HOW TO LIVE ON $1000 A MONTH | EXTREME FRUGALITY TO SAVE FOR A HOUSE
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- Опубліковано 3 лют 2021
- My name is Christine, also known as Frugal Fit Mom on UA-cam. This channel is going to focus more on personal finance and doing UA-cam as a job. Let me know what questions you have about those topics and I am planning on posting them here!
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My husband died 6 years ago of a devastating cancer. He was sick for 22 months and it wiped out every dime. So at 66, I had to start over. I will have to work a long time to be ok but I am not complaining. I would do it again if only he could be here. I have already saved 22,000.
That is the saddest thing, illness. The government should treat it's citizens free for these cancer and terminal illnesses in the end of life especially.
Wish you well.
So sorry for your loss. I hope you are doing well and hanging in there.
You did amazing with saving. I hope you get to enjoy retirement soon.
Hang in there, Rhonda. You can do this.
So Sorry losing your husband U.K.
$22,000 is a HUGE accomplishment
The cheapest rent we could find was $890 before we bought a house. We bought nothing, ate out maybe once a month, and drove old hand-me-down cars for 2 years and were able to buy a house! Now we’re living more comfortably but planning on cutting back again in order to finish our basement and turn it into a second unit for that rental income! 👍🏻
Be sure to get good renters. Lots of bums out here now days.
Great job and good luck !!
7 yrs of bad is coming, and property taxes go way up with a finished basement. Be sure you can afford to do this, if economy tanks because any renters you get, could lose their jobs without warning and then you won't have that money coming in. Also make sure you have 7 yrs prepping on hand.
Saving money so we aren’t living paycheck to paycheck.
This is hard to do, but you can do it. Good luck and don't get too discouraged. 🤗
That’s my main goal for this year. I wish you so much luck 💗
If you use coupons or there's a discount,put the difference in a big jar. At the end of the year you'll have a nice amount. Another thing you can do is PAY IN CASH every where you go. You'll be able to keep track of your spending easier this way. And at the end of each day or each week, empty your change in a big jar. You'll be amazed at how fast you save.
Wishing you all the best. Xx
Same!!
I always pay with credit cards and get cash back rewards. Shop around for the best percentages back! I make payments as soon as it posts, that way I don't pay a high amount once a month.
I love this video! My wife and I got out of debt in 2019 and it was a very hard year... over $100k we paid off and each of us had multiple jobs. Wouldn’t trade that time for anything !!
Amazing work! Such a great job!
@@christineunfiltered YES,. Getting out of debt is key,. We saw hard times looming and paid off all of Our debt,✔️
WOW-WOW-WOW! Excellent! 😊
Awesome! Great work and the unbelievable satisfaction.
Wow!!!!
"It isn't how much you make, it's what you do with it." (Wisdom my mom told me many years ago.)
My mom loves to say , the more people make,the more they spend !!
That is absolute bullshit. Many people starve because they can't afford food.
I retired at 53 and my husband at 55. For years we lived on very little. Kids clothes and toys were always second hand. We had one car. I worked part time he worked
full time. Never used credit cards. A real learning experience.
Tina
Saving for security and peace of mind. With everything that has happened over the past year, I just feel more comfortable knowing I have $20,000 in the bank while also contributing to ROTH.
Good goal!
Awesome!
Save $1000 a month but my rent alone is $1200🤦🏻♀️ we are a family of 5 in a 2 bedroom apartment. We are currently in credit repair to get approved for mortgage. We had about 6k in savings for a house then the pandemic hit and my husbands job was wiped out. So we are starting to save again. So far I was able to put $40 in saving this week. Little but something.
I hope that you are really proud of yourself because you have every right to be. Mistakes of the past are just that, mistakes and in the past. As long as we remember what they taught us there is no need for regret. Eyes forward! One step at a time! We'll get there! The pandemic moved you back a few steps. That's not nice. But it means you're in familiar territory and can move through it that much quicker. I will keep you in my thoughts.
@@jacquelinek5036 thank you so much for your kind words.
That’s great; that 40 dollars is just the beginning!
Keeping that positive attitude is going to continue to help you meet your financial goals.
No matter how large or how small you are able to save every bit helps
For the first ten years of my daughter's life, we didn't travel anywhere outside of the town where we lived. I bought very few new clothes for myself. I shopped garage sales for her clothes & shoes for the first five years of her life. Luckily things got better after those first ten years. It was rough at times but I think having to live through times of deprivation makes you a more empathetic person and it definitely teaches you how to be frugal. Oh, and I was a single parent living on my public school teacher's salary too (so I understand what you went through).
