IS FRUGAL LIVING NORMAL?
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- Опубліковано 26 вер 2024
- How we choose to live our lives and manage our finances can look different than the standard of living and that's OKAY!! Please join me as I share the simplicity of our country life and how we live comfortably on less.
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Living in the Bay Area is expensive but I always strive to have a couple hundred left each month from my retirement check. You are the guru of frugal living.
Haha thank you!
I loved watching Clara.
My parents were born in '28 and '30. Even though they were technically out of parameters of the greatest generation, their lives were in it... they still lived it. Our parents and our grandparents filled our hearts, bones, brains and souls with frugality, thriftiness, and saving/using everything up. It's in my bones and has been for as long as I can remember.
Same for me. 💙💙
Love the simple life and always strive to live even more simply 😊
❤️
@@PenniestoDollars 💙
My Tshirt says, “Just Enough Is Plenty.”
Right on 😁
I just love how you articulate your thoughts, it’s so informative and interesting and applicable. Always enjoy seeing notifications for your videos. Thank you!!🌷
Awww thank you, Natalie! ❤️❤️❤️
Good morning. We dry our celery leaves. So good in soups casserolesor mac salad.
I just put up 8qts of corn this am.
We don't have central air or heat either.
Electric is so costly.
Have a great day.
Very cool!! We freeze our celery leaves ;)
You are so right, Society tells us we need to buy this to be happy, we need to do this to be happy, we need to live here to be happy. It's just an ongoing monologue in our head that we need to fight against. I often tell my children that you don't have to live up to society's Norm or do what they do. It's so much better to just Forge your own way. And know that the money you're saving, the decisions you're making, and how you're choosing to live is what's best for you and really can give you a lot of peace❤
Peace is the most important
@@PenniestoDollars absolutely
@@PenniestoDollars absolutely
I love your travel idea to go see your grandson graduate very cool😎😎
Thanks!
@@PenniestoDollars 💙
Love all of your videos!!! I just found your channel. I am a mother of 6 living in Missouri but grew up in Kansas. My oldest 33 and my youngest 17. I am retired now at age 51 after my 5th daughter who turned 19 this year graduated from high school last May. She has Autism/Bipolar 1 and needs a lot of supervision and help. I have tried to work and even did daycare out of my home for over 30 years so I could raise my own kids and be home for them but also at times had a job in the service and healthcare fields. My back and shoulders could not do the lifting and caring for babies and kiddos anymore so I just finally quit. Trying to help my daughter and get her to her appointments which can be up to two times a week and deal with all that was happening day to day from last May till now was wearing me out in every way. Anyhow, long story short....my sweet husband was on board with me staying home and us living off of his income and pension but he is retiring next year at 65. He does maintenance and his body is wearing out with all of the manual labor he is doing daily and he needs to retire so he will be able to enjoy his later part of life too. We are both frugal people who will be living on about that same amount you say you are yearly. I know we can do it and I have a year and a half to get the budget and planning down to some form of a pattern now before he actually retires. But, because we BOTH are on board with it and understand what it will take to live like this I know we can succeed. It is when a couple is split on those decisions that I feel this type of life would not work for. I love hearing your stories and listening to your tips and tricks for living "the good life"!!!! I agree that the amount they say people need to have saved or earn to have a comfortable life is ridiculous!!!! We have everything we need and a paid off home. We do not try to keep up with this crazy world's trends but live our life fashionable in our own way. My husband had 4 kids all grown now and me 6 so together we have 10 kids and 9 grandkids. Christmas is now done White Elephant for ages 16 and up to participate in that gift exchange, so people bring one gift for $25 or less, or something cool they made, or something neat they do not want anymore from home, we draw numbers then start picking gifts in that order and swapping along the way. It us so much fun!!!!!! My older kids really love doing this and we also eat and everyone brings a dish. All of the younger kids under 16 still get gifts from us the grandparents with a $30 limit. Birthdays are a nice phone call and birthday text message for all 18 and up. The kids and grandkids 18 and younger get a gift of $30 cash or a gift. This has really helped our budget that we are preping for. Thank you for making your videos. It gives me a friend from afar to enjoy listening to, relate to, and it is free which I need right now!!! Keep on being you!!!!
