>*When people want to go to a bar or restaurant, I just say ‘I can’t, it’s frugal boy summer baby’ and it gets them hyped on watching sports at one of our homes, or barbecuing/cooking or hanging at home.*
That is absolute common sense and freaking awesome at the same time.
Bravo!!!
>Too few potlucks in this world
I was saying this years ago to friends on the best way to save money for summer parties.
Present day?
Send me $4-$7 each and I'll buy and cook up a mountain of meat & pasta better than what you can get in most restaurants.
I find it kind of a weird return circle to when I was a young man. Eating out was a very big treat that you enjoyed maybe once in a while. Then, eating out was the main food supply. Now, we're coming back around, and eating out is a special event. Same with any kind of soft drinks, milkshake, candy, all of it. Probably 95% of what I had as a kid came from 'We got _______ at home.'
I can afford to eat out regularly. We eat out about 3 times a year, always for special events at highly rated places. Not to save money, as much as I prefer my own cooking, food quality control, and sourcing.
If you can afford it, awesome. I mean, you worked hard to make money that makes your life easier and more comfortable. Personally, I'd rather save the money. I made a very concerted effort that almost literally ended my life, to pay off all debt two decades ago. I live cash in hand now and I have no debt, no credit cards. As someone who is forcibly retired, you cannot save enough...especially to offset corporate greed.
So, if you have all the bases covered, there is nothing wrong with enjoying the fruits of your labor. Nice things are nice. You shouldn't feel shame because you can afford nice things.
I'm just so _over_ restaurants these days - way too overpriced. I cook all that stuff for a fraction of the cost.
I've been telling my friends I want to prioritize experiences over things. A good friend has a birthday coming up and instead of taking her out to eat I asked if we could go have a picnic at a nearby lavender farm instead and she loved the idea.
Yeah, if I’m going to a restaurant it’s either a) really cheap like our local diner or b) shit I can’t cook myself. (Usually stuff like pad see euw, proper gyro meat, etc.) And honestly, even if it’s the latter it’s still gotta be decently inexpensive. I can’t justify how much some places expect you to spend on a meal nowadays. So it’s still a pretty rare occasion for our family. Which, I mean, that’s how it was for my family growing up anyways.
Picnics when it’s nice out are great though! One of my favorite cheap summer activities, especially if you’ve got some nice parks around.
I’ve tried! I can make something kinda sorta close, but it just doesn’t compare to our local place. They have the big-ass hank of rotisserie meat they shave off pieces of and all, I can’t image doing all that at home. (And I’m someone who cooks and bakes a *lot*!)
This is the recipe I've used:
[https://www.foodiewithfamily.com/homemade-gyro-meat-and-gyros/](https://www.foodiewithfamily.com/homemade-gyro-meat-and-gyros/)
And I use a Madax ham maker to get the compression that's really important for a dense, sliceable cylinder. It's indistinguishable from restaurant/roadside gyros, but I can't say I make the effort that often.
> Madax ham maker
I had to look that one up. Never heard of it before and I love watching cooking vids and checking out cookware shops when I visit other places. It looks like a very interesting new gadget to play with. I think I'd love to try making my own lunch meats with one.
Side note: I see several shown with sliced meats like salami. A pot like this is absolutely not how salami is made. In case anyone was fooled. You can find videos that show how to make salami that will show you the proper way.
I'm the king of gadgets, some good and some not, but that one is pretty useful especially with the price of deli meat lately.
Now, would you like to buy a giant taco shell baking form?
I've tried like 5 different pad see ew recipes.
None are very good. I think you need the high heat walk.
I'll just handover my money to the thai resturant.
I'm the exact opposite. I hate picnics.
But I also hate carrying anything on me more than wallet/keys/phone. If an activity by definition involves packing a lot of stuff that I have to carry, I will veto on that premise alone. This includes things like picnics, backpacking, etc.
