Thank you for your great advices on saving money. I live in san jose, CA, so it's good to save and have an emergency money. I've learned so much from you. You're the best and I wish you are always in good health every day. Thank you.
It's great saving when it doesn't really affect your quality of life that much. Or rather, you can get used to the new way and everything is still fine. =D Thanks for your well wishes! Hey, I go by San Jose every once in a while. Really like that An Nam Pho place. Best in the world I think.
a little money saving tip: buy a nice razor like a gillette fusion with some rubbing alcohol. when you are done shaving soak the razor in the rubbing alcohol (preferably 91%) the razor will typically last a year without you having to replace it. I'm honestly not sure why but I conjecture that most of the time when you think your razor has 'dulled' because it starts cutting you it's actually too full of hair, oil and shaving gel that you can't simply blast out with water. The 91% alc prevents the blade from rusting and pulls all of the hair out, if you use a plastic container you will see all of the little hairs that settled to the bottom.
if you put it in a small tupperware bowl with the lid on it won't evaporate, if you don't feel like taking the razor off the handle every time you can cut a hole for the handle or put the whole thing into a zip lock bag with the alcohol
I was doing really well budgeting but then I just snapped and started spending like crazy. Now I realize it's because I never allocated 'fun money'. This helps a lot. Thanks~!
I sold my car and get around on my bike and public transport. It got me out of debt and helped me to save my 6 month emergency fund!! I'll get a cheap used car eventually but for now I don't miss it that much. Every time I feel despondent I just imagine a graph showing my net worth increasing!
Great job realizing your car/car payments were holding you back from reaching your goals! My vehicle is paid for, but I walk/ride my bike when ever I can to save on maintenance and fuel. Added bonus, it's good for me. BTW, my husband, co-workers thinks I am nuts, but oh well.
I am sure lots of people, especially young ones are benefiting from your financial advice as I believe young people prefer hearing it from their peers. You are doing an excellent job and thank you for sharing. I just subscribed to your channel.
Love your channel! Yes, thats what got me several years ago... the bare minimum....been on budgets before...but the bare minimum felt so restricted, I relapsed, went on a spending binge...
When you go on bare minimum you can only do it for a short time... max 1 year... more realistically a few months. So it's important to allow yourself a few luxuries if you want to do it long term.
Inspirational indeed. Im compiling a list of knowledge of you and other youtubers in my list that I add new stuff to and read every day. thanks a lot for sharing
I add core information off videos like yours to my list and re-read it every couple days. Therefore they'll stick rather than just be written down and forgot. Currently binge-watching a bunch of your vids and taking notes! cheers
The soap example is a good one. The soap I buy last many times longer than for most people, but that's based mostly on how much I use. Most will just push the lever down to the bottom and get the full amount, when most often, a light touch is all you need. The washing detergent is an even better example. I buy the most expensive brand, which is very effective, but then I mix it with water in a spray-bottle. It lasts literally years longer than what the bottle says it should. One area where I do not get the cheapest stuff is food. My food bill right now is about double what it was a couple of years ago. But I've realized it's important to get the good food. You can do OK with cheap food in terms of it being healthy, but if you want to maximize health, you have to spend a bit more.
Minimizing spending is not just the dollar amount as you commented. So it will not always be the cheapest item on the shelf. Eating healthy does not need to be expensive but what you eat has direct consequence on your health which would cause you a lot of money in the long run if not taken care of. I.e. fast food is $1 a burger but it'll likely cost you 10x as much in medical bills if eaten regularly.
When my gf moved into her house near San Mateo in 2003, she noticed that she had to call the trash company to turn on service.. as they billed separately from the water people.. she never called them! She saves her plastic bags.. harder these days since the stores don't hand them out..I take her mine..she bags up her trash and dumps it at the bank/gas station or at the entrance to Costco/Smart & Final, etc.
Excellent info.! A tip for a thrifty and healthy alternative to sodas: Try adding a squirt of (organic) lemon juice to your water and you'll have a very tasty, healthy and cheap drink. If you can't live without the sweetness, add a teaspoon of (local) honey and you'll have a delicious and even healthier drink that's practically free.
Great video. I have watched tons of your vids and learned a lot from you. I tend to be in that prison of living cheap more than allowing myself fun money. I’m always afraid to spend for fun on myself. I need to change that.
Just found you and am on a watching-spree on your videos with a notepad in-hand. Thank you so much! Subbed for your simple explanations that get to the point :)
its easy... just stop spending to save a lot of money.. however... you will need to give up a lot of things and cannot go out anymore.. its hard but its not forever... you need to think of it as a game... pretend you're in prison.. you must go to work... can only live on water and basic food...rice n beans... okay, throw the odd sweet potato for some luxury.... do this for 1 year and youll save thousands!
Lol, only sweet potato!??! I think the level of expenses really depends on your income and what kind of lifestyle you are used to. If you ask a person living 'normal' to go to this prison style, then it'll be very hard.
DC180 I live prison style and it's wonderful - if I feel like giving up I just imagine a graph with my net worth increasing and then I remember why I'm doing it!
BeatTheBush the higher the income, the more you save, its all relative. yeah many lifestyles are different, need give up and sacrifice things...can do it one step at a time.. dont need to do forever but if you really want to save it works
Rob B they make number plates and have laundry duty etc... this is your work. its pretend. when you shop, only get food for 3 meals a day. in prison they need look after thier cells... this is your house. of course it wont be 100% exactly like prison.. its a game. If you're married , have kids etc... forget it.
I like how you are giving us tips on a budget, but you're also trying to get us healthy cutting out the sodas too. I do think when you budget correctly you can get healthy.
Great points! Next week I'll be reviewing my expenses for this year and see where I can save some money. Your videos are very helpful so keep them coming😊
Also for those who just cant go without watching your shows get a amazon firestick with kodi installed all you need is internet and you can watch all the new tv shows and movies for FREE so you dont miss a thing. This is what ive been using since i canceled my cable
BeatTheBush very true. thankfully im not a sports fan of any sort. Even though alot of people would think im weird for not have any interest in watching sports lol
I liked this video...I have tried to cut expenses as much as I can over the last year or two. My only problem is the cable. I dont need all the channels they offer and I have looked into options such as slingtv which is like 20$ a month for many basic channels, the problem there is that a company like comcast will screw you over if you cancel the cable but still need internet. Internet is something I could not live without since I am a stock trader and need the best internet I can get. So My cable+internet plan is around 150$ if I only wanted internet without cable I would still be paying over 100$ ....if internet alone ever goes down in price then cutting the cord would make sense, until then I'm not so sure.
