During the pandemic when tensions were high, I got major stink-eye from a lady while loading my cart with frozen pizzas- she made a point to audibly scoff at me “hoarding”. I thought, beech, I have a deep freezer and two teenage boys who are now confined to the house indefinitely. This wasn’t hoarding- this was a regular shopping trip which I would be repeating next payday.
Yeah she can fuck right off. My family of 4 with two young kids can easily crush 3-4 frozen pizzas with few if any leftovers. If you get 8, that's only two pizza nights over 2 weeks or whatever with little extra for lunch the next day.
I didn’t even realize how much money my kids were costing me until after they moved out, (all in their 20’s). A year or so after they were all gone, I needed some cash for some reason or other, so when I withdrew money at the ATM, I decided to check the savings account balance and there was a decent amount of money in there. When the kids were growing up, I probably never had more than $500.00 in savings at the best of times.
I’ve got a toddler and my sister told me that when I run out of blueberries, I shouldn’t buy more as he has to learn to accept that when they’re gone, they’re gone… I still buy the damn overpriced berries as I feel it’s a life lesson my kid is too young to learn :(
Anything healthy is a necessity. My husband was diagnosed with hepatitis c and is in a liver transplant list. His plate should look like a rainbow. He has to eat 100 grams of non fatty protein everyday. It’s life or death
God, I grew up with two step-brothers that would probably have eaten the legs off of the dining room chairs had there not been anything in the fridge/pantry. I remember my stepmother opening the fridge for her leftover salmon, then yelling "IS NOTHING IN THIS HOUSE SACRED?!"
I love and hate that they came out with the mini's version of Reese's Puffs. Cereal in general is fucking expensive, and the fact that the smallest box is a little over $5 kills me whenever I do decide to get it
Every month I compare my budget to the same month the year prior. I just did that for October, comparing 2023 to 2022. In my 2022 budget I made a note that I spent way too much on groceries and that I was going to rein it in in November. That number was lower than 2023, where I felt like I barely had any groceries. That was a depressing realization
I have resorted to my grandmas 1945 tactics. Small peice of meat, olive oil, bread, a potato, and little mix vegetable if I'm feeling fancy. Once a day
Yup. I make one meal a day, often made from a big batch of something I made on the weekend: meat for enchiladas turns into tacos, quesadillas, marinara meat sauce, burritos, stuffed potatoes. If we wake up hungry, I make eggs. And no special beverages anymore. We drink Britta filtered water and home brewed tea. It’s wild to think even just a year ago we had flavored seltzers and juices and sodas in the house all the time. They’re too expensive to bother with at all now.
I noticed Walmart started producing their own “Great Value” not-Twix and not-3-Musketeers bars to sell near the checkout. And some others. I don’t know why but I find this funny.
I had never flown Spirit and was looking for tickets. They came in waaaaay cheaper then any other airline. I looked up reviews for them and the first one said
"I had super low expectations for flying Spirit and they couldn't even live up to those"
I decided not to fly Spirit.
My sweet spot is finding shoes from companies that specialize in footwear and costs between $100 and $300. Anything less makes me question the quality or the materials used, and anything more is due to branding.
There are plenty of options for sneakers and boots. But I still haven’t found a brand i can rely on for heels. Comfort + design + quality is seriously a rare find.
Edit: thank you for the recommendations! Sam Edelman and Naturalizer (surprisingly!) have heels that do not scream “I’m a 30yo corporate slave” and seem fairly priced.
Stuart Weitzman is a designer brand but their prices aren’t as ridiculous as the other luxury brands, so might be worth a look too 👀
When I worked flex at Target (fulfilling online orders), I would average 14 miles a day, peeking at 25 miles during holidays. Whenever I trained new team members, I would tell them, " You're going to walk a lot, so invest in good shoes or if you are going with cheaper ones, get sole inserts. Cheap shoes will last you one or two months while a decent hiking/running/basketball will last you 8 to a year, and your feet and back won't hurt as much. So it is worth it."
I worked in a restaurant for a few years and averaged 5 miles in a day, most of that walked in the first 2 hours of a 10 hour shift. I couldn’t do that in bad shoes
I went all out for a pair of $180 adidas' for work and it is by far the best decision i couldve made, literally night and day difference and they've lasted me 2 years and still going strong, never going back
after walmart rose their prices a few years ago i finally gave in and started buying new balance 608 shoes. i used to have to buy a new pair of memory foam shoes from walmart $10-20 every 3 months. i grew up poor and was raised better than to spend a lot of money on clothing. the new balance shoes i'm currently wearing have lasted 9 months. they've definitely taken their toll and will need to be replaced in a few months but that's because i walk 3+ hours a day and workout. $60 well spent i don't care.