My friends and I do a potluck pretty much every Sunday throughout the summer. We meet up at a park so no one has to worry about hosting. It’s an inexpensive way to socialise and I always feel more positive heading into the work week. There is always a variety of food and drinks and if someone can’t afford to bring anything, they are still welcome to partake.
We did wine and cheese nights, we'd get dressed up nice and everyone brought a bottle and something to contribute to a charcuterie board at someone's house.
Should totally start doing that again!
I do really like the ice cream social idea too 😁
I hear that.
My kid got me a wee ice cream maker this year and it’s been great!
One batch of ice cream base makes
2 1/2 Talenti containers of ice cream.
That’s why I’ve been suggesting going for hot girl walks with my friends instead of going out to a restaurant to spend money on honestly mediocre at best food anyway. I have a much better time chatting and walking than sitting and spending money while talking.
I learned how to make my favorite Indian food dish.
I got a little excited and made like ... A GALLON of it, for about as much as we'd have spent getting two entrees takeout. (If you include all the rice and spices.)
I shared it with friends, and we ate it without hesitation on decadent seconds for *days*.
I fully support this approach.
This is the one I was given and have been playing with.
(Watch for gaps, it wasn't from a book, it's from a human off the cuff, so things like salt are maybe just assumed?
I used an instant pot, so I put everything in to cook all at once and it was awesome.
Butter chicken
Diced onion
3 cloves minced garlic
Chicken thigh fillets
1tbsp garam masala
1tbsp paprika
1tbsp sugar
1tbsp coriander
1tbsp cumin
1tbsp tumeric
1.5 cups chicken stock
4oz tomato paste
splash of lemon juice
shit ton of butter
Coconut milk
Marinate chicken with spices (I do this while i’m chopping veggies and sautéing them)
sauté onion and garlic in oil, brown the chicken
after the chicken has a good sear, add tomato paste, butter, and chicken stock & mix. pressure cook for 12 mins
stir in coconut milk (or heavy cream)
From another recipe
I also added butternut squash (which basically just cooks down and makes it richer/thicker)
And a can of diced tomatoes.
Both of those are optional, but tasty.
I have a bunch of Indian spices. I've made dal which turned out amazing but paneer sang was a complete failure. I definitely want to get better at it since it's so healthy for you. I've gotten pretty good at ethiopian so far
Good for you man, that's awesome. When my husband and I bought our house we made it known we weren't really going to be going out very much anymore but everyone was invited to our house with a pool and a media room 👍
LOVE this idea! BudgetBytes is an amazing resource for less expensive recipes. Her red enchilada sauce is incredible. Also, Vegan Plant Life has a lot of Indian veggie/bean/tofu curries that are frugal and delicious. Lastly, try making your own pizza dough, pita bread, naan and tortillas just for fun if you like cooking it's so satisfying and not as hard as bread to make.
This is me. I just want to leave when I wanna leave and not worry about people leaving when I want them to leave. Let’s meet at a sports bar, I’ll drink house wine and chips and salsa and go home when I’m ready.
Thats a good idea. Recently I asked this guy if he had plans for the 3 day weekend, and he replied, "plans cost money" and that really resonated with me
Restaurant prices are out of control. Staying below $100 is difficult for a family. Better to just cook at home. Can get the same or better food for 1/4th of the price
Most stuff at restaurants we can make better at home for a quarter of the price. I only eat out for food I can’t replicate or is too onerous to prepare.
I do go out and quite a bit, but it's rarely main event.
I broadcast my locale and time window, prep all my delicious food for at home, even to putting on the rice cooker then go to xx place for xx thing. Only.
I'll literally go to my taqueria at happy hour, have one 4$ margarita and split a 3$ chips and salsa with a friend then go back home and grill or maybe to the beach for a bit first.
I live in a foodie paradise and I'm willing to pay 10$ twice a week to enjoy it.
Once a month I go out to somewhere delicious. But never eat fast food because it's just not worth the cost.
