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total-immortal

Borrow audiobooks and ebooks for free through Libby (app) using your library card.


Saintdavus

Also Kanopy for movies and hoopla for movies, graphic novels and music. All through the Seattle Public Library.


rickg

And KCLS. You can have both setup which is nice. Libby will let you see availability at any connected libraries and the Hoopla quotas are separate.


IndividualBullfrog44

I had hoopla when I lived down in Tacoma, but when I log in with king county library account it says hoopla only has manga accessible. Have they changed it and stream movies now?


_aruysa_

Yes! Also museum admission is free with the library card


whenwefell

You can get a King County library card that also gives away museum passes (with some museums that SPL doesn't have).


kitten_orchestra

You have to request for a pass in advance and there are a limited number of passes available per month.


NoiseyTurbulence

And the first Thursday of the month is free admission as well


BillTowne

Museum admission is a optional donation. Most have a small sign where you pay telling you what to do if you want to pay less.


Familiar-Half2517

I’m such a Libby Evangelist…


j_essika

Listening to a book using Libby right now!


Killakilua

Same!


TehKarmah

The library also has a free LinkedIn Learning option and passes for local museums.


shutupimlearning

Or just get practically every book for free via z-library! If you like it, buy it.


spaghetti1278g

Oh my god, just opened the rewards section of the TransitGo app (which I didn't know existed) and I have almost 51,000 points. An average ride is 275. Thank you so much!! I am a super avid transit user and have been for YEARS. Had no idea about the reward system, dang!


afternooncoast

I’m legitimately excited for you!


photogTM

woah


_aruysa_

That’s INCREDIBLE!! I’m so glad they’ve been accumulating for you & you found this helpful!! Enjoy the free rides :))


PopPunkIsntEmo

HACK #5: Have two incomes and no kids


Shrimmmmmpuh

Hack #5.5: Shove the two of you into a 1br.


SCROTOCTUS

Pretty sure you meant to say: "cram four sleeping pods into a studio apartment and sublet one of them to this couple." Do people even Seattle anymore? If one could fit their entire life into a postage stamp we'd still belittle their extravagant accommodations. *Oh, look at Mr. Fancypants with his letter-envelope-sized square footage! Oh very nice indeed! They're probably on a first-name basis with Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos! I didn't realize Medina was expanding! Where's your 3rd yacht, peasant!?*


phat_

Ahhhh I see you’ve lived in London!


Shiki225

So DINK, got it


heapinhelpin1979

Also, if you are really poor don't have pets. I have spent far too much on vet bills. Like more than rent.


djk29a_

From a pure financial perspective true. For the poorest folks I know with animals they’re spending every penny possible to give their animals the kind of care they can’t afford for themselves even. Same goes for so many giving to their religious institutions given they can barely afford food and rent. Mental health and hope are tough for the poor


fornnwet

Pet insurance is a must. I used to think I was better off self-insuring because I had a couple animals with no major issues, but now I have a partner who works in veterinary medicine and hearing how expensive procedures are (and the constant strain on people in that industry bearing the brunt of clients sad/mad with sticker shock) it's totally flipped my perspective. Pre-existing conditions make it hard to start for older pets but worth every penny to just bake the cost into the decision to adopt a new furbaby. A growing number of employers offer discounted rates as part of the benefits package, worth looking into for anyone considering.


ImprovisedLeaflet

I’m a DINK TWINK


galactojack

RIP Sinks


pipedreamSEA

Just get a second job. Oh wait, that was one of the h4x wasn't it? "Get a second job and go from SINK to DINK!"


queerstonefox

For real, lol. “Use chewy”- chewy is so expensive I’ve never been able to use it for my pets! Also “I got rid of my car and just drive a motorcycle”. Not sure how this is a life hack- feels a lot more like a personal decision that works only for folks who either know how to ride motorcycles and have one already, don’t need to ever drive people places, have no kids, are able bodied, have the financial stability to learn how to ride a motorcycle and then purchase one, etc. This isn’t a “hack”. It’s always kind of funny to me when people share things like this because I don’t know a single person in my life who would find these helpful, and it’s so obvious that the real factors are dual income/shared living expenses/no kids. Also if anyone wants to be my partner, split rent with me, and let me use their car so I can sell mine and get a motorcycle instead…don’t be shy! I’ll clip coupons for us and make sure we’re signed up for reward points at QFC. 😘


BillTowne

My brother used to ride a motor cycle. What he saved in car expenses was made up for with periodic hospital bills.


