Frugal Hacks That Could Go Too Far

Summary

Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze & George Kamel

Episode: "Frugal Hacks That Could Go Too Far"

Date: July 9, 2026
Podcast Host: Ramsey Network

---

Episode Overview

Rachel Cruze and George Kamel dive into the world of frugality, separating smart money moves from penny-pinching habits that could end up costing you more in the long run. With a blend of humor, personal stories, and practical advice, they explore when frugal hacks cross the line into false economy, share their own "frugal fails," and help listeners find a healthy balance between saving and spending. The duo also rates a homemade Watermelon Mint Mojito Mocktail and reveals cost-per-glass for fun.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Moderation in Frugality

• Consensus: Too much frugality can be just as problematic as overspending.
  • George: “I am a man of moderation.” (01:21)
  • Rachel: “We like a gray. We like a medium. Medium scale, if you will.” (01:22)

Frugal Fails and Confessions

• Returns and Repairs: George returns a grill to Costco because the ignition broke, balancing practicality with frugality. (01:50–02:22)

  • George: “The grill is going back to Costco... I contacted, you know, I did the Costco return... I’m gonna go and get a new grill from Costco anyways.” (01:50–02:20)
  • Rachel: "That's fair. That feels like a reasonable person." (02:24)

• False Savings: DIY projects and home coffee bars sometimes cost more than buying out.

  • George: “Now you have a thousand dollar espresso machine... It's not that much cheaper now...” (03:06–03:15)
  • Rachel: “Making your own Halloween costumes... Could have just paid $20, now I paid $50 for the material AND my time.” (03:27–03:41)

• Dental Frugality Gone Wrong: Rachel delays dental care for her child’s baby tooth, leading to a worse, costlier outcome.

  • Rachel: “One of our kids had a cavity... We’ll just watch it... All that cavity, it was like half her tooth was gone... So I call... I need an emergency tooth pulled.” (03:52–05:15)
  • Lesson: Delayed maintenance—whether car or dental—often ends up costing more. (05:26)

---

Game Segment: Frugal Fails – Guilty or Not Guilty?

(Timestamps indicate first mention of each hack.)

1. Buying in Bulk (06:03)

• Both: Guilty of buying in bulk, sometimes leading to wasted food or unused goods.
  • George: “You go to Costco, you’re like... might as well get three Saran wrapped together ... then it goes bad.” (06:08–06:23)
  • Rachel: “We started freezing our fruit when it starts to go bad.” (07:38)

2. Driving Extra Miles for Cheap Gas (07:54)

• George: Will do this during road trips, but realizes the small savings often aren’t worth the extra cost/time.
  • “Is it worth driving an extra 15, 20 minutes for the $2? Probably not.” (09:54)
• Rachel: Prioritizes convenience—sometimes worth spending a little more for time saved.

3. Keeping Small Subscriptions (14:19)

• Both: Guilty of letting small subscriptions go unattended.
  • Rachel (laughing): “I'm complaining about this for, like, 18 months. I've done nothing about it.” (14:43)

4. Preventative Maintenance vs. Crisis Response (18:28)

• George: Prefers preventative maintenance on cars, avoids bigger expenses later.
  • “I forgot to rotate tires... you wore out the front ones too fast.” (19:12)
• Rachel: Admits to responding only in crisis—prefers proactivity but finds it hard. (19:00)

5. Buying on Sale, Not on List (22:56)

• George: Guilty—especially with groceries. Finds joy in scoring a deal but sometimes buys unnecessarily.
• Rachel: Clothes and kids’ stuff, buying clearanced items because of the discount, not the need. (23:41–25:44)

6. DIY to Save Money (26:46)

• Both: Acknowledge that DIY can cost more time and money, and finished product isn’t always as good.
  • George: “Some people just love the idea of making it themselves... If it’s dangerous, I’m out.” (27:10, 27:18)

7. Cheaping Out on Quality (28:36)

• Rachel: Cheap jewelry or decor—“Quality just wasn’t there.” (28:58)
• George: Cheap tech—ends up replacing it and spends more overall. (29:03)

8. Hand Washing Dishes Instead of Dishwasher (34:32)

• Rachel: Only does it for pots, pans, knives—admits dishwashers are more efficient now. (34:42)
• George: Confesses to rinsing dishes until they’re basically already clean. (35:03)

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Quote on Living in the Present with Money:

  • Rachel: "The idea that you're just living in the present and in real time with your money—you're so in the moment." (13:45)
  • George (laughs): "Live in the moment. Be present. Use a debit card." (13:49)

• On Subscription Guilt:

  • Rachel: "I'm complaining about this for, like, 18 months. I've done nothing about it." (14:43)

• On Buying on Sale:

  • Rachel: “We went in for fishing poles, actually. Genuinely. How much fishing are you guys doing?... but maybe we are a fishing family. Maybe I'm not.” (25:44–25:53)

• DIY Fails:

  • George: “I spent probably $64 getting [acai bowl] ingredients... I see why they're $16 now.” (28:02)

• On Re-buying Cheap Goods:

  • George: “I do this with tech products... get the generic brand and it dies... might as well have just gotten the name brand.” (29:08)

---

Important Timestamps

• Starts: Moderation & Frugality Discussion – 01:09
• Frugal Fails Game – 05:38
• Bulk Buying Discussion – 06:03
• Gas Savings/Convenience – 07:54
• Subscription Management – 14:19
• Preventative Maintenance – 18:28
• Buying on Sale (Not Needed) – 22:56
• DIY Attempts – 26:46
• Quality vs. Cheap Products – 28:36
• Hand-washing Dishes – 34:32
• Money Finder Challenge – 35:21
• Mocktail Review (Mojito) – 36:46

---

Featured Drink: Watermelon Mint Mojito Mocktail

• Description: Fresh watermelon, lime juice, mint, maple syrup, lime sparkling water—garnished with lime and watermelon.
• Rating:
  • Rachel: “10 out of 10 on this.” (36:49)
  • George: “Maybe a 10.5 because they added more lime.” (36:56)
• Cost per glass: $1.43 (37:47)
• Community Hack: Check show notes before listening to make the drink and enjoy with the hosts. (38:04)

---

Guilty as Charged Segment (39:11)

• Boomer Money Habits: Both admit to being “bag collectors”—saving plastic/groceries and gift bags.
  • George: “I am a bag collector... I’ve never let go of any bags.” (39:14)
  • Rachel: “I love a gift bag keeper.” (39:57)

---

Takeaways & Final Thoughts

• Key Insight: Frugality is about balance. Saving for savings’ sake can lead to wasted time, money, and joy. Buy quality for high-use items, embrace moderation, leverage budgeting tools, and recognize when “hacks” backfire.
• Rachel: “Don’t be under the guise that you’re saving a ton of money when you’re not, because you might be costing you a whole lot of time, or ... more money.” (36:02)
• George: “Know yourself and your own values... do what is beneficial for your life.” (36:33)

---

Resources Mentioned

• Money Finder Challenge: Tool to find extra room in your budget—on average $400/month. (35:28)
• EveryDollar: Budget app the hosts use to track their spending. (10:53)
• DeleteMe: Service for online privacy mentioned as a frugal/wise subscription. (11:27)
• Cozy Earth Bundles: Rachel & George’s favorite pajamas, robes, and household items (40% off with code in show notes). (34:21)

---

For Listeners

If you want to evaluate your own frugal habits, check out the “Money Finder Challenge” linked in the show notes, and don’t fall into the trap of false frugality—sometimes, spending a little more up front pays off in the long run.