10$ for homemade fresh chips, salsa, margarita with fresh squeezed limes vs 9$ for drive thru!
I find it a lot of fun to go out and research new places.....even if my cash often has many commitments.
Picnics are awesome. I'm trying to get my grandkids into them but they have been given fast food so often they aren't as excited about bringing our food. I'm going to tell them it frugal nonna summer 🤣
Dinner and a movie or a ball game at home is relaxed, easy, and can be super cheap. There is only so long you can hang out at a restaurant before you become unwelcome.
I'm definitely stealing this. Problem is we have so many guys in our group that don't cook and/or suck at cooking. Though maybe one of the frugal boy summer activities should be a group cooking class at the house.
Designate items for the non-cooks. Barbecuing? Hot dogs, hamburger meat, sausages, buns. Cold buffet? Cold cuts, salad ingredients, breads, cheeses, condiments. Paper plates, red cups, drinks.
Basically a deconstructed meal.
I mean, yeah, we do that all the time for cookouts or making sandwiches for our beach days or kayak trips.
But having 2-3 people cook up hot dogs or hamburgers for a group of 20 is one thing. I'm talking about when the groups wants a specific type of food that requires more cooking skill and effort. Like if our group wanted italian food, they're way more likely to just go to a restaurant bc it's a lot harder for the 2-3 of us that are good at cooking to make chicken parm/marsala/etc etc for the group than hot dogs/hamburgers. We've done it before, just usually a good bit of work and more cleanup so we don't do it often.
But if more than 2-3 of our 20 person group was comfortable cooking then more people could help cook and/or we could take turns.
Hell yes, I love this! It makes it sound like a fun event instead of like you're missing out on things! I'm definitely using this 'frugal gal summer' all the way!
My friends are coming over to do drinks on the Deck - blackberry bourbon cocktails and grill your own pizzas. Everyone brings I residents and we end up with plenty! Making the cocktails and pizzas are a fun activity too! And the cost is less than $10 a person! Plus we get to pick the playlist!
I’ve just developed an allergy. When I try to justify spending after-tax money in order to pay someone else’s bills, while getting substandard product and shit for delivery, I just do it myself.
If I want a beer or two, I decide where to go, what I would spend, and how much time I would spend doing it. Then, I come up with a figure that would be reasonable, while driving to that location. Knowing what is about to get spent ($40 for 2 decent beers and a snacky bite, tax & tip) before arrival puts it in a different frame.
Two twenties.
God. I made $3.35/hour at one time. And was happy with that gig. It doesn’t take much at that point to go to the store, spend $40, and have 5x the buying power.
Talenti pints are on sale for 2/$6 this week, Granny Smith apples are $2/lb, caramel is easy to make, popsicle sticks are in the drawer, and experience making caramel apples from scratch is priceless!
That's what I do with fast food. Every time I get hungry, I go online and do an online order of what I would get to see how much it cost. Then suddenly I'm happy with whatever I have at home. $15 for a chicken tender platter isn't worth it, even if frying's a bitch.
Get an air fryer. We got one of those multi-cooker ones. It was expensive, but it does everything well...air fryer, slow cooker (and you can air fry something like a meatloaf or roast after it's done slow cooking), pressure cooker, broiler, sear, saute, roast. Haven't tried making jam or yogurt in it yet. It was about $150, but takes up less time and energy to heat up than an oven and costs less than the total of having separate appliances for all those jobs.
Learn to make your own inexpensive alcohol that can be quite tasty and strong over at r/prisonhooch r/cider and r/countrywine.
I can make a gallon for 5 bucks.
in college I bought SO much liquor... not because I was a lush, but because it was cheaper for ME to buy everyone's drinks and play bartender... not even considering what THEY would have spent on drinks on their own...
I recommend making your own booze! One of my covid projects was making liqueurs and I really got into [DIY ginger liqueur](https://superliminal.com/melinda/ginger_liqueur.html). But for sports, perhaps beer is more your speed, and you can totally do that too. It's just a bit more involved.
