Anyone into this? I was quite a frugalite but when husband's pay got good it kinda flew out the window. Now its time to tighten the belts again and I wondered if anyone else considers themselves frugal and had tips to share and create a frugal living network of cyber friends. There are alot of tips out there and strategies for living within or below your means. What do you do when your family doesn't want to eat your fabulous frugal meals? How do you curb the gimme's and treat demands? Where have you found you have curbed spending best? How do you be frugal and still feed and house your livestock? I've done the home made laundry soap but am finding life too busy to go back to it (or maybe I'm just too lazy?). Anyone want to share with us all their voyage in frugal waters?

-- Alison in NS (aproteau@istar.ca), June 26, 2002

Answers

Both of my girls are rather picky eaters, so it's nothing new for them to turn their nose up at whatever I'm making for dinner! The rule around here is, if you don't like what Mom fixes for dinner, make yourself a PBJ sandwich.

As for our livestock, we keep everything on pasture. The pigs supplement their feed with rooting around. Our chickens, guineas and ducks are free ranged - they eat lots of bugs whatever they like on the pasture - which helps to cut down on the feed bill. My rabbits of course can't run on the pasture, so I bring the pasture to them. Everyday we harvest plantain, clover and grasses and give it to them. They are still fed pellets, but I've been able to cut my feed bill considerably by doing this.

-- Cheryl in KS (klingonbunny@planetkc.com), June 26, 2002.

I try to be frugal, sort of a state of mind/way of life for me, for many reasons.

Um, lets see. I don't have credit cards. That sure limits you to things you can afford, lol. Vehicles paid for in cash. Rarely eat out, try to grow most of my own food, sell the excess to others that appreciate a farm fresh product. Don't buy a lot of new clothes, I personally buy my levis at good will, I love thrift stores though. Buy food at Amish stores, bulk foods etc. Do all farm maintenance myself. Use materials from my property when possible, like cedar and rock. Or lots of time salvaged materials. In regards the livestock, I guess "value added" is the new term for it, but the concept is old. Feed the stock home grown hay(not yet, planning on it!), feed the cow milk to the goat kids, make a more valuable product to sell(goat cheese), use the whey to feed the chickens and back to the goats. Trade or sell surplus cow milk/ butter, for say a half a hog, or lamb since we don't raise them. Use the cool goat manure to fertilize, trade it to the guy who sells at farmers market for..whatever! LOL

Don't know if I'll ever be able to be really very self sufficient,( I'm definately not very in the whole scheme of things) but like the idea of not depending on the almighty buck, rat race, all that.

It's been a real learning experiance. I was born into a upper(?) middle class suburban family and had no knowledge of farm living before I bought my place. (Black sheep, family thinks I'm nutzo) I really envy folks that were brought up to it, they know more in their pinky finger than I will ever know! But the ol' timers I know are always so very open and helpful about helping me learn, they must find my questions ridiculous at times!

I have to say, I really enjoy forums like these because it does tend to be an isolated existence, and it's great to chat, pass on info, and generally talk to folks that know what the heck you are talking about! :)

-- Patty (SycamoreHollow@aol.com), June 26, 2002.

My DH is the frugal one, at our house! He was raised on a farm with 5 siblings-they all worked from the time they were 6-7 years old. He can fix,build,repair and 'make-do' anything! He's taught me alot. One of my biggest money savers is I buy the end rolls of unprinted nespaper from the newspaper office in town. The roll usually has 100s of feet of paper on it and it only costs .50 (fifty cents). I use it to wrap all my presents (haven't purchsed wrapping paper in 20 years--you can decorate it with drawings or rubber stamps.)! I line my shelves with it. Use it as packing in any thing I mail or ship. Use it with vinegar to wash windows and mirrors. Use it as 'puddle' paper. Wrap scraps from the kitchen and toss it all in the compost pile. I make paper pots for the green house from it. It's great for the kids to use a coloring paper or to make banners out of. If you are moving you can wrap all the breakable in it. I use it to make patterns for sewing or crafts. Start fires with it. Put it undre foot when canning-presevering-make cookies with the kids! Can you tell--I love this paper?LOL

-- Debbie T in N.C. (rdtyner@mindspring.com), June 26, 2002.