For further thoughts, check out the previous episode “Old School Habits Making a Comeback” as referenced by Rachel and George at the close.

Transcript

[A]

Whether you love or hate frugal living, this one's for you. Today we're exposing common frugal hacks that might be secretly draining your bank account.

[B]

We're doing a little share the account.

[A]

That is my frugality. And are you still on my HBO Max account? Once they were putting, like, rocks on my body and seeing if my arm moves slightly, I was like, all right, I think I'm good.

[B]

Hey, guys, I'm Rachel Cruz.

[A]

I'm George Camel, and this is Smart Money Happy Hour.

[B]

Cheers.

[A]

Cheers.

[B]

With all of our garnish.

[A]

Wow, I feel like I'm in a jungle right now.

[B]

Well, this is the show where two friends who happen to be money experts talk about what you're talking about. So everything from pop culture, current events, and money.

[A]

And if you're watching on YouTube or Spotify, and I hope you are, you will notice this drink is elaborate today and delicious. So it's the watermelon mint Mojito mocktail, and we're gonna give you our rating and reveal the cost per glass at the end of the episode. So stick around for that.

[B]

All right, George, tell me if you agree with this statement. Too much of anything can be a bad thing. Frugal living included, 100% too much of anything. I think that's true.

[A]

I am a man of moderation.

[B]

Yeah, we like a gray. We like a medium. Medium scale, if you will.

[A]

Too little, not good. Too much, not good.

[B]

Yeah, let's go medium.

[A]

Goldilocks.

[B]

There. Not too hot, not too cold.

[A]

I'm living proof that this is true. One day, people will stop inviting me to parties because I crossed the line with radical frugality. That's my greatest fear.

[B]

What do you think?

[A]

I just can't shake it.

[B]

Sometimes you take things back to the store after you use them. Yeah, that's just the.

[A]

Can I tell you my latest one?

[B]

Oh, what?

[A]

The grill is going back to Costco.

[B]

Why?

[A]

The ignition stopped working.

[B]

How long have you had.

[A]

Which is a pretty crucial part of the grill.

[B]

It is.

[A]

You can light it by hand. But at that point, why don't I just start a fire?

[B]

Well, why don't I just rub two sticks together, be an outdoorsman.

[A]

Yeah. So I contacted, you know, I did the Costco return and said, hey, we'll be in touch to schedule a pickup. And I went, thank you, Jesus, that I don't have to load up this grill. Yes.

[B]

To the back of my car is alive.

[A]

And the truth is, I'm gonna go and get a new grill from Costco anyways. So they're.

[B]

Are they going to refund you, you think? Completely?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

How long have you had the grill?

[A]

Less than a year.

[B]

Okay, you know what, George? I'm mad at that.

[A]

That's fair.

[B]

That feels like a reasonable person.

[A]

Because otherwise I got to find an ignition part and get under there with the electronics and try to feel like Tronics. Solder it myself.

[B]

That's right. Unbelievable.

[A]

I'm not a solder.

[B]

Don't. Don't be trying to get me to be doing these things. No, no. Okay, so when do you think, though, it starts to become counterproductive, if you will. Like, maybe it isn't quite making an impact, the frugal living. Like you're trying to do something and then it ends up, you know, like, we always talk about coffee. You know, like, don't buy the $5 coffees out.

[A]

Yeah. But sometimes once you make it at home and you're like, well, I want to make it good.

[B]

Yeah. You got machines, you got creams.

[A]

Now you have a thousand dollar espresso machine.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Paying 15 or 20 bucks for a great, you know, pound of fresh quality beans.

[B]

Beans, yes.

[A]

It's not that much cheaper now if you're getting like, fancy $7 lattes.

[B]

Right. That's just some, like, black coffee.

[A]

You know, you can go down a rabbit hole and go, well, I can do this myself.

[B]

That's right.

[A]

Cheaper.

[B]

That's where it starts to be. Yeah.

[A]

A little counterproductive, making your own Halloween costumes. You're like, well, this I could have just paid 20 bucks. Now I paid 50 for the material and my time. So I think when it costs you more time or money than you've been calculating in your head, it's not worth it.

[B]

Okay, so you know how I get ragged on in the comments for this? Which is fine because I get it. We're all adults here. How I think that the dentist is like a scam.

[A]

Oh, that's right.

[B]

To a certain point in your life,

[A]

the dental industry at large is not happy with you.

[B]

So you know what's funny though, is my kids, which I do take my kids, I do take them every six months. I'm like, I'm on their hygiene. But one of our kids had a cavity and they were like, we can fill it. It might be fine. You can pull it. But if you pull it, you gotta put spacers in where the baby teeth are. Cause the adult tooth isn't ready to come down. Like all this stuff. Or you can just watch it. Of course. I'm like, we'll Just watch it. Like floss brush twice a day. We'll just. Well, she kind of started complaining that it was hurting. And so Winston, he was. Went to the bedroom with her to like look at the tooth. And all I hear is, rachel, Rachel, get in here. And I was like, what? Winston had like cleaned her tooth, y'. All. That cavity, it was like half her tooth was gone. Like it was deteriorated largest. And I was like, oh my gosh. So I call. I did the next morning, 8:00am I was like, hi, I need an emergency tooth pulled. Like I need to get in today. We gotta get this tooth out. It was horrible, George. It was horrible. So I felt like that was the Lord humbling me a little bit in that maybe I should have done something. But I hate to fill a baby tooth. Do you know what I mean? Like fill the cavity. It's a baby tooth. Like it's gonna be out. I didn't wanna waste the money, but

[A]

probably should've her pain.

[B]

So I was like, I'm so sorry.

[A]

It was not your game.

[B]

I did. I felt like a terrible mom.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

But everything's all fine now. But that's where frugality can get you. Cause you gotta pay for the extra appointment.

