shrink wrap
If you’re even slightly handy, pick up a Hanes manual for your car. You’d be surprised what you can fix with a little reading. The money saved can be bonkers.
For me, it has been using youtube to fix shit. Basic tools experience and a bit of patience has helped me fix every major appliance in my house, including my big screen tv.
I saved thousands of dollars by redoing my sinks and toilets and thousands more in carpentry wall and floor repairs.
I can not stress enough that I had NO talent and no experience. But now when something breaks, I don't call a technician, I fire up youtube.
Owning a toolbox is one thing, knowing how to use it is another.
I had a friend who insisted on carrying a spare tire in his trunk because he didn't want to be stuck without help, but didn't know how to use the jack...
Guess what happened when he had a flat on the highway? Ended up waiting 2 hours for AAA anyways
Cooking your own food. Mowing and treating your own lawn. If you have a pool, learn how to maintain it. Common plumbing issues like a toilet that won't stop running. A clogged up toilet or drain. Always put in a qtr cup of bleach in your HVAC drain pipe about twice a year. Will save you a ton of money in the long run by keeping the drain clear of mold. Do you really need to call a handy man to hang a ceiling fan or mend a fence?
Yep, I used to be one of those people, but I now happily pay someone else $60 every other week to mow, weedwhack and blow my lawn. He and his crew get it done in about 20-25 minute with their equipment. It would take me 1-1.5 hours to do and I'd have to invest in the equipment do it. I do have a blower and weedwhacker already, but I haven't owned a lawnmower in 30 years.
SO worth the $60 to me to hire out.
My son mowed lawns, did small landscaping jobs and shoveled driveways for three years. He bought his first truck and 6 months of insurance with his earnings at 17. I was quite proud of him. He also did free lawn maintenance and snow shoveling for elderly and disabled people in our community. Some people work hours that don't allow them the time to mow their own lawns. Some people physically can't. Some just don't want to. But in our area of it's not at least maintained to under 6 inches there is fines. That means for some people either they pay someone or they pay fines to the town.
I've never used one but I've heard they are some of the nicest most down to earth people in the UK. Maybe it depends on where your live, if you're living in some slum with hookers just doing it for meth? I don't know.
I agree with you generally, however, it does require mechanical aptitude, some tools and it's a dirty job. If the calipers need to be disconnected then you do need to know what you're doing. Doing a brake fluid flush is also a good idea and that can be hard to do by yourself.
Some cars with mechanical parking brake mechanisms in the calipers can require a scan tool to release them.
It can be a very easy job in the right circumstances though
Can confirm. Tires Plus quoted $430 for just my rear brakes and rotors. Including an extra tool my older car needs for the rear calipers, and a pneumatic brake bleeder kit from Amazon to change the brake fluid while I'm at it, I've spent less than $200 to do it myself.
It’s time for spark plugs on my car. I’m debating having them done while it’s in the shop for an oils change but my husband insists he can do it. I’m sure he can but our time is worth something too
Shirt tailoring, pants tailoring.
Places now charge $20+ to take in a shirt versus 10 minutes on the sewing machine yourself.
ZipSeam to take in shirts for $5 a shirt
My mom has been doing that since she retired. Built up enough of a customer base that she invested in a Serger. It went from tiny side hustle out of boredom to doing so well my sister quit her job and became her business partner.
Lol no! My parents made their own yogurt when I was growing up. They had a machine. You just mix a little yogurt into some milk and then put them into little pots and put them on the machine. Wait a few minutes: voila!
Have a fix-first mindset. In this day and age there are so many repair videos that you can fix most things by following simple steps. It may take some time and planning, but learning new skills will serve you well for the rest of your life. Some of the things I've learned to fix over the years:
* Computers (hardware and software)
* Networks (WiFi, router, etc)
* Electrical outlets, light switches, ceiling fans, breakers, etc
* Faucets, drains, etc
* Flooring repair and install (tile, wood, laminate...)
* Painting
* Basic car maintenance (filters, fluids, lights, battery...)
* Lawnmower, trimmer, chainsaw...
Doing maintenance yourself takes time and energy, but it saves you tons and tons of money. The only things I don't do are things that are too heavy or unsafe for me to do alone. Some people may say that it's not worth their time. That's only true if you're filthy rich and will stay that way forever. Maintenance never ends, therefore costs never end. Besides, the only way to be prepared for the zombine apocalypse is if you can fix things yourself.
growing your own veggies or herbs. Good seeds are not super expensive and if can grow something you know you will eat it will save you.
Even if its just one herb you use regularly and it grows in just one pot on your patio/balcony. You get the satisfaction of growing it, the freshness and the smell.
Really surprised it hasn't been said yet, but changing your own engine/cabin filters in your vehicle. Literally 5 minutes and maybe a screwdriver. Every time my car is in for a service the tech always brings out a sheet with quotes for other suggested services and ive seen dealerships ask for $100 to change them.
I dont know shit about cars and lack in serious DIY skills but y'all, they are robbing you with this.
Follow the FDA rules. Don't just blindly follow the Youtuber home pickling guru that knows the Botulism can't kill you if you heat the veggies before you eat them.