You're an amazing woman ❤
Love this! I'm in California, and in 2009, as a family of 5, we lived off of $1,800 a month. It's possible! You just have to go without, and that's ok.
I live on Social Security $1069 a month $200 of that goes straight to savings before I pay any Bill's almost half of that is for real estate taxes. No mortgage or car payment divorce 20 years no pension but I have been able to save a little bit of money in a 401k and a Roth IRA after taxes I'm not well off but am doing ok.
People think we are crazy when I tell them we cut our budget in half for 6months this year to be able to pay off a whole bunch of debt and have a down payment for a newer bigger vehicle! Covid has helped us actually save a lot of money! We can't really go anywhere or do anything lol We are a family of 6 living on about $2000 a month!
Goals for this year are a 6 month emergency fund and start saving to buy a new (used) car in 2022, since my car will be 15 years old by then.
Wow the discipline on display here is so impressive! Definitely some tips and tricks in here I'll pick up myself!
I'm trying really hard to pay off a credit card and rebuild my emergency fund. I live on a very set income but if I stick to my plan I will have the card paid within the next three months and I'm very proud of that
Good for you! Keep it up! You’ll get there.
Not to brag.. and congrats by the way...... but as you are able to save AFTER paying off the CC its such a relief..Personally I have a 14K CD Ladder/Emergency Fund that gives me comfort when unexpected expenses come up
We live on my disability and my husband is my caregiver and takes care of our two boys, as well. We are already living on $1,200 a month. However, we're debt-free, so that's a blessing. Right now we're trying to save our stimulus checks and what little we can of my disability for a new used car.
I live on about the same amount. I use a wheelchair and have some chronic health issues, so I understand.
Goodluck! Maybe look into a used car from Craigslist or other sites it'll be a smaller investment and the money you were going to invest into the car could go towards maintenance if needed
@@notmyrealname550 Thank you and thanks for the suggestion! We're thinking of spending no more than $3,000 for a new used car. If we can get the car's history, we'll definitely look into that!
@@gdsgrl4468 It's doable, but not exactly fun-city.
@@AishaMCoupons I’m sure you already know this since you are wanting a car with documented history, but for anyone else going the craigslist route, there are A LOT of hungry scammers on craigslist when it comes to used cars. If they give you a sob story that includes something like a death in the family and they refuse to let you see the car... it is a scam. Never buy anything sight unseen. If it seems too good to be true, it is. It has surprised me how many people have fallen victim to it and they already don’t have the money to be scammed. Blessings.
I'm finishing up my emergency fund and then saving for a house downpayment. Living in a high cost of living area it sometimes feels impossible to save. But I am slowly getting there.
@Alie if you've never bought a house before, you qualify for certain things. My down payment was only 3%. I even negotiated to pay about $20,000 less than they were asking for the home. I went into my house with $30,000 worth of equity from jump.
Keep the faith. Don't make my mistake of buying more house than needed.
I hear you. Im in a high cost living area. Im very frugal but not cheap. Its not easy. I do vacation every year. Just 1 thing I wont give up. Its not luxury vaca but its vacation. Its amazing when you research how cheaply you can vacation.
@@dslade6849 smart cookie you are love to hear that! Yes it can be done
I am 53 and live in fl I am on ssi and I get $794 a month I don't have much but I am happier now then when I had everything
Christine, Just asking, is your home paid for? It would be great, because living on such a small amount is rough!😩💜
We definitely ‘rice and bean’ed our first year of marriage. It was tough but rewarding! My current goal is paying off the mortgage early. Every penny counts!
Ours too! Best wishes:)
We are business owners and life gets complicated, you never know your real income. So we try to save for purchase instead of using credit cards. We saved up for our downpayment on the house and after 14 years of marriage we bought our first home last year!!
I love this video, Christine! In this culture of excess we need to teach the young families another way to live. We raised 4 children on a small budget and we have some great memories. One thing we did was had REGULAR GAME NIGHTS with other families and it was such a blast! The kids would play together and the adults would play games in the other room. We all brought snacks to share. Inexpensive and so much fun!!!
I have heard financial experts say that passive income is actually more important than savings because savings can run out as we age but theoretically, passive income will go on until the day we die. I started Social Security last month at age 66 and I’m so glad I waited until my full retirement age to maximize my passive income.