[A]

I'll avoid that car maintenance. And then you need a new transmission.

[B]

Yep, that's it. That's. That's the same feel. That's the same feel. Yes. Okay, so I think we should play a little game, George. We love a game.

[A]

We love a game. And you love to win the game.

[B]

So I'll let you gonna be frugal fails guilty or not guilty of these situations. To say, hey, was this good? Was this a good frugal move? Or did you go a little too far and it actually ended up costing you more than what you expected?

[A]

And. And play along in the comments if you've been guilty of these. We're gonna play along. We're gonna share some personal stories and more confessions than stories along the way.

[B]

All right, first up we got buying in bulk to save per item.

[A]

So guilty.

[B]

You go to Costco, you go to Sam's Club and you're like, listen, I'm going to buy everything in bulk. And cuz I only needed one thing of ketchup. I might as well get three Saran wrapped together.

[A]

Get a gallon of mayo. We're going to use it eventually.

[B]

That's right.

[A]

And then it goes bad, it expires. And you're like, well, this was a miss. I've done this multiple times. Protein bars. I'm like, I Gotta get my protein in and then I don't want to chew through that.

[B]

No, that's a lot.

[A]

All that protein.

[B]

That's a lot. Yeah.

[A]

So then it goes.

[B]

Protein bars are broken.

[A]

Then it expires and I just have to toss them.

[B]

Oh, it's the worst.

[A]

I have trust issues. I know. Like, expiration dates are like more about quality with certain things. Like you could still eat it. It just may not be. It might be a little tougher than you would have liked.

[B]

I get wigged out by expiration dates.

[A]

But if it's anything like dairy or meat, I'm a hard pass for sure. But if it's like a processed meat bar, I'm a little. I'm like, ah, we'll be fine. It's fine.

[B]

We can figure this out.

[A]

Smell test, chew test.

[B]

Yep.

[A]

But buying in bulk to save per item in your mind, you're like, we will use this.

[B]

So things that don't. I mean, for me, paper towels. I love a paper towel.

[A]

Can't go wrong with that.

[B]

Toilet paper. I'd say even dish soap. Like the dish pods or the. Or the liquid soap.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Like that stuff we buy.

[A]

Especially when something's on sale at, you know, Costco or Sam's, which is where I'm buying my stuff in bulk. If it's on sale, I am stocking up and I will find room.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

For all those tissues. Paper towels all, you know, figure it out.

[B]

Yes. But like you said, the produce, I think we've all been guilty of that. And then you got to throw it away.

[A]

Especially when they're like organic strawberries and

[B]

you're like, you know what we started doing is freezing our fruit. Like when it starts to go bad, like our bananas and stuff. That's smart to use for smoothies.

[A]

You're turning into your mother.

[B]

I know.

[A]

Look at me.

[B]

Put it in the freezer.

[A]

Sharon would be so proud if she heard that.

[B]

She would be so proud. It's so true.

[A]

Things last forever in the freezer.

[B]

Yeah, they do, apparently, according to her. Okay, how about this? Wasting gas to drive to the cheap station. So you drive an extra 10 miles to save $4.72, you know.

[A]

Oh, this one I will do if I'm on the road, like if it's like a road trip. Y I'm searching for what gas station has the cheapest gas. Even if it's like slightly out of the way.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Cuz no matter what, you're going to

[B]

fill up tank and yeah.

[A]

You're going to pull off at some stop so let it be a stop with the cheaper gas.

[B]

And it's usually in the smaller towns. Yeah, it's what I find. So, like, don't stop in the big. The big cities, if you will, but the. The smaller exits.

[A]

Like, try to go past the city, but not too far out to where there's only one option.

[B]

Yeah, that wouldn't be good.

[A]

And you can hear banjos playing. You're like, all right, we got to

[B]

get out of here. We gotta get out.

[A]

This is not a good vibe, but, yeah, I do. So I will use gas apps like Upside or Gas Buddy, because it'll help me find the cheapest price.

[B]

Do you do that, like, in everyday life, George?

[A]

No. Well, number one trips. My car doesn't use gas. My wife's does.

[B]

True.

[A]

And for my wife's car, it's just Costco or Sam's Club for gas. And that's like 15 minutes, 20 minutes.

[B]

So that's the only place you will go to fill up on gas?

[A]

Yes, the only place I will go. Now. She might stop somewhere and get some gas.

[B]

Is it really that much cheaper?

[A]

Yeah, I would say it's about 10 to 15 cents cheaper per gallon, generally.

[B]

Yep.

[A]

And I'll even pit Sam's and Costco against each other. Generally, they have about the same price. I think they know they're in the.

[B]

But they're cheaper than, like, the Shell station across the street.

[A]

Oh, my gosh. By a whole lot. By, like, maybe 40 cents.

[B]

I don't do Costco gas.

[A]

The new one is great. They renovated it. I didn't know you renovate a gas station. But it's so much better now.

[B]

It's.

[A]

There's, like, extra lanes. They go further.

[B]

It's a lot of cars. Like, when I pull into that parking lot, I do get a. My anxiety goes up a little bit,

[A]

but it moves fast.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Costco keeps it moving. It's like the Chick Fil A of gas. You know what I mean? So, like, it looks like a long line, very efficient. But Costco gas is technically a higher quality.

[B]

Oh, I didn't know that either. Yeah, the Kirkland brand gas, you know,

[A]

they don't fool around with their gas.

[B]

It's always the good thing. For sure.

[A]

But, yeah, I would do the math to go, okay, I'm saving 10 cents a gallon. I'm gonna get 20 gallons. We're talking $2. Is it worth driving an extra 15, 20 minutes for the $2? Probably not.

[B]

For the whole tank?

[A]

Yeah. 10 cents a gallon? Yeah, for 20 gallons.

[B]

That's my math. See, that's where I'm a little bit convenience to me. Yeah, I know, but. But we've cut down on gas because of the Tesla. That is how we don't feel it. Yeah. I mean, Winston fills up his truck, but. Yeah.

[A]

Have you tried a road trip with it, though? That's always the fear.

[B]

Okay, yes, once.

[A]

Oh, no regret.

[B]

And well, it's. It is inconvenient, George, you know.

[A]

Cause you're stopping for like 22 minutes here. You stop 17 minutes here.

[B]

And then I had to be at a thing, so I'm like, I can't sit here for the full 30 minutes. So I could only do like 15 minutes. Cause I had to be at this thing. So then you go to the thing, then you drive and you're like, oh my gosh, I gotta find the supercharged station. Then you pay for that. Yeah, it's a lot for the road trip situation, so. Yeah, I'm with you on it.

[A]

That's a good one.