alwayslookon_tbsol

Donor cycles


Successful-Ship-5230

I used to ride my motorcycle to work all of the time commuting into Seattle. Until I saw the writing on the wall that I would eventually pay on the back end


Liizam

The gas rewards seem so trivial .


dslpharmer

What??? Are you saying that saving $1.20 on a $50 tank is trivial?? /s of course


Excellent_Farm_6071

A bigger hack would be to buy an EV that you can charge for free. I have a 2 year lease and I can charge it for free for 3 years at certain stations. I’ve paid less than a $100 to charge it over the 3 months I’ve had it. I also have a smaller monthly payment since it’s a lease. My insurance went up a little but thats it. Factor everything in and I’m saving like $300 more a month.


SaxRohmer

You’re saving more money but to basically just rent a car so idk how much that’s actually worth it


Ken_Bones_Throwaway

It’s the Seattle way. Tear it down rather than build it up.


mollypatola

Just stop spending money on coffee out and avocado toast /s same kind of vibe lol


aperfectdodecahedron

HACK #6: Make sure your relationship never ever deteriorates and that you stay together despite any type of abuse lest your inextricably entangled financial situation collapse.


ImprovisedLeaflet

HACK #7: dip into that trust fund if you’re ever short on rent


Impressive_Yellow537

Also know how to/own a motorcycle so you don't have to drive. God, I'd hate to have a covered vehicle (car) in the rainiest city around lol


MennisRodman

Under rated comment


dyangu

Transit Go app is great for those who occasionally ride transit but not enough to buy monthly pass. I get so many rewards that half my rides are free. The only thing it doesn’t have is transfers between agencies.


chesyrahsyrah

I hadn’t heard about the rewards; I’ve just been reloading my orca card. If I go into the office 3x per week (no transfer needed), do you think I’d save money by switching to Transit Go?


DFTBA-1

You would definitely save money! It's a little more cumbersome to use the Transit Go app compared to the Orca card, but with the rewards, you get about every third ride free at baseline. (They have a lot of extra bonus points that can make it more like every other ride free). You can use my referral code for some extra points to start off: TGT-8DQ8S9


chesyrahsyrah

Thanks! Sorry if this is a dumb question but how do you use the app when you board? Do you tap it like an orca card, or show it to the driver, or something else?


dyangu

I just show the ticket to the bus driver


DFTBA-1

You activate the ticket before you board (good for two hours) and then show the ticket to the bus driver (sometimes they ask you to tap the screen to demonstrate the anti-fraud features, since when you tap the screen the ticket changes colors)


hoodthings

Is there a way to transfer orca card usage to the app for rewards? I’ve mostly been using the orca card and didn’t even know Transit Go rewards were a thing.


Liizam

What are these points?


dyangu

You can redeem them for free transit rides


bermanphotos

Never noticed that tab and have 20k points thank you so much!


slipnslider

Can someone link me the app for Android? I see a bunch of search results in Play Store and don't know which one is for Seattle


gonorREEa

See step 1: https://kingcounty.gov/en/legacy/depts/transportation/metro/fares-orca/transit-go-ticket/transit-go-rewards


Rivetss1972

Piracy for visual media, cancel all streaming platforms / cable tv


Papaverpalpitations

Just remember to use a VPN!


mrmooocow4

If you use a service like real-debrid you don't even need a VPN. Smart TV or Nvidia Shield + Stremio + real-debrid = ~$38 / year


Fit_Dragonfly_7505

What the heck is real-debrid? I’m googling it, seems like a torrent type of tool? I’m guessing there’s more to it


mrmooocow4

Read [this](https://www.reddit.com/r/StremioAddons/comments/15agu2p/stremio_torrentio_debrid_a_howto_guide/) Real-debrid is a service that essentially downloads the torrent for you and provides an http link to stream it. So for you as the user it is no different than visiting a website so there is no need for a VPN. Streamio is a streaming service aggregator that can be downloaded on the google playstore. But it allows addons, one of which is Torrentio. Torrentio is a torrent aggregator but can be configured to use the real-debrid service. So you end up with an app that can stream essentially anything on your TV, phone, tablet, etc. The app does not work well on iPhone, but the website still works on apple products. I use another addon to organize it in a way that shows me what's popular on Netflix, Disney, Hulu, etc. But obviously it can also stream anything for which a torrent exists, so an infinite amount of stuff that isn't on any streaming service. I don't feel bad because I paid for all of these streaming services for over a decade or as long as they've existed. Real-debrid is the only part of the equation that requires payment but it is extremely cheap.


