*Easy* to Use Frugal Living Hacks (That Actually Work and Save Tons of Money)

[@sprouts2go]

When whole chicken goes on sale I buy 2 at .99 a lb. One into the freezer and one into the Instant Pot with onion and rosemary. When it is done I strip the chicken and save the onions and broth. I now have chicken for BBQ sliders, chicken sandwiches and chicken soup with the broth. Or I could make chicken and dumplings. Chicken over a salad. Heck many things to do with the chicken or broth.

[@adz5bneweng589]

I like to put a clean, dry towel in the dryer when I put the wet clothes in. It cuts drying time!

[@factsoverfiction7826]

Yes! Half the drying time so laundry gets done much quicker.

[@cynthia6771]

Can you explain how that works?? A just a dry towel???

[@victoriastewart7116]

This is brilliant. I've never heard this tip and can't wait to try! Our dryer isn't very efficient on a good day...

[@christinebyrnes3164]

I use woollen dryer balls that work so well to reduce drying time and small and easy to use

[@adz5bneweng589]

@@christinebyrnes3164 I've tried woolen dryer balls and found they leave more lint on the clothes than the towel...to minimize visible lint, I use a white towel for light-colored clothing and a dark brown towel for my dark loads. Also, a ball of tinfoil in the dryer will cut down static cling.

[@Natalia.B.Gallazzi]

Costco rotisserie chicken hormone and preservatives free no msg $5.99 we make 4 different meals out of it, first meal we have it with a nice salad, then next day a chicken salad, third, chicken tacos with beans and avocado, and last but not least I make chicken soup with the carcass, it’s amazing!

[@THEJENNIFERCOOK]

That is awesome! I have heard they have great rotisserie chickens.

[@shancanrich899]

My husband has been a vegetarian since he was a teenager. I’ve always eaten meat and 2 out of 3 of our kids eat meat. But the majority of our dinners are meat free. I just didn’t want to have to make 2 meals. It actually works out great and saves us a lot of money.

[@susanferrazzano1957]

don't know if anyone else does this but I only put half the amount of liquid dishwasher soap in my dishwasher and my dishes come out great.Also I use half ground turkey and half hamburger for meatloaf, spaghetti sauce,taco meat,etc to save a throughout the year.

[@Moonlightblessed]

Good afternoon Jennifer, I make extra ground beef, I use half for spaghetti and the other half for tacos or tostadas the next day, all you need is some lettuce, onions, tomatoes and salsa to add to any of those meals.

[@elizabethbednarcik3311]

As a kid I always rearranged my furniture!

[@valdamarielegault1907]

Always use the quick cycle in the washer. and thankfully my dryer senses when clothes are dry!

[@elizabethbednarcik3311]

Favorite frugal hack is not eating out; no coffee shops, no fast food, etc. We limit to one night a month and it’s usually pizza or burgers.

[@kericharles6875]

That was an amazing video! Using the 'quick wash' on the machine Definitely works. Saved alott of money on water usage doing this. Two hacks i would love to share is; 1. take care of your assets e.g service your car regularly so that it doesnt break down on you and you wont need to spend too much money fixing it or having to buy another one too soon; 2. press a few clothes per week to grab and wear..sometimes when we are on the move but have clothes that take a while to iron we keep them in the back of the closet and wear the ones that dont need much ironing or dont need ironing at all. This also helps you keep your clothes clean instead of dryrotting in your closet.

[@patwagner9308]

My washing machine is not big & complicated. It's an HE, top loader. After hearing Jennifer suggest using delicate cycle if your laundry isn't really dirty...mostly it needs freshened up...I checked my manual this morning. A dark load is washing now on Express cycle. Only takes half an hour & the spin is still on high. The delicate cycle has a low spin. Not sure that would spin the water out as well for a load w/ jeans & sweatshirts. 🤔 But I am so glad you brought up that tip because you're right....unless you are in a job where you get your clothes a filthy mess, they aren't very dirty. Do they need an hour-long cycle? Probably not. My machine also has a Casual cycle for lightly soiled laundry...but I don't know how long it lasts. I know Express is half hour. 😊🙋‍♀️ Pretty blouse,Jennifer! I like to have some cooked meat/ poultry on hand in freezer to make it quicker to put together a meal.