Thank you for such a lovely comment! Since you are new, you may not know but I also have 6 kids, age 25-41 ❤️
When in college, if a student wanted to cut the cost of driving home they would look on a community board for people heading their direction and share a ride. The rider would contribute to the gas cost lower the cost of the driver. Same for return trip.
A great plan. I remember that happening when my brother went to college.
Armadillos are bad here too. Very bad 😳 You came up with a Great idea to save money on your trip 👍 Very helpful video. I live on a very tight budget and I try to come up with thinking outside the box ways to make my situation feasible. Simple living is the way to go 👍 Have an awesome fun simple weekend 😊 Like 254 🌻 🐈⬛
Thank you, Regina ❤️
@@PenniestoDollars 😊 ❤
I think it's hard when you are young. I grew up in a frugal family and always wanted so much - a big house, new car, designer clothes, expensive vacations, going out with friends. Now at 63, it's much easier to pass up these things and save money instead. I have a comfortable small apartment, eat good food, relax and live well. I don't spend a lot but I never feel deprived either. I live in an expensive city (Chicago) and spend under $1800 month ($21,600 a year), well below the amount reports say you need to get by.
Agree 💯
Even though my husband and I have not retired yet we are getting very close. And I find myself really being very content with less already. I think that when that last day comes for him where he does let his crew go and just does what he pleases with his business schedule, and on his timetable what he chooses to or some days not at all, I think I'm just automatically going to even want to rein it in even more. We feel that we will be able to retire comfortably and not really have any Financial worries, but it's not because we're rich, or because we want to live high on the hog as they say, but just knowing that the simple living and contentment with what we have and where we are will be good enough for us really gives me a lot of peace and comfort. I'm not sure that my husband in his mind yet feels that everything's going to be just fine but I believe that he will , he's been keeping track of things on a spreadsheet and really watching our budget carefully as I've been doing as well and just I think when the day comes I think he'll be pleasantly surprised that everything is going to be okay.❤
I know it will all work out! It always does. ❤️
@@PenniestoDollars absolutely 🥰😂
I love your celery, that's awesome what you have gathered 😋
It is so easy to grow
@@PenniestoDollars it's been so long ago since I saw the video where you showed how you grow them. But didn't you take a small yogurt glass and just the bottom of the bunch and just put it in the water and then switch it out every so many days with fresh water and then what did you do after that that I don't remember? Also you did the same I think with green onion if I'm not mistaken? I actually have both of those in my refrigerator now. And did you actually get a celery plant from that and a green onion plant? And I'm assuming you eventually transferred them outside to grow in the dirt?
Yes, I use the bottom of the lettuce with the core and put in water and let it grow and also the celery. When it starts to grow roots, I plant it. I do the same with the green onions that I purchase.
@@PenniestoDollars awesome. Thanks so much!!!
My husband and I and our kids would love to go visit my brother he's got some developmental disabilities and lives in Key West florida. The trip would be really quite astronomical for us. So I like your out of the box thinking. It's not a trip that we are going to be able to make really soon at all maybe even not in the next couple of years but we're hoping that we can make it work somehow because definitely just looking at plane tickets it would cost us thousands and thousands of dollars because we would actually have to purchase plane tickets for more than just my husband and i. With our two children who have special needs who are adults they would not have the money to pay for a plane ticket for either of them. Not to mention housing and food. So we're hoping that if we continue to think of a way to do it we will come up with a good solution. What would be ideal would be to get my brother to come visit all of us where we live because then he would get to see everyone at the same time. Unfortunately with the issues that he deals with he is very rigid about things like that and is not even close to and out of the box thinker and always feels like everyone has to come see him. But we're hoping that may change as well as in about 7 years he will be retiring and then he'll have a lot of time on his hands and the van may feel that pull to come and visit at that time. But we're patient we're willing to wait.