It depends if you really want the cable and if it's worth $50 to you. The idea is not to cut everything out and live like a caveman but cut everything you absolutely do not need. Then you sprinkle on a few things you like. It's a typical pricing strategy to ask you to pay something incrementally small so you will go for the pricier option. I like to go, nope sorry, I'll just buy the thing that is just $5 less but half the capacity simply because I do not need it. Their jaws usually drop and think I'm crazy, ha ha.
well ...i personally would like to keep up with some sports and at least have maybe netflix or something. I just think the internet monopoly of comcast is really what may stop many from completely cutting the high cost cable service because there are so many options these days.
Very good video. Me I have already stopped throwing money on meat, bread, alcohol, and clothes. I also found places where I can buy cheaper, more cost-efficient drinking water and toilet paper. Thus I make small savings that add up.
Whoa... if you could completely not eat meat, that's pretty good! I'm also weaning off of it but have found it hard to completely cut it out. Eating a lot less (i.e. 1/2 to 1/3 of what I used to) is a good step forward. I assume you have to buy drinking water instead of just filtering it?
Yes, I found it, this is one of your best videos, I need to show this to my wife. To everyone really... to bad not many people around here speak English.
It's in the budgeting video? Hmm... thanks for your effort in finding it. Out of the 400 videos I think some of the points not part of the title might get buried.
Dollar store is only good for certain things. Wine glasses are the best there. Big Lots has a lot of good stuff like soap, detergent, dog accessories, and ect. They have the same brands you get anywhere but discounted! Also when it comes to water buy those 5gallon jugs and go to the water stores. The water is healthier then bottled water and saves you a ton of money. You can buy cheap glass water bottles on amazon and fill them up for work or whatever. You can get a glass gallon water jug and throw that in the fridge to keep it cold so you dont have to pay for the electric dispenser (Tap water is horrible for you) Love your video but sorry cant cut out beer/wine =P
Why not just buy a filter or a very good filter? It'll save you from hauling water and paying for gas to haul it along with all the work needed to lift water.
I canceled my cable bill last month so now i just pay for internet which is $60 versus cable&internet which was $150 a month. Best decision of my life!!!
How dependent were you on cable? Did you follow shows or sports and how is the adjustment going? I don't really watch anything on there so I don't know what I'm missing, lol.
Im super glade I canceled my cable. It was hard at first bc i was like what if a new show comes out that i would really like to watch and i miss it?! Thing is how can you miss something you never knew about. Yeah im not missing anything
Yes I did this too back in Feb 2017. I was paying Verizon 186 a month and now I pay 84 for the internet only. I started paying down credit card debt and putting back 20 - 45 dollars a week. The next task is getting my groceries in check.
Viq: For groceries, you just need to eat cheap but healthy. Try out this vid: ua-cam.com/video/HTd_EDTB-qY/v-deo.html on how to pack $1 lunch with chicken.
how far out do you project your budgets? i have LONG term budget, but for basis budget/fixed costs one year is a minimum time frame. i still pay myself first, even though i am retired and am living off my interest on my savings. my four checks which are the four companies i retired from with 3 @ 50% base pay and 1 @ 75% base pay. since i saved 50% of all income i earned, it will be a long time before i start using those checks. i'm debt free and need ideas on how to spend my income on fun things. like vacations, hobbies or learning a new skill. any and all inputs on how to enjoy my retirement years. G-d Willing, i have 55+ years of time to fill. thanks!
I lived in my car for 7 years while running my own DJ business while working full time at a Starbucks in order to save money to settle 2 judgements I had. Once I saved up around 10-12k and started making offers, They never took the offers. Eventually I started renting a tiny bachelor pad and then started working hard driving Uber select. Lots of 18 hour days, but I settled both judgements within 10 months and now propelled myself forward in positive savings. I have high savings goals and save quickly, but I don’t know much about investing. Should I start by buying a house, though houses are very expensive in LA? Or just keep saving?
BTB; you got me thinking budgeting : I started with my cable service; we have frontier fios; I had the premium plan with 3 tv in my home; but started to kept a diary for 1 week of what I actually watch and found myself just watching very few; so I was paying for a lot of channels and cable news; I was paying $280-$320 a month for premium channel and 3 boxes had internet 75/75 and a land line too. I recently called frontier and told them how do I save $$ more money and ended up cancel the land line phone, reduce my channels to the very basic where I have just the basic cable channel for news and some college sports which is fine; so now my new bill is around $ 80/month. cellular service= I also saw I was paying $250 a month for 2 lines with Verizon and still owe money on a 2 new iPhone I upgrade a few months ago; through watching your videos; I started to look at my bill closer; and saw Verizon was charging $ 20/ month for each I phone for smart phone access in addition to paying for the phone itself (initially) I thought I was getting the phone for free by signing with their service; prior to this I've been with Verizon about 3 years and never really question what I was paying until I start subscribing to your channel! since I still owe Verizon for the phones which I thought of paying off myself and then I saw the T mobile offer that they will pay off my phone for switching; now I am with t mobile and paying $110/month for 2 phones and they will reduce our bill $ 80/month after 4 months; so I am far from your standard of saving with cellular; I was looking at Tello where I can get 200 minutes and 100 texts for $5 / month. baby steps! i hope to be on tello or freedom pop in 6 months- to a year and leaving Tmobile to get some more savings. i am putting all the money i am savings into my fidelity brokerage account which amount to roughly $400/month ($5000/year). Thank you BTB for getting my to started. i am also looking at other savings opportunities. : no more drinking soft drinks; we are just drinking water now. we are buying bottled water but will research at filtering water in my home. i get free water at work and thinking of leveraging that.
Wow... $300 a month for TV... omg. I think all it takes is to understand that you do this slowly. Take one bill at a time. Work to reduce things and try a new method every 2 weeks to one month to not get yourself too over worked. It takes a lot of effort to do all this switching you are talking about. No more soft drinks!?!?!? OMG YES! This will be extremely good for your health. You might find if you had certain health problems before, it might magically disappear. Btw, water gets boring then you can just brew tea of many sorts.
i know i guess i haven't paying attention how much I've been spending on tv, cable and internet; it started with a promotion premium channel and then i added nba tv and watch on demand boxing , movies etc... i am cutting it all out; and thanks to you been getting super paranoid about over spending; thought of the binet to replace toilet paper; i think my wife is drawing the line..LOL. especially we are not expecting a baby in a few months. so for now we are still getting toilet paper. thinking of raiding my toilet paper at work to cut down costs? lol...she just laughed .i am putting all the money i plan to save to a brokerate account; maybe you can do a video on how to invest on my newfound savings.... still working on emergency fund.
