Just curious who else is living super frugal

[wyoDreamer]

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I'm going to try the cold frame inside the greenhouse. That might actually work for me. I also just hung a light fixture and will be getting some grow lights to add next week. We'll see if that helps.
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I don't buy the "grow light" bulbs anymore. I buy one "Cool light" bulb and one "Warm light" bulb to use for my seed starting area in the basement. Check the packaging and buy the two bulbs that will give you the widest spectrum of light. The two bulbs that I got actually gave me a wider spectrum of light than the grow light. I turn the try around every day to make sure the light gets evenly distributed and I have always have very healthy starts.

 

[Arielle]

Quote: Funny how I have done more for my animals welfare and have learned from errors made there. I had a cat that got very fat and hardy moved except to eat. I didn't know how to get her to move. NOthing worked. THe high grain diet and laying around killed her

Well this time, I have another cat trying to do the same thing, I'm trying something different. But she often gets real meat instead of a grain based kibble, and I buy a higher quality kibble. And I make her walk a bit. Praying this works. Diabetes killed my other cat!!

Stupidity imo is based on what ever gifts GOd was doling out. Ignornace is a nother matter, lol We can all learn, even if it is at our own pace.

I added probiotics after years of giving it to my horses; and gave the young horse a selenium/vit E mix too. Sure mean I need to take a multivite and my kids too. To supplement REAL food, not food out of a box. So I'm happy that you too made the connection and will have a better diet and exercise program!!

Quote: LOL, leaves don't get burned here. THey are raked into the woods, or left to rot and a few are raked into bags for use as poultry bedding, then dumped into the compost or the woods to decompose . . .we rarely burn here. But to bake up mouth watering potatoes . . my kids would love them!! ( I don't eat potatos any more. but sure eat butter!!)

Quote:
My meds have gone up too, my druggist told me it was to compensate for how drug companies can charge under Obamma care.

Drug companies will use any excuse and are using Obama care are their latest excuse IMHO.

 

[lazy gardener]

See, this is part of my problem. I'm in zone 6b in northern oklahoma. I can not plant anything in mid July or August. It will simply shrivel up and die in our 100 + degree temps if it germinates at all. If I set up my greenhouse before October, it gets too hot. AND I'm still growing summer stuff in October so I don't have the room in the garden beds for winter things yet. But we rarely get a real fall. We have 80+ degree weather with lows in the 50's and the next day we've had a freeze already. It's really challenging.

I've learned how to extend spring. I've planted tomatoes in a small hoop house the beginning of March with great results ... and lots of heat applied at night.

I'm going to try the cold frame inside the greenhouse. That might actually work for me. I also just hung a light fixture and will be getting some grow lights to add next week. We'll see if that helps. I was really hoping to grow some zucchini or yellow squash because we can not beat the squash bugs here. I've tried everything and they just eat my plants and I never get a thing.

We do add lots of compost from our chickens and rabbits every year and leaves from the neighbors, so the soil is great.

I find that having the garden full of plants is a deterrent for me to start the fall crops when they need to be started. I've had good luck in the past by starting a flat of seedlings for the fall crops. You can grow them on in a partially shaded spot, perhaps near the hose so they get watered often, and then when a spot opens up in the garden, you can plant them there. Your grow light should solve your problem. I wish you the best. I'll not be cold framing or green housing this year. The season got away from me, and I was too tied up building a coop to get either cold frame or green house geared up for fall planting. There's always next year!!

 

[erinszoo]

Good ideas. I've got to charge through seed catalogs soon. My tomatoes have to get started by the end of January or I won't get a crop before it gets too hot.

 

[kweyland]

Hej!

