If you’re struggling, consider therapy with my sponsor BetterHelp. Click betterhelp.com/AustinWilliams for a 10% discount on your first month of therapy with a licensed professional specific to your needs.

I realize that I am probably more frugal than I think. I don't own a car, I bicycle everywhere (occassionally I take the train/buss), I don't have any subscription services. In terms of clothes I only buy what I need and each garnment will have the following lifecycle: during parties or at work > casual clothing when hanging out with friends/family > home clothing > sleeping wear > cleaning cloths/rags or recycling. Some of my clothes are 24 years old, and they have just now been downgraded to sleeping wear. Many at my age want to live in big houses, I chose to live in a studio apartment here in Sweden. Total monthly spending for me is

I am supportive of buying used furniture except couches or mattresses. I’ve heard too many bedbug horror stories.

I had always worn cheap glasses and a few months ago bought expensive eyeglasses. What a huge difference! I will never repurchase cheap ones.

Totally agree about food delivery! It's ridiculous not to go pick up your own food, let alone pay the extra fees.

i fully agree with the "new phones" point. my phone model is over 5 years old now and i still plan on keeping it until it stops functioning or breaks. people never understand when i tell them it's servicing me just fine and it's still as enjoyable as day 1. they always try to convince me of "reasons" to upgrade, like "slowdown" (no, it still works just as fast as day 1), "apps not working anymore (no, i can still download all the apps i need and haven't ran into 1 app i couldn't yet), or "degraded battery life" (no, i still have all day battery. sure, it's not as good as day 1 but it's like 90% of what it was on day 1)

My dad taught me how to do an oil change when I was 15. Then I worked out how to do brake pads, then spark plugs, wires, carb overhauls, then engine overhauls. Then I learn to paint cars. There is not much I cannot do to a car, it is not that hard.

Fully agree.. Infact you don’t even have to buy used phones - I bought a iPhone 11 when the 13 came out - and it was a brand new one which cost me just half. Dealers want to push old model stocks off their shelf ASAP. This has been my policy always with phones. ❤

“I don’t want some weird mechanic touching my car.”🤣🤣🤣🤣

Getting rid of used oil is not easy in our area, so the drive through oil change places (with a coupon) work out to be a negligible price difference and a way better deal from the driving around and frustration levels

There are two things I spend on. I also spend on glasses for the same reasons. I also do not buy cheap shoes. My job requires professional dress. Life is too short for uncomfortable, painful shoes.

Don Agustin, love your videos. The short clip showing you from behind as you were squatting reveals medial collapse of the left knee (resulting in a slight outward flick of the heel). I'm a physical therapist and see this quite often. The medial collapse as you lowered means your left hip abductors (chiefly your TFL and glute medius muscles) are weak. That could lead to problems down the road. Just Google or KZfaq "Hip abductors exercises." I'm sure you'll find plenty of exercises that will fix the problem. A little payback for all your great content. Keep it coming!

I have a feeling that the people who would benefit most from your messages will not listen. That's fine, because you are helping the people who deserve it.

There's something even cheaper than driving: Walking and occasionally using public transit.

Every day we encounter novel challenges that have become the new standard. Although we previously perceived it as a crisis, we now acknowledge it as the new normal and must adapt accordingly. Given the current economic difficulties that the country is experiencing in 2024, how can we enhance our earnings during this period of adjustment? I cannot let my $680,000 savings vanish after putting in so much effort to accumulate them.

I love this video. Thank you Austin. I ordered the book. Can’t afford the therapy at the moment, but I might arrange something in future. Heading to Target to buy a pack of Tshirts. You’re very helpful I’ve got a lot of anxiety now. I love your gorgeous eyes, demeanor. I’m retiring right now, trying to minimalize everything. Appreciate your help. [Seattle, WA]

THANK YOU for making the point about quality eyeglasses. You get what you pay for. I'm an Optician and I get people coming in all the time with stuff they bought on line that falls apart of is made incorrectly. You can buy quality and a decent price, you just have to shop around a bit. Particularly when you get older and need Progressive (no line bifocal) lenses. There is a huge quality difference between cheap ones and good ones. Good ones work so much better and are easier to adapt to. Cheap ones are usually old lens technology. Would you buy a brick sized cell phone? then why would you buy an old technology lens that limits your field of vision? Rant over

i have been using the same Galaxy S6 edge+ for 8 years now. phone is in perfect condition and still using original charge cable. i dont understand why people buy new phones

