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StitcherHalloween is the one night a year when girls can dress like whatever they want and other girls can’t say anything about it. At least, that’s what Mean Girls told us. But there’s one voice that does get a say and that’s our planet. In this episode, we’re looking at last year’s most viral trends, what’s on the rise this year, and how to tell if it’s something you actually value or just another ‘cool girl costume’ bandwagon moment.
Make things special - buy less, keep longer, prioritize real memories over virtual ones.
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adventure. This weekend my dog Ellie escaped our backyard and she came running in the house panting. I don’t know what kind of adventure she had to exhaust her but it made me believe that we should all have the freedom to go on adventures and you can save for adventures faster with our meal plan. You get everything you need to keep your meal planning and prepping organized. There’s a favorite recipe tracker, pantry, fridge, and freezer trackers, measurement conversion sheet, and our pride and joy: 1000 meal ideas. You’ll also get a copy of Jen’s book Meal Planning on a Budget absolutely free! Head to frugalfriendspodcast.com/mealplanner to check it out and to the YouTube description for a code for 30% off!
The Cost of Halloween to Our Earth
Each year, Halloween generates about 2,000 tons of plastic waste mostly from costumes, decorations, and packaging. That’s the weight of 18 blue whales. Last year, spending on the holiday even surpassed pre-pandemic levels, and along with it came more waste. Beyond the numbers, the bigger concern is the impact of all those single-use products that end up in the trash.
Therefore, Jen and Jill remind us to think before we costume. Because landfills aren’t free. You’re paying for them through property taxes, trash collection fees on your utility bill, and even in the prices of the products you buy, so choose wisely, reuse when you can, and let your Halloween fun leave fewer scares for the planet.
From Fun to What It Has Become
From costumes to home décor, lawn decors, and accessories, Jen and Jill unpacked the realities of what Halloween has become. From 90s-themed costumes pushed by algorithms, to affiliate videos, to the normalization of overconsumption, we’ve romanticized short-term spending for a one-time event. And with every viral video, the barriers we’ve built for conscious consumption get chipped away.
To push back, Jen and Jill shared solutions for each category so you can still have the Halloween fun you’re hoping for without doing too much damage to your budget.
Best halloween memory
Jill’s was when she and her friends went to New Orleans for halloween and she dressed as a cranberry. While Jen’s is always halloween with the kids.
Bill of The Week
Thank you Emily for sharing your bill about furnishing your home with hand me downs! BUT bought a brand new chair – within your spending plan.
Thanks so Much for Listening!
Thanks so much for listening. We love love love reading your kind reviews and we especially loved this one from:
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I’ve been a fan of Jen and Jill’s Frugal Friends podcast for about two years, and was lucky enough to receive an ACR of this book. One of the things I love about this book is the advice, tips, and suggestions they offer are reasonable, attainable, and based on real life situations. At the end of every chapter, they offer a question for you to reflect on and a task for you to start working towards implementing values-based spending. The best part for me is their acknowledgement that nothing is perfect - things come up in life and you’re not necessarily always going to be working towards your goals, and that it’s okay! They explain their concepts, examples, and tasks for the reader in ways that are easy to read and understand. It’s a really great guide that I’ll continue to refer back to when I need a reminder or refresher on my own journey of frugality.
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Keep leaving us reviews on iTunes or Stitcher, and sending the screenshot to reviews@frugalfriendspodcast.com. And don’t forget to share your favorite quote from the episode by using the hashtag #FrugalFriendsNote. 😉