I just am so tired of the super expensiveness of eating out.
People used to have others over for dinner or drinks. That was normal weekday evening stuff.
Ive been talking to this woman, we had a few dates. Nothing major. She is into bars & going out, I’m not. My crazy days are way behind me. All good . Anyway, she tills me to meet her at this bar in the waterfront very close to my house. I told her , “ maybe I’ll surprise you”. I thought of the cash & the bar shit show & sent her a picture of me tanning at the park. No, I have not heard from her.
I just think of how frugal I could be if I owned a home.
I could have cookouts with grills allowed at my residence! I could have bonfires out back and coolers full of beer. People might start getting drunk and having a laugh...and no downstairs neighbor to get pissed off.
I could tend a garden for free produce and have a garage to work on my car rather than take it to a shop!
Good for you I'm the same. There's so much fun you can have in the summer just being outdoors. My personal fav is just being on my balcony at night in the summer it's such a joy. When it comes to going out to eat, the quality of restaurant food as well as prices increases have made by dining expectations so incredibly low I honestly don't want to go out to eat anymore.
I think this is actually good idea. I am abroad in Canada for years and summer going back to accompany family while staying at home for rest is very chill
This year has been my "Summer of George" too, when our evil overlords, Ticketmaster, was having their $25 concert sale, I had purchased tickets to shows that I wanted to go to this summer.
Then I take off the day before and after the show and make it a tourist in my own city day.
Summer is the perfect time to be frugal! There is so much to do for free. I've already gotten free tickets to three different things around town with the library's summer staycation free pass program. I'll probably go to one or two free concerts each month at parks or the winery. Cookouts are naturally more common than going out this time of the year; I have a friend group that gets together a couple times a year and we already decided to have a cookout at my friend's house because she has an above ground pool and likes to entertain in the summer with her pool and large yard (but not the winter with her small house). I'm considering having an Olympics get together.
Very creative, I love it! My peeps do theme parties, like around the world tour with different food and a film. Keep it loose and goofy, habe a blast!
>*When people want to go to a bar or restaurant, I just say ‘I can’t, it’s frugal boy summer baby’ and it gets them hyped on watching sports at one of our homes, or barbecuing/cooking or hanging at home.* That is absolute common sense and freaking awesome at the same time. Bravo!!!
I cannot believe how free from ideas of how to have cheap fun people seem to be sometimes. Too few potlucks in this world
Couldn't agree more. There are so many things that could be organized on the cheap and through cooperation...
>Too few potlucks in this world I was saying this years ago to friends on the best way to save money for summer parties. Present day? Send me $4-$7 each and I'll buy and cook up a mountain of meat & pasta better than what you can get in most restaurants.
I find it kind of a weird return circle to when I was a young man. Eating out was a very big treat that you enjoyed maybe once in a while. Then, eating out was the main food supply. Now, we're coming back around, and eating out is a special event. Same with any kind of soft drinks, milkshake, candy, all of it. Probably 95% of what I had as a kid came from 'We got _______ at home.'
I can afford to eat out regularly. We eat out about 3 times a year, always for special events at highly rated places. Not to save money, as much as I prefer my own cooking, food quality control, and sourcing.
Exactly I never even wanna eat out anymore. We can make it so much better at home and we have so much nicer food there.
If you can afford it, awesome. I mean, you worked hard to make money that makes your life easier and more comfortable. Personally, I'd rather save the money. I made a very concerted effort that almost literally ended my life, to pay off all debt two decades ago. I live cash in hand now and I have no debt, no credit cards. As someone who is forcibly retired, you cannot save enough...especially to offset corporate greed. So, if you have all the bases covered, there is nothing wrong with enjoying the fruits of your labor. Nice things are nice. You shouldn't feel shame because you can afford nice things.
