Just curious who else is living super frugal

[Rathbone]

Mama Hen...

Let me just say - been there. In fact, still there. I will write you more later but for now - I send you a hug.

 

[Maxie Misty Chicks]

I also have cut back on a lot of things.

 

[Maxie Misty Chicks]

I also have cut back on a lot of things. I clean almost everything with vineger and water. It even cleans the floors. It is amazes me how much I used to spend on cleaning products. I still have to have dish soap, laundry soap and comet, but most surfices are cleanable by simple water and viniger! I know what you mean by paper towels are a luxery. I use towels and rags and wash them. I am working but I take my home made lunch to work while co-workers go buy fast food. I like my lunches better than fast food anyway!

 

[Maxie Misty Chicks]

Boy there are a lot of great ideas out there. I had a great garden up in Michigan and when we moved to Texas it took me a couple of years to get a garden going. I just kept enriching the sandy soil with horse manure and now chicken manure. I fihnally have squash and green beans growing. I also have a deal with a girl at work who has a large garden and I am keeping her in eggs and she will give me some of her veggies. Can' beat that arrangement.

 

[Maxie Misty Chicks]

Thanks everone for all the great info. I will start turning off things like the computer at night. I knew about the cable bax and make sure it is off when not in use.

 

[bullyforme]

There are so many great ideas here! It may have been mentioned but I save on electricity by having power strips. I have two fish tanks which each require heaters, filters, and lights. I have the tank lights and other electronics plugged into power strips and when they're not in use I switch them off, no "phantom" electricity being used. We don't have cable or internet (we use phone internet and the library), a land-line phone, or video-rental services. Instead we use the library's DVD collection and collect VHS movies from the goodwill and yardsales. We invested in a couple of video game systems (Wii and Xbox - but not Xbox Live) and play together when most people are watching cable TV. My only debt is my mortgage and HELOC. I was very fortunate to receive my vehicle as a hand-me-down from my dad. I pay cash for EVERYTHING. I pay bills either online or with money orders, or in person with cash (such as water bill). I don't even have a checkbook, it's too tempting. I buy nearly everything secondhand. Chickens and my garden are helping me with my food bills!

I believe another part of living frugally is freeing myself of possessions (clutter). Just because it's free or cheap doesn't mean I need it. I used to be addicted to freecycle and craigslist but found myself getting bogged down by all the stuff I don't need...now I do still check the 'free' sections but only when I need something. A couple of times a month I make a sweep of the house and gather up some bags for the goodwill (tax deduction bonus!).

Please continue to share your ideas, everyone, this is priceless!

 

[Rathbone]

MamaHen...how are things today? You have been on my mind. Hope life is kissing you. And if not, well we are all in this boat together.

 

[HeatherLynn]

I swear our entire life gets turned upside down on a regular basis. Thank goodness i am used to living cheap. So tonight i am trying to work out a menu where I can feed a family of 6 healthy for 250 a month. Not supplementing with deer yet but that would cut it even further. Just trying to see if I can manage it. If I get this plan worked out i'll try to post it. maybe ya'll will have ideas where I can improve it and maybe add some healthy additions to it.

The one thing I cannot figure out how to cut is our auto gas bill. at least 600 a month and we are frugal on the driving. Thats all commute for the hubby. so frustrating. it eats a huge portion of his pay. I know my van is a gas guzzler but there is no way a new one is in the works and we simply will not fit into a small car.

 

[karlamaria]

Quote:
how about a motorcycle? or car pooling? Im seeing a lot of folks on motor bikes these days, . maybe he can take a motorbike to work and you all can keep the family car for when your all together?

 

[karlamaria]

after years of yearly vacations to Disneyland and spending like there's no tomorrow I woke up in January and realized the nation is going down the tubes. decided right then and there I was going to do everything in my power to get my shelves and pantries stocked full, my cards paid off, and down size. stock extra gas in the garage, gather extra things needed if crap goes down further and its all paying off. my cards were paid off except one by February thanks to taxes, I got one more small one to get paid off this year, then I owe not one dime! my power has been cut in half over the last few years by shutting rooms off and heating only the rooms we are in, and keeping the house a nice 67 degree's . we turn it up some when we get home from work, but turn it back down to 60 when I leave for the day. Im a grand mother raising 3 kids, so I buy all there school cloths off season, we get a heck of a bargain and they dress wonderfully. I buy triple the school supplies, and put them away for the next year. we buy meat in bulk, or as we say a quarter beef instead of by packages. its incredible what you can save by buying quarter or half a beef and not falling for the store packages. we filled an entire freezer with the last quarter and we have steaks, roasts and enough burger to last us a long time. total price .. 435.00
When I see a sale on anything I buy mass quantities, toilet paper is fun, we have probably 200 rolls LOL, ( 1000 sheet scotts ) since I do not own land to farm on or even garden much on I buy bulk veggies and dry them, that way I have them year round and just need to rehydrate. with my chickens I now will have fresh eggs, Im thrilled. next year a new coop will go up at my mothers and I will be raising 10/15 there also. its time to wake up, craps not going to get better, time has proven we are getting to hard times and fast. food is so high now, what used to cost 39 cents for a can of beans is well over a dollar now, and some are reaching 2 dollars a can!
chicken noodle soups have been 2 for a dollar and some times 3 for a dollar, now I saw in walmart it was 89 cents a can, and the cans are smaller. its a joke. its time to stock up and buy bulk, shopping once a month is going to be many a down fall if food becomes so high priced and people do not have stock built up . I have not shot a gun in years, but for my birthday I went and got one heck of a piece. and enough amo for an army.