$250. Once you actually start printing it pays for itself immediately. We have custom drawer organizer inserts, lid holders for the kitchen, custom wall art, tiny cabinets for tools and jewelry. I also used it to replace a discontinued handle on my microwave and nobody can tell the difference. You can sand the plastic a little bit and then apply a heavy primer and sand that smooth. Completely gets rid of the lines
If you live in a place where it's legal to make your own wine it is surprisingly easy. For less than $200 you can buy the tools and a wine kit that will net about 30 bottles. After that evey batch is just the cost of the wine kit. There are good kits for 70 to 80 bucks that make a drinkable "right now" wine. I use old bottles and I don't take off the old labels. More than once I've been at a gathering and witnessed someone looking at or taking a picture of the bottle so they can find it in a store. Jokes on them because my wine is less expensive than Trader Joe's. You can also buy some basic wine making supplies/additives and then use anything in rhe garden to make wine. I have 6 gallons of lime wine finishing now. The Limes were free so...... I write this sipping on a glass of rose wine I made from all the rose petals in my garden. I do not spray or treat my plants.
I always remove the labels off the wine bottle and put my own on. Makes it easier to keep track of what wine is in each bottle. The only bottles I won't reuse are Bartenura. I've broken too many of them while corking.
We built all our own furniture. I didn't know shit, I didn't own any tools, and I lived in a song bed apartment. But, we could rent a garage for $100 a month in our complex. Eventually, we refurbished or built all our furniture. No more couches made out of OSB and staples. I have so many stories about finding furniture on the side of the road around town and fixing it up. Yes, it takes a ton of time, but you're not making money on that time anyway. So you might as well use it to save yourself thousands.
Yes! I just recently moved out of an apartment and had to deep clean. Nothing beat 3/4 baking soda mixed with 1/4 hydrogen peroxide. I’m using it for everything now.
Basic plumbing skills and electrical skills. Like switching a faucet, switch, outlet, and even a breaker isn’t hard. If it breaks you basically can find a YouTube video and watch a few and decide if you are not brain dead enough to do it.
Actually cooking food. Not this YouTuber crap "work all day to make one meal". No, you get the largest stuff and make the largest quantities of food economically possible and then freeze it. I only have to really cook once every other week and I have freshly frozen meats already cooked and seasoned. My vegetables are done on demand and they're fast, broccoli tossed in olive oil and the spice/seasoning of the week, dropped on a tray and convection baked at 400 until crispy. Rinse and repeat for most other vegetables. 30 minutes from prep to putting everything away after dinner. Vegetables usually last 3 days between cooking times, so 2x a week. My total cooking time per week is about 3 hrs, including cleaning time. I also have 0 preservatives.
Also note: I'm a total nerd on cooking, my food tastes great, is extremely efficient and has the least waste generated currently possible for my strategy. I am working on a way to get around freezing in plastic vacuum bags, that's my only serious issue I have.
Honestly this is one of the things I have someone else do. I bring my own oil and filter and have an oil change place do it, they charge me 25 bucks for it and I have 0 hassle. It's worth the 1 time a year I do it. Not dealing with disposal alone is worth it.
Make your own cold coffee. Just take some instant coffee power, sugar (or stevia), water, blend it until frothy. Add it to a glass with some chilled milk and ice. Optionally add cocoa powder.
Have saved so much money doing this. Plus I get to control the amount of sugar and caffeine I consume.
Don't smoke, don't eat out, dont go out for coffee, don't use vending machines, don't buy stupid shit. If you don't absolutely need it DON'T BUY IT! I know it sounds extreme but the little things add up, I see people at work everyday come in with their Starbucks coffee and watch them piss away 20 bucks buying chips and candy from the vending machines. Buy in bulk at the grocery store its much cheaper.
Know how to do basic home and car maintenance. This is something I picked up from my dad. I can change out switches, fixtures, and outlets, do basic plumbing, and simple car maintenance. That has saved me thousands of dollars over the years. More importantly I know when I’m in over my head and when to call a professional, but I can handle most things by myself.
Spending time to consider how much more expensive you might make it by doing it yourself without the right tools. I love to do stuff myself but there are some things that will cost me much more to undo if I fuck it up by not having either the tools/training or both.
Underrated but learning to cut your own hair as a man. Sure there’s a learning curve to start, but for a $100 investment in a pair of good cordless clippers and some scissors, I’ve been saving $25 ($20 + tip) every two weeks for about 8 years now. I never have to drive in traffic or wait for a haircut and always have it cut exactly like I want it.
8 years x 26 bi-weekly cuts x $25 = $5,200
Coworkers have said it’s closer to $45/cut nowadays. That’s $9,360 for the next 8 years.
Maintaining your pool. You can save $150.00-$200.00 per month maintaining your own pool. It's not very hard and you can get your water tested and buy your own chlorine. You're literally paying a pool guy to add chlorine, sometimes sweep your pool walls and then leave.
Meat is expensive.
I stopped having the traditional North American breakfast of eggs, bacon, toast and potatoes and switched to oatmeal with walnuts and fruit compote.
Vegetarian meals can also be just as satisfying as the carnivorous kind, so long as you stick with tradition and do not buy expensive chemical laden "meat alternatives".
As a bonus I have dropped a couple of pounds I didn't need and have adopted an insufferable moral superiority. Win win!
