Hey hey! Welcome back to another week of $$$ lovin’ chat fests!

Y’all have fun with all those giveaways last week?? Find some new books and tips to check out?

If you weren’t paying attention, don’t worry – I was making notes in the background of all my favorite tips people were sharing, and today we’re going to list them all because there were some EXCELLENT ones. It’s always so cool asking open-ended questions because you never know what you’re going to get! And collectively there’s a lot of juicy knowledge amongst our community!

But before we get to all that, let me go and announce the winners of the last 3 packages from last week so we can wrap it all up. If your name is listed below, it’s your lucky day!

• Winner of the PF Classics: Justin Carter
• Winner of the “Adulting” bundle: Michelle S
• Winner of the Coin Collecting Starter Package!: PaulM

Congrats guys! Go out and buy a lottery ticket now and see if you can double your luck! ;)

You’ll also notice a section inside all the book covers where you can list your name and city, along with spaces for others to do so too when you pass them forward.

Got this idea from a reader, Jarret, who said it would be cool to see how far these travel, and I agree! So let’s see!! I made sure to add my blog url too in case anyone wants to send us notes over the years ;)

Okay, so after poring over 791 total entries from last week, here are my *favorite* tips and tricks for improving your finances/lifestyle!

Might want to print this out or bookmark it for later as there are a LOT in here!

Hope they help!

Best Savings / Frugality Tips:

My greatest tip is saving all $5 bills. Last year I effortlessly saved $3,500.00 doing that. – Teres

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I set up my bank card to round up transactions, multiply that amount by 10 and then save it automatically. Works like a charm and stops you from buying things you don’t need, as a 30 cent chewing gum immediately ‘costs’ you 7 dollars to your savings! – Rick J.

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I participate in The Prudent Homemaker’s weekly post of “Frugal Accomplishments” and so I keep a word document listing what I’ve done each day for frugality’s sake. These range from the less-than-exciting washing Ziplock bags in order to reuse them, cooking dried chickpeas in my slow cooker overnight, and making all meals from scratch to some big and exciting things like trips. – Libby

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My dad always told me to break a dollar. So instead of finding change for something, he just breaks his bills and keeps the change… Which after a long day of shopping makes for some really heavy pockets, but he’s been saving his coins like this for all my life and then by the end of the year, he uses the coins for Christmas gifts!

Only bummer is now is that unless he wants to use Coinstar and pay their fee, he has to manually wrap his coins now in order to turn them into the bank since they won’t do it anymore. So that’s what he does while watching TV. He’s retired, he has all the time in the world. lol. – Samantha Z.

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My one life hack has been using the Goodwill deductible pricing list as a baseline for buying stuff.

Basically, if I can’t find an item I need at Goodwill and have to buy it at the store, I try to find it for the same price as the tax deductible value.

So for example, if the gov’t gives you $25 deductible value for a dresser, I will look for a new dresser on Craigslist/letgo/OfferUp for $25 or less. That way, when I donate it to Goodwill later, I get the full value, or more deducted!

If you’re really good about this, you can also do it with clothing, homeware and a lot of stuff. We have been slowly clearing out stuff as much as possible and getting thousands a year in deductions because of it. If you do it right you’ll pay hardly anything for clothing, etc. – Akua O.

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My way of saving money this month (and every month): I love listening to audiobooks because it’s a good way to learn while doing other things AND a great way to get through a lot of books quickly (I’m an auditory learner).

However, I REFUSE to pay for audiobooks. I use an app called Overdrive. It connects to my local library and I can download from a decent selection of audiobooks. I recently listened to the entirety of Stephen King’s The Stand (that kept me going for a while!) and now I’m in the middle of John Steinbeck’s Travels with Charley. – Sherri :)

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I decided to do a restaurant ban in May and cooked food at home instead. Then, I looked at all the other months since January last year to this year to see how much i was really spending on restaurants. J, I was spending $800/month on average, NOT INCLUDING GROCERIES! So, that May alone, I essentially saved $800. I’m a foodie and I love trying new restaurants. So I decided to incorporate a restaurant challenge every other month from now on. :) – Crazy Mom McGee

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Bottles, cans and coupons… it’s that simple. In Oregon we have what’s known as the Bottle Bill. Every bottle or can of beer (Ok, soft drinks and sports drinks are included) is worth $0.10 if redeemed at the Bottle Drop. So I save them and when the bag is full I make the short drive and do just that.