My father in law told me he bought his house starting with a box of laundry soap. He was an illiterate farm worker in the Central Valley. He never owned a car and raised 4 kids. They bought groceries every Saturday with his weeks earnings and were immediately broke. One week during the peach harvest he told his wife to not pack him lunch. He ate peaches all week. At the end of the week they had enough extra money to buy the extra large box of laundry soap. A few weeks later they bought a 100 pound sack of beans..and so goes the story. ..but he had to have his one beer on Sunday!
Many people do not use the phone books they receive each year. Tear the pages out and get a spray bottle with white vinegar and use these to clean your windows. Score!
Our mo budget: Mortgage $800. Heat/utilities $85. Internet $71. Auto ins $55. Water bill $40. Netflix $11. Cell phones (2) $75. Gas$100. Groceries $400. Retirement $600. Savings $100. Any comments on our mo budget ?
Yeah! Soda really is a budget killer and I also noticed that I feel a dire need for another soda one day after drinking a fizzy drink or two~ so I decided to quit drinking it
It's like a money burn for no added nutrients and bad for health. I haven't bought a 12 pack for many years now and really enjoy the savings. It used to be when can I get a great deal and buy 4-8 12 packs at a time.
Could you pls make a video about shopping food? I spend a fortune on it and IDK how to reduce it. I sometimes buy expensive stuff, especially fruits, because it's healthy, but I noticed that even fruit prices are volatile, so I figure there must be a better way to get a hold of them. Do you buy wholesale?
Thanks for the link! :-) Maybe you could create a video directly in a supermarket. What I was wondering is if you use Costco & friends to get better deals. Yeah, fruits, and all kinds of other expensive stuff so that I spend way too much on food. Not sure how much exactly, maybe 400 / month, but I have to slash those costs. :-) I live in the US, Northern CA. I'm working on this new homepage here jmc-coaching.info/ and I'm still looking for financially savvy people to review it. Would you like to team up to publish it as an ebook?
I stopped using the LTE data dongle but kept using the cellular service. I never stopped using the cellular as it seems they are not as annoying with the charges on that one.
Hi BeatTheBush! Thanks for the vids! Have a question (based on this and previous vids), you always forget to count your internet bill (like Verizon, Xfinity or something else). With "Cable", do you mean Internet as well? If so, this means that you are using mobile limited internet for your home computing and are you comfortable with that?
Oh ha! Yeah I might have forgotten as I assume that's 'base' and almost required for most people including myself. Cable I meant the TV portion. I actually tried mobile limited internet for a short duration but realized it was too limiting. The hassle was enormous so these days, I'm living the LIFE! Unlimited bandwidth!
Got it! I used to consider this as one of my essentials:) If it's not a secret, what is the minimum or average price on bandwidth in your area? Do you make some kind of research on this topic? E.g I'm living in MD currently, and here it's vary from 30$ first year at min, and 80$ after 1 year on average.
Over here, they used to have third parties that can supply the internet but that got phased out and now they have a monopoly of either Verizon or AT&T only. You can imagine, prices creep higher and higher because of this. It's $40 a month with a required $10 equipment rental fee, you are not allowed to buy the equipment. The ridiculousness of it all.
That's a difficult question. It depends on your savings rate. If you are saving 50% then I would allocate up to 10% of your saved money on fun money up to a limit of about $4-5k a year. This money is to be used for vacations, buy stuff you want, etc. All the while you are still saving a majority of the money which is key.
+BeatTheBush Great video bro, ever since I started watching your videos I've got my debt-to-income ration from 90% to 47% so I save 53% of my income a month :)
You mean your expenses per month to what you make? Debt I would consider credit card debt that you hold month to month. But how awesome you got your savings rate that much higher! =D More freedom right?
Do I recommend it? Well, I don't use it. But it might work for people that needs to track their money closer if they are close to living paycheck to paycheck. I generally do not like storing all login information with a single entity.
I think smoothies and beer can be a part of a healthy diet, and they're honestly not too expensive. I'd amend the last bit to be a bit more "everything in moderation" than just "drop the juice and soda"
Do you use a cable modem? Any strategies for cheap internet at home? I live in a location without many options. Cablevision or maybe Verizon Fios. Also do you take superchat? Would donate.
Your so funny " your not going to die if you don't drink juice and soda" lol I tell you, your so funny! I only drink water lol ..... Great content BTB 🙋🏻😄
I was in the same boat before. First. You should look up why sugar is bad for you. Then realized 40g of sugar in a soda is 11 tspn of sugar. Make some water with that much sugar in it and realize it's crazy sweet. Then don't stop because it's hard. Just wean yourself off of it in stages. If you drink one everyday, drink 6 per week for a while, then 5, then every other day, etc. Move down to less when you feel ready to drink less.
BeatTheBush You are one of the most wonderful UA-camrs. I love the way to present your videos. "What I've Learned" has a good video on the effects of sugar. He also has videos on breaking bad habits and addiction.
Just make it impossible for you to purchase it. Really depends on your expenses though. Get a gas card that can only buy gas with, have someone you trust do grocery shopping for you. Put bills on autopay, put bank cards/credit cards somewhere hidden. Keep $10 or larger bills only, don't stop by stores on way home from work. Make it a game to reason yourself out of buying it. After a couple weeks you just feel it's not worth the effort and give up.
hmmm.... i guess just a different route for paying for it. I like being able to change the size of the bin though as I use very little so I can pay less than others.
Omg. Stop. I guess you can only stop if you really want to specially on cigarettes. There's that 100 day challenge. If you do something for that long, it become a habit. You could wean off it by having 25% less one month a bit less the next. Slow baby steps.
