A "poor person hack"

If I need to stretch hamburger meat, or if a recipe calls for a filler, instead of crackers or breadcrumbs I’ll use oatmeal.

I keep my in-use SOS pad in the freezer so it doesn’t rust.

When my plastic shower curtain liner starts getting dingy, I run it through the wash with my white towels and a bit of bleach, then hang it back up on the shower rod to dry
 

There are so many…I no longer cruise behind grocery stores to check out what they have thrown away…thank goodness those days are long gone. But I might add water to a gallon of whole milk. You can add about a quart and not affect the taste. I drink tap water…and have made sure I did it until I could tolerate the taste every time I moved. I cook from scratch most things..and rotate either soup or stirfry into about every week’s dinners. We eat at home unless it is a special day.
I shop thrift stores for clothes…there is great stuff out there. I watch my bills…catch things early. I pay everything off…no debt. None.
I do not smoke…and rarely drink alcohol. I do not buy that bag of chips at the convenience store…I buy it if I want it at the regular grocery.
I know there is more…it is a lifestyle..
 
Utilities, especially heat in winter. I have always kept it pretty cool, in addition to closing off rooms, draining certain water lines, and living in just part of this house. This year, work has been ongoing in that part that is usually closed off so heating that area has been necessary. This winter, I am keeping the main living area up to 70F instead of 66-68F. What a difference that has made in comfort. I can afford to do this; now I wonder why I was so intent on saving, saving, saving when I didn't have to. I am done playing poor!
 
I save packing materials and boxes that arrive with my own shipments to use when I have to send stuff out myself. If the boxes are marked with the store name I have an enormous chunky Sharpie I use to mask it.

I have a huge pile of Amazon packing paper saved up for Christmas shipping this year.
 
I stay out of malls so I don't get tempted -- hence, very little clutter here. I don't watch TV, hence no commercials to make me want something.

I do not eat at restaurants that serve dishes I already know how to make. Except for Waffle House.

I have an adequate wardrobe. I have friends who own much larger wardrobes -- and have a 100 pairs of jeans, for example. That will never be me. I about had a heart attack this summer when I realized I had 2 pairs of white pants.

Back when grocery stores had buy one, get one free sales, especially on meat, that's when I'd buy meat. I'd buy only ingredients, 95% of the time.

When a farmer sold grass fed, grass finished beef for $2 a pound, I bought a beef half - I think that's what they called it. Even then, beef was a lot more expensive at the stores, plus it tasted like I remembered it did when I was a child. I started loving beef again. Grocery store beef tastes super inferior, including grass fed beef.
 
Here's for sure one of my poor person hacks.

I grew up poor and when I got hurt there was no running to the doctor or hospital, way to exspensive. One thing my dad was good at was putting in stitches to close up wounds, and he stiched me up plenty of times.

Guess what? I still put in my own stitches if I'm able. For years I used a sewing needle and thread, just like my dad used, or dental floss, or fishing string, all of which have drawbacks. These days I use actual stitch kits purchased from Amazon, and boy does the right kind of needle and string work better!

So yes, these days I have insurance and can easily afford the cost to have it done, but...I do a good job, can get it done in a few minutes and it hardly cost me anything.
 
I’m frugal to a point without being mean , due to growing up poor and hungry

As a kid I always said I’d never drink or smoke as I seen the damage my parents caused by doing just that ..(staved the kids) but they always had money to smoke and go to the pub everyday…

I’ve stuck to my own words …… …..and when my now deceased younger siblings had a go at me for buying my own home ,I’d simply say I’ve never spent money on things like alcohol drugs or smoking “ thats how I bought a home

As far as being Frugal we very rarely eat out , I just don’t like take away food …..We are in city at moment ..yesterday I bought food to cook I got potatoes ( 1 kg) I kg of mixed frozen veg , 2 large chicken breast fillets ,( enough for 3 meals for us )
bread, chicken coating mix to oven cook some of the chicken
avocados X 2 ~ it cost me $21 for food for 3 days food for both of us for a evening meal / as well as the bread if we want a midday snack

( however …we rarely eat lunch )
 
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Nathan said:
Poor person hack: wanna eat like a king for days? Get a whole chicken and roast it.
😋
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I occasionally get lazy and buy a Woolworths hot chook as Aussies call them ….we can have at least 4 meals each from one chook , normally we’d have it with salad while it still hot, next day maybe a sandwich next toasties under the grill ( i mix chopped chicken , parsley , spring onion , capsicums and tomato ) top toasted bread
Then cheese ….grill under griller ……in cool weather the fat less scraps go into making soup..or just eating if we decide to have lunch

The chooks cost $12

I like Aldi fresh chickens to cook myself they are nice and meaty @Nathan
 
C50 said:
Here's for sure one of my poor person hacks.

I grew up poor and when I got hurt there was no running to the doctor or hospital, way to exspensive. One thing my dad was good at was putting in stitches to close up wounds, and he stiched me up plenty of times.

Guess what? I still put in my own stitches if I'm able. For years I used a sewing needle and thread, just like my dad used, or dental floss, or fishing string, all of which have drawbacks. These days I use actual stitch kits purchased from Amazon, and boy does the right kind of needle and string work better!

So yes, these days I have insurance and can easily afford the cost to have it done, but...I do a good job, can get it done in a few minutes and it hardly cost me anything.
Click to expand...
Doesn't it hurt?
 
seadoug said:
After I lost my job, I would ashamedly pick up extra paper napkins if we dined out at a casual restaurant. I still do sometimes, out of habit.
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I do that with Salt ans sugar sachets...

I don't take loads. but I'll pop 2 of each into my bag, when I'm at a cafe or pub restaurant, so I have them handy.. not for home, but when I buy tea or a snack at a take-away place they don't always put sugar or salt in.. so i have them handy in my bag when that happens
 
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Not really a hack but I ask myself "are you buying this because you want it or because you need it"? Lots of times, I realize I don't really need it as much as I want it. Therefore, I wait 3 days before making a decision. If I have forgotten about the item after the 3 day wait, then I really didn't need it.
 

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