The kicker is if you use the redemption dollars at the local Fred Meyer (Kroger) store they tack on an additional 20%! My last redemption was over $40… free money! Add to that my lovely bride’s coupon clipping prowess which kicked in another $16, and we saved a whopping $64 off a $120 grocery bill!! That’s real money!!!

It flattens me to see neighbors putting bottle and cans in their weekly recycling bins. They get nothing! I’m 53 and doing the FATFIRE thing… worked hard, saved harder… And my neighbors ask me all the time for my secrets. I tell them to look in their recycling bins!! It’s all in the attitude man!!!! – Randal E.

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We receive free beef bones and the occasional roast from our raw milk dairy’s manager. With the bones we make delicious stock, which is turned into chilis and soups. – Liberty

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I used the plastic bag that holds my deluxe package of toilet paper as the trash bag liner in the bathroom trash can instead of plastic bag. It doesn’t save much… cents. – Leann H.

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Spending money on food is essential. I think its wise to have a plan when it comes to food. My parents do not live far away from me, and they also live on a tiny retirement budget as well. We’ve teamed up to help save money on food items. Since I only graze at morning and noon eating times, I buy for these things myself, however we share supper together. Once every two weeks, my mother and I plan our menu for the next 14 days, then we shop for the items we need to realize that said menu. I drop in after work on my way home and eat with the fam. If I’m late she puts it in a container and I take it to go. I’ve managed to save $150 a month using this method and they reduce costs by sharing the more expensive meal with me. We all win! – Dwight

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Last summer I read that using only a smidge of toothpaste, instead of covering the entire brush, was just as beneficial. Made a bet with a friend that I could go a year on two tubes of toothpaste; one in the shower and one at the sink. I brush twice daily, minimum, often more. Started last August and still have sufficient in both tubes to make it a year. My grandkids are rolling their eyes as I type. – Helen W.

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We had a heat wave this weekend, but I left the A/C off and instead retreated to my basement. In the cool(er) air, my time was spent going through old paperwork and sorting out what needs to be kept from what can be taken to the community shred day in two months.

Then I went sorted through usual piles of basement “stuff” and found working/usable items that I can donate to my church’s collection drive in two weeks. Since Savers will pay based on weight collected, my basement was cleaned and my church will benefit. The cold shower after the work also saved on the hot water bill.

I can only estimate how much money was saved – surge pricing from ComEd is a mystery – but I’d say $15 in electricity for the 3-day period, perhaps $20 in weight-based donations to the church, but the prevention of dumping things into a landfill: priceless. – Nora S.

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One thing we have started doing is on special days (this month was Father’s Day and my wife’s birthday) we pick a special meal to make together and eat at home. We started this for two reasons, first, we do not want our happiness to rely on someone else to cook our meal (or screw it up) and it always seems like that is the day the service is just terrible. The second thing is saving money, and I am sure (with our now family of 4) it has saved us about a $100 this month! – Luke G

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I hang up my laundry to dry! May only be a few dollars saved, but encompasses ours frugal lifestyle in its entirety. – Kelly C.

