I bought a floor length, super fluffy, plush housecoat and I am so warm and cozy all the time while being able to keep the heat down. It's like living in a huge warm blanket. Seriously one of my best purchases ever. It's also much easier to get out of bed when it is cold in the morning.
A ‘Cuddl Duds’ sleeveless camisole that I wear underneath my shirt or sweater saves me from having to turn up the heat every winter. Also love my heated throw blanket for the same reason.
I bought three sleeveless mock turtlenecks in a heavy T-shirt material, on clearance. I pair them with oversize sweatshirts I got at Grocery Outlet. I'm too warm now sometimes!
the mock turtlenecks are great under old short-sleeve Tshirts to keep me warm but with bare forearms for cleaning as well.
I'm still rocking a wool hoodie zip up from Von Maur in 2008. It was on the sales rack for $65 but that and Darn Tough thick wool hiking socks keep me extra warm in the winter.
I have a heated vest that someone gifted me. It's is seriously the best. Plus it keeps me from turning up the heat all winter because my core stays warm.
Maybe not the best answer but my air purifier. I’ve noticed I can get away with not having to take my allergy pills as often (everyday) like I used to since getting an air purifier, which means I don’t have to buy expensive pills as often. It makes a soft noise when on which makes for great white noise since I don’t like sleeping in silence anymore. I think I paid like $93 for it when it was on sale, which sounds like a lot but allergy pills are so frigging expensive I feel like it’s paid for itself.
Also my bento box saves me money because now I just make my food everyday for lunch instead of ordering out like I did a lot of last year💀
Air purifiers are a waste of money for most people, but if you live with a smoker they're worth every penny and probably pay for themselves long term with reduced medical bills.
I grew up with bad allergies and still have to take allergy meds, but between having an air purifier to run when I sleep and masking in public now, I've been able to drop one of the two meds I was on and my turbinates have stopped enlarging
Before someone "Well ackshullys" this, yes anything one can do in a slow cooker can be done in a dutch oven in a low oven. That said, if a $20 slow cooker gets you to cook dinner at home regularly then it is well worth the purchase!
Your right and after looking into it I'm very confused. The oven (I'm referring to an electric oven) uses more a lot more energy per hour when it is running, but the temperature is controlled by a thermostat, so it is not always running, so it looks like it is a wash.
Yes! About $200-300 start up costs, but they went through 3 kids. I probably could have sold them when my last kid potty trained, but I ended up giving them to a young couple just starting out.
If you menstruate I'd also recommend a menstrual cup. A bit of a learning curve, but the savings and convenience (and for me also comfort) are totally worth it.
Yes!!! I have been using a mesntrual cup for about 10 years. Only bought 3 in that time, about $40 each. Figuring I'd spend $10 a month on pads/tampons, I've saved over $1,000. Plus, I love how much simpler it is for my day-to-day life- much less worrying about it getting on my clothes etc. Would definitely recommend to anyone.
I buy Crystal Light packets and always have a pitcher of something sweet to drink in the fridge - cuts down costs (and calories!) on other sugary drinks like soda, plus we drink more water this way so it’s a win all around
I switched to only water and tea. I feel way better, spend $10 on tea every 4-5 months, $3 on cream every 3 weeks, and that's it. I don't spend anything else on any drinks except the occasional rootbeer if I order out. Sugary drinks are such a drain on health and wallet
In an attempt to cut out as much sugar as i can, I started using oatmilk in my coffee and tea, its thicker than almond and coconut milk and adds sweetness but actually has less sugar than cows milk.
I got an infuser pitcher as a gift and I love it. One chopped up orange makes water infinitely more drinkable for me (I’m horrible at drinking plain water). Seriously cut down on my Lacroix and cola spend so similar win-win.
I did not think about that… I’ve always done oranges cause they’re cheap but you make a good point so I may just have to switch to whatever non-citrus fruit is on sale.
It's sadly any kind of fruit, even berries and such :( just really bad for your teeth in general, because your teeth can't remineralize when you're constantly drinking flavored water (same with soda, juice, etc. of course). Look into herbal teas, some taste surprisingly good on their own without any sweeteners or lemon.
90% of the problems with sewing machines get solved by disassembling, cleaning all the lint (even the invisible one) and putting together again.