Well, I don't know if what I'm going to say is what you had in mind, Alison, but I'll go ahead and post my thoughts about this just in case you or someone else might find something helpful. I guess I don't really think of myself as frugal. For me it is a more of a lifestyle choice. Part homesteader, part voluntary simplicity, part not wanting or caring to keep up with the Joneses.

A couple weeks ago, I had a realization that we must save a small fortune on personal grooming/hygeine products. I have not worn make-up in 10 years and was floored when I decided to walk up and down the TWO aisles of make-up products at Wal-Mart. Who can afford $5 (or more) on a lipstick? Both Gilly and I have long hair so we don't spend money on expensive haircuts/styles nor do we buy styling products and we don't spend much on shampoos. And by choosing to avoid products we feel are harmful (anti-perspirants) or have harmful ingredients, we have really eliminated what may be a major expense for most people.

Same sort of idea applies to household cleaners. I do most of my basic cleaning with vinegar, baking soda, borax, and Lavender essential oil. Alison, did you ever try the homemade laundry soap recipe I posted on Countryside? It seems to me to be less work putting it together and I think the ingredients are better since they are all natural. I also feel that it is important to realize that your time is worth $$, too. If I'm running low on my homemade laundry soap and know that I won't have the time to make more (or just don't feel like it right away! :o) I will buy Arm&Hammer unscented. It is WAY less expensive than some of the big names. I can't believe people will spend that much money on a product that they literally pour down their pipes!

This leads me to the one thing I absolutely refuse to spend money on - main-stream magazines which are chock full of advertisements for, you guessed it, make-up and cleaning products!! I will NOT spend money to be advertised to. Which, for us, also includes television. There's no cable out this way and we don't pick up anything with rabbit ears (haven't tried too hard, though :o) and there is just no way we're going to spend that chunk of money for satellite when the majority of what will be coming into our home is advertising. We also choose not to go see every block buster movie that comes out (more advertising, usually) and we check out videos from the library.

Avoiding advertising also helps with the gimme's, as does explaining that there is just not enough money to buy everyone everything that they want all the time (but I feel it is important to explain it in such a way that they know there's enough for the necessities - food, housing, etc). For my children, a pack of 25 cent gum is a treat. And if there is a toy that they ask for more than once (and we feel it is a good one) it goes on a list I keep for up-coming birthdays or holidays (this list can be used as suggestions for relatives wanting to get a gift they know the child likes/wants.) And they always have the option of spending their own money IF they have enough. I think they learn rather quickly if they spend all their money on an impulse buy and then don't have enough for the really cool toy!

We have also choosen "careers" that work with this lifestyle. I stay home and homeschool the kids. Gilly is self-employed as a carpenter/landscaper. This saves money by not having to buy special clothes for us or the kids. We don't have the expense of child care. The list goes on and on.

I have more thoughts but don't know if this is what you had in mind. We are getting ready to have a thunder storm so I'll just post this for now.

-- Bren (wayoutfarm@skybest.com), June 26, 2002.

Alison, sometimes I'm frugal. . . and sometimes I'm wasteful. I'm a dichotomy walking around lookin for a place to happen! It is strange the way my frugality presents itself at times. Has my extended family rolling their eyeballs behind my back. I'm probably more wasteful of food. Always buy or cook more than I need. But then, the chickens or the pigs get it. . . . . .

I never throw anything away. . . but that doesn't mean I use it either. And lordy, don't let me near the thrift shops or flea markets. I cannot resist a "bargain". I have boxes and boxes of those bargains stashed for the greatest yard sale of all time! LOL!

-- Granny Hen (cluckin along@cs.com), June 28, 2002.

Granny, hope you'll invite all of us to the yard sale!

-- Bren (wayoutfarm@skybest.com), June 28, 2002.

"I'm a dichotomy walking around lookin for a place to happen!"