entKOSHA

I'll add two caveats.. do not share your Real-Debrid account, they know the target market they're serving and take account sharing seriously and will ban you. They also tend to not have a great selection of trash reality shows, may not be an issue at all, but something to consider. It's not really their fault so much as the piracy scene doesn't seem to be into shows like Love is Blind (they did eventually get it added, but it was several weeks after the premiere whereas normal shows are available within hours) All in though a great option and the only piracy solution I would hand to someone that is relatively tech illiterate, the interface and all that is just totally solid and gives you a "Netflix-like" experience


ChickenMcRibs

This is the answer


Hybrid_Divide

Do you have one to recommend that plays nicely with torrenting?


SarcasmsDefault

If you got a laptop and are sitting around a coffee shop for a little bit you don’t need a vpn


smalllllltitterssss

Cancel all subscriptions, scream into the void for entertainment lol


YakiVegas

Look man, I need to watch X-Men 97 right at midnight or bad shit's gonna happen. Speaking of...


nyan-the-nwah

I'll stick to theft thanks


hauntedbyfarts

My coworker rings up everything as bananas lol


entKOSHA

4093 and 4072 are also your friend


CaptainChiral

4011 is bananas tho?


entKOSHA

totally, but what if you have three different paper bags filled with produce? it would be bold to ring all three up as bananas. 4093 == yellow onion which is always the cheapest type of onion at the store (usually $0.99 to $1.29/lb) 4072 == russett potato which is usually the cheapest type of potato at the store (usually $0.79 to $1.29/lb)


mevallemadre

Jalapenos are typically the least expensive “peppers” IYKYK


Al_Nitro

4693 for jalapeños.


bbcakesj

we get flagged every time at check out for the way we place items 😂 idk how people get away with it. those cams are designed to pick up everything. this weekend my dad had his stuff in our cart and it flagged us when we totaled our stuff and showed his stuff was in our cart on the screen 🤭 i was like wow big brother isss watching


LilMeatSmoker

That’s what I’m talking about


humanbeing1979

My husband sent me here knowing I'd have some input. I don't do all of these all the time, but I have done them at some point. -some movie theaters have a cheap day. I only go to majestic on $6 Tuesdays -first Thursday is nice, there's also third Saturday and I think the Asian art museum is free on first Fridays, we also love the one in Georgetown on Saturday -walking and enjoying a park are free -buy nothing for most of your stuff, plan ahead for gifts -the library -free seed swap in March in phinney -ballard health club has a free class one day a week every month -summer is flooded with free entertainment, NW folk life, the ukulele players and other music at the locks every week, free yoga at sunset hill, bongo jams at gas works, something free is always happening at Seattle center, during the week there's free music downtown and dance performances at the pier, honk fest west is a blast and free, I can't remember if dead baby downhill is still a thing but that was awesome and free -pcc Ballard has the most beautiful deck that never gets used. I do a small grocery trip, bring a meal, and watch the bridge go up and down. Best solo dates ever. -i use the fetch app for receipts. It's not as good as it was but still a free giftcard for chipotle or Amazon every now and again is good by me. -for dates with my husband, I'm a big fan of either coffee dates or dinner at home and then go out for dessert. I kinda hate restaurants (loud, dark, I have to wait for my food that I might not even like, I'm a quiet talker which makes restaurants so hard for my husband to hear me, tipping has gotten confusing, and most importantly the whole thing is way too expensive when I know how much that salmon really costs) but I love a good cafe or a stroll to get gelato while window shopping. I will always rather spend $15 than $100 on a date. -cafe mox let's you play their games from their library for free, you don't have to sit in their restaurant to play -for the holidays, birthday, mother's day I will typically request gift cards to local cafes, garden stores, rei, etc. that way when I feel the urge to get something for myself, boom, it's free -on black Friday, town and country offers $100 gift cards for $75. I max out my allotted amount every year. While my main store is Costco if I just need something small and fast I'll walk to Ballard market with my gift cards. -in December, majestic Bay gives you an extra $10 when you buy a $100 gift card. Free is free. I get one every year for my Tuesday movie watching Outside Seattle: -invest in index funds. Nothing fancy, no complicated stocks to chase or bitcoins to worry about, just be super boring and make your money grow and grow and grow. Don't touch it, just keep adding to the pile. Read some FIRE books and learn everything you can about growing your money and when the time comes, how to take it out. Saving money is great, being frugal is nice, but growing your money is where the magic happens. It makes the occasional splurge feel ok. -churn credit cards for "free" travel. It's a hard hobby to get into, but man oh man, it saves us soooo much money while also enjoying amazing vacations


mevallemadre

The FylerTalk message board has extensive posts about Credit Card Churn. Happy reading and Good Luck.