It will definitely take some strategic planning to get the best deal.
@@PenniestoDollars 👍
Last night I made my homemade meatloaf then also my husband cut lettuce out of our garden and we were able to have a really nice lettuce, tomato ,carrot ,and green onion salad that was quite delicious. My husband prefers a honey mustard dressing that I get for him that's a store brand from the store where I shop. And then I made my own homemade Italian dressing from a packet of organic Italian dressing mix that I had and then I just add my own olive oil. My husband made the comment isn't it so nice to be able to eat out of our own garden. I mentioned to my husband that I was trying to make our meals a little more simply. And it was quite satisfying to just have some meatloaf and a salad. We didn't need a side dish. I do have them sometimes either some fresh potatoes made a certain way, or even my homemade Savory rice, or occasionally something else. But the less dishes that have to make up a meal the less money will be spending the more will be saving and we're still eating well. ❤😋
My husband has started eating like that as well due to some dietary restrictions and he is perfectly satisfied.
@@PenniestoDollars that's awesome. Yeah I kind of go back and forth with that cuz we get a little burnt out on side dishes. Because sometimes I have a tendency to make the same things over and over again like that. So just having a meat with a vegetable or a meat with a salad to me sometimes is enough.
Great topic. You found a good solution for your travel needs. Watching for a second time.
Thank you!
Celery leaves r good in salads
I’m sure they are! ❤️
Yikes. I’d be concerned about the wear and tear on my vehicle. We were driving on vacation across several states when the car broke down. It was expensive to get it fixed so we weren’t stranded. Not to mention a woman traveling alone is vulnerable if there’s a problem, even as simple as a flat tire. To me, the benefit of saving some money does not outweigh the risks involved.
I have traveled to the East, West Coast and to Texas/Mexico Border alone. I’m perfectly comfortable with it. :) I love road trips. Check in with my family often and they know where I am at all times.
Agree!!
We have central AC because we live in the deep South. It's already extremely hot and humid. I have asthma and my son has a severe heart condition. AC is not an option. However, when I lived in NJ, we only used AC units on certain days. We never ran them constantly because we didn't have to.
👍
I like what you said in a recent video about growing a garden that you can manage. We have tomatoes, Bush beans, peppers, lettuce, zucchini, squash, and a blueberry bush. And right now the only thing that we have that is ready to eat out of our garden is lettuce. And we're thankful for that and we're praying for a good harvest for the rest of it. But that's about as much as what we can handle cuz my husband really has to do most of the physical labor with that as I'm not able to. So whatever we have to supplement at the grocery store I try to find the best price and then we use things sparingly. I will make a bag of carrots last for quite a long time. I may buy a few tomatoes till ours are ready and I will also use them sparingly. Because I know that we're getting what we need but we also need to be wise as to how quickly we're going through what we have.
👍👍👍yes for sure
@@PenniestoDollars 💙💖
I am one of those who uses my central air a lot in the summer though I do try to not run it 24 hours a day I use fans when I can. I offset that with not using my dryer much in the spring/summer/fall months. I am in central Ohio in a large metropolitan city the capital. It gets hot here without many trees sadly with all the power lines where I live, I just had to cut down one of my shade trees. I just looked at that chart for a Family of 4 here in Ohio it's $209, 331.00 I can assure you we never came anywhere close to that kind of money during our working careers combined. I make about what you and your husband do as a widow. Anna In Ohio
We are very lucky to have shade trees here that helped a lot. Thank you for commenting, Anna!
