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Woman creates the most beautiful photo album of her dog to honor his final days

Shelby Parks wanted to give her sister Savannah a lasting memory of their cherished pet. Mission wonderfully accomplished.

golden retriever puppy
Photo by Anthony Persegol on Unsplash
golden retriever puppy sitting on ground during daytime

We never get enough time with our pets. It’s one of life’s harshest realities. When that day does finally come, it helps to have little tokens of their memory—a cherished toy, clay paw prints…and of course, photos. No pet parent is without countless images of their fur baby tucked away.

And when Shelby Parks, and her sister Savannah, were getting ready to say goodbye to their beloved Golden Retriever Boomer, Shelby knew exactly what to do with all those photos of Boomer living his best life.

In a viral TikTok video that has been viewed 4.5 million times, we see Shelby gifting her sister a photo album of their pup. Savannah instantly tears up in the clip, and lays her head on Boomer, who is resting on a dog bed by her side.

 
 @parkspartyplanning The one thing I wanted for Christmas was for my sister to be able to open her Christmas gift with Boomer while he’s still here So grateful for the answered prayer 🤍 this is a moment I will never forget and the best gift I could ever ask for #doglover #doglovers #christmasgift #doggift #doggifts #goldenretriever ♬ Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas - Frank Sinatra 
 
 

“The one thing I wanted for Christmas was for my sister to be able to open her Christmas gift with Boomer while he’s still here,” Savannah’s caption read. “So grateful for the answered prayer. This is a moment I will never forget and the best gift I could ask for.

In a follow-up video, Shelby explained that the photo album consisted of images from Boomer’s Instagram account, which she began as a “COVID hobby.”

As the theme of his account was “celebrate everything,” images included showed Boomer enjoying both mainstream and random holidays, like Rubber Ducky Day, Squirrel Appreciation Day and Daisy Day.

As you can imagine, the photos are insanely adorable.

 
 @parkspartyplanning Replying to @simplysummerlynn this is for everyone who was kind enough to ask to see the book I gifted my sister From when he was a puppy, Boomer has been putting a smile on everyones faces, and now I have a tiny piece bottled up in this memory book forever. Thank you to everyone for your well wishes, thoughts and prayers. It means more to me than you will ever know 🤍 #goldenretriever #boomertheretriever #doggifts #doglovers #dogloversoftiktok #christmasgift #doggifts ♬ original sound - Parks Party Planning 
 
 

“If this book doesn’t show just how great of a dog Boomer is. We’ve had so much fun together. It’s literally been like having an American Girl doll as a dog,” she says in the clip. “He is one of the biggest blessings in my entire life and nine-and-a-half years is not nearly enough. But as you can see we’ve had the most amazing adventures together.”

Savannah shared with Good Morning America that Boomer was thankfully able to spend his final Christmas with his family before passing away two days later. And while the loss was heavy, having the community support has been immensely helpful.

"People relating to that pending pain was like, just such a great resource in the time and still now honestly," said Savannah.

Shelby echoed that sentiment in a farewell Instagram post, writing, “there’s nothing on the internet quite like a family of dog lovers.”

Pet owners….never hesitate to snap that photo, give an extra cuddle, and tell your fur baby you love them. It’s never enough time, but those memories really do help keep their spirit alive forever.

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85-year-old woman in senior home brings down the house with Fleetwood Mac 'Landslide' cover

There wasn't a dry eye in the house.

Cecily Knobler

A woman sings "Landslide" by Fleetwood Mac at karaoke.

On a hot Sunday in July, Carole Wade took the mic at a Dallas senior living facility where my mom lives. I happened to be visiting for the karaoke event, and the list of residents who couldn't wait to put their stamps on their favorite tunes was so long, the event had to be extended. ABBA's "Mamma Mia," David Lee Roth's "Just a Gigolo"—you name it, they sang it.

