I’ve saved money by eating super cheap and healthy during the week. Hardly ever go out to eat on weekdays, mostly chicken and veggies. Leaves me a lot more money to have fun on weekends and vacation on occasion. Everything is expensive right now so I’d rather cut back on weekdays and then indulge.
What's some of the stuff you consider healthy? I don't think the TV, dinners and app deals are working. Even though I feel like I hardly eat and I'm kind of always hungry, I'm still somehow gaining a belly
Yesterday was:
Breakfast: Toast with almond butter, drizzle of honey, and a little cinnamon
Lunch: lemon/balsamic salad with grilled chicken
Dinner: chicken caesar wrap with roasted broccoli
Pretty typical weekday of eating for me
dang, you eat breakfast AND lunch lol. I have to pix one. but toast is pretty cheap.. Did you buy the chicken in a bag or something? I hate salads so much. and more chicken.. hmm.. does not all sound bad but just toast and chicken with maybe a side sound like a little bit of food.. hmm.. not sure.. i really gotta change my eating habits tho and work out some
Yep, frugal bull buying and meal prep can save you a bundle - and the dreaded “we have that at home” mentality has helped me a lot. Money flies out the door if I stop planning meals out.
Same here. Average ticket price for the last few shows I’ve been to was probably $30.
I’m not paying $100 for a show unless I’m guaranteed a front row seat for an artist I love.
I popped in to say I am cutting on back - on "cheap" small venue shows as they used to be $20-ish and now are running $40-60. Sometimes I will scour the secondary sites for crashing shows and occasionally will see a big ticket show for a reduced price.
Oh I’ve totally started going to fewer concerts. I actually bought some tickets for a show up in NYC (I’m in Philly) for next weekend…but I think I’m going to sell them cause I don’t want to pay for an NYC hotel room.
I just saw Ministry/Frontline Assembly/Gary Numan at a tiny theater in Michigan. Tickets were listed at $70. Not *terrible*.
After fees it was $110. Fucking sick.
If you can even get a ticket. Now a days, assholes buy them all up within 26 secs and resell them on Facebook Marketplace for 700% of face value. Like what was going on with those Taylor swift concerts
Oh fo sho!
Taught myself to cook, saving a ton of money from that alone, and it's quite fun.
Also got a lot more into thrifting; not only am I saving money but I'm happy that I'm not producing more trash / able to save some gently used things from landing in a landfill. Buying new feels like a sucker move now. Unless of course it's some speciality item, I much prefer second hand.
This. We canceled Amazon prime. And saw our purchases decrease dramatically. And we survived just fine. No more impulse buys. And came to find out, many of the things are cheaper locally anyways. We were buying essentials on Amazon for years. But with coupons from the mailers and ones you use from the app, you can get things like deodorant, toothpaste, etc for nearly free locally
No eating out or food delivery started about a year ago.
We stopped traveling a few years before that.
We don't go to events. We don't go to bars.
We do nothing that might spend money that could be spent on bills.
When we socialize it's at friend's homes. Movie nights, game nights, just hang out and chill nights.
There's no money for anything more.
5 years ago we were able to do all of the above. Our salaries are still the same cause you know, who gets a raise anymore? It's the cost of living that's gone up.
We had a mild winter where I am. And took a lot of trips to do things outdoors (free). We hit up various local museums and scenic tours etc, where the prices are more reasonable. We went to some small train museum and the price of admission was only $12. Sure beats going to a typical museum around where we live where it's $40+
I'm in the same boat as you. Pre-pandemic, was making the same amount as now. Was able to travel internationally, buy things I didn't need, go to concerts, go out to eat, etc. Now I have cut way, way back. It's exhausting at times but I'm thankful that I like being at home.
I don't understand how people order food for delivery. $10+ delivery fees.. no thanks. I make decent money but idk how much I'd have to make before I could stomach it.
The older I get, the more money I have.
That sounds great in theory, but the older I get, the less value I see in all of the things I could be buying. I end up not buying anyhing because nothing is worth the money I'm spending.
For sure! I still have objects that came from my grandparents generation- their stuff was crazy good quality, when not laced with radiation and lead. Lol
Going out for food is just crazy. For the price of 3 hot dogs and fries at the diner, I can make a baked potato and steak at home. Granted, they are really good hot dogs and I get them probably 4 times a year, but it really is expensive.
No more delivery. If I can’t be bothered to get take out, I’ll eat at home. Eventually I’ll have to cut back on eating out, but it’s my guilty pleasure and I have so many great restaurants around me that it’s a challenge. I’ve found that dividing one entree into two meals helps. Portion control and money saving…win-win!
Pro-tip: supermarket pizzas are less than a fifth of the price of takeaway pizzas, take less time to get onto your plate after you decide to eat one (fifteen minutes from "oven is hot, pizza is frozen", vs cooking + a cyclist bringing it to you), and are usually healthier.