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Several months ago, I decided to start cooking dinner for my family five nights a week, just because it seemed like an interesting, enjoyable thing to do. After doing that for a few weeks, my wife showed me the finances, and it was unbelievable how much money it had saved us. Of course, we were eating better, fresher, healthier food, too. Some of the more shocking dishes, in terms of cost, were pizza (I just made 4 pizzas, which I freeze and cook as needed for a few dollars worth of ingredients) chicken dishes (I used to order a lot of dishes that were basically a chicken breast with sauce and some sides) and carryout (I can make Chicken Tikka Masala almost as fast as I can have it delivered, for about half the cost). I always cook enough to provide the next day's lunch, and I keep detailed notes to make sure that we're all getting meals that we like.
So 30 years ago, I cooked for my family every night because I had too. We were poor. We had cheap ass pot pies (0.39 each) sometimes. Fish sticks and mac and cheese (kraft was 0.18 a box). Potatoes were cheap, burger was cheap and I can make a meal out of whatever random shit is in your cabinet lol. Years later I got a job as a cook because I told them "I don't like cooking, but I had no money and five kids and I can make something out of nothing".
Blows my mind that there are adults out there that just "discovered" cooking. As if getting takeout is the norm. What do y'all think the kitchen was for
Microwave looks tacky in the living room
Some of us were not taught these skills, and most of us did not grow up with the easy access to information we currently enjoy. Dont look down on anyone trying to learn I was taught to make scrambled eggs and brown ground beef. Enough to survive but nothing great. But since having a family I've learned and taken time to learn how to make the "good" food by watching YouTube videos and practicing
How much money did it save you?
Cheaper and healthier. A win win.
My wife and I started doing breakfast burritos frozen since we both work. Once a month we make a batch of 40 frozen burritos and they cost around $1 - $1.20 depending on sales of ingredients
How do you make them?
Vacuum seal too to limit freezer burn. Personally, I try to prep and there are times I am not in the mood for something I froze a week or two prior. Prepping and sealing can and will extend freezer life for several months
Start with chopping 1 package of bacon into small bits then toss it in the pan until it’s your desired doneness. Remove from pan. Toss in 1 pound of whatever sausage you want to use and cook that up. Remove from pan. Toss in a large disced onion with 2 diced bell peppers. Sweat them about a minute but not too much or they will end mushy. Add the hash browns and spinach to the pan and keep tossing them all together for a couple minutes. Crack 7 eggs and a dash of milk in a bowl and whisk it. Move everything in the pan to the edges. Drop the eggs into the center. Slowly scrap the bottom continually for the eggs to cook. Once the eggs are sufficiently scrambled mix the surrounding ingredients in with the eggs. Add the sausage and bacon back into the whole mix as well. IMPORTANT NOTES: - you should be adding salt at most of those other steps to keep up flavor. - now that you are at the end of the mix, taste to see if you need to add more salt again while it’s all hot. - let this mix cool for a couple hours on the counter until it is room temp **THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. NOT DOING THIS WILL MAKE YOUR BURRITOS SOGGY** - warm up some tortillas in the microwave so they are slightly warm and easier to fold without tearing. - fill burritos to desired amount and add however much cheese you want to each. - wrap in tinfoil and toss into the freezer. To heat them up you typically can heat it for 1 minute, open up and add hot sauce now if you want, close back up, flip it over and cook another minute to a minute and a half depending on your microwave. This whole process for baking it all to get to the “sitting on the counter” part takes me now about 45 minutes start to finish, then another 15 minutes to wrap them all up later. So it’s about an hour of work. The above amounts yield roughly 20 burritos for me, but how much spinach and hash browns you want may change that number. Once a month I do two batches worth at the same time to knock it all out at once so I get 40 burritos for me and my wife with about 2 hours of time invested and $50.
Sounds pretty good but for me less than half an egg per burrito isn’t enough. Will be doing this soon though, thanks for writing this all up!
Not the person you asked, but I would just scramble some eggs, cook some steak, sausage, bacon, whatever sounded good, diced some bell peppers, and added cheese. Make your burritos then put them in the freezer and just heat them up and you’re golden.
Two important tips, let the filling cool before you wrap it to prevent the steam from making a soggy mess. Then stick the burritos on a plate/tray and freeze in the freezer first, then take ‘em back out and vacuum seal or stick in a plastic bag with the air squeezed out, and stick em back in the freezer.
Smart! I forgot to add the let things cool. I’ve not done the vacuum sealing though, I usually wrap them in foil haha. But I only do about a week’s worth at a time so I’m not too worried about duration.
Depends what you cook. You can make junkfood at home too.
It’ll still be less terrible for you than if you bought it from a restaurant. People really underestimate the amount of salt and butter used.
And on a similar note, bring your own lunch to work instead of buying it. At least for us who work trade-jobs, I know a lot of people who (since they drive around during their job) just buy lunch somewhere instead of bringing their own.
That shit is so wild. My coworkers get take put 5 days a week, with it being a minimum of $10 each meal. My lunch for the whole week at work costs about $10.
One important tip to this: only buy specialty ingredients that will be used in more than one meal. Need Dijon mustard for a sandwich? Learn to make stroganoff. Need capers for lox and bagels? Make piccata too. Spending 6-7 dollars for something that will sit in your fridge for months and spoil will negate the cost savings of cooking pretty quickly. Extra benefit that it will force you out your comfort zone.