When it was Wade's turn, the microphone was brought to her table. She took it in her hands as though it was an extension of her fingers as the music cued up. Then, as she began to effortlessly sing "Landslide" by Fleetwood Mac, the room got still. Frozen. All eyes were on her, and most of those eyes were wet. The lyrics, so beautifully fitting:

"Well, I've been afraid of changin'
'Cause I've built my life around you.
But time makes you bolder,
Even children get older,
I'm getting old too."

A man sitting at our table took notice of how emotional I had become. He leaned over to say, "Never stop feeling the music."

I had the honor of chatting with Wade, who at 85, has been singing nearly her whole life. She got started in the business as a backup singer in Elvis impersonator groups in Dallas and surrounding areas. In and out of bands, playing Deep Ellum clubs and local hotels, she shares, "I've been singing since I was a small child. I've loved music all my life."

As luck would have it, she was at a jam session when she started harmonizing with other musicians. They would soon form her most recent band, Psychedelic Oatmeal. They officially stopped playing gigs when she was in her 70s, but they remain close. (She notes her bandmates were all much younger.)

 bands, carole wade, music, old friends, singer Carole and her band mates.Carole Wade

They covered classic rock tunes from Stevie Nicks, The Eagles, Janis Joplin, and Led Zeppelin. Songs like "Me and Bobby McGee," "Seven Bridges Road," and "Whole Lotta Love." She laughs that most of the men in the band couldn't hit those Zeppelin high notes made famous by Robert Plant, so she took on the challenge—with great success.

They even branded themselves at gigs, making little Ziploc bags of oatmeal and glitter, which they would throw to the audience at shows. That is, until a club owner asked them to stop, as the oatmeal was mixing with spilled drinks, "creating goo."

Rare footage of Psychedelics Oatmeal.

  The band Psychedelic Oatmeal plays in Dallas.  www.youtube.com  

Wade makes clear that music is her therapy. "If you're down on a certain day, it will bring you up." She has lived a full life, with two grown sons who are both excelling in life. But music, and the friends with whom she makes it, brings her that extra piece of joy and purpose.

Michael Hatcher, the Resident Services Director at The Reserve at North Dallas (the senior facility in which this event was held), has seen firsthand how music soothes seniors. It reconnects them to their purest selves, no matter how hazy their memories might become. Hatcher shares, "They remember the music, and the time. It's a vessel for anyone of age. It can be used to bring someone out of the deepest sun-downing and back to life."

A man sings "Just a Gigolo" at The Reserve karaoke day.

@cdk213

Senior living karaoke! Fabulous! #seniorlivingcommunity #justagigalo #dallas

There is much research to support this. Bannerhealth.com quotes music therapy coordinator Tammy Reiver for Banner Hospice in Phoenix: "Music holds the power to increase dopamine levels (happy hormones), decrease symptoms of depression and pain, and improve a person’s quality of life. Pleasing music plays an important role at every age, but for aging adults, the benefits are even greater.”

As for Wade? She jokes that she and a few other musicians at the senior home have plans to start their own band. She certainly has the chops for it—and the fans.

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Adults share the 11 money-free ways their parents infused a pure magic into their childhood

Proof that it often costs nothing to create core memories.

Photo credit: Canva

Magic doesn't cost much to create. Just a little imagination.

One of my personal favorite memories from childhood—which was upper lower class, at best— is the afternoon that my mother and I were traipsing through a woodsy area to have a picnic. And by picnic, I mean a couple of servings of grilled cheeses and potato chips.

It began to rain, so we set up shop quickly and covered ourselves with a clear plastic tarp, which was soon covered in snails. Because of her ingenuity, I experienced something that felt straight out of a fairy tale, something I will cherish forever.

My story, however personal, is not all that unique. Parents everywhere are not letting financial obstacles prevent them from adding a bit of magic into their kid’s lives. And the truth is, many important core memories just like this one don’t really require that much money at all. What they ask for is a parent's presence.

 childhood, core memories, frugal, money, money free activities, parenting, kids I've loved snails and rain ever since. Photo credit: Canva

What a lovely reminder in an age where parents are pressured to buy more and more lavish things in order to prove…well, we’re really not sure what there is to prove here. But society sure makes us feel the need to prove something, doesn't it?

