r/Frugal

Hello, I'm a broke college student finally getting a place with a friend. We agree on ways to keep the prices low in terms of water, but for electricity, the AC seems to be a challenge. I personally run rather hot and start sweating, losing my ability to sleep in a room around 74°F, and get a little annoyed around 73°F. I know the logical consensus here is to grow up tough it out, but I'm wondering if there are any tricks to keep it cool beyond a fan in the room. Thank you!
Sorry im sure this has been asked millions of times

Not a huge revelation but I literally didn't know this was an option so maybe someone else doesn't either. Went for my annual physical last year and doctor ordered standard stuff like always, got the bill a month later around 300. Insurance covered some of it but apparently some of the tests got coded diagnostic which meant they didn't count toward my preventive care benefit. Fought it for 3 weeks and just wasted my time. This year I tried something different and ordered the same panel myself through a direct to consumer lab service. Walked into the same Quest location my doctor would've sent me to anyway and results came back in about a week through an app while the total cost $72. $72 vs $300 for literally identical tests at literally the same lab. The services that do this: Quest Health, Labcorp OnDemand, Discounted Labs, Goodlabs, Ulta Lab Tests, Walk-in Lab. prices vary a lot basic panels start around $30-80, more comprehensive ones run $100-200+ and most of them are HSA/FSA eligible if you have that.

Though if you have a suspicious result you should still see a doctor. This is for routine monitoring, not diagnosing a specific problem also if you have good insurance that actually covers preventive bloodwork properly, just use that. This is really for people with bad insurance, HDHPs, or no insurance. Also to add brought the results to my next physical and my doctor was fine with it.

I drink my coffee black and have all of my life. We brew our own at home always, and sometimes french press if we don't want a whole pot. Husband enjoys his coffee with a flavored syrup and a bit of milk. I was buying them for $6 - $12 dollars each, but found they all tasted the same to me and many used artificial sweeteners and flavours.

I like to make my own things and was wondering why I wasn't making my own syrups. I found one for Salted Caramel syrup and husband said it is infinitely better than the commercially bottled. At a fraction of the price I was happy to hear that and will probably do a little digging to find more flavours that I can make at home with real ingredients. I already make the vanilla syrup for my London Fog tea, but why stop at two??

Do you have recipes you use?

I'm 53, and i haven't been home in a year, after i've lost my appartement to a flood. I live in a women only housing now, a single room with common spaces. My time here has to come an end ( it's 12 months max) and i am soon back to live, all alone. in May. I have to deal with a lot of anxiety, fears, and i'm working with a therapist so that living alone won't end up in another problematic situation. Solo life wasn't easy for me, even before the flood, i would barely leave home and ended up planning to take my own life. And then, that water all over the place forced me out, and saved me, somehow. Even though i was always frugal, didn't own much, it did hurt to see it ruined, and to abandon my nest.

Now, i need a lot of things. I thrifted all my furniture except the mattress. And i haven't found a couple of pieces yet, i'm going back to the thrift store next week, for a sofa and a tv stand, if there is something i like. I still have time, and the bedroom was my priority, my refuge room.

Anyway, today i was at HomeSense for the first time ever. I wanted carpets for the living room and the bedroom, and to dress my bed. Things were SO pretty......spring pastel colours everywhere, i felt all fuzzy and finally decided the way my room would be after i got the carpet. It did set things in motion, i'm suffering from great ambivalence and buying stuff makes me nervous. I found some deals, i was very reasonable, because like i said i still need a lot of stuff.

Now, i'm back here in my room, looking at the things i bought, that i love, but i feel guilty for spending money. I don't get it! I've spent an entire year, saving every penny while i live in this room, exactly for this day. To get an appartement i want to live in, with a comforting feeling. My previous place was too empty, too minimalist, no texture, nothing on the walls. And i would barely decorate besides a few plants. In the end, it made me anxious and it unsettled my guests, for the few that came over...Now, i want to love my place. Still, i feel silly and stupid to buy anything new. I wonder if i haven't got too frugal? Like, i've lost touch with the realities of life? I can't find all i want for free, that's impossible. And if i'm honest, i always hated my previous sofa, i found it ugly. But it was for free so, i felt smart. Same with clothes sometimes, from the thrift store.

Understand, i live with a very low income and, money is a serious matter for me. I plan and budget to the last penny.

But that i can't even feel happy for more than 5 minutes, at my age, about some brand new carpets, sheets, a duvet and a throw? ..What's wrong?.....I almost got back for a refund even though i want and need it...

Makes me wonder where it was all going before 🤔 it really adds up! This was just spare change from whenever we would pay for cash in something or when we would recycle our cans (we drink a lot of soda and seltzer) and we kept it in a jar. Decided to see how much was in there today and was pleasantly surprised!

I know it sounds silly but I highly recommend you guys try this.

Question is in the title. I just moved out of my brother's house into an apartment that has a brand new GE glass top electric stove. He had an induction cooktop. The amount of time that it takes to heat up a pan on the glass top vs. his induction cooktop is crazy. And it stays hot forever. I will only have a window unit in this place in the summer so I'm wondering if it's worth it to get a countertop induction unit and just use that instead. If you think so any recommendations would be great thanks!

What does everyone think about the end on pennies circulation?

I'm also curious if it bothers anybody else when they are supposed to get some pennies back and the cashier just rounds it..

If you're due three cents and don't get it, does it bother you?

I feel like if you don't have enough change to give somebody their change back then you should always round up.