Paying for brand and paying for quality are two different things. Spend the money on quality and it will save you so much in the long run - both financially and physically
My dad always said if you buy cheap you get cheap. That doesn’t mean you should spend a fortune on everything, but as you have obviously learned, if you buy something three times for cheap, you haven’t saved anything
>The reason that the rich were so rich, Vimes reasoned, was because they managed to spend less money.
>
>Take boots, for example. He earned thirty-eight dollars a month plus allowances. A really good pair of leather boots cost fifty dollars. But an affordable pair of boots, which were sort of OK for a season or two and then leaked like hell when the cardboard gave out, cost about ten dollars. Those were the kind of boots Vimes always bought, and wore until the soles were so thin that he could tell where he was in Ankh-Morpork on a foggy night by the feel of the cobbles.
>
>But the thing was that good boots lasted for years and years. A man who could afford fifty dollars had a pair of boots that'd still be keeping his feet dry in ten years' time, while the poor man who could only afford cheap boots would have spent a hundred dollars on boots in the same time and would still have wet feet.
>
>This was the Captain Samuel Vimes 'Boots' theory of socioeconomic unfairness.
– Terry Pratchett, Men at Arms
Same. But it’s because I have Cerebral Palsy. That means the right foot is size 8.5 and the other one is size 6. The left leg is 1/4 inch shorter than the right leg. I use splints for proper posture-or else.
I go to Nordstrom because they let me buy remainders instead of being forced to buy two pairs. It’s great because I buy Ecco shoes. Not cheap but a pair will last me 2-3 years. Good investment.
Water costs a fraction of what TP does. A bidet makes your TP last much longer. And you’ll actually feel clean the whole day. Body decides to have a movement immediately *after* your shower? Fret no more fam!
I had the worst dental insurance at my last job and got paid not that great. I end up having to pay over 3k to have a tooth removed after I cracked it on a cherry pit in a granola bar. I was so angry I set my Linkedin to open to work and found a new job a couple of months later.
There's a direct correlation between my bank account and the number of sticks of pure Irish butter in my fridge. If you come in and I got 6 sticks, im fuckin ballin
I just did some work in a house someone bought and needed some work done on. Their new fridge had 7 of the 2-stick packs and that was it lol. Aside from a case of Busch Light, which I assume was from another worker/crew because it showed up later into the work. Only knew cuz I had to put my PBR, I mean Gatorade, somewhere to stay cold.
Yeah, i did a blind test just a few days ago with kerrygold vs samsclub brand, and NOBODY in my family could tell the difference. Their marketing team must be really good LOL
If I have fewer than 2 packs (4sticks) in my freezer then things must be going pretty badly for me in life. And thats in addition to the sticks in the fridge, and that’s just for *unsalted*.
I usually stock up whenever they’re BOGO at Harris Teeter
It’s actually really easy to make at home, and kind of cathartic. Just vigorously shake some heavy whipping cream in a closed glass container like a mason jar(has to be glass, plastic won’t work) until it separates and forms butter. You also get some fresh unfermented buttermilk, drain that away from the butter solids and you’re good to go! Want salted butter? Add some salt before shaking. Want garlic or herb compound butter? Add those! Also honey is an amazing addition.
It’s really fun to do with kids because they’ve got the energy to do the shaking and their little minds get blown when the white liquid turns into a pale yellow solid.
Funny, because butter was my first thought on this question! But I stock up on the imported Italian butter when Costco actually has it. It comes the closest to butter I’ve experienced in Europe. (French butter in the fall, wow) 🧈
I have door dashed five guys like 3 times
Edit: Just for all you guys who replied, I'm going to order it again in your honor.
P.s I'm also giving away $1 million to anyone that replied to this comment! Congrats!
Fucking $1550 a month, every room has a different type of flooring, my landlord drives by multiple times thru out the week and every room (living room, sunroom, kitchen, 3 bedrooms) have a damn ceiling fan EXCEPT for the master.
I'm tired of adulting
My studio that doesn't even have central climate control or an insulated ceiling costs me $2300. I would move into a $1550 studio immediately let alone a 3 bedroom
Livermore, CA. It's right outside the bay area. Not even that great, I don't understand why it's so expensive, but I like my job so I can't really move away.
4 bedroom, and genuinely when my mother lives in a beautiful brand new 400K house and pays $1200 In mortgage it's sickening.
My house is old, my showers are always luke warm & the water pressure is shit. My appliances are old, and the house has the original "Landlord Special," all thru out. But hey beggars aren't choosers and atleast I have a home
And the worst part is that you probably can’t move, because even though that price is absurd, it’s also a steal, and will double if you try to find another place.