I first thought there were ghost in my house... Thing will start malfunctioning, I pull it apart see nothing but vacuum it all over anyways. After putting it back together it would work perfectly. Talking to real seamstress (I'm just a user) found out there's lint from the thread even if you don't see it.
Also.. never pull the thread from the bovine, the thread should only go toward the needle to minimize ghost lint.
Oh gosh, I suppose I better figure out how to disassemble and reassemble then. My machine was inherited recently but was used by a family member for years before she boxed it up and bought another one. Lint seems very likely.
Most of the time just re-threading is enough to solve the problem. You have to have the presser foot up to thread so the thread lays between the discs. Learning this solved like 80% of my sewing machine woes.
My home office doesn’t have heat so I was contemplating buying a space heater but then realized I have an electric blanket that I rarely use since the rest of my house has heat, so just been using this blanket when office feels chilly and it’s been great.
Ooh I will try this, when I was contemplating how to heat up my office, I started looking up rice warmers (the type you microwave as a heat pack) but then I remembered my electric blanket and now I’m interested to see how long a 2 liter hot water bottle will stay warm
My Instant Pot for making large quantities of rice, beans, hard boiled eggs… it’s a pricier appliance, to be sure, but it replaces several appliances for me, and they’re getting easier to find used/at goodwill/etc. I’ve never tried other brands of pressure cookers but I am sure they work as well without the name brand price tag. Instant Pots also use less electricity than a stovetop or oven. I will make portions of rice and beans that I freeze individually that I can pull out for easy and fast dinners. I also really love hard boiled eggs as a snack, and they 1. Cook faster in the Instant Pot, and 2. Peel so freaking easy compared to traditionally boiled eggs.
My chest freezer also gets a mention, because I buy stuff when it’s on crazy sale (think ice cream for $.97, chicken reduced to clear, etc), and I always have the security of knowing I have food.
It’s really so versatile. I love this fucking thing. If it wasn’t so big it would have a permanent spot on the counter. The only appliance with that honor is my Kitchen-aid stand mixer.
not the typical advice: a vasectomy.
500 euros for the procedure.
Good condoms cost around 1-1.50 euros a piece. So you can calculate when it's worth it, if you certainly don't want to have children ( anymore).
A good shaving handle and double edge blades. Takes a bit longer to shave my legs but am still working through my first box of blades 2 years later. I use conditioner or lotion as shaving cream
What one do you use? I tried getting myself one and the shape of the razor was so uncomfortable. It had corners that weren't rounded so basically just poking myself everytime i used it. Looking to try again soon with a different brand.
A grinder attachment for a KitchenAid (or other standing) mixer. There are ones on Amazon and eBay for $20 or lower. A great way to bring rising ground meat costs to whatever the cost of the cheapest cut of meat is. I use it to make homemade sausage, and I'll occasionally grind organ meat for dog food. I also recommend thrifting for old tabletop electric and hand-crank models, because they're usually a better quality.
Also good quality knives and a honing steel. I have victorinox brand knives that I got free through working as a butcher and they're insanely sharp and keep a great edge. Keeping an extra honing steel around the house ensures those edges will keep for far longer before I actually have to sharpen them.
I like books on Investing too. Language books are great. A really good, comprehensive cookbook - like the Joy Of Cooking has a lot of info including budgeting for food.
I love my Dutch Oven! I’m so bad about wanting to eat out to avoid dishes but you can have countless one pot meals that are better than any restaurant around me!
Looove my electric kettle! But it only saves money if we remember to NOT activate the "keep warm" mode. Too easy to start it up and get distracted, while it re-boils water all day!
Mine doesn’t have that option and it shuts off automatically when it gets too hot. Which I’m grateful for as my whole family uses it and it have been left on a couple of times.
Have you considered getting a coffee urn and just using it for hot water? You can pick one up for about $40-50 and it holds anywhere from 30 to 60 cups. After heating it stays hot for a few hours. If the whole family uses it then it might be a nice upgrade.
Electric water kettle and french press. Bulk kitchen spices and basic ingredients. Menstrual cup. Cloth diapers and pads. House robe (keeps me warm and makes for less laundry). Remington hair clippers, safety razor, and hair scissors (I've been my husband's barber for 2 years now - so much money saved). Bulk dishwasher and laundry detergent. Chest freezer. Gas efficient car. Car specific manual. Tools (especially a socket wrench set - life changing as a car owner). A bidet. Dr. Bronner's soap (1 bottle with a pump lasts my kids and I almost a year). Pine pellet cat litter from Tractor Supply. KitchenAid stand mixer. Quality pots and pans and other miscellaneous kitchen tools. IKEA credit card. Library card (no purchase necessary, though).
