What my skin doesn’t know is that she belongs to a very frugal girl, but thankfully I’ve finally found some cheap skin care products that work for me (and Her Royal Highness).

My Cheap Skin Care Products:

I’ve learned that less is more and I’ve also learned that expensive does not equal cure. I hope these products help you as they’ve helped me and please keep in mind that these cheap skin care products do not keep that crazy pimple from popping up during your monthly visitor.

Makeup Remover Wipes

I’ve used so many makeup wipes but these get the job done and they take EVERYTHING off! These are very affordable and perfect for sensitive skin. They also don’t have a weird smell, which is a bonus since I’m extremely sensitive to fragrances.

These wipes are also super durable and the advertising is correct in saying that you only need one to get the job done. They’re big and you can use both sides to remove stubborn makeup.

Facial Cleanser

As soon as my adult acne started showing its face, I tried every “sensitive” salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide product on the market. Even using Clinique’s Acne Solutions didn’t help me, all it did was aggravate and make my skin even drier.

My grandmaw sent me this soap and I didn’t use it at first because it looked weird. What am I? A toddler? haha. When I was finally out of solutions (and money), I decided to try this black soap and it saved my skin overnight.

This soap helps with hyper-pigmentation and keeps my pimples away. I bought a huge pack from Amazon but you can also find it in your local beauty supply store, as well as some other health stores.

Facial Toner

I think I got amnesia after college because Witch Hazel is a family treasure and I definitely abandoned it. Once I kicked Clinique to the curb, I decided to use the Thayers brand of Witch Hazel since I was unable to find Dickinson’s in my area and the generic Target brand was irritating.

If you do miss a spot with your wipes or cleanser, this toner will let you know. Just use a cotton pad, swipe and see all of the dirty goodies on your skin. I’ve used the cucumber and lavender versions and loved both. Since I suffer from hyper-pigmentation EVERYWHERE I’ll probably try the lemon version next.

*Money tip: check Burlington Coat Factory, Marshalls, TJ Maxx, Ross, and other discount stores for a deal.

Moisturizers

I currently only use the generic Target moisturizer at night after letting the witch hazel sit for 5 to 10 minutes. You can put your moisturizer on immediately but I like to wait a little between applying products.

I used to also use Rosehip oil but it expired and I didn’t want to spend $12.99 to buy another one since it has been 100 degrees every day. 🤷🏽‍♀️ Rosehip oil is said to help with discoloration so I’ll probably go back to it in the wintertime because my dry skin drank it up and glistened with gratefulness.

Make sure to get the pure, organic, cold-pressed kind.

Why? No clue, but that’s what all of the skin care professionals recommend.

Sunscreen

I decided to go back to what I used before my skin decided to betray me and Olay Sensitive SPF moisturizer truly does no wrong. I’ve also used the Alba Organic but it’s on the heavier side so I save it for the beach or no makeup days.

If you have brown or darker skin, neither of these leave a white cast – so yay for that.

Ultimately, you should use what works best for you. For some other cheap skin care tips, I also recommend that you change your sheets weekly, drink water and eat a more plant-based diet.

Drinking green tea also seems to contribute to the health of my skin. I hope that this shows you that you don’t always need super expensive products to find relief for your sensitive skin. I wish you all the best!

$tay Healthy fam,
— Dannie

We shop at 5 main stores and we are currently both plant-based. When we first started living by this $300 grocery budget, we were still meat-eaters. Even then, we were still successfully able to feed ourselves.

This is what our monthly grocery spending looked like in September 2019:

Costco – $77.36

We absolutely love Costco and we buy the majority of our staple food items here. What isn’t included below is our 20lb bag of rice that we buy, but of course, that is only like once per year.

• 5ct Avocados – $7.99
• Kettle Popcorn – $4.59
• Spring Mix Salad – $3.99
• Artesano Bread (2 pack) – $3.99
• Cran-Raspberry juice (2 pack) – $6.79
• Lemonade (2 pack) – $5.99
• Silk Almond Milk (3 pack) – $8.99
• Artesano Bread (2 pack) – $3.99
• Organic Tofu (4 pack) – $5.79
• Organic Tofu (4 pack) – $5.79
• Black Beans (8 cans) – $6.99
• Garbanzo Beans (8 cans) – $6.99
• Spring Mix Salad – $3.99
• Bananas – $1.49

Trader Joe’s – $65.08

Trader Joe’s has the best deals on vegan meat substitutes compared to our local grocery stores. Honestly, I would marry their frozen food section if that was possible. They also have so many plant-based meals that only require 20 minutes or less to prepare, so we go monthly to buy whatever we want – ranging from Tempura Cauliflower to Meatless Meatballs.

