Give your best money, saving tips here

Lounge
1

When making Asian dishes like Chinese food for example you can sub substitute tofu for meat and save a lot of money

1 Like
2

Have breakfast for dinner once or twice a week. A bowl of Cheerios or pancakes are cheaper than a steak dinner or chicken with sides.

Go to the website Budget bytes. They have recipes that are cheap, easy and they list the price of each ingredient so you know how much each meal costs. They have amazing variety too.

Buy generic brands of food or the store brand. They are usually as good as name brands where you’re just paying for the label.

Plan and write down a weeks worth of meals at a time. It’s found that people who plan out their meals ahead of time save about 20% on their grocery bill.

Buy fruits and vegetables that are in season, they’re cheaper and you can easily find a list of them online.

Shop sales, many stores put out weekly circulars you can find on their website with big discounts on meat and vegetables.

Eat more chicken, it’s cheaper than beef!

2 Likes
3

I always post this but I don’t think anyone ever takes advantage of it. It’s a shame, basically it’s a program that will give you a one time payment once a year for your heating and electric bill. The application is not that complicated; I used it one year and they gave me $350 towards my heating and electric bill. In all the years I’ve been posting this info, I think one or two people have used it.

AI Overview

LIHEAP, the

Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program

, is a federal program that helps low-income households pay for heating and cooling costs. It provides financial assistance for utility bills and can also offer services like weatherization to improve energy efficiency and address health and safety concerns. Eligibility is determined by income, household size, and other factors that can vary by state.

How LIHEAP can help

  • Bill assistance: Provides one-time financial aid to help pay heating and cooling bills, including those for wood, propane, or oil.

  • Energy crisis assistance: Offers help during emergencies or energy crises, such as a shut-off notice.

  • Home improvements: May fund in-home weatherization services to improve energy efficiency and for health and safety reasons.

  • Equipment repair: Can help with the repair or replacement of heating equipment like furnaces.

How to apply

  • Gather documents: Collect your most recent utility bill(s), any shut-off notices, and proof of income for all adults in the household for the last 30 days.

  • Find your local office: The application process is managed at the state or local level. You can find your local office and specific requirements through the LIHEAP Clearinghouse website.

  • Complete the application: Applications can often be submitted online, by mail, or by fax.

  • Check eligibility: Eligibility depends on factors like household income, size, and where you live.

2 Likes
4

Look around for the cheapest internet and phone plan. You may be overpaying with your current company and many companies are offering cheap, promotional plans. I pay $15 for internet with xfinity and $57 for my phone monthly which includes a $10 payment each month for the new iPhone 15 I just bought.

You don’t need your oil changed on your car very 3000 miles. Getting it done every 5000 miles is fine and doesn’t hurt your car.

Too Good To Go is a popular app designed to reduce food waste by letting users buy surplus food from local restaurants, bakeries, grocery stores, and cafĂ©s at a steep discount. Here’s how it works:

  1. Browse nearby deals: The app shows participating businesses in your area offering “Surprise Bags” of unsold food — often available near closing time.

  2. Reserve and pay in-app: You reserve a bag (usually priced between $4–$7 for $12–$20 worth of food).

  3. Pick up your food: Go to the business during the pickup window to collect your Surprise Bag. You won’t know exactly what’s inside until you get it — hence the “surprise.”

  4. Save money & reduce waste: You get discounted, often high-quality food that would otherwise be thrown away.

:white_check_mark: What is Flashfood?

Flashfood is a free mobile app that links consumers to discounted grocery items — especially perishables like produce, meat, and dairy — that are being sold at deep discounts (often up to ~50%) because they’re near a “best‐before” or surplus status. Flashfood+3Flashfood+3Flashfood Help Center+3

:shopping_cart: How Does It Work Step-by-Step?

  1. Download the Flashfood app (iOS or Android). Google Play+1

  2. Enable location or manually search for nearby participating grocery stores. Flashfood Help Center+1

  3. Browse available deals in the store selected. The deals will vary by store, time, and what items are near best‐before or surplus. Google Play+1

  4. Add items to your cart and check out in the app. Payment is done in‐app; you won’t pay again in‐store. Flashfood Help Center

  5. Head to the store’s Flashfood pickup zone. Let the store associate know you’re there for your Flashfood order; they’ll hand off the items and mark the order as picked up. Flashfood Help Center

  6. Use your items (freeze, cook, etc). Since many items are near best‐before or surplus, plan to use or freeze them relatively soon.

:bullseye: Benefits for You

  • Savings: Many items are deeply discounted (sometimes up to ~50% off regular price). Flashfood+1

  • Fresh food access: You may find fresh produce, meat, and dairy that you might otherwise pay full price for.

  • Waste reduction: You’re helping redirect good food from going to waste; companies using Flashfood report millions of pounds of food diverted from landfill. Meijer Newsroom+1

  • Convenience: The ordering happens via app; the pickup is streamlined. No waiting in long deal checkout lines.

:warning: Things to Know / Limitations

  • Not all grocery stores participate; availability depends on your area. Use the “Find a store” or map feature in app to check. Flashfood+1

  • Item selection can vary widely and deals may go fast; the inventory is time‐sensitive. Google Play+1

  • Some users report that the “original price” listed may not always reflect what you’d pay otherwise, so be mindful if comparing value. App Store

  • Items are often near best‐before date or surplus stock, so you’ll want to use or freeze them sooner rather than later.

  • Pickup process: you still have to physically go to the store and pick up in designated zone.

  • Payment methods: Most stores support standard payment; some region/partner stores may have limitations on SNAP/EBT usage (though Flashfood has been working to expand EBT support). Flashfood+1

:round_pushpin: Is It available in the Bay Area?

Yes — For example, the app announced a partnership with The Save Mart Companies (Lucky, FoodMaxx stores) in the greater San Francisco Bay Area. Flashfood
To check your exact location:

  • Look for participating store(s) with a “Flashfood zone” or listing.

  • If you don’t see a store, you may be outside the current coverage or the store hasn’t launched the Flashfood partnership yet.

You can get Amazon Prime benefits for half price if you supply an EBT card of proof of Medicaid.

1 Like
5

I have a beef cabbage stirfry on budgetbytes.com for beef. I’m substituting tofu.

2 Likes
6

we eat beans and rice 


1 Like