[B]

I get it. But EveryDollar, our budgeting app, you love the gas apps. EveryDollar does help. It's our budgeting app. And yes, whether it's the gas line item or the Costco line item or the bulk or the groceries, like, whatever you're doing, it does help you really kind of solidify. Okay, where can I take some convenience? Or where do I need to be more frugal? Right. Because sometimes those choices really do help.

[A]

And it frees you to go. Okay, I know gas was expensive, but I budgeted for it and I knew that I was going to spend 250 bucks in gas this month.

[B]

And it's there. Totally.

[A]

So you don't have to feel guilty because you just knew it was going to happen. You planned for it ahead of time with every dollar.

[B]

But one thing I do think about, though, George, is how much our identity is online. And that's why I love and we use Delete Me because they go in and actually remove your data from data broker sites. So that's what's wild, is how much our data scattered. Like our email addresses and home addresses and phone numbers and kids names. Like all of it's out there. And when it sits on these data broker sites, Delete me. They have a team of people that literally go to these sites and delete you off the Internet. It's amazing. Off those broker sites.

[A]

So you could try to do it yourself. It would just take forever. And you have to constantly monitor it, constantly make sure that they removed it. And so Delete me does all the legwork for you and sends you a custom report showing you all these different sites that your information was on. What info was there when they moved?

[B]

Weird, sketchy sites too.

[A]

How do these sites exist? People.

[B]

People.com or something. You're like, wait, what?

[A]

Creepy people. People. Yeah, even if you're not Rachel Cruz. I mean, the average person's info, like, they don't care who you are, though they will target you if they have your info and use it against you for scam, spam, phishing, fraud, all of that. So go check out Delete Me. It's an awesome subscription to have in your tool. And you can go to JoinDeleteMe.com smart money, and get 20% off their annual plans.

[B]

All right, Frugal living. That's may not be worth it, George. I'll just get a credit card to build my credit and immediately pay it off every month. Risky little game there, friend.

[A]

Well, they're like, well, I'm doing the right thing. I'm not going into debt, Rachel. Here's the line that gets me. I've never paid a dime in interest. How many times have you heard that? Why is it always a dime?

[B]

Why not a penny?

[A]

Why not a penny? Have you paid a penny but not a dime?

[B]

Yeah, I'm telling you, there's. I will always say, I think one of the biggest pros about just using a debit card, using your own money, is not only the psychological idea that, like, you will spend less, it just is what it is. But the idea that it's done. Like, I like purchasing something and then going to my account and like seeing my balance and like, okay, that's my real time balance. Versus when you pay a credit card off at the end of the month, you don't know, right? Until that bill comes and you pay

[A]

it in full, you're paying in bulk later on, going, all right, the balance is three grand.

[B]

You're like, I'm hoping I have enough in there at the end of the month to pay. Like, I don't know. But the idea that you're just living in the present and in real time

[A]

with your money, you're so in the moment.

[B]

So present, so present with yourself.

[A]

Wow. You should use that. That's a good way to get people to stop using their credit card. Hey, guys, live in the moment. Be present, Use a debit card.

[B]

Just be here.

[A]

It's one of the most controversial things we say is that you don't need a credit score. You can live without a credit card. And then I have to prove to them that I've been living 13 years. Credit card free.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Haven't had a credit score in years. And they think. They just look at you like you got seven eyes. Because they just don't know. They don't know another way. And so just is what it is. But people fall into this sad little trap for sure.

[B]

All right, up next, keeping subscriptions that are just five or ten dollars a month because it's a lot of trouble to cancel.

[A]

Not worth it.

[B]

I'm so guilty of this.

[A]

I think that's how these companies get you, is they make Apple small enough.

[B]

Apple, y'.

[A]

All.

[B]

I pay more for Apple. Little. 5.9999. I gotta figure out what this is. I gotta figure it out.

[A]

Should we look into it?

[B]

And I have been.

[A]

Can I see your latest subscription?

[B]

I'm complaining about this for, like, 18 months. I've done nothing about it.

[A]

All right, let's see.

[B]

Can you see it?

[A]

Yep. This is real talk. Can it wait? Is it unlocked?

[B]

No, Sorry. I guess that's true.

[A]

What do you think? I know.

[B]

Your passcode or my. You don't have my.

[A]

Not that I couldn't guess it within three tries.

[B]

You think you could?

[A]

100%.

[B]

We should play that game.

[A]

It's a birthday. It's an anniversary. It's four zeros. Or it's 1, 2, 3, 4. Or backwards. So close.

[B]

Wrong. That is not my passcode.

[A]

Whatever. All right, so I'm gonna go into your settings, and if you're at home, you can play along to figure out all of these subscriptions that you signed up through Apple.

[B]

Don't tell me. Oh, my gosh.

[A]

Settings.

[B]

This feels so Rachel Cruz.

[A]

And then subscriptions. So it's just three clicks to get there.

[B]

Okay. Name them off.

[A]

Oh, wow. Okay, you're mostly paying for storage.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

You have Dropbox. Did you know that?

[B]

I do. I keep my pictures in there.

[A]

It feels like a lot of money to spend on pictures, but. Okay, we'll.

[B]

How much is it?

[A]

Well, you know, it's free through Amazon prime, through Google Photos. You can save all your photos through there for free.

[B]

Okay, good to know.

[A]

Icloud. Which I have as well. Two terabytes of storage.

[B]

That's what we need. That's our world.

[A]

That's how Apple gets you.

[B]

Okay, that's the cloud.

[A]

Then you have Apple Music.

[B]

That's Winston.

[A]

Okay, you're not a Spotify family.

[B]

I'm a Spotify. He's a Apple Music.

[A]

A house divided.

[B]

House divided. I know.

[A]

And then, of course, Marco Polo. Which we've talked about on this show.

[B]

Love, Marco Polo.

[A]

You gotta have the 2x speed. All the premium features.

[B]

Is that all I pay for?

[A]

That's it.

[B]

Okay. I'm doing pretty good. That's pretty good.

[A]

Those are like very much utility. Those aren't like, oh, I didn't even need that. And I just signed up.

[B]

That makes me feel better. So. But Apple, I swear, I get a couple of charges each time. Is it just one then? Oh, no, it's the Apple Music and icloud.

[A]

Oh, that makes sense. I was like, are you buying apps or something?

[B]

Okay. I feel really good about myself.

[A]

You should feel good about yourself.

[B]

I mean, seriously. Okay, look inactive. Look at me. Take an audible off because my Spotify I can listen to audiobooks on that.

[A]

It's true.

[B]

ChatGPT plus don't need that. Just regular ChatGPT is fine by me. Okay. I feel so good. What apps do you pay for, George? More than me?

[A]

I don't know if it's more because. What? I split a lot with my brother. So like, I'm on his like, family account, you know, Then I Venmo him every year.

