Frugal Fails that Might Actually Ruin You

[@Kakuren]

The old blinker fluid trick! I love the reaction of the guy sitting behind the the light's! He's like, "Oh Rachel no, and then when the reveal hits he just covers his face 😂"

[@christophercohen418]

The best part is the wink he gave to the guys in the back

[@lanbao2010]

I was just listening to it when I was driving and just said out loud “wtf is blinker fluid?!”

[@erikhawkes2169]

Welcome to the smart money happy hour, where two money experts who used to be friends talk about what you are talking about.

[@francoisnguyen6623]

Blinker fluid 😂😂😂😂😂

[@rachelanderson3147]

@@erikhawkes2169 lol!!!!

[@RaayRayJenkins]

George Goated for sneaking in the Blinker Fluid 😂😂😂😂

[@alliecrain8277]

George with the blinker fluid💀😂

[@BrittanyTreat]

George’s poker face is impressive with the blinker fluid. I couldn’t of kept a straight face 😂

[@kimberlybotkin7060]

Rachel’s impression of George doing a snarky thumbs up after his trick 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 Funniest thing she has ever done.

[@kristinkowalski5964]

Our Kitchen Aid is 37 years old and still going strong. Worth every penny. Classic well-made shoes worth paying extra. Clothes sometimes unless you get tired of the same ones.

[@lafranglaise3399]

Started watching John Delony, then The Ramsey Show but my favs are definitely Rachel & George on this channel. They are a hoot ! George with his ironic, dry humour & Rachel with her playful naivété. Bit surprised by Rachel's 5/10 on the Dirty Shirley. Really ? You were knocking it back 😂🤣😂🤣😂

[@katyedwards3935]

I think it's better without Dave cuz the new format shows what it's gonna be like after he retires, is no longer able to do the show anymore or passes away whichever comes first. Hopefully not the latter.

[@CJ2023Incognito]

I totally did the pad Thai thing! 😅 The trick is to incorporate the same meal once a month or more until the ingredients are gone. lol If it’s good then no problem. 👍

[@adamjoehlin1822]

George was smooth with the blinker fluid trick

[@ramong2277]

That cocktail must be strong!! Looks like it started to hit them half way through the episode, 😂😂 lived up to the name of the show!!

[@kathigratton2286]

Blinker fluid oh my god that’s freaking hilarious

[@fsmoura]

12:50 George: _"Winston is at home right now going: Tsk, tsk, tsk... Ess-Em-Aitch"_ Rachel: _"SMaitcH"_

[@pisicacutecat4869]

Our KitchenAid is 15 years old, the crockpot is about the same, Speed Queen makes quality washers and dryers. Lodge is another company that makes cast iron pans and they are made in the US. Our couch is almost 15 years old, we have a bedroom set that is about 20 years old and it's still in great condition.

[@annmc3878]

I was once chatting with a coworker, I had bought a pair of jeans at Macys on sale. She was like I would never shop at Macys, I buy my jeans at Pennys. I told her that I comparisons shopped and the Macys jeans were less expensive than the exact same ones at Pennys. Her assumption kept her from getting the best deal.

[@annmc3878]

@Imbatmn57 These were the exact same brand and style of jeans at both Macy’s and Penney’s. We didn’t have a Burlington’s. My point is dont pre-judge what stores have and their prices.

[@CJ2023Incognito]

12:28 They shouldn’t have told Rachel and pranked her instead! She could’ve had to call a car shop and ask how much a change for blinker fluid would be! 😂

[@JupiterN624]

Don’t forget to get winter-grade tire air when you pick up your blinker fluid. It’s a little more expensive, but well worth the cost in the long run.

[@janethms3]

😂😂😂

[@autumnjerene]

George: Could you replace blinker fluid? Me: No, but I can top off the elbow grease. 😂

[@angelaaube4406]

But only if I have a left handed wrench.

[@RichardTouchfaith]

I still have my clothes that I bought when I got my first office job back in 2000. They don't fit.....but I now work from home in my boxers and T-shirt!