[@KS-jf2jf]

Ah! The delicate cycle, I will adopt that one! Thank you ❤️ Love the batch cooking. My motto is "how can I make my life as easy as possible"? So I go ahead that get a rotisserie chicken, much like how you say and it turns into chicken sandwiches, chicken soup and a ton of super healthy broth for other soups and....risotto - yum! Favourite frugal hack is finding free stuff in the curb and turning them into gifts, selling them or just adding wonderful value to my family 💗 thank you again!

[@THEJENNIFERCOOK]

I love "how can I make my life as easy as possible?" 🤗

[@sheilafreisthler4421]

I do meatless Friday. It is part of my faith tradition.

[@LizKrause]

This inspired me to call my internet service and I just lowered my bill by $10 a month

[@THEJENNIFERCOOK]

Yes!!!!!

[@Midwestmomvolunteer365]

Batch cooking is a game changer. It helps keep waste to a minimum in our house and it makes our day to day meals less stressful. I also keep a few vegetables prepped and cooked available. For example, everyone likes carrots, I cook them (usually three pounds at a time) just salt pepper and butter put them in the fridge. Easy side, add in to soups, rice bowls, pasta. Also, agree 100% with the washing machine and the cycles being so long. Great video. Thank you.

[@kkhampton1599]

When I make lasagna and chicken spaghetti,I divide it in half before baking. I vacuum seal half and freeze it. I then have two homemade meals that all I have to do is thaw and bake. This way the pasta isn't re- baking and it tastes fresh as just made. My vacuum sealer is a huge money and time saver that I use practically every day.

[@Joy-zp5lv]

I´m in the process of cleaning out my freezer. List is on the door. I need to defrost it so it needs to be empty first. I´m almost there. It also safes money. Win-win. =) Thanks for the video! Love from Germany ♥

[@jillpruett4772]

I only shop for groceries every other week. I meal plan from stock beforehand and then work out my shopping list from sales coupons and other opportunistic food acquisitions. I also schedule my linens laundry on the opposite week from the grocery shop to keep everything on schedule.

[@thebusybees2006]

Thank you for the frugal hacks ! Your top is cute ! You might be on to something about the cycles on the washing machine and dryer because if I go to the laundromat clothes wash under 30 min. I call my cable company every year to negotiate my rate. Luv Jordan Page’s channel . She gives some good tips , too!

[@amandahoff4550]

A frugal hack I use is with liquid laundry soap. I can never seem to get the last bit out of the bottom! I started taking a pliers and pulling the spout out and I can get another loads worth of the liquid soap out.

[@jodiweiss8705]

I add water to the last bit of a bottle while the washing machine is running, then shake the bottle.

[@kathyirvine6719]

We take leftover meatloaf and take some strips off cut into chunks and have spaghetti and meat balls the next day or freeze the extra meat for later spaghetti.

[@magomago7819]

I save the cereal bags as they are very thick, and use them to freeze my poultry meats. Also, I use those netted baggies that come with the onions, and use them to wash my dishes. I then wash, ruse and dry them for next use. Last, I make my own air freshners Alcohol Add a few drops of your favorite essential oils.

[@Linda-yf2bc]

Thank you, im going to try the delicate wash next time 🙂 so simple but I'd never thought of that.

[@julihath8046]

Thank you for mentioning loan principal payments. I deal with loans in my job and so many people insist on paying interest over principal. Principal payments are what is going to get things repaid and reduce any interest that accrues in future. But I can't convince a client of that no matter how I explain it.

[@juliatepe5760]

Even on one income I managed to squirrel away a little cash to apply toward principal of our mortage, maybe only $50 some months. We are thankful to have paid off our home long before sending our child to college. Great advice!

[@colettemcwilliams1325]

Sometimes, you can't fix stupid.

[@preparingformountainlife]

Time is money!! I am learning that more and more as I get older. :)

[@THEJENNIFERCOOK]

🤗

[@anadajboc]

Since I grew up in a house where everything was done from scratch, I always have in hand in my freezer individual portions of chicken/ vegetable/ any kind of broth or garlic cream soup. I leave it over night to unfreeze and that will be my lunch/ dinner for the next day. I am always prepared.