Passive income typically requires some initial and often ongoing investment, and debt typically gets more expensive the longer you take to pay it down, so getting out of expensive debt and saving in order to make investments should come first, and usually must come first.
My hubby & I are retired we in NM we live on $1000 & able to save $250 a month so yes it’s possible but we’re debt free too
My problem is I have too many goals. I want to renovate our house, pay off all of our debt, save up to move OUT of this house, get a new car, go on a trip, retire early... Prioritizing is clearly my issue. I’ll start with the debt and go from there.
Same here! I would for sure start w paying off debt and saving for a new place. That way all that extra money flows into everything else once you have extra money in your paycheck. Good luck!
@@flyinggeckos123 Thank you! I am truly looking forward to being debt free, I’m sure it will make everything else a lot easier to save for.
Our kids are in their 40's. Two of them are very careful with money. The third child has strange ideas. We retired years ago and bought a small condo. We could do this
because we sold our house. I have always been frugal.
Tina
Hi Christine! My parents have a similar story. Them immigrated from Russia to Israel with nothing + 2 kids. They started from NOTHING, but now 23\4 years later they own a big house and they are capable of helping me and my sister! Praise the Lord. It is stories like mines parents and stories like yours, Christine, that make me feel that I , a starting teacher and my boyfriend a personal trainer- that we will make it, with Gods will!
Keep sharing stories like that, they are very inspiring! God bless.
I'm a stay at home mom, pregnant with #3, do photography on the side, but 2020 was of course a year some people cut family photos out, so I didn't make much. Lol we are in the process of selling our house and will be making close to 40k on the sale. This will pay off almost all of our debt besides a new house payment and my husband's truck. (Thank you Lord and house inflation!) We obviously didn't take any big trips this past year and it helped so much. Being so much closer to financial freedom feels so good after being in a hole our whole 8+ years of marriage.
Omg love this. So mine would be to STOP playing the “game” as a retail store manager of 26 years, trying to convince people to buy things they don’t need because my job depends on it! It is NOT in alignment with my principles and values any longer especially post Covid. I actually just quit my job and am now gratefully in this situation.
I am on ss disability and to save anything seems impossible until listening to this. I am now thinking of how much I spend on misc things I really do not need.
We moved from a larger city/town to a smaller town and were able to purchase a house, make some desired renovations and put a tidy sum in the bank so my husband can finally, truly retire.
$450 for a two bedroom in 2005, shows how remote that city was.
Lol exactly
In grad school back in 1998, I paid $450 for a two bedroom in Lubbock Texas. In 2000, I had a one bedroom half the size in San Antonio and paid $650. Location does matter.
@@psymompa absolutely! In 2005 I paid $1,495 for a two bedroom in so cal 😂😂😂 and that was a killer deal. I think our electric bill was around $300 lol
I live in Christine's town and we're currently house hunting. The houses may be cheaper then California, but they're nearly twice the price of the houses in Houston right now. It doesn't have anything to do with how remote it is. In fact the house here are more on demand and more expensive then a town twice the size an hour away.
@@YasuTaniina my comment is in regards to her story on where she lived before. Not currently. She had stated it being remote.
We told our kids NO STUDENT LOANS! Our daughter had to on her last year at Stanislaus St. to finish, she started teaching soon after. We bought our home, paid off credit card and medical debt, raised 4 kids with 4 incomes, sometimes 5 incomes. Tortillas and beans must of the time but we looked at that with Thanksgiving because we had house full of love and food on the table. AND we live in Northern California.. We just had the resolve to get it done.
“It may be unique, but it is an option.”
Great example! People CAN do this if they set their minds to it.
We just refinanced our house for lower interest rate. I plan to pay off in 10 years instead of 30. We are retired missionaries, so we must work a little. Thanking God for living in USA at this time. We were in China almost 20 years. Appreciate all your helpful hints.
I would LOVE to see more videos like this. More on budgeting for birthdays and Christmas and how to cut costs in everyday life. Great video 👍
I really admire your discipline. Living that way and saving the way you did is very impressive. Very hard to do for the average person.
I live in a city where a lot of people take public transportation. I see mom's with their strollers full of groceries and shopping bags hanging off the handles all the time. The rest of us have a shopping caddy on wheels.
I just did my groceries and went to the laundromat, about a mile away. Came hope charged like a donkey, but I made it with only putting things down to search for my house key ;) Yeah, I live in a European city, too. I can be very cheap on transportation, because I don't drive and have travel benefits on the train, and that helps to pay for everything else, because housing a not as cheap, and I am not that cheap when it comes to groceries or hobbies.