Living in a place where there’s lots of snow in the winter, I have found that Cross Country skiing is a fantastic relatively inexpensive outdoor activity. Sure, you CAN go all out and get expensive skate skis and buy a bunch of fancy equipment, however, a new pair of decent entry level Nordic skis with boots and poles are only around a few hundred dollars. I even found an older (still in great shape) full set of gear for 45 bucks at a local thrift shop. A season pass for a WA state Sno-park is about 50 bucks. After that, you can XC ski for basically free!

I have a hard time convincing myself to buy anything, what I have still works.

The last thing is true. I bought so many clothes and shoes with low quality, after 2 years or less they were old and I had to replace them. I just started buying good quality clothes and shoes from thrift stores. I could find new items still in tags for less than $15. Most leather shoes and coats, cashmere and even wool sweaters! I heard once someone said that we are too poor to buy inexpensive things!

When I moved to nyc, I created a deeper hole for myself by spending so much money on food. Not getting groceries because I wanted to try out different restaurants (and the interior design like you mentioned created an illusion for me) Having said all that, I’m wayyyy less tempted to spend money at these restaurants after realizing how mediocre the food occasionally is to me. Mind you, I’ll enjoy myself out but I want to only spend money on occasions that are a 100% yes. And my 100% yes allows to me create a more narrow focus on what experiences will ACTUALLY create more meaning to me. Your hilarious 😆

I’ve had horrible vision since I was 5. Double astigmatism. I never skimp on glasses. Very nice frames and high end custom lenses. Arguably the most important thing I own is my glasses.

Agreed about the smells however good quality essential oils transforms a space into a sanctuary 😊

If I want my home to have a relaxing scent I use essential oils in my mop water or a couple drops in a spray bottle with a bit of water. Then spray curtains or put essential oils on cotton balls in hidden places in the house. Mint is also good for keeping pest out too 😊 💜💕🦋🔥👑🔥🦋💜💕

Austin- You are a smart and entertaining young man, with great tips! You have found your calling. You are a natural at this. I love watching your videos as they bring a smile to my face and I learn something along the way. Great job!

An Agustin video is such a great way to round off the week 😊 Love your minimalist tips and ideas and will be keeping them in mind so that I can reach my financial goals. P.S. congrats on 57k subscribers!

Props to you on getting your first sponsor. BetterHelp is a great company. Mental health is everything. 🧡 🐪

You lost me at Nicholas Cage being the greatest actor of all time. 😂 Vicki

I agree with you, except for the expensive glasses, knowing that this industry is almost entirely dominated by the same Italian man who owns something like 70% of the brands and can manage to keep the prices high and make people assume it must be because the material is expensive. Not at all. You can find great glasses for a cheap price.

I disagree about oil changes. When I was 34 I threw my back out trying to get out from under my car after giving it an oil change. It took 13 days for me to get my back to normal again. First 5 days was painful! Also, you don't save much money buying the oil yourself. Try to use coupons when they are available at the express oil change places. I go every 5,000 to 6,000 miles with both of my cars.

Good list. Think ive done my last oil change this year. Few things, it takes forever to finish emptying. You need a decent space to do it and must account for wind. Clean up. You have to find time and an appropriate place to dispose of it. Finally you have to account for how different each car is. I inherited my dad's vehicle recently and due to the way his is constructed, it's way messier than mine ever was. I don't drive much and reason next year just to continue buying an exceptional 20k synthetic oil/filter and take it somewhere the pros nor the ground are covered in oil. 1 change a yr, less than 100 bucks. 50ish with coupon which isnt much more than oil/filter alone.

These are good points, something I agree on but nothing surprising. The best one for me is check out books at the library.

I'm glad so many comments agree with you..I hope to be able to do the same. This shows there's another way of living that I believe will reduce consumerism and replace meaningless spending with a more enjoyable time and space.