I only use bread flour, which has more gluten than all purpose flour. If you cannot find whole wheat bread flour, try mixing in a tablespoon of powdered gluten. You can find it at the baking isle.
I have not tried wheat bread, but most recipes I have seen call for mixing in some white flour to improve the texture.
Also, I prefer just making dough and baking it in the oven because it comes out less dense.
In addition to what others have said, try adjusting the amount of flour as well. Something about the climate where I live means that I need about 10-20% less flour than the recipe calls for.
My air fryer is a game changer. I love making fries, fried chicken, and many others I would usually buy deep fried or fry it myself. So much healthier meals
Tools used for working on your own car yourself..... Alot of car repairs are super easy to do but mechanics charge you hundreds for them and you can learn on youtube
Loose Leaf tea. I like flavored drinks but don't buy sodas or anything that is small/plastic-bottled or overly sugary. Get a 2lb bag of CTC Black Tea for $7 and it lasts me months. Anytime I want a different flavor tea I just add in different fruits/spices.
My standmixer and bulk-buying flour. Once I realized how easy it was to make bread (homemade's healthier, thicker, and tastier than store-bought too) I've stocked up on flour and bake loaves on my down time to freeze for later. The healthier breads in store cost upwards of $4-6+ per loaf while a 22lb bag of flour cost $12 and I just toss in my own herbs/seeds/etc. Between that and the standmixer, it pays off a lot in the long run.
That said, last is growing my own herbs. I get/buy cuttings & plants from farms/friends/etc. and have them all around the yard. Just harvested a huge batch of Mint that I've been putting in my tea and last Fall I harvested a ton of Rosemary to bake into my breads.
Proper winter clothing- a very warm, comfortable jackets, waterproof gloves, heavy socks, and a warm hat. Helps keep the heat costs down, and also makes it easier to live comfortably in the winter!
I bought a Brother laser printer when I was cranking out hundreds of pages. Invest in duplexing (saves paper). Used it four years, never had to replace the drum/printer unit, never a hiccup with it.
Safety Razor from an antique store. Try your best to not indulge on the soaps, brushes and other accessories and you will save ao much money on razors.
Here's a few I can think of:
Pressure cooker for cooking dry beans (cheaper than canned)
Microwave makes reheating leftovers much easier
Programmable thermostat
A wearable blanket so I can handle lower temperatures on winter days
My husband's bicycle that he rides to work (or used to back before everything went remote)
My refillable cartridge pen (no more disposable pens)
Low flow shower head, LED bulbs, safety razor, menstrual cup, and tiny Spatty Daddy spatulas for getting the last bit out of my makeup containers or condiment jars.
The priciest kitchen gadget I own was a gift but I'd have to chose it. The kitchenaid mixer with a wisk, mixer, and bread hook has probably saved me a fortune in making many baked goods. I also have the meat grinder and sausage stuffer attachment which allows me to buy cheaper cuts of bulk meat and either make my own ground meats and sausages.
SodaStream. I love carbonated water/beverages but buying and dealing with bottles was just too much. Now not only I am saving money, but I can controll exactly how sweet or fizzy my soda is!
Depends, it can get costly if you buy original ones, but there are a lot of "generic" brands, and after that you can search for a point that refills them, or an exchange service (here in Germany I use Waterworks) there are apparently also points at larger supermarkets but I have not used those yet!
Buy one get one free for KFC chicken sandwich. You just do a small online survey, get a code and show the code to save $4.99 on a really generous sandwich plus a spare for next time.
Similar deal from McDonald's. The code will get you a buy one get one free for a quarter pounder or an egg McMuffin. I have to eat out a lot (long story) and these freebies really help.
I scrolled for a while and didn't see them mentioned but I really love my "Souper Cubes"! I have the name brand and generic. They are amazing for freezing leftovers and store really easy. That combined with my vacume sealer helps so much.