My husband and I were forced to live the same way this last year, in addition to some medical issues we ran into, we also had a baby and bought a house that is in the processes of being renovated (by ourselves while he works full time and we both attend graduate school full time). At first it was an interesting issue because while we were both frugal and money smart in some areas, those areas greatly differed so trying to get on the same page was a little frustrating. Being extremely craft minded though, I learned how much more I loved this life style very quickly! Depending on the time you have I'm sure you can enjoy it too! It is very easy to take items found on craiglist and in second hand stores and renew or update them! I built one of my indoor aviaries out of an old beat up china hutch I found on craigslist. up-cycling furniture and house items are a lot of fun but a little time consuming. they can become family fun projects that everyone can participate in. Clothes are quicker and easier to update, especially for girls and women. Lace is really in right now. It's really easy to break a seem and add in lace or lace over sections and create really fun pieces! Pinterest is a great tool for this! When you find something that is really easy and fun for you to do, then you network and find people to trade with! I'm an expert sewer so I trade my sewing services with a local guy who roasts his own coffee, and a gal who cuts hair. Among our friends we do meal swaps, and due to some of my educational back grounds I exchange writing and language services for meals and child hand-me-downs. It has become really fun.

Most all my furniture was hand-me-down form family. Of course none of it was my style so my husband and I picked on piece every other week or so to sand down and stain, paint, reupholster, etc.

As far as grocery shopping once a month, I would strongly advise against that. Not only do your dietary and house needs change more than once a month but it's also a huge waist. I have found it much cheaper and easier (although a little more time consuming) to create a menu and shopping list each week and do shopping weekly, only getting the things on that list. Then as things run out I add them to the list for the next week on a white board on my fridge.

I also found a great free app I added to my phone that allows me to search coupons per store instead of having to endlessly cut item coupons called Snip Snap. It was free and it has some really good deals. Of course if I come across coupons per items we need regularly I do save and use those however I'm not a big coupon-er.

Another thing to save money on is child care. If you can find a family that has children and parenting styles similar to yours offer to swap baby sitting nights or days once a week or when necessary. I don't personally leave my daughter with anyone yet (she's only 5 weeks) however I have two mothers that I watch their babies for regularly and trust them to watch my daughter when I may need it, they also switch between themselves when I am unavailable.

I hope you find this a little more inspiring of an outlook to a very honorable but very hard choice of life style! if you ever want more in detailed how to's or you would like to see photos I'm always happy to share =) Here is a photo of one of my aviaries. The total cost was $56. (pardon the unfinished house)

Best of luck!

 

[Arielle]

Great ideas Kweyland!!

I don't coupon as the foods I buy don't have coupons. lol BUt I know many that do, so that app will be helpful.

You must be a whiz at refurbishing if you can get each project done in a week-- wow!!

We are trying to get the basement painted and use the space more efficiently. Finding the right paint has been some effort but hopefully worthwhile in the long run. To deal with concrete, and some moisture but not the gushes some basements have to deal with fortunately. So totally understand all the unfinished details in a house getting a makeover. Takes a long time to get that big a project finished and taking care of a baby too. ANd school full time!!

THe aviary is very pretty!

 

[Arielle]

Believe it or not, I've just read nearly the whole thread. It took me three months and I skipped all the political stuff

I live in WI and right now live within my means, but want to get debt free and consider semi-retirement in about 2-3 years, depending on how I do.
Love hearing about all you guys do to save, especially with regards to feeding animals. I've got chickens, both meat birds and layers, also dogs. Want to think about rabbits for fiber and meat potentially.

I participate on a website called listia.com which lets you barter through the mail with people. You have to be careful, but I've gitten some really good stuff on there. If anyone is interested, let me know, I'll help walk you through how to not get scammed.

I also started low carb eating this year at the direction of my doc. It's been good because I no longer eat any processed foods and I've lost 40 pounds.

Love to chat with you guys!

Rebecca

Always glad to have another voice with new experiences to share.

Quote: We also put in lots of insulation at the time of construction-- far more than the contractors do even now 20 years later. We do have freezing pipe issues to concider so those are placed in interior walls and deep into the ground with some insulation added before filling the trenches.

Hoses can last if they are not moved very much. We buy new ones every 2-4 years. I'm thinking it is time to decrease the population of animals that need hoses to be watered . . . and I'm sure the climate here is tough on the hosing.

I don't find Paleo/ low carb off topic ... just want to know how to do it and save money too. I haven't found anything that I lose weight on. Weight watchers was the worst for me. I was on it four times and gained weight every single time.