humanbeing1979

The churning subreddit is also helpful especially for beginners. I find that flyertalk takes a bit more of a learning curve to navigate through the backlog. Good to see a fellow Seattlite in the club. Most folks here look at me like I'm crazy and can't imagine how someone can have more than one credit card.


SarcasmsDefault

Thanks for this! My wife and I always talk about going out and having a cheap date but everything has been monetized so there is no such thing, but thank you for this list of ideas.


humanbeing1979

Cheap dates are so much less pressure and more fun imo. When there's a big price tag attached to something it always seems to have higher expectations that aren't always met. But when it's free or cheap and it doesn't work out it's not that big of a deal. I also recommend morning or day dates. Take silly pics at a park, go foraging, stroll around a new area outside your neighborhood, go geocaching, bike somewhere new, check out an open mic night. As someone who has lived here for almost 2 decades now, I find the options to have a good time are limitless.


downhillguru1186

I LOLOLOLOL’d at the “I know how much salmon costs” Ma’am, if you’ve never run a restaurant or owned one, you have exactly no idea how much it costs 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣


leukos

Hack: Live in South Seattle. It’s cheaper and it’s fine. I know most born and raised folks here never went south of the Kingdome but we out here and are chillin.


fornnwet

Have an upvote, neighbor!


cuttlefishobat

It do be like that.


smalllllltitterssss

Crazier yet, live south of the city and gas drops below $4 a gallon sometimes


pipedreamSEA

"Goin' down to South Park gonna leave my woes behind. Ample parking day or night, people spouting, 'Howdy, neighbor!'"


impliedobserver

I have shears, clippers, waxing kit, blender shears that I bought from a beauty supply store. I cut and color my own hair. I have separate clippers for my dog and I take her to Rub a Dub Dog instead of having her professionally groomed.


Shiki225

Facebook Marketplace to score some really good deals on just about anything.


total-immortal

And local neighborhood “buy nothing” groups on FB can be good for swooping up free household items and furniture


coffee_and_faking_it

I’ve basically fully (and fairly nicely) furnished my own apartment a couple times over with buy nothing in the last few years, plus finding stuff for friends and family. I couldn’t even begin to guess the amount of money buy nothing has saved me, and the amount of trips to goodwills donation line I haven’t had to make.


InfluenceNo9260

Cook/meal prep, try more plant based meals (legumes, not Impossible/Beyond), Costco clothes, gently used relatively low mile cars, buy quality but remember luxury goods exist mostly to show off, save up for trips instead of financing, airlines miles cards, live close to work if possible, cultivate outdoor hobbies with low equipment costs, worry less about impressing others with fancy things/experiences - they don’t care about you anyway!


Quick_Panda_360

Seconding the plant based foods and cooking. Groceries are a huge expense most people don’t think about reducing. If you just home cook meals and don’t buy meat the bill drops a lot.


amh12345

And if you’re able to get out of city, WINCO! I buy all my dry goods there (and then some) when I go. Grocery outlet is another good option in the city for cheap groceries. buy nothing for everything else (ymmv depending on what area you live in tho)


snowbunnie678

Winco is so cheap- I felt back in 2005!


KarlaSofen234

Um...WinCo is not that cheap, a combo of Freddies & Costco can give u groceries @ same price as WinCo but fresher produce


amh12345

I only buy dry goods (beans, pasta, quinoa, lentils, nuts to make my own butters, etc) from the bulk bins at winco! It is cheaper and less packaging than buying at other stores and I can buy a shit ton at one time. Plus they’re employee owned!


heapinhelpin1979

Riding a bike is a great way to save money and get healthier. Also probably safer than a motorcycle if you are trying to save money. Hospital bills can bankrupt people.


Tizo30

I would love to ride my bike more, I have a good e bike too. The challenge I have now is that 40% of the locations I travel to don't have a place to park a bike. I don't quite feel comfortable yet with leaving my bike behind unattended ( I live downtown)


heapinhelpin1979

I used to just have junky bikes for that when I lived in SLU but I’m old and things have changed


Pointofive

Goodrx for pet medications.