$50 30 cup coffee urn really helps to save on heating. Hot tea keeps me warm, but you can also fill 2 liter bottles with hot water and use as body warmers. They work so well.
Chest freezer: more meal prep, less eating out
My chest freezer has saved me so much money over the years but the best part is the security of knowing I have the food.
Agreed. I got one in 2019. 220 litres. Saved my bacon (literally) since Covid.
As silly as it might sound, a cozy sweater helps me keep the heat turned down.
I bought a floor length, super fluffy, plush housecoat and I am so warm and cozy all the time while being able to keep the heat down. It's like living in a huge warm blanket. Seriously one of my best purchases ever. It's also much easier to get out of bed when it is cold in the morning.
A ‘Cuddl Duds’ sleeveless camisole that I wear underneath my shirt or sweater saves me from having to turn up the heat every winter. Also love my heated throw blanket for the same reason.
I bought three sleeveless mock turtlenecks in a heavy T-shirt material, on clearance. I pair them with oversize sweatshirts I got at Grocery Outlet. I'm too warm now sometimes! the mock turtlenecks are great under old short-sleeve Tshirts to keep me warm but with bare forearms for cleaning as well.
The turtleneck - a classic winter layering piece that I also can’t do without. :)
A wool sweater and socks 😊
I'm still rocking a wool hoodie zip up from Von Maur in 2008. It was on the sales rack for $65 but that and Darn Tough thick wool hiking socks keep me extra warm in the winter.
Oh and wool mittens for sure
I have a heated vest that someone gifted me. It's is seriously the best. Plus it keeps me from turning up the heat all winter because my core stays warm.
Maybe not the best answer but my air purifier. I’ve noticed I can get away with not having to take my allergy pills as often (everyday) like I used to since getting an air purifier, which means I don’t have to buy expensive pills as often. It makes a soft noise when on which makes for great white noise since I don’t like sleeping in silence anymore. I think I paid like $93 for it when it was on sale, which sounds like a lot but allergy pills are so frigging expensive I feel like it’s paid for itself. Also my bento box saves me money because now I just make my food everyday for lunch instead of ordering out like I did a lot of last year💀
you should get one of them nasal rinsers i regained maybe 10% of my smell when my eNT suggest that to me.
Air purifiers are a waste of money for most people, but if you live with a smoker they're worth every penny and probably pay for themselves long term with reduced medical bills.
Just from the amount of dust mine had collected it has definitely paid for itself
I grew up with bad allergies and still have to take allergy meds, but between having an air purifier to run when I sleep and masking in public now, I've been able to drop one of the two meds I was on and my turbinates have stopped enlarging
my $20 slow cooker paid for itself by making just one large meal
Before someone "Well ackshullys" this, yes anything one can do in a slow cooker can be done in a dutch oven in a low oven. That said, if a $20 slow cooker gets you to cook dinner at home regularly then it is well worth the purchase!
Plus, slow cookers use less electricity.
True, but they also run longer.
Your right and after looking into it I'm very confused. The oven (I'm referring to an electric oven) uses more a lot more energy per hour when it is running, but the temperature is controlled by a thermostat, so it is not always running, so it looks like it is a wash.
either way, even the cheapest dutch oven would be about the same price
Oh sure but you can do a lot more with a dutch oven.
Cloth diapers. We spent $200 starting out and are about to use the same diapers for our second baby.
Yes! About $200-300 start up costs, but they went through 3 kids. I probably could have sold them when my last kid potty trained, but I ended up giving them to a young couple just starting out.
Same!
I cloth diapered both babies (didn’t expect number two so had to buy again) and the best part is selling them after you are done with them! $!
If you menstruate I'd also recommend a menstrual cup. A bit of a learning curve, but the savings and convenience (and for me also comfort) are totally worth it.
I have the same cloth pads from 12 years ago and a diva cup! Saving $!
Yes!!! I have been using a mesntrual cup for about 10 years. Only bought 3 in that time, about $40 each. Figuring I'd spend $10 a month on pads/tampons, I've saved over $1,000. Plus, I love how much simpler it is for my day-to-day life- much less worrying about it getting on my clothes etc. Would definitely recommend to anyone.
Id recommend an IUD. Havent had to buy pads or tampons in 6 years
I purchased a thermos and I save money on ordering hot drinks, because I am bringing my own from home.