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Great Overall Financial Advice:

Best money advice I have is this: to have iron willpower, but a flexible budget. By that I mean, know what your savings goals are and go for it wholeheartedly, but know that circumstances and human mistakes will come up now and again and a budget has to be somewhat breathable too. You have to leave room for margin, but don’t skimp on what’s really important. I have regretted spontaneous purchases and even vacation trips sometimes, but I don’t regret saving. – Rachael

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The best financial tip I have been given is to wait 2 paychecks before purchasing a large splurge item (anything unnecessary over $100). I’ve found that waiting that long has led me to avoid a LOT of unnecessary items or has allowed me to put away some extra cash to better afford these items. – Joyce

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The classic financial tip I’ve been given is to spend my wage income on income producing assets until I can fund my lifestyle using those assets instead of wages. – Kahlil

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I’m an avid “Cash Collector” and a golf enthusiast, and as anyone who plays the game knows it can be kind of pricey based on where you live and the type of golf course you play. On an average week I play Friday afternoon and (2) rounds on Saturday. Total cost for the month is $600.00.

So I have a side hustle now of working part time at my favorite course. I work 2-3 shifts a week for a total of 12-15 hours. The benefits are twofold, I get free golf and free driving range, plus they pay me $10 and hour. So I have a cost avoidance of $600 a month, plus extra cash of $120-$150 a week. Total savings averages over $1,000.00 per month for 6-7 months a year. Paycheck goes straight to Vanguard.

Side note: when you work at a golf course, you also find lots of misplaced golf balls… So the savings keep on growing! – Cash Collector

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The most classic financial tip I ever received was to use the envelope system when budgeting. It actually helped when my wife and I were first married. She was a spender, I was a saver, and our two lifestyles caused us to butt heads a little. The envelope system helped her to see visually what I was doing via spreadsheets and online banking and it made it easier for her to get behind it. That was 8 years ago. Since then, we’ve paid off two cars, my school debt, started 2 Roth IRA’s, a mutual fund, a 401k from her work, and bought a house last fall because all because of the envelope system. – Sam C

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I created a cash flow analysis spreadsheet and subscribed to BalanceForecastingApp.com, which is a much more user friendly way of tracking cash flow and forecasting when and what you will have available to push to your savings or investments. I am a power spreadsheet user but the app is great because it has a calendar view which is much friendlier than using a spreadsheet.

I have put $396 towards investments through tight cash flow tracking and I can see using one of the graphs how my “operating” (aka chequing) account is going UP each month, meaning I will have my cash flow under control and will have more money I can invest in the future, and when. – Brian V. from Canada

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My son and I went “dumpster diving” at my son’s condo! Found two Ethan Allen dark end tables and I am staining the tops white wash and paint the rest in expresso color flat paint. All hardware which is antique bronze is going to be spray painted nickel. I got the paint on the reduced mismatched shelf at Menards for $1.00. I have no doubt saved at least $100. on each new end table, perhaps more! – Deb

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I have a sheet on the fridge that has my budget for credit cards for that month. Every purchase I subtract and when it hits zero I’m done for the month! We use cards for gas and groceries, so there is an incentive to not splurge or that last week we’ll be pretty hungry! – Paul

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Everything I put my money into is an investment. Including every food item I’ve ever eaten, every piece of mountaineering equipment I own, every dollar I’ve placed in a savings account, and every share of stock I own.

I got this perspective from the company I work for… The culture is built around a supreme belief in the individual. This philosophy extends even to taking a customer out to a meal. We are expected to treat every business purchase as an investment in the company.

Does the company really need you to order a filet mignon and a $300 bottle of wine for dinner? Or would a ribeye and a $50 bottle do the trick ;) What more would I get for that extra investment? That’s the question we are expected to ask ourselves any time we are spending the company’s money.

I have since applied that philosophy to everything I spend my own money on. – Justin C

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The best financial tip I use is excessive spreadsheeting. That way because the spreadsheet takes up so much of my time, I don’t have time to go out and spend! – Yaacov

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Favorite Lifestyle Tips:

A great hack I’ve done in my life lately – Pomodoro Timer! I use tomato-timer.com at work and it is amazing. I know I have a break coming and try to break my goals up into 25 or 35-minute chunks. It helps keep me focused instead of trying to give my brain a rest by distracting means, leading to unproductivity. Definitely try it in your life! – Megan

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I’ve signed up for TheSkimm which gives me a quick summary of news from around the world and what the talking points are. Means that I’m keeping on top of current events without traveling through news sites (or my Facebook feed! Ugh!). – Annika

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During my lunch break, I close the door to my office and read something positive and inspiring. – Julia S.