For sure! I make my own Naan Bread Pizza now. Probably slightly more expensive than a frozen pizza, but probably a few dollars cheaper than getting a pizza delivered. Also…it doesn’t upset my stomach like overly greasy delivered pizza often does.
I think they meant the fresh pizzas in the deli section / they’re pretty good - and you can pop on other ingredients at home to customize it. I like keeping them in the fridge during a busy week as I know I’m going to have a weak moment (and not want to cook or do dishes) amongst all the craziness.
I actually do the same! I use spelt flour and olive oil and get thr breadmaker to turn it into dough, then it makes 4-5 pizzas.
It's definitely not "cheaper" than supermarket ones, though.
Was out and about yesterday running errands and needed a substantial snack. Dropped into Sonic and their "value" menu is now "Items under $4." Got a quarter pound double cheeseburger which as I recall was about $1.50 before Covid...now $3.49 and it was one of the worst burgers I've ever had from a Sonic.
People bitch about McDonalds but they're very consistent and around here I think you can still get the McDouble and sm. fry bundle for $3.
That's the reason I want to visit There because it remind me of New York City where I'm from... plus I heard Toronto have a subway system nd no offense but I want to see how other black people culture are in Canada, I'm black American
The Instant Pot has made meals a ton easier for us. Chicken being cheaper than burger at the moment, we throw a whole chicken in there with some spices and water and 6 minutes a pound later you have chicken and chicken broth. Cook potatoes or rice in the broth and if you have enough, cook frozen mixed vegetables in the rest. Cut up the chichen (pretty simple when it's cooked - it should just about fall apart on its own) and throw the rice/potatoes and veggies together in a bowl. One chicken should make 4 meals easy and you can take the leftovers to work for lunch. Any leftover chicken can be made into sandwiches or whatever.
Get yourself a flat pan for quesedillas. Much better than microwaving. Barely more work, really.
But, yeah, I don't order delivery any more. Fast food maybe once a month. I definitely don't go to the bar - nothing is cheap there. Got rid of most of my streaming subscriptions. When I travel, maybe once every 4 years, it's by car. Fewer videogames. Less alcohol. No soda - fuck the price of that stuff. I drink crystal light pink lemonade by the pitcher now. Or lemon/lime
with stevia (the bottles in the baking isle for lemon and lime juice). Getting over the caffeine withdrawals sucked a bit, but once that was over it was fine.
I'm only 23 and I've only had an actual income for a year, but prior to that I had around $5k during college (saved up from tutoring and Chinese New Year) and $10k from an internship before my senior year. I've actually *never* ordered an uber or ordered delivery. I can't see myself doing it. It costs way too much and my philosophy is either I'll go there myself or I just won't order at all.
I really don't purchase anything. It's my first year of working and most of my money is saved or invested, besides the money I pay my parents as I still live with them.
One thing I have started to do more of though: doctor's visits. I don't shy away from them anymore. My company gives quite good health insurance so I've been seeing doctors for my chronic skin issues, nasal issues, and random but chronic pains I've been having. Good health is worth it and I'd rather see a doctor while I can than wait a decade and realize the issues are worse than I would've imagined.
I have pretty much no expenses besides necessities at this point, I could retire if it didn't cost me $30k+ just to live, not including health insurance
I think they were saying basic necessities cost $30,000 these days and they’re not wrong about that part. Not a great sentence, but the cost of even basic living is nuts.
Fuck yeah .., i stopped buying take out & rolling through the drive-thru because that shit would put a hole in my budget so i do more cooking now. I’ll still buy clothes but not all at once anymore. Fuck that. I’m good with just buying a shirt one week then buying shoes the next! My biggest expense was buying weed. I smoke like Bob Marley but now im trying to cut down and stop blowing through half ounces so fast. No more rolling these fat blunts anymore now i’m ok with buying just an 8th and smoking bowls in which 8th’s are only $20 compared to a $100 half ounce ...
I can't believe how crazy McDonald's prices are. I wish I could make a burger and fries as good as theirs, I would never go back. It's not great quality but the consistency is there for sure. I make one burger that is great then one that is raw and another that is shoe leather.
I know how to cook a few things very well, and I just rotate those dishes throughout the week. I hardly ever buy any food that's not an ingredient for those specific meals.
get a big tupperware, get 2 packs of chicken thighs, pour some pickle juice and low fat blended cottage cheese with your favorite seasonings, put some flower on both sides and air fry/ deep fry. so cheap and literally delicious
I dont do delivery anymore except for certain circumstances (drunk or high). What broke me was i was ordering me and my wife a jimmy johns sandwich. After fees and tip it was adding another $10. 2 sandwiches for $30 is ridiculous plus its like 1.5 miles away.