[@JessicaPerlove]

Kudos to the guy who tried to fix his timing belt! I tried to do my own spark plugs and snapped the bolts off the valve cover. 😬 but, then, i successfully replaced my side mirror the other day. 😀

[@daisy3384]

I know the feeling .... thanks to KZbinrs, I've replaced my headlight, tail light, and sun visor on my 2007 SUV. I'm so non-mechanical but they made me feel smart 😄

[@denisemckinney3973]

Blinker fluid! This girl knows it is not real. And I love that she was fooled 😅

[@victornathaniel996]

This is my first time watching but this Skyler lass laughter is so contagiously funny. I just start laughing when she’s laughing

[@leahwolber7082]

I used to do extreme couponing. It could seem cringey sometimes but we paid off a lot of debt doing it!

[@jordanwright2030]

I really appreciate you guys talking on these topics. Very real issues we face, but you also let us know when certain things to make more sense to just enjoy rather than cutting corners

[@EcomCarl]

Frugal fails can be both entertaining and enlightening! It's a great reminder to balance savings with quality and safety, especially when it comes to DIY projects and everyday expenses. Looking forward to more insights from Rachel Cruz and George Kamel! 🤑

[@amandah893]

George, I am writing this comment with a iPhone 7! My trick is I don’t do the software updates and I don’t have battery issues or performance issues. 😂

[@MB-uy5kh]

But you are leaving yourself open to security risks. Just don’t do any financial transactions or use any sites where entering your passwords can be stolen

[@TDCodemonkey]

This is a future frugal fail. Not spending on updating phone only to later deal with identity theft

[@ArmoredLion217]

11:40 She fell for that one: hook, line, and blinker [fluid].

[@TheForevermeg]

We’re Stanley OG- no tumblers, but all the original thermoses. The great thing about Stanley is their lifetime warranty. If any of their products break for any reason, they will replace it, no questions asked. We’ve replaced 3 items in 15 years, including one that was 50 years old!

[@Christine-zk6hk]

I have a 50 year old Kitchen Aid Mixer that is still going strong. I recently got rid of a 20 year old couch only because it was really too big for my current home. My bedroom set, not including the mattress, is about 25 years old. I have an 18 year old car still running strong. I tend to buy quality when I but large ticket items.

[@alleykeosheyan4779]

Good on you! We had my MIL's 1970's era - tacky gold finish and all - fridge, washer, and dryer until they crapped out in ~2007-2010. Oh, the set also came with a can opener, which is still kickin'! I drive a 30-year-old Dodge pickup, hubby drives a 1985 RamCharger, and our "good" car for long-distance runs is a 2006 Chevy Monte Carlo (gently used). We recently replaced our 40-year-old water heater, which came from Montgomery Ward back in the day. Paid $600 cash for a new one, installed it ourselves, which was a b*tch, but better than the $2,000-$5,000 quotes I've heard from some plumbers!

[@anhbarker]

Speed Queen washer and dryer is worth the price! We a bought cheap GM set when we bought our house and the washer broke down 4 years later. My Speed Queen set has held up great and gets our clothes nice and clean!

[@Allybaba55]

Lol yes! I made ramen in 2020 at home... just finally threw out all the bottles of miran and stuff that apparently expired in 2022 lol

[@narnialyon3408]

FYI: Spring water is better for your digestive system 🙌🏽😃 Thanks for all you do guys!❣️

[@MB-uy5kh]

As long as it’s not in a plastic bottle. Please research health issues caused by plastic. I got a reverse osmosis, Aqua True system for our drinking water.

[@baileyforrester7]

Brooooo the blinker fluid joke 😂😂😂😂

[@stevenrburgoyne]

21:00 The lightbulb thing was proven recently to actually not be true. The chemical makeup of the bulb filament lasting 1000 hours (roughly) was the ideal sweet spot for energy efficiency vs light output. The longer lasting ones were not as bright and the shorter lasting ones were brighter. They collectively decided for ideal brightness, longevity, and cost of manufacturing that was the "sweet spot". It wasn't planned obsolescence in that particular case.

[@StarletOfDavid]

That’s interesting - you’ve explained that well. Thank you.

[@davewells3046]

Blinker fluid 😂

[@amanda.c.ice.]

Frugal fail…tried to cut my kids own hair and I accidentally buzzed a section of his hair completely off 😬 Needless to say we took him to the hairdresser the next day and now the hairdresser is back in monthly budget from here on out 😂

[@Trustbutverify2651]

100 percent! Think of it this way - clothes you wear from time to time, but a haircut you wear every day AND a bad haircut is a really easy way for a kid to get unnecessarily teased.