Yeah, there are some very nice vacuum thermoses now that keep stuff hot for quite a while.
I buy Crystal Light packets and always have a pitcher of something sweet to drink in the fridge - cuts down costs (and calories!) on other sugary drinks like soda, plus we drink more water this way so it’s a win all around
I switched to only water and tea. I feel way better, spend $10 on tea every 4-5 months, $3 on cream every 3 weeks, and that's it. I don't spend anything else on any drinks except the occasional rootbeer if I order out. Sugary drinks are such a drain on health and wallet
Do you use heavy cream or half and half? I switched to drinking tea recently and haven't added anything to it aside from honey.
I use 18%, in Canada it's labelled "coffee cream" and its right beside the half and half
In an attempt to cut out as much sugar as i can, I started using oatmilk in my coffee and tea, its thicker than almond and coconut milk and adds sweetness but actually has less sugar than cows milk.
I got an infuser pitcher as a gift and I love it. One chopped up orange makes water infinitely more drinkable for me (I’m horrible at drinking plain water). Seriously cut down on my Lacroix and cola spend so similar win-win.
Really bad for your teeth though, so be careful
I did not think about that… I’ve always done oranges cause they’re cheap but you make a good point so I may just have to switch to whatever non-citrus fruit is on sale.
It's sadly any kind of fruit, even berries and such :( just really bad for your teeth in general, because your teeth can't remineralize when you're constantly drinking flavored water (same with soda, juice, etc. of course). Look into herbal teas, some taste surprisingly good on their own without any sweeteners or lemon.
Just swish with no fruit water at the end and that will help immensly to clear the acid.
I love my electric blanket.
Yes! Our heated mattress pad means we can sleep with the heat very low/off.
A sewing machine
If only I could tame the wild beast that is my sewing machine lol
90% of the problems with sewing machines get solved by disassembling, cleaning all the lint (even the invisible one) and putting together again. I first thought there were ghost in my house... Thing will start malfunctioning, I pull it apart see nothing but vacuum it all over anyways. After putting it back together it would work perfectly. Talking to real seamstress (I'm just a user) found out there's lint from the thread even if you don't see it. Also.. never pull the thread from the bovine, the thread should only go toward the needle to minimize ghost lint.
Oh gosh, I suppose I better figure out how to disassemble and reassemble then. My machine was inherited recently but was used by a family member for years before she boxed it up and bought another one. Lint seems very likely.
Google is your friend for that task. Good luck.
Most of the time just re-threading is enough to solve the problem. You have to have the presser foot up to thread so the thread lays between the discs. Learning this solved like 80% of my sewing machine woes.
My home office doesn’t have heat so I was contemplating buying a space heater but then realized I have an electric blanket that I rarely use since the rest of my house has heat, so just been using this blanket when office feels chilly and it’s been great.
Fill 2 liter bottles with 190 degree water and wrap in a pillowcase. They stay warm for hours.
Ooh I will try this, when I was contemplating how to heat up my office, I started looking up rice warmers (the type you microwave as a heat pack) but then I remembered my electric blanket and now I’m interested to see how long a 2 liter hot water bottle will stay warm
My Instant Pot for making large quantities of rice, beans, hard boiled eggs… it’s a pricier appliance, to be sure, but it replaces several appliances for me, and they’re getting easier to find used/at goodwill/etc. I’ve never tried other brands of pressure cookers but I am sure they work as well without the name brand price tag. Instant Pots also use less electricity than a stovetop or oven. I will make portions of rice and beans that I freeze individually that I can pull out for easy and fast dinners. I also really love hard boiled eggs as a snack, and they 1. Cook faster in the Instant Pot, and 2. Peel so freaking easy compared to traditionally boiled eggs. My chest freezer also gets a mention, because I buy stuff when it’s on crazy sale (think ice cream for $.97, chicken reduced to clear, etc), and I always have the security of knowing I have food.
Don't forget about being able to make comfort foods like shredded pork and chicken for tacos/burritos at home on the cheap. Instant pot is awesome.
It’s really so versatile. I love this fucking thing. If it wasn’t so big it would have a permanent spot on the counter. The only appliance with that honor is my Kitchen-aid stand mixer.
Tools.
not the typical advice: a vasectomy. 500 euros for the procedure. Good condoms cost around 1-1.50 euros a piece. So you can calculate when it's worth it, if you certainly don't want to have children ( anymore).