I really like this comment because it allows me to give advice that might actually help your family. What I think is that people will not do something they do not want to. I used to drink soda and juice a lot more and now it tastes too sweet to me. Tell them each can of soda has 9 teaspoons of sugar. Mix it in some water and taste it. It's too sweet because the carbonation and coldness makes it taste less sweet. Seriously, have them try it. It might be an eye opener. I did a video on this: ua-cam.com/video/f-ofroOLpAk/v-deo.html Continuation of eating so much added sugar will cause them to get diabetes and easily cause weight gain. It costs money to buy all this sugar water that has no nutritional value. Immediately not drinking all sugar is too hard for the body to adapt like quitting smoking. So just drink half the amount at first for a month or two. And eventually drink less and less. You'll probably get protest if you buy less. In a way forcing the reduction of sugar. What you want to do is have them drink less themselves which causes you to buy less. Also, keep in mind that a lot of processed foods contains just as much sugar. So to get the body to adapt to want less sugar, you may have to reduce those as well. If you just drink less soda but go and eat more cookies and candy, then your body cannot adapt to want less.
thanks for such a quick answer :) I'll keep trying but not too hard. Also I have a suggestion for a video (if you haven't done it yet). Make a video about how many thing have you break trying to learn how to fix or maintain them (i've broken a lot, but learned a lot too)
You really should. I used to drink a lot more so just do it slowly and you'll get used to it. Remind yourself you are drinking 10 teaspoons of sugar in every can.
No, I don't think so. It's hard to mix the two but it's likely better if you're lucky enough to find a girl who is conscious with their spending as much as you are.
Love how all of your video are straight to the point and very informative. Thank you for putting out these contents. I have learn so much from you. :)
You're very welcome. =D Did you lower your expenses in any creative ways yet?
💯 percent agree! me too
Thank you for your great advices on saving money. I live in san jose, CA, so it's good to save and have an emergency money. I've learned so much from you. You're the best and I wish you are always in good health every day. Thank you.
It's great saving when it doesn't really affect your quality of life that much. Or rather, you can get used to the new way and everything is still fine. =D Thanks for your well wishes! Hey, I go by San Jose every once in a while. Really like that An Nam Pho place. Best in the world I think.
if you ever stop by San Jose again, you should try out PhoPapa. that pho is the bomb. LOL Keep up the good work and beat that bush. :)))
a little money saving tip: buy a nice razor like a gillette fusion with some rubbing alcohol. when you are done shaving soak the razor in the rubbing alcohol (preferably 91%) the razor will typically last a year without you having to replace it. I'm honestly not sure why but I conjecture that most of the time when you think your razor has 'dulled' because it starts cutting you it's actually too full of hair, oil and shaving gel that you can't simply blast out with water. The 91% alc prevents the blade from rusting and pulls all of the hair out, if you use a plastic container you will see all of the little hairs that settled to the bottom.
Hmmmm.... how do you prevent the alcohol from evaporating. It seems mine lasts long enough without the alcohol.
if you put it in a small tupperware bowl with the lid on it won't evaporate, if you don't feel like taking the razor off the handle every time you can cut a hole for the handle or put the whole thing into a zip lock bag with the alcohol
Alright, mine lasts long enough to me anyway. To each his/her own.
Been a subscriber since near the beginning of this channel and I can say, it never disappoints!
=D Thanks! Glad you enjoy the content! =D
I was doing really well budgeting but then I just snapped and started spending like crazy. Now I realize it's because I never allocated 'fun money'. This helps a lot. Thanks~!
Oh yes... I had that problem too in the beginning. Like argh! I need to treat myself.. bom you spend a bundle to get it out of your system.
I sold my car and get around on my bike and public transport. It got me out of debt and helped me to save my 6 month emergency fund!! I'll get a cheap used car eventually but for now I don't miss it that much. Every time I feel despondent I just imagine a graph showing my net worth increasing!
Nick Kellie u have a girlfriend
It's important to spend a little bit on what you think will give you the most satisfaction. Just do it!
Yes I do have a girlfriend but I don't see why you would ask this?
Great job realizing your car/car payments were holding you back from reaching your goals! My vehicle is paid for, but I walk/ride my bike when ever I can to save on maintenance and fuel. Added bonus, it's good for me. BTW, my husband, co-workers thinks I am nuts, but oh well.
Nick Kellie no disrespect just curious. I'm a young blk m in sfla,it would be to hard to pull that off
I love your examples... I've been trying to teach people these principles for years and years.
Thanks! Pointing them to this video? Thing is, people only will learn if they want to. That something happened and they need to change.
So true ALL about changing your perspective on the things you want and the things you need!! 👌🏿
I am sure lots of people, especially young ones are benefiting from your financial advice as I believe young people prefer hearing it from their peers. You are doing an excellent job and thank you for sharing. I just subscribed to your channel.
Love your channel! Yes, thats what got me several years ago... the bare minimum....been on budgets before...but the bare minimum felt so restricted, I relapsed, went on a spending binge...
When you go on bare minimum you can only do it for a short time... max 1 year... more realistically a few months. So it's important to allow yourself a few luxuries if you want to do it long term.
Inspirational indeed. Im compiling a list of knowledge of you and other youtubers in my list that I add new stuff to and read every day. thanks a lot for sharing
You're welcome. You mean watch everyday? =D
I add core information off videos like yours to my list and re-read it every couple days. Therefore they'll stick rather than just be written down and forgot. Currently binge-watching a bunch of your vids and taking notes! cheers
The soap example is a good one. The soap I buy last many times longer than for most people, but that's based mostly on how much I use. Most will just push the lever down to the bottom and get the full amount, when most often, a light touch is all you need. The washing detergent is an even better example. I buy the most expensive brand, which is very effective, but then I mix it with water in a spray-bottle. It lasts literally years longer than what the bottle says it should.
One area where I do not get the cheapest stuff is food. My food bill right now is about double what it was a couple of years ago. But I've realized it's important to get the good food. You can do OK with cheap food in terms of it being healthy, but if you want to maximize health, you have to spend a bit more.
Minimizing spending is not just the dollar amount as you commented. So it will not always be the cheapest item on the shelf. Eating healthy does not need to be expensive but what you eat has direct consequence on your health which would cause you a lot of money in the long run if not taken care of. I.e. fast food is $1 a burger but it'll likely cost you 10x as much in medical bills if eaten regularly.
When my gf moved into her house near San Mateo in 2003, she noticed that she had to call the trash company to turn on service.. as they billed separately from the water people.. she never called them! She saves her plastic bags.. harder these days since the stores don't hand them out..I take her mine..she bags up her trash and dumps it at the bank/gas station or at the entrance to Costco/Smart & Final, etc.