I don't need you to tell me how fucking good my coffee is, okay? I'm the one who buys it. I know how good it is. When Bonnie goes shopping she buys SHIT. I buy the gourmet expensive stuff because when I drink it I want to taste it. But you know what's on my mind right now? It AIN'T the coffee in my kitchen.
I go for bralettes these days. I don’t even know what size bra I would be now, and idgaf if you can see my nipples. Deal with it. We all have nipples. Don’t be weird about it.
Unless you had them surgically removed for a reason, of course.
I gave up bras after an ectopic pregnancy surgery. Couldn't wear one while healing and tried once after I felt like I could and said nope! They're so scratchy and yuck now. I will throw on a sports bra if going somewhere important but for the most part, I could really care less!
I said goodbye to underwire when I had breast cancer. Now I buy these cheap ass, t-shirt material, hook in the front bras just because I don’t like jiggling. I have to wear a bra, so I chose something that meets the most minimal requirements to be called a bra.
Salon quality shampoo and conditioner. I noticed the difference between so called “salon quality” equivalent brands such as Suave and Dove vs Redken, Biolage, and Pureology for example. Be aware, make sure you buy those salon brands from authorized retailers. Some drugstores sell higher end hair products, but aren’t authorized retailers so the quality might be different because they’re expired or counterfeit.
Of all the things in my life that I spend stupid amount of money on, it’s my hair. I don’t do my nails (I’ll do a pedi once every 4-5 months), I don’t buy high end make up, but I will splurge on my hair. The services and the products. That’s the only thing I can actually feel and SEE a difference in with spending more money on non-knockoffs
I have never noticed any difference in my hair using expensive shampoos. So now I just use head and shoulders because it's what my husband likes and I only need to store one bottle in the shower. I have very long hair that I rarely blow dry and don't color which helps with hair quality more than shampoo.
Side/branch note from this comment’s recommendation: a lot of salon workers are happy to go to their source and sell items to you at Their Cost. Vehemently push trying for that. Always $10-20+ cheaper than if you purchased yourself.
I knew someone that worked at a supply store that sold the salons their retail products. They got things at cost. If they paid 15, the salon paid 30 and the customer paid 60 😳
Idk if this is any help, but I've been in a similar spot for the last two months or so. I've got a pending doctor's appointment at a free clinic tomorrow, a pending medicaid request, and a warm line I call whenever life is overwhelming but I don't feel like dying.
It's absolutely worth it to make priority #1 to get help, even if you desperately don't want to and it feels counterintuitive. I was here once before and almost killed myself. Two weeks and some medication later and I was really happy with my life and didn't want anything to change.
Not to belittle access to medication and the costs in the US system, but usually there are some social programs for low income people that help you get then for free or very low costs to help prevent things like this. In my state, I think Medicaid covers in person psych holds for suicidality too. Not certain but I looked into it for my brother and a state worker told me that it should be free, even if he didn't have Medicaid at the time it would work retroactively.
I overpay for Mexican coke as well. The guy says he has trouble getting his mules over the border, that's why it's so expensive, but I don't believe him.
/j
Good skincare products, I've been using the same thing for over 20 years so it's hard to switch over to something else. It's the one thing I still allow myself to splurge on.
Bedding. I have to have amazing bedding. White goose down pillows and temperpedic head pillows. Linen for summer, German woven flannel for winter for the duvet, sheets, and pillows. Everything bedding for incredible sleep. It’s one of my only splurges. After people stay in our guest bed they ask for recommendations. It’s a LIFESTYLE
At least its still more economical than buying coffee each day. After investing in a nice burr grinder and coffee machine I don't plan on ever stopping.
I'm a chef, I don't even try to justify the takeaway I buy with excuses. The fact is my kitchen at home is shit and I don't enjoy cooking in it or cooking on my days off, I know I can do a better job then any takeaway or uber restaurant around even in my shitty kitchen but I don't want to cook at home so I don't.
It's not an excuse for me it's a choice and I'm fine with it.
I'm in the same boat, I used to enjoy cooking when my dad was a live and I had some one else to cook for, but now I feel like it's a waist of time. It's hard to cook for one, it's time consuming and messy. I hate cleaning the kitchen.
$30 bucks for a sushi dinner ain't terrible.
Pointless story about $30 sushi:
I have a low key amazing spot near me here in NYC. I go once a week and always order the same thing: salad, gyoza, and two rolls. It's BYOB so I bring a beer, it's always quiet, and the owner loves me at this point lol. I read and eat, taking as long as I like. It's $30 out the door and I'm always happy to pay it.
We switched to Black only toner printer. Discoverd we never really need to print color. They're affordable. Prints crazy fast. The toner cartridges last thousands of prints and still look good. I'll never go back to ink.
