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Start Here: About Don't Need Much Money

Don't Need Much Money is exactly what it sounds like: a site about needing less, so you have more. More time. More freedom. More room to actually live. The idea is simple. The less money you need to survive, the more time you have to thrive. Lower your living costs, live a healthy lifestyle focused on longevity and mobility, stay out of debt, and build a little savings, and you buy yourself something far more valuable than money: time. Time to do what you actually love, spend with people you care about, and put toward things that matter. This site is my own real life running that experiment. Most of what you'll find here are recipes and day-to-day habits. They aren't filler posts, it's intentional. Cooking from scratch, buying smart, wasting less, eating well, and staying healhty, fit, and limber all without spending much are some of the most direct ways I practice this philosophy day to day. This blog doubles as my own recipe box and exercise notes, and I share it b...

Soaked Oats Recipe

Updated July 24, 2026

Soaked oats are the simplest breakfast known to mankind. There is no cheaper or easier way to eat than this. Oats are incredibly inexpensive. A container of organic old fashioned rolled oats costs $2.50-3.00 per pound. And at volume stores like Costco or Sam's Club, you can find bulk organic rolled oats for $2 per pound. With each morning serving at 3-4 ounces, that's $0.40-$0.75 for a nutritious and filling meal.

Then what makes this meal so simple is it is literally a bowl/jar, spoon, oats, soaking liquid, eat. The way I was raised was thinking oats needed to be cooked into a mush which took time and didn't taste that great. Or that you could only eat them in boxed cereal form like Cheerios. And even if you did know about soaked oats, the misconception is they need to be soaked overnight.

Well, turns out you can take them straight from the rolled oat container and let them soak for 5-10 minutes. That's it! They will be soft and delicious. Here is the most basic recipe ever:

Soaked Oats

  • 1 cup (3-4 ounces) of old fashioned rolled oats
  • 1 to 1.5 cups of water, milk, or milk substitute
  • 1-2 tsp sugar or sweetener (optional)
That's it. Let it soak for 5-10 minutes and enjoy.

Now of course you can get fancy with it and add different things. See below for some of my personal favorites. But there are thousands of recipes online for soaked oats. Just know that this method is even easier and cheaper than what the internet currently says it is. It's so easy, I pack them when traveling and eat them on the plane by adding water from the flight attendant.

One final note, because I eat this practically every day now, I splurge for organic oats. I want to ensure the oats did not get exposed to any pesticides or Round Up plant killer that could make its way into my body. It gives me piece of mind that is well worth the added cost.

My Go-To Recipes

Turmeric Coconut - 1 cup rolled oats, 1/4 cup dried coconut shavings, 1/2 tsp turmeric, pinch black pepper to activate the turmeric benefits, 2 tsp sugar, 12 oz water

Cranberry Almond - 1 cup rolled oats, 1/4 cup dried cranberries, 1 tsp sugar, 12 oz water

Blueberry - 1 cup rolled oats, 1/4 cup blueberries, 2 tsp sugar, 12 oz water. I use frozen blueberries and let them thaw in the liquid.

Raisin Cinnamon - 1 cup rolled oats, 1/4 cup raisins, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp sugar (or maple syrup), 12 oz water

Chocolate Peanut - 1 cup rolled oats, 1 tsp cocoa powder, 1/4 cup whole peanuts, 2 tsp sugar, 12 oz water

Strawberry Peanut Butter - 1 cup rolled oats, 1/4 cup fresh or frozen diced strawberries, 2 tbsp pb powder, 1 tsp sugar, 12 oz water

Banana - 1 cup rolled oats, 1/4 cup sliced bananas (fresh or frozen) or banana chips, 1 tsp sugar, 12 oz water

For extra texture to any of these flavors, try adding sliced almonds or Grape Nuts cereal. Both hold up well to the soaking and add some crunch.

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