Comments by "Ginny Jolly" (@ginnyjollykidd) on "The Financial Diet" channel.

Holly Chelmo It's a service for others who want the list but don't want to slog through. I think it's a nice gesture. Thanks.
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Liusila Slacks can fuel a wardrobe and can be worn most anywhere (unlike yoga pants): work, church, concerts, parties, even weddings. Pair them with different blouses so you can dress them up or down. There are many nice blouses and tunics for variety and comfort. It's not a bad thing to have a wardrobe you can wear for two weeks. What I can't understand is why you pay more for a bra than for some nice blouses! Or why panties are so expensive!
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As I grew up, there were two bedrooms —one for three kids and one for parents —absolutely one bathroom for all. When we moved (I was 13), there were 3 or 4 bedrooms, depending on how they were regarded and used. Upstairs was a finished attic, and because my older sister got her own room and each parent got their two rooms, my little sister and I had the upstairs bedroom and ante-room, a finished attic room. There was still one bathroom for five people
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I have a number of t-shirts and shorts that can be used either at the gym or as everyday clothing. I'm not a 50's wife or Donna Reed who wore a dressy dress while being a homemaker. I wouldn't wear a dress to the gym, although my friend demonstrated you can truly wear it to ride a bicycle and play badminton in. I wear my t-shirts to the gym, at other times (after cleaning!) to the grocery or other outside informal activity, and also to bed as a comfortable night shirt. There is no reason I need to wear a pair of leggings or yoga pants to the gym if my t-shirts and shorts are giving enough to let me move. Besides: tight pants give me infections. My T-shirts are the most versatile and most - used articles of clothing I have. T-shirts come in many styles, too. I got some v-necks when my doctors needed to access a needle port near my collar bone. When I was younger, my mom made a t-shirt - style long - sleeve blouse with a cowl neck. She also used that same pattern to make me a belly shirt with puffy sleeves. And of course, the traditional T's, some with cap - style sleeves, and some with common hang - down styles. T's can be elegant or basic. They serve different purposes and comfort.
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NB: Don't use lemon juice, vinegar, or other acid for cleaning fluid on marble or limestone! Over time, the cleaning fluid will dissolve marble.
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Shining Sakura You have excellent skills to be able to make your own wedding dress! And I know how complicated the outfit is! Congratulations on your skill and the wedding! My own wedding cost $2,500.00, and the dress was the least expensive part (except my church; it was also free). I managed to find a dress that, along with the alterations, came to only $250.00 because it was in a clearance rack. But it was beautiful! I think the biggest expense was catering, but we gave the caterer the biggest leeway to plan, with one or two stipulations, and he got us the best price on the best buffet menu. He even contacted the distributor of some Indian chickpeas we wanted to serve, and many compliments were made over them! I did not make the maid of honor wear any stupid off - the - shoulder dress that makes most people look weird. She said she had a nice party dress that she could wear. I was glad, and she didn't need to spend a lot of money for a dress she'd wear only once.
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Aurora Enriquez There are plenty of people who don't do bars. Start doing things you like, and you'll meet people who do them, too. Check out Meetup.com for groups near you.
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Vickie Clark There's possibly the idea to add into it? My grandpa built on the back of his house and made that a bedroom and kitchen, as well as a nice big slab porch instead of a stoop. The house was stucco, and he bricked it up with yellow brick. He was quite muscular and had a lot of work stamina to do this home improvement himself.
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I have a 1, 000 square foot condo and it is right for me. It was built in 1975, but it still had some good fundamental stuff like underground pipes and a chiller /boiler HVAC system that is effective, efficient, and economical for our 160-unit community. We even got a new boiler and new piping last year, so we are up to date. Yay for us! When I got there, I had to replace the windows because of old mechanisms that were hard to move. This posed a fire hazard because it blocked secondary exits. For 8 windows, that was a huge chunk of money, but worth it. And I learned many smaller DIY projects: rehanging doors, replacing PVC plumbing, replacing door handle parts, and hanging a bathroom mirror cabinet.
