One Reddit user wanted to know the kind of frugal activities that go against frugal advice but work for some people.
According to the OP, getting a meal delivery service was one of the activities that went against frugal advice but worked for them. They have a $600/m grocery budget; they hate cooking, and even with the deliveries, they never go beyond this budget. The food they get is enough for the family.
Other Reddit users reacted to this post, with many coming to tell their experiences about the activities they do that would not fit the frugal advice bill but work perfectly for them. We have sampled some of the best responses here.
Paying a Professional To Do an Oil Change
One user knows how to do an oil change but would rather pay a professional, “I’m perfectly capable of doing an oil change and changing brake pads myself. But I NEVER do it. It got to the point where I drove the car over twice as long as it was supposed to between changes and started to get worried, but I still didn’t seem to do it. So paying a mechanic to do it is much more frugal than me ruining my car through negligence.”
Work Less and Work Undesired Shift To Make More
“I work weekends. I work 24 hours a week, and it would actually cost me money to work M-F because of the added gas and daycare. We did the math a while back, and it was around 2K a year less than what I make now when we had one kid, but now that we have 2 kids, it’s more like 13K. So by working less and working the undesirable shift, I actually make more money,” illustrates another user.
Only Drink in Bars
This prevents one user from overspending online, “I might run up a regrettable tab from time to time, but having and drinking beer at home almost always leads to me buying Warhammer stuff or Vinyl online until I pass out.”
Spending To Support Institutions They Like
Some people do not care about how much they spend as long as it is for a good cause, “I do my best to support businesses and institutions that I want to continue to exist, and not support those I don’t. For example, picking apples and getting produce from a local family farm with my family was costly compared to getting apples (often from local farms) at the store. I’m paying for positive memories and for the good feeling of supporting something I want to continue to exist.”
IOU’s Under the Christmas Tree
This is a clever way to save money and still get desired gifts, “My husband’s family is super frugal. They put IOUs under the Christmas tree and go shopping between Christmas and New Year’s to buy things on end-of-year sales.”
Buying Top of the Line Washing Machine
It may seem like an expensive purchase, but it will be frugal in the long run, “I was spending a lot on dry-cleaning, so I bought a top-of-the-line washing machine that can wash suits, woolens, cashmere, and dressy clothes without damaging them. It paid for itself in about two years and launders dress shirts better than the corner shop that was $3 a shirt.”
Grocery Delivery
It may seem extravagant, but it actually saves money for this user, “I’m signed up for grocery delivery from Walmart. It’s 12 bucks a month but free unlimited delivery. I do, however, pay 10-12 bucks as a tip for the driver each time. It’s a little steep; however, I work full time and go to school full time. The nearest Walmart is a good 20 minutes out of the way… so it’s a 40-minute round trip plus shopping time. I have found the time saved is worth the little extra cost.”
Buying Tickets for Concerts Online
Since he doesn’t have the time to buy physically, he has to do it online. It may be a bit more expensive, but it works for him, “I love concerts, and I simply do not have the time to go to the venues to buy tickets at the various box offices to avoid the service charges. It annoys the junk out of me, but time is money. It would take me an easy 2-3 hours to get from home to a venue and back in order to just buy the tickets – plus gas, parking (or tickets for public transportation).”
Fresh Food Groceries From Whole Foods
“I buy fresh food groceries at Whole Foods and balance it out with pantry items from Target. The prices at WF make me really plan/budget and stick to it, and then also eat the dang food because it was so expensive. So, by shopping at WF for our weekly groceries, I actually save a lot of money. (Literally, hundreds saved on not over-buying or buying a bunch of $1 snacks and crap),” added another user
Expensive Gym Membership
“Paying for an expensive gym membership. I go more than if it were the YMCA, and there are mental health benefits to being able to use a sauna, which the YMCA doesn’t have. It’s a bit twice the price per month as YMCA and 10 times that of a planet fitness,” explains another.
Outsourcing Deep Cleaning
If you have ADHD like this user does, you should hire a professional to deep clean your house, “I pay to get my house cleaned once a month. Having pets and ADHD makes it really hard for me to keep my place as clean as I like (when I do a full clean it takes me six hours). The time and the mental energy and stress I save enables me to do other things that save money; I have time to cook, I can focus on doing a better job at work, I can host friends instead of going out.”
Expensive Electronics
Cheap ones keep breaking down now and then, “I prefer expensive, premium electronics every ~5 years than buying cheapos every 2-5 years. TV, tablet device, PC (build it myself to do modular upgrades), etc.”
Electric Pressure Canner
This was a game-changer for one user, “I bought an electric pressure canner. Now I can buy meat and vegetables when they’re on sale and can them. I never seemed to find the time before buying this. Now, time isn’t a barrier. I just prepare the jars, add them with enough water, and set the timer. I have to go back one time when it beeps to set the pressure weight. It does the rest itself.”
12 Frugal Hacks That Make All The Difference
A Reddit user who started the frugal journey with his wife a couple of years ago wanted to know the frugal hacks people had that made all the difference.
According to the OP, shopping grocery sales every week and planning their meals helped cut their bill from $250 to $100 per week. Other users shared their stories about frugal hacks they had that made some difference in their lives. Here are some of the best ones.
12 Frugal Hacks That Make All The Difference
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9 So-Called “Frugal” Habits That Are Actually a Waste of Time and Money
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9 So-Called “Frugal” Habits That Are Actually a Waste of Time and Money
10 Stupid Scams People Won’t Stop Falling For
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This article was produced and syndicated by A Dime Saved.
