Just curious who else is living super frugal

[DennisK]

In following the stay-at-home practice, l find that a good deal of savings is in the cost of fuel. When I discover that I need a 7/16 inch bolt before I can complete the project, my first thought is to jump into the car and drive into town to get that bolt – but wait! As far out of town as I am, it would cost me $10.00 in fuel before I got back; so the 30 cent bolt would really cost me $10.30 -- $10.30 for a single bolt? NO WAY!!! One tends to plan their projects with a good deal of detail when living this far out of town.
But the best part is when the shopping is complete, we can relax and settle into our daily chores knowing that we don’t have to do that again for a couple of weeks.

 

[ScottnLydia]

In following the stay-at-home practice, l find that a good deal of savings is in the cost of fuel. When I discover that I need a 7/16 inch bolt before I can complete the project, my first thought is to jump into the car and drive into town to get that bolt – but wait! As far out of town as I am, it would cost me $10.00 in fuel before I got back; so the 30 cent bolt would really cost me $10.30 -- $10.30 for a single bolt? NO WAY!!! One tends to plan their projects with a good deal of detail when living this far out of town.
But the best part is when the shopping is complete, we can relax and settle into our daily chores knowing that we don’t have to do that again for a couple of weeks.

That $10.00 worth of gas is exactly why when something needs a 7/16 inch bolt, I always use 3 or 4 various sized wood or metal screws, a nail, and wrap it all with an old coat hanger that I cut apart!

What it lacks in pretty, it makes up for in ugly. And talk about strong! No, lets not talk about strong.

But, by golly, I saved $10.30! (What was that crashing sound?)

Sorry Dennis, I'm tired and punchy. We've precessed 7 sheep this week! The freezers are full!

 

[mickey328]

Holy cow Scott...I can see why you're whipped. Makes me tired just thinking about that!

My tendency toward being a pack rat is helpful too...it's not too often we can't find something that will do if we don't have the exact thing. And unless you're making art, I think "pretty" doesn't play. I'm way more into function than form. If we weren't urban and didn't have neighbors who'd complain close, I'd cobble way more things together. But sometimes you can do both. Dave built our chicken coop almost entirely out of things we had from previous projects and CL finds. He could have made one from pallets that would have served the purpose but not been attractive and it wouldn't have hurt my feelings any but he ended up making one that looks like a mini barn...I think those ends are called gambrels? Our shed out back is made that way, so once we got it painted the two of them match and really look nice...so there's one of those happy times when form and function can mesh beautifully without too much extra expense or effort.

We made another frugal "score" yesterday. Feller on CL has 55 gallon food grade plastic barrels that have already been sanitized...he wanted $25 each for them but with a bit of dickering, Dave got him to let us have 6 of them for $15 each. Two are going in the ground to store water for what they're predicting to be a water rationed summer, 2 are going under the down spouts to catch what rain might fall, and two will become feed storage for the critters. We get grass hay and alfalfa for the rabbits so we'll stick a small bale of each in them.

We also haunt the re-source stores for used building supplies. We picked up one of those deep laundry sinks the other day for $10...it'll be great in the back yard for washing out those big 5 gallon buckets that won't fit in the kitchen sink, for washing and rinsing on chicken or rabbit processing day, for repotting plants and such.

I work from home so just that alone has cut our fuel costs enormously. Dave has to drive to work, but it's fairly close and he can often car pool with a co-worker, further reducing our need to fill the tank. He drives for a local airport shuttle company and when he's assigned to in town runs taking customers home, he sees a lot of "curb treasures". We got the glass for our cold frame that way as well as a really nice oak cabinet. The doors are missing along with one of the legs and there were only 3 shelves. But we're going to use it to store our canned goods, not as a work of art. He can easily cobble something together to replace the missing leg, and cut some new shelves out of plywood we have laying about. For the effort of picking it up and bringing it home and a little fixing up, we'll have room for about 50 quarts of good. It won't be "pretty" but it'll be okay and it will serve an excellent purpose...that's "frugal" in my mind

 

[galanie]

Absolutely. You don't need the bells and whistles. My truck, I bought in 2001 brand spanking new. Doesn't have electric windows, which I adore, or power door locks. No tilt steering or fancy seats but it does have a radio and air conditioning. People get sticker shock looking at Chevrolet trucks but the last one I had didn't need any major repairs even after 130,000 miles. Finally the starter went out. And since I knew I was going to retire, and I could afford a new one in 2001, I got this one. well after all this time, it's not needed any repairs other than the battery, a set of tires, and brake pads (which my son installed for around $60). And it's 12 years old. Spend money wisely, and you'll save even if it's not the cheapest make on the block. And do you know what? The guy that got my old truck is still tickled with it. And now it has over 230,000 miles.

