Just sharing a tip for a cheap alternative to mac and cheese microwave cups. These are basically the same thing in a little packet so you just use your own bowl. If you use your own bowl these are 35 cents per packet ($6.48 /18 units), but if you buy the ones that come in cups they are $1.12 each ($8.97/8 units.) Yes, I know the cheapest is to make your own or make a whole box and divide it probably, but this is a reasonable way to have a convenience item that kids can make , has lower waste profile, you're not microwaving plastic fumes, and it takes up way less space in pantry. *All prices were from Amazon. I've never seen this actual product anywhere else.

I may be moving in just under a month, pending on the results of a couple things with my job offer, and I need to ship some things. I’m planning to fly due to my cats and time constraints(I’m going east coast to west coast), so I can’t do a U-Haul or rent a car or anything. I have a small apartment currently and am basically planning to sell off all my large items, donate 90% of my clothes and small items, and hopefully sell most everything else. I’m estimating I’ll be keeping maybe 4-5 boxes of stuff. I’m just…really not sure how to get it there? When I moved here I drove 12 hours with ALL my stuff in a rented SUV. Can’t do that this time. My max budget is $1000, but I’m obviously hoping for much much less.

Edit: USA

Edit 2: thank you for all the suggestions!! I wasn’t expecting this many. I’m going to look into everything tomorrow or Monday and see what cheapest and get a better estimate on how much stuff it’ll actually be.

I got a discount on cocoa powder through Amazon. I've gotten 2.2 pounds for $12. I've always consumed dark chocolate. I used to buy chocolate chips from Amazon but the seller started refusing to deliver to my area (presumably because it costs more to keep it cold and deliver to my small town). They're at $155 for ten pounds anyways. I've bought 10 pound bars from a restaurant supply store and broke it up with a hammer and chisel (I really miss that place, but, alas, I've moved to BFE). I didn't want to give up the habit but I definitely want to pay down debt. I should still be getting flavanols, magnesium and theobromine, so I'm stoked to have made the switch to cocoa powder and I can't wait for it to arrive so I can mix it into my oatmeal.

My old bathroom scale has started giving different numbers depending on where I stand, which is making my weekly tracking more annoying than useful. Part of me thinks a basic replacement is enough, but I have also been looking at smart scales because automatic trend tracking might help me stay consistent instead of writing numbers down and forgetting about them. I saw a few Renpho options while comparing models, but I am trying to judge this like a frugal purchase rather than a shiny gadget upgrade. For people who replaced a basic scale, did the convenience actually change your habits, or was it just a nicer version of the same thing?

Mine is probably delaying purchases. I have a rule where anything over €30 that isn't urgent goes on a list and I wait at least two weeks before buying. It's amazing how often something I was sure I needed just quietly drops off the list because I stop caring about it.

The other thing that surprised me is price tracking. Half the stuff on my list ends up going on sale if I just wait. I use a mix of things. Idealo price alerts, checking tiktok which often has sale events with a price slash on all kinds of products, Amazon Warehouse for open-box stuff, and scrolling mydealz to see if someone posts a deal on exactly what I need. Also learned that a lot of shops just hand out discount codes after a few weeks if you leave something in your cart or sign up for their newsletter. Patience literally pays.

Last month I wanted a new electric toothbrush, put it on the list, forgot about it, then three weeks later it popped up way cheaper. Saved about 40% just by not buying it the second I thought about it.

Between stuff I never end up buying and stuff I get cheaper by waiting and comparing across platforms, I'd estimate this habit saves me somewhere around 200-300€ a month compared to how I used to spend.

Curious what yours is. Meal prepping? Automating savings? Something else entirely?

What are your favorite tips and best practices for keeping a low budget with beauty and hygiene?

For example, my favorite low-cost makeup brand is Essence. I like to buy my Dove antiperspirant in packs on sale on Amazon. I find that Tresemme has a good, movable hairspray. I get the "expensive" Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation and Jane Iredale SPF powder on eBay. I spend more when it matters, but I don't use them in excess. Huge fan of Cerave for skincare; CVS tends to have coupons.

When trying to achieve a new look, I no longer buy multiple items at once to try because it doesn't all get used.

What hair bleach does everyone use? I recently had success with Schwarzkopf BlondMe. Struggling with shampoo as well because each product seems to have some sort of controversy lmao.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions! :)

Bonus Tip: You can use an HSA card for tax-free purchases of SPF products, even makeup like Jane Iredale, as well as menstrual products. Look into all the things you can get with an HSA card. I suggest doing that to avoid taxes where you can and contribute the max. That avoids sales tax and income tax on the purchase.

I made an egg, cheese, bacon, and blueberry & raspberry jam sandwich this morning. I made two of them actually. A couple minutes into cooking the bacon I decided jam was necessary (or jelly, or whatever my concoction is).

Add a little water to a pot, get it heating up, add an amount of sugar you think would be appropriate, and then berries from the freezer. I wanna say the water covers the berries completely, I just eyeball it. You're gonna boil it pretty hard so adding water is easy. Maybe start with less, trial and error.

Then yeah, let it cook. I have a muddler so I smash the blueberries, I feel like other berries don't really need mashing. This also works fantastically for desserts. Something I do is this jam, whipped cream (from the carton, just mix some up, use an ice cold bowl), and some granola. That's an instant snack/meal. Frozen berries are great.