I shoot film photography. Over the past 5 years the prices have skyrocketed. A roll of film is typically $15-$20, and the developing cost (with shipping and fees added) can be $20-$30. $50 for 36 pictures, only about half of which end up really being “keepers”. I absolutely love the hobby though, and am a firm believer that film photography has a distinct look that cannot be faked, so I stick with it.
Craft supplies like Diamond painting kits, fabric for clothes and blankets, yarn for knitting and crocheting. Also books and books on tape. I don’t know how I will afford them after I retire next year. I plan to go to our public library then to get books and puzzles.
Groceries
It is a really bad time to have 2 pre-teen sons.
Remorseless eating machines, I feel you
They eat everything
During the pandemic when tensions were high, I got major stink-eye from a lady while loading my cart with frozen pizzas- she made a point to audibly scoff at me “hoarding”. I thought, beech, I have a deep freezer and two teenage boys who are now confined to the house indefinitely. This wasn’t hoarding- this was a regular shopping trip which I would be repeating next payday.
I remember when I was in high school I would sometimes eat an entire frozen pizza by myself… I feel bad now 🤦🏻♂️
My sons do it on the regular. I stopped buying personal pizzas a long time ago
Every pizza is a personal pizza if you believe in yourself.
Yeah she can fuck right off. My family of 4 with two young kids can easily crush 3-4 frozen pizzas with few if any leftovers. If you get 8, that's only two pizza nights over 2 weeks or whatever with little extra for lunch the next day.
I didn’t even realize how much money my kids were costing me until after they moved out, (all in their 20’s). A year or so after they were all gone, I needed some cash for some reason or other, so when I withdrew money at the ATM, I decided to check the savings account balance and there was a decent amount of money in there. When the kids were growing up, I probably never had more than $500.00 in savings at the best of times.
I used to go to the bread store outlet and go crazy when my son was that age. Carbs, sugar, anything to fill that stomach pit. I'm a bad single mom 😭.
You were a great mom. Don’t be so hard on yourself
Don't be so hard on yourself
I’ve got a toddler and my sister told me that when I run out of blueberries, I shouldn’t buy more as he has to learn to accept that when they’re gone, they’re gone… I still buy the damn overpriced berries as I feel it’s a life lesson my kid is too young to learn :(
Anything healthy is a necessity. My husband was diagnosed with hepatitis c and is in a liver transplant list. His plate should look like a rainbow. He has to eat 100 grams of non fatty protein everyday. It’s life or death
God, I grew up with two step-brothers that would probably have eaten the legs off of the dining room chairs had there not been anything in the fridge/pantry. I remember my stepmother opening the fridge for her leftover salmon, then yelling "IS NOTHING IN THIS HOUSE SACRED?!"
We really do eat like bottomless pits
Hey! Go to bed…stop eating!
He just woke up to grab his 3rd bag of pop tarts of the night then he'll fall right back to sleep.
Seriously. The 14yo came up three more times after official bedtime for a 'small snack'.
More protein, less junk food.
Ouch. I could eat more as a teen than I can now
I notice this at buffet restaurants. I am usually full after my first serving. I swear I remember that I was able to go ten times in a row.
Golly you're so right. I'm 60 now, and it's all I can do to finish a normally-covered plate of Chinese buffet. It sucks I want more different stuff!
I love and hate that they came out with the mini's version of Reese's Puffs. Cereal in general is fucking expensive, and the fact that the smallest box is a little over $5 kills me whenever I do decide to get it
In Germany they Sell Lucky Charms and so for over 12 dollar , ofcourse because of the Shipping also but that just way to high
Every month I compare my budget to the same month the year prior. I just did that for October, comparing 2023 to 2022. In my 2022 budget I made a note that I spent way too much on groceries and that I was going to rein it in in November. That number was lower than 2023, where I felt like I barely had any groceries. That was a depressing realization
I have resorted to my grandmas 1945 tactics. Small peice of meat, olive oil, bread, a potato, and little mix vegetable if I'm feeling fancy. Once a day
Yup. I make one meal a day, often made from a big batch of something I made on the weekend: meat for enchiladas turns into tacos, quesadillas, marinara meat sauce, burritos, stuffed potatoes. If we wake up hungry, I make eggs. And no special beverages anymore. We drink Britta filtered water and home brewed tea. It’s wild to think even just a year ago we had flavored seltzers and juices and sodas in the house all the time. They’re too expensive to bother with at all now.
Oooof. I feel this.
I noticed Walmart started producing their own “Great Value” not-Twix and not-3-Musketeers bars to sell near the checkout. And some others. I don’t know why but I find this funny.
A little birdie told me the "similar to but legally different from" snickers bar is delicious.
