How thrifty are you?

[Southernbelle]

The best thing I did to save money was tell people that I wanted to get chickens and if they knew of anyone getting rid of anything I could use since I was starting with nothing. Within days a friend gave me a 10' sq chain link dog run 6' high with all the hardware included - you should've seen us trying to load it on DH's truck! Another friend breeds rabbits and gave me a bunch of nestboxes she isn't using right now. We have an outbuilding we weren't using and I set up the fencing and lined up the nest boxes. My carpentry skills are VERY limited so I was really grateful for these ready-to-assemble items. So far my entire chicken coop cost me $13 for a roll of poultry netting for the top of the fence.

 

[Stormhorse23]

My dad works as a machinest and gets all kinds of junk. My future coop is a huge computer desk with drawers for nest boxes

 

[chcknrs]

WOW! Everyone is so creative. I would love to see the PVC feeder pics, and I just chuckle every time I picture the bunnies playing with the hay-stuffed toilet paper rolls!

 

[hooligan]

Their free toys are always more loved than the store bought ones! They take those rolls and toss them across the living room and then run over to attack them again, when bored, they get eaten

 

[magikchick]

I got my coop by advertising for an old shed in a free shopping guide. It cost me $25 and the guy moved it for me. My next door neighbor gave me an old dresser that I made a nest box out of.

I won't buy clothes or shoes unless they are on sale or clearence. I save my plastic bags to use to clean out my cat's litter box and I use the empty feed bags for garbage. Anything I can figure out a way to build is better then something I have to pay full price for.

 

[tiki244]

Quote:

WOW

Now thats a new one!!!!!

 

[hooligan]

I got 7 takers in the first two days!

 

[KingsCalls]

1: we used wire that was given to us that was going to be hauled off, to make our goat
pen and old decking boards and 4 x 4's to build them a small barn
2: I use old unused pvc pipe for most of my feeders
3: I have a very large rubber-maid trash can for rain water, with a gold fish in it to keep down any mosquito's
4: used old chain link fence to build one of our duck pens and an old swimming pool for the
pond
5: a gallon milk jug for a hanging feeder
6: old roofing tin for roofing on the bantam pens and some free rubber roofing for the goat
barn
7: save boxes to ship eggs in
8: scrap wood to keep waters up out of the shavings
9: old plastic barrels as small ponds or a waterer for the goats
10: old metal pipe wrap for the roof on the wood duck boxes
I think that is it....

 

[samm]

shop at salvation army, goodwill, or second hand stores, if at all possible, also buy shoes and boots only on sale, usually clearance sales, save cans, and scrap metal, grow a garden, grow our own beef and goat meat, dont run the central a/c, we use a window unit for our bedroom only, and one for my sons, were usually gone out of the house early and dont get back in till late at night in the summer, burn wood in the winter, use feed sack to put trash in, start most of my own plants for the garden, instead of buying the feed stores plants, i cut my husbands hair, my hair is long, so i usually just trim my own bangs, we do our own repairs, unless they are major, sent two kids through college, so ya kinda learn to cut back, i just dont care anything about wearing expensive jewelry, or having my nails done, or going to the newest resturaunt in town, we havent been to the movies in probably 9 years, by doing that im sure we have saved alot of money, i guess were just kinda plain ole folks.....as pitiful as i sound, we do have a successful business, that allows us to flex our time. to be able to do what we do is an great blessing, and saving money is just an added benefit

 

[priszilla]

I bought a popcorn tin for a quarter to store feed in at a thrift store--but you know you are a tightwad when you think the prices are too high at goodwill!!! they want $2 for a popcorn tin