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For decor, check out Habitat ReStore, which has interior decoration donations as well as home improvement supplies and various tools. These thrift items are sold to benefit Habitat For Humanity. I once got a cherry side table there for $10.00 and fixed the drawer track. The table was worth some $150.00—$200.00 or more! I put it next to my futon, my couch and guest bed. I got a nice wingback chair from a lady getting rid of it. And my dining room table is 35 years old, a gift from my sister. My favorite dishes are on open stock at the grocery/department store. And I do quite a bit of inexpensive DIY work like replacing a backset instead of a whole doorknob set (a$25.00 savings) and kitchen plumbing PVC replacement. Rehung my bathroom door so it would fit right. Replaced the toilet handle and flusher and flap at different times when it was necessary. It's amazing how these fixes can extend the fixtures' lives.
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That's it. Should I ever get married again (big IF), I will wear nice clothes and get married in the Belle of Louisville Sternwheeler boat. A dress might not even apply because I don't wear dresses much.
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My kitchen dishes and bowls MUST be microwavable. Thick polypropylene is microwaveable. I have some polypropylene cups I picked up free from a local fair/festival that I microwave water in for hot beverages. I have heavy - duty kitchen scissors for all kinds of cutting jobs, even sometimes Yorkshire pudding and pizza. I started with one sauce pan and stock/pasta pot which took care of most soups, sauces, and pasta dishes. And I have made in the past 2 days two batches of borscht in my 5-quart stock pot. I have cast - iron skillets, presents from a friend, which I have grown up cooking with, and a steel - clad steel skillet I absolutely adore cooking in. (avocado burritos anyone?) A can opener, a church key (for juice cans), and a Gilhoolie—the best jar lid opener in the world! And a knife sharpener. I don't need steak knives, but a butcher knife, a utility knife, and a paring knife are my go-to's, as well as a good cleaver. And silicone dipper, spatula, and large spoon. My steel spatula is more efficient, though. And bowl scrapers. And bowls for my stand mixer my Mom gave me. Yes, I have a waffle maker, but it was a long - ago purchase and I'd rather keep it. And my slow cooker is quite useful. And so are YouTube channels like "The Magic Slow Cooker" I look for simple recipes (over five ingredients is pushing it), with ingredients that are familiar. I get herbs and spices in bulk. I get a large cut of meat and either have the butcher cut it or parcel it myself into individual cuts I wrap and freeze. I get dry favorite beans. I save the bone in a ham for green beans and other beans as well.
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I recommend for every toolbox: pliers (standard, needlenose, and adjustable), locking pliers (small, medium, large, and needlenose), crescent wrench, utility knife, hammer, and multiple - bit, adjustable-angle screwdriver. These take care of many needs. Sewing tools: needles called sharps, some ballpoint needles for knits, glover's needle for leather and vinyl, scissors, black and white standard mercerized thread, buttons packs from your better clothes, and a seam ripper and tape measure. Learn invisible hem stitch, running stitch, sewing buttons, and blanket stitch.
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Please stop saying "literally." Most of those are unnecessary.
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Myfinekilt Doctors wear scrubs, too. Especially in the OR. And I've seen them with scrubs in the cafeteria, too.
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If you don't use bus fares every day, you don't pay for tokens you haven't used. If you stay at a special place for a week and don't use your bus pass, you still pay for ten bus fares you haven't used. When you have tokens, the extra tokens stay in your pocket and don't get spent.
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For data overages, be careful that even if you connect to Wi-Fi that you turn your data off or else it will still be used.
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Gregory Everson Actually in my case it was pressure from my mom. When you live with her, diplomacy is a tickly thing. AND she invited the whole church prepping for 150 people. 🙄 I say get on a riverboat or ship somewhere where the captain can marry you. Have a nice cruise and wear what you want. It was Queen Victoria that started the White dress for a first wedding bunk. It's bull cookies! I saw a lovely couple get married by the Justice of the Peace in the outside courtyard of the Hall of Justice, and it was a beautiful ceremony! She was dressed in peach frills, and she and her groom were glowing!