Pay off debt....so for me, well only GW clothing when needed, no home decor, no upgrades on phones and gadgets, limited food budget, and only essentials needed.
My boyfriend and I just realized we are minimalist. We never aimed to be that way but we both have something in a common we hate spending money. We choose to drive cheap cars live in a very cheap one bedroom home. I hate clothes shopping so I don't ever clothes shop unless I have too. My boyfriend is a mechanic so he fixes our cars if need be. The only thing we do is spend our money on food. We our huge foodies. We grocery shop and we go out to eat. I'm sure if we cut out going out to eat we would probably safe at least another $200. Lol
Back on the day it was called living sensibly
@@deboraballes9044 you are so right. Now it’s a “fad”.
You are huge foodie yet you can save $200 if you don’t go out to eat? What are you eating when going out? Chips?
That’s what we did for a 5 years at 21. We bought and paid off our home now in our late 30s don’t worry about much. Many will judge you as cheap but at the end you get to actually spend your money on whatever you like while others are still worried about mortgage.
I lived like this for my entire childhood. Walking to school, packing lunch etc. This works very well if you live a small town and/or small city, but a large city this will not work. No one in their right mind would live in an apartment in a big city for 450 without a 357 magnum.
In fact there are no apartments that exist in that price range in 2021. Good video, I could see this working in 2005.
Ms. L. Churchill
So true. I live in Austin, Texas and any cheap rental is cheap fo r a reason and is going to be loud, so not good sleep, and scary. Better learn karate and carry. Being a single woman is especially scary.
My hubby and i do this.we live off his benefits only,so we have little choice but be frugal and extremely mindful of what we spend money on
We're trying to save for a truck, pay down our mortgage, and put %15 into our retirement accounts! We don't make a lot, but I budget like crazy, and spend less. Thank you for your information, and your real life story!
You can do it!
We are saving for a down payment on a house and a car( we have 2 kids currently and know sometime in the future we want to have more). I just want to say this is EXACTLY what I need to hear today. Thank you for your bluntness and your willingness to share your story with the world. I personally have learned a ton.
Trying to get that house down payment - hopefully by the end of the year!
Omg someone who gets how I spent 2 years pushing my baby then toddler in a stroller and using the stroller to carry groceries! We did it for about 2.5 years to save up for me to student teach this past fall and for us to buy a 2nd car in time for student teaching. We did it! And some close loved ones knew how much it meant for us to do all that and asked my husband how they could help me student teaching (he was gone for most for Army training) and lovely humans gave me coffee gift cards! I just got my first teaching job this week! Thank you for sharing this story, I really appreciate it💜❤💚💜❤💚
Our big 2021 family goal is to pay off that car we got (a Prius and thank God since I had far to drive), we have about half left and make a dent if not more in my student loans.
We are in our 50s and 60s and have a high school junior (same age as Hailey!). We were both spendthrifts for the majority of our lives. We struggled mightily to break those habits for years after our daughter was born and we bought a house. We still do, sometimes. In recent years, we've realized that retirement age is just around the corner. Yipes! Covid has been hard, but it has really turned our spending around. We are starting to save for whatever we will have to contribute to college for our daughter, and we also want to pay off our house. There is no way we will be able to do both of those things after retirement. We are starting a business, too. You, Christine, have really inspired me this past year. I've been learning to cook more and better things. I am shopping in my freezer and pantry before I go to the store. We are getting a handle on our debt. We just paid off my hub's car yesterday! 1-2/3 years early! The savings on interest was only $200, but I had you in the back of my mind saying, "Every little bit counts."
OMG, you live just north of me... If your determined, you can do it. I've lived on SSI for 20 yrs, cook from scratch, make my own cloths, quilts, sweaters from thrift store fabric finds. Your doing great.
This sounds super familiar to what I’ve experienced. I was super thankful for WIC. Gallons of milk for growing toddlers will kill the budget for sure.
@KenHartman00 beat it creepy
I love the challenge of living frugal,when I come across extra money I feel like i hit the lottery,😊😊😊😊
If you were in canada teachers start at 52000 a year plus pay into generous pension and retire after 30 years with a full pension
Canadian $ is $.78 USA so closer in comparison. But Ontario in particular has a strong teacher union that has gotten great member benefits.
@@carylhalfwassen8555 It's all about cost of living, not currency conversion.
This was rural Idaho, 20 years ago.
Perhaps, but the cost of living in Canada is also much higher than it is in the U.S.