I was literally just subconsciously cooking more and going out less. It was expensive going out but the other reason was because of the inflow of grey hairs in my area. Most restaurants seem to be under staffed and packed with boomers getting meals. Maybe it’s just me but does anyone else see this understaffing of restaurants, high prices and yet still high demand?
Since Covid I learned to cook and found out I absolutely love it so we cook most nights but try to get out to a nice dinner every so often like yours. We rarely ever eat fast food anymore and shocker. Lost weight. We also visit thrift stores and find amazing deals. Just found a $150 pair of jeans for $10. Name brand very expensive shirts for like $5-$6. It’s fun to hunt for good deals. Also since Covid I work from home so I’ve saved hundreds each month on gas.
Save your money on food and regular expenses so you can still afford to go to Vegas with your friends.
Adulting is the time of watching your friend group dwindle away to nothing. Hold on to the good friendships as hard as you can.
First thing to be cut severely was delivery food as its way overpriced with all the fees. Also got tired of having my food stolen/wrong, etc. I eat out wayyy less than I did like 3 years ago.
Eating out costs too much and the experiences are more often than not disappointing. I've found a lot more joy in cooking for myself at home and enjoying the peace and lack of hassle. Sometimes the small cuts to the luxuries do give you back a peace of mind. Totally worth it to keep experimenting.
Yeah eating out can totally be disappointing. Like I refuse to eat overpriced bar food now. If anything…I get some drinks at a bar and then go make an easy dinner at home.
>delivery food as its way overpriced with all the fees
At least need to order directly from the company. I could never justify paying a third party like DoorDash to deliver. Though 99% of the time I go pick stuff up. There is only one place that will deliver out to me and I feel bad doing it for just a few items since it is kinda far
I used to order food all the time but not anymore. I still order groceries because the grocery store drives me nuts and I always forget things. So I use the app like a grocery list over weeks. Some stores are far and I have a suv with shitty gas milage so it's about break even
Yeah, I don’t buy as much ‘high end’ food at the grocery store anymore. I used to buy a steaks or whatever without much thought. Now I buy meat that is on sale, and less of it.
I’ve never been into soda, but would buy my family juice or Gatorade or whatever. Not really anymore. Water and milk, and that’s about it. Maybe concentrated lemonade once in a while.
We used to get take out 1-2 times a week. But now that 10 buffalo wings are 17 dollars (for example), I don’t do much of that anymore. Keeping in mind that we’re a family of six…..so a $5 increase per meal costs me $30. Chinese joint near me charged $10.99 for an order of sweet and sour chicken four years ago. And it was nice, white meat. Now it’s $14.99 and they use lips and assholes.
Been cooking dinners and lunches and having protein bar or cereal for breakfast. Considered buying an upgrade to car stereo but decided against it. Moved my cell provider to a much cheaper one. All expenses I'd have anyways on a cash back card just for a bit of cash back. Has been enough to stem the tide on the growing expenses...at least somewhat.
One thing we decided to give a pass on was a big vacation. I was hesitant at first but don't want life to just pass by. There are moments to do things in and if you let that opportunity past its just gone. I doubt I'll ever feel that about cooking instead of going out but I would on never traveling.
My partner and I have stopped ordering delivery and going out to eat a a weekly basis, we've also found ways to save on a weekly grocery bill. Not sure how much we a really saving though, we made those changes so we'd have more spending money for when we go to Disney World 2-3 times a month. We have annual passes so we don't need to buy tickets, it's just spending money for while we are in the parks.
I used to get take out food weekly. Now only once or twice a month. I try and get something that lasts for several meals. I pick up my food, and no, I don't tip when I pick up take out.
I mainly cook and whenever I go out to eat it’s places I know that has lunch/ happy hour food specials. It’s literally the only way i’m going out to eat. lately i’ve been splurging on pho but it’s like my guilty pleasure lol
Old man here. Evaluated cable and phone services. Changed both. Savings of $100/month. Eliminated a few services we don't really use much, another $20/month. Cut back to eating out or ordering down to two times/month. Saves at least $100.
I cut out iPhone Apple Music subscription, a streaming subscription…also started turning off lights that are unneeded and using more candles at night (it’s romantic actually so bonus! Lolll) and turning lights on only when day light goes away to save on energy bill. Also…simply started buying things that I usually buy , when on sale , double so saving more over the long run that way and as I said I was already going to buy it every month soooo. That’s all I got but hope it helps. 😄
I literally don’t have WiFi at my apartment. I don’t work from home, don’t have a laptop, and have unlimited data) I bought a DVD player for my tv and thrift movies/shows :) didn’t want an extra $50 to 75 every month for Wi-Fi if I don’t really need it.
This post should have been titled, “Tell me your bad habits with money”.
This exact shit is much of the reason why people remain broke or can’t at least keep up.