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It's good to have a generic cleaner for less expensive, with these caveats: DON'T use vinegar and water on marble. Vinegar will eat away at the marble over time. DO use a cleaner that will kill such gems as pneumonia and influenza. These are good for your bathroom and kitchen. There are sources online (maybe cdc.gov) that can tell you what ingredients to look for. If you need to kill hepatitis, use 10% bleach.
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Milk is easy! If you pour some and it stinks, or if it doesn't stink but tastes bad, it's time to throw it out.
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Red meat is no more expensive than chicken. I prefer getting pork from the meat case. Look for manager's specials that can save you up to 50‰ off the price. Around X-mas time, hams go on sale for 50% off and become cheaper, pound for pound, than hot dogs. I always get one, and this year I had the opportunity twice (December and February) to get a spiral - sliced jam, and I have chunk ham for beans still. Yum! Eat red meat as you desire or not. Your reasons are your own. For instance, the logic that vegans use to justify their diet can be and are debunked. The health of a meat diet might be questionable, but humans get a lot of important elements of nutrition (whole proteins)efficiently from meat that cannot easily be extracted from a plant diet. And I eat red meat for mental health reasons, too. Someday somebody might research why, but as a bipolar mental health consumer, I eat red meat at least on occasion because I can get anxious and squirrelly without it. I don't know why, but I do. Get a bone - in roast or shoulder or loin. They are cheaper than boneless, and they go on sale more often. If you like pork chops, don't buy them even in "family packs." Get a boneless pork loin and have the butcher cut them into butterfly pork chops of your desired thickness. Even boneless is cheaper than single or packages of pork chops. I also wrap them in freezer paper to use them one at a time from the freezer. If I think I'll want one, I'll throw one in the fridge earlier in the a day. Also get a bone-in shoulder. The butcher can't cut boneless steaks off it, but you can with a very sharp knife and safe technique. Bone-in shoulders are too big for my slow cooker, so I'll cut off boneless steaks and sometimes stir-fry chunks till the shoulder is small enough to get into my slow cooker. (about 3-4 lbs.) For chicken, I will pay the extra price for a few things. For one, there is way too much fat BETWEEN the meat and it's gross! Two, I'll pay so I don't have to skin and bone them myself.
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Check out foreign foods groceries! Spices are in bulk and inexpensive, but also things that you don't usually think of: beans and dried legumes, teas, and even breakfast cereals like Cream of Wheat. Cream of Wheat is Farina, and it is made the same way. But for 2 14 oz boxes of Cream of Wheat at $4.00 each, you get that much Farina (28 oz) and a little more for about $3.50. If you make sushi, get a ten pack or more of Nori at an Asian grocery for half the grocery store price. Sample the sweets and crackers. Get fresh flatbreads. Try something new!
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I recommend for exercise to find a series either television streaming or online that you like. A series will vary the routine some so it doesn't feel like a chore. Also, if the leader sounds like they know what their exercises do and show how to do them safely, that is best. And a little eye candy helps, too. Keep both your fat pants and skinny pants. You might easily need them at different times. But also have pants the size that fits.
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A friend of mine gets a bulk pack of chicken gizzards and hearts (mostly gizzards) and cooks them "to death" (the cartilage is tough!) then she feeds them to the cats. I've yet to do that, but it makes a lot of sense. A tray of gizzards (2 lbs?) cost the same as three Sheba single serve double packs (3 oz a serving - 2 servings per 2-pack). And there's quite a number of gizzards and hearts in that package! And if you want, you can even cut out the cartilage while you prepare the cooked gizzards.