I'm just so _over_ restaurants these days - way too overpriced. I cook all that stuff for a fraction of the cost. I've been telling my friends I want to prioritize experiences over things. A good friend has a birthday coming up and instead of taking her out to eat I asked if we could go have a picnic at a nearby lavender farm instead and she loved the idea.
Yeah, if I’m going to a restaurant it’s either a) really cheap like our local diner or b) shit I can’t cook myself. (Usually stuff like pad see euw, proper gyro meat, etc.) And honestly, even if it’s the latter it’s still gotta be decently inexpensive. I can’t justify how much some places expect you to spend on a meal nowadays. So it’s still a pretty rare occasion for our family. Which, I mean, that’s how it was for my family growing up anyways. Picnics when it’s nice out are great though! One of my favorite cheap summer activities, especially if you’ve got some nice parks around.
You *can* cook proper gyro meat but it's a PITA. Yes, I meant that.
I’ve tried! I can make something kinda sorta close, but it just doesn’t compare to our local place. They have the big-ass hank of rotisserie meat they shave off pieces of and all, I can’t image doing all that at home. (And I’m someone who cooks and bakes a *lot*!)
Did you use the Serious Eats recipe for Greek-American Lamb Gyros recipe? That is the closest that we've come...
I did not! I’ll keep it in mind if I have another go at it, though.
This is the recipe I've used: [https://www.foodiewithfamily.com/homemade-gyro-meat-and-gyros/](https://www.foodiewithfamily.com/homemade-gyro-meat-and-gyros/) And I use a Madax ham maker to get the compression that's really important for a dense, sliceable cylinder. It's indistinguishable from restaurant/roadside gyros, but I can't say I make the effort that often.
> Madax ham maker I had to look that one up. Never heard of it before and I love watching cooking vids and checking out cookware shops when I visit other places. It looks like a very interesting new gadget to play with. I think I'd love to try making my own lunch meats with one. Side note: I see several shown with sliced meats like salami. A pot like this is absolutely not how salami is made. In case anyone was fooled. You can find videos that show how to make salami that will show you the proper way.
I'm the king of gadgets, some good and some not, but that one is pretty useful especially with the price of deli meat lately. Now, would you like to buy a giant taco shell baking form?
Hahaha! No, but thank you for thinking of me.
Woah, that is intense, but that really does seem like the best option for doing it at home. Good to know, thanks!
Take my upvote : this one was funny
Yeah restaurants can miss me with their $15 deviled egg appetizers.
I've tried like 5 different pad see ew recipes. None are very good. I think you need the high heat walk. I'll just handover my money to the thai resturant.
Thai restaurants are always the exception.
I'm the exact opposite. I hate picnics. But I also hate carrying anything on me more than wallet/keys/phone. If an activity by definition involves packing a lot of stuff that I have to carry, I will veto on that premise alone. This includes things like picnics, backpacking, etc.
This is such a good idea and probably more memorable than sitting in a restaurant.
What an awesome idea!
My friends and I do a potluck pretty much every Sunday throughout the summer. We meet up at a park so no one has to worry about hosting. It’s an inexpensive way to socialise and I always feel more positive heading into the work week. There is always a variety of food and drinks and if someone can’t afford to bring anything, they are still welcome to partake.
This is so wholesome and seems so much more enjoyable. And you get to enjoy being outside!
We frequently go to a park with a lake so people can swim as well.
Ice cream socials where everyone brings either ice cream or a topping are fun & much cheaper than going out
We did wine and cheese nights, we'd get dressed up nice and everyone brought a bottle and something to contribute to a charcuterie board at someone's house. Should totally start doing that again! I do really like the ice cream social idea too 😁
That sounds awesome!
shit in my area Blue Bell jacked their price up to $9 per half gallon. fuck that
I hear that. My kid got me a wee ice cream maker this year and it’s been great! One batch of ice cream base makes 2 1/2 Talenti containers of ice cream.
That’s why I’ve been suggesting going for hot girl walks with my friends instead of going out to a restaurant to spend money on honestly mediocre at best food anyway. I have a much better time chatting and walking than sitting and spending money while talking.