In a since-deleted Reddit post, someone recalled that their own parents couldn’t afford baseball game tickets and created their own makeshift stadium at home (complete with little paper tickets) and in the process created something much more impactful than going to a game.

This inspired a whole slew of adults sharing equally magical childhood memories that came from their parent’s creativity, not from money. There were also a few parents themselves who shared the money-free ways they added whimsy.

Here are some of our favorites:

1. Unicorn Walks

“My mom told me that unicorns only come out at dusk. So naturally, I wanted to go out for walks to search for unicorns almost every day. It was decades before I realized that my single mother just wanted to go out for walks with me and that was her way of convincing me to go outside.”

2. Fairy Hunts

“Told them any time they saw glitter out in nature it was because a fairy had been there. If they were lucky it might still be there but they had to look for us bc grown-ups couldn't see them anymore. I would sneakily drop glitter near the knobby roots of trees, puddles in stones, or anyplace that seemed ‘magical’ as we walked for them to find. They happily walked and searched for fairies and enjoyed nature and still as teenagers will say something is the ‘perfect fairy spot.’”

3. Magic Rocks

“I had a geology phase when I was a kid. Used to go outside in the back yard and on walks with the parents looking for semi precious stones…with my magnifying glasses and a book to identify them. I found a lot of cool stuff…It was literally decades later when I realized you don't just ‘find’ things like quartz, amethyst, topaz, whatever lying around in the suburbs. My parents had bought a bag of random assorted stones and hid them around the yard and neighborhood for me to find, to encourage my hobby.We were pretty broke, so the ~$20-$50 they spent on that went a really long way.”

 childhood, core memories, frugal, money, money free activities, parenting, kids It's actually really easy to create magic. Photo credit: Canva

4. Wintertime Wolf Patrol

“We did something we called wolf patrol with our kids. Through the winter when we had less outdoor time we would give them [flashlights] and they’d creep around the garden with them for about 10 minutes before going up for bathtime/bedtime. It seemed to help them to have some fresh air before bedtime.”

5. Magic Mardis Gras Tube

“During Mardi Gras my wife would let her daughter and step son watch the parades on tv. While they watched she would sit behind them and occasionally throw candy or whatever up around them and they thought it was coming out of the tv. They told the kids it was a magic tube in the TV that allowed this to happen only during Mardi Gras so they didn’t always expect it to happen.”

6. Senior Baseball

“I didn't grow up particularly poor but we did have one summer where we were broke and my dad would take me to watch senior baseball down at the park.These guys in their 50s all playing ball once a week at an intensity level someplace between a beer league and Game 7 of the World Series absolutely loved having a kid there cheering them on like they were big leaguers.I knew all their names, knew how they'd been doing at bat because I kept score. Someplace at my parents house there's a signed ball from everybody on that team.”

7. Camping During Power Outages

“I didn’t realize my family was poor until a lot later in my life because my mom made things like our power getting shut off magical. Our power got shut off once so we ‘went camping.’ We got our sleeping bags and lit candles. We used some tea lights to roast weenies and played board games. I had to have been like four, maybe five, and I didn’t learn until I was like 16 that it was because the power was out. I just remember it as a fun night with my mom and brothers.”

 childhood, core memories, frugal, money, money free activities, parenting, kids " I just remember it as a fun night with my mom and brothers.”Photo credit: Canva

8. Toilet Paper Ninja Turtle

“My dad used to make nunchucks out of string and toilet paper tubes, and then cut eye masks out of old red t-shirts so that I could be [Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’] Rafael on Saturday mornings while cartoons were on. At that point I didn’t even know poor was a thing, so I just thought it was bad ass that I had a Rafael costume. There’s some beauty in not knowing there are options besides being poor.”