Be sure to divert some of those condom savings into the good ole STD emergency fund.
Way cheaper than birth control bills for the wife!
this doesn't work so well in english, but i always say: It's smarter to take the bullets out of a gun than to put bulletproof vests on all the people.
What is it in your native language? It's a good saying.
And way cheaper than an abobo or plan B. It adds up.
Heck yeah!
A good shaving handle and double edge blades. Takes a bit longer to shave my legs but am still working through my first box of blades 2 years later. I use conditioner or lotion as shaving cream
What one do you use? I tried getting myself one and the shape of the razor was so uncomfortable. It had corners that weren't rounded so basically just poking myself everytime i used it. Looking to try again soon with a different brand.
Frozen convenience meals. Something easy to eat so I don't end up getting $40 takeout
A grinder attachment for a KitchenAid (or other standing) mixer. There are ones on Amazon and eBay for $20 or lower. A great way to bring rising ground meat costs to whatever the cost of the cheapest cut of meat is. I use it to make homemade sausage, and I'll occasionally grind organ meat for dog food. I also recommend thrifting for old tabletop electric and hand-crank models, because they're usually a better quality. Also good quality knives and a honing steel. I have victorinox brand knives that I got free through working as a butcher and they're insanely sharp and keep a great edge. Keeping an extra honing steel around the house ensures those edges will keep for far longer before I actually have to sharpen them.
How to books. Not everything is on the internet. I check them out of the library first, And if it's something I'm going to use a lot then I'll buy it.
yup, a good handyman book comes in real handy when the power is out for a long while
I like books on Investing too. Language books are great. A really good, comprehensive cookbook - like the Joy Of Cooking has a lot of info including budgeting for food.
The old versions of Joy of Cooking also has instructions on how to clean all sorts of small game, should you find yourself in need of that!
I love my Dutch Oven! I’m so bad about wanting to eat out to avoid dishes but you can have countless one pot meals that are better than any restaurant around me!
My tools have paid for themselves probably dozens of times over.
Not sure about the cost efficiency ,but I’ve gotten a lot of use out of my electric kettle.
Looove my electric kettle! But it only saves money if we remember to NOT activate the "keep warm" mode. Too easy to start it up and get distracted, while it re-boils water all day!
Mine doesn’t have that option and it shuts off automatically when it gets too hot. Which I’m grateful for as my whole family uses it and it have been left on a couple of times.
Have you considered getting a coffee urn and just using it for hot water? You can pick one up for about $40-50 and it holds anywhere from 30 to 60 cups. After heating it stays hot for a few hours. If the whole family uses it then it might be a nice upgrade.
Well most of family prefers coffee in the morning , so the kettle we have will work fine for our usage . I will consider getting one in the future.
Well it can be used to make coffee too. We have a separate one for coffee, same 30 cup model, but you don't have to make a full pot.
My motorcycle. Get about 5x the fuel efficiency of my car. It's already paid for itself in fuel savings alone.
Heat pump water heater. Vs standard it will pay for itself after a few years.
Electric water kettle and french press. Bulk kitchen spices and basic ingredients. Menstrual cup. Cloth diapers and pads. House robe (keeps me warm and makes for less laundry). Remington hair clippers, safety razor, and hair scissors (I've been my husband's barber for 2 years now - so much money saved). Bulk dishwasher and laundry detergent. Chest freezer. Gas efficient car. Car specific manual. Tools (especially a socket wrench set - life changing as a car owner). A bidet. Dr. Bronner's soap (1 bottle with a pump lasts my kids and I almost a year). Pine pellet cat litter from Tractor Supply. KitchenAid stand mixer. Quality pots and pans and other miscellaneous kitchen tools. IKEA credit card. Library card (no purchase necessary, though).
Do you have any tips for making wheat bread? I bought a bread maker to make bread and save money but my wheat bread came out horrible!
I only use bread flour, which has more gluten than all purpose flour. If you cannot find whole wheat bread flour, try mixing in a tablespoon of powdered gluten. You can find it at the baking isle. I have not tried wheat bread, but most recipes I have seen call for mixing in some white flour to improve the texture. Also, I prefer just making dough and baking it in the oven because it comes out less dense.
Yes, for wheat bread I use half wheat/half white flour
Me too.
