Beating Broke

The Ultimate Frugal Shopping List for People Who Always Forget The Essentials

April 22, 2025 By Teri Monroe Leave a Comment

frugal shopping list ideas — Image Source: Pexels

Today, it’s even harder to be frugal when grocery shopping, especially with inflation. According to the Economic Research Service, grocery prices have risen by more than 23% from 2020 to 2024. If you want to save on groceries, you have to be strategic. You’ll also need to go to the grocery store armed with a shopping list. Here we’ll discuss how to save on all the essentials, even if you always forget them.

Pantry Staples

The best way to save money on groceries is to start stocking up your pantry stash. Wait until essentials like rice, beans, and pasta go on sale. Then, you’ll save even more money by buying these items in bulk. You’ll continue to save money if you utilize your pantry when cooking meals. Many pantry staples add affordable bulk to meals that help you keep the overall cost per serving down.

Vegetables

For frugal shopping list ideas, pick up vegetables that don’t spoil quickly. You’ll definitely want to grab a bag of potatoes, onions, and carrots. Each of these has multiple uses and doesn’t cost a lot. You may want to consider canned or frozen vegetables as opposed to fresh.

Fruits

Buying fruit, especially cut fruit, can drive up the cost of your groceries. Instead, you’ll want to buy staples like bananas and apples. Usually, there is at least one variety of apples on sale per week. Additionally, canned fruits are usually the cheapest option.

Bread

Some breads go bad more quickly than others. Sometimes, cheap white bread like Wonder Bread is the best choice. If you prefer other varieties like sourdough, you may want to consider making your own to save the most money.

Dairy

With the average price of eggs high right now, substitutes may save you the most money. You can substitute applesauce or mashed bananas for eggs if you’re baking or silken tofu for savory dishes. Cheese can also be expensive if you purchase it from the deli counter. Instead, look for store brands or sale items.

Meats

To save the most money, you don’t need the best cuts of meat. Look for manager’s specials or things like country-style ribs, ground turkey, thin-cut steaks, or sausages. You usually can get a good deal on any of these items. With the right recipe, you won’t have to sacrifice taste either.

Paper Products

Toilet paper and paper towels can cost you a pretty penny if you buy an expensive brand. Instead, you may want to buy items on Amazon and utilize a subscribe & save deal or apply a coupon. You can find the best Amazon deals on Jungle Deals.

Frugal Shopping List Ideas

Don’t wait to purchase the essentials if you want to save money. If you truly want to be frugal and save on your groceries, you’ll have to look for the best deals and buy essentials during sales. Then, you can start to build recipes around these items.

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6 Reasons Baby Boomers Were Never Broke and How You Can Follow Their Lead

April 17, 2025 By Teri Monroe Leave a Comment

6 Reasons Why Boomers Are Not Broke — Image Source: 123rf.com

Does it seem like your Boomer parents were never broke? For many Millennials and Gen Zs, it may seem impossible to get out of debt and grow your wealth. So, what financial secrets do Boomers live by? Here are 6 reasons Baby Boomers were never broke and how you can follow in their footsteps.

1. They Budgeted and Lived Within Their Means

Today, many younger generations give in to impulse spending and FOMO. Baby Boomers are well aware of their finances. In most cases, they don’t exceed their budgets or buy things they can’t afford. For example, if Boomers decide to take a vacation, they are very price-conscience and look for the best deals. When it comes to other purchases, they usually focus on needs over wants.

2. They Prioritized Big Purchases

Baby Boomers meticulously saved for larger purchases like homes and cars. They worked hard to pay off their mortgages and debts. Just because they tend to have a higher disposable income, they are still very value-driven in their spending and are more likely to make big purchases if they get a good deal. In contrast, many younger generations are quick to pay full price for bigger purchases, especially as the housing market has become more competitive.

3. They Stretched Every Dollar

Boomers are experts when it comes to money-saving hacks and cutting costs. They understand that you may need to buy things that are quality over quantity. For example, they don’t buy fast fashion the way younger generations do. They are more likely to cook at home than young people, and they often carry cash for purchases instead of using credit cards.

4. They Valued Their Money

Baby Boomers value things like how much money they have saved, and their self-sufficiency. They can be very prideful and don’t accept help or handouts. By having this mindset, they make sure that every dollar they earn is working for them by investing or growing their savings. For example, Baby Boomers have the largest percentage of their wealth in stocks and mutual funds. According to Federal Reserve data, about 28% of their wealth is in this category.

5. They Stayed in Their Jobs

Boomers are known for staying in their jobs. According to Fortune, a new poll says more than 40% of America’s baby boomers stayed with their employer for more than 20 years. This loyalty has paid off for many Boomers. Unsurprisingly, the driving factors are often tenures and traditional pensions. While many younger generations aren’t offered this opportunity for their retirement, Millennials and Gen Z can take a page out of Boomer’s book when it comes to job loyalty.

6. They Didn’t Spend More as Their Income Increased

Lifestyle creep is often a huge problem for younger generations. As their income increases over time, they usually continue to spend more and increase their budgets. One of the many reasons that Boomers are not broke is because they are traditionally more conservative with their money and frugal.

What financial tips will you adopt from Boomers? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

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Stolen Money: 8 Things Do Immediately After Finding a Bag of Money

April 15, 2025 By Teri Monroe Leave a Comment

It may seem unrealistic, but what if you found a bag of money? What would you do? There are instances where people have stumbled on hundreds of dollars in parking lots. According to HG.org, a 75-year-old woman once found and returned $100,000 she found in the parking lot of a restaurant in Tennessee. For many, that amount of money could be life-changing. Of course, the right thing is to let the authorities handle it and hand over the money. But what are your legal obligations if you find a sum of money? How would you handle it? Here’s what you need to do immediately if you are lucky enough to find a bag of money.

1. Try and Find The Owner

If you’ve found a bag of money, the first thing you should do is try to find the owner. If you can’t find its owner, turn it in to the police. Or if you found it in a parking lot, get the store involved.

2. Look for Identification

If you found a wallet, try to find an ID. You can then try and get in contact with its owner.

3. Don’t Touch It

You might not want to touch the money as it could be tied to a crime. You don’t want to tamper with evidence if the money was involved in a robbery. While this might seem like a scene out of a movie, your best bet may be to call the authorities and let them handle it.

4. Assess The Area

Take stock of your surroundings. Are there cameras around at a local business? You could ask them for help. Are there other people around who saw what happened? Make sure that you are all safe first before taking further action.

5. Document Your Findings

You might want to document what you found. Take pictures so that you can turn it over to the police. However, don’t post any photos on social media.

6. Wait for The Police

Once you call the police, you’ll want to wait for them to arrive. They probably will also want to question you. You’ll seem suspicious if you leave the scene.

7. Tell Your Story

Make sure you tell the truth when talking to the police. Let them know everything you saw and how you found the money. If the money is tied to a crime you may become a witness. You may even have to appear in court.

8. Know Your Rights

If you found the money, in some cases you may be entitled to it. This is usually after a holding period. Know your rights and be patient. But understand that just because you found the money doesn’t mean that it’s yours. If you found a large sum of money, you may want to enlist the help of an attorney.

Have you ever found money? What did you do with it? Let us know in the comments.

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