Abbey, I have been watching your videos for a short while and agree with you about saving money, particularly this one. My home does not fit into your lifestyle because all of my children are grown and I only feed them occasionally. My husband and I will be married 67 yrs. this June, so at this age we don't eat as much or the same things as in younger years. You should never stop learning new ways to save money because you never know when those savings might be needed. My number 1 recommendation is get your family debt free asap but still eat healthy and do healthy activities such as hikes, family games, reading, church activities, etc. I could go on and on.
You have inspired me to figure out ways to make some money on the side. I’ve started baking for a farmers market. Last week was my first week and I made about $85 profit. 🥳 Every little bit counts
My friend & myself drive an hour & half from home to shop at Aldi & 2 other cheaper stores. We split the gas, get months worth & save hundreds of dollars. By the end of the year we saved thousands
Sometimes I purposely leave one night unplanned and I do a shelf cooking night. I often do a skillet meal using some leftover meat, rice, broth, and random veggies that I have. I'm always amazed by the end of cooking that meal that we actually end up with leftovers! And it's always delicious. No recipe, just add what looks good and season it.
One tip I can share would be to take advantage of ordering your groceries for pick up so that way you don't even have to enter the store and there's no way you will be tempted to buy items you don't NEED. I do this when I am on a super tight budget and have been able to get a weeks worth of groceries for my son and I for $80 at times. When I do this, I take my time placing the order and select the cheapest/sale items as well as using Ibotta to earn money back. I also make sure to check my fridge and pantry to make sure I don't buy something I already have. Highly recommend!
When I grew up pop was non existent, chips rarely, candy rarely, all these pre packed snacks didn’t exist. We ate eggs an sausage an toast solid breakfast and supper. A good lunch of PBJ we was never hungry. We didn’t eat all day . we didn’t pig out before bed. Their was no McDonald’s. We grew up healthy, happy, never hungry!
You’re so caring for others with providing helpful hints! I have put tips on budgeting to use & some of the recipes. Thanks for sharing this information that works for you.
Shelf cooking is huge. I remember one video you recommended writing down pantry/freezer inventories and trying to work anything needing to be used into the meal plan. That is so helpful
1 thing I have learned: Keep a list on a white board (or on a piece of paper) to keep an inventory of what you have in the freezer. I have a small garage freezer & I forget what is in it if I don't keep an inventory of the items. I I just erase or mark off the foods as I use them. It feels so good to know what I have & to cross off the items. I have a list for both the garage freezer & the house refrigerator/freezer. My lists include leftovers, soups, random items (3 meatballs in spaghetti sauce for example) & how many of whatever etc. I separate large quantities of ground beef, chicken pieces, etc after I buy them into smaller, more manageable packages Love your videos. You're a very wise woman.
I live in SC a family of 4 who have 2 teenagers. I spend $300 a month on groceries, hygiene, and household items. I do coupon for hygiene products and usually come out free. In a separate category I spend roughly $20 a week and let my kids get fast food one night and as a family we eat out every Saturday night for family night. Our eat out budget with fast food is almost equal to my grocery budget. With teens they do eat more but they also snack alot between home from school and dinner. Every house finds their balance. I think you do a fantastic job with budgeting on your channel.
You always have great tips. I am fortunate to live within a mile of Aldi, Walmart, Sam's and our local grocery store. They are literally right in a row, so I will figure out what I need and then look at ads to determine where to get the best price. I would rather go to 3 stores and save a few dollars, even if it's not all in the same day. I am all about savig however I can.
Thanks for another great money saving video Abby!! I feel so discouraged not following our food budget but this gives me hope and motivation to keep trying!
We go by $200 per adult and $100 per kid (not including diapers) out here in CA and it's still a stretch, but it totally works! So for our family of 5, it's $700 per month. I SO wish we had an Aldi. We shop at Winco and Safeway. Safeway has an amazing app with crazy coupon deals/sales, so it's a mix of both with some Costco sprinkled in here and there.
