Just curious who else is living super frugal

[Beekissed]

We have been doing the thrift thing since we got married, granted we had a little one right off the bat so that sorta pushed us in the right direction. And yes people will think we are all weird. Someone even said us hippie types. I didn't think I was a type at all, lord knows my husband has yet to be able to put me in a nice comfy category lol. I just find it a bit nutty to live on the edge of ruin by choice rather than by unfortunate circumstances. For pities sake i wish friends would get a realistic view of their debt because their debt is stressing me. We are all nuts for living the way we do but they think its sane to teeter on the edge like that and charge their way out of their problems. Ummm I think they need to re evaluate their view of sanity personally.

Things are still starting to look up here. We have taken some hits. Our van is sitting in the drive ready to be traded in because apparently it hates me and as soon as I drive it, it breaks in some way. Always different ways but on the side of the road none the less. Anywho not thrilled but right now if we all had to go somewhere we couldn't so thats bad. It will get taken care of though. Its odd because it doesn't even freak me out because I know we can handle it now. I don't think I have ever been able to say that. Not ever. I mean its not going to be easy peasy but its actually possible with effort. If it happened a few years ago our options were pretty much just cry because we had no way of changing or taking care of anything. Freaky and cool at the same time. Slightly more freaky than cool tonight though. lol

I get to go real shoe shopping tomorrow and sorta praying there is a HUGE sale somewhere. I promised my husband that the next time I needed shoes I would buy something decent that did not kill my feet rather than my $5 clearance finds. Well my mom sat my shoes outside and a tom cat decided they were a litter box. I could have gotten another year out of those dang shoes but they were pretty dang nasty. No way even with bleach I would ever put my feet in those. Stupid cat. So goal tomorrow is to find $60 shoes for $20 or less. stupid stupid cat

So funny!!

Cats.... I think the statement I placed in bold is the best result of living a down-sized life...that feeling that one can make do, make it yourself or do without because you are no longer sinking in a pool of debt and high living expenses. That knowing that you have more control over the outflow of cash and time that you used to have is not insanity.

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over, expecting different results. ~Albert Einstein

 

[MamaRoo]

yum. Just stocked my freezer with outdated and smash-box discounted food. If you believe their prices, I saved more than I spent.

Also working on switching the kitties to using horse bedding pine pellets. $5 for 30 pounds - and I plan to compost it so I can work towards my goal of canceling trash pickup. (I plan to reduce my waste to one small bag a week that I'll put into my neighbors trash, or dispose of in public trash cans while I'm at the store or something.)


Also realized that although I just lost my job, and I'm my own support, I'm not stressed because I've gotten my living expenses reduced so far that unemployment covers my mortgage, electricity, garbage, internet, water, commute fees (going to school), gas, kitties and chickens. I just have to come up with enough bucks to feed myself.

 

[HeatherLynn]

MamaRoo thats awesome that you got your expenses down so low. We were given HUGE advance warning of potential job loss. Thankfully things worked out so far and no job loss because honestly even with months to prepare we didn't get everything reduced enough. Its great to have expenses well in control that way. We are still working on it and getting closer each month. I think we will see more and more people seeing the need to be ready like this because of the economy. Well I hope we will see more getting financially ready for the unexpected. (crossing fingers)

 

[BigSkyChickens]

Stupid cat! Oh man.....that image was funny. It's much better when it's just chicken poo, and it's on the OUTSIDE of the shoe!

Good luck finding a comfortable new pair of shoes, HeatherLynn. I lucked out at the goodwill and found a $5 pair of work shoes and a cheap pair of cowgirl boots for $12.50!

I really like coming back to this thread to see what's new. There are a ton of good ideas, and much support on this thread.

Yay! lower expenses = less stress.

You guys have inspired me to really look at my spending and do better. I haven't used my credit card since January 20th, which is a big deal for me. I will admit, it feels raw and uncomfortable not buying whatever I want, whenever I want (wow, sounds like an unruly teenager who needs to grow up!).

Keep the inspiration and funny cat-poo-shoe stories coming!

 

[the1honeycomb]

Love living frugally!! I have planted my first try at potatoes, I've planted them in old feed sacs theya re really growing and I am excited!! It didn't cost a lot, used the potatoes that were old and had grown out. as the plants grow up i unroll the bags and add hay and soil!!! should get several pounds!!

