Just curious who else is living super frugal

[Sherol]

Sherol, great job. Imagine what this country would be like if we all lived like that. Our economy would go into such a tail spin!

I am amazed at what people purchase and what they feel they are entitled to these days. Grandparents came out of the depression so I spent summers when we visited weeding gardens, canning, making noodles and fixing things. My dad's mother always had a crochet hook or some other stitchery going in the evening as we sat around and visited. My parents were pretty frugal with us looking back. We did not have what other kids did and I thought we were kinda poor. Always had a nice house, a clothes budget and we never ate out. Cars were always used and we reused t hings until it wore out. But Dad saved and saved and got to where they paid cash for everything or did without. When he retired from the Navy and got another job they lived off that check and the military retirement check was put away. I thought they were crazy until I saw them enjoy retirement with incredible freedom.

I used to go round and round with my dad over using a knife to peel potatoes instead off a peeler. He would get on me about the waste and tell me the knife took off enough to feed another person. Typical kid I had an attitude about that and why would it make a difference. But understanding what they went through in the depression and how they had to make everything count now makes sense. Dad is now gone.. but I smile every time I now use the peeler on potatoes so as not to waste anything.

It would be nice if the country and economy had a balance.. not the extreme got to have every stupid thing and living on debt and not the other of the depression and having to work so hard just to survive. I'd like to hope better days are ahead.. but with the headlines these days I don't think so. I think the economy is going to go into that tailspin regardless..

 

[lindalouly]

Had to make another batch of laundry soap today. Bought a new kind of dawn that works so well. This is good cost saving knowledge. It doesn't take much to scrub pot and pans. It is dawn platinum and it's the same cost as the other dawn. I even used it to bath my dogs today and it worked great. Hope all is well.

 

[lazy gardener]

Cooked the first of my 99 cent squash. Beautiful dark orange inside. Looks like a little round smooth skinned blue hubbard. Saved the seeds for planting (if we like the flavor of the squash) as well as sprouting for winter bird treats. Took all the guts, blended them with the smart stick. Will do the same with the skin, add some chicken fat, mix with next day's feed for the girls. Harvested Suyo Long seeds today. Birds will get the remainders.

 

[Julie Birb]

I have a question for you all. It involves paying alot more money for something but supports local farming. I drink 2 Gallons of milk a week. I am considering moving from store bought processed pasteurized milk for $3.29/gal x 2 per week to raw milk at $8/gal x 2 per week. Steep, I know. I am not rich by any means. Plus, you pay a fee of $50 initially to join. Yikes!! But again, it's from cows here just a few miles from where I live. And it's whole and real and fresh and local. I was given a complimentary free half gallon to try. Amazing difference and 1st time in my life!!

 

[donrae]

Julie, before I got sick I was buying fresh milk from a local family. It wasn't a buy-in/share type thing, simply sold by the gallon. It was cheaper, but I think location has to do with that also. I loved the fresh milk, with all that beautiful cream. Since my Honey is low carb and uses real cream in his coffee, it actually about balanced out for us price wise. By the time I skimmed some cream for him, then mixed the rest in with the milk for us drinkers, I think we did alright.

This is one of those things you'll just have to decide for yourself if it's worth it or not. I'm the first one to say small farmers too often undercharge, but I'm not sure my frugal soul could pay $8 a gallon for milk.

 

[lazy gardener]

Is there any way you could barter eggs for milk? Seems that $8/gal is a pretty stiff price. I know the farmers get a pittance for the milk that they send off to be processed. I would think that if you provide your own container, they'd be happy to sell it for 1/2 that. I know that I sell my eggs for the going grocery store rate. I know I'll never make a profit, and can't take the cost of my buildings into account, but I'm happy if I can pay for my feed with my egg money. Bottom line, you'll pay what you have to pay, if the product is worth it to you. You most likely don't smoke, probably aren't a heavy drinker, probably have very few things that you do splurge on, so consider it your one "makes me happy" splurge!

 

[LittleLakePhil]

Sometimes when you by locally you have to pick your battles. I try and buy locally when I can. But if I just bought locally I'd not be buying as much. All of our milk around here is local. But some is processed through a big dairy in Marquette. But occasionally I'll buy the full cream chocolate milk as a splurge...it taste like chocolate ice cream but it's $4 a half gallon.