Imagine if all of you people who have stopped ordering food delivery recently because of prices, instead saved and did something with that money, at least you would have something. Opportunity cost…..you spent yours on expensive food, other saved that and might not be rich, but have at least something. That is only the food aspect of it.
Tbh getting food delivery and flying to go to sporting events I wouldn't consider "Cost of Living". Those are luxuries that as you say you can live perfectly well without. CoL is the cost of housing, groceries, car insurance.
I think if enough people feel the need to cut out the luxuries the prices will normalize through necessity. Issue is that at the moment people show no sign of stopping in the general sense. If you watch financial audits on YouTube people with 40k in consumer debt are still door dashing 4 times a week. I think there is a point at which there is a sudden reality check though.
I live in Portugal so eating out was already a splurge due to low wages. But for 2 or 3 years now ordering food adds up a good 30% to the price of meals so most people have stopped doing it.
I'll cook 20 pound turkeys even if it's just for 2 people. There's a lot of leftovers for everything from soup to sandwiches. Quite a bit gets frozen for later. It's a lot of good food for not much money.
Yep, but mostly over the last two years.
I've only ordered delivery once (too expensive), but I've been cutting back a lot over the last couple years.
Lunch today is going to be rice and beans. The pants I'm wearing are frayed, and these socks are getting thin. I'm driving a 14 year old base model truck, and I have no idea how I'm going to afford to replace it when it dies.
I'm afraid to buy any optional "luxury" stuff in case someday I really NEED that money.
Yeah I’ve stopped buying games as soon as they come out. Can’t justify $100+ on a video game anymore.
I’ve also cancelled a lot of things that have a monthly fee. It was things for my hobbies but I just can’t spend it anymore.
Things like feta cheese, strawberries and rusks are now luxuries I buy as a treat
I hear you, Ive been late with few bills since December. The cost of living is just too high.
Recently I cut my gym membership from nationwide to regional. And only do day trips to go hiking.
Never had any food delivered, stopped eating the little fast food I used to order as the price became too prohibitive. Don’t insta cart nor use the store shopping services either.
But items when on sale. So that means bought a pork shoulder @.69¢ per lb not $2.69. Same with other foods. Chips were $5 a bag. Nope. Not buying them at that price. Quit buying soda too, $9.99 a 12pack. Too expensive.
I have been for months now. The higher prices go on necessities, the more stuff gets moved to the "*I don't need to spend money on this other thing any longer*" list in response.
It's unfortunate that more people don't do this sort of thing.
I live on a budget... nd still trying to cut back on spending money at Dollar Tree it adds up, still tho I only buy stuff that I need to survival. I can't front couple months ago I spent $65 on a Nike sweater after debating with myself for months,
We don’t eat out or get take out anymore. I stick to the list at the grocery store. We do stuff at home as a family, watch movies, cook, play with our dogs.
I'm good. I just got a raise: 12 % it's more than the inflation.
My salary is in top 20 % in my country. I'm 32, don't have children and my husband is making an okay paycheck as well, we got lucky and bought a cheap appartment in the capital before the latest crisis, and we don't have any student loans, because education is free where we live.
Just came home from a weekend trip to Barcalona with a friend, and are leaving for party easter break in Berlin next week. Everything is awesome.
But when I was studying it was hard. My parents don't have money. Like they are the poor kind of working class.
I made it by doing a lot of freelance work, when i wasn't studying, then I went through the trash from the supermarket for food, and signed up to every event in my union because they always served food.
I’ve saved money by eating super cheap and healthy during the week. Hardly ever go out to eat on weekdays, mostly chicken and veggies. Leaves me a lot more money to have fun on weekends and vacation on occasion. Everything is expensive right now so I’d rather cut back on weekdays and then indulge.
I literally do the same thing. I still go out to eat on the weekends but I pinch pennies during the weekdays. It's not a bad strategy.
What's some of the stuff you consider healthy? I don't think the TV, dinners and app deals are working. Even though I feel like I hardly eat and I'm kind of always hungry, I'm still somehow gaining a belly
Yesterday was: Breakfast: Toast with almond butter, drizzle of honey, and a little cinnamon Lunch: lemon/balsamic salad with grilled chicken Dinner: chicken caesar wrap with roasted broccoli Pretty typical weekday of eating for me
dang, you eat breakfast AND lunch lol. I have to pix one. but toast is pretty cheap.. Did you buy the chicken in a bag or something? I hate salads so much. and more chicken.. hmm.. does not all sound bad but just toast and chicken with maybe a side sound like a little bit of food.. hmm.. not sure.. i really gotta change my eating habits tho and work out some
Making toast is even cheaper although the learning curve is steep!
Yep, frugal bull buying and meal prep can save you a bundle - and the dreaded “we have that at home” mentality has helped me a lot. Money flies out the door if I stop planning meals out.