I spend $750 a month for 3 adults, 1 child, 2 cats. That includes everything I can buy at Walmart, Sams, and cat litter bird feed from tractor supply. This includes food, cleaning supplies, health, beauty, and occasional other hardline items like gifts, decor, yard care and clothing. We don’t include what we buy at Amazon or other stores in town. I know this isn’t exactly pure but most of what we buy is from those 3 stores. I added everything up over 2023 and averaged to get this monthly number. I hope next year is less.
You're tips are super useful. I love your makeup and hairstyle. Very nice and fresh. Would you please share your makeup and hair routine on a separate video? It would be awesome ❤ I appreciate your contents so much. Take care
We are blessed that Aldi is just walking distance from us. ( FL) Oh gosh family of 3 before Covid I can budget $30 in a week of food(3 meals!!!) Now of course inflation thus give prices a hike! Every once in a while we stock up in Costco but most of our food comes from Aldi! Hoping they will hear you out and build one closer to you!
Hey there, Abby and Van! Could you link or more of the websites that you say can generate recipes/ideas for shelf cooking? I have so much trouble utilizing food items I already have in my freezer and pantry. Thanks for sharing your tips and hacks for saving money on groceries.
I try to stay around $100 a week including toiletries. We have 2 adults and 2 teens. It is doable for sure. We still have really good meals. When I wrote down what we were spending on groceries before I started actually budgeting, I could not believe it. Also, we had so much wasted food. I tell people if they want to save money, start with groceries. 🤗
So true - I had the same experience writing down what we actually spend. And I mean every cent. Some categories of food items were such a huge surprise what we spent on it. I couldn't believe it
I live in Arkansas, and Walmart is not cheaper than anyone. Things I buy cost less at other non-Aldi grocery stores many times. Aldi is my favorite though, without a doubt!
Thank you for sharing these tips! I will be trying meatless meals once a week. This will be a challenge for my meat & potato eaters of the family. Praying they will adjust. I would enjoy a video on your meatless meals go tos for the newbie 😊 I can always learn something from your channel, and I appreciate it ❤
Hey Friend, Happy Friday. I enjoy all of your budget videos and seeing how you and your family save money. ❤ I see people spending a thousand or over a thousand dollars on groceries as well so these types of videos might help the out as well. I agree a lot of people brain wash themselves into getting something that they want because they think they need it. We are al guilty of this (some more than others) and we all need to be reminded that we should only get things that we need and eat something before going grocery shopping. ❤️🥰
I was wondering if you had any suggestions on ways I can effectively budget plan when my husband Is paid 100% commission? Some weeks his paycheck can differ by $600-$900. Thanks so much for you time.
Yes, when he brings home a little more try to stock up. Otherwise try to budget for the minimum he would bring home. That way, anything over would be “extra” that week. 🤗
My husband is same I plan menus, we don’t allow kids just set eat an eat. eat . snack an pop is last if their is enough. Prepackaged meals, snacks, cereal , pop tarts is out to.try to stock up once a month .
Definitely depends on what season you are in. I have 4 children also but all are teenagers/young adults. Tall with high metabolisms - they require more food than your kids do at this point 😊 and empty calories (not protein) does not last with sports/going to the gym. We also choose to eat organic/natural because of health issues - I understand that this is a personal choice but we choose to cut from other areas to be able to afford the more expensive pricing. We do buy in bulk and I make everything from scratch (this also saves $). It does require planning especially working full time but worth the effort.
Family of 4 in NY. $400 would never work here. It’s so hard!! I have an Aldi a few towns over and Walmart. Maybe I’ll try those. Any tips Abby? Please look up our circulars from downstate NY…you’ll see it’s crazy.
I shop primarily at Aldi and cook from scratch, but we buy a lot of fresh and healthy items which is, I feel, a lot more expensive than the other stuff. Trying to get back to spending much less but it is HARD in this economy!
I buy 350.00 every other month for meats. Split it up and freeze it. Then i buy fresh produce, big bag of rice, beans and tortillas. I buy extra cans of stuff for my pantry when its on sale. No more soda only on special occasions. I feed 4 adults, sometimes 5 and 2 teenage grandkids. It can be done. I did it with 4 kids and a calculator long ago.