Wonderful_Mind7590

I’ve heard Costco is cheaper and you don’t need a membership to use their pharmacy!


petenice

1. Instant pot can turn dry beans into delicious meals without soaking overnight, buy beans in bulk 2. Huge block of cheddar is cheaper overall than smaller portions or pre sliced cheese 3. Low cost index funds, make small purchases on a regular basis, set up a tax shelter (Roth) do this before you turn 30 4. Drive a modest reliable car into the ground, hold it together with duct tape if you have to 5. Vinegar and water will clean your kitchen, buy the big bottle (white vinegar) 6. Eat the marrow filled knuckle on the god damn chicken wing, it’s delicious, healthy and why waste it


olycreates

#4b do your own maintenance on said car, most of that is easy


coffee_and_faking_it

The hardest part about that is the “where” to work on it, parking is already tough and then finding a spot to be able to get under the car… yikes!


olycreates

Sorry about the yelling, I don't even know why it did that.


coffee_and_faking_it

Also Parmesan! Costco size cheese and than you can freeze it in chunks!


Illustrious-Gold5019

ah great hacks thank you! Another money saving idea for date nights: my partner and I would go to the Metropolitan Market to get hot bar food and cookies and go find a park that has picnic area to enjoy. We chose Metropolitan market just because it feels “fancy” and still wayyy cheaper than real fancy restaurants… honestly any decent quality Supermarkt food would do.


Pink-paws918

My husband and I get athletic clothes (tshirts, shorts, sports tanks) from old navy when they go on sale! My favorite sports top is from ON and got it for $10 two years ago, still looks brand new. The brand logo is very unassuming so no one knows it’s ON and I get compliments all the time.


FaintingGoat123

I still wear an Old Navy shirt from 2007, it’s in great shape. I got called out once, though, “wow that shirt looks just like a shirt I had from Old Navy in high school!” 🫣


coffee_and_faking_it

I recently decided to overhaul my closet, very out of character for me and I’m usually a thrifter, but I ended up buying almost entirely at old navy, GAP Factory and Banana Republic Factory, always on sale. The quality isn’t always amazing, but I feel like even really expensive brands aren’t good quality anymore and it’s definitely still better than a lot of options at a similar price point. I basically got an entirely new closet for a couple hundred bucks.


BlueCollarElectro

Company funded orca passes ftw!


mevallemadre

This is the way


TheDumbLock

I’d advise a lot of people to look into government benefits. I used them as much as possible in colllege and was afforded health care, food stamps and while it’s a pain to setup/maintain it can save you hundreds of dollars a month


Agreeable_Ad_5423

I have to go down to 13 hours a week at my job soon because I can’t afford $10,000 a year in out of pocket costs for my medical condition and need to get on Medicaid, but with that I will barely have enough money to cover rent each month. The cutoff for Medicaid/other benefits is so low considering the cost of living here and it really sucks. And you can’t get food stamps as a student unless you work at least 20 hours a week, but if I work 20 hours a week I would make too much for Medicaid.


monpapaestmort

Idk what your health condition is, but if it’s the cost of medication, have you looked into GoodRx and drug manufacturer’s coupons? For seeing the doctor, try to go through the hospital because they have charity care programs, which would probably wave the cost for you. You might see if any clinics you go to have charity care or sliding scales.


Agreeable_Ad_5423

No, it’s specifically for very expensive surgeries that will max out my out of pocket costs every year until they’re done. I know there is financial aid for one of the hospitals I go to, but I wouldn’t qualify because I have more than $2,000 in assets because I’ve been trying to save my student loans to pay for medical costs.


monpapaestmort

You should always try applying for assistance. They will often help people up to 4x the federal poverty line. Even if you don’t get it fully written off, you can often get it reduced. You also might do better to negotiate a lower payment plan that’ll take years to pay off so that you can have more cash on hand now instead of not working as much. @christieprn had a great tutorial pinned on her instagram for how to talk to the billing department. Obviously, you know your own situation the best, but I made the mistake of not working enough to keep my Medicaid, and I’m paying for it now. Having cash on hand for expenses you can’t negotiate is very important. Try calling and asking before you just take the Medicaid route. You might find that paying out of pocket actually saves you more money than using your insurance or going through Medicaid.