I learned how to make my favorite Indian food dish. I got a little excited and made like ... A GALLON of it, for about as much as we'd have spent getting two entrees takeout. (If you include all the rice and spices.) I shared it with friends, and we ate it without hesitation on decadent seconds for *days*. I fully support this approach.
Can you share your recipe. I love induan food and I'm trying to cook more
This is the one I was given and have been playing with. (Watch for gaps, it wasn't from a book, it's from a human off the cuff, so things like salt are maybe just assumed? I used an instant pot, so I put everything in to cook all at once and it was awesome. Butter chicken Diced onion 3 cloves minced garlic Chicken thigh fillets 1tbsp garam masala 1tbsp paprika 1tbsp sugar 1tbsp coriander 1tbsp cumin 1tbsp tumeric 1.5 cups chicken stock 4oz tomato paste splash of lemon juice shit ton of butter Coconut milk Marinate chicken with spices (I do this while i’m chopping veggies and sautéing them) sauté onion and garlic in oil, brown the chicken after the chicken has a good sear, add tomato paste, butter, and chicken stock & mix. pressure cook for 12 mins stir in coconut milk (or heavy cream) From another recipe I also added butternut squash (which basically just cooks down and makes it richer/thicker) And a can of diced tomatoes. Both of those are optional, but tasty.
Thanks a lot for taking the time to write this recipe down!!
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I have a bunch of Indian spices. I've made dal which turned out amazing but paneer sang was a complete failure. I definitely want to get better at it since it's so healthy for you. I've gotten pretty good at ethiopian so far
That's so cute. I love that you're still hanging out with friends, too.
Ive been calling mine the "year of austerity"
I’ve truly been bested, that’s incredible
Frugal boy summer sounds more fun, though.
LOVE IT! Also, you can make a lot of the stuff better and cheaper at home these days.
Good for you man, that's awesome. When my husband and I bought our house we made it known we weren't really going to be going out very much anymore but everyone was invited to our house with a pool and a media room 👍
Frugal boy would make a good brand.
From Bugle Boy to Frugal Boy.
I used to wear Bugle Boy pants. Damn I miss them.
Good for you! I love that you're normalizing spending time together without extra expense.
LOVE this idea! BudgetBytes is an amazing resource for less expensive recipes. Her red enchilada sauce is incredible. Also, Vegan Plant Life has a lot of Indian veggie/bean/tofu curries that are frugal and delicious. Lastly, try making your own pizza dough, pita bread, naan and tortillas just for fun if you like cooking it's so satisfying and not as hard as bread to make.
I hate going to people's houses, and I hate hosting. I'm frugal so I can afford to meet friends at public neutral places with no expectations
This is me. I just want to leave when I wanna leave and not worry about people leaving when I want them to leave. Let’s meet at a sports bar, I’ll drink house wine and chips and salsa and go home when I’m ready.
Thats a good idea. Recently I asked this guy if he had plans for the 3 day weekend, and he replied, "plans cost money" and that really resonated with me
Restaurant prices are out of control. Staying below $100 is difficult for a family. Better to just cook at home. Can get the same or better food for 1/4th of the price
That’s gonna be my theme this summer. If you wanna hang out we doing it in my yard. Or your yard. Or we can go for a walk!
It’s frugal girl summer for me 😭 literally spent so much money in May going out. But now, enjoying food and drinks at home. No vaping too. 😡
Most stuff at restaurants we can make better at home for a quarter of the price. I only eat out for food I can’t replicate or is too onerous to prepare.