I only make 1400 a month. It’s only me and I have to pay all of my bills on that so I have to make it work with 100 a month on groceries so if I can make it work with that you all can. I really don’t buy very much at all. When I get to make supper it’s a big deal. ❤I enjoy your vlogs so much!
Thanks!!! YES I don’t care how expensive food is!! 1,200 for 4 or 5 ppl is ridiculous !! Yes you may have that much but either save it or put it on mortgage!!!
It’s just my husband and I and I try to do bare minimum but still wind up spending 110-150 a week! 🤦🏼♀️ and we eat out mostly on the weekends too on top of that.
I am so guilty picking things up other than whats on my list. Will power. My husband is the same, I asked for bananas thats all he brought..I was like, how??? Lol.
I save money by making my own bread, rolls, buns and tortillas, I make extras and store them in the freezer for later use, I also keep all my scraps from vegetables and bones from meat to make broth for soups and stews, I have saved a lot by canning my own chicken broth and beef broth, as well as turkey broth.... I also can tomatoes for saving when making soups stews , spaghetti, and Mexican dishes. I love having as much home made food as possible in my house. Thank you Abby for sharing all your tips and ideas!! I love your channel!❤❤❤
Speaking of Meat....FInd a Meat Market near you and buy a Meat Bundle. It does save money in the long run, but you seperate it and pack it for freezer yourself. 😬
It is just me, my daughter, dog, and Jesus... $200 a month is all we spend on groceries at Aldi. It can be done. Aldi's food is just as good as any other grocery store for much less.
I live in sc and its me my husband my 11 year old and 7 year old and we spend alot i feel on food which is about 700 to 800 a month i want another baby and to cut back on working...to just working weekends. So im trying to spend about 400 that would be nice my husband always wants to shop at walmart...i knowaldi is probably the cheapest place idk im gonnafigure this out ill buy produce and canned food at aldi rice pasta but im picky about aldi products..
I need somebody to teach me how to become that organized to be able to plan I can't plan out a day yet alone a whole week or more where do I even begin I feel completely overwhelmed
Go on UA-cam and watch menus for week or month. Remember it don’t have be a full course meal every night, spaghetti , roast etc serves lots and can be used for next day as a meal.
Well I'm on a fixed income ...I only have 600.00 right now any helpful tips on that? Please help me❤ I'm actually autistic so any help be so appreciative ❤
I totally get the kids being with you lol. I went to the thrift store strictly for baskets and my 3 year old wanted a little blue car and I couldn't say no 🙃
Star of the show was Louie's tail in the beginning 🐈😂
Lol I know he always steals the show!
I couldn’t help smiling at the happy wagging tail through this video. So adorable.
Moments I thought she was a catwoman 😅
Abbey, I have been watching your videos for a short while and agree with you about saving money, particularly this one. My home does not fit into your lifestyle because all of my children are grown and I only feed them occasionally. My husband and I will be married 67 yrs. this June, so at this age we don't eat as much or the same things as in younger years. You should never stop learning new ways to save money because you never know when those savings might be needed. My number 1 recommendation is get your family debt free asap but still eat healthy and do healthy activities such as hikes, family games, reading, church activities, etc. I could go on and on.
You have inspired me to figure out ways to make some money on the side. I’ve started baking for a farmers market. Last week was my first week and I made about $85 profit. 🥳
Every little bit counts
Van seems like such a happy guy. So precious
My friend & myself drive an hour & half from home to shop at Aldi & 2 other cheaper stores. We split the gas, get months worth & save hundreds of dollars. By the end of the year we saved thousands
Sometimes I purposely leave one night unplanned and I do a shelf cooking night. I often do a skillet meal using some leftover meat, rice, broth, and random veggies that I have. I'm always amazed by the end of cooking that meal that we actually end up with leftovers! And it's always delicious. No recipe, just add what looks good and season it.
yep-usually fried rice with....