Similar to Ireland
Great video! My husband and I are financially established with no debt except a bit on the house. He’s retired and we are still benefiting from paying attention to where our money goes so we can finish paying our house off and then I can retire as well. Regardless of where you are in life’s journey, these principles will get you far.
Christine - While I found you on Frugal Fit Mom and like that channel, I love, love, love the videos on this channel even more! Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience!
Awesome! Thank you!
Like your new channel 👍🏻
As a disabled senior- I live on $75 less a month.....you certainly learn the difference between needs and wants
Farm down payment. Paid off a bunch of bills. Got my expenditures down as low as possible. Opted to purchase preowned vehicles. Don’t go out to the movies or any sort of entertainment. Cutting out eating out. Planting a victory garden in my backyard. I love your frugal fit meal ideas. I’m in for the long haul.
I was raised frugal every Saturday we all put every penny on the dining room table my brother and I would cash in bottles and pick up any little piece of metal we manufactured funds by creating jobs window cleaning 5 cents of pain I started a sidewalk crack cleaning service where I would charge a start fee for weeding the sidewalks clear then a monthly maintenance made sure the houses were on the way to school so if one weed dared to stick its little head up ....gone we mowed lawns did chores all kinds of stuff I was able to purchase my first horse which is a mini and used him to do the shopping put a panner on him basically to aprons with good pockets tied sewn at the top and the straps tied around him and that I went to the meat store and the veggie store
Impressive!
That was amazing!
Inspiring! I applaud your discipline. Been cooking my meals from stretch also, and boy is it cheaper than the packaged foods. Surprisingly I’ve gotten healthier and leaner too! Less on medical expenses. Tons of oats, sourdough, soups, home made coffees and teas and I’m happy.
Yes, simplicity is best!
My husband and I are fortunate enough to be dual income and our goal is to pay off our house in 5 years. It helps that in Oklahoma houses are on the cheaper side
The number one issue with retiring early is health insurance:( We have saved a lot and could retire at 50, but the cost of health insurance is prohibitive in the US... We’re very healthy, knock wood, but things happen and we need coverage...
Many companies offer a health savings account. Dave Ramsey talks about it in FPU.
I’m contract worker & have to pay my own health insurance. I’m 51 it’s so expensive.
I agree about how important good medical coverage is. I just started Social Security at age 66 and I have a great medical insurance plan (Medicare/United Healthcare) that is not cheap but it is emotional security in case I need high cost medical treatment at some point. Best wishes to everyone in creating a lifestyle that works for you.
I hear you about the cost of health insurance. That is why I have been at my current employer for the past 15 yrs. In 5 yrs, I will hit the qualifying age and years of service that will allow me company retirement health benefits. I still have to pay, but I am guaranteed for the rest of my life. Also, if I wish to change employers at that qualifying time or later, I can stay on my employer’s health care. This will allow new options, including relocating to a new part of the country if I so choose.
I'm self employed and health insurance is more than my mortgage. That and funding my HSA make healthcare out biggest line item by far
I'm currently working on saving 6-9 months of living expenses. I know I could be doing a better job at cutting expenses. This was very inspiring! Thanks for sharing your story.
I want to be able to retire at 65 and not be destitute. A divorce severely damaged my finances. I had to short sale my home. I am planning on living in a little rv.
@@maryjones8039 RV living was nice for Our summers on weekends,. But we became cottagers and enjoy lakefront. It didn't cost Us much for the cottage,. because We bought an old one and moved it on Our lot,. further out in the boonies.,. We love fixing,. Expanding, and making it home.🏚️
I wish. My rent is 1150 a month and that's low for my area
For real. Rent in a big city is no joke.
@@mtherfnprincess I don't live in a huge city and my rent is outrageous. And it just went up. 😣
My rent is 950 and that's low for my area. I HATE renting and it's so bad right now I have no way to save money to buy a house because I have to pay such high rent. The cycle is brutal 😕
My rent is 950 and it is a 460 square foot. Austin, Texas, and it is a very old place.
@@jacklynholman3578 I am in the same boat. I thought it was just me.
I am saving for a "bucket list" trip to Ireland in 2024. Thanks for your tips.
That probably won't fall into living on $1000 a month. lol
Retiring early.
We bought our home 8 years ago, and our goal is to pay off the 20 year loan in 10 years. We have made double house payments every month, for the past year, with one payment goes directly to principle. Also putting all $ remaining of my pay check that is not used for groceries or medications and keeping in a special savings account. This money will be an emergency fund for after retirement.