9. Disney Riddle Easter Egg Hunt

“One Easter in the early 90s my younger brothers and I woke up excited to see the haul the Easter bunny had left us .We went to the living room -nothing :(.Needless to say we thought we were bad and he didn’t come. Then on top of our TV set in a vase we saw a little baggie with 3 foiled eggs in it with a small computer printed out slip with a riddle on it. We lived on an acreage and this was our ‘Easter egg hunt.’ My parents wrote Disney riddles that took us on an adventure all around the property! They stayed up all night printing and coming up with these 12+ riddles out and placing them all over the property just to surprise us that morning.One of my best childhood memories! They were always magic!”

 childhood, core memories, frugal, money, money free activities, parenting, kids Everybody knows the hunts is more fun than the eggs. Photo credit: Canva

10. Bathtub Ball Pit

“I was a large child in the '80s, 99th percentile for both height and weight at six years old. Because of this, I was not allowed in any ball pits at Chuck E. Cheese…One day in particular, I was attending a birthday party…[and I ] had to sit there on the sidelines as my friends got to have fun… I told my mom about it afterwards and she could tell how disappointed and sad I was…Later that week…bath time rolled around and my mom got me as usual, but that night she covered my eyes with her hands as she steered me into the bathroom. When she let me look, I was greeted with my very own ball pit. She had gotten a bag of water balloons and had blown them all up so that I had a floating ball pool in the tub. It was so pretty with all the bright colors AND it involved water (I would have lived in water if I had the ability), so it was the most amazing thing to six-year-old me. She turned a point of sadness and exclusion into one of my most cherished memories.”

 childhood, core memories, frugal, money, money free activities, parenting, kids Honestly an at home ball pit is probably wayyyy more hygienic anyway. Photo credit: Canva

11. Handmade Treasure Map

“My dad drew a treasure map using our apartment complex roads and we went on this adventure with my little binoculars and his old school digital camera to find the ‘treasure.’ I picked up a lot of flowers growing on the road along the way and seeing new things to add to my treasure collection. I still remember it as a core memory of my childhood and genuinely thought it was a magical treasure quest in the moment 🥲. I will be carrying on this activity when I have kids in the future for sure.”

Creating amazing memories doesn’t need to be lavish. So often, kids respond more when we meet them at their level, using nothing but love and pure imagination.

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Fans gushed over Jessica Biel's toned body in a white dress. Then she gave a reality check.

"This kind of transparency is so important."

@shopyourtv/TikTok

We all need a reality check from time to time.

We all know that the level of fitness achieved by celebrities we see on television isn’t attainable for many, if not most everyday people. And yet, when their sculpted bodies grace our screens, it can still activate a little voice that says “clearly you’re not doing enough."

That’s why it’s so helpful and grounding when a celebrity is actually transparent about the work it takes to achieve their physique, so that it might quiet that self deprecating narrative and help us get a little more realistic about achieving whatever fitness goals we might have. Jessica Biel’s recent response to a fan who asked her to share her workout routine is a perfect example of that.

It all started with a clip from her Prime Video thriller series, The Better Sister, where she plays a super fit character…as is evident by how clearly toned she looks in a backless white dress worn during the show’s opening.

 
 @k_dofinbos I’m slackingggg #thebettersister #jessicabiel #tvtok #primevideo ♬ original sound - K 
 
 

Several women have shared the clip on TikTok, while muttering something along the lines of “I need to get back to the gym.” One person even asked Biel to share the workout routine she does in order to get that toned. Biel saw the request, and acquiesced…but not without delivering a truth bomb or two.

“Everyone is talking…about the white dress…and I just wanted to share that that peak shape in that show is not maintainable unless you are living the strictest, most rigid lifestyle with your nutrition and with your fitness,” she said, admitting that not even she, someone who’s been notably lean and athletic their entire adult life, who has access to the best foods, best gym equipment, etc. etc., can sustain that look indefinitely.

 
 @jessbiel Replying to @tori I’ve heard y’all are talking about the white dress 😏 I’m no expert but I want people to be healthy, safe, and strong. Remember to warm up and cool down, and let me know what other workouts you’d like to see! A big thank you to #AshleyBrown and @Ben Bruno ♬ BIRDS OF A FEATHER OFFICIAL INSTRUMENTAL - Dan Swift Del Rey 
 
 

This bit of candidness incited a whole slew of praise in the comments section, from folks who thanked Biel for "being so real."

