What Frugal Living Really Looks Like | What I Spend In A Week as a Frugal Mom

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00:00 Frugal Living
5:04 Helix
7:48 Budget Grocery Shopping
10:15 What I spend in a week
12:00 The key to being Frugal

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#frugalliving #grocerybudget #frugalfitmom

[mj]

Can you make a video on how to find cheap vacations?

[mamashomesteading]

I've always said everyone talks about how expensive babies are, well that ain't got nothing on teens

[sandyseibelhager]

I love that you are frugal in some places so that you can spend in the places that are important to you

[susancichoski]

My comment has nothing to do with your topic other than I enjoyed this. It's when you talk about your mom and your day together. Grief sucks and shows up unexpectedly. Well it reared its head listening to you talk about you and mom shopping and the food court. Oh how miss those days. My mom and I did same but would hit a Saunders and share a chocolate cream puff. Freedom to spend time with elderly parents is priceless. My mom is in last stage of alzheimers and hasn't known me in 6+ years. So though your discussion caused me tears, it also brought me good memories. Thank you.

[LisaContino]

Christine - I’ve been following your videos for almost a year now and wanted to say thank you for all your tips and tricks! We had an unexpected job loss this year and had to figure out how to survive on one salary and support our 3 small children. Thanks to you, we’re able to stay afloat! It’s so hard to figure out how to cut corners and save money, but I found your grocery hacks super helpful! My budget used to be almost $900; now it’s $400, and we’re eating just as well (if not better!). Thanks Christine!

[abigailsmith]

The freedom point is so true. We bought a large, beautiful house, and it is SO expensive between property taxes, insurance, and tons of maintenance. If I could go back I would've gotten a house half the size.

[dominiquebischoff]

Almost 8$ a Gallon in Germany...😢 also electricity is about 5times what Americans pay. That's probably why we invented Aldi in the first place😂😅

[betterlivingonabudget]

The saddest thing that happened to me in 2023, aside from my twin daughters graudating college and moving states away 😭😭 is I bought a maple cinnabon at the airport coming home from visiting them at Christmas, and I somehow LEFT IT BEHIND without having had a single bite of that $8 heaven-in-box!! 😩😭😭I live in south FL, got gas today, 86-proof, $3.69/gal. 😥 Our Walmart had 60-ct eggs at $13.87 last week. Clearly, it's cheaper to live in Idaho, but then again, I hear you guys got like 30-inches of snow this week - the end of March! 😮😨

[saversavvy]

We always provided an old car for our kids to drive until they were 19. They had to pay the car insurance and gas on the car they drove from the time they got their license. So they got summer jobs to do that at 15.

[Mackelyn]

My dad can hardcore relate to braces, driver’s training, and car insurance for teenagers. I’m a twin, so everything my dad did was doubled every single time.

[jessicaames]

Christine, love your videos. I do a lot of these things already but you've shown me some new great ideas. That would be awesome if you could do a video on how to plan and research a very frugal and economical vacation for two, or even a family. Just the basics on how to research and find great frugal ideas from airfare, lodging, food, and entertainment. I am very happy to say we have points on our credit card and points with the airline we use frequently. He travel video planning would be awesome. Thank you so much.

[olderandwiser]

You got me to thinking here. I have always thought of myself as being frugal but I have not worked out a budget for many years. Since you brought it up I thought it would be fun to just calculate what I actually spend. On last years utility bills I paid $40.26 per week. My water costs me about $4.50 per week as I have a cavitette and no municipal sewage. Home insurance and property tax $101.50 per week. My internet, cable and phone costs me $37.60 per week. No kids at home. I have a 2017 SUV paid off and car insurance runs $25 per week. Two indoor cats with no vet bills in 8 years but I feed premium canned food plus litter at $18.50 per week. I have no health issues with one wellness visit a year which costs me $0 and one prescription at $2.30 per week. Prime and Netflix $5.75 per week. One subscription to Handyman magazine for myself and gift subscriptions for two grown sons $0.58 per week for the 3 of us. ($30 for the year, $10 each). Gas $15 per week which includes vacation trips by car. Food $35 per week and I don't eat out. I do love to travel and take about 5 weeks every year. I go with family and friends when I can and spend about $7000 - $8000 per year which covers the condo cost for everyone and my travel costs. Last year it was 2 weeks in SC, 1 week in GA with family, 1.5 weeks in WI with a friend, 2 weeks in HI with a friend, and 1 week in IL with family. In GA there were 17 of us that went.

All together that is about $1240 per month not counting travel. I get $2100 from Social Security per month so that leaves $860. Actually in 2016, after retirement, I did take out a 15 year mortgage to completely renovate the entire lower level with a new bedroom, walk in closet, laundry, spa like bathroom, and family room. Also put in were new windows and a new upstairs bath. I took advantage of the low interest rate which is 2.75% and costs me $800 per month. Leaving the money in the IRA with even CD interest earned at over 5% has allowed me to do the traveling and have money for unusual expenses. Also that investment in the home has raised its sale value considerably.

[MommaMakesCents]

The Magic Carpet when you said transportation. I laughed so so hard! XD

[Hannah_MK]

My mom made us pay for our own car insurance! If you’re driving, you’d better have a job to drive to!

[alexanderschwarm]

I need friends like you totally on the same wavelength thank you for sharing your journey

[tammiedwards]

Christine, as a fellow Texan....I just want to hang with you and eat all our favorite Texas foods- Whataburger, shopping at HEB, Love the show and all your of I can just get on board with your fitness routine!?!?!?!

[bonessam]

While growing up in the 80s, our parents didn't give us an allowance, pay for a car for us, pay for insurance, etc. If you wanted something, you worked at a job. Plain and simple. We lived 4 miles out of town and rode our bike to work and back. I started working at age 15 (babysat before that). My brother started at age 12. My older sister started at 15, I think. We all road bike. Worked 6 days a week during summer. Saved our money to buy a cheap old car and paid for our own insurance and all upkeep. We were in sports only in Jr high...cross country, track, volleyball, football. My mom was a stay at home mom as I also had 3 younger siblings (6 total of us). During school, I did get to drive my mom's car to school and work when she didn't need to use it (only on days I worked) otherwise I rode the bus, until I bought my car. We also bought most of our clothes too. We worked every single weekend also throughout school (except when I got strep throat and 1 family vacation camping). We grew up totally appreciating everything we had as we didn't grow up with a lot, learned to be frugal, do without, etc. It made us tough kids who had awesome work habits. Plus, we also grew up on a dairy farm where everything done by hand (except milking was done by a machine). Man, I miss the great muscles I had and how skinny I was!!! 😅
Christine, I had a poodle for 15 years. Sadly, she is no longer here on earth. I cut her hair myself, and you don't need to cut their hair every month. Save yourself some money. 😊

[cruznsuzn]

Loved this video. I have one kid in college in Idaho, while I'm stuck in the grip of Newsome. I love it up there! I have to say, the costs of out of state tuition, rent and food has skyrocketed in last 2 yrs. We used to make monthly Costco runs, now it's like every 3 mos...$300-500 a trip (without any fun items like beach towels or new pool cups) no thank you.

[donnamullins]

Boy Christine your eyes glazed over talking about Cinnabon. ha ha Glad you had a good time with your Mom. I am always thankful when spending time with my daughter.
Wishing you and your family a Blessed Easter.

[DigsRetro]

I never had a Cinnabon because I have a food addiction and it sounds like crack, lol.
But, what I do get sometimes is the two little Cinnabon delights from Taco Bell.
They are ping pong ball sized sugar and cinnamon coated dough balls filled with warm cream cheese icing.
So good, and just two, make me happy.