The Rachel Cruze Show - What I’m Not Spending Money on Right Now

Episode Date: March 14, 2022

You guys know I love saving money, and I love helping you save money too. So, in this episode, we’re talking about some things I’m NOT spending money on right now. We’ll talk about 10 money wasters, some top secret savings tips for Walmart shoppers, and whether or not meal subscriptions are worth the cash. Get ready to save! In this episode: 10 Things I’m Not Wasting Money on This Year 10 Secret Ways to Save at Walmart Are Meal Subscriptions Worth It?   Helpful Resources: EveryDollar Meal Planner & Grocery Savings Guide Christian Healthcare Ministries  Sponsors pay the producer of this show, The Lampo Group, LLC, advertising fees for mentioning their services or products during programming. Advertising fees are not based upon or otherwise tied to any product sale or business transacted between any consumer or sponsor. The following sponsor has paid for the programming you are viewing: Christian Healthcare Ministries. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I can get the bad habit of just spending more money that immediately when I think I need something, that's straight where I go is my phone and order it. So I'm going to just take a step back from that, evaluate, do we really, really need this thing? I just think I do right there for the convenience aspect. Hey guys, welcome to this episode of the Rachel Crewe Show podcast. I'm so glad that you're here. So in this episode, we're going to talk about meal subscriptions. Uh-huh. Some of you love them.

Some of you hate them. but are they really saving you money? And are they worth it? Well, I'm going to go over all of that and more. Then I'll go over 10 ways for you to save at Walmart. But first, let's talk about things that I am not going to buy in 2022. Take a listen. All right.

It feels like the prices just keep going up, which means in turn we feel like we have to spend more money, but it's not always the case. Number one, remember you need to budget, budget. Budgeting is going to be the key to help you take control of your money. And once you do your budget, that's really permission to spend. But when you do your budget, you may look and see, okay, there are categories that, man, we just don't use. And there's stuff that we're just not going to buy anymore. Winston, I had this conversation, and it was a great one. So here are the

10 things that I'm not going to be buying this year. Number one, a gym membership. Winston I have had two memberships, and then you get a discount at work, so then you feel like you're getting a great deal, but it's not a great deal when you're not using it. So does he use it? Mm-hmm. Does Rachel use it? Mm-mm.

Nope. So we canceled my membership, and we get that money back. I mean, I still try to do some stuff for sure, but I just love, like, YouTube. I don't know. I can just find things to do. I don't need to go to the gym. As of now, maybe Richel will be fit in 2024.

So we'll talk in two years. Number two, memberships for family activities. So I don't know if it's just in Nashville or where you are, but there are so many areas and places and destinations for kids. So everything from like the zoo, the science center, monkeys tree house, which is like a little indoor playground thing, there's like little trampoline parks around. So there's so many options to take your kids. And whenever I go to somewhere new, I feel like I get suckered in to buy a membership because I do

the math, and I'm like, oh, I mean, if we only go eight times in one year, then for sure it's going to pay for the membership. It's worth it. It's worth it. And I tend to say that a lot. And now that I've looked back, I'm like, I've signed up for some memberships that we only went back like two or three times last year, and we could have just paid out of pocket and it would have been cheaper. So I'm going to relook those memberships. Number three, I'm not going to buy clothes and makeup just because they're on sale. I do enjoy shopping and I do get suckered in when I see something like 40% off. I'm like, oh, well, by that, I'm going to buy it. I'm going to buy it. But I don't need it. That's the fact, Rachel, I do not need it. Now, when I do need something,

then I would love to buy it on sale because it's cheaper, but I'm not going to just automatically assume when there's a sale, then I don't buy something. So that is one thing I'm going to stop doing. All right, number four, high-end or customized skin care products. I know. It's just, I don't know, you guys. It's just not my jam right now in life. 2020 was like the year of skincare for Rachel. I went in, I bought a bunch of nice stuff.

I did all these peels and stuff on my face and machine. I don't know. I just did a bunch of stuff because I was like, I'm going to try it out and get really great skin. And it was great. I'm not mad at it at all. But in 2021, I didn't do any of that. And I just washed my face. if I did that every night.