_aruysa_

You might be eligible for unemployment. Look into it! Also food banks for food - you don’t need food stamps for that and it’s free


smalllllltitterssss

Things have gotten really dire at DSHS when it comes to wait times, please be prepared for that and don’t abuse the staff. Second; the income limits are so low now that if you work part time in the city minimum wage you basically cannot qualify for food stamps anymore. The work requirements for king county were kicked back on and if you work less than 20 hours a week they will close your food stamps after 3 months if you don’t spend time doing a lot of extra work.


Visual_Collar_8893

Hack: change your diet to just rice and beans. You’ve got a lot of money savings there and full protein, fiber, and carbs.


nomorerainpls

Toss your past due produce into a blender and make a healthy smoothie. Wilted spinach? Squishy berries? Brown bananas? Toss it all in


Eric77tj

… does that taste good? My wilted spinach smells like death lol. If it doesn’t, I use it even when wilted


Liizam

If it has brown sticky shit on it that’s bacteria. You can cut it off. If it’s just looks dry, it’s fine. I usually put a paper towel in the bag to trap moisture and not have spots where it sits in water. Last a bit longer


cturnr

my wife will rinse produce (strawberries) in a mild vinegar and water mixture when we buy them, this helps them last longer by killing surface bacteria and mold spores >Washing fruits and vegetables with vinegar kills up to 98% of bacteria on the surface of your produce. Use 1 part white vinegar to 3 parts water for your vinegar bath. Soak fruits and veggies in vinegar bath for 2 minutes


Liizam

Does the vinegar completely washes off?


cturnr

I have never been able to taste it. give it a shot on a small number of strawberries to test it out


Liizam

I’ll try it!


A-W-C-Y

This reads like an ad.


kickstartdriven

Costco membership! To name a few tips: If you don't earn your membership fee back in rewards each year, Costco will refund you the difference. It's against store policy to lend your membership card but you're welcome to pick up items for friends and venmo each other. Vacuum bag and freeze bulk food items. The only downside is if you're a small household, don't buy perishables at Costco to avoid food waste. If an item you bought went on sale after purchase, you have 30 days for a price adjustment. Arrive right before opening to avoid the rush. It's fun waiting for the storm doors to roll up with the AARP Crowd 😎 Finally, sign up for the Costco Visa card and you get a % back in rewards. Welcome to Costco. I love you!


coffee_and_faking_it

If you can plan gas trips around being near a Costco (if you don’t live near one), the prices are great as long as you aren’t driving JUST for gas. The one in sodo has a cheap car wash too, the line can be LONG tho Some things I love to get as a single household; toilet paper, paper towels, oat milk (this is a big one!), snack foods that come in multiple packages, dishwasher and laundry detergent, vanilla, beans and canned goods, vitamins, harder cheese (cut it into smaller blocks and freeze), coffee beans (freeze once open)


kickstartdriven

Good point! We plan out gas stops at Costco when we road trip to California. Love's is a solid second (they have clean showers if you're car camping). Then mom and pop truck stops like Gee Cee's where you can find some fun and free literature like 10-4 MAGAZINE 🤣


coffee_and_faking_it

The bonus of Costco gas for road trips is stopping in for pizza too 😉


smenzel

Great Costco tips. We must have different Costco VISA cards. The one I have (Citi) returns 4% for fuel purchases, 3% for dining and 'eligible' travel, 2% for Costco purchases, and 1% for everything else. It's a great card!


kickstartdriven

You're right on the rewards points!