[B]

We're doing a. We're doing a little share the account

[A]

that is my frugality. And are you still on my HBO Max account? Because I still see the profile that says the cruises. So before you come at me for sharing accounts, I just want to know if you were still enjoying my generosity. I haven't clicked. What I want to do is click

[B]

going to it all the time.

[A]

I need to click in and see what the last thing you guys want.

[B]

It's not like our Netflix or Disney plus. It was.

[A]

I don't even know if you guys are using it, but I don't want to take it away in case you want.

[B]

Where's my Netflix and Disney plus on that that you just looked at?

[A]

That's not through Apple. So those are only subscriptions that you did through the App Store kind of thing.

[B]

I was going to say because we spend more on subscriptions, but that's okay. That's going directly to the company.

[A]

I have Gmail for storage.

[B]

Okay. So that's my Dropbox. That's your. So you pay for it, George, you just said.

[A]

Yeah, but mine's a lot less. It's like 10% of the cost, maybe a little more. And then icloud, but that's it.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

I have an Apple Music free trial because I purchased some Apple products, so I'm just not using it.

[B]

Yeah. Enjoying it then? Yeah. Yeah. Okay.

[A]

You know how they get you. If you cancel the free trial with an Apple subscription, they will cancel it immediately. But if you do it a cancel free trial with other apps, they'll let you ride the rest of the day,

[B]

finish out the 30 days or whatever. Yeah, tricky.

[A]

See, if you cancel, your service will end immediately. Rude.

[B]

Rude.

[A]

We're not doing that because they're hoping that I'll forget and it'll renew.

[B]

We're gonna keep it.

[A]

You gotta think about how often have I used this in the past, how am I using it now and then in the future?

[B]

I feel great about my purchasing apps. Good situation.

[A]

This show exists to make you feel good.

[B]

It's good. All right. How about preventative maintenance? So you want to think about taking care of your car, your dental hygiene, all those things. Yeah. That is true. I'm glad Winston's in my life for this one.

[A]

That's true.

[B]

I'm a much more urgent person. So it'd be like if something breaks or it's in trouble is when I would fix it.

[A]

You'll wait for the crisis?

[B]

Yes. I'm not good at preventatives.

[A]

Cause you actually enjoy the drama. I do. You thrive in crisis.

[B]

Oh, my gosh. Wait a minute.

[A]

Winston's life goal is to avoid crisis.

[B]

All crisis. Yes.

[A]

Yes. Wow.

[B]

Yeah. Yeah. The whole, like, oil change or like, he just went and rotated his tires. I was like, oh, you're very adult to do that.

[A]

See, I forgot to do that. And they're like, you could have waited to get new tires, but because you didn't rotate them, you wore out the front ones too fast.

[B]

Yes. So silly. They're all tires. They're just round.

[A]

They're so expensive now. In my head, I could get four tires for, like 500 bucks back in the day.

[B]

Sure.

[A]

And now it's like twelve hundred dollars. Two thousand dollars for some of these tires.

[B]

And I'll complain about the Tesla tires.

[A]

Yes. They wear out faster.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Because of the weight. It's a heavier car with the battery.

[B]

Terrible.

[A]

That is the one thing you don't have to do a whole lot of maintenance on Tesla.

[B]

No, you do. No, man.

[A]

Even the brakes. Very rarely. Because that's regenerative braking.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

But the little tires is how they get you.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

That's a real one. What about, I think boomers and doctors. There's some beef there. You know, like, older people just refuse to go to the doctor.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

They don't do their physicals. And that part worries me.

[B]

Yeah. Taking care of the health. The preventative. I Will do that. I do. I've gotten better at my consistent.

[A]

A yearly checkup.

[B]

Health appointments. Yes.

[A]

Well, not like a yearly physical.

[B]

I don't do a yearly physical.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

I do, like, my girl doctor. I do my dermatologist.

[A]

Yep.

[B]

And then now I love getting blood work done.

[A]

Really?

[B]

This is super fun. So you go to, like, LabCorp on Walgreens and you buy the women. It's like 100 bucks.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

And they take a couple vials of blood, and then they run like, 25 tests on your blood, everything. And you're like, thank you. And I was pretty down the middle. George, you know how we said we,

[A]

like, you know, like, you were too low numbers. You don't want them too high. And you were right there.

[B]

I was right in the middle, yeah. So I felt very healthy. Wow. But that's what I'll do. Probably should go to, like, a doctor.

[A]

I mean, that's close to a physical. Other than a physical examination.

[B]

Do you do yearly doctor appointments?

[A]

I skipped for a couple of years because my doctor said, why are you here? I said, I thought you were supposed to get a yearly physical. And he said, you're a healthy young man. Why are you here? How do I know if I'm healthy if I don't come to see you?

[B]

I'm surprised you don't do, like, a functional medicine doctor with you and whales.

[A]

I've been to those. Yeah. Whitney is much more crunchy than me.

[B]

I was going to say, I can

[A]

see what you're doing, but once they were putting, like, rocks on my body and seeing if my arm moves slightly, I was like, all right. I think I'm good. Might as well become Scientologist. At this point, we're just going to believe that this is doing anything. But I truly believe in functional medicine. I just don't believe that that was doing anything.

[B]

Ye. Yes.

[A]

So I think. I think a good mix of both is wise.

[B]

It's wise. I think.

[A]

Middle in the middle.

[B]

Middle ground, people. Middle ground.

[A]

I believe in modern medicine, and I also think there's things they are not doing well.

[B]

I agree.

[A]

Is that controversial?

[B]

It's not at all. Maybe just like the banking system, there's some banks that are doing horrible, not great, and then some that you're like, great.

[A]

They're not all.

[B]

You're mixing all the things we want in a bank. And that is for everyone's credit union.

[A]

For me, they're the Goldilocks.

[B]

They are. It is like, okay, it's everything you want. You want nice people, you want people on your side that are like, hey, actually wanting you to win financially. What a concept to put your money with people that are actually fans and like, hey, I want, I want all of you all to win. They make it easy and accessible. And they have a cute debit card.

[A]

Can I say that that helps Esthetic does matter. And I like the actual services they provide. You can, there's like 33,000 fee free ATMs. You can use the ATM finder. Even credit union. Someone said hey, you know it's in. Or they're based in Florida but they're a national bank. And so they partner with thousands of credit unions across the country. So there's one right down the street. I can go in if I need to do a personal in person transaction.

[B]

Do something there.

[A]

Yes. So they've thought of everything and it's just super easy. And that's what you want when you're trying to win with money. Make it easy for me.

[B]

Absolutely. And they have a great deal for our listeners. George. Yeah.