Excellent info.! A tip for a thrifty and healthy alternative to sodas: Try adding a squirt of (organic) lemon juice to your water and you'll have a very tasty, healthy and cheap drink. If you can't live without the sweetness, add a teaspoon of (local) honey and you'll have a delicious and even healthier drink that's practically free.
I think lemon is good but it seems a daily thing may not be good for your teeth? Maybe need a reusable straw?
Great video. I have watched tons of your vids and learned a lot from you. I tend to be in that prison of living cheap more than allowing myself fun money. I’m always afraid to spend for fun on myself. I need to change that.
I'm having a beatthebush marathon today😂😂😂 thanks so much for all the info!!
Thanks for watching my vids!
Hi Beat..how about making a video on your thoughts on paying off your mortgage..pros and cons?
Just found you and am on a watching-spree on your videos with a notepad in-hand. Thank you so much! Subbed for your simple explanations that get to the point :)
Nice! Hope you can find the info helpful. =D
I can live without cable, but internet access is a must and I think that costs more than cable
Where will you watch all these UA-cam videos if you do not have internet access??? Lol.
Public Library ^_^
its easy... just stop spending to save a lot of money.. however... you will need to give up a lot of things and cannot go out anymore.. its hard but its not forever...
you need to think of it as a game... pretend you're in prison.. you must go to work... can only live on water and basic food...rice n beans... okay, throw the odd sweet potato for some luxury.... do this for 1 year and youll save thousands!
Lol, only sweet potato!??! I think the level of expenses really depends on your income and what kind of lifestyle you are used to. If you ask a person living 'normal' to go to this prison style, then it'll be very hard.
DC180 I live prison style and it's wonderful - if I feel like giving up I just imagine a graph with my net worth increasing and then I remember why I'm doing it!
Nick, Are you serious? You sound like trolling, lol.
BeatTheBush the higher the income, the more you save, its all relative. yeah many lifestyles are different, need give up and sacrifice things...can do it one step at a time.. dont need to do forever but if you really want to save it works
Rob B they make number plates and have laundry duty etc... this is your work. its pretend. when you shop, only get food for 3 meals a day. in prison they need look after thier cells... this is your house. of course it wont be 100% exactly like prison.. its a game. If you're married , have kids etc... forget it.
I like how you are giving us tips on a budget, but you're also trying to get us healthy cutting out the sodas too. I do think when you budget correctly you can get healthy.
You actually spend a lot less when you stop buying the junk food. The junk give you little nutrition but costs money.
Happy New Year Beat the Bush!!. I really appreciate all your videos about finance and money budgeting ideas!! Be blessed and thank you again!!! 🎄⛄⭐😊
No problem! Glad you like it!
Great points! Next week I'll be reviewing my expenses for this year and see where I can save some money. Your videos are very helpful so keep them coming😊
Only once a year? I recommend charting out your networth monthly. Here is how to start: ua-cam.com/video/mHUhNCyqh_Y/v-deo.html
Thank you for this! Deff going to work on this!!
Also for those who just cant go without watching your shows get a amazon firestick with kodi installed all you need is internet and you can watch all the new tv shows and movies for FREE so you dont miss a thing. This is what ive been using since i canceled my cable
Live sports is hard to wean off of for many and it's what keeps most staying with a cable bill.
BeatTheBush very true. thankfully im not a sports fan of any sort. Even though alot of people would think im weird for not have any interest in watching sports lol
Aren't there websites that screen Live sports?
Yes, I love this! Thank you for sharing!
You're welcome =D
I liked this video...I have tried to cut expenses as much as I can over the last year or two. My only problem is the cable. I dont need all the channels they offer and I have looked into options such as slingtv which is like 20$ a month for many basic channels, the problem there is that a company like comcast will screw you over if you cancel the cable but still need internet. Internet is something I could not live without since I am a stock trader and need the best internet I can get. So My cable+internet plan is around 150$ if I only wanted internet without cable I would still be paying over 100$ ....if internet alone ever goes down in price then cutting the cord would make sense, until then I'm not so sure.
It depends if you really want the cable and if it's worth $50 to you. The idea is not to cut everything out and live like a caveman but cut everything you absolutely do not need. Then you sprinkle on a few things you like.
It's a typical pricing strategy to ask you to pay something incrementally small so you will go for the pricier option. I like to go, nope sorry, I'll just buy the thing that is just $5 less but half the capacity simply because I do not need it. Their jaws usually drop and think I'm crazy, ha ha.
well ...i personally would like to keep up with some sports and at least have maybe netflix or something. I just think the internet monopoly of comcast is really what may stop many from completely cutting the high cost cable service because there are so many options these days.
Very good video. Me I have already stopped throwing money on meat, bread, alcohol, and clothes. I also found places where I can buy cheaper, more cost-efficient drinking water and toilet paper. Thus I make small savings that add up.
Whoa... if you could completely not eat meat, that's pretty good! I'm also weaning off of it but have found it hard to completely cut it out. Eating a lot less (i.e. 1/2 to 1/3 of what I used to) is a good step forward. I assume you have to buy drinking water instead of just filtering it?
Yes, I found it, this is one of your best videos, I need to show this to my wife. To everyone really... to bad not many people around here speak English.
It's in the budgeting video? Hmm... thanks for your effort in finding it. Out of the 400 videos I think some of the points not part of the title might get buried.
Dollar store is only good for certain things. Wine glasses are the best there. Big Lots has a lot of good stuff like soap, detergent, dog accessories, and ect. They have the same brands you get anywhere but discounted! Also when it comes to water buy those 5gallon jugs and go to the water stores. The water is healthier then bottled water and saves you a ton of money. You can buy cheap glass water bottles on amazon and fill them up for work or whatever. You can get a glass gallon water jug and throw that in the fridge to keep it cold so you dont have to pay for the electric dispenser (Tap water is horrible for you)
Love your video but sorry cant cut out beer/wine =P
Why not just buy a filter or a very good filter? It'll save you from hauling water and paying for gas to haul it along with all the work needed to lift water.
I've tried filters but dont like the weird taste they have. I want to get a distiller system in the near future.
You can also try adding lemons and mints to your water to make water taste better!
I canceled my cable bill last month so now i just pay for internet which is $60 versus cable&internet which was $150 a month. Best decision of my life!!!