And I do have a great moisturizer and sunscreen, a few things. That's it. And so in 2022, I don't think I'm going to continue on the high-end skincare route. My mom's probably going to kill me and some other people in my life. But I don't know. It's just not my thing. I'm going to save the money in 2022. All right, number five, expensive greeting cards.

So I'm not a big fan of cards these days. I mean, you're paying like $5, even $6 for a card. And that could be for Father's Day or kids. It's birthdays or anything like that. Construction paper folded over with a nice note is about what I do. And if we have family that's having birthdays, you know, or some kind of celebration, I let my kids do the cards. So they actually make their own cards and then just give it to the person.

And it's great. So it's a lot sweeter and you save money. I'm also going to stop buying pre-cut produce. So when you buy pre-cut fruits or vegetables, you can pay almost $1,000. 40% more for just that versus getting the uncut. And I bought this chopper thing and it has like two different grades and you can put an onion. I mean, you can put anything in bell peppers, onions. Chop it and it comes so little, like so little. I'm like, this is amazing. I can do this. All I do is just chop it and there it is and save money. So that's one thing. And then Winston I are starting

at garden as well. So I may not even be buying a lot of produce. It's going to be coming right out of the cruise yard. Very excited about that. All right, number seven, brand name prescription drugs. So when you go to the doctor, and if you're sick or anything else, and they give you prescription drugs, they're going to write you a prescription, you can actually ask for the generic version. And that generic version costs anywhere from 20 to 80% less. Lots of cash to save there. Number eight, brand name items at the grocery store.

So I definitely have things that I buy that are brand name, cereal and chips. Like there are some things I definitely will. But a lot of stuff, like whether it's dairy or eggs or certain produce, like all that, I will buy the store generic version because I do. You save so much money. So sour cream, milk, eggs, cheese, all of that. I just go store brand. Number nine, I'm going to try to spend less on Amazon.

I just got on a bad habit. I'm going to just blame COVID. I feel like the pandemic, you can just blame anything on. And that's what I'm going to blame them on, all my Amazon purchases. Because whenever I need something or want something, I'm just like, oh, it's going Amazon. Because it is so convenient. You have everything, and it ships right to your door. But I can get the bad habit if I end up just spending more money, that immediately when I think I need something,

that's straight where I go is my phone and order it. So I'm going to just take a step back from that, evaluate. Do we really, really need this thing? and I bet a lot of my purchases I don't really need. I just think I do right there for the convenience aspect. And plus, Amazon is increasing their subscription for Prime. So if you're not aware of this, I think it's like 20 bucks more. So it went from like 119 to 139.

So just be aware. And last but not least, I am not going to spend money on subscription boxes. So I know all of this is opinion, right? This is all Rachel's opinion. So it may work for you. It may be great. But for me, I've done it from, like, food and beauty and clothes, like, different things. And yeah, it's kind of fun getting new products or, like, getting a meal shipped to you that you have to cook and all that.

So, like, they're not all bad. But for me, and this time, like, I just don't need it. I'm just going to say no. And saving money, because some of them, depending on what it is, can be very expensive. So I'm going to Nix subscription boxes, and I'm not going to use those in 2022. So I hope that helped you guys. Just think, you know, for the year, what are some things that I don't want to always. money on it anymore. And everyone's going to be different. I totally get that. But I love to hear from

you guys. I love hearing people's creative things because some people say, oh, I spend money on this, but I'm not going to. I'm going to replace it with this and it's much cheaper. I'm like, I never knew. So I want to hear from you guys. So make sure to share it with us in the comments below. Today, we're going to be talking about how to save money at Walmart. So I know sometimes Walmart can get a bad rap, but you actually can save so much money there. Specifically, there are 10 ways to do it that we're going to talk about in this episode. So, number one, use the Walmart app. So this app is free and makes it easy to find deals in the rollbacks section where some

items are up to 80% off. And the app helps you when you are grocery shopping to actually make a list, and that makes your meal planning even easier. Number two, try Walmart curbside pickup. So instead of spending time and energy, shopping in person or even paying for delivery, you can order groceries and other items online via the app and pick it up in the front of the store.