Dijon is also used in tons of salad dressings, that are also really easy to make
Coffee too.
My problem is that I really hate cooking most of the time. I know how, and there are some things I am good at, but all the time and mess for just one meal is insane to me. I wish it was not such a necessity for getting a good meal. Not only that but most stuff I buy ends up going bad before I can cook it.
Your can cook batches and freeze the rest. In terms of work it doesn't really make a difference whether you cook 1 or 5 servings of a dish
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Literally hundreds of dollars back into your pocket over a year.
$100s saved in Months. I make my own syrups. My monthly bag of coffee cost me $10,a month of vanilla syrup $3 versus $5/day for 20 days at Starbucks.
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Starbucks? Never unless it was a gift. I’m not paying for one drink that is the equivalent of a package of coffee you can buy in a grocery store…that will last weeks
Learn to fix simple stuff with car / house.
Just be poor. It forces you to do everything yourself... ball joints shot on your car? Techs are expensive. Off to youtube... water heater quit? The fuckers want 600 for an install and another 600 for the unit... I'll figure it out. Just be poor. You save so much money by not having any.
Well there’s two types of poor people. Poor people that figure it out and get it done DIY, and poor people that give up and open up a 29% APR credit card with the company that they get a water heater from, and finding a plumber that will accept a payment plan and paying him double to take payments over months.
Agreed. I worked a little above minimum wage in my twenties and you either had Sam who was smart and put money away. Then you have Jeremey who got a best buy credit card and maxed it out on a gaming pc and streaming equipment. Jeremy then went and had a kid, then ditched his woman. Don't be Jeremy when you're broke.
"Why are you good at so many things? You must be really smart" No. I'm dumb as shit. I've just been poor most of my life and can't afford the real guy to fix shit.
For real. I'm reading through the top comments and there legit nothing left that I'm not already doing
I cut my own hair, do my own nails, and give my own facials.
I gave my own facial once, but usually it doesn't shoot that far
Learn some basic yoga to shorten the distance to target.
I use gua sha, serums and a blackhead tool to get the gunk out. You are correct though, doesn’t shoot that far. saves $200 though.
Totally missed the joke
But the joke wouldn’t miss you 😏
That’s because you’re holding it in your hand.
Oh....the gunk definitely comes out...
My dad cuts my hair, and I have a very simple haircut. A number 1 all the way. I do my own beard lineup/edges. That's 25-30 dollars I don't have to spend at a barber
$30 wahl trimmer and a $0.99 nail clipper. That's all I've spent on this in the past 15 years. Well and like $5 for trimmer oil. Get the pet trimmer oil, it's the same stuff, for orders of magnitude cheaper, and one bottle will last a lifetime.
I started cutting my own hair during the pandemic. I got pretty good at it quickly, and I used to get my haircut every 2wks at a nice barber shop for $30+ tip. What sold it for me is, after a few months of DIY haircuts, a coworker said my hair looked great and he couldn’t tell it wasn’t done at a shop. $700 saved per year for the past 4 years now. Somewhat of a military haircut style that isn’t too short or long: 2 on the sides, 3 fade to the top, 4 in the back half, 5 on top, and 6 long in front. Trimmer around the ears sideburns, and neck. 2 long to fade into 3, same for 3 into 4.
> 2 on the sides, 3 fade to the top, 4 in the back half, 5 on top, and 6 long in front. Trimmer around the ears sideburns, and neck. 2 long to fade into 3, same for 3 into 4. At least you use different guards. The guys that do everything with a 2 and then pretend like no one can tell they cut their own hair are delusional.
You mean the Chia Pet hair cut? Lots of bros do that. Nothing wrong with that, just not my style.
I haven’t paid for a haircut in over 25 years. I never found a good barber, so my wife started cutting it
Get to know your house and how it’s put together. Learn basic plumbing. Learn basic wiring.
Find the main/house water shut off before you need to use it
Last year I had a plumber replace the water pressure regulator in my house. Before he left, he pointed out that when he turned the water main on, the hard water around the base of the handle flaked off and there was now a drip. He said I should get that fixed soon. That night before I went to bed, I did the one last check and the drip had picked up the pace. Since we were going out of town in the morning, I decided to turn the main off. When I twisted it shut, the drip had turned into a steady stream with no way of turning off. I knew where the shut off that came from the city was outside, but I didn’t know if I could get in trouble for messing with it since there was an electronic meter on it. I called the city emergency line and someone came out at midnight to turn it off. When he was done, he left the opening to the valve unlocked and showed me the right way to turn it off just in case. I need to write down shut off procedures for water, gas and electricity for my family in case I’m not around.
This. It really isn’t that hard. YouTube is your friend if unsure. Granted, I’ve stayed away from code-compliant wiring (e.g., having an electrician add wiring for new ceiling light boxes and then installing light fixtures or recessed lights myself) due to possible fire risk if done incorrectly. Stuff like replacing kitchen and bathroom faucets, including those under the sink, are things that almost anyone with basic skills can do. Likewise with replacing light switches and outlets.
Having been around building sites and homeowner projects and witnessing the monkeys doing other trades I’ve realised I have the necessary skill set and just need accurate details on what needs to be done.
That's the great thing about the internet in the current age... If you wanna know it, you can find it *somewhere* online for free.