• Ciabatta Everything Rolls – $2.49
• Frozen country potatoes w/ green beans – $3.29
• Green Apple White Wine – $3.99
• Chickenless Mandarin Orange Morsels – $3.29
• Frozen Chopped Bell Peppers – $1.99
• Meatless Meatballs – $3.99
• Sweet Potato Fries – $1.99
• Thai Vegetable Gyoza – $3.99
• Tofurky Italian Sausage – $3.49
• Vegetable Fried Rice (2 bags) – 4.98
• Frozen Shelled Edamame – $1.99
• Maple Syrup – $4.99
• Organic Tahini Sauce – $3.69
• Eggplant Garlic Spread – $2.69
• Artichoke Hearts – $2.49
• Frozen Organic Vegetable Burritos – $3.29
• Frozen Kung Pao Tempura Cauliflower – $5.49
• Canned Eggplant w/ Tomatoes & Onions (2 cans) – $4.98
• Pasta Shells (2 bags) – $1.98

99 Cents Only – $50.05

I know that many people don’t have access to a giant dollar store like the 99 Cents Only Store, but hey, don’t knock dollar stores until you try them! You can find many name brand products for significantly less than regular stores – just be sure to check the expiration dates.

We usually buy our dry beans, snacks, sodas, and any random vegan items we discover on our trip.

• Vanilla Oreos (2) – $1.98
• Franks Red Hot sauce (2) – $1.98
• Snyders Mini Pretzels (6 pack) – $0.99
• Sunflower Kernels – $0.99
• Roasted Peanuts – $0.99
• Dark Chocolate Sea Salt bars (3) – $0.99
• Kashi Blueberry Waffles (48ct) – $4.99
• Birds Eye Cauliflower Fries – $0.99
• Birds Eye Broccoli Fries – $0.99
• Chips (2) – $1.98
• Roasted Edamame – $0.99
• Nut Clusters (2) – $1.98
• Energy Drinks (3) – $4.47
• Wonderful Brand Pistachios (4) – $3.96
• Bags of Candy (4) – $3.96
• Steamable Jasmine & Basmati Rice (6) – $5.94
• Boxed Dirty Rice (2) – $1.98
• Boxed Quinoa (2) – $1.98
• Pho Noodle bowl – $0.99

Sprouts – $37.25

We buy most of our fresh produce from Sprouts because their great prices and weekly sales make our cheap grocery budget very happy. Fruits, veggies, nuts and $5 sushi (we all know DJ loves sushi) are among our favorite food items at Sprouts. If you haven’t downloaded their app, you definitely should! There are so many savings to be had.

• 1lb bag of baby carrots – $1.49
• Celery Stalks – $1.25
• Cucumbers – $1.36
• Grape Tomatoes – $2.99
• Bell Peppers (4) – $5.00
• Red onions – $1.03
• Red radishes – $0.99
• Koyo Ramen (4 packs) – $3.96
• Canned Hearts of Palm (2) – $5.98
• Lemonade (2 jugs) – $5.00
• Vegetable broth – $3.99 (Hubz accidentally got the expensive kind 🤦🏽)
• Boca Chicken Nuggets – $3.99

Grocery Outlet – $31.46

We rarely shop at the Grocery Outlet, but we’ve found that they do have some pretty great deals from time to time. This has been one of the only places we’ve been able to find the large box of Gardein Chick’n tenders for a cheap price.

• Gardein 7 Grain Crispy Chick’n Tenders (2 boxes) – $19.98
• Ripple Vanilla Pea Milk (6 bottles @ $0.75) – $4.50
• And some other stuff that we don’t have the receipt for – $11.48

Bel Air (Raley’s) – $20.58

You’re probably going to think that we’re strange, but we rarely go to the main grocery store. Why? Well, they usually aren’t cheaper than the other stores on this list.

The main items we buy at Bel Air include frozen hashbrowns, Country Crock margarine, vegan mayo, value sized instant mashed potatoes and other random items.

• 26.2 oz Boxed Mashed Potatoes – $4.50
• Kraft Catalina Dressing – $2.99
• Raley’s Balsamic Vinaigrette – $2.49
• 12 oz bag of Carrots – $1.98
• 1 Yellow Bell Pepper – $1.68
• 2 Cucumbers – $1.56
• Field Roast Wild Mushroom Deli Slices – $2.69
• Field Roast Lentil Sage Deli Slices – $2.69

Target – $3.59

We don’t do much food shopping at Target but I love their vegan ice cream, so guess what?

I bought it.

Grand Total – $285.37!

***
That’s it! That was our entire cheap grocery budget for the month of September. Our budget typically fluctuates depending on what we decide to cook throughout the month, but we always try to stay under $300. (Check out these super cheap crock pot recipes and maybe you can do the same!)

We did a REALLY good job this month because we had to purchase a lot of our bulk items because our cabinets were empty.

People typically think being vegan is expensive, but we’re eating well over here and on a very affordable budget!