 

[HeatherLynn]

I am dying where we are right now. We have gotten so used to eating our own veggies when we run out and have to start depending on the stuff at the store it has no taste. I will be honest I am having a hard time eating store bought canned veggies. No flavor and no texture. SOOO EXPENSIVE!! Uggg Good news is that we have our seeds ordered and most are in or on the way already. We even already have people lined up who want some of our extra plants. Even selling some dirt cheap it will still make up for a nice portion of our seed costs. A HUGE cost for us this year is 2 more elderberry plants and 3 hardy pecan trees. My mom has a thing for nuts but cannot handle the prices. I am going tomorrow for the first time to a local butcher where i can buy bulk bundles of meat. $2.12 a lb for ground beef, chuck roasts, pork chops, bacon and chicken breasts. Much better than we see in the store.

We are also looking at doing 2 meatless days a week. Hard in this house. Me and my father would be fine. My husband and mother would rather die than give up their meat I think. They are pretty loud about it. I am easing them into it. I already put into play one meatless day a week now. Be glad when my husband can add deer meat. Prices are just getting too high. I am searching tonight for meatless dishes the family will actually eat.

A new thing on my list is finding a way to save on medical expenses. First thing is we all really have to focus on being healthier. Eating better. Being more active. And our worst flaw sleeping enough. Bane of our family. Most of us are a bit hyper and tend to sleep less than 6 hours a night. I know the less I sleep the more easily I get sick.

 

[123ChickieLou]

Love living frugally!! I have planted my first try at potatoes, I've planted them in old feed sacs theya re really growing and I am excited!! It didn't cost a lot, used the potatoes that were old and had grown out. as the plants grow up i unroll the bags and add hay and soil!!! should get several pounds!!

I've heard of this before and I'd like to try it. I don't have good soil here and don't exactly have a green thumb; I'm quite the novice in gardening. Will you illustrate (step-by-step) how to grow them in feed bags? How much soil? Open bag? Potatoes in the soil? How far down? (see, novice) Thanks in advance!

 

[MamaRoo]

WooHOO! Cream marked down at the store - 70 cents a quart! I made butter!

 

[zzGypsy]

I am dying where we are right now. We have gotten so used to eating our own veggies when we run out and have to start depending on the stuff at the store it has no taste. I will be honest I am having a hard time eating store bought canned veggies. No flavor and no texture. SOOO EXPENSIVE!! Uggg Good news is that we have our seeds ordered and most are in or on the way already.

we're going to be putting up a hoop house this fall to see how far we can extend our growing season. using a high hoop house with low hoop row covers over the plants also can raise the growing temp by 15 or more degrees - add a small wood- or propane-fired greenhouse heater and we may be able to grow year round. we're looking at an aquaponic system setup too... add that to the hoop house with a heater and 4 seasons of veges is entirely possible.

 

[HeatherLynn]

I am clinging to my seed packets while I pay high prices for my veggies. I decided today I am sick and tired of paying so much for asparagus which is a favorite of the entire family. My husband is taking some raised bed blocks we got from a house being torn down and going to make me a huge permanent asparagus bed. I know its a bit expensive to get the roots for these but in time they will pay for themselves. Hopefully in a couple years this will make us a bit more self sufficient also. My parents are putting a mini orchard in this spring too. So a few years and that will be going too.

We found a butcher about an hour away that is wicked cheap also. We went for just a months worth this time but I think I will save up a bit and next time go for 3 months of meat at a time. A high priority goal right now is saving on gas money. We pay more for gas than we do for food, car insurance and car payment combined. I go almost no where but my husband has a long commute. Going less often but still saving on the meat will make this work though. I suggested a lunch date and butcher trip once every 3 months to the hubby. Paid roughly 2.12 a lb for beef, pork and chicken breasts. Pretty happy about that. This fall my husband intends to shoot for 2 deer also. Meat for all of us is a bit expensive. We have some extended family that cannot feed themselves and depend on us so we gotta get smarter about it and they will have to adjust to having non store bought meats also. Every month I see small improvements. We never see these huge leaps forward but moving forward inch by inch is turning out pretty effective. Slow and steady really does win the race.