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I place morning work out clothes in a convenient spot, so when I wake up it’s all right there in front of me. The less thinking in my mornings, the more productive I can be and more I can accomplish before work. – Jason A.

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A great hack I’ve done in my life was when I was a student at Penn State. Introverted, I challenged myself to meet a new person every week. I ended up meeting thousands of people – some of which I still keep in touch with now. This was an irregular way of meeting people who have completely helped me mold a path for myself, something I’ve never forgotten. – JF

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I’ve started using the StayFocusd app to limit mindless website usage. It’s amazing how much time I wasted watching commercials or flipping through “news” feeds. I’ve had much more time to do more meaningful things and feel much happier. – Larry

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I started reading “Why we sleep: Unlocking the power of sleep and dream” as well as Tim Ferris’s “Tools of Titans” and picked up some very useful tips from both.

• Standard advice like no cell phone/blue light, cool room, read before bed, etc.
• Bought a $25 sleeping mask Tim recommended, as well as a white noise machine (my apartment is close to a hospital…)
• Take warm epsom salt bath / drink warm no-caffeine tea before bed

I’ve been sleeping a lot better for the past year and it really changed my life for the better. Who knows improving what you do for 1/3 of your total lifespan would enhance your overall life. ;) – Khoa

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I’ve been trying to implement the “Touch it Once” policy. I want to deal with pieces of paper or emails or website links as fast as possible, to get them off of my to-do list, so I try to take care of it as soon as I touch it (or open a link). I got into a habit of picking things up once, putting it down, leaving 10 website tabs open on my computer, and it can quickly get overwhelming. So now when I get a piece of paper in my hands, or an email in my inbox I go think to myself “what can I do to take care of this issue so I never have to touch this piece of paper again”. Work has become much less stressful since I began implementing this policy. – Hannah

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I’d have to say the most beneficial hack for me lately has been logging my eating habits via the app Lose It! I’ve struggled with my eating habits for years and have finally found a way to hold myself accountable, learn how many calories I’m consuming daily, and all in a relatively simple app (there’s a bar code scanner, so it’s really easy!). – Nick S.

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One ‘hack’ for me to get up early — not only do I set an alarm, but I’ve also worked out arrangements with my helpful sister to give me a wakeup call every morning! She lives in a time zone ahead of me, so she’s up long before I would be up. She gives me a call at 6am my time (7am her time), and we try to chat for about twenty minutes first thing in the morning. This not only forces me to wake up and think right away — at least enough to have a reasonable sounding conversation — but it gives me some sisterly bonding time too! – Rachael

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I took a class in my community about Compassionate Listening. I went in thinking I would be on top of this skill from the beginning. wrong! I learned I stop listening not to jump in and make a point , but to be helpful and solve the problem efficiently. I learned I tended to sympathize by going into my own similar story, which shuts down listening. Take this class to understand family members and they will feel listened to. Neighbors and coworkers who are across the political spectrum will feel respected and listened to. I am creating Peace, amazing in these divisive times of nasty national discourse. – Mary

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The Best Career Hacks:

I started doing a micro-task managing approach where if something takes less than two minutes, I do it immediately instead of adding it to my list to do it later. It helps keep my inbox clean and keeps me available to switch gears and provide quick help to my peers. – Jana

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My career hack since starting with my current company is just being nice to everyone. Not in a suck-up way, but just saying hello, smiling, and being helpful when asked. It’s been four years and I just received my second promotion, and have seen my salary increase 41% since I started. – Gene C.

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I started using Tim Ferris‘ way of empowering employees/virtual assistants: to make decisions by themselves. Basically, give a small, non-damaging amount under which they can make decisions autonomously and then first review bi-weekly, and later move to monthly. Keep raising the amount to decrease your own workload. #LazyEntrepeneur. – Rick J.