I completely agree with not buying stupid clothes you don't need. But the other side of the spectrum, buying simple clothes that are dirt cheap, can also be a problem. The reason they're so cheap is because often times they're made by people in extremely poor work conditions and grossly underpaid, using materials that are cheap but awful for the planet. I advocate buying 5 shirts too, but getting them from a place with a track record of sustainably sourced materials and ethical supply chains. The shirt won't be $8, but the extra money is worth it. Also it lasts longer!

Warning: the lifespan of a smartphone is 4 years, after which it no longer receives security updates.

8:23 I had to buy a new phone recently. Cost me $110.

Oil changes are tricky. As a weird mechanic friends always ask if i can change their oil to save money, but not all oil changes are the same, you may be lucky and have a easy car, but some are downright a pain, specially if they sit low; then theres the jacking the vehicle up, dangerous in the wrong hands; theres alot of variables i tell them, whats their schedule, whats the availability, are u gonna go dispose your oil. Essentially does the time outweigh tge costs and speed of service. Trust me oil changes are the triicky one when it comes to savings. If youre proficient and you got a "user friendly" vehicle then youre gold ponyboy. But yeah i totally agree great skill to learn!

Good advice Austin, and I used to change my own oil in High School. Then I had my boyfriend take over. ☺️ Glad you’re getting sponsors, but Better Health is quite spendy. They don’t accept insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid. You can submit your bill to your Insurance, and may possibly be reimbursed. I sure wish there were more affordable options for people struggling with their mental health.

If you don’t like physical books and can swing it, buying ebooks gives us authors (especially self-published authors) the same profit margin. Ebooks are more affordable and don’t take up physical space. But it’s also appreciated if you like physical books to donate them to libraries or little free libraries in your neighborhood. My husband donated most of his books to the state prison system bc books do wear out and need to be replaced. Now he does donation runs twice a year for folks in our network to also donate :) My book series is the Crescent Crown Saga and I also have a kindle vella called “A Promise So Dark & Wicked” 💖 📚

The financial author, Jim Collins, whom you referred to had the best financial advice. He advised to avoid debt, live below your means, and invest the rest. Sage advice.

God Bless Austin and all viewers! Amen

Austin I would like to see you and Prepper Princess do a collaboration video on KZfaq.

@8:43 "eBay is still a thing." I literally just got home from the post office to drop an expensive pocket knife I sold that I had no business buying in the first place. Thankfully, I broke even. It was like watching $140 collecting dust in a drawer. Watches and pocket knives were my "buying stuff I don't need with money I don't have" vice.

Lucky me, I don't own a car. I don't need it. And I follow almost all of your points of frugality.

Hey El Augustin - You can get furniture 100% cheaper at your local dumpster. Just go down any apartment alleyway here in the Springs on the 1st of the month and you can furnish your entire flat for free. That includes dishes, a toaster and microwave. Other choice dumpster items include a circular saw, 3/4 HP router, guitar amplifier, refrigerator, stove and even a flat screen TV. And they all work.

I like new furniture not used by anyone else

There is nothing wrong with having a pet octopus 🐙 they are smart friendly and have 3 hearts ❤❤❤

Great video and congratulations on getting another sponsor. I have always believed those scented stick-up things were incredibly toxic: I have been known to hunt them out of vacation rentals, along with cheap Yankee candles -- sickening. (If you can smell it, there's actually something floating in the air.) Don't get me started on dryer sheets and Febreeze. While I agree with most of the things on your list, as someone a little (okay, a lot) older and a city dweller, I do enjoy a high-end gym experience, especially since I swim. I used cheap city pools for decades so today I really appreciate clean water (and the cleaner people swimming in it). As far as food delivery, I don't own a car, so it would take me WAY more time to pick up food from a restaurant than having it delivered. I don't do it often (a few times a month max) but I do do it. If you're out and about in a car I can see that it might make more sense to pick it up yourself, though factoring in fuel costs, I wonder. With the exception of a lamp here and there, I don't think I have EVER purchased new furniture. Between Craigslist, thrift stores, flea markets, and the street (yes, NYC is a free-furniture paradise) there is simply no reason to buy new unless you're talking a mattress (and I once got one of those free from a guy selling his bed frame). Fun video as always!