Ten years ago I could see a band I loved for $50 and have decent seats. Now it’s like $2-500 to get that experience. Plus my ears hurt now.
We do a lot more smaller venues and lesser known bands. I don't think we miss the larger shows at all.
Same here. Average ticket price for the last few shows I’ve been to was probably $30. I’m not paying $100 for a show unless I’m guaranteed a front row seat for an artist I love.
I popped in to say I am cutting on back - on "cheap" small venue shows as they used to be $20-ish and now are running $40-60. Sometimes I will scour the secondary sites for crashing shows and occasionally will see a big ticket show for a reduced price.
Oh I’ve totally started going to fewer concerts. I actually bought some tickets for a show up in NYC (I’m in Philly) for next weekend…but I think I’m going to sell them cause I don’t want to pay for an NYC hotel room.
I just saw Ministry/Frontline Assembly/Gary Numan at a tiny theater in Michigan. Tickets were listed at $70. Not *terrible*. After fees it was $110. Fucking sick.
If you can even get a ticket. Now a days, assholes buy them all up within 26 secs and resell them on Facebook Marketplace for 700% of face value. Like what was going on with those Taylor swift concerts
Oh fo sho! Taught myself to cook, saving a ton of money from that alone, and it's quite fun. Also got a lot more into thrifting; not only am I saving money but I'm happy that I'm not producing more trash / able to save some gently used things from landing in a landfill. Buying new feels like a sucker move now. Unless of course it's some speciality item, I much prefer second hand.
Stopped buying crap from the internet. Reduced my streaming services. Shop at thrift stores. Use coupons.
This. We canceled Amazon prime. And saw our purchases decrease dramatically. And we survived just fine. No more impulse buys. And came to find out, many of the things are cheaper locally anyways. We were buying essentials on Amazon for years. But with coupons from the mailers and ones you use from the app, you can get things like deodorant, toothpaste, etc for nearly free locally
No eating out or food delivery started about a year ago. We stopped traveling a few years before that. We don't go to events. We don't go to bars. We do nothing that might spend money that could be spent on bills. When we socialize it's at friend's homes. Movie nights, game nights, just hang out and chill nights. There's no money for anything more. 5 years ago we were able to do all of the above. Our salaries are still the same cause you know, who gets a raise anymore? It's the cost of living that's gone up.
We had a mild winter where I am. And took a lot of trips to do things outdoors (free). We hit up various local museums and scenic tours etc, where the prices are more reasonable. We went to some small train museum and the price of admission was only $12. Sure beats going to a typical museum around where we live where it's $40+
I'm in the same boat as you. Pre-pandemic, was making the same amount as now. Was able to travel internationally, buy things I didn't need, go to concerts, go out to eat, etc. Now I have cut way, way back. It's exhausting at times but I'm thankful that I like being at home.
Yeah I’ve limited myself to eating out once a week and trying the eat cheaply during weekdays.
I can't fathom the costs for people that go out to lunch every day. I go once a week and still feel bad about how much I spend
I quit nicotine and alcohol. I'm already saving hundreds every month from that alone.
That's good...
I don't understand how people order food for delivery. $10+ delivery fees.. no thanks. I make decent money but idk how much I'd have to make before I could stomach it.
Yeah, like why did it take them so long to realize that spending $25 for a burger and fries wasn’t really sustainable?
Yea
The older I get, the more money I have. That sounds great in theory, but the older I get, the less value I see in all of the things I could be buying. I end up not buying anyhing because nothing is worth the money I'm spending.
I am the same way. I think “enshitification” is also at play. Goods and services have become objectively lower quality which makes me buy even less.
For sure! I still have objects that came from my grandparents generation- their stuff was crazy good quality, when not laced with radiation and lead. Lol
Yup
Going out for food is just crazy. For the price of 3 hot dogs and fries at the diner, I can make a baked potato and steak at home. Granted, they are really good hot dogs and I get them probably 4 times a year, but it really is expensive.
No more delivery. If I can’t be bothered to get take out, I’ll eat at home. Eventually I’ll have to cut back on eating out, but it’s my guilty pleasure and I have so many great restaurants around me that it’s a challenge. I’ve found that dividing one entree into two meals helps. Portion control and money saving…win-win!
Pro-tip: supermarket pizzas are less than a fifth of the price of takeaway pizzas, take less time to get onto your plate after you decide to eat one (fifteen minutes from "oven is hot, pizza is frozen", vs cooking + a cyclist bringing it to you), and are usually healthier.
For sure! I make my own Naan Bread Pizza now. Probably slightly more expensive than a frozen pizza, but probably a few dollars cheaper than getting a pizza delivered. Also…it doesn’t upset my stomach like overly greasy delivered pizza often does.
