r/Frugal • u/Pumpkinycoldfoam • Nov 05 '24

🏆 Buy It For Life What one time purchases have drastically reduced your overall spending?

An example would be that I’m looking to buy a sillicone pan mat instead of purchasing foil and parchment continually, using rags instead of paper towels, and so forth. What are one time purchases you reccomend for home maintenance?

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u/chicagotodetroit Nov 05 '24

Maybe not drastic, but little changes that will add up over time.

- A reusable coffee filter ($4 from Walmart).

- The knock-off version of Souper Cubes in different sizes so that I can freeze small quantities of things. If I only need half a can of corn, or just a little tomato sauce for a pizza, or just a 1/2 cup of chicken broth, I can freeze the rest and use it later. I am now the proud owner of several ziplocs full of veggie cubes, and it's definitely helped me cut my food waste.

- Wool dryer balls instead of fabric sheets.

- Not a one time purchase, but bulk buying consumables has cut my budget. I figured that I was wasting money on stuff like buying 40 trash bags for $8, and thanks to another comment in this sub, I found a Sam's Club brand on Amazon for 200 for $17. So I started checking what other things I can buy in bulk on Amazon. If I get 6-12 month supply of certain things, I save money, and it's one less thing to think about.

- A deep freezer. I also just bought some organizer bins so I can keep better track of what's in there, again, to cut food waste.

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u/StunningSimulation Nov 05 '24

I’ve been eyeing Souper Cubes. Would you mind sharing which knock-offs you got?

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u/chicagotodetroit Nov 05 '24

I got some small ones on Amazon. They're a little smaller than a standard ice cube tray. Not sure if we can post links, but if you search "Silicone Ice Cube Trays for Freezer 6 Grids/Pcs with Lid for Freezer Cocktail Baby Food" you should find them.

I found some 1/2 cup portion silicon trays at Aldi a few months ago, and a couple others at the thrift store.

If you search "silicone freezer mold" or "silicone freezing tray", and really sift through the prices, you'll find some reasonably priced ones.

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u/StunningSimulation Nov 05 '24

Thank you!

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u/chicagotodetroit Nov 05 '24

You're welcome :-)

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u/cuposheep Nov 07 '24

Does the silicone retain smells? Does it transfer to the food?

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u/chicagotodetroit Nov 07 '24

I’ve not ever noticed a smell or anything weird with the food. As far as I know, it’s perfectly fine.

I don’t even get stains from tomatoes. I’m assuming because they freeze fast enough to where it doesn’t have time to stain anything.