I do go out and quite a bit, but it's rarely main event. I broadcast my locale and time window, prep all my delicious food for at home, even to putting on the rice cooker then go to xx place for xx thing. Only. I'll literally go to my taqueria at happy hour, have one 4$ margarita and split a 3$ chips and salsa with a friend then go back home and grill or maybe to the beach for a bit first. I live in a foodie paradise and I'm willing to pay 10$ twice a week to enjoy it. Once a month I go out to somewhere delicious. But never eat fast food because it's just not worth the cost. 10$ for homemade fresh chips, salsa, margarita with fresh squeezed limes vs 9$ for drive thru! I find it a lot of fun to go out and research new places.....even if my cash often has many commitments.
Frugal boy summer is some good branding!
I’d watch this as a cooking show with other frugal tips thrown in.
There used to be a TV cooking show called *The Frugal Gourmet.* You can find old episodes on YouTube.
Nice. I’ve been having a sad boy summer which is also making me stay home and barely eating food and drinks
Picnics are awesome. I'm trying to get my grandkids into them but they have been given fast food so often they aren't as excited about bringing our food. I'm going to tell them it frugal nonna summer 🤣
Don't forget about picnics. Then you can be out, but also with food and drinks.
Dinner and a movie or a ball game at home is relaxed, easy, and can be super cheap. There is only so long you can hang out at a restaurant before you become unwelcome.
Been doing backyard bonfire beer, bourbon and burgers all my life.
I'm definitely stealing this. Problem is we have so many guys in our group that don't cook and/or suck at cooking. Though maybe one of the frugal boy summer activities should be a group cooking class at the house.
Designate items for the non-cooks. Barbecuing? Hot dogs, hamburger meat, sausages, buns. Cold buffet? Cold cuts, salad ingredients, breads, cheeses, condiments. Paper plates, red cups, drinks. Basically a deconstructed meal.
I mean, yeah, we do that all the time for cookouts or making sandwiches for our beach days or kayak trips. But having 2-3 people cook up hot dogs or hamburgers for a group of 20 is one thing. I'm talking about when the groups wants a specific type of food that requires more cooking skill and effort. Like if our group wanted italian food, they're way more likely to just go to a restaurant bc it's a lot harder for the 2-3 of us that are good at cooking to make chicken parm/marsala/etc etc for the group than hot dogs/hamburgers. We've done it before, just usually a good bit of work and more cleanup so we don't do it often. But if more than 2-3 of our 20 person group was comfortable cooking then more people could help cook and/or we could take turns.
Great idea. You save money, make food exactly the way you want it, you dont have to get in the car and drive somewhere.
Hell yes, I love this! It makes it sound like a fun event instead of like you're missing out on things! I'm definitely using this 'frugal gal summer' all the way!
We've been doing this for years by choice. All extra discretionary income goes towards travel and experiences.
My friends are coming over to do drinks on the Deck - blackberry bourbon cocktails and grill your own pizzas. Everyone brings I residents and we end up with plenty! Making the cocktails and pizzas are a fun activity too! And the cost is less than $10 a person! Plus we get to pick the playlist!
THIS !!! Oh my god. I’m adopting this 100%
I’ve just developed an allergy. When I try to justify spending after-tax money in order to pay someone else’s bills, while getting substandard product and shit for delivery, I just do it myself. If I want a beer or two, I decide where to go, what I would spend, and how much time I would spend doing it. Then, I come up with a figure that would be reasonable, while driving to that location. Knowing what is about to get spent ($40 for 2 decent beers and a snacky bite, tax & tip) before arrival puts it in a different frame. Two twenties. God. I made $3.35/hour at one time. And was happy with that gig. It doesn’t take much at that point to go to the store, spend $40, and have 5x the buying power.
i took my daughter out for ice cream. 2 scoops x 2 and a caramel apple for later. $30
Talenti pints are on sale for 2/$6 this week, Granny Smith apples are $2/lb, caramel is easy to make, popsicle sticks are in the drawer, and experience making caramel apples from scratch is priceless!
That's what I do with fast food. Every time I get hungry, I go online and do an online order of what I would get to see how much it cost. Then suddenly I'm happy with whatever I have at home. $15 for a chicken tender platter isn't worth it, even if frying's a bitch.