$tay Wealthy Fam,
— Dannie

(Dannie Note: This post is not sponsored by IKEA. If it was, I’d still be laying in the floor reeling from the fact that they actually wanted to work with us 😩)

Let’s start with the IKEA Family membership. IKEA Family is free to join and I’m telling you now, YOU SHOULD GO AND JOIN! Click here for the full list of benefits, but I’ll share my favorites below:

Product Discounts 

Throughout the year you will get discounts on items throughout the store, restaurant and food market. Of course, a discount is only a deal if you were going to buy the product anyway, but I love this perk.

Free Coffee & Tea

When I go to IKEA, I walk around the store even when I’m not there to shop so a free drink is always a good thing!

90 Day Price Protection

If you purchase a product and it goes on sale at a lower price within 90 days of purchase, they’ll refund you the difference (with receipt). I recommend that you check every month to ensure that you can catch the price reduction. It takes 5 seconds to check the site, so no back talk lol.

Birthday Surprise!

I saved the best for last because, um, who doesn’t love a birthday surprise? June was my birth month and I was surprised to get $15 off my next purchase. I know you’re sitting there like, “What’s the big deal Dannie?”.

The great thing about this coupon is that there is no minimum purchase requirement which means that if you buy something for $15, you can get $15 off and that’s exactly what I did. 

Since I actually didn’t need anything, I just bought 5 candles and paid a few cents to cover the cost (because DJ chose a bigger candle and messed up my freaking plan) 🤦🏽.

Did you think that was it? Heck no! You also get a FREE birthday meal and dessert!!! Which leads me to my next favorite IKEA offering:

IKEA Has GREAT Food Options!

What else do I love about IKEA? Their food! It’s ridiculously affordable, healthy and there’s something for everyone. A family of four can go here and pay less than $20 for dinner in the restaurant and less than $10 in the food court.

IKEA is great for when you just want to get out of the house to eat but don’t want to spend a fortune at a restaurant or eat at a greasy fast food restaurant.

You’ll find me eating the veggie ball meal or their 75¢ veggie hot dogs. Cheap, filling AND scrumptious!

It’s A Fun Place To Be

Last but not least, the best thing about IKEA is that it’s free to simply explore and hangout. You can get some exercise and ideas for decorating your home. It may sound weird but it’s actually fun to just walk around and people watch and window shop, so what are you waiting for?

If you don’t have an IKEA in your area, I’m sorry… If you do have one, go sign up for the membership and take advantage of all of the wonderful things this big Swedish store has to offer!

Happy exploring,
— Dannie

If you need a car, there’s a lot to consider: whether you’ll need a loan to buy it, whether you can afford all of the car-related expenses, and how to go about finding and buying the right car to meet your needs.

Make a Budget

Before you ever set foot onto a car lot or go browsing online ads, you need to know how much you can afford. I am not just talking about just a monthly payment either. You need to calculate costs for a down payment, registration, insurance, maintenance, and gas. Whatever you do, do not let the bank nor dealership tell YOU what you can afford. Go in there prepared!

Example #1:
Let’s say you want to pay cash and have $5000 total to buy a car. You need to understand that you can’t actually afford a $5000 car. With taxes and purchase fees, you’re looking more at a $4000 car (or less) just to be safe. Knowing this will save you a lot of time and frustration when you actually begin your search.

Example #2:
If you plan on taking out a loan, you need to first look at your current budget and savings account to see what you can afford. If you only have $500 after paying your current bills and expenses, that does not mean that you have $500 to spend on just a car payment.

Think carefully about how this car payment will impact your future goals. Afterward, see what you are comfortable with paying every month. Your car purchase should not keep you from eating or saving for the future!

Payment Options

Cash

Paying cash can save you thousands of dollars in interest payments. Plus, you don’t have to worry about having a car payment for 3+ years. You can either use existing savings (not your emergency fund) or you can save up before your current car gives up on life (like ours did 😩).

Most people are aware of their car’s age, mileage, and health. If you think you have a few years before needing a new car, set a goal and then divide it by the number of months you want to put away savings for. Of course, you can’t time it, but I wouldn’t suggest waiting until your car is 100% dead either.

Example:
$10,000 goal / 36 months = $277 a month

Put your cash in a high yield savings account and you’ll get paid 2%-2.5% interest while you build your savings. I would not suggest putting your savings into the stock market for your car savings. Doing so puts you at a higher risk of losing money if the market falls before you buy your car.

Auto Loan

If you are going the financing route, you need to make sure that you find (and get) the best loan possible. Again, do not look at just the monthly payment; you need to assess the interest rate, term length, and fees associated with the loan. Make sure to check with your bank, local credit unions, and other institutions.

Do not settle with the first bank you talk to and don’t allow everyone to check your credit. Use sites like Credit Sesame or Credit Karma to get an idea of what your credit score is. Use that number while you shop around instead of taking multiple credit hits.