Can you do a video of nothing but meatless meals?
One tip I can share would be to take advantage of ordering your groceries for pick up so that way you don't even have to enter the store and there's no way you will be tempted to buy items you don't NEED. I do this when I am on a super tight budget and have been able to get a weeks worth of groceries for my son and I for $80 at times. When I do this, I take my time placing the order and select the cheapest/sale items as well as using Ibotta to earn money back. I also make sure to check my fridge and pantry to make sure I don't buy something I already have. Highly recommend!
When I grew up pop was non existent, chips rarely, candy rarely, all these pre packed snacks didn’t exist. We ate eggs an sausage an toast solid breakfast and supper. A good lunch of PBJ we was never hungry. We didn’t eat all day . we didn’t pig out before bed. Their was no McDonald’s. We grew up healthy, happy, never hungry!
You’re so caring for others with providing helpful hints! I have put tips on budgeting to use & some of the recipes. Thanks for sharing this information that works for you.
❤Van is too sweet❤You're very thoughtful and being an intentional spender saves so much!!!😊
Shelf cooking is huge. I remember one video you recommended writing down pantry/freezer inventories and trying to work anything needing to be used into the meal plan. That is so helpful
1 thing I have learned: Keep a list on a white board (or on a piece of paper) to keep an inventory of what you have in the freezer. I have a small garage freezer & I forget what is in it if I don't keep an inventory of the items. I I just erase or mark off the foods as I use them. It feels so good to know what I have & to cross off the items. I have a list for both the garage freezer & the house refrigerator/freezer. My lists include leftovers, soups, random items (3 meatballs in spaghetti sauce for example) & how many of whatever etc. I separate large quantities of ground beef, chicken pieces, etc after I buy them into smaller, more manageable packages Love your videos. You're a very wise woman.
THE ONLY PROBLEM WITH DEEP FREEZERS OR GARAGE FREEZERS IS ELECTRICITY PRICE. IT ONE MORE APPLIANCE THAT I GOING TO RAISE YOUR ELECTRIC BILL.
I live in SC a family of 4 who have 2 teenagers. I spend $300 a month on groceries, hygiene, and household items. I do coupon for hygiene products and usually come out free. In a separate category I spend roughly $20 a week and let my kids get fast food one night and as a family we eat out every Saturday night for family night. Our eat out budget with fast food is almost equal to my grocery budget. With teens they do eat more but they also snack alot between home from school and dinner. Every house finds their balance. I think you do a fantastic job with budgeting on your channel.
You always have great tips. I am fortunate to live within a mile of Aldi, Walmart, Sam's and our local grocery store. They are literally right in a row, so I will figure out what I need and then look at ads to determine where to get the best price. I would rather go to 3 stores and save a few dollars, even if it's not all in the same day. I am all about savig however I can.
Thats the cutest cat tail! So funny! Thank you
Thanks for another great money saving video Abby!! I feel so discouraged not following our food budget but this gives me hope and motivation to keep trying!
Love it Abby! Great tips. Groceries are a huge area of opportunity for people to save money!
We go by $200 per adult and $100 per kid (not including diapers) out here in CA and it's still a stretch, but it totally works! So for our family of 5, it's $700 per month. I SO wish we had an Aldi. We shop at Winco and Safeway. Safeway has an amazing app with crazy coupon deals/sales, so it's a mix of both with some Costco sprinkled in here and there.
Love your videos, thanks for sharing these tips!
I spend $750 a month for 3 adults, 1 child, 2 cats. That includes everything I can buy at Walmart, Sams, and cat litter bird feed from tractor supply. This includes food, cleaning supplies, health, beauty, and occasional other hardline items like gifts, decor, yard care and clothing. We don’t include what we buy at Amazon or other stores in town. I know this isn’t exactly pure but most of what we buy is from those 3 stores.
I added everything up over 2023 and averaged to get this monthly number. I hope next year is less.
You're tips are super useful.
I love your makeup and hairstyle. Very nice and fresh. Would you please share your makeup and hair routine on a separate video? It would be awesome ❤
I appreciate your contents so much. Take care
Van is too cute!!