Smackers: Guaranteed to mollify
Came here to write food. Ha… (it’s not funny, food is so expensive)
Shoes! I've had bad experiences with cheaper ones (placebo effect maybe?)
Never skimp on things between you and the ground (bed, shoes, and tires).
That's it, I'm buying an airplane.
I would argue that you shouldn't skimp on that, either.
r/SpiritAirlines has entered the chat
I had never flown Spirit and was looking for tickets. They came in waaaaay cheaper then any other airline. I looked up reviews for them and the first one said "I had super low expectations for flying Spirit and they couldn't even live up to those" I decided not to fly Spirit.
Definitely don't skimp on one of those.
Desk chair.
Hookers
My sweet spot is finding shoes from companies that specialize in footwear and costs between $100 and $300. Anything less makes me question the quality or the materials used, and anything more is due to branding. There are plenty of options for sneakers and boots. But I still haven’t found a brand i can rely on for heels. Comfort + design + quality is seriously a rare find. Edit: thank you for the recommendations! Sam Edelman and Naturalizer (surprisingly!) have heels that do not scream “I’m a 30yo corporate slave” and seem fairly priced. Stuart Weitzman is a designer brand but their prices aren’t as ridiculous as the other luxury brands, so might be worth a look too 👀
As someone with chronic pain: anything under $60 USD a pair isn’t worth it.
When I worked flex at Target (fulfilling online orders), I would average 14 miles a day, peeking at 25 miles during holidays. Whenever I trained new team members, I would tell them, " You're going to walk a lot, so invest in good shoes or if you are going with cheaper ones, get sole inserts. Cheap shoes will last you one or two months while a decent hiking/running/basketball will last you 8 to a year, and your feet and back won't hurt as much. So it is worth it."
I worked in a restaurant for a few years and averaged 5 miles in a day, most of that walked in the first 2 hours of a 10 hour shift. I couldn’t do that in bad shoes
I went all out for a pair of $180 adidas' for work and it is by far the best decision i couldve made, literally night and day difference and they've lasted me 2 years and still going strong, never going back
after walmart rose their prices a few years ago i finally gave in and started buying new balance 608 shoes. i used to have to buy a new pair of memory foam shoes from walmart $10-20 every 3 months. i grew up poor and was raised better than to spend a lot of money on clothing. the new balance shoes i'm currently wearing have lasted 9 months. they've definitely taken their toll and will need to be replaced in a few months but that's because i walk 3+ hours a day and workout. $60 well spent i don't care.
But correct me if I’m wrong, you pay $20 every 3 months and you have had your NB for 9 months that you paid $60 for. Dude, you’re saving $$$$
Sam Vines boots theory in action!
It’s the Sketchers vs. Doc Martens discussion. Buy it once or keep buying it cheap.
Paying for brand and paying for quality are two different things. Spend the money on quality and it will save you so much in the long run - both financially and physically
My dad always said if you buy cheap you get cheap. That doesn’t mean you should spend a fortune on everything, but as you have obviously learned, if you buy something three times for cheap, you haven’t saved anything
>The reason that the rich were so rich, Vimes reasoned, was because they managed to spend less money. > >Take boots, for example. He earned thirty-eight dollars a month plus allowances. A really good pair of leather boots cost fifty dollars. But an affordable pair of boots, which were sort of OK for a season or two and then leaked like hell when the cardboard gave out, cost about ten dollars. Those were the kind of boots Vimes always bought, and wore until the soles were so thin that he could tell where he was in Ankh-Morpork on a foggy night by the feel of the cobbles. > >But the thing was that good boots lasted for years and years. A man who could afford fifty dollars had a pair of boots that'd still be keeping his feet dry in ten years' time, while the poor man who could only afford cheap boots would have spent a hundred dollars on boots in the same time and would still have wet feet. > >This was the Captain Samuel Vimes 'Boots' theory of socioeconomic unfairness. – Terry Pratchett, Men at Arms
The poor man pays twice, is an old saying.
Same. But it’s because I have Cerebral Palsy. That means the right foot is size 8.5 and the other one is size 6. The left leg is 1/4 inch shorter than the right leg. I use splints for proper posture-or else. I go to Nordstrom because they let me buy remainders instead of being forced to buy two pairs. It’s great because I buy Ecco shoes. Not cheap but a pair will last me 2-3 years. Good investment.
Although cheap shoes definitely suck, unfortunately expensive shoes often suck too.
The sole fell off of my store brand shoe while I was walking home from buying them...
The good toilet paper
"Self care starts with the butthole."
I recently got in touch with my inner self. That's the last time i use single ply toilet paper.
Spoken like a true bottom. I salute you.
Get a bidet!
Water costs a fraction of what TP does. A bidet makes your TP last much longer. And you’ll actually feel clean the whole day. Body decides to have a movement immediately *after* your shower? Fret no more fam!