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I have created a work uniform for myself. It’s not the exact same outfit everyday, so a more accurate term may be to call it a capsule wardrobe. Pretty much all of it is made with fabrics that are wash and go, cutting down both on the cost and time it takes to bring clothes to and from the dry cleaners. I have a few shirts, skirts, pants, shoes, and appropriate accessories that are all in the same color family and easily mix and match with each other. I cut down on the time I take deciding on what to wear to work, giving me more brain space to do my job well and work on my personal productivity :) – Elora

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Want to know the one career hack I’ve made JUST last month that has given me so much joy?

I said “No.”

I had taken on way too much and started to unravel and realized I was still effing broke and no further ahead than the previous year.

Saying No has allowed me to put myself first, not give a damn how the next person feels about it and have more time for meditation, journaling and self-love. I will be a better business owner, a better mom, wife, and in control of my money because of it! – Cicely

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And then lastly, here are a bunch of financial FAILS to help balance all the WINS here – since no one is perfect all the time ;)

My worst investment was in some credit cards. I was attempting to “travel hack” and earn free airlines miles and an assortment of other “free” rewards. Needless to say,I lost track of the amount I needed to spend and ended up with no rewards and a bunch of annual fees. – Katie

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The worst mistake I made (financially) was buying a van to live in to save money on rent. I figured the marginal costs were less than the benefits (of free living), so I bought a cheap van, fitted it with solar panels and all sorts of stuff (even a bed and sink), but in the end it was just required too much mechanical work that I did not see initially.

All in all, it cost me probably over 3k (not horrible) but I sold the van to cut losses and still have the panels as an asset, so it’s not as bad. I’m 19, so thankfully I took the risk early and I can remake it all back. – Joseph P

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The worst ‘investment’ I ever made are the things that I am so convinced I will use and then have never done a thing with. Like the public speaking course I spent over $400 on, or the Circut machine that I thought I had to have for over $300, or even the paper shredder I bought for almost $200. (At least the paper shredder I have used, albeit reluctantly. :P)

I think any time I put a lot of money down on something that I hope will change me, I’d better be careful. More self-improvement gadgets is no different than having a lot of kitchen gadgets and thinking I will be a world class chef, or having a lot of electronic technology will make me a computer programmer. Things on their own aren’t going to change me. I need to change first, and over time as that’s happening, I can re-evaluate if I ‘need’ anything else. (And in the process, not only will I be a different person, but hopefully save some money too! ;)) – Rachael

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When I was 19 I knew everything, just like every other teenager, right?

There was this girl, we’ll call her J. A girl who my parents did not like and surely didn’t approve of. But I knew everything and I was in love. After about six months of dating I needed some cash so I gave J my ATM card and PIN. Well, she came right back with cash. I called the bank (in secret of course) to check my balance to make sure I could trust her. It was all good. Or so I thought…

A few weeks later J and my mother in law (yes, I would soon marry J) emptied my checking account. $3,000 is a lot to lose when you’re only 19 years old. I was furious!! I forgave her of course because mother in law “really needed the money”.

We got married after dismissing the warnings from ALL my family and friends. I could go on and on about how many times my heart and bank account would be broken over the 3 years of marriage. My worst financial mistake? Not listening to my parents. Being so love struck you lose your mind and give away personal information.

The story ends well though (for me anyway). I’m re-married to wonderful gal and have a daughter. The daughter is now 19 and thinks she knows everything now too. Full circle. – Steve S

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Other popular fails were: loaning out money to family, not investing earlier, buying new cars, getting into debt, buying homes when not ready (!!!), buying whole life insurance, investing in “hot” stocks, bad marriages and divorces, launching/investing in businesses that you don’t know anything about, lifestyle inflation, trying out MLMs, investing in bitcoin, pulling out money from your 401k!, picking up timeshares, taking out too much student loans, and buying boats and horses – not at the same time ;)

So there you have it! Lots of tips to consider, as well as things to watch out for!

Thanks to all who participated in our giveaways last week! Back to our usual postings on Wednesday! 👍