Amber Storck, a 42-year-old California resident known as @PrepperPrincess on YouTube, has garnered over 300,000 subscribers by sharing her clever cost-cutting techniques, allowing her to live contentedly on just $1,000 her entire adult life. Her frugal lifestyle encompasses a variety of savvy tricks that enable her to make the most of every dollar, from using a bidet instead of toilet paper to maximizing the utility of her groceries and household items.
In one of her popular videos, Amber demonstrates how she can manage to spend less than $30 on food each week while still enjoying a well-balanced diet. Her Walmart shopping trip includes a ready-to-eat whole chicken, classic roast ground coffee, Raisin Bran, eggs, milk chocolate brownie mix, fresh fruits, and vegetables. Back at home, she expertly stretches these ingredients to create a week’s worth of meals.
To extend the shelf life of milk, Amber transfers 25% of it to another container and dilutes the original carton with water slightly. She then utilizes the whole chicken by making broth with the carcass and carrot shavings. For breakfast, she enjoys a bowl of Raisin Bran with milk and a cup of coffee. Lunch consists of deviled eggs, carrot and celery sticks, and half a piece of fruit. Dinner is shredded chicken with rice and green beans, followed by a chocolate brownie for dessert. Her viewers praise her ingenuity and express admiration for her ability to minimize food waste.
Amber’s money-saving measures extend beyond groceries. In her bathroom routine, she only washes her hair once every five to seven days, using a small amount of shampoo or conditioner each time. This frugal approach ensures that a bottle of hair care product can last her two to three years. Additionally, she has replaced the use of toilet paper with a bidet in her home, saving on this recurring expense.
When it comes to clothing, Amber wears her clothes until they become worn out and then looks for bargains at stores like Walmart or Target when she needs new ones. Though she used to shop at thrift stores, she now believes it’s better to spend a little more on fresh items that will last longer. In terms of entertainment, she avoids eating out and going to the movies, relying on free streaming services instead of cable TV. She also highly recommends joining a local library for cost-effective access to books and movies.
Housing costs are not a burden for Amber, as she lives mortgage-free in a property in Arizona that she rents out for extra income. Her current home has solar panels, providing her with free electricity. All the furniture in her houses is either donated by family or obtained for free through Facebook and local community groups. Amber tackles home repairs herself instead of hiring contractors, keeping maintenance costs low.
To monitor her spending, Amber diligently records all transactions on a credit card, paying it off every month to avoid interest charges while earning reward points. In one video, she breaks down her monthly expenses, totaling $577.50 or $6,930 a year. Major monthly outlays include water, garbage removal, internet, and property tax charges.
Amber’s resourceful approach to managing her finances has captured the attention of many, inspiring others to reconsider their own spending habits and embrace a more frugal lifestyle. With her wealth of cost-cutting wisdom, Amber continues to be a guiding light for those seeking to make the most of their hard-earned money.