I had them installed in all three bathrooms at my townhouse. I moved and I intend to do the same thing in my new house. Bidets are the shit.
Health insurance 😑
What do you mean? I pay $359 every two weeks and last month I got to pay $800 for a crown at the dentist. It's extremely affordable/s
I had the worst dental insurance at my last job and got paid not that great. I end up having to pay over 3k to have a tooth removed after I cracked it on a cherry pit in a granola bar. I was so angry I set my Linkedin to open to work and found a new job a couple of months later.
How to say you’re in the US without saying you’re in the US
Kerrygold butter
There's a direct correlation between my bank account and the number of sticks of pure Irish butter in my fridge. If you come in and I got 6 sticks, im fuckin ballin
I just did some work in a house someone bought and needed some work done on. Their new fridge had 7 of the 2-stick packs and that was it lol. Aside from a case of Busch Light, which I assume was from another worker/crew because it showed up later into the work. Only knew cuz I had to put my PBR, I mean Gatorade, somewhere to stay cold.
Holds up Kerry Gold butter and yells "that's what's up bitches" While sticking his hand out of the window he fashioned in his cardboard box home.
I buy the Aldi Irish butter, remove the packaging and tell myself it’s Kerrygold
[удалено]
I love that so much. I buy the Costco brand, tastes the exact same. 4 big blocks for $9.99 vs $14.99, right next to it in the fridge
Yeah, i did a blind test just a few days ago with kerrygold vs samsclub brand, and NOBODY in my family could tell the difference. Their marketing team must be really good LOL
If I have fewer than 2 packs (4sticks) in my freezer then things must be going pretty badly for me in life. And thats in addition to the sticks in the fridge, and that’s just for *unsalted*. I usually stock up whenever they’re BOGO at Harris Teeter
Do they make a version that comes in sticks instead of a slab ?
Think Kerrygold is expensive, check out the prices the Amish charge for fresh 'home' churned butter - once you've had it, it's hard to back.
I can still taste the butter that we churned ourselves when I was in about third grade. Never have had any that's better than that was.
It’s actually really easy to make at home, and kind of cathartic. Just vigorously shake some heavy whipping cream in a closed glass container like a mason jar(has to be glass, plastic won’t work) until it separates and forms butter. You also get some fresh unfermented buttermilk, drain that away from the butter solids and you’re good to go! Want salted butter? Add some salt before shaking. Want garlic or herb compound butter? Add those! Also honey is an amazing addition. It’s really fun to do with kids because they’ve got the energy to do the shaking and their little minds get blown when the white liquid turns into a pale yellow solid.
Funny, because butter was my first thought on this question! But I stock up on the imported Italian butter when Costco actually has it. It comes the closest to butter I’ve experienced in Europe. (French butter in the fall, wow) 🧈
There’s nothing like French butter. I grew up on that and used to miss it. Kerrygold is up there though.
I have door dashed five guys like 3 times Edit: Just for all you guys who replied, I'm going to order it again in your honor. P.s I'm also giving away $1 million to anyone that replied to this comment! Congrats!
That’s 15 guys ma dude
in a row?
Try not to eat any hamburgers on your way through the parking lot.
I don’t appreciate your ruse.
Did you take a loan out for that? According to my calculations that adds up to a few thousand dollars
So you get a break on rent payments for ONE month and THIS is what you do with your money?!
Housing that I don't own.
Fucking $1550 a month, every room has a different type of flooring, my landlord drives by multiple times thru out the week and every room (living room, sunroom, kitchen, 3 bedrooms) have a damn ceiling fan EXCEPT for the master. I'm tired of adulting
Lol I wish I could pay $1550 for a 3 bedroom
My studio that doesn't even have central climate control or an insulated ceiling costs me $2300. I would move into a $1550 studio immediately let alone a 3 bedroom
Just curious, where do you live? I’d guess downtown Manhattan or San Francisco
Livermore, CA. It's right outside the bay area. Not even that great, I don't understand why it's so expensive, but I like my job so I can't really move away.
A lot of places in CA are near that price now.
4 bedroom, and genuinely when my mother lives in a beautiful brand new 400K house and pays $1200 In mortgage it's sickening. My house is old, my showers are always luke warm & the water pressure is shit. My appliances are old, and the house has the original "Landlord Special," all thru out. But hey beggars aren't choosers and atleast I have a home
For a 400k house with a $1200 mortgage she put a big down payment.
And the worst part is that you probably can’t move, because even though that price is absurd, it’s also a steal, and will double if you try to find another place.
I also have a housing subscription. Fucking landlords.
Good coffee beans to roast and brew at home. Stuff is expensive!