“THANK YOU for saying that many if not most actors look amazing for a moment in time during shooting and that it is incredibly hard to enjoy life and look like that all the time,” on person wrote.

Another said, “Thank you for speaking about the lifestyle that comes with maintaining! this kind of transparency is so important 🙏🏼.”

But Biel didn’t stop there. She also took the opportunity to raise awareness on how important it is, especially for women, to prioritize maintaining muscle strength and flexibility as you get older…not just achieving an aesthetic goal, or, for the love of all that is holy, getting skinnier.

And, as requested, she did end up sharing a sample lower body workout routine—something she’s currently doing to get back in Better Sister shape—which consisted of dumbbell exercises like hip thrusts and Romanian deadlifts, as well as curls with a large stability ball and banded kickbacks.

She was even so kind as to break down proper form for all the moves, and didn’t edit out her being out of breath at the end of the routine, saying, “my body’s not twenty years old anymore, you know?” She’s a real one for that. For sure.

Biel then concluded her video by saying, “let’s get older and stronger together.”

 jessica biel, jessica biel workout, the better sister, jessica biel arms, ben bruno, fitness, getting toned, full body workout Biel performing a Romanian deadlift as part of her lower body routine. @jessbiel/TikTok

The video garnered a lot of gratitude from viewers, who commended Biel for “keeping it real” and “being a great advocate for women.”

"JB is a girl's girl," one person gushed.

At the end of the day, it is possible for us to achieve amazing fitness goals all while juggling what life throws our way. But we are doing ourselves a disservice to think that a) it can be done with a quick fix and zero lifestyle changes, and b) that we are supposed to remain at peak fitness levels 24/7. Not even the pros do that.

If getting more fit is a goal of yours, rather than simply stealing Biel's routine, it might be beneficial to also try to adopt her mindset about it all as well. Just sayin’.

Luckily, if you are still on the hunt for a Biel-approved workout, one of her long-time trainers, Ben Bruno, does have fitness programs to try out.

Here's to getting older and stronger together.

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Gen Alpha's water bottle obsession has Xennials reminiscing about school water fountains

"We survived on a single sip from a germ-infested water fountain between classes and called it a day."

Images via Canva

Xennials reminisce about drinking from school water fountains.

Xennials, the microgeneration between Gen X and Millennials that were born between 1977-1983, continue to get a kick out of how different school was for them compared to younger generations, like today's Gen Alpha (those born between 2010 and 2024).

In an online forum of Xennials, member Plastic-Implement797 got his fellow Xennials buzzing specifically about their days drinking from school water fountains. "Back in my day no one cared about being hydrated," they wrote.

They followed it up with an epic water fountain meme that read: "Kids today lug around 40 oz Stanley cups like they're on a desert trek. "We survived on a single sip from a germ-infested water fountain between classes and called it a day."

 water fountain, drinking from water fountain, school water fountain, drink water, xennial Jon Heder Drinking GIF by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment  Giphy  

The post sent fellow Xennials down memory lane, with many commenting about how different hydration standards were back in the day. For starters, there were rules about how long you could drink from the water fountain. "1,2,3, THAT’S ENOUGH! 'Save some for the whales'!", one wrote, with others commenting about how absurd it was. "I remember coming in from gym class in elementary school and we did the 1-2-3. It was never enough and I always got in trouble for it. I was just running around outside for an hour, I needed more than 2oz. Everyone did. What was with that!" another added.

Another Xennial quipped, "Always pissed me off! Especially if the water fountain was so weak you had to perform CPR on the spigot."

And another Xennial didn't hold back. "We grew up in a time where kids were treated like cattle, and if something mildly inconvenienced or annoyed an adult, it got shut down…end of discussion. I’m as nostalgic for the past as the next guy, but this reminds that in at least a few ways, the world actually is a better place," they added.