And Walmart employees do the shopping for you and load everything into your car for free, which is amazing. And you don't even need the Walmart app to do the pickup service, but if you do have the app, it's easier to find discounts. So make sure to remember that. Number three, buy generic. Walmart's generic brand is called Great Value,

and it's actually less expensive than other stores generic brands. So this is a great one, a great, great option. And don't forget to read the labels. Most of the time, the generic brands will have the same ingredients as even the name brands. Number four, look for the clearance sections. So Walmart doesn't have just one clearance section. They have multiple across different aisles and different sections of the store. So go and look.

Sometimes they can even be hidden in the back of the store, not just in plain sight. Number five, use coupons. Walmart accepts all valid manufacturer, printable, and buy one-get-one-free coupons. They even have a print-and-use coupon section on their website. They also have an overage policy, which means that if the coupon discount is greater than the cost of the item, they'll deduct the full value of the coupon from your total bill. Now, there are some restrictions on combining coupons and all of that, but they have all of that listed on Walmart.com.

Number six, take advantage of the price match policy. So if you find an item on Walmart.com, that's less than the identical item in the store, they'll match the price. There are some rules here. For example, the item has to be in stock in the store to get the price match, but some great deals are there, so make sure to check out their website as well. Number seven, save on party supplies. The dollar store is always a great spot to go get dollar supplies, but Walmart even beats their prices.

Some items are just 97 cents. Some of them are so cute, you guys, and even some cards, which I'm not a huge fan of buying greeting cards, because they are so expensive while at Walmart. Some of them are just 47 cents. Absolutely amazing. Number eight, check out Walmart's certified refurbished electronics. So you can buy refurbished TVs, cell phones, laptops, tablets, headphones, and other electronics from Walmart, which means that they're going to be a lot less expensive than if you buy them new.

And they're tested to make sure they work like new and everything. They have the accessories with them and 90-day minimum warranty. They have a huge selection on Walmart.com. So make sure to go look for that before you go and buy a brand new TV or a brand new iPhone. Number nine, free shipping. Mm-hmm, this is the best. So you can actually get free next day shipping on select items and certain zip codes and free two-day shipping on orders over $35.

Now, make sure that you don't overspend just to get $35, but if you had $35 worth the stuff you're going to buy anyways, the free shipping is there, and it's great. Number 10, browse the flash picks on both the Walmart app and websites. There's a category called Flashpix. So this section shows a ton of sale items, and most of them are on sale by more than 50%. And they switch up the items often, so go back and check out for new deals. Well, I hope this helps you.

I always love some great tips when it comes to saving money, especially on stores that a lot of you guys love. And a lot of people shop at Walmart, obviously, and there are ways to save even more, which is so great. And if you want even more tips on saving money, planning meals, and building an affordable grocery list, that you can pick up at Walmart. Make sure to check out my meal planner and grocery savings guide at ramsaysolutions.com slash meal planner.

Today, we're going to talk all about meal subscriptions. Yep, are they worth it? Does it make sense to have one? Are they a waste of money? Are they budget-friendly? All the questions we're going to answer on today's episode. But first and foremost, those of you that are not familiar with meal subscriptions or meal kit delivery services, here is how they work.

So you sign up for a plan with a certain number of meals per week. You can choose which meals you want to make, and then they deliver all the pre-portion ingredients that you're going to need, along with the recipe, to your door in a box. And that's it. Sounds great. It's awesome. They can be a little pricey. So we're going to break down some of the most popular meal subscription.

First up is Hello Fresh. So the minimum number of meals that you can get is two meals for two people per week, which is going to be $11.99. Or you can order up to six meals for four people per week that ends up being $7.99 per serving. And they have six different food preferences that you can choose from, like different settings, whether it's like gluten-free or vegan or all of it. So it's great. That's awesome. Next is Blue Apron. So this is a minimum number of meals you can get is two meals for two people per week, which is $9.99 per serving.