We are completely debt free including our house! This year we are saving for college for my 16 year old, I’m a little late starting but we are going to try to get him through college debt free!
Good for you. It must have been tough to live on so little but it’s totally worth it if you have the self-control to stick with it. This is a great example for people who are struggling right now!
I am really frugal,. these days,. I cut, color My hair Myself,. and it's curly so passes. No more dining out,. basically cooking at home. My clothing 1$ a piece at thrift shop. Social life limited to face time,. and friendly phone conversation. No more travel,. I am content. .🐩
Contentment is not a gift, it's a skill and you have to practice to develop and strengthen it. Good for you!
@@jacquelinek5036 Sometimes less is better JAQUELINE. 🐩
I was just thinking, this is the perfect time to save money (if you are working). Social distancing is encouraged, which is a great excuse to not go out and spend money. Even before this, I was always saving to travel so I didn't do much anyway.
@@leed3796 Staying home has many benefits Lee,. After a lifetime of various jobs,. It's rewarding not to be compelled to be out. I love People, but these days , some have attitude. and can be aggressive,. on jobs. and elsewhere., so I avoid crowds🐩
Great video. Gratitude for what you have goes a long way. I’ve been inspired to cut way down on food bills to save for retirement, your videos make me smile and inspired me to shop sales and make literally every meal from (mostly) scratch. Saving a ton! Rather sacrifice because I choose to now, not because I have to later. Keep em coming Christine!
We are a family of 4 with my husband and I just hitting our early 30's and this type of stuff has been on our minds a lot, especially with covid lockdowns and being on leave from work because of it. So things have been tight, but we obviously still want to do things and remodel our house and save for retirement (gotta start early!). Your video couldn't have come at a better time to fall right into our headspace :)
WOOO Christine time!!!
Hey Christine. I’m here while editing. I’m all about saving coins so I’m taking notes.
I live on $197 / month. Living on $1000 would be a luxury! Must be nice LoL. Needless to say, I'm the queen of frugality and am always, I mean ALWAYS, looking/researching ways to save money so thanx for the tips. Keep it up! 👍🏻🙏🏻
This was such an awesome video! Teacher salaries in most of the country are criminally low - our educators deserve so much more. Right now my big long-term savings goals are to put myself through grad school debt-free and take a trip to Paris! After I finish the master's degree, a down payment on a house or condo will come next.
Are you going into teaching? I teach here in CA.
@@kathleenmccandless7553 I actually work as a data analyst for Chicago Public Schools! So I'm education-adjacent lol. But I used to be a teacher and have so much love and respect for teachers.
God bless...unfortunately I was a single mother and lived in a "low income" apartment and rent was still $700 and that's not including gas, electric, & water...that's NJ for you. I just couldn't do it after doing it for 13 yrs. I finally moved back home 5 yrs ago was able to pay off dept and realize I still can't do it even after saving money, unless I save enough to pay for a house in full up front. Now that my child is 18 yrs old I can finally try to get a 2nd job but that will probably be a forever life adjustment not a temporary one. 😬
But God is good so I 🙏 change will come for the better some how. I made it this far. 😊
Life may bring you something special. You never know what the future holds 💞
I can just encourage you to go out and look for a better paying job. It may not be as impossible as it may seem. (For me I Know sometimes I don’t even try if I think it’s improbable that’s why I am writing this). Maybe a work from home job? And hopefully minimum wage will go up soon, so that should help a ton!
@@sarahgirard1405 I don't get paid minimum wage. Just NJ is expensive to live. I won't leave because that's where my family is and well they helped me raise my child and still helping me by allowing us to live with them. I was one who always worked 2 or more jobs but after having my son I refused to be too busy working to not be with him and since he has a dad that has hardly been there for him I refused to do the same by working. But like I said he is now 18 yrs old going to school and working so I will work a 2nd job again. Unfortunately minimum wage going up just means everything goes up as well. Its the way of the game. We just have to do whatever to stay above it. Hard work is a way of life. In the mean I'm just saving all I can to be able to do for myself for the day the time comes when I have to do it all myself again. I've come to terms with the fact that I will forever be working to stay a float. Not staying that to have anyone feel sorry for me it's just a fact. People may see me as a negative Nancy but I see myself as realistic. Either way I know God is there walking the path with me.😊
Omg...totally understand. It is basically impossible to live in NJ. Rent is out of control!
