{"id":197964,"date":"2025-12-23T11:42:29","date_gmt":"2025-12-23T11:42:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/197964\/"},"modified":"2025-12-23T11:42:29","modified_gmt":"2025-12-23T11:42:29","slug":"people-are-sharing-the-poor-person-hacks-they-picked-up-during-hard-times-that-they-still-use-today-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/197964\/","title":{"rendered":"People Are Sharing The \u201cPoor Person Hacks\u201d They Picked Up During Hard Times That They Still Use Today"},"content":{"rendered":"

There’s no getting around it; times are tough, and a dollar just doesn’t go as far as it used to. With prices spiking and jobs disappearing, making ends meet has gone from stressful to STRESSFUL, so any tips on how we can save a few bucks are more than welcome.1. “I use free grocery pickup to stretch my budget. It’s easier to get as many meals as you possibly can out of $100 by building an online cart instead of trying to do the ‘can I get cereal if I buy one less pound of chicken’ math in your head as you walk around the store.”\"A<\/p>\n

Jackyenjoyphotography \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n

\u2014u\/rmilhousnixon<\/a><\/p>\n

2. “Parks and trails are free entertainment that make you healthier and less depressed the more you use them.”<\/p>\n

\u2014u\/Illustrious_Sun8192<\/a><\/p>\n

Related: First-Time Homebuyers Are Sharing Why They Really, Really Regret Buying Their Current House, And I’m Writing These Down<\/a><\/p>\n

3. “My wife and I went down to one car five years ago when we needed some cash fast for an unexpected expense. It’s only a four-mile ride to and from my office, so I figured I’d just deal with it and bike for a while. Turns out we have no real use for a second car 99% of the time, and the other 1% (basically if one of our kids gets sick in the middle of the day) just means my wife has to leave work early and work from home the rest of the day. I get my cardio done for the day, save a ton of money, and most days I genuinely look forward to the mental clarity I get from a quick workout after work.”<\/p>\n

\u2014u\/harshmojo<\/a><\/p>\n

4. “If something is broken, Google the fix for it and see if you’re able to do it yourself. The amount of crooks in appliance repair is insane.”\"A<\/p>\n

Maca And Naca \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n

\u2014u\/IloveponiesbutnotMLP<\/a><\/p>\n

5. “Out of toothpaste? Cut the tube open and scrape it clean.”<\/p>\n

\u2014u\/Glaciakforkgreens<\/a><\/p>\n

6. “Library library library! My kids ravage through books. We easily save thousands a year using the library.”\"Two<\/p>\n

Luis Alvarez \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n

\u2014u\/swtcharity<\/a><\/p>\n

“And learn about all the other services your library offers! Ours has tools, baking supplies, and all sorts of random things available to loan. I was able to sign up for online classes at my local community college for free through my library account. I wanted to use expensive software for one personal project, and was able to use it on a library computer specifically set up for that kind of project. It\u2019s really astounding how many things they have that most people have no idea about!”<\/p>\n

\u2014u\/thankyoufive<\/a><\/p>\n

“My library has music, TV series, movies, board games, sewing machines, 3D printers, and even musical instruments. With the exception of the 3D printers, you can even take that stuff home for a bit. Oh, and it has soundproof rooms for if you need to record stuff.”<\/p>\n

\u2014u\/BloodBride<\/a><\/p>\n

7. “I’ve gotten so much good stuff for free from my local Buy Nothing group. Freecycle is good too.”<\/p>\n

\u2014u\/Personal_Summer<\/a><\/p>\n

8. “‘No dollar days’. See how many days you can go without spending $1, and then try to beat your previous record. $3\/day = $1,000\/year, so it really adds up.”\"Hand<\/p>\n

Guido Mieth \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n

\u2014u\/mikeratchertson<\/a><\/p>\n

Related: “I Have Saved So Much Money Doing This”: 27 Frugal Habits That People Stick To Because They Actually Really Work<\/a><\/p>\n

9. “A 20-50 pound bag of rice in your pantry will pick up a lot of slack in your diet when you\u2019re poor. I\u2019m not poor anymore, but I always have a ton of rice at home. Rice and eggs, rice and ground meat, rice and a can of chili, etc. I wasn\u2019t always eating good, but I was never hungry.”<\/p>\n

\u2014u\/daytodaze<\/a><\/p>\n

10. “If you are absolutely, for sure, going to overdraw and there\u2019s nothing you can do to prevent it, go buy a grocery store gift card before the overdraw hits. Now you have access to food and gas without getting dinged for multiple overdraft fees before your next paycheck comes in. Just make sure that the total overdraft (including the big bill plus the gift card) doesn\u2019t exceed your maximum overdraft. Better still is to not have an overdraft in the first place, but when you\u2019re poor, shit happens.”<\/p>\n

\u2014u\/thndrchld<\/a><\/p>\n

11. “When your batteries run out on your remote, just take the batteries out, rub them in your hands for 30-40 seconds to make heat friction, and bam, they work again. Not for long, but enough to get where you need to go on the TV.”\"Hands<\/p>\n

Brizmaker \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n

\u2014u\/Throwaway23451048371<\/a><\/p>\n

12. “I still use plastic grocery bags for my bathroom and office trash cans instead of buying small trash bags.”<\/p>\n