How dependent were you on cable? Did you follow shows or sports and how is the adjustment going? I don't really watch anything on there so I don't know what I'm missing, lol.
Im super glade I canceled my cable. It was hard at first bc i was like what if a new show comes out that i would really like to watch and i miss it?! Thing is how can you miss something you never knew about. Yeah im not missing anything
Yes I did this too back in Feb 2017. I was paying Verizon 186 a month and now I pay 84 for the internet only. I started paying down credit card debt and putting back 20 - 45 dollars a week.
The next task is getting my groceries in check.
Viq: For groceries, you just need to eat cheap but healthy. Try out this vid: ua-cam.com/video/HTd_EDTB-qY/v-deo.html on how to pack $1 lunch with chicken.
how far out do you project your budgets? i have LONG term budget, but for basis budget/fixed costs one year is a minimum time frame. i still pay myself first, even though i am retired and am living off my interest on my savings. my four checks which are the four companies i retired from with 3 @ 50% base pay and 1 @ 75% base pay. since i saved 50% of all income i earned, it will be a long time before i start using those checks. i'm debt free and need ideas on how to spend my income on fun things. like vacations, hobbies or learning a new skill. any and all inputs on how to enjoy my retirement years. G-d Willing, i have 55+ years of time to fill. thanks!
I lived in my car for 7 years while running my own DJ business while working full time at a Starbucks in order to save money to settle 2 judgements I had. Once I saved up around 10-12k and started making offers, They never took the offers. Eventually I started renting a tiny bachelor pad and then started working hard driving Uber select. Lots of 18 hour days, but I settled both judgements within 10 months and now propelled myself forward in positive savings. I have high savings goals and save quickly, but I don’t know much about investing. Should I start by buying a house, though houses are very expensive in LA? Or just keep saving?
BTB; you got me thinking budgeting : I started with my cable service; we have frontier fios; I had the premium plan with 3 tv in my home; but started to kept a diary for 1 week of what I actually watch and found myself just watching very few; so I was paying for a lot of channels and cable news; I was paying $280-$320 a month for premium channel and 3 boxes had internet 75/75 and a land line too.
I recently called frontier and told them how do I save $$ more money and ended up cancel the land line phone, reduce my channels to the very basic where I have just the basic cable channel for news and some college sports which is fine; so now my new bill is around $ 80/month.
cellular service= I also saw I was paying $250 a month for 2 lines with Verizon and still owe money on a 2 new iPhone I upgrade a few months ago; through watching your videos; I started to look at my bill closer; and saw Verizon was charging $ 20/ month for each I phone for smart phone access in addition to paying for the phone itself (initially) I thought I was getting the phone for free by signing with their service; prior to this I've been with Verizon about 3 years and never really question what I was paying until I start subscribing to your channel! since I still owe Verizon for the phones which I thought of paying off myself and then I saw the T mobile offer that they will pay off my phone for switching; now I am with t mobile and paying $110/month for 2 phones and they will reduce our bill $ 80/month after 4 months; so I am far from your standard of saving with cellular; I was looking at Tello where I can get 200 minutes and 100 texts for $5 / month. baby steps! i hope to be on tello or freedom pop in 6 months- to a year and leaving Tmobile to get some more savings. i am putting all the money i am savings into my fidelity brokerage account which amount to roughly $400/month ($5000/year). Thank you BTB for getting my to started. i am also looking at other savings opportunities. : no more drinking soft drinks; we are just drinking water now. we are buying bottled water but will research at filtering water in my home.
i get free water at work and thinking of leveraging that.
Wow... $300 a month for TV... omg.
I think all it takes is to understand that you do this slowly. Take one bill at a time. Work to reduce things and try a new method every 2 weeks to one month to not get yourself too over worked. It takes a lot of effort to do all this switching you are talking about.
No more soft drinks!?!?!? OMG YES! This will be extremely good for your health. You might find if you had certain health problems before, it might magically disappear.
Btw, water gets boring then you can just brew tea of many sorts.
i know i guess i haven't paying attention how much I've been spending on tv, cable and internet; it started with a promotion premium channel and then i added nba tv and watch on demand boxing , movies etc... i am cutting it all out; and thanks to you been getting super paranoid about over spending; thought of the binet to replace toilet paper; i think my wife is drawing the line..LOL. especially we are not expecting a baby in a few months. so for now we are still getting toilet paper. thinking of raiding my toilet paper at work to cut down costs? lol...she just laughed .i am putting all the money i plan to save to a brokerate account; maybe you can do a video on how to invest on my newfound savings.... still working on emergency fund.
My father in law told me he bought his house starting with a box of laundry soap. He was an illiterate farm worker in the Central Valley. He never owned a car and raised 4 kids. They bought groceries every Saturday with his weeks earnings and were immediately broke. One week during the peach harvest he told his wife to not pack him lunch. He ate peaches all week. At the end of the week they had enough extra money to buy the extra large box of laundry soap. A few weeks later they bought a 100 pound sack of beans..and so goes the story. ..but he had to have his one beer on Sunday!
Awesome content like usual!
Can you make a video about buying a car and what is best way to do it?
I was thinking about doing one one new car buying. Although I only witnessed a new car buying and didn't buy one myself, lol.
BeatTheBush well, I am pretty sure that you'd give a good advice on that too even without buying a car! 😄
Lol, okay noted for a future vid. =D
Many people do not use the phone books they receive each year. Tear the pages out and get a spray bottle with white vinegar and use these to clean your windows. Score!
How about a video on grocery shopping and recipes for healthy, cheap meals?
Here's one on grocery shopping: ua-cam.com/video/i3KHMJFVhc0/v-deo.html Here's one for healthy cheap meal: ua-cam.com/video/HTd_EDTB-qY/v-deo.html
I love your videos! very informative
Thanks! =D
coffee and beer, gym--but I sacrifice with other things (rarely eat out in restaurants)
Everybody has things they are willing to spend on.
Our mo budget: Mortgage $800. Heat/utilities $85. Internet $71. Auto ins $55. Water bill $40. Netflix $11. Cell phones (2) $75. Gas$100. Groceries $400. Retirement $600. Savings $100. Any comments on our mo budget ?
Yeah! Soda really is a budget killer and I also noticed that I feel a dire need for another soda one day after drinking a fizzy drink or two~ so I decided to quit drinking it
It's like a money burn for no added nutrients and bad for health. I haven't bought a 12 pack for many years now and really enjoy the savings. It used to be when can I get a great deal and buy 4-8 12 packs at a time.