The way I'm saving money: showing up to work every day (unless I'm really sick), no kids (I have a cat lol), renting a rent controlled apartment, buying a 15 year old car (before 2021), keeping my distance from friends who tend to live more lavishly, buying a high quality used bike, buying all furniture used, buying most electronics used, buying most clothing used or heavily discounted high quality brands, spending a bit more to have a higher quality TV + microwave + fan + air purifier, as an audiophile I only buy cheap but high quality Chi-Fi gear (Chinese Hi-Fi), never go to expensive big act concerts (i prefer more indie / underground acts where the ticket price rarely exceeds $30-40, usually only go to museums on discount or free days, buying 90% of items only when on sale at the grocery store, quit drinking (huge money saver), never ordering delivery, never eating at fancy restaurants, if I eat out I rarely order appetizers or drinks (I only order what I can eat which is usually just 1 dish), eating at home more, buying coffee outside only 2x a week, going to only matinee movies and never buy concession snacks or drinks, keeping online subscriptions down to the few I actually use (Spotify, KZfaq Premium), being vigilent about not getting parking / speeding / traffic tickets, maintaining excellent credit, not going on local trips / vacations (the US is outrageously expensive now and not worth it), buying cheap but high quality marijuan@ from local growers and consume in small amounts (I live in SF Bay Area). My friends wonder how I'm able to live in the SF Bay Area without having a 6-figure income. They know I'm resourceful, but they're all too fancy / bougie to be able to live like me.

#16 Crap from Temu

Agreed about the furniture! Marketplace has great pieces for 90% less!

OMG! You really made my day with the "solid shirt fashion show"! (And you are so cute in glasses).

I agree with everything except the furniture. Furniture of good quality can last tens of years and you see it all the time so it should also look nice.

I consider owning books as an investment in one's self especially my philosophy collection I'm always dipping in and out of them once purchased they give year's of pleasure.

i love to change my own oil and used to refuse to consider purchasing a vehicle whose oil filter I could not easily access. But lately Ive noticed that modern vehicles often have a filter located where you need a hydraulic lift to reach it. Or in a tight alcove where it would take far too long to remove. In those cases I have little choice but take it to a professional. That's sad because early on I could actually do basic mechanic work on my vehicles. Nowadays you need a degree from MIT just to look under the hood.

I gotta say something about number 2: it’s not so easy to simply “change your own oil” when you don’t have a house, driveway or garage. At an apartment or something, this just isn’t a viable option. It’s unsafe and leaves you wide open to compromise if you attempt to do this in a small apartment complex parking lot. Love your videos but you are leaving out the part about the time save. Also did I mention having car ramps is a must have for changing your own oil *within a timely manner*? If you’re not experienced with this task, not having certain materials can make this take as long or longer than if you take it to a professional.

Hi Austin ,thanks so much just found your in December 2023, it's so educative, just 24yr Ugandan am learning alot here

I keep saying I’m going to stop using delivery services cause 1) it’s expensive, 2) sometimes I get the wrong food items. Granted it’s convenient but it’s a cost for that convenience. I love to travel outside of the US, it may cost a pretty penny to get there but once you’re there, I feel like it’s cheaper once there.

I switched from expensive glasses to cheap ones 2 years ago and I have no regrets. Zenni make very good classes for 1/10 the price and they work perfectly and look great - even varifocals. Expensive glasses get scratched and broken just as easily and are so much harder to replace.

You described my home, Scottsdale, Arizona! So many trendy restaurants where the always handsome waiter tells you his life story and then describes the pedigree of each menu item, e.g., "The tomatoes come from Tuscany and are embellished with salt from the South of France...". Then the meal comes with a giant bill and its just 1 step up from McDonalds and half the size!

The one thing I refuse to spend my money on while traveling is expensive hotels. There are plenty of budget hotels that offer free breakfast, and that's fine with me. As long as it's clean and comfortable, I'm happy.

Forgot to mention how to responsibly get rid of the old used oil

Great video but with all due respect my last phone, I bought new, lasted years, years and more years. I dont mind buying a book from the library for .25 cents, then redonating. I dont like the stress of return dates. I have also had libraries boo boo say I didnt return a book, when I did, so I went and found it on their shelf. That stressed me out. Just better to pay the .25 cents and read at my leisure. I am sure the money helps our libraries too. We are all different with our minimalism. Fun to share. Thanks for sharing!