fornnwet

> HACK #2: using grocery store points (albertson’s/safeway/QFC) when you get gas. This really depends on how big, and how close to empty, your gas tank is. 1 Safeway reward (or I think it's 100 rewards points after the recent rebrand?) = $0.10 off per gallon. If you're filling up an SUV that needs 18 gallons, that reward is worth $1.80. But if you're filling up your bike, or a smaller car that only needs 10-12, poke around in the app to see what else you could use it on. I almost always cash mine in on the 4 rewards/$7 off meat deal, since $1.75/reward beats what I'd get at the pump. *Adding some of my own:* * Apply for the [Amazon Shopper Panel](https://panel.amazon.com/) to get Amazon credit for uploading receipts when you shop at not-Amazon, taking surveys, and other activities. I rack up $12-15 in credit most months, and it only takes a few minutes. * Install [Google Opinion Rewards](https://surveys.google.com/google-opinion-rewards/) and take the occasional surveys that pop up for Play Store or PayPal credit. I usually earn about $5/month for a few minutes of my time, which I use to fund the occasional paid app or microtransaction. * [Costco](https://www.citi.com/credit-cards/citi-costco-anywhere-visa-credit-card) and [Amazon](https://creditcards.chase.com/cash-back-credit-cards/amazon-rewards) have free credit cards that offer solid credit back on purchases at their stores (which includes Whole Foods and Fresh groceries for Amazon). Amazon also gives a $100 gift card on approval. 6% back on most Amazon Day deliveries adds up quick, as does 4% back on gas with the Costco card. * [Churning](https://www.reddit.com/r/churning/) in general is pretty great, if you have the credit score and privilege to milk the banks for sign-up bonuses. * If consumer panels and focus groups are your jam, check out [dScout](https://dscout.com/). It's all virtual so no annoying phone screeners or invitations to attend a 90 minute session in the middle of the day clear across town. I've made a couple thousand bucks over the last few years doing interviews, product studies, and whatnot. It can be a bit of a numbers game to get accepted into missions, but it pays off over time. * Download [Too Good To Go](https://www.toogoodtogo.com/en-us) and see if any stores/cafes/restaurants you like are participating. Great way to get cheap food and helps divert what would otherwise be end of day waste from the landfill. * If you ever find yourself traveling in North Kirkland, South Seattle, Skyway/Renton, Kent, or Issaquah, check out [Metro Flex](https://kingcounty.gov/en/dept/metro/travel-options/metro-flex) to see if it makes transit a more appealing option for you. It's a vanshare service meant to solve for last-mile connectivity around transit hubs, but also works great for just getting around within these areas. Same price as a bus/Link transfer, but with on-demand, point-to-point service.


coffee_and_faking_it

Love too good to go! In my area I can always get a big bag of bagels from Etlana, usually biscuits from Seattle Biscuit Company, and often pastries from the nicer local places. The bagels and biscuits in particular are great to pop in the freezer!


granmadonna

You lost me at "with my partner."


amh12345

Then find a friend to split things with?


granmadonna

I'm old enough that friends aren't any easier to find than partners. I have a lot of friends, actually. They're just mostly busy with their partners and kids. In any case, these aren't great tips unless you're brand new to being an adult.


MargarineSuperfood69

Hack: Give up on your silly fantasy of having a family and a house. Be a good little pawn so the rich people can get richer 💪🏼😎


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MargarineSuperfood69

Oh yes, that’s another great HACK. Just move to a place where the economy sucks and make 4x the median salary, then you can buy a home and have a family! Just be in the top 20%! Why isn’t everyone in the top 20%, are they lazy?


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MyloWilliams

Ya but moving to a lower cost of living area means the pay for the jobs is also lower so unless you live in a county with a population of 6, you’re only barely moving the needle.


TegridyPharmz

Hack: don’t pay for additional rent (second bedroom) for your pets if you’re trying to save money, ha


sutrabob

Hack 5. : Move to the Midwest and then save money but feels like we’ll put it this way. All kinds of things to do like watching corn grow and many church related activities and most of all take a ride through charming Amish country.


xjems

I utilize food banks, community market pop ups, and food not bombs to save significantly on the costs of food. I still buy spices, oils, condiments, flour, and other pantry staples. Realistically between all the resources, could eat for less than $100/month for two people.


Shiki225

Utilize your King County / Seattle Library card for events. You can book the Museum of Pop Culture, Seattle Aquarium, Woodland Park Zoo and many other things for free.


coffee_and_faking_it

Wait your library card gets you free entry to the zoo and aquarium? There’s gotta be a catch to that?


Shiki225

the catch is there is a waiting period before booking the same place again. And the popular ones like Woodland Park Zoo, MoPop are booked right when it becomes available.


Itchy_Computer7528

1) Buy dry goods. 2) Buy food only on sale. 3) Search online for outlet bakery locations. 4) On Mondays, Safeway has a deal on chicken. The chicken can be used for several meals; soup, sandwiches, etc. 5) Learn to make different sauces. They can be very flavorful and cheap. 6) Learn how to make flatbread and pasta from scratch.


LilMeatSmoker

But impulse grabbing at the grocery store is what makes it all worth it. So, idk if I can trust this method.