 

[galanie]

 We got the glass for our cold frame that way as well as a really nice oak cabinet.  The doors are missing along with one of the legs and there were only 3 shelves.  But we're going to use it to store our canned goods, not as a work of art.  He can easily cobble something together to replace the missing leg, and cut some new shelves out of plywood we have laying about.  For the effort of picking it up and bringing it home and a little fixing up, we'll have room for about 50 quarts of good.  It won't be "pretty" but it'll be okay and it will serve an excellent purpose...that's "frugal" in my mind

Haha I have exactly the same sort of thing for storing canned goods. It was on the curb with a back leg broken off. I put on a functional but not beautiful new leg, and the place it goes is in a corner where you can't even see it. Cut out some new shelves for it from material that was right there with the thing on the curb! Works well and doesn't look bad at all.

 

[DennisK]

‘Allo and Howdy, Scott Mickey328 and Galanie! Scott, I hope you have recovered from your labors …. 7 sheep – whew! Just think of all those great meals you have tucked away – I envy you. We haven’t been able to bring any sheep in yet as we have been busy'a plowing and’a fixing the tractor, and’a furrowing and’a fixing the tractor, and’a sowing and’a fixing the tractor, and‘a doing rain dances … and’a fixing the tractor ….
And as if we didn’t have enough to do, we have been noticing the farmers in our area are putting in grape vines – miles of them, all the way into town. So, we responded to all of that activity by ordering 7 Rieslings and 7 Merlot plants that will be shipping to us sometime this month. Jennifer took our trencher down to where we will plant them, and brought in a water line for irrigation. If they grow here, then we figure each plant will give us about 4 cuttings for next year and then those will give us 4 cuttings the following year, and after 3 years, we should have over a 1000 plants – well, that’s the math anyway.

 

[ScottnLydia]

'Allo yourself, dear sir! That sounds great, with the grape vines. Most people would just order them, forgetting that you can root cuttings yourself. Are wine grapes always self-rooted, or do they use root stocks?

The last time I moved a water line, I moved it about 15 feet. I thought it was raining! Turned out the plow had caught the neighbors sprinkler line. I haven't been allowed to use a tractor since. Some nonsense about irresponsible use of large, powerful machinery. ( I said I was sorry! )

When you do get around to getting some livestock, I was going to mention 'livestock auctions'. See if you can find any near you. When you're ready, you may be able to get a whole flock for a bargain price. There are 3 within about 150 miles of me, including one in the city of Fort Collins where Ms Mickey resides.

Mickey, at the last auction they sold some alpackys for $25! I know you were wanting one. At that price you could get one, give it a 'special' haircut, and tell your 'friendly' neighbor that it's one of those new "long-necked French poodles that only really cool people have"!

Still planning my garden. Last year nothing survived. Now I just read an article about "Killer Compost" where Dow and DuPont have created 'persistent' herbicides that hay farmers have been using on their fields. It ends up in the manure and leaves it toxic to plants for years! I had filled my garden beds with compost that I had made with tree leaves and sheep and chicken manure. Perfect compost, dark brown and crumbly. First all the seedlings I had started died within 24 hours. I thought, transplant shock. So I bought some 1 gallon tomato plants from Home Depot and planted them. Leaves had curled within a week. In 3 weeks, dead.

I had thought it was the heat we had last summer. Now, I see that those are the symptoms of the herbicide residue as well. I may well dig out all the soil in my beds and replace it.

So anyway, DUDE! WHAT ARE YOU READING THIS FOR? YOU GOT A TRACTOR NEEDS FIXIN'!!!

 

[Feanor]

I started sprouting grain for my chickens to save money on feed. My 33 hens get 5 dry cups of oat and wheat (about a gallon or more sprouted) and about three cups of fermented oats a day and a bag of layer pellets has gone from lasting 6 days to lasting 10 days without a drop in egg production. That's a 40% reduction in feed cost from a simple sprouting system and fermenting bucket!

 

[spankarelli]

You're talking about my everyday normal life. Frugal makes things easier in a lot of ways. Plus, when you expect the unexpected you're ready for whatever may come your way. Bump for making your own detergents, we do; and our own shampoos, soaps, lotions and such. One of my favorite websites.... http://frugallysustainable.com ... We also only shop twice a month for groceries. At the beginning of the month its a restocking of a lot of things, and then later in the month if there is something we've run out of or just feel like getting to make something special. I don't have the patience to clip coupons, but most things I buy are staples to make several meals out of that they don't have coupons for anyway. Staples are the easiest way to go, and I can buy better quality for being more limited in my range. We eat healthier (and cheaper) than most people I know around here, for the no junk food policy. There are some people may think of living frugally as learning to do without, but I was raised to value the little things and life in easier when its simpler, in my opinion. The funny thing is that making choices based on being frugal are often-times the more valuable and healthier choices that could've been made from the start. Think about how much extra most people pay to get things all natural, but if you do things yourself, they already are with no extra cost. Good luck and rock on with the simple living.

 

[DennisK]

Yes, I read about that herbicide business in Mother Earth News. It’s that lingering residue that keeps me from visiting equestrian businesses for their vast supplies of manure. I know stabled horses are frequently given worming medicine that eventually works its way through the horse and into the ground. You might do some comparative gardening in untreated ground just to see if your suspicions are true. I hope they aren’t.
Yes, I should be’a fixin that trencher, but I got to do my TAXES! Fortunately, I didn’t make much last year; so this should be easy. I could put it off, but Uncle Sam owes me money – I hope …