What are your frugal and sustainable tips and tricks?

[ChicksnMore]

I can relate to your husband. Dear Wife ordered me a cell phone from QVC. It was the cheapest smart phone with 1 year Tracfone service, 1500 mins of talk, 1500 text, and 1.5 GB data. At the end of the year, I still had something like 1400 mins of talk, 1450 text, and 1.5 GB of data to carry over. The cell phone from QVC only cost something like $80 for one year service, so I actually came out way ahead when I cancelled our landline phone which cost me $30.00 per month.

I mainly use my smart phone as an mp3 player. I put on headphones hearing protection with Bluetooth and listen to recorded radio programs or audiobooks while I'm out mowing the lawn, trimming grass with the weed wacker, or using the chainsaw to cut up trees, etc.. Next, I have discovered it is a useful tool for shopping, using the stores phone apps for discounts and coupons. Sometimes I take pictures with it. And I use it for making deposits to my bank. Not used too much as a phone, but that's OK with me.

BTW, I am a firm believer and advocate for using hearing protection whenever you can and certainly whenever you should. Although I'm now in my 60's, my hearing is still very good. That's important to me. My father had ear problems from birth and throughout his life and was next to deaf when he was my age. I know that limited him in a number of ways. Unfortunately, he was not able to even use hearing aids for the type of hearing loss he had. So, I have always been very protective of my hearing.

Frugal Tip on safety equipment!

I will tell you that no matter how much money you spend on personal safety gear, or equipment, it is nothing compared to an Emergency Room hospital visit or life long pain and suffering which might have been avoided. As a RN, I had many patients that damaged their bodies and now live in pain everyday. Some of them could have prevented personal injury if they used personal protection as simple as hearing and eye protection. Lots of patients suffering with back injuries from lifting too much, or too heavy, and would do anything to turn the clock back and do it over again but smarter this time. Protect yourself.

The one time I've hurt myself was when I used a pitchfork as a pry bar and it popped out and stabbed my foot hard enough to break it. That's now my funny foot . Definitely wish I could redo that moment. On the good side, I was wearing my work boots so it only broke instead of the pitchfork going through it. Even protective gear won't always save you from a careless moment, and yep, our bodies are precious.

 

[gtaus]

I've hurt myself was when I used a pitchfork as a pry bar

Yep, what could possibly go wrong!? They are are long landscaping/digging bars that you can buy for around $30.00. This one is 69 inches long. They come in various lengths and with different combinations of ends. This one has a digging chisel end and the other round end is for tamping.

I had one for many years that I used all the time until someone stole it. So, I ended up buying a new one a few years ago because it's one of my go-to yard tools. No need to break your shovel, or pitchfork, and risk harm to yourself.

 

[gtaus]

Frugal Tip for cutting up fallen trees by yourself.

At least once a summer we get a strong blowing wind and have some trees uprooted and/or big branches falling down in the yard. Where I live, it can cost hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars to hire a crew to come to your house to clean up trees after a big storm.

My dad and I always did the tree clean up jobs ourselves. I have a number of chainsaws in the garage ready to go. My father passed away a few years ago, and I found out how much more work it was for me to lift and cut up the fallen trees by myself. But I did not want to hire a crew and have to pay someone for the clean up job.

If you want to extend your abilities working alone, let me suggest my best helper for cutting up those large tree trunks and branches that are too heavy to lift. It's called the Woodchuck Timberjack.

I'm not a very big guy, and not as young with a strong back as years ago, but the Timberjack makes it really easy to roll over and lift up big tree trunks off the ground to cut with the chainsaw.

I have been able to safely lift a tree trunk the size of the one in that photo by myself using the Timberjack. As you can see, it keeps the chainsaw bar out of the dirt which would dull your chain or damage it in no time. It has allowed me to work by myself saving me hundreds of dollars if I had to hire someone else.

Anyway, the WoodChuck Timberjack sells for about $110 today, but it's worth every penny. No doubt I got my money's worth the first time I had to use it to clean up some fallen trees out in the yard. If you consider the cost to hire someone to do the job, or the cost of hurting yourself if you tried to lift or roll over one of those big trees without any aid, then you realize how valuable this tool is.

You can buy less expensive brands with wood handles, at about half the price, but they are not as strong as the WoodChuck. The WoodChuck Timberjack uses aircraft aluminum which will not bend whereas some of those wood-handle timberjacks will break under the strain of a large tree trunk.

I figure that Timberjack has added maybe 10 years, or more, to the time I can do those jobs cutting up trees by myself. There's a lot of value in that tool.

 

[ChicksnMore]

Yep, what could possibly go wrong!? There are 5 foot long landscaping/digging bars that you can buy for around $30.00.

