A Little Encouragement

J really needs to cut back on her spending, she and her boy friend with whom she lives. They need to save enough to get their own place. In ten months they have not saved one dime. Their host is getting impatient. So, today while she helped me, we had a little talk.

I asked her what their bills were. Those are non-negotiable. Well, they both have a smart phone that could be gotten rid of. Then, I asked her where she thought they could cut back on spending. "Groceries!" She knows how to cook. Her bf knows how to grill and prefers meat and potatoes and hate vegetables. He just won't eat them.

She was helping her host paint tables at his shop. She did not finish at 5:30 when her bf came to pick her up. So, he went grocery shopping and spent $60! He bought tv dinners and junk. She was appalled. There were no fruits or vegetables.

I asked her in what other area could they cut back. "Cigarettes."

She knows where food banks are that give meat and vegetables, sometimes milk, butter, and cheese. All give cans of food. She understands not eating the whole package of pork chops in one meal.

She has not gotten a job, so I suggested in the meantime selling things online. When she told her bf  what she was going to do, he was very agreeable to that. He has a job where "stuff" comes up and belongs to no one. No, he is not stealing.

She knows she still needs to get a job and get her meth teeth fixed. I am encouraging that often.

We were talking about cooking, and other kitchen things. She pretty well understands how she can save money cooking and she does. He is the one who spends too much money. Oh, yeah, he loves pasta with anything on it.

We talked about the grocery list from the ads and three online grocery stores and using price-matching.    She looked as though a light went on when I told her that when I look in the pantry or refrigerator/freezer, everything in there was on sale. So, now I shop at home and have a sale all the time.

I am encouraging her to give up paper products except for tp. We talked about her making napkins by hand. She knows how to use a needle to sew. I am encouraging her to make a rag bag and button jar from old clothing and to use it instead of paper towels. Rags used to clean up nasty messes can be thrown out just like paper towels and cost less.

Her one weakness--Yellow Box flip flops. She wants a pair in every color. And, she does not have a job! She also does not have even one pair of flip flops.

She like smelly stuff for the laundry and cannot comprehend not using dryer sheets. So, I told her to cut them in quarters. Baby steps!

She looked a little shocked at the thought of buying towels and wash cloths, and kitchen towels at yard sales. She had no idea people sold them unused at yard sales.

They have not one stick of furniture or bit of accessories. She was drooling over a cloth hamper at Walmart. I could not be happy with her as she looked at it. I am encouraging using old stuff and a can of spray paint. She was agreeing, but who knows what she will do when out of my sight...lol.

Between the two of them, they smoke a pack of cigarettes a day. I asked her if they could make a pack last two days. She said they could. We will see! I suggested maybe after a couple of weeks doing that, they could cut down to a pack lasting three days. The cigarettes she buys cost $4.89 after tax, so she spends right at $150/month on cigarettes!

As I get rid of things, I give them to her. She remarks how she uses them in new ways to make her life easier.

At least, I am putting frugal thoughts into her consciousness. Will it work? Only time will tell. Anything I do that she repeats in her life will give her a better grasp of how to save money.

Your turn
Have you ever had someone that you advised about how to save money? Did it work? Even a little bit?