[@toriAllisonP]

When he said blinker fluid I was like... "does he mean windshield wiper fluid?" 👀🤔😂

[@bevbayb3029]

Blinker fluid! 😂 I really don't think Rachel actually heard him. Love it! FYI Amazon sells several different choices in blinker fluid as a gag gift 😂

[@MeghanDonnellyIPY]

I do wish I had money wise friends like you around me in person, but this is the next best thing! Thank you for all your content!

[@Mamacitapurty]

We have 3 chairs we bought in Ecuador when we lived there. They are now 44 years old and still in our living room!

[@abrareads]

I would love a newlywed game style episode. 🙂

[@hockeyhalod]

Blinker fluid giving me good old Red vs Blue vibes, hahaha.

[@chckycrk]

11:40 is why George is my favorite. I don’t agree about the Spring water though.

[@lthage373]

Maytag Maytag Maytag...but the oldest versions. We have a dryer that is over 30 years old...and we bought it used!

[@oliviafox6745]

Yep same here. Love Maytag. 27 years old and only had to replace the belt that ran the drum.

[@Trustbutverify2651]

Same with our dishwasher - now going on 25 years with only one small repair. Sounds like a thrashing machine, but the dishes are clean and DRY in 45 minutes. The new ones take HOURS and leave you with wet dishes, even on the "dry" cycle.

[@sharongenco3716]

I am still using my 38 year old crockpot! My husband and I have my parents bedroom set that is 65 years old and beautiful and in fabulous shape and they just don’t make them like that anymore. Obviously not the mattress which we swap out about every 10 years, and we swap our pillows out every 1 to 2 years. I think the cast-iron brand you are thinking of is lodge.

[@rebekah4761]

That wedding dress story makes me think of my own journey. I settled for a variety of cute options from Ross and made sure to have backups just in case.

[@RaayRayJenkins]

Rachel is such a beautiful Soul GOD BLESS HER 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽

[@RonettaCarroll]

Blinker fluid..hilarious!!😂🤣

[@ahhnaalee]

Y’all always make me lol irl 😁. Good episode guys

[@AmyinCdA]

I’ve had my kitchen aid mixer since 1996 and it’s still going strong!!

[@AmyinCdA]

Oh and I have my mom’s Montgomery Ward stand up freezer that she bought in the late 70’s! Works like a champ!

[@jennifferflowers]

I've done that and that's why I like this one KZbinr that helps me make delicious but cheap and easy recipes. I've been cooking a ramen stir fry like once a week. It is delicious and I keep ramen on hand so I just throw in frozen veggies and some boneless chicken and done❤️

[@donnahampton3632]

I enjoy my old school Brita filter pitcher. I change out the filters exactly as recommended. I do not buy bottled filtered water because I bring my own filtered water in my ancient Stanley cup.

[@alliecrain8277]

My mom bought a KitchenAid 33 years ago, and gave it to me when she upgraded to a bigger one, it’s still going strong!

[@tracypassmore5628]

"Blinker fluid"...HILARIOUS! I was with Rachel. I was literally thinking where would I change my blinker fluid. My husband, who does amazing work on our cars, will be so disappointed in me. 🤣 On the furniture issue, we are currently using a table in our kitchen that was in the house my parents moved into after I was born. So, this table was already there. Keep in mind that I was born in 1967! So this table is older than me.

[@faithcugler6755]

We started researching types of pans and found out how often you are supposed to replace most of them....there is a Le Cresuet outlet store near us so we are slowly replacing all the nonstick!

[@kimzhou1257]

I love your show. Keep doing what you are doing!

[@lindawilson4625]

Funny show! You make very good points about what frugal is and isn't. Thanks!

[@steveclark5016]

I make a good living building high end, Living room furniture,and there is a big difference in quality vs cheap stuff from Big lots

[@dorgana225]

I was thinking about that when they brought up furtinture lasting. I have a couple of pieces my dad made me when I was in my early 20s and they are in fantastic condition and I expect them to be heirlooms.

[@bevbayb3029]

Do you sell it online? I need to start doing better quality buys.

