“I felt pretty dumb when I figured out how much money I was wasting...”

As a Senior Editor at BuzzFeed, I cover lifestyle topics including books, work and money, health, and home.

"One of their moisturizers is basically the same as Clinique, except it's $7 for a big tub instead of $30 for a little tube."

"Pet meds AND people meds from Costco. My prescription costs me less than a dollar from Costco and $5-$20 at any other pharmacy. They have great prices on a lot of over-the-counter medications, too."

"And you don’t have to be a Costco member to use the pharmacy."

"I recently learned that some athletes drink a little pickle juice for the electrolytes and additional minerals."

"Almost every disposable product you buy is essentially a recurring bill, like a subscription service. It's always worth asking, 'How did people live before this was mass-produced and sold to us?'"

"I keep a small dollar store basket in my kitchen as a 'laundry basket' for my cloths and reusable dish sponges."

"Just wait until you discover local ethnic stores. Not just for spices, but more or less any good quality food in general. You just have to learn who does what well."

"A local asian grocery store near me has the best prices for quality produce that I've ever seen, with a huge variety. Aldi is pathetic in comparison. I don't know how they pull it off, but I like it."

"Our local libraries even offer passes to various museums and zoos."

"Thank you all for supporting your local public library! Even if you don’t use them all, everyone in your family should have a library card. It helps illustrate the need for the library to financial decision makers, and will result in more funding for the library."

"Things I’ve checked out the past few months from the tool library: GoPro camera, sewing machine, cordless brush cutter, and various other garden tools. To show my appreciation for the program, I put in five hours on a library project with a group putting in a community garden."

"My mate's wife constantly brags about how she's never spent a cent on furniture or home decor in her life.

Sofas, dining set, bedside tables, coffee table, deck chairs, wooden bed frames, closets, desks, kids furniture, everything picked up off the side of the road or through Buy Nothing Facebook groups.

She also got cutlery, cookware, clothing, plants for the garden, toys, and appliances the same way.

I felt like such a chump with some of the insane amounts I've spent on things."

"After looking online, it turned out she just had to get a $10 tube of dye and a $25 bottle of developer. The $25 bottle she still has after nearly a year of fixing her grays herself. The $10 tube also lasts for more than 1 dye session. So after the $25 bottle and the tools ($10 kit), she now dyes her gray roots as often as she wants for about $5."

"Look for a local beauty trade school. Their graduates need hands-on experience before graduation day, and the teachers circle the room completely helicoptering."

"Oh my gosh. I just started using the powder detergent again after years of paying like 50 cents a load for each pod. It works just fine!"

"My dog was incontinent for her last couple of years. I picked up big boxes of Depends at Costco. I cut a hole for her tail and gathered the excess around her tummy and taped them in place. Before I found them, I tried various dog diapers; they always leaked and were pricey."

"I bought a collapsible silicone popper for less than $10 that goes in the microwave and uses no oil. Best thing I ever bought. Excellent snack, and I feel no regret!"

"You can use a paper punch with fun shapes too, FYI!"

"We buy three or four of the Costco rotisserie chickens, cut them up into packages, vacuum seal, and freeze them. Then, we thaw them overnight in the refrigerator for any meal that needs cooked chicken."

"Dish soap is great for oily food stains."

"I made some in 2012, and it’s still going strong. It has aged well and adds a wonderful flavor. I made it as gifts and ended up with extra bottles."

"Love it, Dr. Bonner’s is an amazing company, and a little goes a long way."

"Many of the herbs in my herb garden (in the ground, not pots) return each year. In Virginia (US), my oregano, thyme, and chives come back annually. My dillweed, parsley, and onions seem to reseed themselves if I let them flower. I usually just buy basil and maybe mint."

"Cost might vary slightly depending on which flavored syrup I want to make, and I make smaller batches to ensure I use what I make before it spoils, but to make 750 ml of my vanilla syrup would cost $3 at most."

"I like to buy sandals and summer wear after the Christmas holiday sales. I can snag great deals. Also, never buy outdoor furniture in the spring or summer. Wait till fall. Same with gardening pots, etc., you can get them for a steal at the end of the summer."

"I took it a step further and downloaded the app for every station in my area. Every one of them has a discount for app users, and there are often special promotions. For instance, 7-11 has 50 cents off per gallon on the 7th and 11th of every month through October. Shell has 22 cents per gallon off on NASCAR race days.

I felt pretty dumb when I figured out how much money I was wasting just using whatever station was nearby when I needed a fill-up!"