In our lives we made the decision many years ago that we would live on one income. And other than me working outside the home for a couple of years during our 37 years of marriage I have had the blessing of being at home. So I know the weight of going into retirement really all falls on my husband but he's got a very positive attitude about it and because we've chosen to be a Frugal couple and to live simply I think everything's going to be just fine. I know it will.😊
You already have been practicing on living on one income. You will do great :)
@@PenniestoDollars thanks Bonita! You are such a gem.! There are some days that you are the common sense in my head.
Have a wonderful trip! 🚗
Great ideas for saving money! 😊
Bonita, where will you be sleeping during your cross country drive?
When it’s just me, I usually just car camp at truckstops one night each way.
@@PenniestoDollars 👍
I understand and I’m just asking because I too am creative in saving money and sleeping in the car when younger was doable and fun. Lol
It’s great for saving money, but will it not impact your physical health and put more stress on your already painful back?
@sammie44 My back hurts no matter what. Usually I just sleep a few hours and go on.
Excited to go on the trip with you. lol ❤. Another great video
Thank you 😊
You were thinking outside the box. I think that you made it work and in your terms. I’m glad you decided not to miss it. This is such an important milestone in his life. Enjoy yourself.
Thank you, Maryann ❤️❤️
Simple life brings me great value peace of mind
Me too
Being a problem solver is a creative process not unlike figuring out ways to use what you already have in your house to its best advantage, which is what you just did regarding your upcoming trip. You considered the resources you have -- including time -- to work with what you have and make it work! I think operating this way requires independence, also, not to mention working with a supportive partner. Being independent is a huge gift to all those you love.
Great points, Kimberly!
I have put up a clothesline in my greenhouse 😂 It works great! Everything is dry in an hour on a hot day. Okay, it's a greenhouse it doesn't have to be that hot, lol. Sure, saves on electricity, though.
IDAHO $211,245 - That's nuts! I've never made that much money on my best year when I worked 70-80 hours per week. There are very few places in Idaho that pay that kind of wage.
Great place to dry them!
I looked up my state from the article that you linked and it's saying $240,000. That is utterly ridiculous. We don't live anywhere close to that at all.
Exactly and you are in an expensive area!
@@PenniestoDollars oh I know. Our neighbors who are about 15 years younger than me and about 20 years younger than my husband are spenders. They have 2 young daughters and we love them to pieces! They have an inground swimming pool. They have a small airplane they travel in. They do a lot of traveling. They are just the sweetest couple we absolutely love them we've known the husband since he was a little boy. And when my husband made the comment recently to them that we live pretty simply they said oh you guys definitely do compared to us, LOL. And my husband has talked to the husband and he has even said they have no idea if they will have enough money one day to retire. They're really not Savers at all. So he also owns a business and he says he may always have to work.
Love the travel idea...what fun💃
❤️
Well either the numbers are that due to housing or it’s bc people spend too much. I have kids that are just starting out and they cannot find a decent priced home.. anything that’s a good price gets bought up by investors..
My next video has some ideas on that ❤️ I have some kids in the same situation.
I would see take the average rent and multiply by 3.33 and you get a good number.
Saving also becomes normal. I did a low spend year in 2023 and I just reviewed my spending this year and I'm still spending what I was last year. I was supposed to loosen up and spend a little more this year but I just haven't.
Very true❤️
Uau that was a great idea 😊
😁
I love finding the frugal way to travel. The best one I ever had was when I bought 2 one way tickets on a discounted airline. Since I was free to fly anytime, I waited a week into the off season to book. The flights normally 😮would have cost $249-299 each way. I picked the cheapest days for my departure date (Tues) and picked the cheapest return date in a 2-3 week return (Saturday). I travelled with one personal item to avoid baggage fees. In my knapsack, I had enough clothes to make 5-6 outfits by mixing and matching, a small personal hygiene/makeup kit, snacks/travel water bottle and could fit my small purse into. This saved me $50-75 each way. I did pay extra to pick my own seat both ways that cost me an additional $70 so that I could board and exit first and not get stuck into a middle seat. I flew half way across Canada, return for a total of $215 or $145 before seat selection. My daughter picked me up at local airport and I stayed at her house and did my laundry there. Other than a little spending money the only other expense I had was grocery money that I would have spent at home. If I had wanted to travel to another city a few hours away, I had priced out the cost of the train and it was not expensive($35 return). Instead, my daughter drove in twice to visit her friends so I made arrangements to visit family & friends on those 2 occasions ( I don’t drive).