[@steveclark5016]

@@bevbayb3029 Unfortunately no I work for a Company called Lee Industries.I will be when I retire from there in a few years

[@steveclark5016]

@@dorgana225 I worked for a company in the 90s and one of their slogans was heirlooms have to start somewhere.

[@LisaPFrampton]

OMG Rachel the mozzarella sticks at Sonic! YUMMY!!!!! Those have to be one of the ordervs at my funeral one day.

[@Lcshell]

This episode was hilariously amusing! I laughed so hard 😂 thank you for the info and the chuckles 😎

[@anneliesejohnson3662]

My teens have iPhone 8's! They get our old phones (we have 11's), and if they want something different, they have to buy it themselves.

[@danieltik]

George made me laugh for the first time with blinker fluid

[@stephendownes6331]

Hey George, Springwater is usually tap water processed to contain the ingredients of a given spring water.

[@kristinkramer4351]

Based on comments I heard in this episode, I feel the need to comment on Kitchen Aid mixers. It has been my experience that they are worth every penny IF you use it! I have had mine for over 27 years and it is still going strong! I have made countless cheesecakes (most recipes using 3-5 8 oz. bricks of cream cheese.....try that with a hand mixer!) and dozens of Christmas cookies every year. It is well worth the money!!

[@joes.9005]

How George basically named every Apple tactic when he talked about Planned Obsolence. Pure Gold! Edit: Watched a few more seconds and they go into detail about Apple. Nice!

[@katrinagascho6165]

About the lightbulb scheme in planned obsolescence- our home is 70 years old and the front porch light bulb is original , and still works. Our oven was 40 years old whe it died, and we just replaced a 20 year old fridge because all the drawers were cracked and broken, but the fridge was still working great!

[@michelitasc]

I love how the Queen bed joke will never die😂

[@kathystaursky4063]

George totally cracks me up! 😂

[@cookshackcuisinista]

I have a great pad Thai recipe with many substitutions, it is like cooking from the pantry! Fish sauce should not spoil!

[@CreamIceMs]

My frugal failure: I decided to buy a brand of toilet paper that was maybe 75 cents cheaper than the one I was using. But the paper was of bad quality and did not break apart in water. Had to call the plumber after the toilet got clogged TWICE within the span of a week. Spent a total of $180. Luckily I realized it was the paper and switched back (no more issues after that), but ugh...

[@USMCHelloKitty]

This brings a whole new meaning of cheapskate

[@aaronjjacques]

Blinker fluid and winter air. Must haves for any car

[@kellidehaan2891]

Bahahahah OMG Rachel you’re never going to live that blinker fluid trick down😆

[@katysudlow7334]

Fish sauce and soy sauce are fermented. They do not expire, just slowly (due to refrigeration) continue to ferment. Same with miso, sauerkrauts and kimchis (that are lacto -fermented, not the ones with vinegar). But I agree about things like tamarind paste and other things I never use that are in recipes!

[@sirenspartan1335]

My mother-in-law always turns off the AC when she goes to work and turns it on when she comes home. She pays over $500 electricity bills in the summer. She lives in Las Vegas.

[@EdgarVerona]

My failed frugality trick was trying to live in an inexpensive condo instead of a standalone home. Depending on a "community" of people to make decisions in the best interests of our home has been disastrous. They won't vote for needed changes even to literally save all of our financial futures. Don't leave your financial future up to the tragedy of the commons. Don't buy a condo like I did.

[@emettscabassi4605]

George is a net worth millionaire and he steals from hotels 😂

[@christinehopping5040]

Rachel, you are not alone. I don't know how to replace the blinker fluids too I have iPhone 8. Paid cash $250

[@lauradamato6332]

We have a Kitchenaid mixer that is nearly 40 years old and still working great.

[@alleykeosheyan4779]

Got a Kenmore can opener about the same age and it's still opening cans! It was actually part of a set that included a fridge, washer, and dryer from the 70's - tacky golden rod yellow and all. The washer/dryer crapped out between 2007-2010, but they earned their keep!

[@missknight9]

@30:50 Where can I find that water sommelier??

[@daianesorelli1667]

Loved this episode

[@JoshuaEdwards-p4c]

I think now the iPhone thing is less of a "kill switch" on your battery since "Apple Gate", but they just increase number or quality of software to run in the background to drain battery faster after updates in the name of "offering a better product".