Thanks for the reply! And keep going, ure channel is awesome ! :D
I'm also currently saving 50% of my after tax income, I hope I can keep doing that forever!
That's a pretty good position to be! 50% is more than most. =D
Great info. Thank you for sharing.👍🏼 bless you 🙏🏼☀️
=D You're welcome. =D
Could you pls make a video about shopping food? I spend a fortune on it and IDK how to reduce it. I sometimes buy expensive stuff, especially fruits, because it's healthy, but I noticed that even fruit prices are volatile, so I figure there must be a better way to get a hold of them. Do you buy wholesale?
Here is an older video on that: ua-cam.com/video/zoGFBdoJpFc/v-deo.html Fruits? Which country do you live in? Fruits is like $1/lb.
Thanks for the link! :-) Maybe you could create a video directly in a supermarket. What I was wondering is if you use Costco & friends to get better deals. Yeah, fruits, and all kinds of other expensive stuff so that I spend way too much on food. Not sure how much exactly, maybe 400 / month, but I have to slash those costs. :-) I live in the US, Northern CA. I'm working on this new homepage here jmc-coaching.info/ and I'm still looking for financially savvy people to review it. Would you like to team up to publish it as an ebook?
Where is internet expenses? Can you Make a video about lowering costs or something like that?
got shoved in 'others' oh yeah.. that might make a good one.
You did a video about dumping Freedompop in January, are you on it again now?
I stopped using the LTE data dongle but kept using the cellular service. I never stopped using the cellular as it seems they are not as annoying with the charges on that one.
there's no ammonia in windex? what's in it that causes me such massive respitory pain then?
I think they have special windex with ammonia.
You're seriously my financial mentor and u don't even know
=D Glad to be! =D
what is your health insurance? also how did you do you have sprint LTE for free?
I left the insurance out on purpose for privacy. But the free sprint LTE is here: ua-cam.com/video/W7CKRKiZx4I/v-deo.html
Hi BeatTheBush! Thanks for the vids!
Have a question (based on this and previous vids), you always forget to count your internet bill (like Verizon, Xfinity or something else). With "Cable", do you mean Internet as well? If so, this means that you are using mobile limited internet for your home computing and are you comfortable with that?
Oh ha! Yeah I might have forgotten as I assume that's 'base' and almost required for most people including myself. Cable I meant the TV portion. I actually tried mobile limited internet for a short duration but realized it was too limiting. The hassle was enormous so these days, I'm living the LIFE! Unlimited bandwidth!
Got it! I used to consider this as one of my essentials:)
If it's not a secret, what is the minimum or average price on bandwidth in your area? Do you make some kind of research on this topic?
E.g I'm living in MD currently, and here it's vary from 30$ first year at min, and 80$ after 1 year on average.
Over here, they used to have third parties that can supply the internet but that got phased out and now they have a monopoly of either Verizon or AT&T only. You can imagine, prices creep higher and higher because of this. It's $40 a month with a required $10 equipment rental fee, you are not allowed to buy the equipment. The ridiculousness of it all.
You are a super 👍teacher! 👧hola out of germany 🐼
Thank you! =D
UA-cam TV is a great alternative.
How much money would you allocate to "fun money" per month at a yearly income of 20k, 40k, 60k, 80k? Thanks!
That's a difficult question. It depends on your savings rate. If you are saving 50% then I would allocate up to 10% of your saved money on fun money up to a limit of about $4-5k a year. This money is to be used for vacations, buy stuff you want, etc. All the while you are still saving a majority of the money which is key.
I don’t fully understand the trash one. Is that for homeowners only?
Only if you pay for trash service.
I love your videos. Kind of addicted.
It does seem every single one you watch, you are effectively increasing your networth, lol.
+BeatTheBush Great video bro, ever since I started watching your videos I've got my debt-to-income ration from 90% to 47% so I save 53% of my income a month :)
You mean your expenses per month to what you make? Debt I would consider credit card debt that you hold month to month. But how awesome you got your savings rate that much higher! =D More freedom right?
Damion kibler 90% debt? how did you survive? air sandwiches? lol
Good advice
=D
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟AWESOME...YOU'RE MY GURU!!! I'm up to putting $10 daily , 5 to 6 days a week. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE ENLIGHTENMENT!
Nice! You mean you are saving $10 daily? That's pretty good! =D Congrats!
Hi beat the bush, do you recommend Mint for budgeting?
Do I recommend it? Well, I don't use it. But it might work for people that needs to track their money closer if they are close to living paycheck to paycheck. I generally do not like storing all login information with a single entity.
BeatTheBush thx for your input! I learn a great deal from this channelZ
I think smoothies and beer can be a part of a healthy diet, and they're honestly not too expensive. I'd amend the last bit to be a bit more "everything in moderation" than just "drop the juice and soda"
Beer??? Beer is $1 a bottle. I would drop juice, soda, beer. And just drink water if you're living paycheck to paycheck. Easy $200/month right there.
Do you use a cable modem? Any strategies for cheap internet at home? I live in a location without many options. Cablevision or maybe Verizon Fios. Also do you take superchat? Would donate.
I have yet to make a video about that. I am formulating it. I have not done any superchats just yet.
smart guy simplicity is the key
=D
Your so funny " your not going to die if you don't drink juice and soda" lol I tell you, your so funny! I only drink water lol ..... Great content BTB 🙋🏻😄
I do agree with the water. Drinking much less sugar water these days I sorta prefer it now.
Tried freedompop, it's horrible here in. Service isn't reliable at all,
I would say voice calls are not reliable anywhere. Data is pretty good though.
Help me. I try to quit soda, but i keep failing. Any ideas on ways to quit.
I was in the same boat before. First. You should look up why sugar is bad for you. Then realized 40g of sugar in a soda is 11 tspn of sugar. Make some water with that much sugar in it and realize it's crazy sweet. Then don't stop because it's hard. Just wean yourself off of it in stages. If you drink one everyday, drink 6 per week for a while, then 5, then every other day, etc. Move down to less when you feel ready to drink less.
BeatTheBush You are one of the most wonderful UA-camrs.
I love the way to present your videos.
"What I've Learned" has a good video on the effects of sugar.
He also has videos on breaking bad habits and addiction.