\u2014u\/DarrickHathaway014<\/a><\/p>\n

13. “Keep old things as a backup: shoes, glasses, etc. Often, I wouldn’t have money for new things if something broke, so if a pair of shoes fell apart, I would at least have a crappy pair until I could afford some new ones.”<\/p>\n

\u2014u\/free_billstickers<\/a><\/p>\n

Related: 21 Wild Screenshots Of Employee Mishaps That’ll Make You Never Want To Work In An Office Again<\/a><\/p>\n

14. “Oatmeal with peanut butter is a really cheap way to get your calories and nutrition. Also, chug water with every meal to feel full.”\"Person<\/p>\n

Freshsplash \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n

\u2014u\/Oaktree27<\/a><\/p>\n

15. “Darning socks and repairing ripped jeans.”<\/p>\n

\u2014u\/limbodog<\/a><\/p>\n

16. “There are some exceptions, but for the most part, store brand is just as good, or, in the case of Kirkland, it might be superior.”<\/p>\n

\u2014u\/Redditujer<\/a><\/p>\n

17. “Learning to love my crock pot and eating the same meal for an entire week. An amazing money saver, and I still do it because it was an ingrained habit for years.”\"A<\/p>\n

Eyecrave Productions \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n

\u2014u\/BarberryBaba<\/a><\/p>\n

“Work on storage techniques (generally, freezing in portions) and reheating, so you can even rotate meals so you don’t get stuck eating the same thing for an entire week.”<\/p>\n

\u2014u\/johnnybiggles<\/a><\/p>\n

18. “Save and plant your seeds. Compost, and turn your compost regularly. Grow whatever you can, and can whatever you can’t eat.”<\/p>\n

\u2014u\/nurdmann<\/a><\/p>\n

19. “Need boxes for moving or organizing? Don\u2019t ever buy a cardboard box, EVER. Go to your local liquor store and ask for boxes; they\u2019ll happily give you as many as you\u2019d like, and they\u2019re pretty sturdy since they\u2019re made to hold heavy objects.”<\/p>\n

\u2014u\/cclonch44<\/a><\/p>\n

20. “Toilet paper is less expensive than tissues but works just as well.”\"Hand<\/p>\n

Ekaterina Demidova \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n

\u2014u\/Wood_Ring<\/a><\/p>\n

Related: “It’s Far Worse Than Most Americans Realize”: People Are Revealing The “Wild” Secrets From The Industries They Work In, And It’s Sooooo Eye-Opening<\/a><\/p>\n

21. “Get a $5 Costco whole chicken once a week, along with Top Ramen, rice, beans, and eggs. This got me through periods of low income, and was only like $50-60 a month for two meals a day.”<\/p>\n

\u2014u\/Fun-Baby-9509<\/a><\/p>\n

22. “Carry a reusable water bottle everywhere, don\u2019t buy drinks out. Look for free days at museums, the zoo, or the symphony. Check the health department for free vaccines, testing, and other healthcare.”<\/p>\n

\u2014u\/Mammoth_Ask_1839<\/a><\/p>\n

23. “Start a jar collection. I haven’t used plastic baggies in years. Everything goes into the jars.”\"Person<\/p>\n

Azmanjaka \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n

\u2014u\/Dild0Didgeridoo<\/a><\/p>\n

24. “Shop at thrift stores. When that doesn’t work, shop at TJ Maxx, Ross, etc. Generally, you can find quality without a huge pricetag.”<\/p>\n

\u2014u\/PopularWave8731<\/a><\/p>\n

25. And finally, “Help out your neighbors, without asking for payment, when they’re in need and when you are able. I’ve been showered with free food, things, and acts of service from grateful neighbors.”\"People<\/p>\n

Halfpoint Images \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n

\u2014u\/Automatic_Stage1163<\/a><\/p>\n

Do you have any “poor person hacks” that you still swear by? Tell me in the comments or use the anonymous form below. Your response could be featured in an upcoming BuzzFeed article!<\/p>\n

Note: Responses have been edited for length\/clarity.<\/p>\n

Also in Work & Money: Employees Are Revealing The “Common Knowledge” In Their Jobs That Would Leave The Average Person Completely Shocked, And Whoaaaaa<\/a><\/p>\n

Also in Work & Money: “We Can Usually Tell If You’re Lying”: 25 Industry Insiders Are Spilling Behind-The-Scenes Info About Their Fields<\/a><\/p>\n

Also in Work & Money: People Are Sharing The “Poor Person” Habits They Will Never, Ever Stop Doing, No Matter How Rich They Get, And I’m In Awe<\/a><\/p>\n

Read it on BuzzFeed.com<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"There’s no getting around it; times are tough, and a dollar just doesn’t go as far as it…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":196348,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[138,246,3714,111,139,69,244,245,121400],"class_list":{"0":"post-197964","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-personal-finance","8":"tag-business","9":"tag-finance","10":"tag-getty-images","11":"tag-new-zealand","12":"tag-newzealand","13":"tag-nz","14":"tag-personal-finance","15":"tag-personalfinance","16":"tag-poor-person"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/197964","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=197964"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/197964\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/196348"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=197964"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=197964"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=197964"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}