The only thing that I buy from the list are professional oil changes. I have no idea about cars and I like that they can do a full inspection. The more preventive maintenance, the better! Had no idea you lived in CO. Very cool.

Great contact, as always! 🥰

2. No more rip off oil changes. Jiffy rip off lube. Never.

I'm with you on everything except books. I search for free pdfs for books that have been in print for a while, buy used instead of new if I can, a lot of my books I got for free, but the ability to purchase a book that I can't get otherwise is one of the highest and best uses of money. There are many things known to impoverish a person but nobody has every come to ruin because of their library.

I agree with almost everything and I don’t buy several other things. Most of my family and friends think I’m cheap and keep track of every single dollar I spend. I know that it’s the little things that most people spend every day that adds up to a lot of money in the end. Take for example I’m planning a trip for my niece and myself for her graduation in two years. We’re actually taking 4 one way flights around the entire world. Most people just use knee jerk reactions and say “How in the Hell will you afford that” this is without them even considering what it costs and them having next to NO travel experience. The funny thing is I’m totally cutting out drinking any bottled beverages and eating out at any places. This means ZERO places. It doesn’t matter if it’s a 99 cent taco. If people just wrote down every purchase they made they’d be amazed on how much they spend on total bull crap. About four years ago I set my record at 22 months without any outside food expenses. I didn’t go to a restaurant, drive through, delivery, I just made my food and packed a sack lunch if i was gone half the day. Oh course there had to be a loophole somewhere. If I was over 200 miles away for over a day or so. Even then my friend I was visiting supported my challenge and made me food. I’ve started it back up and I want to break the record. If I can hold out for the graduation in June of 2026 that with the bottled beverages subplan with a little cut back on records we’ll be on the best trip of her life.

ok but, how do you not buy haunted buildings? One note on thrift store and preowned furniture: If it has any cushioning or any parts that you can't directly clean (like actually see and get your fingers on) don't buy used. The last thing anybody needs to pay for and face is a bed bug infestation.

I have a refurbed phone from a local discount electronics store. It doesn't have to be fancy because I don't use my phone as a computer. I listen to library books on it and that's about it. To be honest, I find surfing on a phone very frustrating.

Wise advice, I'm over 60 and couldn't agree more with your list. I've been avoiding buying most of that stuff for many years, possibly my whole life.

It's always good to have a financial plan, I work with a portfolio and savings manager in the US. fixed income serves as a buffer for the volatility of the equity and also bring legitimate returns.

I started changing my oil almost 16 years ago. There were a few years in there where with a coupon I actually paid the same price to have a local dealer do it, but times have changed and it's gone back to being WAY cheaper to do it yourself. No one will ever care about your car as much as you do, which is a great reason to change your own oil. Shops don't put their best guys on the easy jobs. So you're not getting the brains of the organization, which means they can make MISTAKES like not screwing your filter on all the way or stripping out your drain plug.

How do you dispose of the old oil safely and responsibly? One of the ways I save money is that I never buy tea/coffee outside. I have never entered Starbucks or Cafe Italia or any other similar place. If I want a cup of tea I wait until I get home.

Big yes for self oil changes!

90% of my furniture is from thrift stores or gumtree….have saved heaps and got good quality items as well…👍🏽

Cheapest high quality coffee- roast 1/2 pound green coffee beans on light colored cookie sheet pan in super preheated oven, flip/ stir beans every 2-4 minutes for more even roasting, takes about 12-15 minutes. Little smoky towards end of roasting, open window/door. Burman's sells lots green beans $5/# and up, with delivery ends up being about $10/# with delivery and waterweight loss from roasting, if you stick to the least expensive beans. Fun! Who knew coffee beans from India would be so good? 😊

If you change your own oil, you will not have a service history & who buys a pre owned car without service history? You could also miss something important that needs fixing. You also need to keep an eye on all the other fluids. Re expensive gyms: I joined an "expensive" gym post mastectomy last year. Swimming is helping me to heal & I have access to a rehab specialist, which I wouldn't have without that membership.

