Just curious who else is living super frugal

[kocho]

I have just basic cable at the LV home, but found out I can get a prorated upgrade for the one week I cannot do without: Shark Week! I can do without all that other HoneyBooBoo-rotting-your-brain garbage. A&E and History Channel went from being informative and educational to a bunch of flea market shoppers and moonshiners. Cable has gone hillbilly! (No offense intended to you in Appalachia, but I miss the old formats)

Now in our NM home (Yes, folks, I got so frugal I could afford two houses...but I'm selling the LV one so I can truly get back to the land and retire) we have NO television, but we have internet which supplies all the major networks' shows (usually a day late) and same-day evening news. Of course, we're so busy on the farm that we don't really have time for TV there. Our goal is to raise the majority of our own food, save and except for grain/flour. Yes, a lot of labor, but the quality of food is surreal in comparison to the over-processed/over-handled items we're being ripped off for in the stores. Plus there's the pride of doing it.

Living below one's means really works. My mother used to feed us Generic products growing up -- those of you of a certain age probably remember when stores sold plain yellow or white packages with just black lettering on it that said "Yogurt" "Dog food" "Cheese" -- and put the savings aside which provided for vacations. She didn't *need* to be frugal, but she was a child of the Depression era and nothing was squandered nor wasted. Funny thing was we never felt underprivileged not eating take-out or junk food. I didn't get my first slice of pizza until I was, oh, 12 y.o. at a friend's house. And probably because I never developed a taste for soda pop or chips do I enjoy the health I have now. Thanks Mom!

For those of you struggling at being frugal, keep at it. For those of you that embrace the lifestyle a big "Bravo!" The long-term rewards of diligence are awesome!


p.s.
Check out your local library for VHS and DVD's. It's free!

We did the library for free movies for years when I was a stay at home mom. Then for awhile I was real good at finding free redbox codes. Our free method now is a bit different. My MIL has dementia and by evening my FIL is rather stressed being the primary care taker. So we go up and visit a lot of evenings. FIL has a huge tv and loves to rent movies for the kids. He always pays. lol free for us. We do have to be careful what movies we pick as certain things like sad movies or too much action and noise get MIL worked up. But it's not bad.

 

[kocho]

what is cable?

big doings around here it to go buy a used vhs movie for $3 downtown

lol I know it's crazy to pay so much for it. But I stayed home with the kids for 8 years lots of time my husband had the only car at work. If it weren't for tv, phone and internet I would have gone crazy.

 

[piglett]

Yep, a fortune for DirecTV, but my hubby is disabled and TV and NFL is his only enjoyment. And since we're in the middle of nowhere we have to go with satellite TV and internet, cell phones and solar power.
At least this year I'm raising some meat birds for the table and increasing my laying flock. But I do miss having red meat for the table. I made stew with neck bones the other day, because it was the cheapest cut of red meat I could find, It fed 3 adults for 2 days.
When I find meat on sale, but a good sale, I will buy extra and can it, rather than freezing everything.

can your husband get around any on his own

a good friend of mine fell off a 2 story roof

he can't work a reg. job but he can still do small jobs around the house

just at his own pace


look into getting a few Muscovy ducks

they taste a lot like beef

my wife takes part of one

removes the bones

adds potato's & a large onion

cook it all up in a large pan

i can't tell if it was beef or not

the males grow out fast (3 to 4 months)

keep most of the girls for breeding

they love to forage for their own food



good luck piglett

 

[piglett]

lol I know it's crazy to pay so much for it. But I stayed home with the kids for 8 years lots of time my husband had the only car at work. If it weren't for tv, phone and internet I would have gone crazy.

i can't stand TV

every 5 second there is another ad for cr@p you don't need & can't really afford

i can watch hulu for free online

youtube can also be a good way to learn new things

 

[dutchbunny83]

Haven't had Muscovy, but the way we cook duck breast tastes just like a steak.
Score and season a boneless breast. Put it in a steaming hot cast iron skillet like 4 min on the skin side down then flip it over and finish it for like 2 min or you can finish in the oven.
I like my steak rare and duck breast medium rare. I guess if you kept cooking it it'd taste like well done steak?
My ducks were more expensive to raise than chickens, but a nice treat if you aren't buying steak.

We stopped all store bought meats like 6 months ago. I always end up in the store too on days where they're clearancing out the sell by date meat. Kills me not to buy it because sometimes it is SO cheap! My grocery store usually does it on Tuesdays, for those who get meat from the store.

 

[offgridhermit]

Hi Piglett,


Maybe I'll try ducks next year after I learn to butcher my first chicken this year. I got 31 chicks this year, only 7 are Cornish, all are pullets so some I will be saving for layers to add to my small flock of 8 layers.
I really don't mind eating chicken, I doctor it up and love making enchiladas out of it, and other stuff of course. Stir fry, spaghetti, chili, are all good using chicken or turkey.

 

[jlynnp]

I am not going to say we live frugally BUT we live well within our means, are self sufficient and practice a sustainable life style. We raise goats for milk, cheese and occasionally meat, chickens for eggs and meat, quail for eggs and meat, turkey mostly for meat and a beef a year. I have a good sized garden so I can raise enough for fresh veggies and to can or freeze. We have planted grapes and apple trees and have raspberry/blackberry plants - at least some the goats have not eaten. I plan on selling some chicks next year to help defray the cost of feed for the flock and if all goes well some quail and turkeys. We do share with some of our neighbors, espically the older folks who cannot garden and have a limited income.

My favorite things to do for entertainment are auctions and flea markets.

 

[kocho]

i can't stand TV

every 5 second there is another ad for cr@p you don't need & can't really afford

i can watch hulu for free online

youtube can also be a good way to learn new things

That's true about the ads. They drive a person nuts. Especially around the holidays with the kids. Then the kids ask for all this junk they play with once. Grr. Where as had I just gone with my gut I could have got them things they actually love.

 

[Gayleyy]

Forget cable, just get Roku.

 

[Aacre]

Netflix is the best $8 I spend each month. I use it all the time!