Happy Tuesday, money nerds! 🤓❤️

My neighbor has a beautiful vegetable garden that seems to have bloomed and blossomed overnight. It’s one of those huge gardens that are so impressive, you simply stop and admire it whenever you walk past! 

But although it seems to have popped up out of nowhere, I know that isn’t the case. I’ve seen her out there every day since early spring planting seeds and pulling weeds. 

Her hard work these past few weeks has rewarded her tenfold with lettuce… lots and lots of lettuce. 

So ask yourself… what seeds are you planting for your future, today? 👀

Alright, on to the money stuff!! 💸💸💸

TO DO

DIY Ice Cream Sundae Bar 🍦

Well HTM fam, I’m a little bit ashamed to admit to you that last week I spent $14 on just two small ice cream cones at Carvel! 🤯

So, if the summer heat has you longing for frosty treats, why not set up your own DIY ice cream sundae bar? You can make a crazier sundae at home for way less, and turn it into a fun activity. Clip some coupons (so you can buy the good stuff), grab a pint or gallon of your favorite ice cream, and load up on your favorite toppings. 

Pro Tip: Pair this with another activity you love, like a movie or a game night to make this the perfect frugal date or fun family event!

LIFESTYLE

Stay In Shape For FREE 🏋️

Did you know that Americans waste $347 million on gym memberships that they don’t use every single year!? 🤯 Between monthly payments, annual membership fees and sky high cancellation penalties, tons of folks are paying way more than they need to for their workout routines. 

One of the most helpful mindful spending tips is to avoid “aspirational spending.” Aspirational spending is when you spend money for the person you want to be instead of the person you are, and it’s the reason there are so many Pelotons for sale on Facebook Marketplace. 

While paying a few hundred dollars every year for a gym membership will be totally worth it for some folks, casual exercisers could stand to save a lot by cancelling that sucker instead. Here’s how you can stay in shape without spending a dime!

🚴 Walk or bike to work - Want to save money and stay active at the same time? Consider walking or biking to work! While this might not be feasible for everyone, those who commute infrequently or live close to their jobs could even replace their workout routine altogether by making this change.

🏃🏻 Start running - Ah, the most classic free workout (although the cost of running shoes can add up)! If you want to stay in shape and improve your cardiovascular health, running is one of the best workout options. No fancy equipment needed. All you require is a good pair of sneakers and some water!

Pro tip- if you’re a total running beginner, check out Couch to 5k for beginner friendly runs that ramp up to a 5k in just 9 weeks! 

💻 YouTube workouts - I’m always surprised when people tell me that they pay for workout apps or other subscription-based programs because there are SO many curated workouts and workout playlists on YouTube! Whether you’re looking for yoga, Pilates or Zumba, you’re guaranteed to find a video workout you enjoy for free. I use this free stretching video ALL the time.

🧘‍♀️Free community classes - If you’re into group fitness, keep an eye out for free community classes. Tons of towns have organizations that offer free group fitness programs at the park or other public spaces. If this interests you, ask around or check the bulletin board at your local library or coffee shop! 

🏊‍♀️ Swimming - If you’ve got access to a pool, put it to work during these summer months! Swimming is one of the hardest workouts out there, and it’s also one of the most refreshing and fun! 

🥾 Hiking - If you’ve ever gotten bored staring at the same four walls while working out at home, why not go explore the great outdoors with a hike? Whether you live in the city or out in the boonies, chances are you’ll have some good hiking trails not too far from your home. You can even do a little geocaching while you’re out there! 😉

🏋️ Dumbbell or bodyweight strength - Hoping to build some muscle? Pump up the jams and do some at-home strength training. You can grab some old dumbbells, or give it a go with just your body weight. Here’s a simple total body workout you can do 2-3 times per week! 

• Push Ups: 3 sets, 8-12 reps 

• Squats: 3 sets, 8-12 reps 

• Shoulder Press: 3 sets, 8-12 reps (if you don’t have dumbbells, you can use cans or water bottles)

• Lunges: 3 sets, 8 reps per leg 

• Deadlifts: 3 sets, 8-12 reps 

• Plank: 3 sets, 30 seconds

💃🏼 At-home dance party - This is a personal favorite non-workout workout, and it has an unmatched positive effect on your mood. Just throw on some music and dance around your house. You’ll increase your heart rate and you’d be surprised how much of a workout you can get in just a few minutes. Bonus points if you get your kids involved! 

🎾 Pick up an active hobby - And lastly, if you want to exercise more, get outside more, see your friends regularly, and consider picking up an active hobby or joining a recreational sports team. Plus, a little healthy competition can encourage you to push yourself more than you would alone. A friendly kickball game might be just what your neighborhood needs!

While we can always improve our habits, change doesn’t happen overnight. If you’re hoping to get into better shape, see if you can stick to a free workout routine before signing away your soul with one of those crazy gym contracts! That way, you’ll be sure you’re going to use that membership and avoid a recurring donating to your local gym.  

Read the full post here - Frugal Fitness: 15 Cheap Ways to Exercise and Stay Fit 

TOGETHER WITH DAFFY*

Double Tax Benefit 😎

Daffy helps you donate stocks, gold, and even crypto to your favorite charities!