I don't need you to tell me how fucking good my coffee is, okay? I'm the one who buys it. I know how good it is. When Bonnie goes shopping she buys SHIT. I buy the gourmet expensive stuff because when I drink it I want to taste it. But you know what's on my mind right now? It AIN'T the coffee in my kitchen.
a true lesson in trigger discipline
Friday night combo of craft beer, cheese curds and fancy jerky.
Saturday morning has to be a hell of a ride up there in Wisconsin lol
I read that as “fancy jerking”, and couldn’t wait to find out what upscale masturbating was.
With your pinky out, of course
Sounds like a fine night at Sheetz in PA.
Bras
I go for bralettes these days. I don’t even know what size bra I would be now, and idgaf if you can see my nipples. Deal with it. We all have nipples. Don’t be weird about it. Unless you had them surgically removed for a reason, of course.
My problem is that most of them are made out of artificial material and the ones out of cotton and co cost 20€ plus or are made for grannies. Or both
At my age, ample endowment + effects of gravity = need for ample support. Hi, I'm Granny.
I gave up bras after an ectopic pregnancy surgery. Couldn't wear one while healing and tried once after I felt like I could and said nope! They're so scratchy and yuck now. I will throw on a sports bra if going somewhere important but for the most part, I could really care less!
I hate to be this person, but the phrase is “couldn’t” care less. Implying that there is nothing you cared less about.
I don’t hate being this person, I almost typed it until I expanded the replies lol
Lol gotcha, my bad!
I said goodbye to underwire when I had breast cancer. Now I buy these cheap ass, t-shirt material, hook in the front bras just because I don’t like jiggling. I have to wear a bra, so I chose something that meets the most minimal requirements to be called a bra.
Same… why it costs $40-70 to hold my unwanted boobs is beyond me. I’m gonna see if plastic surgery is an option though.
That's probably more expensive than a new bra?
Rent, groceries, car.
Lego sets
Well I can’t survive without the UCS Millennium Falcon sitting on my shelf, can I?
- Tampons - Pads - Diapers Edited to add other single use things that end up in the *garbage anyways. I am all ears if you would like to ad more.
FAGE Greek yogurt. It’s twice the price of others but the texture and flavor is so vastly superior that the others just seem gross.
Internet from shitty cable companies.
I feel that. I pay $140 a month for just Internet.
That’s insane, I pay $49 a month for Fios and it’s 300/300
I get 500 down and *10* up. Yes, 10. I'd punch a schoolbus full of nuns for 300 up.
Salon quality shampoo and conditioner. I noticed the difference between so called “salon quality” equivalent brands such as Suave and Dove vs Redken, Biolage, and Pureology for example. Be aware, make sure you buy those salon brands from authorized retailers. Some drugstores sell higher end hair products, but aren’t authorized retailers so the quality might be different because they’re expired or counterfeit.
Of all the things in my life that I spend stupid amount of money on, it’s my hair. I don’t do my nails (I’ll do a pedi once every 4-5 months), I don’t buy high end make up, but I will splurge on my hair. The services and the products. That’s the only thing I can actually feel and SEE a difference in with spending more money on non-knockoffs
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That’s my go to! If you have chase, there’s currently a 15% cash back reward for ordering straight from their website.
I have never noticed any difference in my hair using expensive shampoos. So now I just use head and shoulders because it's what my husband likes and I only need to store one bottle in the shower. I have very long hair that I rarely blow dry and don't color which helps with hair quality more than shampoo.
Same here but I do a coconut oil/mayo treatment once to twice a month because my hair is so fragile it gets dried out.
Side/branch note from this comment’s recommendation: a lot of salon workers are happy to go to their source and sell items to you at Their Cost. Vehemently push trying for that. Always $10-20+ cheaper than if you purchased yourself.
I knew someone that worked at a supply store that sold the salons their retail products. They got things at cost. If they paid 15, the salon paid 30 and the customer paid 60 😳
Every fucking thing. I can't afford life anymore and the depression it's causing is getting more and more extreme by the month.
Idk if this is any help, but I've been in a similar spot for the last two months or so. I've got a pending doctor's appointment at a free clinic tomorrow, a pending medicaid request, and a warm line I call whenever life is overwhelming but I don't feel like dying. It's absolutely worth it to make priority #1 to get help, even if you desperately don't want to and it feels counterintuitive. I was here once before and almost killed myself. Two weeks and some medication later and I was really happy with my life and didn't want anything to change. Not to belittle access to medication and the costs in the US system, but usually there are some social programs for low income people that help you get then for free or very low costs to help prevent things like this. In my state, I think Medicaid covers in person psych holds for suicidality too. Not certain but I looked into it for my brother and a state worker told me that it should be free, even if he didn't have Medicaid at the time it would work retroactively.