[@gatecitygal7896]

I try to never pay full price for anything ( there are exceptions of course). Be creative, shop all the sale areas of the store, cook with a friend and divide the dishes you each create. Don’t shop when hungry or tired. Check the sale flyers and remember your list and your bags. Sure these are old and pretty common but if you can’t come up with something new then tweak the old stuff!

[@tanyajohnston8262]

thrifting for second hand clothing, house hold items etc. also helps with spending less or shopping your home first to see if you have something that will work for what you need. Library for books rather than buying. We use our bath towel for about 5 days before washing, since we are clean when we get out of the shower, so hang up to dry and use again. This cuts back on a lot of laundry since towels can be a larger item. Homemade cleaners with rags that are washed after use helps not spend too much on cleaning.

[@zoilacruz1843]

Leftover seafood pasta : husband make an omelette with it for next day 👏🏼

[@robinheberlig8577]

I switched to changing our bedsheets every other week instead of every week. Now, instead of 104 loads of bedsheets a year, I'm only washing 52 loads a year. The water, electricity, detergent, time and wear and tear on the sheets I am saving is mind-boggling when I actually stop and think about it. Haven't noticed a difference at all. I don't know if during the summer months I could get away with this, but for right now - I'm doin' it. Another thing I do, I have nick-named "piggy-backing". I find something to do where the lights are already on in a room. Some examples - if my husband is reading in the living room, I will go there to read instead of lying in bed to read. If he is eating breakfast, I will pack his lunch, prep dinner or tidy up. If he is in the bathroom getting ready for work, I will start a load of laundry. If he is in the bedroom getting dressed, I will put laundry away, tidy or vacuum the carpet. If he is in the basement tending the woodstove or stacking firewood, I will hang-up or take laundry down from our basement clothes line. I might take that time to get food from the freezers, basement fridge or pantry storage. Instead of lighting up two rooms, I piggy-back and take advantage of the already lit room. Combine activities to save money.

[@patwagner9308]

I have washed sheets every other week for years, Robin. That's a tip we don't hear about. We just turn our pillows over after first week so we have a fresh side. 😄🛏

[@BeegirlsHoneyHouse]

The last several years have been exceedingly challenging in the economics department… increased everything but 3 years, no wage increases. I stockpiled frozen food as a savings of security. At least I’ll have food, blah bleh. Then my LG side by side, couple of years old, had the condenser and compressor go out simultaneously. By discovery everything was thawed and warm. I added the value of fridge and freezer and it was almost 1400.00. 6 30 gallon bags of trash. I sobbed like a Greek tragedy so many times. IT was under warranty but apparently a class action suit was already in effect, they covered the repair cost but it took three weeks to accomplish. They compensated for 200.00 in contents, which took 4 more weeks. Hello ice chest…🤦🏼‍♀️🤷‍♀️ Do not shop like a war or blizzard are coming and get a 10.00 freeze refrigerator thermometer that you can place and monitor regularly.

[@beatricealcaraz5799]

Hey Jennifer great ideas , I’m binge watching your videos trying to catch up , my dad passed away Jan 5 so we went to Kansas for his funeral and to be with my mom , after the funeral I started feeling sick and the the rest of the family also started feeling sick so we went to get tested for coveit and we were all positive so we had to reschedule our flight home for a week later , unfortunate my husband got pretty sick so had to reschedule again we finely were able to get home so it’s been a rough month but so thankful to god for allowing us to be with our family and bringing us home safely , I always feel so inspired watching your videos thanks again for being you and for all the great video’s god bless.

[@THEJENNIFERCOOK]

Beatrice I am so deeply sorry for your loss 😔 ❤

[@ruthsheffield8448]

Thank you for your quick answer Jennifer. Just want to say that you always look beautiful. You do a great job changing up your backgrounds to keep things interesting.

[@THEJENNIFERCOOK]

Thank you Ruth!

[@factsoverfiction7826]

Even without extra money, you can save tens o' thou$ands off your mortgage. Just pay half your mortgage every two weeks ... when most people get paid ... and it will greatly reduce the interest you end up paying. The mortgage companies have gotten wise, tho. Make sure you don't sign a mortgage that penalizes you for pre-payment. 💵🙂💵

[@agnessymon8869]

I love your blouse

[@brianpulliam1100]

I remember my 1st car loan. There were times when I paid extra and I did not designate the extra as principal. The loan company would apply the extra toward the next month's payment and it appeared I owe less that next month.

