Money management has been a hot topic lately, and with there being no signs of the cost of living going down anytime soon, even the most frivolous spenders are trying to practice frugality. If you’re finding yourself needing to slash your monthly budget, saving hundreds is as easy as making coffee at home, and casually stealing items at the self-checkout of your favorite mega-corporations.
You’re likely used to hearing condescending financial advice from people with multiple vacation homes; cut out the fancy lattes, ditch the avocado toast, skip out on the little treat to help you cope with the hell world we are living in because it isn’t on sale. You could do that, and slowly rob yourself of all things that bring you joy because you don’t “need it.” Or you could just steal them.
Take coffee for instance. For the person who visits Starbucks every morning and spends five dollars on their drink, they’re looking at $150 a month, and that’s assuming they’re only drinking a cup a day. That person could instead buy a large bag of coffee beans or grounds, and a box of filters for about $15. Better yet, they could turn down the volume on the self-checkout, put their hand over the item’s code, and time their “scan” with that of the customer standing next to them, leading to a savings of $150 a month!
But why stop with coffee? In addition to saving hundreds, stealing from the self-checkouts of mega-corporations that don’t pay a living wage while the executives ride on private jets can be quite thrilling. That Whole Foods brand hummus is going to taste even sweeter knowing your hard-earned money isn’t lining Jeff Bezo’s pockets. Experience the rush of feeling like you’re sticking it to the Walton’s by lifting a loaf of bread. After all, they’ve done their part in creating the economic conditions that lead people to steal in the first place.
An extra $300 a month goes a long way! You might get to pay off your credit card or even take a vacation before ultimately giving that money to your landlord when they raise the rent. If that time comes, and you find yourself needing to score additional five-finger discounts, just remember to never lift everything from one store, and be mindful about the weight of an item before placing it in your bag.