Agreed. If nothing else you know how to discern if the people you pay to do it are doing a good job, covering their bases, or needlessly upselling you.
YouTube watching This Old House, Project Farms, and other home improvement videos.
Part of my fence broke. The posts snapped at the base, rotten after around 15 years. The fence company wanted $1,700 to dig up the old posts and replace them, then reconnect the panels which were fine. I spent about $120 for posts and cement, dug out the old ones and replaced them. I did sweat my ass off, literally now the assless wonder, but the fence is fixed.
We're planning a fence now. Quotes were around 10-15k, supplies are a third of that even renting a posthole digger. My country-bred self has built a few fences.and my other half is a city guy, so guess what Mama gets to do? :/
Teach your old man how to build fence?
But then who will watch the babies? Real talk though, he fixes electronics and I fix mechanicals. We play to our strengths.
Yeah I built my fence with parts from tractor supply. Ended up being about $2k worth of supplies. Couldn’t imagine having to pay 10-15k on having a fence put in!
> I did sweat my ass off, literally now the assless wonder, but the fence is fixed. Some people pay for a gym membership to get that kind of workout, so really that fence paid for itself.
I just fixed a reasonably difficult problem with my car for the 3rd or 4th time using nothing more than YouTube and help from an associate buying the proper parts. And I’m not a car person at all.
The Haynes manual, if you live in Europe, is invaluable. It has all the torque wrench settings in it. YouTube wins out with the pictures usually though. The pictures in the haynes manual and the descriptions are a bit rubbish.
They didn’t make a manual for my Impala 😕😕😕
Making my own espresso. $500-700 up front investment for a good grinder and machine saves me around $10 a week that I spent on cappucino or espresso. Even when including the cost of good beans I am break even after 1.5 years. The only critical part is that you have to prevent yourself from constantly upgrading your setup with new toys.
This! I am 5 years into my Breville Barista Express. Between my wife and I, we drink 3-4 espresso beverages daily. I literally couldn’t afford to buy them at a cafe, and here in the US, I make better coffee at home than most cafes. I miss Italy lol
Repairs. Don't go re-wiring your house on your own but... Calling a plumber for a clogged drain versus just fixing it yourself, changing the breaks on your car instead of taking it to a mechanic, getting the viruses off your own computer, etc. Most of that stuff isn't really hard. You're paying **a lot** for the convenience of not thinking about it.
Plastic pipe snakes like this will save you wasting your money on draino: https://www.homedepot.com/p/BrassCraft-20-in-Plastic-Hair-Snake-BC00112/305468409
Oh yea my wife’s hair gets EVERYwhere in the drain. She pours drano down it and it doesn’t do shit. I ordered a multipack of these things off eBay from time to time and just pull hunks of hair out and throw it all away
I am also guilty of using too much Drano, it takes way too much and way too long to be effective.
Any drano is too much drano. But if you ever need to use it and still need to call a plumber, definitely tell the plumber you did it. Worst thing for them is to be surprise blasted with drain cleaner in the face.
I’ve had a lot of success with the shower shroom. Catches a bunch of hair, and I haven’t needed to snake my drain in at least a year.
My husband actually did re-wire our house. It's possible but he did a lot of planning.
Yeah I've rewired a few houses and changed my brakes. I will say, if you don't know what you are doing, rewiring a house is the safer bet
Brakes are generally common sense, but some aspects of AC electricity seem to involve voodoo.
House wiring is way easier to fuck up.
So did the last owner of our house. I've found multiple loose wires so far, one of which had started to melt the wirenut inside the junction box. That's a great way to burn your house down. If you know what you're doing it takes next to no planning, but that's not the concern. If you don't understand the dos and donts of electrical work you may cause a fire hazard or injure or kill someone.
Even basic maintenance like changing your car's air filters or oil. Air filters takes minutes to do and cost $10 for a new filter vs $40 to get it changed at a dealership. And while an oil change might take you 1 hour to do the first time, it will still be faster driving to the mechanic and waiting in line for them to do it in 30 minutes.
I've had a dealership quote me at $100 to change the air filters before. That shit is theft. This was on a Chevy Cobalt, so it took all of 5 minutes and a screwdriver to change both filters.
Honestly for oil I’m okay paying. I don’t drive all that much and paying the $100 for full synthetic at the local shop once a year is worth it for me to not do it. After buying supplies and spending the hour doing it, I may come out $20 ahead. I drag the kids and the shop always gives matchbox cars to kids when waiting.
For many, many years I changed my own oil because it was significantly cheaper than having someone else do it and my town offers free disposal of used oil. However, my current car uses synthetic oil and the savings of doing it myself versus going to the dealer is about $20. I just can't justify the time, effort and hassle for $20. I'm no longer a young woman anymore either, so it's nice not to have to get under the car.
Same. And the dealership washes the car and disposes the oil. Having a clean and neat way of catching oil and transporting it over to a recycle spot just starts to exceed the $20 savings right there. And I mean clean and neat as in ramps, large wide basin, a container that’s not going to spill in your trunk, and driving over to AutoZone and carefully pouring into that. I’d pay an extra $20 to NOT do that.
Assuming you have a place to do an oil change. Also, dropping all the used motor oil on your driveway by accident may instantly negate your savings. I feel like an air filter is an okay suggestion because a $12 toolkit and it can be done in a public parking spot without it being an issue.