That wee fluffy tail in the picture so funny
That cat tail 😂 Great ideas, and reminders! Give that maow love for me ❤
We are blessed that Aldi is just walking distance from us. ( FL) Oh gosh family of 3 before Covid I can budget $30 in a week of food(3 meals!!!) Now of course inflation thus give prices a hike! Every once in a while we stock up in Costco but most of our food comes from Aldi! Hoping they will hear you out and build one closer to you!
Hey there, Abby and Van! Could you link or more of the websites that you say can generate recipes/ideas for shelf cooking? I have so much trouble utilizing food items I already have in my freezer and pantry. Thanks for sharing your tips and hacks for saving money on groceries.
I try to stay around $100 a week including toiletries. We have 2 adults and 2 teens. It is doable for sure. We still have really good meals. When I wrote down what we were spending on groceries before I started actually budgeting, I could not believe it. Also, we had so much wasted food. I tell people if they want to save money, start with groceries. 🤗
So true - I had the same experience writing down what we actually spend. And I mean every cent. Some categories of food items were such a huge surprise what we spent on it. I couldn't believe it
Hi Van 🥰 Your hair is as bright as Sunshine😊
cat steal the show ,so funny
I like Louie's tail ----it looks like a Ostrich 🤣😅😆😂
I live in Arkansas, and Walmart is not cheaper than anyone. Things I buy cost less at other non-Aldi grocery stores many times. Aldi is my favorite though, without a doubt!
Thank you for sharing these tips! I will be trying meatless meals once a week. This will be a challenge for my meat & potato eaters of the family. Praying they will adjust. I would enjoy a video on your meatless meals go tos for the newbie 😊 I can always learn something from your channel, and I appreciate it ❤
your fur baby is adorable 😊
Groceries are sooooo expensive now! 😢 Thank you 🙏 for the tips! ❤
Hey Friend, Happy Friday. I enjoy all of your budget videos and seeing how you and your family save money. ❤ I see people spending a thousand or over a thousand dollars on groceries as well so these types of videos might help the out as well. I agree a lot of people brain wash themselves into getting something that they want because they think they need it. We are al guilty of this (some more than others) and we all need to be reminded that we should only get things that we need and eat something before going grocery shopping. ❤️🥰
Van is so animated in this video!
Omg could Van be any cuter 💙
Good advice. At 6:50, does your cat have more toes on his front paws then normal or is it a trick of the camera?
I was wondering if you had any suggestions on ways I can effectively budget plan when my husband Is paid 100% commission? Some weeks his paycheck can differ by $600-$900. Thanks so much for you time.
Stockpile.
Yes, when he brings home a little more try to stock up. Otherwise try to budget for the minimum he would bring home. That way, anything over would be “extra” that week. 🤗
My husband is same I plan menus, we don’t allow kids just set eat an eat. eat . snack an pop is last if their is enough. Prepackaged meals, snacks, cereal , pop tarts is out to.try to stock up once a month .
I’d also love a meatless video! I’m vegetarian 😊
Definitely depends on what season you are in. I have 4 children also but all are teenagers/young adults. Tall with high metabolisms - they require more food than your kids do at this point 😊 and empty calories (not protein) does not last with sports/going to the gym. We also choose to eat organic/natural because of health issues - I understand that this is a personal choice but we choose to cut from other areas to be able to afford the more expensive pricing. We do buy in bulk and I make everything from scratch (this also saves $). It does require planning especially working full time but worth the effort.
Family of 4 in NY. $400 would never work here. It’s so hard!! I have an Aldi a few towns over and Walmart. Maybe I’ll try those. Any tips Abby? Please look up our circulars from downstate NY…you’ll see it’s crazy.
I shop primarily at Aldi and cook from scratch, but we buy a lot of fresh and healthy items which is, I feel, a lot more expensive than the other stuff. Trying to get back to spending much less but it is HARD in this economy!