Thanks

Am citit pe diverse forumuri despre oferte care mai de care mai ieftine la specii de Pulownia.Mulți spun că soiul Tomentosa ar fi potrivit pentru zonele muntoase.Aș vrea să plantez vreo 5 butași în fața blocului (Piatra Neamț).Oare s-ar prinde? Nu m-ar interes aîn mod deosebit creșterea rapidă, ci dor un pic de umbrire.Locuiesc la parter iar vara este ceva insuportabil. A mai plantat cineva, cu succes, în zone muntoase astfel de specie?

Hey everyone,

I’m looking for some advice on where I can buy cheap iPhones in the US (Atalanta).

I don’t have a big budget, but I really want to gift iPhones to my two sisters. It would mean a lot to them, so I’m trying to find the most affordable options possible—used, refurbished, older models, anything reliable (starting from iphone 11).

I have a relative currently visiting the US, so I could have them bring the phones back for me. That’s why I’m trying to figure out the best places (online or physical stores) where I can get good deals without getting scammed.

If you know any trusted websites, stores, or tips for finding budget iPhones (around $150 or as low as possible), I’d really appreciate your help!

Thanks in advance 🙏

I’ve heard the common advice that "fans cool people, not rooms," which makes sense on a scientific level, but I’m struggling with the actual "frugal math" of it. With electricity rates spiking this year, I want to know if the energy a fan consumes (even if it's relatively low wattage) truly offsets the cost of running the AC compressor less frequently.

If I bump my thermostat up from, say, 72°F to 76°F and supplement with a floor fan or ceiling fan, am I actually seeing a significant net gain in savings? Or is the difference so marginal that it’s basically a wash once you factor in the fan's constant power draw?

I moved to Cache County Utah with a crew that likes to drink soda on occasion. In Oregon, Safeway seemed to have the best deals. In Logan, I haven’t really seen any good deals for soda. For all the soda drinkers out there, where is the best place to pick up a few cases of sodas and likely will be grabbing a good/decent deal? Thriftways? Chains stores? Do you use online coupons or certain coupons that help the most? Sure appreciate any advice!

What are some unconventional things I can get?

Any "tricks"?

It doesnt buy dog food, can I get to make my own?

Ive already made some "bug out buckets" and stocked up a bit for "deep pantry"

Beef/chicken to make jerky?

The mex market sells raw fajita mix etc at the deli i get that alot

Im sure a bunch of yinz are on the SNAP ... how do you make it feed your whole family? I work a lot (trying to pay billz ya know) so i can primarily cook on the weekends, then feed on leftovers all week.

I do have the ability to can and pickle. I assume vinegar would be covered as well.

As a guy with muscular legs, it is not the easiest to find fitting pants in the color you would like.

I was wondering if buying more of the same clothes for futureproofing make sense so that you wont stress finding same type of pants. Not to mention prices increasing and the quality dropping every year.

Note that I am usually basic-wearing guy so my preferences rarely change.

Hey all! I have a bit on an unusual situation where my mental health effects my eating, and am trying to optimize caring for it with caring for my wallet.I find myself struggling with cooking due to anxiety from an ED; I rely on a lot of packaged food to feel safe eating, due to knowing the calorie content within. I also don't feel comfortable eating around the people I live with as they make comments.I have a tendency though to avoid buying quick meals (think instant rice + precooked chicken, or a can of Amy's soup or Mac n' cheese) because of an old habit that I have to buy the cheapest groceries possible. However I feel like this results in me getting food while out and about way more often these days than I used to; sometimes I just get so hungry I get stomach cramps and sick, sometimes my blood sugar starts to crash. Despite the cost of prepared products like the above and protein supplements being more expensive, I would think it would still be less expensive than takeouts. I know this isn't the traditional idea of frugal, but would this still realistically be a way to cut costs while I work on my anxieties?

Sharing to inspire and acknowledge my own achievements today haha. I did one big prep and cut up bulk meat from Costco to try to save on groceries this month for my family of 4. I’m very fortunate to live nearish to a Business Costco which had even better meat deals. Shopped Saturday and broke down the chickens. Today I cut up a pork belly.: made 60 meatballs, 100 + dumplings, 10 boiled eggs (turned into Korean-style eggs), chia pudding, homemade granola, and yogurt Jell-O cups for snacks.

Quick breakdown of the meat haul this week:

Ground: $10 for 4 lbs → $2.50/lb

Pork belly: $18.28 for 7.4 lbs → $2.46/lb

Whole chickens (4): $20 total → about $1.00–$1.25/lb

Total: ~$48 for around 30 lbs of meat

For comparison my local grocery store has 4 chicken breast on sale right now for $15.99!

Plan for Pork belly:

2 large pieces → cooked tonight (red braised pork belly + rice)

3 portions → freeze

~1 lb → sliced for homemade bacon -salt/brown sugar cured into the fridge 🥓

~1 lb 6 oz → thin sliced for Korean BBQ

Ground pork:

2 lbs + 2 lbs beef → meatballs

2 lbs + tofu/veg → dumplings 🥟

Chicken break down (4 whole):

Bag 1: 4 leg quarters

Bag 2: 4 leg quarters

Bag 3: 3 breasts (sliced)

Bag 4: 2 breasts

Bag 5: 2 breasts

Bag 6: 16 wings

Bag 7: 2 carcasses for stock

Bag 8: 2 carcasses for stock

Bag 9: skin for shmaltz (fat) (frozen for now)

Bag 10: chicken taco meat

I’m tired after all this work, but I’m happy to see my freezer full and my kids snacking on granola and yogurt jello cups already. ☺️🙌

So I’m a photographer just starting to develop my practice and this might be a bit extreme, but I wonder if it’s possible to live in a warehouse space that people usually use for photo studios? I’ve found offers starting around £100pw. The biggest problem would be an absence of a shower, but if I get a gym membership I could shower there and it would give me more reason to work out lol. Just wondering what other’s thoughts in this are. Thank you!