Why not just donate cash? 🤔

Because when you donate appreciated assets you’ve held onto for more than a year, there’s a double tax benefit.

You avoid paying capital gains tax on any appreciated assets you donate, and you get to claim the full market value of the stock in the year it was donated as a tax deduction. You get to help your community, all while saving more on taxes. Win-win!

How much can you save? Check out this calculator Daffy made that breaks down the potential tax savings of donating stocks vs. cash.

This is one of the reasons we love giving with Daffy… More giving options and more efficient donations. Learn more here!

CARS

Shocking Electricity Bills ⚡️

In the words of the monumental music artist Nelly, “it’s getting hot in here, so take off all your clothes.” 

Oof. The Summer months. While “Summer Fridays” and sunny skies make this season a favorite among many, sky high electricity bills can be quick to dampen the fun. Electricity prices have outpaced inflation since 2022, and this trend is expected to continue through 2026. 

What’s behind the surge? These increases in cost are due in part to the need to replace and upgrade aging infrastructure, and an increased demand for electricity from data centers needed for AI. Costs could surge even more should the current administration end the current tax credits for low carbon energy sources, increasing electric costs on average by as much as $400 per year over the next decade.

But while electric prices are out of our control, our consumption habits are within it. As prices increase, we encourage you to adopt these energy saving habits to fight back against inflation! 💪

🔋Shop Around For A Cheaper Provider - You shop around for your insurance, cell phone plans and consumer goods, so why not seek out the cheapest energy provider? This isn’t possible everywhere. But about half of U.S. states offer retail energy choice. Check out this list and map of all the states that have deregulated energy! 

🥵Sweat it Out - About 44% of our energy costs come from heating or cooling our homes. By adjusting your thermostat to keep your home a few degrees hotter, you can seriously reduce your energy costs. Open those windows and fire up your fans! Your humble ceiling fan can make your room feel 4 degrees cooler!

🪟Close Your Blinds - To keep your home from heating up too much on those sunny days, close those blinds! You’d be surprised at how much of a difference it can make in the comfortability of your home. 

🏠Home Energy Audit - Sometimes it can be helpful to get a professional involved to identify energy leaks and inefficiencies in your home. Many power companies offer discounts and rebates for this service, or you could follow the Department of Energy’s DIY home assessment guide and tackle it yourself! 

🌬️HVAC Maintenance- Taking care of your HVAC systems can keep it functioning efficiently and save you tons of money in the long run. At the very least, make sure you’re changing the air filter every 90 days- this can reduce your air conditioner’s energy consumption by 5-15%! 

🧛Watch Out For Vampires - Vampire electronics can draw electricity from your outlets even if they’re powered off. When they aren’t in use, consider keeping TVs, computers and cable boxes unplugged. 

And above all else, remember that keeping your home hotter in the Summer is the perfect excuse to eat more ice cream. 🍦😉

More Tips - 13 Ways to Save Money on Electricity

ICYMI

In the news…

Credit Card “Coupon Books” 💳
A growing trend for rewards credit cards is adding more and more “lifestyle” perks, like statement credits towards subscription services, gym memberships, and other purchases. While these perks have been successful in getting more folks to open these cards, consumers are finding that getting value out of them has become more tedious and requires more spending to make the math add up.

The Power of Encouragement 👏
Asking for a raise can be stressful, so much so that many folks neglect to even try! But a recent study found that a “light touch encouragement intervention” was enough to increase negotiation attempts and compensation increases. Sometimes we just need a little push to do the right thing. Remember to encourage your friends and family to advocate for themselves in the workplace.

Medical Marketing 💊
Telehealth companies like Hims, Hers, BlueChew and Ro are combining some of their most commonly prescribed medications into “franken-pills,” making some doctors nervous. However, prescription “personalization,” combo pills, and multi-million dollar marketing budgets have also made these brands popular with consumers.

Are You Suffering From “Money Dysmorphia?”
In this interesting article from the New York Times, Emma Goldberg discusses the concept of “money dysmorphia,” or the phenomenon of viewing and reacting to your financial situation as significantly better or worse than it actually is.

COMMUNITY

Shopping Your Pantry 🥫

You shop at the grocery store every week, but what about shopping your pantry? 🤔

@gracebriannawaterman

Save your coins 💅🏾 #budget #budgeting #moneysavingtips #moneysaving #fyp #foryourpage

For most of us, our pantries are FULL of treasures waiting to be rediscovered. From boxes upon boxes of pasta (and yet you keep buying more 😩), cans of beans, and even dry dessert mixes. You might have a few weeks worth of food in your home right now.

One of our favorite tips to save money on groceries is to take on a pantry challenge. Before hitting the store, go through your pantry and see what you already have. Plan a few meals using mainly pantry staples, and only shop for the ingredients needed to complete those recipes. Don’t forget to check your freezer as well!

And to spark some ideas, check out these 200+ recipes using pantry staples!

A little creativity in the kitchen can go a long way when it comes to saving money. 🧑‍🍳

Welp, that’s all she wrote! Have a killer day friends. 😎

Best friends out! 🍻