Christine Thank you for this awesome post! My husband and I have survived our share of tight budgets, but so worth it now when we look back. What made it possible, actually, was that we loved our jobs and poured ourselves into our work 110%. We were so busy at work, we didn’t have time to travel or eat out or buy stuff. We were just happy to sit on the couch with each other and the kids at the end of the day. And because we did well at work, we eventually got paid more because we had skills that other people didn’t.
RETIREMENT!!! We are self employed, owning a very small business. No pensions for us, so we are saving every penny for retirement.
We are saving to buy a van in cash! its looking like we will hit our goal around June! So excited!
I will be too !! Im waiting to get closer to retirement though. I plan on driving the car i have now until then(its paid off) then I am gonna start conversion on the van before retirement to get ready !
I am sooo jealous. My health insurance is $225 a month and it is not even good insurance.
My health insurance is $733 a month :-/ but it is pretty good.
I live on it right now I have $10 left to last me the rest of the month
You are such an inspiration girl! We have been cutting back for almost a year now as part of following Dave Ramsey and working his Baby Step program. We are still on step 2, but have made a lot of progress. We were struggling so hard to make our bills and I was getting close to graduation and we realized that we were not going to make it once my student loans came due. We are making the changes now so we can help our kids with college and they don’t have to take out that debt like we did and it is such an amazing feeling to be able to work towards that.
Hey neighbor, I am 50 miles south of you, also a teacher. My 2021 is financial fitness! Paying off student loans while they are not accruing interest in these Covid times. I started watching your frugal grocery ideas and stayed with you because you are a local gal!! I have had to be frugal my entire adult life so I like to compare lives with those from the trenches. Happy February!
One of the things I love about you is that you have real help to tighten the belt. I've followed some FIRE blogs not because I want to retire when I'm 40, but because I want better budgeting tips than, "Skip your Starbucks once a week."
One thing we need to save for is a bigger home. We are legitimately out of space here and we plan to have more kids eventually.
I appreciate that!
I live off of $200 a month. $1000 would be a blessing, lol. perspective is everything
You’re very refreshing! I love to watch your videos. Thanks for taking the time to share the your ideas and your experiences!!
I’m trying to live on half my paycheck while saving for a condo/town house in Los Angeles. Rent here is very high and a two bedroom condo/townhouse is over $500k. Luckily I make substantially more than you and Dave did when you were starting out. I love the image of you pushing a stroller full of food through a field! That’s dedication!
We are saving up for a house since i will be debtfree in june we can start looking for one :)
Christine, thank you. I always find you inspiring!
My goal this year is to pay off two of my four credit cards. (I had to live on my credit cards for two years. Don't ask.). Last year I got to the point of being able to keep up with my current expenses. This year I got a roommate; if I put ALL of that income into my debt, I should be credit card debt free by the end of 2022.
I can live healthy on about a dollar a day ($30 to $35 a month). BUT, I DO BUY BULK and shop sales/case lot sales too: wheat, whole grains, dry beans and lentils, etc; meat sparingly once a day, garden/canning, frozen and fresh vegetables and fruits on sale. Make own whole wheat bread, tortillas, dessert here and there (but for one person a dessert can last several days, or I freeze some and use later). Pepperoni pizza is homemade: 16" is two pieces a meal times 4 meals....sometimes I freeze part for another week. Lentil tacos a fave. Red lentil tomato soup with olive oil is yum, and to go with the soup I made up my own refrigerator crescent roll which has 1/2 whole wheat flour recipe that is sooo easy. I strive to not ever ever waste anything. Soups will usually put me way under a dollar a day, for example: Breakfast: oatmeal/banana.......Lunch: lentil tacos..........Dinner: chicken vegetable soup with homemade noodles. I do plan snacks, popcorn made with coconut oil and sea salt being a favorite, or a slice of bread with peanut butter and homemade freezer jam (less sugar in my recipe, more fruit). So I might spend more one month than another, depends upon what I need to replace. But it does average out to about $30 /$35 a month. My set daily goal is......one meal with grains.....one meal with beans or lentils.....one meal with vegetables, adding meat once a day such as in chili or tuna sandwiches (easy to make own mayo with an immersion blender). I live near a Winco: their bulk section is a lifesaver$$$.
I love these videos. I've always tried to live frugally, but I've been really kicking it up a notch and moving more towards self sustainability as well. We are putting more money into some supplies to make that easier this year, particularly building a coop and getting backyard chickens and really expanding our garden. These expenses are all coming from sinking funds and not adding to debt. We also have some major renovations we need to do and have a very large amount saved up for them thanks mostly to an inheritance my husband received. Anything left over after the renovations is going towards the mortgage and anything extra each month goes as an additional payment towards it as well.
