Just curious who else is living super frugal

[jdopler]

Heatherlynn.. good luck, and yes a motorcycle is great on gas, excellent suggestion. Keep us updated on your food plan, I hope it works out for you.
Karlamaria.. I am right there with you!

 

[terimay]

Quote:
I hate the taste of our water too, I tried double filtering it and even triple filtering it and it still tasted awful...about a year and a half ago, I purchased a berkey water filter and I LOVE IT!!! It did cost $200 but I have not had to replace the filters yet, and it has saved me a fortune on filters since I was triple filtering in a brita and changing them all the time. Bottled water is so expensive and all those plastic bottles are so bad for the environment, you should give the berkey a try.

 

[annabananaandfamily]

My husband and I have just started reading the Total Money Makeover. What a daunting and scary road ahead of us!! But we will get there, and hopefully with the help of Mr Ramsey's methods, we'll get there quicker and healthier for it!

 

[Rathbone]

Just an update. I am continuing my journey of frugality and self sufficiency.
To that end we started a "no paper" regime. It was hard at first to mentally overcome my mental taboos but I am really happy about the changes. And even happier that I am saving to the tune of $26 a month. I decided to use up old fabric stash I had on hand. So...my little boys got toilet "paper" in the form of cowboy print flannel. I sewed up various napkins, washcloths, dishcloths and hand towels. I am really satisfied with the change - and my smaller footprint on the environment.
And (drumroll please) I learned to can. I am not sure why, but I was very intimidated by the thought of canning. It seemed like rocket science to me. I am here to say - it isn't. I am only doing water bath canning. I have only tried a few of the easiest things - plum jam being my absolute favorite so far. But if I can can, anyone can can.
I am feeling very proud!

 

[Frost Homestead]

OK, so we've been living super frugal for a while. We've decided to take it one big step further. My MIL built a new house and has an old set of trailers on one acre of land that no one lives on. They've been virtually abandoned. It's been about 3 years since anyone lived there and it is trashed to the MAX. Completely neglected. Probably more of a project than any "normal" person would want to take on, but we know it's not impossible and we're not afraid of hard work. not living paycheck to paycheck anymore is a great motivator.

We've been working on cleaning it out and fixing everything; now the first trailer (they're connected end to end) is completely liveable. We've got eletricity and water on already but we need to fix some of the indoor plumbing (luckily my DH's brother is a licensed plumber and is willing to help for FREE), carprentry work, and we need to get internet hookup.

We are going to make the move at the end of September and then continue to clean up the place. This will allow us to live rent/mortgage free (and have more chickens and a bigger garden without the restrictions of living in the city)

I'm excited!

 

[HeatherLynn]

Winter is coming so i am prepping for it. We currently live part time at our house in town which is for sale, and part time on my parents farm. Hopefully once the house sells full time on my parents farm while we build. So a wood heater is going in at my parents house and we are starting to cut more wood so we can heat the house and our water with downed wood from our land. Just estimating we think there is enough for at least 2, maybe 3 years that is down and needs to be dealt with. I also found a box of fleece fabric I had bought super cheap and started making double think blankets for the kids to throw over their feather comforters in the winter. At the house in town I am sewing insulated curtains that can be reused later. So hopefully we will be warm and able to save on heating no matter where we stay.

We are also probably going to hunt for the first time ever. My husband is going to go with a friend. I think its time to adjust our tastes to a healthier cheaper meat.

I am still working on my grocery list to cut down our grocery bill. Its a work in progress. The real issue is, I am trying to make is not just cheap but healthy. Almost everything we eat now is homecooked but I admit some convenience foods are still in the basket. Trying to find that balance of not spending my entire life in the kitchen, feeding them healthy food, and saving money. I am sorta wondering about freezer meals now. Taking a day to make like 10 meals to pop in the freezer for use on busy days.

 

[Rathbone]

Quote:
IMHO - "normal" is highly over-rated.

 

[Rathbone]

Quote:
This is my goal also.

 

[Wifezilla]

I am sorta wondering about freezer meals now. Taking a day to make like 10 meals to pop in the freezer for use on busy days.

That's what I do! I cook up soup, chili, crustless quiche, coconut flour muffins, etc... and freeze them. I usually use the frozen stuff for lunches, but sometimes if I don't want to cook, we use it for dinner. What a time saver.​

 

[HeatherLynn]

where do you find recipes that freeze well? even just lunches would be great for us. I homeschool and my husband is home for lunch so I have 3 full meals to make each day. I like to cook, just not that much!!

I bought my first gun today too. I forgot to mention that. Found an older one but in really good shape. Just a solid piece really and it was priced very nice. I was thrilled. I need to find venison recipes also. I can't think deer recipes cause then I see bambie's mom. So... yea I need venison recipes too. So many projects, so many things to learn, and so many skills lost. I find I just cannot learn fast enough to keep up right now. We really have lost the art of survival and sufficiency.