[A]

The smart bundle. No fee checking account, High Yield Savings. That Ramsey themed debit card. Go check it out. Fairwinds.org Ramsey all right, next up, buying

[B]

things that weren't on your list just because they're on sale.

[A]

This is my guilty pleasure.

[B]

This is least. This is not mine as much. Okay.

[A]

You don't care about sales as much.

[B]

What's yours?

[A]

So my, I don't have many hobbies but one of my hobbies is I'll go on Instacart and I'll go to like Sprouts because they've in store prices.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

So this is my. The frugal in me goes, I don't want to pay an upcharge.

[B]

I know.

[A]

And then I'll go to Sprouts and I'll just see what's on sale and start adding things to cart that are just like that looks fun. That looks like a nice little treat. Let's try that. And so I will buy things just because they're on sale to sort of try it out, give it a test run.

[B]

Okay. I'm less on food. I am on clothes. We went to Academy sports and outdoors.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

Yes. Because we're doing a trip with the kids and Charles also needed new shoes. So we were like, well, let's just run in here real quick. Anyways, they had a clearance. So get this. They had certain racks, racks on racks and racks of clothes and everything was. It was like that 50% off, lowest marked on the tag. So you look at all the tags and there's like three or four that have been marked down. Marked down. There were shirts, George, and it would be like, $4.95. You take 50% off that. $252. Yes. I said, girls, look at the racks.

[A]

Shopping spree.

[B]

Let's go shopping. Yes. And I was like, oh, my gosh. And we got like, there's, like, a fishing brands. This is very me. Whenever I go somewhere, I want to fit in with, like, the vibe. So we're going to this, like, family camp thing, and it's all, like, outdoorsy people, you know? So I bought a fishing brand shirt.

[A]

I'm trying to see you in a fishing shirt.

[B]

Well, it's just a T shirt. It just has the name down the side, so it's not, like, that exciting. But I was like, $2. I'll take it.

[A]

I couldn't.

[B]

I got my kids, all of them. I was like, yo, we're an outdoorsy family. We're an outdoorsy family. We got that. And then there was a whole thing of Nike shoes, George. No joke. And they were like, they. I mean, they're like tennis shoes, obviously, but they're not like workout tennis shoes. Like, running tennis shoe Nikes. They're like, more like just like the everyday wear.

[A]

Yeah. Sort of athleisure.

[B]

And I guess people didn't like the color. And it was like, a tan and brown. Like, it wasn't bad. $19 for a pair of Nikes. And I was like, I don't need these, but do I. Do they have your size? I do. For $19. Yes, they had my size.

[A]

That's great.

[B]

Seven. Yes. Grabbed it, tried it on. I thought, these are cute.

[A]

If I ever see a size 7, then I'm like, rachel would love this. I'm just gonna buy them.

[B]

Thank you, George. But anyways, that was the last sale. Do you see how excited I am right now?

[A]

Yeah, I did.

[B]

I got so, like, guys, it's something

[A]

you already love, and you're adding, like, another dopamine rush on top of that

[B]

because it's, like, half off. Half off, Half. I mean, it was amazing. I couldn't believe it. So I was so happy. It made me so happy. We went in for fishing poles, actually. Genuinely.

[A]

How much fishing are you guys doing?

[B]

I know, I know. Winston, like, we need. The kids need a new poles, because the kids like to fish with Winston. So we. Maybe we are a fishing family. Maybe I'm not.

[A]

Have you tried fly fishing?

[B]

Not like. Not like official.

[A]

Okay. Because my buddy, he's big fly fisher. He's gonna take me and I'm gonna learn.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

So next time you see me, I

[B]

might have fishing gear, you know, and you go out west in a. In a river. It's flowing. You got your waders on.

[A]

Yep.

[B]

It's very, like, very Zen.

[A]

Do you think I could wear. Do they have, like, kid size waiters?

[B]

That would fit me. I bet.

[A]

So I feel like they would just drown me.

[B]

No, I think. I think you can do it.

[A]

All right.

[B]

I think you can do that.

[A]

I love a sale.

[B]

We love a sale, people. You like food, I like clothes.

[A]

Yeah. The key is, if you weren't planning on it, you gotta go. Do I really need this? Is it actually in the budget? Will I move stuff around?

[B]

Yes, that's.

[A]

Or is this just gonna sit somewhere?

[B]

100%. Yep. I'll wear the fishing shirt on one of these episodes. How about that?

[A]

How many clothes do you have in your closet that still have the tag on that? You were like, it was a good

[B]

deal, but I usually wear things pretty quick. Wow.

[A]

Well, it's Amazon usually, so that helps.

[B]

All right, next up, Seeing something and thinking, I can make that myself. You know, you think, oh, crafty Carol. She's like, I don't need to buy that. I can make it myself.

[A]

Yeah. All the supplies that it requires.

[B]

DIY. I'm not a great DIYer. I'm not good at details. I don't do things exactly how it should be. So it always ends up looking not great.

[A]

I think some people just love the idea of making it themselves.

[B]

I think people can do it too. And I think it can actually be cheaper. I think people really can. And. And it looks great if you have.

[A]

It's certain things. If it's dangerous, I'm out. Like, if someone requires a license to do some of this work, I'm like, well, what. Who am I?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

To try to do this electric work myself?

[B]

Yes.

[A]

But if it's something small or like, that doesn't matter that much. I'm more willing to DIY it. If it's a quick type thing, yes.

[B]

That's fair. Yep.

[A]

But making something from scratch, that's a different ball game.

[B]

Oh, for sure. Well, and depending on what it is. But I knew people that, like, made jewelry and things. And like, really. Actually, this. This was a lady in a neighborhood. A neighborhood a few neighborhoods away.

[A]

Beautiful.

[B]

Isn't that pretty? I know. She makes jewelry.

[A]

That's impressive.

[B]

That's impressive. So, I mean, obviously that's for a business.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

But.

[A]

But even food. I've attempted to make so Whitney loves these acai bowls.

[B]

Oh, yeah.

[A]

Women love them.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

It's ice cream for breakfast. That's 16 bucks a pop.

[B]

That's right.

[A]

Throw some fruit on there. Make yourself feel better. Great. Still 98 grams of sugar. So I went, I can make this at home. So I got the packets, I got all the ingredients. I spent probably $64 getting, like, the coconut shreds and the sliced almonds and the fresh fruits. And I was like, I see why they're $16 now.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And she was like, this just doesn't taste the same. It's not good.

[B]

It's just not as good, George. So I had to eat all this husband, though. That was a nice. That was a nice thing.

[A]

It was an effort thing, for sure.

