What are your frugal and sustainable tips and tricks?

[gtaus]

Hubby is a dual ticket holding Electrician and Technician. So yes he knows about the charging and the memory problem with the old ones. He also knows about rotating - but his layout is nothing like as good as yours.

Well, all I did was build a battery shelf out of some pallet wood. I use a scrap block of wood as a marker to show where the next battery on the shelf to be used is. I just move the marker as I use my batteries and back fill the shelf with the freshly charged batteries. It helps me keep things in order for rotation, ensuring all the batteries get used. Total cost = ZERO dollars.

He started going from mostly cord to mostly battery 25/30yrs ago when the 1st ones appeared on the market.

I probably started buying battery tools 30 years ago, but only a few. I was not a big fan of the cost and lack of run time with the older Ni-Cad batteries. So, almost all my tools back then were corded. When the Li-Ion batteries improved the run time of my cordless tools, I started buying more Ryobi 18v tools. Since Ryobi promised to keep their 18v battery stem format, my old Ni-Cad era tools work even better with the newer Li-Ion batteries.

I'm just a DIYer, but I think most of my newer cordless tools are better than my older corded tools. Well, tools in general are just better today than what I remember 30 years ago. That's a good thing.

Of course, I don't think I ever rejected a project suggested by Dear Wife. Usually, it meant I could buy a new tool(s) for the project, save some money by doing it myself, and building my collection of tools for future projects.

 

[Finchbreeder]

His 1st major project for us was a double garage workshop (with room for motorbike) and a loft at our 1st home. We got that done without too much trouble (yes I made a passable builders labourer)
2nd MP was a 3x1x1 Double brick house.
3rd MP was a pair of 2x1x1 Double brick duplex.
By then we were slowing down - cause doing this sort of thing while working full time and raising a kid was not easy and kid 2 had just arrived.
4th MP a 4 car garage workshop with loft - by this time son was the labourer outside school hours.
5th MP is taking forever - reminder to self - building 500kms away comes with difficulties, not to mention the OTT new environmental building regs required in a City - Covid travel restrictions in the middle did not help with the timing - but we supported them anyway - maybe this Granny Flat will get finished in time for us to retire - but half the population have already retired at our age.

Life was always meant to be an adventure.

 

[gtaus]

Life was always meant to be an adventure.

Sounds like you have had an adventure. I have helped build some garages, sheds, decks, and a few other things, but not something as big as a house. Well, I helped build my grandparents lake cabin when I was a teenager, but did not do much of anything without being told what to do. Still, I was an extra hand and could swing a hammer.

 

[gtaus]

We Have a System That Promotes Waste

I was in Menards today, looking for a telescoping rake and shovel. I needed something that would collapse into a short size that would fit into the trunk of my car. No such luck finding a telescoping handle, but I did come across a $13.00 rake where the wood handle was broken in half.

I asked some guys at a service counter if they would mark down the broken rake for sale, as is, with the broken handle. After a few phone calls, a manager met me at the rakes section. She said she would have to report the rake as "defective" and then the store gets 100% back on that item. So, I asked if I could buy the "defective" rake for $1.00 and I would either fix or replace the handle myself.

No can do. She said they have to throw the broken item into the trash and cannot sell it for $1.00 to me because then they could not get back the full cost of the item from the supplier. They would lose money by selling the defective item to me.

Although I can understand the store not wanting to lose money, it's just a shame that the system forces them to toss out defective items like that which I could have repaired and used - and even paid some money for it. Instead, it will end up in some landfill for the next 100 years. I cannot see where that is a better solution than offering something for salvage value to anyone willing to repair it and save it from the trash pile.

 

[gtaus]

Stocking up on Chicken Feed with Multiple Discounts

I don't know how many people buy chicken feed on sale and store it for use later. I do. It saves me a lot of money. Today, I bought 5 bags of chicken feed at $13.49 each that were on sale for $2.00 off per bag. It was Memorial Day, so veterans got another 10% discount. Of course, I used my store gift cards that I purchased at 10% discount sale last December. Finally, I got approved for tax exempt status on chicken feed because we sell our excess eggs, which saves me almost 9% on the purchase.

That is a lot of calculations to process, so I ran the numbers through Copilot AI, and it determined that I saved $27.72, or 37.8%, on my purchase today. That was a sweet deal.

Those 5 bags should last me another 4-5 months for my backyard flock. I will transfer the chicken feed out of the paper bags into plastic 5-gallon buckets with airtight lids. That will keep the feed fresh until I use it. About that time, I suspect that the store will be having another sale on feed in the fall. If it's a good sale, I will buy extra again and stock it up in my garage in those 5-gallon buckets.

 

[Finchbreeder]

It is a crying shame that "damaged goods" must be binned under some stores policies.
I am pleased that Bunnings here in Australia do not have that policy on things like "cover sheets" the sheets of tin that go on the outside of the bundles and get knocked around. Can build lots of good stuff with those sheets, and they are always discounted because of the dings.

 

[Molpet]

Stocking up on Chicken Feed with Multiple Discounts

I don't know how many people buy chicken feed on sale and store it for use later. I do. It saves me a lot of money. Today, I bought 5 bags of chicken feed at $13.49 each that were on sale for $2.00 off per bag. It was Memorial Day, so veterans got another 10% discount. Of course, I used my store gift cards that I purchased at 10% discount sale last December. Finally, I got approved for tax exempt status on chicken feed because we sell our excess eggs, which saves me almost 9% on the purchase.