And for the signature plan, you can order up to four meals for four people, which ends up being $7.49 per serving. And they have three different food preference settings that you can choose from. There's also Home Chef. And this one, you can't really see all the different plan options on their website unless you sign in and have the subscription. But from the research I did, generally speaking, it's about $8.99 per serving

that can be ordered in two, four, or six serving plans. So the minimum weekly order value is $49.95, which means you have to spend at least that much each week. And they have a new menu, though, of different recipes every week for all different dietary preferences. There's also every plate, and this is a minimum number of meals you can get is three meals for two people a week, which is $5.89 per serving.

You can order up to five meals for four people at $4.99 per serving, and they have four different food preference settings that you can choose from. And there are fewer recipes on this one, but it's also less expensive. So that's the good thing. Okay, let's figure out if a meal subscription is worth it for you. Here are some pros to think about. You save a lot of time and a lot of planning, which is great when you're really busy. Like, it just shows up there at your front porch, and you're like, oh, it's all pre-portioned out, and it's great.

Also, if you're in a week that you're like, man, you know, we're out to eat every week or we have stuff going on, you can actually pause your plan if you don't want to receive something in a given week. They also help you with portion control, not wasting food. So the cruises, we are the worst at this. It's like, you buy some food, and then it goes bad because you don't eat it. And you're like, dang it. So again, this is all pre-portioned out. So you're using everything that you're buying.

And if you tend to go out to eat a lot, then it can help you cut back again on just whether it's the ingredients or portion control, all of it. Here are some cons to think about. Some of these meal plans, cost per meal is the same as going out to eat. and you're doing the cooking. So you're basically paying to go out to eat. But you're the one that got to do the dishes and everything after. And you're like, dang it. Also, a con is that you're not going to get leftovers

if everything is portioned out. So that's one benefit of cooking at home is that you're like, oh, I can use this for lunch tomorrow or we can continue to use this for dinner tomorrow. Not the case with these meal plans, because, again, they're so portioned out. And these plans that don't eliminate your need to grocery shop, okay? So you're going to have to do the rest of your meals

and snacks and everything that don't come in the meal subscription. Also, a con, you have to pay for delivery. So it's all the pricing we talked about, plus some delivery fees on top of that. Now, here are some tips for you to think about, okay, should I try a meal subscription? Well, you can look for the meals that will freeze well and do a large number of those meals because you're going to get the lowest possible price per serving, and you can save them for later. Also, you can save your recipe cards for the future. so if you want to do your own cooking, you at least have some new recipes. Also, you can look for deals.

So a lot of these companies do tons of promos that you can look for. I mean, this is on the internet or on their website or social media and all of that, which is great. So you may even get some of the higher quality ingredients for less than the grocery store pricing with some of those promos. There's also a lot of factors that go in determining if a meal subscription is right for you. So you have to think about how many people do you have to feed, how the ingredient, prices compared to your local grocery store, how many leftovers are you going to get out of just one meal? And if you have a big family, then a meal subscription probably is going to be more expensive for you because you're having to order more and more and more food. But if you're single or it's just you and your spouse and you want to have a meal subscription kind of as a luxury

and it's in your budget, that probably would make more sense. Now, I do have friends and they just make their kids their own food on the side and they do a meal subscription box for the two with them. So maybe that's something to think about. But again, when you're in baby steps one or two, so you're starting your emergency fund or you're getting out of debt, this kind of stuff is considered a luxury. Like cut it out, the cheapest, cheapest, cheapest, cheapest thing probably is going to be just buying food at the grocery store, cheap food, and making it at home, okay? So this is where you're, like, buckling down and you're not spending on extra. But if you're on other baby steps and this works in your budget and you're like, yeah, this works for our family, then you can do it. There's not a one-size-fits-all

answer here, but I would say, compare prices. So do some shopping, compare again the prices of the meal subscription, all of it to stay on top of your budget and figure out what is right for you. So we keep talking about budgeting and the food budget category always seems to be a budget buster. But having an app like every dollar to help you budget is going to make things very simple and very easy because it does the math all for you. So by making and sticking to your monthly budget, it's one of the best things you can do. Well, hopefully that helps you guys figure out if the meal subscriptions are worth it for you and your budget. And I hope this episode helped you when it comes to your money. Thank you guys so much for listening. And if you have not subscribed to this podcast, make sure to hit the

follow button. And if the spirit leads, you can leave a review. As always, make sure to take control of your money and create a life you love.