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I have an old, non - digital, CRT (tube) TV with RCA plugs. I am too cheap to get cable (there's nothing on, there). I use it for my DVD collection, a conservatively built collection I watch more than once. No need for Blu - Ray or aerial. I have a desktop, a laptop, and a phone, with a wireless router so I can keep from using all my phone data while at home. My tablet broke beyond reasonable cost to restore it (I did once and it broke with the same problem), so I don't use one. But my laptop does what my tablet did and everything a laptop can do, so I'm covered and I won't get another tablet. But I need a laptop, of all of my electronics, as well as my scanner and printer.
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Another way to save money is to check out places that take donated home furnishings and resell them. One great one in the U.S. is Habitat ReStore, selling furniture, hardware, chandeliers, electronics, kitchen counters, doors, flooring, and much more. The proceeds go to Habitat for Humanity, an organization to help people build their own homes or help build other people's homes, to pay a part of their home with work, which is called "sweat equity." This program was started by former president Jimmy Carter after he left office. He said that with his connections, he could do more for people outside of the presidency than he ever could within his presidency.
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Vickie Clark That's too bad. But it all does come down to what your resources are. Grandpa was a good do - it-yourself person and at the time had the vigor of youth. I personally couldn't have done it at any age. My uncle renovated an old brownstown mansion and dealt with severe back pain as he drywalled all the many rooms.
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Cigarettes and tobacco products are expensive out the roof! When I order Club Soda at a restaurant, I don't get any strange looks from the wait staff, from friends, or even onlookers. They don't care. Why should you? (beyond taste) Check out Meetup.com. There are groups that meet for different things. There might be something appealing to you that doesn't cost an arm and a leg: gaming groups, "stitch and bitch" needlecraft groups, hiking groups, and so on. Learn how to make that smoothie, sushi, avocado on toast, or get a bag of that specialty coffee or tea or chocolate. Create a happy place for yourself, whether you share it with friends or enjoy it with your furbaby. There are ways you can economically treat yourself.
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I went to a convention once, but when I prepared my clothes, I found I had dropped 2 sizes and truly had nothing to wear! I had to wait till the next day and I anxiously waited for the doors to open. I fairly ran to the proper department, and I told the lady at the department, "I have a hundred dollars; dress me for a weekend! She helped me find coordinate pants (2 pair) and blouses (3). She also showed me how I could rock a smaller size than I thought I had to purchase, and the set was sweet not only for that convention but also for Sunday service, and even everyday looks and work. As long as I fit it, I looked great in it for many situations, including my friend's wedding. As for weddings, they don't need to be soirees. My friend, a riverlorian for the Belle of Louisville Steamboat, got his license to marry people. That would be a sweet an inexpensive cruise to get married on a boat! You can get married outside the courthouse. In my hometown, there is a beautiful square outside the courthouse where I have seen several happy couples married by the Justice of the Peace. They were wearing a beautiful dress of the season (one lady in peach and frills!) and a suit. Both outfits can be used in many occasions! Wedding gifts don't need to be big! I remember a punchbowl gift I knew was about $10.00 (because I sold them at K-mart), but it was just as gracious and loving a gift as those who bought me more expensive gifts. And shower gifts don't need to be big; practical. Utensils, towels, pots and pans, all can be gotten at discount places; some at dollar stores. Baby items? Look at the Dollar Tree first as well. Baby shower cards? Forget them. For the price you pay for them, you can get a children's book. Then you can write your message inside that. The book is a much better card than any card. Better yet: I've seen Dr. Seuss books in baby - style board books. For some $5.00 I think! How appropriate! Don't spend $80.00 on materials to make a wreath for X-Mas because Martha Stewart told you to! Get apps for coupons for the craft stores and get your materials for half-off retail. The wreath she described could be made for $30.00 or less by a shrewd crafter. Don't pay for pine cones. Gather them. Stuff like that. There are also times when online beats the store and vice versa. Always check. And always do your own math. Sometimes the shelf labels are wrong. And anybody who does their own math when comparison shopping is doing algebra whether they know it or not. They're just not using any symbols.
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