View attachment 3393203

I had one for many years that I used all the time until someone stole it. So, I ended up buying a new one a few years ago because it's one of my go-to yard tools. No need to break your shovel, or pitchfork, and risk harm to yourself.

We have one of those except ours has a pointed end where that one has a round disc, and ours is at least six foot long and really heavy. At least it looks almost the same. Ours is called a breaker bar though ands sold for breaking up cement etc for removal. Handy tool.

 

[saysfaa]

We call it a pry bar. It isn't what comes up when I netsearched, though. Ours is like what y'all are describing here - without the round disc. One end is chiseled, the other is rounded without being bigger than the shaft. It is pretty much essential for farming with machinery and very handy for other things.

 

[Sally PB]

Hubby has the head of one and calls it a peavey. It needs a shaft.

 

[gtaus]

We have one of those except ours has a pointed end where that one has a round disc, and ours is at least six foot long and really heavy. At least it looks almost the same. Ours is called a breaker bar though ands sold for breaking up cement etc for removal. Handy tool.

I edited my previous post on this bar and added a link from our local Fleet store. They do come in different configurations and lengths. They probably have just as many different names depending on the company or brand. But I find them very handy for prying and lever work out in the yard.

 

[gtaus]

Hubby has the head of one and calls it a peavey. It needs a shaft.

Peavey's are great for rolling logs. They look like this...

The WoodChuck Timerjack is a peavey with a built in stand to lift up and hold the tree trunk or log off the ground so you can buck up the wood with your chainsaw and not hit the dirt.

The WoodChuck Timberjack is more or less a two in one type of tool. It is both a peavey and a lifting jack. I mentioned that the WoodChuck has an aircraft aluminum shaft because I have read that the wood shafts on the less expensive versions of this tool cannot handle the stress of lifting the heavier tree trunks. Also, wood will age over time and become less strong. I think the aircraft aluminum in the WoodChuck shaft will outlive me.

Since I now work alone, I needed a tool that not only rolls the logs, but also lifts them up off the ground and holds them in place so I can cut them with the chainsaw. Depending on the tree trunk, I usually get 2 or maybe 3 cuts on the wood before I have to reposition the timberjack for the next set of cuts. No way could I ever attempt to lift those heavy logs that the timberjack does with ease. It's a real back saver for me.

Although more expensive than wood shaft versions of this tool, the frugal part of this investment is that it is a two-in-one tool and it has a lifetime warranty by the manufacturer. Also, the WoodChuck Timberjack is made in the USA, which I know is of value to many people.

BTW, you need to shop around for the best price on this tool if you are interested in getting one. I bought my timberjack from a timber company for $95 about 3 years ago. I see them advertised now from $108 on some timber sites to over $157 on Amazon.

 

[LizzzyJo]

Now I’m just sitting here jealous of your alls trees. Ugh. I WISH I had enough trees to be cutting one down and needing equipment. But nope. Drained swamp prairie over here.

 

[igorsMistress]

Peavey's are great for rolling logs. They look like this...

The WoodChuck Timerjack is a peavey with a built in stand to lift up and hold the tree trunk or log off the ground so you can buck up the wood with your chainsaw and not hit the dirt.

The WoodChuck Timberjack is more or less a two in one type of tool. It is both a peavey and a lifting jack. I mentioned that the WoodChuck has an aircraft aluminum shaft because I have read that the wood shafts on the less expensive versions of this tool cannot handle the stress of lifting the heavier tree trunks. Also, wood will age over time and become less strong. I think the aircraft aluminum in the WoodChuck shaft will outlive me.

Since I now work alone, I needed a tool that not only rolls the logs, but also lifts them up off the ground and holds them in place so I can cut them with the chainsaw. Depending on the tree trunk, I usually get 2 or maybe 3 cuts on the wood before I have to reposition the timberjack for the next set of cuts. No way could I ever attempt to lift those heavy logs that the timberjack does with ease. It's a real back saver for me.

Although more expensive than wood shaft versions of this tool, the frugal part of this investment is that it is a two-in-one tool and it has a lifetime warranty by the manufacturer. Also, the WoodChuck Timberjack is made in the USA, which I know is of value to many people.

BTW, you need to shop around for the best price on this tool if you are interested in getting one. I bought my timberjack from a timber company for $95 about 3 years ago. I see them advertised now from $108 on some timber sites to over $157 on Amazon.

Yup, I find a lot of things are more expensive on Amazon. The only thing that often helps is the savings on shipping. However, I always check other sites because a lot of them give free shipping if you spend more than a certain amount.

Also, my mother lives in BFE, Alabama. Amazon is no longer offering free shipping unless she spends $150 or more. I expect to see similar things happening elsewhere. Maybe not in large cities, but more rural areas for sure.