What is your money saving hack?

amother

Ivory

Sat, Jan 20 2024, 8:38 pm

amother Tulip wrote:

Just FYI, this actually was more expensive for my family.

My kids were filling up their bags 3x the amount of a snack bag and half would get thrown out. Also the larger bags would get stale and then we threw out a third of each large bag of snacks. We went back to individual snack bags. We get from Costco and dont get the super expensive stuff.

Walmart sells this size ziplock bag which is alot smaller than sandwich size bags.
Great Value Fresh Seal Zipper Square Snack Bags, 100 Count https://www.walmart.com/ip/55126599

amother

Clematis

Sat, Jan 20 2024, 8:38 pm

amother Ecru wrote:

Can you share the reasons that aren’t financial? Curious why someone wouldn’t hire cleaning help. It’s one of my saving graces.

We don't really trust people to be in our home without us there and we can't be there. Also I have bad childhood memories of having to clean for the cleaning lady when I was a kid. It was so stressful for my mom and for all of us! Not worth it to me... I'll take a little dust.

mha3484

Sat, Jan 20 2024, 8:47 pm

amother Ecru wrote:

Can you share the reasons that aren’t financial? Curious why someone wouldn’t hire cleaning help. It’s one of my saving graces.

Had some lousy ones.

Work full time and don't want someone I dont know alone in my house.

My husband cleans better then anyone I ever had.

amother

Daylily

Sat, Jan 20 2024, 8:53 pm

amother Bergamot wrote:

Just lower your cleanliness standards.

Trust me, they’re pretty low. Unfortunately my husband and a few of my kids are allergic to dust mites and the rest of us are allergic to pollen so if we go any lower, half the family gets sick. Floors swept every other day, vacuumed/washed once every two weeks. Linens changed once every 2 weeks. Bathrooms cleaned once every 2 weeks. Counters wiped down every 2 days. Toys are picked up nightly by my oldest kid and husband.

newinbp

Sat, Jan 20 2024, 8:55 pm

amother Daylily wrote:

Thank you for validating. Everyone makes me feel like I’m doing something awful by spending $200 a month(yes, that’s all it is) so I don’t live in a mud pit. Otherwise we live a very frugal life style- my kids wear hand me downs, once upon a child and target, we never eat out (not even pizza), disposables are only for Shabbos afternoon when my kids have managed to use every milchig bowl in the cabinet on their 18 snacks (which all get a bowl because they’re home made or out of big bags- no individual bags).

I think the other poster was correct, do the hacks you can manage. I spend $100-200 a week on cleaning help, that’s what we need right now at this stage. Perhaps will cut down as things calm down, but it’s also something we prioritize. We do day and free trips, haven’t gone away in over 2 years. We do a lot of coloring, baking, going to the library, etc. use hand me downs, also transitioned to using hardy plastic that’s washable and not reusable so much. We don’t own vehicles so save there, and double think every purchase which helps us say no often. Often get from others giving away etc.

amother

Steel

Sat, Jan 20 2024, 9:00 pm

amother Ecru wrote:

Can you tell me more about the Moishas deals?

Check their ads every week online. The week after Purim and sometime in August they do a crazy deals week with meat. 5.99 for roasts lots of options...London broil, club steak, corned beef, pastrami, etc 5.99 or 6.99 we buy a bunch and have for shabos each one is good for 2 weeks for us

amother

Ecru

Sat, Jan 20 2024, 9:31 pm

amother Steel wrote:

Wow thank you.

amother

Moonstone

Sun, Jan 21 2024, 4:08 am

amother Ecru wrote:

Can you share the reasons that aren’t financial? Curious why someone wouldn’t hire cleaning help. It’s one of my saving graces.

We don't have cleaning help, because I find it too stressful to have to clean up for the cleaning lady. We aren't particularly dirty, but we are very messy. Having to clean up for the cleaning lady I so much more stressful than having to spend a few minutes cleaning the toilet once a week, sweep the floors once a day, wipe down the counters quickly, or washing the floors once a week (I bought a vac mop instead).

What would really help me is having a girl come in a few times a week to wash dishes, fold laundry, and sort toys back into boxes. It is the every day chores that I can't keep up with. And I the cleaning lady can't clean when there is laundry overflowing in the bathroom, dishes overflowing in the sink and on the counters, and toys on the floor and every other surface. Having help on the daily tasks for me would be much more helpful than someone actually scrubbing the house.

amother

Daylily

Sun, Jan 21 2024, 8:42 am

amother Gladiolus wrote:

Many people mention sales. For those that live OOT, that’s not an option for us. I’ve lived in more than one community and I have not seen any major sales in food.

I’m OOT. We buy cereal and produce etc based on what’s on sale in our local ShopRite. Our ShopRite also has kosher meat and chicken and they mark down what has to be used that day around 8-8:30 am so that’s when I go shopping and we buy and freeze what they have that week

amother

Vermilion

Sun, Jan 21 2024, 8:57 am

amother Moonstone wrote:

My cleaning lady does all this. She washes and folds laundry, washes dishes and cleans the kitchen, and puts away toys and declutters. I don't clean up for the cleaning lady at all.

I only need a few hours a week to deep clean bathrooms and wash and vacuum floors, but I have more hours so she can do the above. I work full time so this is a lifesaver for me. And no, it's not a luxury for me. I would literally not be able to work if I didn't have this help

amother

Honeysuckle

Sun, Jan 21 2024, 9:36 am

Doing without cleaning help isn’t an option for me, I’m not physically strong enough to do everything.
I find that limiting grocery trips, minimizes stupidity tax , the extra throw ins.
Starting dinner with soup is a healthy way to minimize expense at dinner.
I find that shopping for classic styles rather than things that Uber fashionable minimizes clothing costs.
Shoes: no matter what they need to be replaced chanuka so for kids who are light on their feet, it’s good to get super low cost shoes that first round
Dinner leftovers make an excellent lunch

amother

Moonstone

Sun, Jan 21 2024, 10:49 am

amother Vermilion wrote:

Send her to my house???

But seriously, how many of you have a cleaning lady who also does this? And where can I find one?

giftedmom

Sun, Jan 21 2024, 11:01 am

amother Moonstone wrote:

Send her to my house???

But seriously, how many of you have a cleaning lady who also does this? And where can I find one?

Wherever you find cleaning ladies in your neighborhood. They do what you train them to do. It doesn’t have to be only deep cleaning.

amother

Vermilion

Sun, Jan 21 2024, 11:44 am

amother Moonstone wrote:

Send her to my house???

But seriously, how many of you have a cleaning lady who also does this? And where can I find one?

Any cleaning lady can do this, just show them or tell them what to do.

And I was just thinking that it really is a money saving hack because my husband used to (try to) help me. He can now work more hours and he makes three times per hour what we pay the cleaning lady so... sometimes things are not as they seem on the surface.

amother

Gray

Sun, Jan 21 2024, 11:54 am

amother Moonstone wrote:

Send her to my house???

But seriously, how many of you have a cleaning lady who also does this? And where can I find one?

of course! thats all my cleaning lady does! laundry, dishes and straitening up. she doesnt deep clean.

I find you have to train them in. Spend one or two days teaching them. I haven't touched my laundry in years, I'm not kidding.

giftedmom

Sun, Jan 21 2024, 12:01 pm

amother Gray wrote:

You do have to be willing to sacrifice some clothes especially in the beginning