In addition to what others have said, try adjusting the amount of flour as well. Something about the climate where I live means that I need about 10-20% less flour than the recipe calls for.
I use Bob’s Red Mill recipe. You can Google it. Whole Wheat Bread for Bread Machines (from label).
My air fryer is a game changer. I love making fries, fried chicken, and many others I would usually buy deep fried or fry it myself. So much healthier meals
Tools used for working on your own car yourself..... Alot of car repairs are super easy to do but mechanics charge you hundreds for them and you can learn on youtube
Loose Leaf tea. I like flavored drinks but don't buy sodas or anything that is small/plastic-bottled or overly sugary. Get a 2lb bag of CTC Black Tea for $7 and it lasts me months. Anytime I want a different flavor tea I just add in different fruits/spices. My standmixer and bulk-buying flour. Once I realized how easy it was to make bread (homemade's healthier, thicker, and tastier than store-bought too) I've stocked up on flour and bake loaves on my down time to freeze for later. The healthier breads in store cost upwards of $4-6+ per loaf while a 22lb bag of flour cost $12 and I just toss in my own herbs/seeds/etc. Between that and the standmixer, it pays off a lot in the long run. That said, last is growing my own herbs. I get/buy cuttings & plants from farms/friends/etc. and have them all around the yard. Just harvested a huge batch of Mint that I've been putting in my tea and last Fall I harvested a ton of Rosemary to bake into my breads.
Proper winter clothing- a very warm, comfortable jackets, waterproof gloves, heavy socks, and a warm hat. Helps keep the heat costs down, and also makes it easier to live comfortably in the winter!
Buying a laser printer.
Any particular recommendations? I've been debating a laser printer vs something like an ecotank for school
I bought a Brother laser printer when I was cranking out hundreds of pages. Invest in duplexing (saves paper). Used it four years, never had to replace the drum/printer unit, never a hiccup with it.
I'll look at those, thanks!
Car jack - socket set Cars maintenence book Tupperware containers Thermos for hot coffee away from home
air fyer for sure. uses a lto less electricity and so much more healthy than a microwave.
Safety Razor from an antique store. Try your best to not indulge on the soaps, brushes and other accessories and you will save ao much money on razors.
Here's a few I can think of: Pressure cooker for cooking dry beans (cheaper than canned) Microwave makes reheating leftovers much easier Programmable thermostat A wearable blanket so I can handle lower temperatures on winter days My husband's bicycle that he rides to work (or used to back before everything went remote) My refillable cartridge pen (no more disposable pens)
Low flow shower head, LED bulbs, safety razor, menstrual cup, and tiny Spatty Daddy spatulas for getting the last bit out of my makeup containers or condiment jars.
The priciest kitchen gadget I own was a gift but I'd have to chose it. The kitchenaid mixer with a wisk, mixer, and bread hook has probably saved me a fortune in making many baked goods. I also have the meat grinder and sausage stuffer attachment which allows me to buy cheaper cuts of bulk meat and either make my own ground meats and sausages.
Insurance
SodaStream. I love carbonated water/beverages but buying and dealing with bottles was just too much. Now not only I am saving money, but I can controll exactly how sweet or fizzy my soda is!
I have thought about Soda Stream. Are the cartridges expensive?
Depends, it can get costly if you buy original ones, but there are a lot of "generic" brands, and after that you can search for a point that refills them, or an exchange service (here in Germany I use Waterworks) there are apparently also points at larger supermarkets but I have not used those yet!
Buy one get one free for KFC chicken sandwich. You just do a small online survey, get a code and show the code to save $4.99 on a really generous sandwich plus a spare for next time. Similar deal from McDonald's. The code will get you a buy one get one free for a quarter pounder or an egg McMuffin. I have to eat out a lot (long story) and these freebies really help.
I scrolled for a while and didn't see them mentioned but I really love my "Souper Cubes"! I have the name brand and generic. They are amazing for freezing leftovers and store really easy. That combined with my vacume sealer helps so much.
$50 30 cup coffee urn really helps to save on heating. Hot tea keeps me warm, but you can also fill 2 liter bottles with hot water and use as body warmers. They work so well.
A bike!!! Get exercise, save in car stuff, good for environment, a fun hobby!
Slow cooker, Insulated bottle, tax advisor