These days, many of us would go to extremes to save money, but thanks to Redditors, we might not have to. A thread on the frugal subreddit asks people to share their must-have items that save them money. There are some really good ideas in there and these are some of the top responses.
- "Our electricity bill went down when we bought our air fryer in July three years ago — the hottest month of the year. We weren’t heating up the apartment with the oven. We were sold after that."
- "Seconding the library card! The apps let me rent four free audiobooks per month. I can also rent free passes to local hiking trails and museums! It's fantastic. That alone is worth, like, $50 per excursion."
- "A chest freezer! I love being able to stock up when I find something at a great price."
- "So many! Cloth napkins, rags, reusable menstrual products, safety razor, bidet, knit dishcloths, clothes drying rack, and dark curtains in the summertime to name a few."
- "Mattress warmer, not to be confused with an electric blanket. Using the mattress warmer lets us lower the thermostat in winter. Downside/upside: it's a pet magnet."
- "Spent around $100 on a good quality toaster oven and it's great. Saves a ton of time and energy vs. heating up the oven, and way more functional than a vertical toaster."
- "Basic hand tools and a willingness to DIY."
- "Using Camelcamelcamel to check price history on items I'm interested in buying and Fakespot to check authenticity of reviews."
- "Electric vehicle. It costs us about 3 cents per mile to drive and our fuel costs don’t fluctuate with the cost of a barrel of oil."
- "Vacuum sealer. Keeps frozen food from drying out and allows me to store it for months and months without a problem. I cut my food waste by at least half when I got one of those."
- "A pedicure kit. Pick up a dishwashing tub at the dollar store, a bag of Epsom salt, and a cheap pedi tools kit. I've gotten quite addicted to caring for my own feet."
- "I order my groceries online, does that count? Prevents me from buying unnecessary junk and I can flip through the flyer and add sales, and have it dropped off first thing in the morning!"
- "Cold brewer. I make my own iced coffee, every day, year round. I use different ground coffees, different creamers, and always mix it up. Haven't stopped for coffee in well over two years. Likely saved thousands!!!"
Source: Reddit
Scott's Thoughts:
- Having a "Handy" person in the house that can fix things helps!
- What are your must-haves for spending less and saving more money?
- What were you disappointed to find doesn’t save you as much or work as well as you thought?