[@factsoverfiction7826]

Great budget hacks, Jennifer. Thanks for this share-worthy vid!

[@susanshadfar9595]

Love your consent! You make everything Cliff Notes version and easy to follow. Thank you!

[@THEJENNIFERCOOK]

Thank you so much Susan!

[@angelwings1]

I rang our car ins today as it’s ready to renew. I’ve save £253 a year.

[@jenniferhart8733]

I do most of these things..but also hang washing outside whenever I can. My husband says she’s been at it again when he comes home to furniture moved around again! 🤣. Btw I love your blouse

[@THEJENNIFERCOOK]

Thank you so much Jennifer 😀

[@tanyajohnston8262]

I've been a vegetarian for a few years now. My grandson decided he did not want to eat meat at about age 3 and never has since. Now his mom, my daughter and rest of family is vegetarian also. Better for the enviroment, pocket book and animals. I always say I get my protein first hand rather than second hand through animal meat, who at it first. It is much less expensive also.

[@charlenebrissette3348]

When it comes to medicines, I go by the expiry date. For meat, I do the smell test. For dried and canned goods, MY opinion is they may expire after 10 or 20 years. Produce, you just have to look at it.

[@laurennguyen1008]

I love your blouse.

[@paulafleming3889]

I will make double batch of breads and muffins so I don't have to buy out of vending machine. Also when we do tacos make a double batch freeze half the frozen one becomes taco soup. Makes life easier when I can pull stuff out of freezer and make a fast meal when life gets crazy.

[@Ella-ke9pc]

Hey Jennifer we are heaving one day without meat I made meatless meatball made out of eggplants delicious

[@georgetteteekel4587]

I loved these tips!

[@THEJENNIFERCOOK]

Thank you Georgette!

[@nancyseaman7574]

Can use a 1/4 of what the bottle of laundry detergent says to use. I also use the delicate cycle

[@ailz95]

We're looking to move soon and I'm cooking from the pantry and freezer as much as I can. Can't see the point in moving the stuff to the new house

[@pinayinuk]

Very nice video

[@nancyseaman7574]

Maybe use a different throw blanket/pillows

[@patwagner9308]

I just ran across a video by the channel name " Lords Electrical". The title is Washing Machine Quick Washes vs Eco Washes". He had some " hmmm" comments...you know...where someone says something & we say "hmmm." 😄 Just thought I'd mention his video in case you're curious. Not saying I think he's right. Just " Hmmm." 😉

[@THEJENNIFERCOOK]

Pat your so sweet...thank you! I do know about those hmmm comments 😁

[@patwagner9308]

@@THEJENNIFERCOOK 🙋‍♀️❤

[@angelwings1]

I tried the delicate setting. Our clothes came out soaking wet which takes it longer to dry and starts smelling. I’ll have to see if there’s another one I can use.

[@ruthsheffield8448]

I love your videos and always enjoy watching you. I have never seen you wear the same blouse or top twice. Do you have a closet full from your old shopping days or are you still shopping for new clothes? Please let us know .

[@THEJENNIFERCOOK]

Hi Ruth! Thank you so much! I wear the same tops often. I have a corporate job so I usually wear my work tops and many of them I've had for years. I always change up my background and now lighting so that might be what your seeing.

[@patcavasin5947]

good tips...not sure where "hacks" came from.

[@factsoverfiction7826]

I think from computers/ gaming when someone figures out how to 'work around' the original program/ game.

[@debrabowie5141]

Pink/Purple side lighting , your left side, is a pretty shade. How did you get it that way?

[@THEJENNIFERCOOK]

Hi Debra! It is a little light I have that can change colors. I thought it added a little fun to the background.

[@bex438]

Great tips Jennifer 👍Thanks for sharing 🙂

[@nataliefontane]

Expired medicine is actually still good. There was a study done a while back that showed 30-year-old birth control was still 99% effective.

[@emilywilson7308]

I went vegan and save a lot of money!