@mitchromancia

The CLASSIC Water Fountain 1.2.3 Rule..🤣 #relatable #story #storytime #storieswithmitch #trending #comedy #youngeryou #satisfying #foryou #foryoupage

 

Other Xennials reminisced about knowing which water fountains were the best (and therefore highly sought after). "Everyone knew where the one that dispensed cold water was rather than room temp water," one wrote, with another adding, "The good fountain always 1- was noisy, 2- was cold, 3- fired that water 3”+ into the air…accept no substitutes!"

Some Xennials shared their water fountain horror stories. "And that one kid who would stick his entire mouth on it," one commented, before another quickly added, "Ugh, HATED getting stuck behind that kid in line after recess."

 water fountain, water fountain gif, gross water fountain, germs water fountain, school water fountain Parks And Recreation Water Fountain GIF by PeacockTV  Giphy  

While many Xennials shared their epicly gross water fountain stories, others discussed how scary their lack of hydration truly was compared to Gen Alpha kids. "Idk how I survived my childhood because I drink so so so much water now," one Xennials commented. Another shared, "We were all just chronically dehydrated until about 3pm every day."

However, many Xennials noted that the fact Gen Alpha is obsessed with their water bottles is a good thing. "My oldest fills hers up 3 or 4 times a day at school," one wrote, and another added, "They’ll have better skin than us." Another Xennial also noted, "I am thrilled we are hydrating the kids. However, I do wonder how many of my physical issues are from being chronically dehydrated growing up. 🤷"


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11 old-timey frugal habits that younger generations can totally apply today to save money

Tips that worked in the Great Depression, and can work now.

Photo credit: Canva

Money saving tips that give a lot more than they take

Though people can't seem to agree on what makes the American economy "good" or "bad" (especially since people's perceptions being heavily influenced by who sits in the White House at any given time), there's no question that economic uncertainty is on many people's minds. Middle-agers who lived through the Great Recession of 2008 and the COVID-19 pandemic of the early 2020s know how fast economic stability can falter, and youngsters have started their adult lives with unaffordable housing and education as well as post-COVID inflation driving up the cost of everyday living.

Thankfully, we can learn a thing or two from our elders who lived through the money struggles of two world wars and the Great Depression. Frugality was a way of life for our grandparents and great-grandparents, and though times have changed—a lot—many of those wise ways to save money still stand. And the good news is that many of them are good for the environment and our health as well as our wallet.

Here are some of the easiest, most hard-hitting frugal living habits we can take from previous generations:

Cook from scratch

Even with the cost of groceries being higher than they were, it's almost always significantly cheaper to eat at home than it is to eat out. Learning to cook is a useful and enjoyable (for many) hobby that can also save you money, as long as you're not trying to cook something overly fancy. Cooking doesn't have to be complicated, and it's never been easier to find simple recipes. There are even sites that will come up with a menu and recipes for you based on what you already have in your pantry. Stock up on basic ingredients, keep it simple, and find some favorite meals that you can whip up quickly and easily.

 frugal, frugal life, frugal tips saving money, money, economy, inflation, cheap meals, living frugally A young couple enjoying cooking in their kitchenPhoto credit: Canva

Less meat, more beans

Meat is pricey—especially good quality meat—and with animal-borne diseases becoming more of a concern, animal products in general are getting more expensive. Perhaps now would be a good time to transition to more of a plant-based lifestyle, making more use of cheaper protein sources like beans. Canned beans are generally quite affordable, but dried beans are even cheaper if you don't mind taking the time to soak and cook them. If you have an Instant Pot, it's super easy to batch cook dry beans, which you can then store cooked in the freezer for quick reheating.

