What are your "poor person" money life hacks?

return2ozma@lemmy.world to Ask Lemmy@lemmy.world – 305 points –

Let's get a list going. Like with a Target debit card you can get $40 cash back and it takes 1 to 2 days to be withdraw from your checking.

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Take beverages with you from home.

You can fill an entire wardrobe with kmart clothes for $100, it's cheaper and more practical than even op shops most of the time. Maybe just don't buy your shoes from there.

Bottle sauces and seasonings can last a long time, and can dramatically improve the diversity and quality of your home cooking. Basic chicken, rice, and greens can be turned into a dozen different dishes depending upon the sauces.

Avoid subscription services like the plague.

There's always a few exceptions, but name brands are rarely worth it.

Avoid subscription services like the plague.

Great advice. You didn't hear it from me, but Stremio is a pretty easy way to cut streaming costs if you choose to install certain add-ons...

What would those certain addons be? Just so that I won't do anything illegal by accident.

I wouldn't be the best person to guide someone through it, unfortunately. But you can find a list of add-ons here, and there are almost certainly some quality guides by smarter folks than I to get you started.

Just in case you were being serious about the legality concern though, this may not be something you want to do.

Avoid subscription services like the plague.

Check what services your library card gives you free access to.

Honestly I have stuff from clearance racks at Gap that have lasted 15 years and cost $3 -$5. Thrift stores have gotten expensive here but the mall clearance rack can still sometimes be a great deal. I didn't buy clothes this year at all, don't usually since I have enough to rotate. But when I do eventually, I look for something I can like for a long time.

Also smartwool socks, I thought I was throwing away money because they were so expensive, I got them for running because they are so good and help avoid blisters. I had to replace them last year, looked in my Amazon history and saw they were 11 years old! So I saved money really. Socks that lasted over ten years!

Of course these are all middle-income tricks. When I was very poor - you can live in your car but can't drive your house, keep the car if you have to choose. Ask for help from people you know - you would help them, right? Roommates, so many roommates. Splitting rent 8 ways makes it affordable.

If you have secure housing but not much else - our neighbor used to bring us fruit & veg he dumpster dived because he knew we were struggling. Look for free healthy food like that to supplement what you buy - some community gardens you can harvest from, that's how ours works, it's not a grow your own space, everyone grows for everyone. Some farm coops you can trade time & labor for food. We couldn't get food stamps because Florida but if you are willing to jump through the hoops that can really help get you through too.