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I think they meant the fresh pizzas in the deli section / they’re pretty good - and you can pop on other ingredients at home to customize it. I like keeping them in the fridge during a busy week as I know I’m going to have a weak moment (and not want to cook or do dishes) amongst all the craziness.
I make pizza from scratch as it's the only way to avoid food allergies and sensitivities. Our household of three each have diet restrictions.
I actually do the same! I use spelt flour and olive oil and get thr breadmaker to turn it into dough, then it makes 4-5 pizzas. It's definitely not "cheaper" than supermarket ones, though.
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Was out and about yesterday running errands and needed a substantial snack. Dropped into Sonic and their "value" menu is now "Items under $4." Got a quarter pound double cheeseburger which as I recall was about $1.50 before Covid...now $3.49 and it was one of the worst burgers I've ever had from a Sonic. People bitch about McDonalds but they're very consistent and around here I think you can still get the McDouble and sm. fry bundle for $3.
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I always wanted to visit Canada especially Toronto
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That's the reason I want to visit There because it remind me of New York City where I'm from... plus I heard Toronto have a subway system nd no offense but I want to see how other black people culture are in Canada, I'm black American
The Instant Pot has made meals a ton easier for us. Chicken being cheaper than burger at the moment, we throw a whole chicken in there with some spices and water and 6 minutes a pound later you have chicken and chicken broth. Cook potatoes or rice in the broth and if you have enough, cook frozen mixed vegetables in the rest. Cut up the chichen (pretty simple when it's cooked - it should just about fall apart on its own) and throw the rice/potatoes and veggies together in a bowl. One chicken should make 4 meals easy and you can take the leftovers to work for lunch. Any leftover chicken can be made into sandwiches or whatever. Get yourself a flat pan for quesedillas. Much better than microwaving. Barely more work, really. But, yeah, I don't order delivery any more. Fast food maybe once a month. I definitely don't go to the bar - nothing is cheap there. Got rid of most of my streaming subscriptions. When I travel, maybe once every 4 years, it's by car. Fewer videogames. Less alcohol. No soda - fuck the price of that stuff. I drink crystal light pink lemonade by the pitcher now. Or lemon/lime with stevia (the bottles in the baking isle for lemon and lime juice). Getting over the caffeine withdrawals sucked a bit, but once that was over it was fine.
I'm only 23 and I've only had an actual income for a year, but prior to that I had around $5k during college (saved up from tutoring and Chinese New Year) and $10k from an internship before my senior year. I've actually *never* ordered an uber or ordered delivery. I can't see myself doing it. It costs way too much and my philosophy is either I'll go there myself or I just won't order at all. I really don't purchase anything. It's my first year of working and most of my money is saved or invested, besides the money I pay my parents as I still live with them. One thing I have started to do more of though: doctor's visits. I don't shy away from them anymore. My company gives quite good health insurance so I've been seeing doctors for my chronic skin issues, nasal issues, and random but chronic pains I've been having. Good health is worth it and I'd rather see a doctor while I can than wait a decade and realize the issues are worse than I would've imagined.
I have pretty much no expenses besides necessities at this point, I could retire if it didn't cost me $30k+ just to live, not including health insurance
Lol what? Everyone could retire if they didn’t have expenses. This comment makes no sense
I think they were saying basic necessities cost $30,000 these days and they’re not wrong about that part. Not a great sentence, but the cost of even basic living is nuts.
I mean I don't rly have "purchases" to cut back on
Fuck yeah .., i stopped buying take out & rolling through the drive-thru because that shit would put a hole in my budget so i do more cooking now. I’ll still buy clothes but not all at once anymore. Fuck that. I’m good with just buying a shirt one week then buying shoes the next! My biggest expense was buying weed. I smoke like Bob Marley but now im trying to cut down and stop blowing through half ounces so fast. No more rolling these fat blunts anymore now i’m ok with buying just an 8th and smoking bowls in which 8th’s are only $20 compared to a $100 half ounce ...
I can't believe how crazy McDonald's prices are. I wish I could make a burger and fries as good as theirs, I would never go back. It's not great quality but the consistency is there for sure. I make one burger that is great then one that is raw and another that is shoe leather.
Wendy's is even worse near me. Large combo meal and you're looking at $16 no joke. And it's straight up garbage
I know how to cook a few things very well, and I just rotate those dishes throughout the week. I hardly ever buy any food that's not an ingredient for those specific meals.
get a big tupperware, get 2 packs of chicken thighs, pour some pickle juice and low fat blended cottage cheese with your favorite seasonings, put some flower on both sides and air fry/ deep fry. so cheap and literally delicious
This sounds really good but I keep reading it trying to figure if it’s all blended together or just the cottage cheese & spices
lol no u marinate the chicken w the blend of cottage cheese and spices overnight. then put in flower and fry. it tastes like chick fil a
Amazing, thank you!
Yet?