Buy herbs and spices in bulk

Spices in jars are stupidly expensive sometimes, and you might assume that's just what they cost. But if you've never shopped in the bulk spice section at a store—even at an expensive health food store—you might be surprised by how much cheaper it is. Leafy herbs like oregano, thyme, basil, and sage weigh almost nothing, so even if they cost $20/lb, a jar's worth is often pennies to the dollar cheaper than buying them already packaged. Just beware heavier spices, as sometimes those can be just as expensive as jarred. Definitely worth comparing, though.

 frugal, frugal life, frugal tips saving money, money, economy, inflation, cheap meals, living frugally Herbs and spices in bulk bagsPhoto credit: Canva

Borrow and barter

When times are tough, getting by becomes a community effort, but there's no reason we have to wait for an actual economic depression to help one another out or scratch one another's backs. We all have things that sit around not being used much of the time that others might like to borrow, from tools to books. Trading services can be an excellent way to save money in a win-win way.

Grow a garden

During the pandemic, many people started growing WWII-style "victory gardens" simply because they could, but gardening can be a great way to save on produce and herbs. If you can start early in the spring and grow from seed, even better. Though learning to keep a garden thriving can be a little trickier than it looks, the savings can be impressive. For instance, one tomato plant can harvest 10 to 20 pounds of tomatoes, so even if you spend $5 on a starter plant, you can save a ton compared to produce section prices at the store. No yard? Gardening in containers works, too.

 frugal, frugal life, frugal tips saving money, money, economy, inflation, cheap meals, living frugally Hands holding fresh radishes plucked from a gardenPhoto credit: Canva

Clean with vinegar and baking soda

It may seem like a small thing, but lots of small things like cleaning products add up. Buying vinegar in bulk and diluting it 50/50 with water makes a great basic cleaner, and baking soda in bulk can help you scour surfaces as well. Vinegar smell doesn't last long, but you can always add a little essential oil to the mix to add some scent. You might need a stronger disinfectant for certain cleaning jobs, but for a basic cleanser, vinegar gets the job done.

Reuse or reutilize containers

So many foods we buy come in jars or containers, most which get tossed or recycled. Then we go out and buy containers for storing leftovers or other things. Aesthetically, I get it. But practically and financially, reusing or reutilizing containers makes more sense, even if you just use them once or twice and then toss or recycle. Plus, if you reuse jars or containers you're not planning to keep, you can write on them with a Sharpie without feeling like you ruined it.

Drive less

Americans love to drive and many of us do it far more often than we need to, spending more on gas than necessary. And even though gas prices have come down most places, it still isn't cheap. Combining trips or making a once a week "errand day" can help us cut down on driving. So can carpooling or biking or walking more.

 frugal, frugal life, frugal tips saving money, money, economy, inflation, cheap meals, living frugally A person walking on steps outsidePhoto credit: Canva

Buy used

Thrift store shopping can save a ton of money, especially if you shop around to various thrift shops to find the ones that actually have good stuff at low prices. Clothes especially can be a much better deal used than new, and no one will ever know the difference. Furniture is also a fraction of the cost used vs. new, and often older furniture is better quality anyway. Check Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist and other online markets for used items before running to the store or buying something new online.

Utilize your public library

Public libraries are treasure troves of free stuff, and not enough people take full advantage of them. Not only can you get books, but many libraries have huge collections of movies or other entertainment. Some have art collections you can check out, others have tools and household items you can borrow. There are also free book clubs, lectures, classes and other activities that can add to your social calendar without spending anything.

 frugal, frugal life, frugal tips saving money, money, economy, inflation, cheap meals, living frugally Two people enjoying the libraryPhoto credit: Canva

Make do with what you have

This might sound like a no-brainer, but many of us have gotten into the habit of buying whatever we think we need simply because it's convenient. Amazon has created some habitual buying habits that we might want to rethink if we're trying to save money. Do you really need a new jacket or is the one you have still perfectly usable? Is there still some life left in that pair of shoes? Even holding off on buying things for a month or two and making do with what you have can help you save money and see that you don't need as much as you might think.

Lots of small savings can add up, so don't assume that a few cents or a dollar here and there don't matter. Once you get into these habits, you may even find that frugal living to be a preferred way of life, regardless of your financial situation. It certainly can't hurt to try it.

This article originally appeared in March

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