With an income that has hovered between $60,000 and $80,000 over the last 18 years, this Redditor admits they earn well below the average income in their area. In fact, they realize their income has barely risen, even as others around them have seen more significant financial growth each year. The caveat here for this Redditor is that they began investing from the moment they started working, all while living below their means.
Using the library for as much as I possibly can. I check out CDs and DVDs instead of paying for streaming. I stopped dealing with the hassle and cost of owning a printer and just print/copy at the library when I need to. My library also has access to free online courses that I sometimes take. I also just like to go sit or wander around and have access to a third space where I don't have to spend money.
I grew up in a modest household in Hawaii - first-gen, middle class. We were the kind of family where you're taught to save every penny and keep your head down. The kind where we never ordered soda on the rare occasion we actually went to a restaurant. I followed those values into adulthood. I earned an engineering degree, landed a W-2 job, lived frugally, and saved hard.
For you to have money, you have to learn to live below your means but within your needs. How do you do that? You do that by simply purchasing needs versus wants. What is a need? Need is food that you buy at a grocery store. What is a want? A want is going out to eat at a restaurant and doing it over and over again.
Guo told CNBC on Wednesday that she remains "frugal," admitting that she has done things like reserve flights at the airport and cancel them later so she could have a meal for free in the Amex lounge. She also rides UberX, the budget-friendly, low-cost version of Uber, and compares prices for food before buying something to eat. Her closet consists mainly of $10 pieces from stores like Shein.
In Spaichingen, a 51-year-old woman faces criminal investigation for allegedly stealing 0.15 worth of water from her neighbor's rain barrel, showcasing extreme frugality.
The Chicago White Sox have earned the stereotype of being cheap and the scorn from the fanbase for always crying poor. The White Sox are one of two franchises to have never signed a player to a contract over $100 million.
Pope Francis, who died at 88 on Monday, was known for his frugal lifestyle, love of tango and taboo-busting comments on a range of issues from wars in Ukraine and Gaza to LGBTQ+ issues.