Here's a little bit of a tip to save you some money.Go to the dollar store and Pick up some containers and once a week prepare whatever you want For your lunches. Put All the prepared meals in your fridge and grab it every morning so you don't have to spend money on uber. Once a week have your supper already.Planned out make some stews make some soup.Make large batches and sandwiches, on the weekend. discipline yourself.Learn how to do it just don't be lazy. Figure out how much money you're spending eating out. I know some people who go to starbucks and spend fifteen to thirty dollars a day. That is insane.

I never spend money on streaming services. Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime etc.

you are right on, you don't want a weird mechanic touching your car. something else will break... problem with changing the oil is disposing of it properly

I personally go to a powerlifting gym, which has a lot more niche equipment that you can't find as easily in most comercial gyms, and certainly not planet fitness. So, I'm more than happy to spend extra for a gym membership to get what I need and be in an environment with like-minded people. And with furniture, I've found it's much more difficult to verify weight capacities on second hand items. Buying something first-hand can help guarantee personal safety and usually comes with the reassurance of some form of warranty.

I believe in good shoes, good mattresses, good food & good haircuts (but maybe not "high end"). Walking is the best & lowest cost workout I've found in terms of maintaing basic physical & mental health.

I love Zenni. They are not low quality at all.

Furniture from the Thrift Store will probably last longer because they used better wood back then. The appliances back then also lasted longer.

I like this kind of video. I want to live frugally and minimally.

New to your channel, but you are coming at it with the Virgo energy! I am a Virgo too. Some of my quality classic clothes I bought 30 years ago are still fine. I'm petite so I do know how to sew and alter clothes (tailors are total ripoffs, except for $600 suits).

are Town Centers a suburb thing? (I live in SF and NYC...basically I live in ginormous Town Centers I suppose). I may not be clear on the Town Center thing. These giant cities have their own trendy food issues. LOL....love your sloooooowww rap/hiphop style. The Atlantic just published an article comparing buying the latest iPhones to buying a car. Have a fabulous weekend Austin😊 Get yer groove on.

Really insightful your videos and inspiring and very effective!🙏🙏

The oil change is good to a point, and generally is most of a service. However your car needs much more maintenance and inspection over time. Brakes and brake fluid, transmission oils, coolant, spark plugs, bearing repacking (4wd) and inspection of items keeping your car safe to name a few. Ideally you change your oil yourself and have your car checked periodically by someone qualified. Also the weird mechanic sentiment is ridiculous.

If you need something but not on sale, just have patience to get them on sale or open box opportunity. I buy my power tools to build my own furniture this way. Of course, do not buy those Amazon, TEMU, Ali crap brands. Buy something legit yellow, bluish green, and red. They are expensive up front. But last generations. And yes, MacBooks are not that expensive if you can aim the right model, say a slight older generation with refurb or open box tag. Same to other expensive electronics. Do not buy them when they are fresh. It is a rip off.

I have cut back so much, i spend lots on computer games to resell for more in the future

I agree especially with the furniture. They usually crowd almost any space without any other purpose. So if I’m going to buy one, it might as well have a multiple purposes like storage, not just to be sat on or place stuff on top of.

I am so much like you. Never go to restaurants or buy cooked food. Never wear brands. Never buy new stuff if its available on second hand markets. I find I save much more than my friends. In fact I was able to buy a flat much younger and working less.

I’m all for having a minimalist wardrobe, but the inexpensive target T-shirts are a mixed bag. Fast fashion is a big problem. This is an area I’ve decided I’d rather have a lot fewer of something but better quality. I’ve bought merino wool long- and short-sleeved t-shirts and don’t think I’ll ever go back to regular t-shirts. They’re comfortable, durable, and even odor-resistant. I originally got them for travel but now they’re just my everyday shirts.

I just discovered your channel. Great tips! Thanks!

What a pleasant and important presentation. Muchas gracias!

Love reason number 3 for changing your own car oil 😂

I agree with everything but traveling overseas. There is nothing in any other country that is worth my money. Besides I a little anxious about traveling, eating and staying in hotels. I don’t like at all. I love this country specifically Arizona, Colorado, Utah, Montana. The rocks just amazes me. However, I don’t judge those who can travel without any anxiety. Go for and enjoy the journey.