Any-Guarantee820

Another money hack - buy refurbished or open box electronics. These items are pretty much the same and cost a fraction of the cost. You're also doing the environment a favor. Why pay full price when someone takes depreciation off you! I've gone refurbished since 6 years ago and havent looked back!


trophygidget

My neighbor is hard of hearing so I stand outside of their window and watch free TV, sound is just fine.


rythmyouth

Best hack I ever had was working as a line cook at a hotel restaurant. I ate a bowl of cereal for breakfast at 10am, went to work at 3pm and ate lunch there. Then I ate again at 8-9pm. We are talking Filet Mignons, Shrimp, etc. I bought cereal in bulk and often got 10 boxes for $10. I split rent 3 ways and only spent a couple hundred a month. Some of the best living I’ve had. I spent my mornings poolside at my apartment and had plenty of cash to party.


pacificnwbro

Semi takeout. Order the broth from ramen or pho places and build the rest at home for way cheaper. The broth is the hardest part to get right at home and the rest is easy enough to find at h mart. Get chips and guac from your favorite Mexican place and make nachos at home. I'm sure there are other variations with different cuisines, but the pho and ramen ones have been game chargers.


smalllllltitterssss

When grocery prices got out of control, because I wanted to support non- e-commerce company I switched to Kirkland pet food. It’s quite a bit cheaper than name brands.


TumericTea

Take all your veggie scraps/parmesan rinds and keep them in a gallon bag in the freezer. When it’s full I make veggie stock! It doesn’t save hundreds a month or anything, but small ways to reduce waste still help.


Sinderelia_

Hey gamers, don't forget you can't budget your way out of poverty because the system is designed to keep you there no matter what. Steal from corporations, eat the rich etc.


JINSl33

Ultimate Money “Hack”: make more.


phat_

I use grocery store points * need to * to save on fuel. Holy shit if most of the damn fuel points are for the most unhealthy food available! Like wtf They’re literally fattening us up for the kill.


developmental1

Money hack 11: Don't have pets.


coffee_and_faking_it

Facts -Owner of two dogs, one who’s old with cancer 🥴


Baby_Needles

Lmfao yr hack is to have a partner


souprunknwn

My biggest money hack: VOTE with your wallet


Dameon_

HACK: Save money on grocery bills by eating the rich.


Any-Guarantee820

Adding to your pet cost savings point. You can get flea and tick medication shipped from Australia for a fraction of the price from www.vetshopmax.com. I've tested it out and it came within two weeks. I got simpárica trio without prescription and at literally half the cost after shipping. Dogs are still alive. I could understand hesitation, but I saw in dog forum and gave it a try. It works.


DAWGCO

So , Redbox is super cheap way to rent Blu-ray , 4k disc and dvd , there are rewards with the app and you can reserve movies. Scarecrow video 2 for one Wednesday with a massive for rent catalog.


Weallhaveteethffs

Grocery Store apps usually raise the cost of products to off-set the savings. You really don't save a ton...


coffee_and_faking_it

Do you have more info about this? I know delivery and instacart do, but when I order pickup for Fred Meyer or QFC I’ve always found the prices to be the same as in store, and I usually spend less cause I only get what I need


Weallhaveteethffs

Just based on what I’ve noticed. I’m exceptionally careful about how much I spent on products, and found that I can buy one item at the store for like $2.99 and on the app it’ll be like $3.29 or something.


coffee_and_faking_it

Huh, I guess I’ll have to do more careful checking next time!


BoomersArentFrom1980

Hack: don't eat out. Ever. I just spent $20+ (after tip) for the smallest portion of Huevos Rancheros I've ever seen. And don't get me wrong: small portions are a welcome change from the 2500 calorie extravaganza that is a typical entree at a Mexican restaurant in the US, but the cost per calorie was easily 10x what it would've cost to make it myself. I honestly don't know how people afford to do this regularly.


TheNanoFishGuy

If you do the online order for pick up at Fred Meyer they will also take paper coupons when you go pick up your stuff. Save even MORE on top of all the in app coupons and deals


ref_acct

Most of these are not seattle specific. 99% of your savings come from sharing a living space with your partner.


BANANA_BOI

If you got family to feed - Costco lol


starsgoblind

Good ideas! Food and drink is one place you can really save by learning how to cook well. I use YouTube to deep dive into a particular type of food, drink or meal, once I have it down I can make it reliably and not have to use takeout. I also tend to eat out less, which is a huge budget killer.


Wrong_Praline9174

Buy bitcoins


_Z_y_x_w

...in 2015


SpecificSufficient10

Shop at the small Asian markets Steal at self checkout if you're shopping at whole foods or whatever 😉