I’ve noticed sometimes that there’s some half-baked videos or blogs or whatever that purport this or that frugal trick, but if you look at the time or math, it’s not actually frugal for you.

What are some examples of that you’ve come across? The things that “aren’t worth it”?

For me it’s couponing. (Although I haven’t heard people talk about it recently–has it fallen out of “style”, or have businesses caught up to the loopholes folks used to exploit?)

  • clearleaf@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    The cheapest food is always a massive rip off. It doesn’t matter if you’re willing to settle for something that doesn’t taste as good. The cheapest food has been stripped down to such nothingness that you need to eat 3x more to stay alive. It doesn’t work for the same reason you can’t just drink water and feel full.

    • Sertou@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Depends on what kind of food you’re talking about. Whole foods like potatoes, lentils and beans are filling, nutritious and inexpensive. Cheap processed foods frozen pizza are basically edible polyester.

      • clearleaf@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        I’m not talking about frozen pizza. I bought the cheapest bagels a few times, and they skimp on them so hard they’re like Sonic rings, and I had to eat two or three at a time. But they’re not half the price. So despite being cheaper, the daily bagel expense is higher than if I buy real ones.

        • Sertou@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          So you’re saying that the cheapest example of a given food is not necessarily a good value? Makes sense.