[B]

All right, next. Paying for the cheapest version of something and then having to pay for the real thing because it doesn't last. Oh. Oh, man. Yeah, I could. I could see cheap. I'll say jewelry. Like, some of my stuff, it'll like. I'll, like, take an earring out, and you can tell it's, like, from Amazon, because sometimes it'll, like, split or something, and I'm like, oh, geez.

[A]

Quality just wasn't there.

[B]

Yeah, not real gold. The old Amazon doesn't sound.

[A]

I do this with, like, tech products. Cause sometimes, like, okay, there's a robot vacuum. I don't need the.

[B]

Oh, that's a good.

[A]

Yeah, like, name brand. But then I get the generic brand one, and it dies, and the functionality is confusing.

[B]

Yes. It's not as good.

[A]

And then I go, well, I might as well have just gotten the name brand one.

[B]

Yes. You know, we bought these. Like, I was. I'm on a. I'm on a new aesthetic kick in my home.

[A]

What does that mean?

[B]

It's like, I like the Nancy Meyers aesthetic. Have you heard of this?

[A]

Isn't she a novelist?

[B]

Oh, my gosh, yes. Think like father of the bride. The holiday. She's cozy and warm. It almost has a little 90s flair to it. Anyways, now I want to redo my whole house, and I just.

[A]

If I search Nancy Meyer's aesthetic, will it show up?

[B]

Yes, it will. And it's going to make you all warm inside, too.

[A]

Is it like Hallmark movie?

[B]

So I. No, not Hallmark necessarily. It's like. It's just. It's. It's, like, warm and inviting. Lots of lamps. Okay, so that's like the thing with Nancy. Lots of lamps. So I love a lamp now. I want lamps everywhere.

[A]

Okay, you tell me which one's the closest to what you're talking about.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

We'll put it up on the screen for the. The viewing audience at home who are also confused, especially the men who have no clue what is going on. You said aesthetic. You said Nancy Myers.

[B]

Okay. We're gonna go this vibe.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

How to get the Nancy Myers aesthetic. Okay, so it's very. It's very, like, lived in.

[B]

Lived in. Yes. That's a great.

[A]

It's not, like, super modern. It's not A little more.

[B]

It's very modern. Okay. My friend, it feels like you bought.

[A]

You took some stuff from grandma.

[B]

Yeah. Here. Can I give you the actual feels right now? My friend, the cheese gal, she was on my show a couple of times. She redid. They just. They moved. So she, like, got their house all in order, and she put this Instagram. This was like a. Not jealous of, like, oh, I don't want her to have it, but a

[A]

little bit of house on you.

[B]

I want it. You know? This feel. Look at this.

[A]

Oh, that's.

[B]

Do you know what I mean? It's just, like, warm.

[A]

Yeah, it is warm and cozy.

[B]

Warm and cozy. Look at these lamps. Okay, so anyways, I'm saying all this.

[A]

Say no overhead lights. That's the key.

[B]

Yeah. So I went on Amazon because I wanted little lamps everywhere, and I was like, I need my kitchen to have little lamps. And then they have these touch lamps. And you're like, oh, yeah. I don't even have. They don't even plug in. Anyways, I got. I found, like. I was like, I don't want it to, like, look super cheap. So I want, like, pretty ones, but I want. I don't want to buy nice ones, like, from a price point perspective. So I bought some. I think they may have been, like, 15 bucks.

[A]

Oh, wow.

[B]

I bought two. Anyways, they last, like, an hour and a half. The battery, you're just recharging them. I have to keep plugging it in.

[A]

I'm, like, just sitting on a counter with wires coming out.

[B]

Dad gum it. I know, but I want that, like, warmth, you know?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So that is one that I'm like, all right, if I really. Because we've had our stuff for seven years now. The furniture, since you moved it, There were a couple of pieces that we went, like, less expensive because I was like, I can't stomach having, like, like, our couches and rugs, coffee table, like, our living stuff. We just. We didn't go overly nice. I mean, they're pretty, but I had babies at the time, and I was like, I can't. But now I'm like, okay, when do you upgrade? You know?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

We talked about this in another episode, but.

[A]

But can I tell you, the grass isn't always greener because we have a coffee table that is like high end. Like, we went all out on this coffee table and it like bubbled up. Like the veneer on the top came off and the glue. And I was like, this is insane. And so they sent a repair guy.

[B]

Oh, my gosh.

[A]

To come fix the table.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

For a little arts and crafts project.

[B]

Why don't need like, nice.

[A]

And I'm like, this could have happened on a much table.

[B]

Is it pretty? Is it a pretty coffee table?

[A]

It's nice. But you couldn't. It's not like you walk in and go, wow, that is a luxury coffee.

[B]

I. Oh, I know. Totally. I know. Yeah. So the price point doesn't matter. But it is the. Yes. The products that last over time. Even my little touch lamps is a Nancy. I blame Nancy.

[A]

So that's where I go, how often am I going to use this thing? If it's going to be in constant use. Let me just get a good version of it. I know Winston is that way. Your husband, he's like, let me just get a high quality version because I don't want to have to think about it.

[B]

Yep.

[A]

Rebuy this.

[B]

Absolutely. Yes. And honestly, buying like high quality pajamas from Cozy Earth, that was a splurge where I'm like, listen, I want nice products. There are certain areas of my life that I'm like, I want it to feel good. I want it to last because I'm gonna be washing it a lot. So like our sheets, pajamas, those kind of things. Towels even. That's why I love Cozy Earth.

[A]

Here's what's really cool. They allowed us to create our own bundles and they're 40% off. So there's a Rachel bundle and a George bundle. What's in your bundle?

[B]

Okay, so my bundle is the pajamas. Cause I love the bamboo pajamas. And then I wear a robe almost every day. I love a robe. And there's like a thin one especially. It's like a bamboo. That material. And it's like kind of a kimono. So it's shorter. Oh, my gosh. But it's fantastic for the summer. That and then the luxe bath sheets. So bigger than the towel.

[A]

I just used one this morning. And it's like a cocoon for me. Cause I'm a little guy. So you give me a sheet. I'm Fully wrapped. It's great. My bundle, I threw in the lake house clog, which I'm a huge fan of. Very comfortable and very good looking. Because a lot of guys, you know, they're just walking around in crocs around the house. Let's step it up, gentlemen. And then the first layer, pajama short sleeve tee and short set, which I love. I got that one in a nice cool blue color. And then the men's essential calf sock four pack. Because socks are one of those things that you just get enough of them you don't want to have to worry about if you lose one. Where'd that one go? So just get a pack of them.

[B]

It's great.

[A]

It's wonderful. So all of those bundles, 40% off right now. When you go to cozyearth.com smart money, get that exclusive bundle. It's a limited time offer. Get yours while supplies last.

