c/budget-living-scv

25

paige427•7h ago

Teacher next door gave me a $20 tip on meal prep that stuck with me

Was complaining in the staff break room about my grocery bill hitting $600 last month. The math teacher across the hall just laughed and handed me a scrap of paper. It said "buy a whole chicken for $6, roast it Sunday, get three meals out of it." I tried it last weekend and got 4 lunches and 2 dinners from one bird. How much are you guys spending per week on food for one person?

13

the_cole•12h ago

Just realized I saved $80 a month switching to a prepaid phone plan

I was paying $110 a month with Verizon for years. Finally switched to Mint Mobile at $30 a month and the coverage is basically the same in my area. Has anyone else made the switch and noticed any hidden fees?

26

margareth48•15h ago

My cheap worm compost bin actually paid for itself in 3 months

I set up a $15 DIY worm bin from a plastic tote and some newspaper last fall, totally expecting the worms to die or escape. Now I'm saving about $8 a month on potting soil and my tomato plants in SCV look better than ever. Anyone else tried vermicomposting on a tight budget and had it work out?

23

the_piper•1d ago

Appreciation post: That sweet lady at the thrift store who gave me the heads up on half-off tags

I was at the Goodwill in Santa Clarita last Saturday digging through the housewares aisle and this older employee came up and whispered that all the yellow tags were 50% off that day. She pointed out a practically new cast iron skillet for $4 that would've been $8 otherwise. I grabbed it and she just gave me a little wink like she was letting me in on a secret. Has anyone else had a store worker give them a tip like that?

19

tarar27•1d ago

Why does nobody talk about buying bulk spices at the local Asian market?

I wasted about $30 on tiny jars of cumin and paprika at the grocery store last month before I finally walked into HMart over near the mall. The same amount of cumin I paid $4 for in a tiny shaker was $1.50 for a bag five times the size. I grabbed turmeric, coriander, and chili powder too and walked out with a full spice drawer for under $8. The only catch is you gotta bring your own small containers to store them at home, mine are just repurposed jam jars. My buddy warned me about freshness but honestly I go through spices fast enough that it's never been an issue. Has anyone else tried this or found another hidden spot for cheap pantry staples in SCV?

15

hollyg59•3d ago

Had the worst grocery week in Santa Clarita last month

I usually spend around $150 a week for me and my kid. Last month I went to Ralphs on a Tuesday and my total came to $212 for almost the same stuff. Then I hit up the WinCo over in Palmdale on Friday and walked out with $80 more food than usual. The difference was insane. Like a whole 40 bucks cheaper for the same list. Has anyone else noticed prices jumping at specific stores around here?

14

the_patricia•4d ago

Just realized I've been overpaying for dish soap for years

I used to just grab whatever brand was on sale at Ralphs, but last month I started diluting a $3 bottle of Dawn with water and it lasts me like 2 months now. Has anyone else tried stretching their cleaning supplies like this?

16

sean_johnson16•4d ago

Went from buying organic produce to conventional for 6 months straight

I switched all my groceries at Ralphs in Santa Clarita to conventional stuff back in March to save cash, figuring the health difference was overblown. But now I'm noticing my kids are getting way more colds and I'm wondering if the pesticide residue actually matters. Anyone else done this swap and seen a change in their family's health?

22

jessicaflores•5d ago

The $300 garden tiller I bought off Craigslist 5 years ago

Picked up a used Mantis tiller for $300 back in 2019 to turn my backyard into a vegetable patch. That thing still starts on the first pull and saved me from paying $8 a pound for tomatoes at the store all these years. Anybody else get lucky with a used tool that just keeps going?

17

clairem47•6d ago

Used to drop $40 a week on coffee runs downtown, now I brew at home with a $15 French press

I was spending like $8 a pop at that place near my office in San Jose for 3 years straight. Then I finally bought a simple press and some beans from WinCo for $6 last month. How do you guys keep your morning coffee cost under control without losing the ritual feel?

10

jakeb25•7d ago

My farmer's market haul last Saturday cost $11 for a full week of veggies

Went to the SCV market off Bouquet Canyon and grabbed 5 pounds of bell peppers, 3 zucchini, and a bag of oranges for under twelve bucks. Way cheaper than Vons for produce that actually lasts more than 2 days. Has anyone else switched to mostly market shopping for groceries?

12

iris_davis90•8d ago

My front load washer broke down after 6 years because I forgot to clean the drain pump filter

Last Tuesday I noticed my washing machine was making a grinding noise during the spin cycle. Turns out a bobby pin and some lint had jammed the pump filter. I spent 20 minutes fishing out the mess with a pair of pliers and now it runs fine. Anyone else forget about this maintenance step until something breaks?

