Suggestions for making it through hard times - add some, no whining!

[sundance]

since there are only two of us we don't usually eat all the fried chicken I buy at wal-marts when we do our monthly shopping, so I put leftovers in the freezer, add any skin from chicken I bake since we don't eat it and then make dumplings. I can buy enough ready rolled dumplings for probably 4 meals from Piggley wiggley, saves on rolling out and cutting.
I buy a box of jiffy cornbread mix, use half, add flour,baking power, egg and milk, 1box will give us 4 meals.all vegetables except broccoli or cauliflower are put into a freezer container until i make soup. any left over dry beans goes into chile in the crock pot for overnite and all day cooking so flavors are blended. I use vinegar in water to mop with, it cleans deodorize and disinfects, smell gone by time floor dries. and its only 1.89 a gall for the cheep stuff.I buy most of my groceries at the grocery outlet, I freeze all my bread and just take out enough for what ever meal we are having, that way 1 loaf will last at least a week without going moldy. marrie almost forgot belong to 3 free book swaps (thanks writer of words) since I can't get into the library often.

 

[FractalFarmer]

Definitely buy bulk, especially commodity items that store well like flour, oil, sugar, chocolate chips, beans and coffee beans. It may be hard to save up for the initial purchase because you're dropping so much $$ into food at one time, but it pays off big, and so does stocking up when stuff like meat is on sale. I usually repackage stuff in smaller ziplock bags or vacuum seal them. When whole chickens are $.79 or less per lb., we buy half a dozen & cut them up and freeze them as parts. I shop at Smart & Final a lot. They have restaurant type quantities of basic food ingredients. I don't like Costco all that much because there is so much processed food, so I let my membership there lapse.

Learn to cook as much as possible, and teach the kids how to bake; processed & prepared food costs waaaay more than scratch. I feel much better giving the kids home baked bread, quick breads, muffins & cookies, especially with all the tainted product recalls in the news. Both my kids are becoming excellent bakers, and that is something that will serve them well for their whole life. Learn to make soup from any leftover meats & bones.

Definitely plant a garden, and whatever fruit trees grow in your area.

 

[big greg barker]

Warehouse clubs are worth it. Salvation army store and goodwill. pawn shops. freecycle. In the Northeast, Uncle Henry's.
Grow a garden.Grow root crops that dont need to be canned or frozen.
In the winter, since the wood stove is going to heat the house, cook on it. You can make great stews and chilis.
Buy cheaper cuts of meat and use the crockpot.
Use it to heat a big pot of water to dump into the bath tub for baths.
Put a wooden clothes rack near it to dry your laundry.
Add insulation to the attic. Put plastic on drafty windows.
Turn the thermostat down to 65 and put on a sweater.
Plan your trips before you go anywhere. Don't go if you don't have to.
If you have one, take the Harley instead of the car, even if it might rain. (Adds more excitement to the ride!!)
Make sure your tires are properly inflated. Tune the old buggy up, it'll save you money.
Trade work for work with your neighbors.
Fix what you can by yourself.
Turn off that light. Unplug unused appliances.
Find cheap entertainment. Do you REALLY need 300 channels?
Go to bed early, and snuggle with your honey.

Clean out the closets and garage and barn, and sell all the junk you don't need, use, want,

 

[joerogrz]

Quote:
I like that... It makes PERFECT sense!

If I had to suggest anything, I would suggest saving electricity. Cut the power on all unnecessary appliances and lights. Even chargers and such. Use low wattage lamps instead of overhead lights. This may be a little far fetched for some, but if you takes baths (not showers) and you have a wood heater, you can always heat water that way instead of using the water heater too much. Of course the same can be done for washing dishes and probably some other things. Electricity can be a wallet killer at times.

BTW- I haven't read the entire post, so forgive me if I repeated anything that someone else may have said already.

 

[2468Chickensrgr8]

We buy the "end of the roll" from the local newspaper and it lasts forever...I have had this one for over a year now....I pay anywheres from 5 to 10 dollars for it.We make homemade Christmas wrapping paper,the kids make wrapping paper for their friends bithdays and familyand also they draw on it....When the kids were babies I use to trace their bodies and write a letter to my friend or my MIL. on it.

 

[bjh]

i wouldn't have thought it would make that much difference, but the energy saver compact florescent bulbs have really reduced my electric bill, even here in the dead of winter when i'm usually paying $20 more a month than i am now, plus i have added a small electric heater that i have to run on my back porch because that's where my washing machine got moved to and my electric bill is still lower than it ever has been in winter. it's an initial investment, but the first one has lasted over six years now. you can find them with an ambiance that is pleasant. i am amazed at how much money those bulbs really save. also, i cook on my woodstove whenever i can. it's fun, and saves heating up those electric elements. i love hot baths, but i do what my mother called "a spit bath" in the sink before i go to work~~keeps your skin from getting so dried out, too. i don't buy garbage bags, i use bags from the grocery store. i alternate taking cloth bags, or asking for returned used bags which i use for trash.

 

[Sissy]

Mama used to call it a butterfly bath haha..
I still do..

 

[AHappychick]

Quote:
ohhhh that one is awesome!!! my ds would love that!

 

[coffeelady3]

I don't know if anybody has posted this site yet...

http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/index1.htm

She has weekly menus (including shopping lists) where you can feed your family for either $45 or $70 per week. She also has tons of inexpensive and easy recipes...

 

[wohneli]

We (just 2 of us) did the math and the $40 membership at Sam's Club is well worth it for paper towels and toilet paper alone. Add in other assorted cheap items (do your homework and figure out what the deals are) and the membership is a great value!