That is a lot of calculations to process, so I ran the numbers through Copilot AI, and it determined that I saved $27.72, or 37.8%, on my purchase today. That was a sweet deal.

Those 5 bags should last me another 4-5 months for my backyard flock. I will transfer the chicken feed out of the paper bags into plastic 5-gallon buckets with airtight lids. That will keep the feed fresh until I use it. About that time, I suspect that the store will be having another sale on feed in the fall. If it's a good sale, I will buy extra again and stock it up in my garage in those 5-gallon buckets.

I stocked up when my farmer with the mill sold the farm. Bought made for me in December and by May they wouldn't eat it. 6 wks after the grain is cracked it starts to oxidize.

 

[gtaus]

I stocked up when my farmer with the mill sold the farm. Bought made for me in December and by May they wouldn't eat it. 6 wks after the grain is cracked it starts to oxidize.

Yes, typically it is recommended to only store chicken feed 4-6 months. Of course, if you can store the feed in a cool, dry, and dark environment, you will extend the freshness. If you transfer the feed into 5-gallon buckets with airtight lids, you can get up to 12 months of storage. Mind you, I only bought 4-5 months of feed so that is pretty much my limit even with storing the feed in 5-gallon buckets with airtight lids. The feed should be fine for that long where I store it in my garage.

If the feed goes bad, you lose all that money by buying it on sale and storing it. That's why I always mention that I store my chicken feed in 5-gallon buckets with airtight lids.

Also, I write the date and what kind of feed it is on masking tape which I put on each 5-gallon bucket. That ensures I always use the oldest stock first. Labels are great, rotation of stock is a must.

For anyone interested in what Copilot has to say about storing chicken feed, here is what I learned...

******************************
Storing chicken feed in 5-gallon buckets with airtight lids can extend its freshness beyond the typical 4-6 months. When kept in a cool, dry, and dark environment, airtight storage can help feed last up to 12 months.

Why Airtight Buckets Extend Shelf Life:

• Prevents moisture – Reduces mold and spoilage.
• Blocks air exposure – Slows oxidation, keeping nutrients intact.
• Keeps pests out – Stops rodents and insects from contaminating the feed.

For maximum freshness, consider adding oxygen absorbers or vacuum-sealing the feed inside the bucket. However, even with airtight storage, it's best to rotate stock every 6-12 months to ensure optimal nutrition for your chickens.
******************************

 

[gtaus]

It is a crying shame that "damaged goods" must be binned under some stores policies.

Right. All that was wrong with that rake was that the wooden handle was broken. I think I could have fixed it with my knowledge of woodworking. Actually, I was thinking that I could put some kind of bolt on one part of the handle, and a screw in receiver in the other part. Then I could put the pieces in the trunk of my car and just screw them together when I needed it full length at the work site.

It would not make sense to pay more for a new handle because replacement handles are more often than not more expensive that the original tool. How does that make any sense? I have some older shovels and forks that had broken wooden handles, and I went to the store to get a new handle, only to discover it was cheaper to buy a whole new tool!

I know so much of everything is just disposable, and it has been that way for many years. It's just too bad that we fill up landfills with stuff that could be used or repaired if the stores were allowed to sell it and not lose all their money in "defect" returns policy. It makes no sense for a store to sell me that broken rake for $1.00 when they can write off $13.00 if they throw it into the trash bin.

 

[Molpet]

Yes, typically it is recommended to only store chicken feed 4-6 months. Of course, if you can store the feed in a cool, dry, and dark environment, you will extend the freshness. If you transfer the feed into 5-gallon buckets with airtight lids, you can get up to 12 months of storage. Mind you, I only bought 4-5 months of feed so that is pretty much my limit even with storing the feed in 5-gallon buckets with airtight lids. The feed should be fine for that long where I store it in my garage.

If the feed goes bad, you lose all that money by buying it on sale and storing it. That's why I always mention that I store my chicken feed in 5-gallon buckets with airtight lids.

Also, I write the date and what kind of feed it is on masking tape which I put on each 5-gallon bucket. That ensures I always use the oldest stock first. Labels are great, rotation of stock is a must.

For anyone interested in what Copilot has to say about storing chicken feed, here is what I learned...

******************************
Storing chicken feed in 5-gallon buckets with airtight lids can extend its freshness beyond the typical 4-6 months. When kept in a cool, dry, and dark environment, airtight storage can help feed last up to 12 months.

Why Airtight Buckets Extend Shelf Life:

• Prevents moisture – Reduces mold and spoilage.
• Blocks air exposure – Slows oxidation, keeping nutrients intact.
• Keeps pests out – Stops rodents and insects from contaminating the feed.

For maximum freshness, consider adding oxygen absorbers or vacuum-sealing the feed inside the bucket. However, even with airtight storage, it's best to rotate stock every 6-12 months to ensure optimal nutrition for your chickens.
******************************

I keep the bags of feed in a climate control (most of the year) basement. That winter I went through almost a bag a day. so 2 buckets per bag x 30 day= at least 60 buckets for a month of feed. That's a lots of buckets LOL
Last couple years I have had a bunch of predator losses and didn't hatch too many girls. This winter I went through 3 a week.