Your credit score will contribute to how good your options are but don’t settle for a crappy loan. High-interest rates, long terms, and low down payments can lead to you immediately being “upside down” on your car (owing more than it is worth). So, try to avoid that.

Research

Now that you are aware of your budget and your financing options, you need to research the automobile that you are interested in. Try to be flexible with brands, models and type at the beginning to avoid limiting your options or missing out on a really great car.

Things to consider:

• Safety records
• Gas mileage
• Dependability (aka will the car crap out on you in a few years)
• Functionality (options)
• Maintenance requirements, issues and costs
• Insurance costs

Finding this information is pretty easy, start by checking out the following for your researching needs:

• Edmunds
• Kelly Blue Book
• IIHS.org
• Family
• Personal mechanic
• Car forums

Where to shop

Now for the fun part – actually shopping for your dream car. The first rule of thumb is that you should have multiple options in mind. Having more options increases your chances of finding a better deal. It’ll also keep you from just settling on the first car you come across. The salespeople will try to pressure you to buy the first time you step foot on the lot, so don’t give in.

Online Search

You can find pretty much anything online these days, so the internet is a great place to start your car search. Kelly Blue book gives you an idea of what is a great value for the cars you’re interested in. Keep this in mind while you’re searching within YOUR BUDGET 😉.

Below are a few sites you can use to see what is available in your area. Most of these sites have filter options but at the beginning, make sure to be flexible with the year, make and model. If you want a specific style (SUV, truck, van, sedan, etc) make sure to include that in your search.

• AutoTrader.com
• Cars.com
• CarGurus.com
• Craigslist

Dealerships

Once you have found a few cars in your budget, it’s time to go to the dealerships and see them up close and personal. There are a few different types of dealerships and they offer very different experiences regarding negotiating, guarantees and service.

No-haggle dealerships

These dealerships operate on fixed price policies. There is no room for negotiating which can be appealing to some but just keep in mind that you may pay a higher price for the car. The benefits include: easier and faster transaction time and upfront pricing.

• Enterprise Car Sales
• Hertz Car Sales
• Carmax

Online Dealerships

So, I don’t have personal experience with buying a car online, but a few sites were recommended to me so I’m sharing them with you. If you’re okay with buying a car before touching it, then this is for you. The perks include better prices, no sales pressure, easier transactions and money back guarantee options.

• Carvana
• Shift

Local Dealerships

These dealerships are just your typical run-of-the-mill dealerships. They’re usually branded by the type of cars they sell. This can be helpful if you already know the car you’re looking for because you’ll likely find it on the lot somewhere.

I bought mine from an Acura dealership and was able to buy a certified car that was still under warranty and had a free manufacturer extended warranty. I also got a ton of free perks like Sirius XM and roadside assistance.

Be careful while you’re out shopping around though. There are some local places you’ll want to steer clear of. Lots that only sell heavily-used cars or advertise themselves as places with great deals for people with bad credit should be avoided at all costs!

Your interest rates will be so high that by the time you’re done, you would’ve paid for 2-3 cars. Or your car will be broke down a week after leaving the lot like one of our family member’s car earlier this year.

Time to buy

Once you finish your test drives and narrow your options down, it’s time to buy! This is the most stressful part of the whole process in most cases (depending on where you’re buying from) due to the negotiation process.

Negotiating

If you’re buying a car from a no-haggle dealership, you get to skip this task. Otherwise, just be prepared for some back and forth conversation. You want a deal, they want a profit. Do your research first so that you know your price point and work from there.

Stay calm and be firm with your offer. Start with an offer that’s about 20% lower than what you actually want to pay because the dealer will counter with a higher price. Starting low leaves room for the counteroffer to still come in under your target price.

Closing the deal

When you finally settle on a price, this is where you’ll close the deal and share how much you’re willing to put as a down-payment and how you’ll be paying for the car.

After that is done, prepare yourself for a mountain of paperwork.

READ EVERY SINGLE THING YOU SIGN.

You’ll want to make sure:

• Everything you agreed on is reflected in writing
• No “extras” have been added without your knowledge
• Everything is spelled correctly
• There aren’t any blank spaces that can be filled in later
• You get a copy of the contract after signing.

That’s it! Once the ink is dry, you’ll have your keys in hand and you’ll be ready to ride off into the sunset! Make sure you add your new car to your insurance ASAP so you don’t get in trouble later.

Hopefully, you’ll be walking out feeling proud of yourself and your selection! Let us know what other car buying tips you have in the comments below.

P.S. If you’ve never created a budget, start here.

P.S.S. Also download our free spreadsheet to immediately see how well you’re doing financially. If you want to be even fancier, check out these spreadsheets.

– $tay Wealthy Fam!