I like Paleo ... just can't figure out how to do it cheaply. We do can all our own food while we are gardening and we raise our own meat so those issues are easy ... but fresh greens in the middle of winter???

We tried greenhouse gardening several times. My husband's aunt used to grow lettuce all winter long in a cold frame. For some reason mine comes up and sets there two inches high until spring comes and I could have planted it normally. What am I doing wrong??? All these veggies that should grow just fine in my greenhouse just come up and sit there. I don't have any artificial light. Would that help them continue to grow?? I just can't seem to find anyone who winter gardens in a greenhouse to help me figure this out. Anyone with suggestions please help!!

Eating quality food is better for our health in the long run, sowhat seems like a more expensive item, imo, is a good investment. ANd when all the foods you don't need are eliminated from the food budget, I expect most people see a decrease in total food costs.

I'm back on track and eating my eggs with butter and garlic; and need to toss a couple chickens in the oven to make a roast and then soup.

I've not followed WW, I follow Atkins. I need the low carb levels to keep the extra weight off or drop the extra pounds thanks to the holidays. Paleo doesn't include cheeses and dairy products, so I cant say that I follow Paleo. But I do eat a huge variety of foods over a year. Atkins mentions that rolling thru the foods is better to reduce food allergies or reduce the effect. I'll eat nuts for a while , then not; then change to another nut. . . that sort of thing. Very different than eating a peanut butter sandwich every day. LOL

I buy fresh or frozen vegies, and not canned unless it is pumpkin. I have several winter squash in storage and a few cans in the canned goods closet.

Around THanksgiving I bought3 pounds of fresh beets at the market and roasted up a few at a time. THen sliced up a few, put them in a one qt mason jar and added a mixture ofhalf vinegar and half water and tossed in some pickling spices. Let them sit in the frig for 3-4 weeks, and man are they goooood.

Believe it or not, I've just read nearly the whole thread. It took me three months and I skipped all the political stuff

I live in WI and right now live within my means, but want to get debt free and consider semi-retirement in about 2-3 years, depending on how I do.
Love hearing about all you guys do to save, especially with regards to feeding animals. I've got chickens, both meat birds and layers, also dogs. Want to think about rabbits for fiber and meat potentially.

I participate on a website called listia.com which lets you barter through the mail with people. You have to be careful, but I've gitten some really good stuff on there. If anyone is interested, let me know, I'll help walk you through how to not get scammed.

I also started low carb eating this year at the direction of my doc. It's been good because I no longer eat any processed foods and I've lost 40 pounds.

Love to chat with you guys!

Rebecca

Good job on the change in your diet!!!! I know it feels great to drop 40 pounds!!

Great to hear another doc is supporting the low carb eating. I feel my best when I stay on LC. Just takes a bit of elimination and substitutions. I make my own choco bark now; and made a LC tirmamisu to eat this week. THough I can still eat enough of the LC to gain weight. lol At least my joints don't hurt when I am LC ing.

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To all my frugal friends: Here's to good Health in the NEW YEAR!!






quote:

My apologies for getting off track as well.... its a soap box subject for me....

deb

good food is a soap box subject for me too!! lol

 

[Amberjem]

 

[kweyland]

WOW! I grew up in a house with a cement unfinished basement..as my bed room..I sympathize with all those issues! I'm not a whiz, just experienced with certain furniture updates plus I think it's fun! We are trying to get debt free as well and live efficiently off one income so I can stay home longer. It's been a great motivator. Thank you for the wonderful compliment! Good luck to further endeavors! what a great topic line!

 

[erinszoo]

So, as far as being frugal ... my husband just got fired from his job today. His boss told him he just wasn't a good fit for the company and said he hadn't done anything wrong to be fired for. I'm totally frustrated at this point. This has been a pattern for him. He gets fired for no reason. Gets another job, works it for awhile, gets fired for no reason.

What the H*** am I supposed to do? He's 56 years old. We've been married for 22 years. The longest he worked anywhere was 4 years. I can't be any more frugal than I already am without starving and selling our only vehicle, which would then make it impossible to work. I gave up my career to take care of our autistic son when he was a toddler. I still spend days dealing with his issues even though he's in college.

I am so scared ... and sad ...