 

[Sherol]

I have a question for you all. It involves paying alot more money for something but supports local farming. I drink 2 Gallons of milk a week. I am considering moving from store bought processed pasteurized milk for $3.29/gal x 2 per week to raw milk at $8/gal x 2 per week. Steep, I know. I am not rich by any means. Plus, you pay a fee of $50 initially to join. Yikes!! But again, it's from cows here just a few miles from where I live. And it's whole and real and fresh and local. I was given a complimentary free half gallon to try. Amazing difference and 1st time in my life!!

Being frugal is not always taking the cheapest way. If you can afford it and it means something to you then do it. Local people are worth the investment as well. I make my own soap and laundry soap. My personal bars are more expensive than a cheap bar at the grocery but I am worth it and it is a little indulgence that I enjoy. The laundry soap works great and saves me money. Tried the DIY dish washing soap and it left a mess on my glasses. I decided to quit after one load and bought my regular tabs. Think they were $13 for 80 loads. I live alone.. that will last me a year. Add vinegar to the cup with the soap tab and my dishes look brand new every time I remove them. Not worth etching my glasses trying to save a few pennies here.

In Ohio I bought goat and cow milk from the local Amish. It was against the law to sell milk for consumption and several Amish were prosecuted for selling raw milk. I used the goat in the soap and some of the cow. The rest of the cow milk I drank. It was really good and I enjoyed it. I now live a few miles here in TX from a licensed dairy that sells raw milk. Pricing is similar to yours per gallon but don't think there is that initial fee.. and I go through about 2 gallons a week myself. I have been considering getting one gallon a week from the dairy. Love the taste, think it is healthier and again.. support for local.

If you can do it.. go for it. If things get rough you know that is an area that can be trimmed back if needed.

 

[Julie Birb]

Thank you ALL so much for your responses. I really appreciate it. And you all bring up some very, very good points.

@donrae you live in Southern Oregon. Farout. I am in Bend. I was totally on the same wavelength as you regarding the price. 8/gal is a lot and when I do the math it's over $60 per month which is pretty much a week's worth of food if I shop at TJ's. And I was like thinking WOW. Do I wanna pay that much? I don't know yet. I'll need to think about it. You got me thinking which is why I came here.

@lazy gardener I can't barter for eggs because I do not own chickens. I do own tiny zebra finch birds. That is a great idea and if I did, believe me, I'd take your suggestion to the table. And you are right, I do not smoke, actually don't drink and maybe go out and eat 3 times a year since I hate spending the money. But I could consider maybe a gallon here and there since it is an item I'd really be happy to indulge in occasionally. And as @Sherol mentioned, I could always trim back if needed. And it is against the law here too to sell raw so the store where I went to yesterday said that basically raw consumers are purchasing part of a cow. So all they are is the holding area for the milk. Money goes directly to the farmer. And it is true, cheapest is not always the way to go as it depends on the outcome based on the example you provided with your dishes and glasses.

@Little lake Phi now, that is a very nice splurge. Full cream chocolate milk. And chocolate milk without the nasty corn syrup.

I have some thinking to do. Thank you all so very much for your very nice and quick responses. I will keep you all posted.

 

[pfields]

I have a question for you all. It involves paying alot more money for something but supports local farming. I drink 2 Gallons of milk a week. I am considering moving from store bought processed pasteurized milk for $3.29/gal x 2 per week to raw milk at $8/gal x 2 per week. Steep, I know. I am not rich by any means. Plus, you pay a fee of $50 initially to join. Yikes!! But again, it's from cows here just a few miles from where I live. And it's whole and real and fresh and local. I was given a complimentary free half gallon to try. Amazing difference and 1st time in my life!!

I buy raw milk from a local dairy when it's on sale for $5.50 a gallon. It normally sells for $7 but the owner emails me when they have it on sale. He's also willing to trade eggs for milk. So far we haven't been able to trade due to my eggs are spoken for when he has his milk on sale. I buy four gallons and then pour a little off the top of each gallon and then freeze them. My family has been good about remembering to shake the gallon before using due to the cream rising to the top. Even my grandson remembers.

One thing we noticed about raw milk is that it doesn't spoil. Store bought milk will spoil if not used in a week. Some weeks we use more and some less (depends if my grandson comes over for his chocolate milk fix) but I've thrown away a lot of store bought milk that's spoiled.