‘How are we supposed to live?’, too many people have been continually asking themselves lately with prices becoming so high, we can no longer afford things.

The numbers speak for themselves. In the US, consumer prices increased 8.6% from May 2021 to May 2022, the highest increase since 1981. Food prices have increased more than 10% over the year. A gallon of gas is over 50% more expensive than a year ago. And nobody knows when it’s going to stop.

Luckily, you’re not the only one living under a tight budget. Some people with lower incomes have been doing that for years, so they now have an invaluable experience to share with others. And this is what they did in this popular thread on Ask Reddit. Read below to find out the best life hacks for people living with a tight belt.

Read More: 30 Of The Best Poor People Life Hacks, As Shared On This Online Thread

#1

Little late to the party and this comment will probably get buried but your local Sikh temple will feed you hot food any day of the week. No conversion or preaching. In fact, no questions will be asked. Just make sure that you don’t drink or smoke before going in. Also, they will do this indefinitely. Some will also let you take food home if you ask them nicely. Sikhs have been feeding the hungry and homeless for 500 years and it seems that service is needed more than ever today. There is no reason anyone should ever go hungry. That is one of the core beliefs of Sikhism. It’s actually a pretty cool philosophy!

#2

Don’t have kids.

Image credits: dj_fission

#3

If you have access, ethnic grocery stores usually have cheaper produce

Image credits: etnchn

#4

Supercook.com has a recipe generator that will help you make good meals with whatever you have at home. Best thing ever. Went from boring basic meals to actual tasty meals

Image credits: Threethumber

#5

Go to the library. Not only are there books there, but also you can check out video games, sewing machines, movies, museum passes… so much more. Not to mention the software, education and events that can help you get a raise, promotion, or better job.

Image credits: fysicks

#6

If you wind up homeless, get a Planet Fitness gym membership ($10 a month) so you can shower every day. The one near my work also has free WiFi.

Image credits: epidemica

#7

Rich people throw out amazing stuff. If you know someone with a truck, you can go around the wealthy areas on garbage day and get all sorts of furniture, appliances, and clothing. A little cleaning and maybe a few minor repairs and you have lots of stuff to use or sell.

Image credits: heimdahl81

#8

Drink only water. It’s one of those ripple effect things that improves every other area of your life.

I work in a welfare office. The number of people who are both 1) unable to afford proper nutrition (supposedly), and 2) morbidly obese is counterintuitive until you see the enormous sodas so many people travel with. It’s incredibly easy to drink more calories than you think you’re drinking, and the fattening nature of these drinks is all in the sugar content. Switch to carrying water instead of soda or other sweetened beverages and I assure you the following will happen:

1) You will save more money than you imagine,
2) You will sleep better,
3) Food will taste better,
4) You will have more consistent energy throughout the day,
5) Your skin/overall appearance will improve, and
6) You will lose weight.

If you do nothing other than stop spending money on soda/sweet tea/etc and just drink filtered tap water, you will thank yourself.

Source: Was poor, now am not poor. Still drink only water (and unsweetened coffee). Am over 40 lbs lighter, sleep well, and feel better.

Image credits: Galileo182

#9

Stop. Buying. Weed.

Edit: To elaborate, I’m not anti-weed. I’m trying to help.

I grew up in poverty, and nearly everyone smoked weed. The only people who didn’t smoke weed, were able to focus on a way out. Everyone I knew, used weed as a bandage to cover a gaping hole in their ambition.

Image credits: phrogwing

#10

At walmart or most grocery stores you can buy a rotisserie chicken for wicked cheap. They’re actually cheaper to purchase cooked instead of raw, and you can make several meals out of just the meat you scrape off the bones. I often make sandwiches or wraps and it’ll typically last for like 6 meals, all for like 5 bucks! Then you get to use the carcass to make a stock!

Image credits: WetAndMeaty

#11

Don’t bank with Bank of America or Wells Fargo. Those banks might give descent service if you’ve got six figures in your savings, but not if you’ve got six dollars in your checking. Credit Unions, USAA (if you’re eligible) and literally almost any other bank is a better option than those con-artists.

#12

Learn to Cook! Less money and Better food quality than eating out

Image credits: PerfectlyNormalOlive

#13

Shop at Goodwill/second hand stores!

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#14

Go to Aldi. Most stuff there (eggs, lettuce, salt) are just as good as other stores and much cheaper.

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#15

If you’re female, check out reuseable menstrual products. There are plenty of affordable cloths pads on amazon or you can save even more by making your own. Menstrual cups are great too but they come with a bit of a learning curve.

One you have your system sorted you can stop buying disposables completely. Pads and cups last 10 years.

Image credits: Snappysnapsnapper

#16

You can donate plasma and be paid $30. Up to 6 times a month. Extra $180. It is supposed to hurt a little.

Image credits: Youtoo2

#17

Hot Sauce is a simple investment to turn sad, bland food, into sad, slightly less bland food

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#18

Eliminate food waste. Things you’d normally throw away like vegetable peelings and bones can be turned into flavorful stock for future meals.

Image credits: PartTimeMisanthrope

#19

Probably not what you’re asking for, but if you really want to look at the data, Haskins and Sawhill found there were three things that most determined whether people escaped poverty:

– finishing high school
– waiting until you are 21 to get married and not having kids before that
– managing to hold down a full time job

Of course these three things are not entirely down to choice, but if you focus on them and pull them off, there’s only a 2% chance you stay poor.

https://www.brookings.edu/opinions/three-simple-rules-poor-teens-should-follow-to-join-the-middle-class/

Image credits: DemocraticRepublic