I buy 350.00 every other month for meats. Split it up and freeze it. Then i buy fresh produce, big bag of rice, beans and tortillas. I buy extra cans of stuff for my pantry when its on sale. No more soda only on special occasions. I feed 4 adults, sometimes 5 and 2 teenage grandkids. It can be done. I did it with 4 kids and a calculator long ago.
I only make 1400 a month. It’s only me and I have to pay all of my bills on that so I have to make it work with 100 a month on groceries so if I can make it work with that you all can. I really don’t buy very much at all. When I get to make supper it’s a big deal. ❤I enjoy your vlogs so much!
Thanks!!! YES I don’t care how expensive food is!! 1,200 for 4 or 5 ppl is ridiculous !! Yes you may have that much but either save it or put it on mortgage!!!
Both my grandsons are 8 ☺
"The cat is a paid actor"
Van looks like a big boy w/ his haircut 🥹
It’s just my husband and I and I try to do bare minimum but still wind up spending 110-150 a week! 🤦🏼♀️ and we eat out mostly on the weekends too on top of that.
I used gift cards from Christmas to buy shampoo, cat food, dog food, dish soap etc.
We live in Alaska and 100 is not enough per person here sadly
I am so guilty picking things up other than whats on my list. Will power. My husband is the same, I asked for bananas thats all he brought..I was like, how??? Lol.
I save money by making my own bread, rolls, buns and tortillas, I make extras and store them in the freezer for later use, I also keep all my scraps from vegetables and bones from meat to make broth for soups and stews, I have saved a lot by canning my own chicken broth and beef broth, as well as turkey broth.... I also can tomatoes for saving when making soups stews , spaghetti, and Mexican dishes. I love having as much home made food as possible in my house.
Thank you Abby for sharing all your tips and ideas!! I love your channel!❤❤❤
Speaking of Meat....FInd a Meat Market near you and buy a Meat Bundle. It does save money in the long run, but you seperate it and pack it for freezer yourself. 😬
It is just me, my daughter, dog, and Jesus... $200 a month is all we spend on groceries at Aldi. It can be done. Aldi's food is just as good as any other grocery store for much less.
❤️
The food is SO overpriced in Canada. A family of 4 shopping sales is about $250 per WEEK!
I live in sc and its me my husband my 11 year old and 7 year old and we spend alot i feel on food which is about 700 to 800 a month i want another baby and to cut back on working...to just working weekends. So im trying to spend about 400 that would be nice my husband always wants to shop at walmart...i knowaldi is probably the cheapest place idk im gonnafigure this out ill buy produce and canned food at aldi rice pasta but im picky about aldi products..
I need somebody to teach me how to become that organized to be able to plan I can't plan out a day yet alone a whole week or more where do I even begin I feel completely overwhelmed
Go on UA-cam and watch menus for week or month. Remember it don’t have be a full course meal every night, spaghetti , roast etc serves lots and can be used for next day as a meal.
I think Louie is your teen fur child.
I just look at my EBT balance .
USDA has stats. Google cost of food at home USDA. Our budget is a little more than half.
Okay cool!
Noooooo way could we spend $25 per person per week in the bay area! 😂😂😂 we’d be eating lettuce and day old bread all week!
Ummm you're adorable you say Aldi however your Texas accent takes you ❤ tell those others to poo poo!!
Well I'm on a fixed income ...I only have 600.00 right now any helpful tips on that? Please help me❤ I'm actually autistic so any help be so appreciative ❤
I totally get the kids being with you lol. I went to the thrift store strictly for baskets and my 3 year old wanted a little blue car and I couldn't say no 🙃
He is such a cutie!!
My one item Monday turned to $31.00 due to seeing items on sale that might need before on sale again.
Im so so so tired of the same tip of beans and rice over and over. That being said i enjoy your videos.🎉
Facts. Some items are on every video. I can see why but on the other hand how much beans can one eat?
@@ElePranaityte and how many times do we need to hear the same thing over and over
Ugh I'd starve before eating beans and rice 😂
@@MidwestMomma17 same!
You eat it if that’s all their was