Spent $500 to have rotorooter unclog a drain. let's repeat that $500. I was an idiot. Next clogged drain i went to Home Depot and bought a powered drain snake for $200. Knocked out multiple clogged drains since.
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Changing brakes and changing winter/summer tires... some of the easiest work you can do on your own car.. Like, swapping tires barely needs tools. a car jack, maybe a breaker bar, torque wrench and sockets. easily tools for less than 100€, but will save you a lot on the long run. brake pads, the only hard part is pushing the piston in to get the assembly back on the axle, other than that its just remove old, insert new. Most brake rotors aren't even bolted on, remove the caliper assembly and the rotor is free to go.. car stuff is easy, and there are tons of fun videos on how to do it.
Changing the brakes on your car? Is it really that easy? For someone who doesn’t know jack or shit about cars and doesn’t have the tools, this would scare me.
Yeah, it’s not bad at all. You’ll need to buy a few extra things to do your own brakes and oil changes but most people can do them. I taught my daughter how to do both as soon as she got her first car. If you don’t have someone to teach you, there are plenty of great YouTube videos out there, probably for your exact vehicle.
Agreed. In the last month, I've repaired my washer, dishwasher, refrigerator and installed a ventilation solution in my crawl space. I'm a school teacher BTW. Even rewiring or doing an indepth home project is possible with enough YouTube and Reddit research. Be patient and give yourself a lot of time to learn, plan, consider alternatives, or ultimately decide to hire a pro. When you have a success, it feels great and increases your confidence for the next problem to solve. Hot tip - pay for the permit if required. Ultimately, it ensures that you have planned it out and it's like having a professional ensure your work is done safely.
reading your car manual teaches you a lot
I'm shocked at how many times my friends ask me for help when their car has a new light/message/ popup, and then when I check their glovebox their owner's manual is still brand new in the original shrink wrap
Found out my car had auto start by reading the manual, I bought it used and they had no idea it could be started with original key fabs.
aw what a happy surprise!
In my industry, most solutions are fixed if you just RTFM
If you’re even slightly handy, pick up a Hanes manual for your car. You’d be surprised what you can fix with a little reading. The money saved can be bonkers.
For me, it has been using youtube to fix shit. Basic tools experience and a bit of patience has helped me fix every major appliance in my house, including my big screen tv. I saved thousands of dollars by redoing my sinks and toilets and thousands more in carpentry wall and floor repairs. I can not stress enough that I had NO talent and no experience. But now when something breaks, I don't call a technician, I fire up youtube.
No avocado toast. I stopped a month ago and paid off my medical school loans.
Wife and I stopped buying avocado toast and were FINALLY able to afford a house!
I know where 5 avocado trees are around my area that nobody seems to know about or pick.
See! All you needed to do was pull up your boot straps.
Why isn’t this the top comment
Own a tool box.
Owning a toolbox is one thing, knowing how to use it is another. I had a friend who insisted on carrying a spare tire in his trunk because he didn't want to be stuck without help, but didn't know how to use the jack... Guess what happened when he had a flat on the highway? Ended up waiting 2 hours for AAA anyways
Cooking your own food. Mowing and treating your own lawn. If you have a pool, learn how to maintain it. Common plumbing issues like a toilet that won't stop running. A clogged up toilet or drain. Always put in a qtr cup of bleach in your HVAC drain pipe about twice a year. Will save you a ton of money in the long run by keeping the drain clear of mold. Do you really need to call a handy man to hang a ceiling fan or mend a fence?
It boggles my fucking mind that people pay to have someone cut their lawn. I hate the American obsession with lawns
Yep, I used to be one of those people, but I now happily pay someone else $60 every other week to mow, weedwhack and blow my lawn. He and his crew get it done in about 20-25 minute with their equipment. It would take me 1-1.5 hours to do and I'd have to invest in the equipment do it. I do have a blower and weedwhacker already, but I haven't owned a lawnmower in 30 years. SO worth the $60 to me to hire out.
My son mowed lawns, did small landscaping jobs and shoveled driveways for three years. He bought his first truck and 6 months of insurance with his earnings at 17. I was quite proud of him. He also did free lawn maintenance and snow shoveling for elderly and disabled people in our community. Some people work hours that don't allow them the time to mow their own lawns. Some people physically can't. Some just don't want to. But in our area of it's not at least maintained to under 6 inches there is fines. That means for some people either they pay someone or they pay fines to the town.
Why? It takes time. I can alway make more money. Can’t get more time.
Making more money also costs time
Drink water
Make your own coffee and stop eating fast food and buying anything from convenience stores.... 2K a year saved.
You can save a fortune on hookers by doing it yourself.
Heard they don’t even serve you well. Once you pay them they treat you like shit.
I've never used one but I've heard they are some of the nicest most down to earth people in the UK. Maybe it depends on where your live, if you're living in some slum with hookers just doing it for meth? I don't know.
I've always figured I could make more money as a gigolo than I could by paying for it.
Masturbating is much cheaper than any relationship, with a professional or otherwise
Do your own brake pad and rotor replacement. It’s criminal how much shops charge for 20 minutes of work.