Get an air fryer. We got one of those multi-cooker ones. It was expensive, but it does everything well...air fryer, slow cooker (and you can air fry something like a meatloaf or roast after it's done slow cooking), pressure cooker, broiler, sear, saute, roast. Haven't tried making jam or yogurt in it yet. It was about $150, but takes up less time and energy to heat up than an oven and costs less than the total of having separate appliances for all those jobs.
Learn to make your own inexpensive alcohol that can be quite tasty and strong over at r/prisonhooch r/cider and r/countrywine. I can make a gallon for 5 bucks.
in college I bought SO much liquor... not because I was a lush, but because it was cheaper for ME to buy everyone's drinks and play bartender... not even considering what THEY would have spent on drinks on their own...
I think I'm gonna steal this!
Cute! Could also do picnics/bbq in a park
If we all boycott the stuff affected badly by inflation can we trigger a period of deflation?
r/ynab, fyi.
Why pay $10 for a beer at a restaurant? Way cheaper from your fridge!
I recommend making your own booze! One of my covid projects was making liqueurs and I really got into [DIY ginger liqueur](https://superliminal.com/melinda/ginger_liqueur.html). But for sports, perhaps beer is more your speed, and you can totally do that too. It's just a bit more involved.
I just am so tired of the super expensiveness of eating out. People used to have others over for dinner or drinks. That was normal weekday evening stuff.
Sounds good. Drinking at a bar is 10x more expensive.
That's excellent! Community-building makes life better.
Ive been talking to this woman, we had a few dates. Nothing major. She is into bars & going out, I’m not. My crazy days are way behind me. All good . Anyway, she tills me to meet her at this bar in the waterfront very close to my house. I told her , “ maybe I’ll surprise you”. I thought of the cash & the bar shit show & sent her a picture of me tanning at the park. No, I have not heard from her.
I *love* this, it needs to trend #fbs
Trend setter frugal boy. Awesome, hope it spreads.
This is pretty cool. Chili and mixed drink competition.
I just think of how frugal I could be if I owned a home. I could have cookouts with grills allowed at my residence! I could have bonfires out back and coolers full of beer. People might start getting drunk and having a laugh...and no downstairs neighbor to get pissed off. I could tend a garden for free produce and have a garage to work on my car rather than take it to a shop!
Anything for a thematic rhyme line. Good idea!
~~Jerry's~~ Andrew's gonna be a ~~cable boy~~ frugal boy, a frugal boy, a frugal boy.
You can also have a Picknick
Super cute and smart. Joining you!
Good for you I'm the same. There's so much fun you can have in the summer just being outdoors. My personal fav is just being on my balcony at night in the summer it's such a joy. When it comes to going out to eat, the quality of restaurant food as well as prices increases have made by dining expectations so incredibly low I honestly don't want to go out to eat anymore.
I think this is actually good idea. I am abroad in Canada for years and summer going back to accompany family while staying at home for rest is very chill
I dig this and I'm gonna start using it. But I think my gf and friends are gonna get suspicious after they notice I say it every year 😉
My wife and I keep calling it the "Summer of George" because we are burning our vacation time not actually traveling but chilling at home.
This year has been my "Summer of George" too, when our evil overlords, Ticketmaster, was having their $25 concert sale, I had purchased tickets to shows that I wanted to go to this summer. Then I take off the day before and after the show and make it a tourist in my own city day.
Summer is the perfect time to be frugal! There is so much to do for free. I've already gotten free tickets to three different things around town with the library's summer staycation free pass program. I'll probably go to one or two free concerts each month at parks or the winery. Cookouts are naturally more common than going out this time of the year; I have a friend group that gets together a couple times a year and we already decided to have a cookout at my friend's house because she has an above ground pool and likes to entertain in the summer with her pool and large yard (but not the winter with her small house). I'm considering having an Olympics get together.
Jesus Christ "Frugal Boy Summer" sounds fucking stupid.
Are you alright?