Money-Saving Hacks are the best, aren’t they?

Let’s be honest. Growing up, we all probably saw some pretty unique and interesting ways that our parents tried to save money. Some worked, some didn’t and some were just downright bizarre. Who knew that our parents were so creative in their money-saving hacks? Didn’t they know that there were easier ways to save money out there?

I never thought of saving money as comical growing up, but some of these hacks are just too good not to share. If you are needing a good laugh, and maybe a few off-the-wall money-saving hacks, here are some great examples of a few of the funniest ways our parents figured out how to stretch a dollar.

OneCrazyHouse Money Saving Hacks collage photo cinnamon buns on napkin, Toilet paper roll on holder, pieces of colored clay

Funny Money-Saving Hacks Parents have used to Stretch a Dollar

OneCrazyHouse Money Saving Hacks close up of a coffee filter with grounds in it.

1. Re-using Coffee Grinds – but be warned, not all money-saving hacks are good ideas

No…why would anyone do that? Seriously, coffee grinds should not be reused. Isn’t the whole point of drinking coffee to get some of that much-needed caffeine? And then by running the water through the grinds twice….that has to dilute it way too much. BUT, good ol’ Mom and Dad totally just saved .32 cents, so that’s a money-saving win in their book.

Other ways that I have seen recycling coffee grounds that are not as off-putting as this can include adding the grounds to your garden soil, depending on what you have planted. I have also used coffee grounds to create my own at-home scrub.

2. Unplugging all appliances nightly

Unplugging every appliance in the entire house every single night. This has to take a good 20 minutes of time to make this happen, right? AND how much money could it possibly save to do this every single night? Think of the clocks that would have to be reset each and every day. Sometimes, parents take the savings game to a whole other level.

It may be a good idea to unplug appliances that are not used often, however, unplugging everything every night is a bit excessive. Some ways to reduce energy consumption can include making sure lights and fans are turned off when we leave a room, as well as keeping the A/C at a neutral temperature during the day to prevent it from blasting all day.

3. Funny Money-Saving Hacks: Melting down broken crayon pieces to make them whole again

What color of crayon would you even call that? A combo of purple and red could be named “pred” possibly…that could work. Melting and reusing crayons=a savings of about .50 cents. And our lives as children are scarred forever since we grew up not knowing that normal crayons are typically one solid color.

Melting broken pieces of crayon can create some cool effects for coloring, though! Broken crayon pieces can also be used in other creative ways, though! You can melt them down to create your own candles, or you can even attach them to the top of a canvas and blast them with a blow dryer to create a really cool art project! If you tape down sections at the bottom you can create a whole scene with the contrast of the blank board and the bright colors of the melted crayons!

4. Packing up the free bread rolls from the dinner table at the local restaurant

I know you’re laughing right now because this was also your life, right? Watching your mom wrap up those rolls in the napkins provided to send in your lunchbox the next day at school was real life for many of us!

But really, does anyone like leaving free bread on the table? I think not. Day-old bread can also be great to make bread pudding or even stuffing! Or, throw them into the microwave with a damp paper towel for a few seconds and enjoy warm, fresh bread.

5. Taking extra napkins from the gas station and keeping them in the car

Ya know, for “emergencies” only. It’s a  genius way to save a buck on not having to buy more napkins. The glove compartment napkins can also be acquired from fast food adventures. Don’t forget to also keep some disposable cutlery in there, too, for emergencies! Condiment packets and non-dairy creamers are acceptable as well.

6. Money Saving Hacks: Late Holidays to take advantage of clearance sales

Telling us the Easter Bunny must have gotten lost on Easter and then giving us our Easter goodies the day after Easter. Smooth Mom and Dad, real smooth….now that we are older, we are much more educated about those after-holiday clearance sales.

But really, these after-holiday clearance sales can be a great way to stock up on essentials for next year- just need to be able to plan ahead, and have somewhere to store your new holiday decorations! I absolutely love buying decorations and supplies I know I will need next year like lights for 75% off!

7. Money-Saving Hacks: Turning our old shirts and pants into pillowcases

Growing up I always just assumed that this was for nostalgia purposes but looking back I know better now. I was sleeping nightly on my old “New Kids on the Block” re-purposed nightgown turned pillowcase because it was cheaper than buying a new one.

A twist on this hack has actually become really popular. One great way to repurpose old t-shirts is to make them into a quilt! Another great way to repurpose old, very loved, t-shirts is to repurpose them into throw pillows. There are actually a lot of ways that you can repurpose an old t-shirt.

You can make:

  • scrunchies
  • produce bags
  • reusable pads
  • leg warmers
  • cell phone pocket
  • lunch bag or purse

The options are endless! T-shirts are great because the fabric doesn’t fray and its easy to work with.

8. Extreme Money-Saving Hack: Making your two-ply toilet paper into one-ply

This just sounds like a ton of work! If someone has this amount of time to separate and then reroll an entire thing of toilet paper then more power to them.

The reality is, though, that cheap toilet paper ends up being more expensive than the “expensive” kind. Not only do you have to buy them more often since you have to use more sheets, but the cheap toilet paper is also rough on your bottom! Do yourself a favor a spring for the good stuff! Using less toilet paper means buying less which means saving more!

9. Actually Expensive Money-Saving Hacks: Using plastic sacks for lunch bags

Okay, I know we’ve probably all done this a time or two but it’s not a consistent thing. If your child has forgotten their lunch box, a quick and simple answer is to just grab a plastic sack from the pantry and send them out the door. But while it’s simple, it’s not good for the environment nor is it durable.

I can vaguely remember my sack always breaking and the contents of my lunch flying all over the lunchroom floor. So what was meant as a simple solution to save money actually was more expensive because of the food that I had to throw away when it fell out onto the ground.

Buying or making your own lunch bag is a simple and environmentally friendly way of packing lunches. You can even line your lunch box with a piece of a shower curtain so it’s easy to clean!

10. Adding ice instead of refilling a drink

My grandpa, hands down, wins the frugal award though. When we’d ask for more water, juice, or whatever it happened to be at the moment, he’d add ice to our cups. We never bothered to ask again.

Hilarious Money Saving Hacks

Admit it, some of these ways are downright hilarious, but actually quite genius at the same time. If anything, the funny ways that our parents thought of to save money helped mold me and my frugal habits today. I just try to stay a little more grounded with my efforts in saving money. Some may call me a lazy frugal finder, but I just prefer to call myself a selective saver.

There comes a point in time where you’ve crossed that line from frugal into downright crazy. (trust me, I’ve been there!) How did I know that I’d become too frugal? I realized that I was driving all over town searching and shopping for deals and wasting a ton of gas and time in the process.

If you’ve been there, don’t fret. It’s not an endless cycle that you have to keep going through. But I think that it’s all safe to say and simple to admit that some of these money-saving hacks are just too funny to forget!

Do you have any funny money-saving hacks from your childhood that your parents used to save money?

Or better yet, do you have any wacky money-saving hacks that you do now as a parent?! Spill the beans!

Share! Let’s reminisce and have a good laugh together!

OneCrazyHouse Money Saving Hacks title photo, broken pieces of crayons laying on a table with a hand holding one of the pieces.

Are you ready for more money-saving hacks? Check out these other amazing and creative ways to save money

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