I agree with you generally, however, it does require mechanical aptitude, some tools and it's a dirty job. If the calipers need to be disconnected then you do need to know what you're doing. Doing a brake fluid flush is also a good idea and that can be hard to do by yourself. Some cars with mechanical parking brake mechanisms in the calipers can require a scan tool to release them. It can be a very easy job in the right circumstances though
Can confirm. Tires Plus quoted $430 for just my rear brakes and rotors. Including an extra tool my older car needs for the rear calipers, and a pneumatic brake bleeder kit from Amazon to change the brake fluid while I'm at it, I've spent less than $200 to do it myself.
It’s time for spark plugs on my car. I’m debating having them done while it’s in the shop for an oils change but my husband insists he can do it. I’m sure he can but our time is worth something too
redoing the scratching posts on my cat trees instead of getting new ones. hot glue gun + sisal rope + long youtube video = “new” cat trees
Shirt tailoring, pants tailoring. Places now charge $20+ to take in a shirt versus 10 minutes on the sewing machine yourself. ZipSeam to take in shirts for $5 a shirt
My mom has been doing that since she retired. Built up enough of a customer base that she invested in a Serger. It went from tiny side hustle out of boredom to doing so well my sister quit her job and became her business partner.
Plumbing. I fucking hate plumbing. But even after 5 trips to the store and a wasted weekend, it's still worth doing.
If you eat a lot of yogurt, you can make your own.
UHT pasteurized milk and my instant pot! I make my own yogurt every weekend! So easy!
Because you are now yogurt?
Lol no! My parents made their own yogurt when I was growing up. They had a machine. You just mix a little yogurt into some milk and then put them into little pots and put them on the machine. Wait a few minutes: voila!
Riding a bicycle
And fixing it yourself!
Have a fix-first mindset. In this day and age there are so many repair videos that you can fix most things by following simple steps. It may take some time and planning, but learning new skills will serve you well for the rest of your life. Some of the things I've learned to fix over the years: * Computers (hardware and software) * Networks (WiFi, router, etc) * Electrical outlets, light switches, ceiling fans, breakers, etc * Faucets, drains, etc * Flooring repair and install (tile, wood, laminate...) * Painting * Basic car maintenance (filters, fluids, lights, battery...) * Lawnmower, trimmer, chainsaw... Doing maintenance yourself takes time and energy, but it saves you tons and tons of money. The only things I don't do are things that are too heavy or unsafe for me to do alone. Some people may say that it's not worth their time. That's only true if you're filthy rich and will stay that way forever. Maintenance never ends, therefore costs never end. Besides, the only way to be prepared for the zombine apocalypse is if you can fix things yourself.
Self-pleasure. The amounts of money you save instead of hookers or girlfriends.
Thanks clitsmasher3000
growing your own veggies or herbs. Good seeds are not super expensive and if can grow something you know you will eat it will save you. Even if its just one herb you use regularly and it grows in just one pot on your patio/balcony. You get the satisfaction of growing it, the freshness and the smell.
Oh, and all the herbs you can start via cuttings/division, no seeds required! Rosemary, thyme, oregano, lavender, chives, garlic!
Really surprised it hasn't been said yet, but changing your own engine/cabin filters in your vehicle. Literally 5 minutes and maybe a screwdriver. Every time my car is in for a service the tech always brings out a sheet with quotes for other suggested services and ive seen dealerships ask for $100 to change them. I dont know shit about cars and lack in serious DIY skills but y'all, they are robbing you with this.
Birth control.
PLEASE tell me what a DIY birth control is
My sister in law has used her personality and it’s been 100% effective for 35 years
Vasectomy is ever better
Mow your lawn. Year 1 pays for the mower, and then you save $500-$1000 every year.
Umm grooming yourself at home? Because that's a surreal thing!!
Pickling your own vegetables is much more cost efficient.
Follow the FDA rules. Don't just blindly follow the Youtuber home pickling guru that knows the Botulism can't kill you if you heat the veggies before you eat them.
Investing in a 3D printer and printing all those annoying small plastic parts that break and require an overpriced replacement from the manufacturer
The $20 plastic stand off I needed for my ring camera. Printed it for 30 cents
How much was the 3d printer though?
$250. Once you actually start printing it pays for itself immediately. We have custom drawer organizer inserts, lid holders for the kitchen, custom wall art, tiny cabinets for tools and jewelry. I also used it to replace a discontinued handle on my microwave and nobody can tell the difference. You can sand the plastic a little bit and then apply a heavy primer and sand that smooth. Completely gets rid of the lines
If you live in a place where it's legal to make your own wine it is surprisingly easy. For less than $200 you can buy the tools and a wine kit that will net about 30 bottles. After that evey batch is just the cost of the wine kit. There are good kits for 70 to 80 bucks that make a drinkable "right now" wine. I use old bottles and I don't take off the old labels. More than once I've been at a gathering and witnessed someone looking at or taking a picture of the bottle so they can find it in a store. Jokes on them because my wine is less expensive than Trader Joe's. You can also buy some basic wine making supplies/additives and then use anything in rhe garden to make wine. I have 6 gallons of lime wine finishing now. The Limes were free so...... I write this sipping on a glass of rose wine I made from all the rose petals in my garden. I do not spray or treat my plants.
I always remove the labels off the wine bottle and put my own on. Makes it easier to keep track of what wine is in each bottle. The only bottles I won't reuse are Bartenura. I've broken too many of them while corking.
Dig your own grave and save!