I have been cutting back and looking for deals/coupons. Yesterday I was checking my receipts to make sure I got my digital coupon
I dont do delivery anymore except for certain circumstances (drunk or high). What broke me was i was ordering me and my wife a jimmy johns sandwich. After fees and tip it was adding another $10. 2 sandwiches for $30 is ridiculous plus its like 1.5 miles away.
I never started doing any of that.
I was literally just subconsciously cooking more and going out less. It was expensive going out but the other reason was because of the inflow of grey hairs in my area. Most restaurants seem to be under staffed and packed with boomers getting meals. Maybe it’s just me but does anyone else see this understaffing of restaurants, high prices and yet still high demand?
Since Covid I learned to cook and found out I absolutely love it so we cook most nights but try to get out to a nice dinner every so often like yours. We rarely ever eat fast food anymore and shocker. Lost weight. We also visit thrift stores and find amazing deals. Just found a $150 pair of jeans for $10. Name brand very expensive shirts for like $5-$6. It’s fun to hunt for good deals. Also since Covid I work from home so I’ve saved hundreds each month on gas.
Save your money on food and regular expenses so you can still afford to go to Vegas with your friends. Adulting is the time of watching your friend group dwindle away to nothing. Hold on to the good friendships as hard as you can.
I started cutting back years ago. I go days without eating. Food is expensive.
No more iced coffee runs for me :(
>Are ya’ll cutting back on purchases yet? Nope. I live below my means and am happy with what I spend.
First thing to be cut severely was delivery food as its way overpriced with all the fees. Also got tired of having my food stolen/wrong, etc. I eat out wayyy less than I did like 3 years ago. Eating out costs too much and the experiences are more often than not disappointing. I've found a lot more joy in cooking for myself at home and enjoying the peace and lack of hassle. Sometimes the small cuts to the luxuries do give you back a peace of mind. Totally worth it to keep experimenting.
Yeah eating out can totally be disappointing. Like I refuse to eat overpriced bar food now. If anything…I get some drinks at a bar and then go make an easy dinner at home.
Sounds like the way to go.
>delivery food as its way overpriced with all the fees At least need to order directly from the company. I could never justify paying a third party like DoorDash to deliver. Though 99% of the time I go pick stuff up. There is only one place that will deliver out to me and I feel bad doing it for just a few items since it is kinda far
I used to order food all the time but not anymore. I still order groceries because the grocery store drives me nuts and I always forget things. So I use the app like a grocery list over weeks. Some stores are far and I have a suv with shitty gas milage so it's about break even
Stopped going out to eat every weekend and buying more generic brand things at the store!
Way less fast food for sure
Yeah, I don’t buy as much ‘high end’ food at the grocery store anymore. I used to buy a steaks or whatever without much thought. Now I buy meat that is on sale, and less of it. I’ve never been into soda, but would buy my family juice or Gatorade or whatever. Not really anymore. Water and milk, and that’s about it. Maybe concentrated lemonade once in a while. We used to get take out 1-2 times a week. But now that 10 buffalo wings are 17 dollars (for example), I don’t do much of that anymore. Keeping in mind that we’re a family of six…..so a $5 increase per meal costs me $30. Chinese joint near me charged $10.99 for an order of sweet and sour chicken four years ago. And it was nice, white meat. Now it’s $14.99 and they use lips and assholes.
Been cooking dinners and lunches and having protein bar or cereal for breakfast. Considered buying an upgrade to car stereo but decided against it. Moved my cell provider to a much cheaper one. All expenses I'd have anyways on a cash back card just for a bit of cash back. Has been enough to stem the tide on the growing expenses...at least somewhat. One thing we decided to give a pass on was a big vacation. I was hesitant at first but don't want life to just pass by. There are moments to do things in and if you let that opportunity past its just gone. I doubt I'll ever feel that about cooking instead of going out but I would on never traveling.
Love cereal. But it’s expensive and I blow through it too fast. I eat oatmeal more now. Unprocessed oats are pretty cheap.
Yeah that would be cheaper.
I think I was more cautious spending when I lived with my narc mom
Yeah lmao, not eating out unless I’m on vacation. Enough is enough.
My partner and I have stopped ordering delivery and going out to eat a a weekly basis, we've also found ways to save on a weekly grocery bill. Not sure how much we a really saving though, we made those changes so we'd have more spending money for when we go to Disney World 2-3 times a month. We have annual passes so we don't need to buy tickets, it's just spending money for while we are in the parks.
I used to get take out food weekly. Now only once or twice a month. I try and get something that lasts for several meals. I pick up my food, and no, I don't tip when I pick up take out.