Thank you, but I found what works for me. Its ice water, just drink it when you want soda.
Just make it impossible for you to purchase it. Really depends on your expenses though. Get a gas card that can only buy gas with, have someone you trust do grocery shopping for you. Put bills on autopay, put bank cards/credit cards somewhere hidden. Keep $10 or larger bills only, don't stop by stores on way home from work. Make it a game to reason yourself out of buying it. After a couple weeks you just feel it's not worth the effort and give up.
how do you feel about credit repair companies
You pay a large fee for the services they do for you. If you can do it yourself, you can save a lot of money.
"every single year I saved ABOUT $200 dollars" Made my day LOL (about)
I forget which that $200 pertains to but lots of things is save a few hundred a year. You do 10 of these and it's thousands.
How can budget if I don't have money budget I'm job less and only staying at House your u tube are very interesting
You cant. You need to earn money in order to decide how to spend your money. If you make no money then you cannot spend any.
Get a job and live like you do now, put your entire paycheck into investments
You forgot one thing: self control. You worded around it but that's the main point CONTROL YOURSELVES
Thank you! 👍🤘✌🐈
You're welcome!
Do you have to pay binmen? :o
Yes, we have people who picks up the trash.
BeatTheBush In England we pay council tax that covers bin men.
hmmm.... i guess just a different route for paying for it. I like being able to change the size of the bin though as I use very little so I can pay less than others.
BeatTheBush It sounds more convenient that way.
When you say bare necessities, do you mean old mother nature's recipes?
What's old mother nature's recipes? I meant healthy Food, Clothing, Shelter.
Huh, interesting old video. I wouldn't eat ants though.
OMG! You have not watched "The Jungle Book".
You are in for a treat.
No cellphone, no cable just over the air tv and U tube which are free.
Exactly. Let them come to you via free broadcasts.
Fun money 10% from saving per month?
10% of what you save not what is total in your savings. That's a good starting point for fun money.
subscribed. Awesome video :D
Thank you!
As soon as he said free phone plan, I immediately paused the video and check it out
=D It takes getting used to.
He doesn't keep up with Netflix and he's just fine?!?!?! What is this magic?!
Yeah... what's Netflix. =D
I found out that I spend $70 on Rockstar energy drinks, and $75 on cigarette each month. I need serious help.
Omg. Stop. I guess you can only stop if you really want to specially on cigarettes.
There's that 100 day challenge. If you do something for that long, it become a habit. You could wean off it by having 25% less one month a bit less the next. Slow baby steps.
BeatTheBush I know, I'm gonna try my best to slow down as much as possible. I rather use the money to invest in more silver.
I think you need to do it in steps to condition your body for it. Otherwise cold turkey requires immense will power.
By the energy drinks at bjs way cheaper
FuckYou,PayMe Why invest more in silver and not in gold etc.?:)
why is there such thing as trash service, omg so many expenses in america
There's a garbage truck that comes around to pick up all the trash every week and this has a fee.
50-90$ on a cell phone plan whaaa tooo much , here in Serbia 500mb internet and unlimited voice and sms is 10$ approx.
I agree. Nice they have such a low cost service where you are. =D
Why is the channel called Beat the Bush?
You know.. short for "Beat around the bushes"
Juice and soda is costing me a fortune. I can go on lemon water but my family members are addicted to sugar.
I really like this comment because it allows me to give advice that might actually help your family. What I think is that people will not do something they do not want to. I used to drink soda and juice a lot more and now it tastes too sweet to me.
Tell them each can of soda has 9 teaspoons of sugar. Mix it in some water and taste it. It's too sweet because the carbonation and coldness makes it taste less sweet. Seriously, have them try it. It might be an eye opener. I did a video on this: ua-cam.com/video/f-ofroOLpAk/v-deo.html
Continuation of eating so much added sugar will cause them to get diabetes and easily cause weight gain. It costs money to buy all this sugar water that has no nutritional value.
Immediately not drinking all sugar is too hard for the body to adapt like quitting smoking. So just drink half the amount at first for a month or two. And eventually drink less and less.
You'll probably get protest if you buy less. In a way forcing the reduction of sugar. What you want to do is have them drink less themselves which causes you to buy less.
Also, keep in mind that a lot of processed foods contains just as much sugar. So to get the body to adapt to want less sugar, you may have to reduce those as well. If you just drink less soda but go and eat more cookies and candy, then your body cannot adapt to want less.
I have quit cold turkey in the past and I am concerned about health issues that may result.
If you have the will to do it and want to do it, then sure it's easy. But convincing others might take a bit more.
My problem isn't beer or soda
It's cashew and almond milk.
Vegan problems 😫
I won't give up my gym membership that's crossing the line.
Vegan solution: Buy some other nuts like almonds. And make almond milk with those almonds at home! Cheap & easy solution!
Any idea on how to convince my wife to quit smoking? she's spending $180 a month on cigarettes and i've tried everything :(
+Israel Lazo Tell her to stop so she'll be around to see her kids grow up.
thanks for such a quick answer :) I'll keep trying but not too hard.
Also I have a suggestion for a video (if you haven't done it yet). Make a video about how many thing have you break trying to learn how to fix or maintain them (i've broken a lot, but learned a lot too)
#BeatTheBushLife🤙🏻
Lol. I was going to call the DIY channel that but I guess DIY is good, I cant change it now.
good video instead of preference say lifestyle.
Sorta the same thing I think?
eh not really. preference would be hbo vs stars. where as lifestyle you are completely altering your choice based on one or multiple goals.
I need to ween myself off soda.
You really should. I used to drink a lot more so just do it slowly and you'll get used to it. Remind yourself you are drinking 10 teaspoons of sugar in every can.
So I earn $1000 a month, help me budget for this
I dare people to live without internet for a month !
Nooo.. then you wont be able to watch this video.
B
Make ur own windex 😂
Easy. It's just water mostly.
second
=D
first
People who are addicted to cable TV... Get Terrarium TV on Android instead. Free. Stop wasting money on stupid cable
I haven't used it myself but you have to think, watching TV in itself gets you to spend money. So even if it's free, its good to minimize it.
:)
=D
and having a girlfriend should be cut too?
No, I don't think so. It's hard to mix the two but it's likely better if you're lucky enough to find a girl who is conscious with their spending as much as you are.
thank you for answering. I subscribe right now because I have tons of questions for you. Peace
BeatTheBush my man