[@brookefluty4616]

Rachel, I am just like you! I am quantity over quality, love Amazon clothes and I love sonic cheese sticks. They are delish!!!

[@momoffour2072]

I work for a big box store. 80% of large appliances fail within 5 years. 😡

[@lisaprusakiewicz4006]

George, my husband still has an iPhone 7 😂. Love my frugal husband!

[@sharonclaridge]

Mine just replaced his iPhone 6S ... he only did that as it stopped letting him make calls 🤣

[@CarmenHyde]

Blinker fluid! 😂 That’s what we jokingly refer to it as and our teenager daughter went into the car parts store to ask for it totally forgetting its real name! 😂 I am still using my iPhone 7. Yes its battery drains fast and yes it randomly shuts down once a week or so, but dang it….I’m using it until it dies!! Moen…buy it for looks buy it for life …or something like that. They are great at replacing parts, but we have to replace parts like once or twice a year. Hubby has an LL Bean barn jacket…it’s his third one in the last decade. So not super high quality. It’s meh.

[@julieneal4256]

I have an armchair that was given to my Grandparents as a wedding gift and made in my Great Grandfather's mattress factory. It is somewhere around 80 years old now. Also, I was dying laughing at the blinker fluid. I drive a toyota I have had for 15 years. I know enough to keep it maintained and and not get too scammed. I want the things I don't care about to last forever, so I don't have to spend money on them. That way I have money to spend on the things I do care about. (Old car, but a new sewing machine is a higher priority in my mind!)

[@sharonclaridge]

That's so weird how car insurance works in The US. You pick how much you want to be covered for and hope no one sues you for more than that?

[@andrealawrence8238]

I'm a new comer to this show. Lovin' it!

[@marcusolds8715]

Mozzarella sticks at sonic was Toby’s fav.

[@laurao8099]

I have a feeling that are quite a few different brands of coffee mugs that would survive a car fire

[@jeanetteoconnor464]

Good one George! No shade to Rachel but I am shocked that Papa Dave, self-proclaimed hillbilly and car guy, didn’t teach his daughter the basics of car maintenance when she got her license. At minimum the fluids needed to regularly maintain the car and how to change a tire. If not in practice at least theory! I wasn’t allowed the keys to the family car until I was given the once over on where everything went and what to do in an emergency. ❤

[@Bugoffkc]

I own a pest control business. I have seen people try to DIY a termite treatment. 1. This does not pass loan requirements 2. The products can add up on cost 3. These normally do not get done correctly resulting in more termite damage 4. You end up calling a professional anyway.

[@altheaelainejaug8497]

Sonic is so good! LOL and being someone from California, I love In-N-Out

[@datamusic4923]

The newest pieces of furniture in my living/dining area are 10-15 years old (one couch and 1 chair), with much of it being 50-100 years or more. Some bought in auction rooms, some from family, some charity shops. I don't like where my home looks like everyone else's. My hiking rain jacket, Patagonia, is still going since 1996. I got hiking socks at the same time that I still use. The socks are used like slippers most winters.

[@rena_vations]

Back in the day to be frugal i used to add water to everything that was liquid. Not everything but like shampoo conditioner dish soap hand soap even laundry soap. I tried the handrags in softener too. Ugh i should have did it day of instead of all at once 😂

[@TheThreatenedSwan]

Supposedly there are studies showing the clothing inflation isn't as much as people think, and clothes were more expensive in the past than people think, but when you make an apples to apples comparison all these random tourist shirts and things like that had much thick fabric. A t-shirt from the same places today is incredibly thin.

[@goldfries]

My first generation still works fine, perfect condition as if from Day 1 but I can't use it for anything other than the default apps now because Apple Store refuses me to download anything for my prehistoric iOS version. Tough.

[@OopThereItIs77777]

I am also a quantity person. I buy Agolde denim multiple times a month and Moussy but it lasts for years. I just like different styles! It’s also about $200 for a pair of jeans, but I will never stray. Rachel wears Agolde too so she gets it

[@Allisa-xh4xs]

Now I want to hit sonic for their mozzarella cheese sticks. Those just sound good! 😋

[@stevenporter863]

19:16 Catch 22. Either download and make it obsolete or don't but then security holes aren't patched.