My boyfriend and I currently live in separate apartments and we are doing our best to save for a house once we're married. I earned more money this year than I ever have and I was able to buy a car and get my own apartment. Although looking back, I could have cut my cost significantly in other areas. I've told myself that 2021 is going to be the year I get my finances straight!
My husband and I are in the process of paying off debt. It is so exciting to see bills the progress. However we pay for therapy for both of us and that is not cheap. It's so hard to pay for it when I know that money could be going towards our other goals but investing in ourselves is worth it. Who cares if we are debt free if we aren't happy or thriving personally? That is what I have to remind myself every time I do our budgets lol
These younger people really do need to hear this though, most just don't know how to go without these days.
I loved this video! The switch up was nice and it’s incredibly eye opening. Would love to see much more!
After a year of me saving and telling my husband we should budget together, he finally saw how much I saved on my own and he asked me to start a joint budget 😅. He was skeptical of my methods, thought I was going crazy when I bought a chest freezer and started batch cooking and shelf cooking. We reduced our food expenses 60% and he is just astonished. Ladies do not give up if your husband won't be on board of cutting expenses and budgeting he might come around later on.
Love it!!
I think it takes being friends with people who don't expect you to do things.
Ditto.
I follow Dave Ramsey's advice on finances too, and becoming debt free last year has been a life changer for me and my husband...but along the way I also discovered that having friends who were always competing with the Joneses was weighting me down. So , I had to drop most of these friendship. We only kept a couple of them who got inspired by our journey and they're almost debt free too.
Yes it's hard to participate in social activities when it almost always involves going out for dinner and drinks and movies or theater, etc. etc. and always feeling like you need better clothes and a comfortable car for passengers. Important to find friends who are not materialistic!
@@curiouscat3384 agreed. I love going out to a bar to meet up, or go to a restaurant, but I can enjoy a walk together with friends, too, or a potluck. I'm now in a position I don't have to save up for these things for weeks, but especially with friends whom I know that don't have as much money, I try to be considerate. Tomorrow I'm meeting a friend, it will be just me and my friend, some beers and nibbles from the store and perhaps a movie on tv. Last time, my friend cooked dinner.
I do think you need to be able to enjoy yourself from time to time, even during your journey to become debt free, but having fun doesn't have to cost a lot of money, if any at all.
I love and adore my frugal friends! We give each other ideas on how to save and look out for each other when there are deals.
This videos are so motivating to me . When paying off debt I was so frugal and now that it is paid off I find I am more reckless with money . This motivated me to get back on track 😊
Very smart, resourceful and inspiring!
I love your authenticity and transparency in this video ❤️❤️❤️
Thank you!
I am working on cutting cost, so that when we retire, we don't have to struggle or have yet another job. I am 46, and he is 54, so we are a little older. This year's goal is a nice stackable washer and dryer, new water heater, and a chicken coop that will be made of stuff we already have, except the floor covering and outside paint. We are also remodeling our home, a little at a time... so loads of work, and too much money to think of.
GWYN,. Do it Yourself is a true frugal life style. We live in an area where Home building from scratch is customary. I am a painter snd My partner is in Construction. as a Mason, Our friends are also of. the frame of mind to trade,. Our electricion trades Us for laying blocks,. Our mechanic trades Us for building His House. and garage for truck repairs. Perhaps the Powers that be may frown upon this practice because We are getting by,. But too bad. Buy Used,. Barter, Trade,. Swap .A win win for all.👁️👁️
@@dorothymason8882 We live in an area with loads of construction going on, I scavanged a big part of materials from those, making our cost of materials lower. I adore the bartering system, it has gotten me through a lot. Your system sounds amazing!
@@Tianthira GWYN,. YES,. We even lucked out. on lumber (good 2/6 s.) Quite a few of them in the dump,. There had been a 🔥 fire at one of the Cottages in Our area and The Owners were rebuilding, disposed of the old deck,. This is one example of reuse. When I work as a painter on large sites I go around the grounds picking up roofing screws ( very expensive) . We can get by GWYN. Thrift,. economy,. reuse , salvage.✔️
This was awesome! Thank you for sharing, It wakes us up so we can see the many options we have to save money for a goal or retirement. Good stuff!
Thanks for bring me back to my frugal state of mind!Great straight up info Great job 👍