[B]

All right, next. Frugal habit. That. Yeah, yeah. Not my favorite. Washing dishes by hands, George. Dishwashers more efficient.

[A]

Isn't there data on this now that washing by hand actually takes more water?

[B]

Oh, I bet. Because, okay. I am a pots and pans hand washer.

[A]

Yes. I'll hand wash those.

[B]

And my knives. I hand wash my knives.

[A]

Quality knife you want to hand wash. It'll get dull and they'll wash faster, but yeah, definitely.

[B]

Plates, silverware, all of that.

[A]

Do you rinse to where they almost look clean?

[B]

I do.

[A]

I'm a clean rinser and I've heard this.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Some people are like, no, if you keep the gunk on there, it actually washes better. I'm like, well, that doesn't make sense. There's no science behind that.

[B]

I am, I'm a. I. I clean off the dishes before I put them in. Yep.

[A]

That's a tough one, but I like it.

[B]

So good. All right, next. Last one, George, is the money finder Challenge. So this is something people can do,

[A]

A hack that is tried and true.

[B]

Yeah. And you actually can, like, fill it out, go through it. And people, on average are finding $400 in their budget. So this is a frugal hack for sure. To check out. If you need some margin, we'll put the link in the show notes and check out the money finder challenge.

[A]

We created it for our frugal friends out there who are like, listen, I don't want to have to do a ton of work, but help me find some money that's already existing in my life that I can find. And the money finder challenges it. We'll leave a link in the description so you can start finding that hidden cash asap.

[B]

All right, so some frugal things, check mark. I think it's a go. It's a green light. Some frugal things, not worth it.

[A]

Yeah. And I really do think the more you know yourself and your own values, for some people it's aesthetic, and for some people, it's convenience. Then do what you feel like is beneficial for your life. But, yes, don't be under the guise that you're saving a ton of money when you're not, because you might be costing you a whole lot of time, or in the long run, it's going to cost you more money. So you really have to think through each one and go, is this worth it? For me in this season, and I've noticed that in certain seasons I'm frugal and some I'm not, and some things I'm frugal and some things I'm willing to spend, so.

[B]

And depending on where you are in the money journey, sometimes you're going to be way more frugal for a longer period of time just to get that margin. So that's great. All right, before we spill the tea on our Guiltiest Charge segment, give us the details of the drink. George.

[A]

This is the watermelon mint mojito mocktail, y'. All.

[B]

I make, oh, 10 out of 10 on this.

[A]

It's a 10 out of 10.

[B]

I love it.

[A]

There's no other way to say it.

[B]

It was so good.

[A]

Maybe a 10.5 because they added more lime, which I constantly request. It needs more lime.

[B]

Lime on lime.

[A]

It's got fresh watermelon, as you can see.

[B]

I mean, beautiful.

[A]

Is it muddled in there? So there's watermelon muddled in there, plus there's some cubes and a little wedge. Then you got fresh lime juice, maple syrup as the sweetener. That's exciting. Then you have the mint, of course, which I just love. The smell of mint in a drink. Can't go wrong.

[B]

I know.

[A]

And then lime sparkling water, which adds some effervescence. Little bubbly for sure, which adds to it. And then it's really dolled up beautifully with the, you know, lime wedge, all the mint, the watermelon wedge, we'll say

[B]

it starts to not look as pretty all the color. You know what I mean? So it tastes better than it looks. Right. The second the flavor is yours. Looks pretty, though.

[A]

This comes out to $1.43.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

That's a great price. I would definitely Be making this one at home. And I noticed this is a life hack for those of you who love the show. Someone went into the show notes before they watched the episode, saw the drink, made it to enjoy with us.

[B]

Oh, that's fun. Just sipping and listening.

[A]

So instead of making it after the fact, just check the show notes, Say, hey, what are they making today? That looks good. I'll whip one up and then hit play.

[B]

Love it.

[A]

Appreciate that. That's great.

[B]

Jinx. You owe me a Coke.

[A]

Do you drink Coke? Diet Coke.

[B]

Diet Coke. I know.

[A]

I'll take a Coke Zero. Maybe a diet Dr. Pepper.

[B]

If I'm feeling crazy, I'll get a diet Dr. Pepper.

[A]

God, if I'm at Chick Fil A, it feels like it's un American to not get a diet Dr. Pepper.

[B]

So my new thing is a diet lemonade at Chick Fil A. And you know where I get a diet Dr. Pepper every time I go McDonald's? Nope.

[A]

Nope.

[B]

Firehouse subs.

[A]

Not on my bingo card.

[B]

I love a firehouse.

[A]

I forgot that people like you can go in a firehouse subs.

[B]

Oh, I love it.

[A]

I just haven't thought about them.

[B]

Oh, they're so good.

[A]

I'm sure it's still great.

[B]

So I don't even know where one is. There's one off. There's one a few exits down from us, George.

[A]

Okay, we'll go together as a family.

[B]

All right, now it's time for guilty as charged. And this is where we ask each other a guilty as charged question every week. And if we're guilty, we take a step back. All right, the question is, are you guilty of any boomer money habits that you refuse to let go of?

[A]

Oh, wow.

[B]

Oh, man.

[A]

I don't know if this is a Boomer habit, but I am a bag collector.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

I love a bag.

[B]

You love a bag. Plastic bag, tote bag.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Anything.

[A]

Yes, a large assortment of bags. And I've never let go of any bags.

[B]

Yes, I'm with you. I love a. I love a. A plastic grocery bag.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

That can be used for anything.

[A]

If I'm doing self checkout, sometimes I'll be very generous with my bag.

[B]

Usually, do you add a couple more to the.

[A]

Sometimes by accident. But oftentimes it's just one item gets one bag.

[B]

Okay, that's a good one.

[A]

I do love the eggs. Get their own bag.

[B]

I do love a bag. I would say I'm probably. I'm gonna go the bag theme because I am a gift bag keeper.

[A]

Oh, the gift bag. So, like tissue paper.

[B]

I don't do tissue paper. My sister and my mom do that. They go around Christmas and they're like flattening out the tissue paper and they keep it. I don't do that even though I should because I actually probably need more of that. But yeah, a bag. Okay, I'm gonna go bag with you, George.

[A]

I think we're gonna say boomers love bags.

[B]

They love bags. And we're here for it, y'. All.

[A]

What is it with boomers and bags?

[B]

We are here for it. Make sure to dm, uschelcruise and oregocamell with some guilty as charged questions. We are getting them and so appreciate it. So good. And if you love this episode, make sure to check out our episode Old School Habits making a comeback. We have thoughts so we'll link that down below and make sure to subscribe so you don't miss an all new episode of Smart Money Happy Hour.