11

benc53•8d ago

Caught myself using expensive laundry pods when a $4 jug of liquid works just as good

My roommate called me out last week when she saw me putting a pod in the wash. She was like 'dude you know those are like 50 cents each right?' I did the math and I was burning like $15 a month on pods for no reason. Switched to a giant jug of store brand liquid from Target for like 4 bucks and it cleans the same. Has anyone else realized they're paying extra for the convenience of something that doesn't even work better?

16

william_jackson65•8d ago

Hot take: those $15 UV flashlights on Amazon are a scam for finding pet stains

I bought one of those cheap UV lights for $15 thinking it would show me every cat accident on my carpet. Turned out it showed glowing spots everywhere from just dust and laundry detergent residue. I spent 2 hours scrubbing phantom stains before I realized the light was just picking up normal household stuff. Ended up buying a $40 enzymatic cleaner that actually works for real messes. Anyone else find those cheap UV lights more trouble than they're worth?

9

jakeb25•8d ago

Stop buying those expensive grill covers from the hardware store

I used to go through two $40 grill covers every year because they'd crack and rip in the Santa Clarita sun. Last spring I grabbed a cheap painter's tarp from the dollar store for $6 and it's still holding up with zero damage after 15 months. Anyone else found random household stuff that works better than the overpriced version?

14

piper_reed•10d ago

Still kicking myself over that $60 dehydrator I bought 3 months ago

I got really into jerky recipes online and convinced myself a dehydrator would pay for itself after a few batches of beef. But after buying the machine and enough meat to fill 3 racks I realized I actually hate the taste of homemade jerky compared to store bought. Has anyone else bought kitchen gear for a hobby that turned out to be a total dud?

12

kevin_dixon•11d ago

I finally realized I was buying the wrong size bags for 6 months

Been using those 13-gallon kitchen trash bags for over a year. Last week my buddy came over and pointed out my can is actually 10 gallons. Said I was basically throwing money away on bigger bags we didn't need. Did the math and it's like an extra $4 a month for NO reason. Anyone else have a moment where you just assumed something and it cost you?

9

logan705•12d ago

Found a $3 DIY bug spray recipe that actually works better than store brands

Was up at the campsite near Castaic Lake last Saturday and got eaten alive by mosquitoes, but a guy in the next spot mixed apple cider vinegar with some herbs and I didn't get a single bite after that. Has anyone else tried making their own repellent like that?

2

wyatt52•12d ago

Just realized I saved exactly $1,200 this year by riding my bike to work

I started tracking it out of curiosity back in January, and the number really hit me when I added it all up last night. Has anyone else crunched the numbers on a simple habit change like that?

3

hugo_bennett•14d ago

Took me 4 hours to find a $2 part that was right in front of my face

Was trying to fix a leaky faucet in my kitchen last weekend. Kept running to Home Depot for new washers and o-rings, spent like $15 on stuff that didn't fit. Finally after 3 trips I realized the old rubber piece had just shifted out of place. All I had to do was push it back in. Felt like an idiot. Anyone else spend way too long on something that ended up being nothing?

21

the_margaret•16d ago

Found out my local grocery store marks up bread 300 percent

I was looking at the receipt from Safeway in Santa Clarita last week and noticed a loaf of sourdough was $5.49. Checked the wholesale cost online out of curiosity and it's $1.80. Where does that extra money actually go? Has anyone else looked into this?

20

olivia_bailey•16d ago

Tried fixing a leaky faucet with a $5 part from Ace Hardware on Saturday

It took me 4 hours to realize I needed a $15 tool I didn't own to get the old washer out, and now the water's still dripping, so does anyone know a plumber in SCV who won't charge me $200 just to show up?

18

terryf62•17d ago

Talked with an older neighbor about his grocery bill yesterday

He was telling me he spends $60 a week just for himself by shopping at three different stores and using their apps for digital coupons. It hit me that I've been way too loyal to one store and missing out on some real savings. Has anyone else tried splitting their grocery trips between a few places to cut costs?

10

terryh20•19d ago

Swapped out my weekly coffee shop habit for a thermos from home about 6 months ago

Was spending $28 a week on lattes at that place on Main Street until I bought a $12 thermos at Target, now I'm saving over $100 a month, anyone else make a similar switch and actually stick with it?

4

valh32•23d ago

Warning: my neighbor told me my compost pile was attracting rats and I had to change my whole setup

I switched from an open heap to a sealed tumbler found on Facebook Marketplace for $20, and now my backyard smells way better and the rats moved on to the next house - has anyone else had to troubleshoot a pest problem with their cheap DIY system?