*giggle giggle*

-- Patty (SycamoreHollow@aol.com), June 28, 2002.

I like all these ideas as we too are trying to cut back. We are wanting to pay off the homestead so we can quit work and just work twice as much here. We can't wait!!! I would like to know more about the paper pots for the greenhouse. Thanks for the ideas and keep more coming.

-- Joanie (ber-gust@prodigy.net), June 28, 2002.

Okay I admit it..me..the english major at University and sometime writer..I had to look up dichotomy. hee hee Good one Granny. We really need to ditch the credit cards. What a cycle! You beggar yourself to pay for whatever and then end up needing the card for basics like groceries! They gotta go and keep one for emergencies like expensive car repair and medicines. I did a canned good inventory as well as an inventory of my pantry staples and we've started stocking up for leaner times just incase....extra rice, pasta, powdered milk, canned goods, cereal, batteries (I stock up in summer for winter power outages too hee hee),...its almost like minor Y2k prep. A stocked pantry so I can make meals with whats in the freezer can really take the pressure off when times are tough. Bren, I didn't try your laundry soap. I think I had moved on to store brands by then. I'm trying to psych myself up to start baking our own bread again too. If my husband and I go ahead with our business idea then we will both be working as opposed to me being home and just Richard working outside the home, but I guess it will work out ok since we'll each only work 3 to 4 days a week in the shop (long days but oh well) and then be home the other days for the kids. Its kind of neat actually to have each of us available instead of mostly me on call for the kids. Ben starts school in September so in a way its a perfect time for this...only Cammie home most days and he's usually such an easy little guy he might even be able to be in the shop sometimes while one or the other of us parents has to do something child-free. Now if only we could be sure the business would take off and be a success! Keep your fingers crossed that we don't fall flat on our faces if we go ahead with it.

-- Alison in NS (aproteau@istar.ca), July 02, 2002.

Good luck if you decide to start to go ahead with the biz, what is it? I've got a bread maker, just love it. I pre-measure and baggie a bunch of loaves, then just throw it in. Really easy.

-- Patty (SycamoreHollow@aol.com), July 02, 2002.

I'm the bread machine in this house and I make 3 loaves at a time usually. As for the business, its an international newstand for our local urban center. We are on pins and needles trying to figure it all out and have a business counselling session today. We've never run our own business let alone a newstand so there is a big ol' learning curve happening for me especially. Distributors, square footage, blah blah blah... We think it will do ok but there's more research to do before we take the leap.

-- Alison in NS (aproteau@istar.ca), July 03, 2002.

Well, good luck!! :-)

I like the breadmaker because, well I'm lazy, lol. But also because it doesn't heat the house.

-- Patty (SycamoreHollow@aol.com), July 03, 2002.

Frugality:

1. No credit cards; use only a debit card. 2. Don't write checks -- the sometimes bounce -- use cash or USPS money orders for large payments (only 95 cents). 3. Combine trips to town with other folks so as to cut down on gas use. Or give a trusted friend who is going to the city, your shopping list and the money. May stores allow you to buy online and pay online so that your friend only has to pickup the order. 4. Buy at thrift stores. 5. Set up or join a local coop as a buyer's club. 6. Join with other folks and setup a farmers' market to sell your excess farm production. 7. Barter within in the community or trade area. Set up a threaded message board or website for trades. 8. Grow extra fruit and vegetables for the "Pick-your-own" crowd. 9. Join a Community Supported Agricultural group or start one yourself. 10. Join or create an Intentional Community. These include a utopian village, a stand-alone farmstead with several families/individuals, a co-housing group, a coop, a limited liability company (like a partnership), and other legal forms. 11. Join the Mutual Aid and Security Society of America and similar organizations which have set as their goals, the development of self- sufficient, sustainable rural communities. See: http://massa.intranets.com Click on "Documents" on the left hand panel and read some thoughts on the subject.

Please feel free to send me an email at: jemiller@nethere.net

Regards,

Jim Miller

-- Jim Miller (jemiller@nethere.net), January 30, 2003.