Great planning!!
Those numbers are nuts! I am a widow on SS and still save money every month. When we first married we really shocked people when we said we always lived on what we would have gotten on unemployment. It has sure paid off! Still have enough stuff.
💙💙💙💙
It's extremely hot and humid where I live. If we did not run the air conditioning, we would have mold in our house. That being said I try to cover all windows in the summer to help the situation. I don't mind sitting in a dark room. $196,000.......that's crazy. I would feel rich if we made that kind of money. Love your channel!!!
Thank you, Kelly!
Same for us
We do have central heat and air. Summers here in Louisiana are miserable without air conditioning
I would be sick with allergies and never get any sleep if we didn’t have air conditioning.
The money we spend on utilities is SO worth it to me and my husband!
We are very frugal but, we will not
comprise In this area. Prioritizing is the key word here!
In winter we have a gas fireplace and 15:33 central heat, we use our fireplace only 90% of the time that we may even need heat at all! Our winters are pretty mild! We have a garden year round, it’s small but, helps so much.
@ireneroy8820 We do just fine, I promise! I grew up without AC.
Where is the article?? Thanks ☺️ I would like to read it
I’m the description box below the video
Every penny does add up
It truly does
My state $197.906 to live comfortably I live on way way way way way less 10,000 a year
❤️❤️❤️
good morning, new sub here, you have great thumbnails, could you share what thumbnail program you use?
Canva, the free version
@@PenniestoDollars ahhh thank you, really loving your videos, soothing and calm, thanks so much!!!
@jaytaylor1885 Thank you! ❤️
Where do you live that you don’t need more climate control?
I live in Kansas and a lot of people will run their air 24 hours a day all year long but I just use it when it’s extreme hot or extreme cold in the house.
@@PenniestoDollars I’m in the Deep South and turn the temp up in the summer and down in the winter so the unit does not run all the time. Sometimes we turn it on just to dehumidify. A summer without AC would be brutal.
@TheBudgetWarrior I do better with heat than cold. I think it got about 108-110 last summer but negative numbers in the Winter 🥶
@@PenniestoDollars There have been a few winters during which we needed only a space heater in the bedroom at night. If only we could have San Diego weather everywhere all the time!!
@TheBudgetWarrior ❤️❤️❤️
I live in Iowa. Have to run a furnace in winter. Window air for corn humidity when needed in hot summer. Allergies+ Canadian wildfire smoke can dictate the need for house to be shut up, to protect our lungs. Things are getting more complicated...
We have a window AC as well.
I think the required salary amounts the article is using include housing expenses. Most young and middle age people will have housing expenses as it is usually people closer to retirement age with paid off houses. Housing, insurance, and transportation are all so expensive now that getting ahead for those in their 20s and 30’s is really hard. My son got a decent job right out of college but plans to live at home for two years so he can pay off student loans. Some people are not so lucky. I feel bad for this generation.
I do too. Prices are ridiculous on housing.
I’m focused on determining how much money is left each month from my retirement checks. Do you try to see how much money is left each month? This allows me to live below my monthly income.
I don’t get any Social Security or pension or anything yet because I’m not old enough but I still try to have money left each month and live below my means so I have money for other things.
Yes! Set my goal and generally make it.
I love this!!!! You are my favorite ❤️
Thank you, Sage ❤️❤️❤️
Here if you don’t have the AC the house with get moldy 😢
South Florida is impossible to live!!!!! Idk why people wants to move here 🤷🏻♀️
We have a dehumidifier if needed and it can make the home feel much cooler.