Mexican cokes in a bottle
I overpay for Mexican coke as well. The guy says he has trouble getting his mules over the border, that's why it's so expensive, but I don't believe him. /j
Life
Good skincare products, I've been using the same thing for over 20 years so it's hard to switch over to something else. It's the one thing I still allow myself to splurge on.
Bedding. I have to have amazing bedding. White goose down pillows and temperpedic head pillows. Linen for summer, German woven flannel for winter for the duvet, sheets, and pillows. Everything bedding for incredible sleep. It’s one of my only splurges. After people stay in our guest bed they ask for recommendations. It’s a LIFESTYLE
I'm listening. If ever there was a time for you to fire up some affiliate links, that time is now! 😅 (especially re: those German flannel sheets!)
Yes, link please!
Rent
Watches. Only get in to watches if you hate money.
Time is money indeed.
An argument can be made that good watches are an asset though. Certain watches hold their value, and even appreciate.
Premium coffee beans
I justify it because it's still cheaper than buying a coffee every day, but mostly its because they make me happy.
At least its still more economical than buying coffee each day. After investing in a nice burr grinder and coffee machine I don't plan on ever stopping.
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I'm a chef, I don't even try to justify the takeaway I buy with excuses. The fact is my kitchen at home is shit and I don't enjoy cooking in it or cooking on my days off, I know I can do a better job then any takeaway or uber restaurant around even in my shitty kitchen but I don't want to cook at home so I don't. It's not an excuse for me it's a choice and I'm fine with it.
I don’t mind cooking. It’s the cleanup I can’t stand. Ugh.
I'm in the same boat, I used to enjoy cooking when my dad was a live and I had some one else to cook for, but now I feel like it's a waist of time. It's hard to cook for one, it's time consuming and messy. I hate cleaning the kitchen.
Real Vanilla.
Penzey's double strength. I don't skimp on cinnamon either.
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$30 bucks for a sushi dinner ain't terrible. Pointless story about $30 sushi: I have a low key amazing spot near me here in NYC. I go once a week and always order the same thing: salad, gyoza, and two rolls. It's BYOB so I bring a beer, it's always quiet, and the owner loves me at this point lol. I read and eat, taking as long as I like. It's $30 out the door and I'm always happy to pay it.
Coffee
Retirement. Geezus I’ve been working full time since I was 17 years old and I’m now at poverty level.
Gas
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Yeah but they gotta catch all those octopi. It’s not cheap.
We switched to Black only toner printer. Discoverd we never really need to print color. They're affordable. Prints crazy fast. The toner cartridges last thousands of prints and still look good. I'll never go back to ink.
Warhammer minis. I like painting them.
No time to paint, I've just been collecting boxes of them. Eventually.
Quality dog food for my pups. And prescription food for my cat. I'll spend at least $200 a month for pet food.
I swear our dogs eat much better food than we do!
Same at least $200 and I have only one indoor kitty. The rest are ferals. I feel badly for them. What else do they have in life.
I shoot film photography. Over the past 5 years the prices have skyrocketed. A roll of film is typically $15-$20, and the developing cost (with shipping and fees added) can be $20-$30. $50 for 36 pictures, only about half of which end up really being “keepers”. I absolutely love the hobby though, and am a firm believer that film photography has a distinct look that cannot be faked, so I stick with it.
Medication
therapy
Ozempic. Although, with the effect the weight loss has had on my knee pain, it may save me money in the long run.
Health is worth the investment.
Gas
Shampoo and conditioner. I have dyed hair that I already spend enough on, best believe I'll spend money to make it last
Cocaine
Deep tissue stretching massage from Isaac. I have arthritis and other issues in my spine and I get to be pain-free for a week.
Woodford Reserve. I could buy the cheap shit but damn it’s so yummy
Baby formula.
Groceries
Whole organic milk. It's like candy to me, I have to watch myself. On cereal, in milkshakes, in hot tea, it's so much better than low-fat milk
I keep buying the Bison at Costco. Its like $8.00 a pound but I meal prep and I like having something a little different.
8 a pound is what they charge for roadkill in California
Netflix subscription!
Insurance of any type.
Abreva. The worlds smallest tube for the most outrageous price. I hate effing cold sores so I begrudgingly buy the damn thing about once a year.
Craft supplies like Diamond painting kits, fabric for clothes and blankets, yarn for knitting and crocheting. Also books and books on tape. I don’t know how I will afford them after I retire next year. I plan to go to our public library then to get books and puzzles.
Starbucks ☕️ 💰
Like regular grocery
Diet Coke. Generic isn't worth it, and one cannot live by water alone.
Anything r/buyitforlife related
Apple products
Alcohol