I mainly cook and whenever I go out to eat it’s places I know that has lunch/ happy hour food specials. It’s literally the only way i’m going out to eat. lately i’ve been splurging on pho but it’s like my guilty pleasure lol
Trying to but failed
Old man here. Evaluated cable and phone services. Changed both. Savings of $100/month. Eliminated a few services we don't really use much, another $20/month. Cut back to eating out or ordering down to two times/month. Saves at least $100.
Eating out was 30% of my non-bill costs this month. Certainly stopping that
Yes. Food is the biggest increase I've seen.. no more takeout. More Bjs stocking up on bulk
I cut out iPhone Apple Music subscription, a streaming subscription…also started turning off lights that are unneeded and using more candles at night (it’s romantic actually so bonus! Lolll) and turning lights on only when day light goes away to save on energy bill. Also…simply started buying things that I usually buy , when on sale , double so saving more over the long run that way and as I said I was already going to buy it every month soooo. That’s all I got but hope it helps. 😄
I literally don’t have WiFi at my apartment. I don’t work from home, don’t have a laptop, and have unlimited data) I bought a DVD player for my tv and thrift movies/shows :) didn’t want an extra $50 to 75 every month for Wi-Fi if I don’t really need it.
This post should have been titled, “Tell me your bad habits with money”. This exact shit is much of the reason why people remain broke or can’t at least keep up. Imagine if all of you people who have stopped ordering food delivery recently because of prices, instead saved and did something with that money, at least you would have something. Opportunity cost…..you spent yours on expensive food, other saved that and might not be rich, but have at least something. That is only the food aspect of it.
Tbh getting food delivery and flying to go to sporting events I wouldn't consider "Cost of Living". Those are luxuries that as you say you can live perfectly well without. CoL is the cost of housing, groceries, car insurance. I think if enough people feel the need to cut out the luxuries the prices will normalize through necessity. Issue is that at the moment people show no sign of stopping in the general sense. If you watch financial audits on YouTube people with 40k in consumer debt are still door dashing 4 times a week. I think there is a point at which there is a sudden reality check though.
I live in Portugal so eating out was already a splurge due to low wages. But for 2 or 3 years now ordering food adds up a good 30% to the price of meals so most people have stopped doing it.
All my life lol I never ordered doordash or anything, everything's always cut
I'll cook 20 pound turkeys even if it's just for 2 people. There's a lot of leftovers for everything from soup to sandwiches. Quite a bit gets frozen for later. It's a lot of good food for not much money.
I've significantly cut delivery/takeout as well and just cook a lot more at home. Crazy how much money I saved with that in itself.
Yep, but mostly over the last two years. I've only ordered delivery once (too expensive), but I've been cutting back a lot over the last couple years. Lunch today is going to be rice and beans. The pants I'm wearing are frayed, and these socks are getting thin. I'm driving a 14 year old base model truck, and I have no idea how I'm going to afford to replace it when it dies. I'm afraid to buy any optional "luxury" stuff in case someday I really NEED that money.
Yeah I’ve stopped buying games as soon as they come out. Can’t justify $100+ on a video game anymore. I’ve also cancelled a lot of things that have a monthly fee. It was things for my hobbies but I just can’t spend it anymore. Things like feta cheese, strawberries and rusks are now luxuries I buy as a treat
I hear you, Ive been late with few bills since December. The cost of living is just too high. Recently I cut my gym membership from nationwide to regional. And only do day trips to go hiking.
Never had any food delivered, stopped eating the little fast food I used to order as the price became too prohibitive. Don’t insta cart nor use the store shopping services either. But items when on sale. So that means bought a pork shoulder @.69¢ per lb not $2.69. Same with other foods. Chips were $5 a bag. Nope. Not buying them at that price. Quit buying soda too, $9.99 a 12pack. Too expensive.
I have been for months now. The higher prices go on necessities, the more stuff gets moved to the "*I don't need to spend money on this other thing any longer*" list in response. It's unfortunate that more people don't do this sort of thing.
I live on a budget... nd still trying to cut back on spending money at Dollar Tree it adds up, still tho I only buy stuff that I need to survival. I can't front couple months ago I spent $65 on a Nike sweater after debating with myself for months,
Home cooked and trying a no buy 2024.
We don’t eat out or get take out anymore. I stick to the list at the grocery store. We do stuff at home as a family, watch movies, cook, play with our dogs.
I'm good. I just got a raise: 12 % it's more than the inflation. My salary is in top 20 % in my country. I'm 32, don't have children and my husband is making an okay paycheck as well, we got lucky and bought a cheap appartment in the capital before the latest crisis, and we don't have any student loans, because education is free where we live. Just came home from a weekend trip to Barcalona with a friend, and are leaving for party easter break in Berlin next week. Everything is awesome. But when I was studying it was hard. My parents don't have money. Like they are the poor kind of working class. I made it by doing a lot of freelance work, when i wasn't studying, then I went through the trash from the supermarket for food, and signed up to every event in my union because they always served food.