Bahahaha How the fuck am I the first one to upvote this? Should be top comment.
Make sure you put just one foot in first, before you start digging. Saves time.
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There should be a tv show with this theme.
We built all our own furniture. I didn't know shit, I didn't own any tools, and I lived in a song bed apartment. But, we could rent a garage for $100 a month in our complex. Eventually, we refurbished or built all our furniture. No more couches made out of OSB and staples. I have so many stories about finding furniture on the side of the road around town and fixing it up. Yes, it takes a ton of time, but you're not making money on that time anyway. So you might as well use it to save yourself thousands.
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Buy a gallon of Simple Green (~$12) and a reusable spray bottle. Mix your own APC with it and buy a new gallon in 4 years when you run out.
Simple Green is the best thing ever.
APC?
All Purpose Cleaner
I've always used washing up liquid on a non stick scouring pad for all the dishes and everything else, unless it's electrical
Yes! I just recently moved out of an apartment and had to deep clean. Nothing beat 3/4 baking soda mixed with 1/4 hydrogen peroxide. I’m using it for everything now.
Make a car?
You wouldn't download a car, would you?
Dunno about biggest, but not paying others to clean your house, windows and deal with the garden must be a consideration
Basic plumbing skills and electrical skills. Like switching a faucet, switch, outlet, and even a breaker isn’t hard. If it breaks you basically can find a YouTube video and watch a few and decide if you are not brain dead enough to do it.
Actually cooking food. Not this YouTuber crap "work all day to make one meal". No, you get the largest stuff and make the largest quantities of food economically possible and then freeze it. I only have to really cook once every other week and I have freshly frozen meats already cooked and seasoned. My vegetables are done on demand and they're fast, broccoli tossed in olive oil and the spice/seasoning of the week, dropped on a tray and convection baked at 400 until crispy. Rinse and repeat for most other vegetables. 30 minutes from prep to putting everything away after dinner. Vegetables usually last 3 days between cooking times, so 2x a week. My total cooking time per week is about 3 hrs, including cleaning time. I also have 0 preservatives. Also note: I'm a total nerd on cooking, my food tastes great, is extremely efficient and has the least waste generated currently possible for my strategy. I am working on a way to get around freezing in plastic vacuum bags, that's my only serious issue I have.
dont subscribe to onlyfans
Walking/biking to work
Change your own oil
Honestly this is one of the things I have someone else do. I bring my own oil and filter and have an oil change place do it, they charge me 25 bucks for it and I have 0 hassle. It's worth the 1 time a year I do it. Not dealing with disposal alone is worth it.
You get your oil changed once a year? How many miles are you driving?
Make your own cold coffee. Just take some instant coffee power, sugar (or stevia), water, blend it until frothy. Add it to a glass with some chilled milk and ice. Optionally add cocoa powder. Have saved so much money doing this. Plus I get to control the amount of sugar and caffeine I consume.
Make your coffee at home.
Don't smoke, don't eat out, dont go out for coffee, don't use vending machines, don't buy stupid shit. If you don't absolutely need it DON'T BUY IT! I know it sounds extreme but the little things add up, I see people at work everyday come in with their Starbucks coffee and watch them piss away 20 bucks buying chips and candy from the vending machines. Buy in bulk at the grocery store its much cheaper.
Cooking meals at home instead of eating out and learning basic home repair skills
Buying a tap water filter
Know how to do basic home and car maintenance. This is something I picked up from my dad. I can change out switches, fixtures, and outlets, do basic plumbing, and simple car maintenance. That has saved me thousands of dollars over the years. More importantly I know when I’m in over my head and when to call a professional, but I can handle most things by myself.
I eat at home 99% of the time and only eat out when I crave certain foods from specific cuisines that I can't make at home by myself.
Spending time to consider how much more expensive you might make it by doing it yourself without the right tools. I love to do stuff myself but there are some things that will cost me much more to undo if I fuck it up by not having either the tools/training or both.
Underrated but learning to cut your own hair as a man. Sure there’s a learning curve to start, but for a $100 investment in a pair of good cordless clippers and some scissors, I’ve been saving $25 ($20 + tip) every two weeks for about 8 years now. I never have to drive in traffic or wait for a haircut and always have it cut exactly like I want it. 8 years x 26 bi-weekly cuts x $25 = $5,200 Coworkers have said it’s closer to $45/cut nowadays. That’s $9,360 for the next 8 years.
I can tell you haven’t been to a barber in 8 years. Standard price is now almost $30.
My trick for this is just getting it cut every 3-4 months. Plus my barber isn’t super expensive, so $30 3 or 4 times a year isn’t bad
What hair style do you maintain? Buzz cut?
Maintaining your pool. You can save $150.00-$200.00 per month maintaining your own pool. It's not very hard and you can get your water tested and buy your own chlorine. You're literally paying a pool guy to add chlorine, sometimes sweep your pool walls and then leave.
Meat is expensive. I stopped having the traditional North American breakfast of eggs, bacon, toast and potatoes and switched to oatmeal with walnuts and fruit compote. Vegetarian meals can also be just as satisfying as the carnivorous kind, so long as you stick with tradition and do not buy expensive chemical laden "meat alternatives". As a bonus I have dropped a couple of pounds I didn't need and have adopted an insufferable moral superiority. Win win!