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Nifty Thrifty:  How does your Family save?  |
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crystalgayle
Farmgirl at Heart
8 Posts
Crystal
Poseyville
Indiana
USA
8 Posts |
 Posted - May 07 2010 : 06:21:53 AM
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We buy in bulk at our local food co-op or at the health food store.
We buy at farmers' markets during season.
I buy bushels of fruit and make butters, applesauce, and wine.
We grow our many of own veggies and preserve.
Hub hunts for his meat and works a couple of weekends in the butcher shop to get it processed for free.
Hub carpools whenever possible to job sites.
We bike to town instead of driving whenever possible.
We use a reel lawnmower.
I take my own bags to the market. I have jars with weight marked on them to refill at the bulk store instead of using plastic bags.
No shampoo.
Resale shops!
We have a clothes closet at son's school for uniforms. We all switch and swap there.
We make our own laundry soap.
I use dish tubs and pour the water onto the plants.
We're converting our tub to drain into a reservoir to flush the toilet.
We hand make many of our gifts. I use old clothes to make towels and wrap the presents or kids will decorate brown paper sacks.
We barter with neighbors for service and produce.
I cut up son's school papers and use as note cards.
I donate my time to the church to play four masses a week, in return, my boys go to private school for free (the oldest has twelve kids total in his class).
I just ordered a hand crank washing machine.
I line dry our clothes except in a pinch. Our dryer gets used maybe 10 times a year.
A big thing for us is cutting down on clutter. You always know just what you have and where to find it. I began decluttering five years ago and it nearly killed me. I had so much scrap fabric, jars, books. But I realized I could never complete all of the projects within five years. I needed that storage space for preserved food.
My kids have a lego table and one clothes basket full of toys. It makes clean up easy. The family is allowed to give them one present each on birthdays and holidays. They get a present from Santa and a stocking, one present from Mama and Daddy, and one present from each other. We have more fun cooking and making decorations.
Most of my kitchen (exception being gas stove and refrigerator) is hand powered. I don't use a microwave. We use a percolator if hub wants coffee in the winter.
Eventually (hopefully next year) we will have an outdoor oven.
It is easy to be beautiful; it is difficult to appear so...Frank O'Hara |
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Calicogirl
True Blue Farmgirl
5216 Posts
Sharon
Bruce Crossing
Michigan
USA
5216 Posts |
Posted - May 07 2010 : 10:29:21 AM
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Some things we do:
~If you girls are able to get a cow, pig or lamb from the ranch go for it. It is a bit pricey initially, we purchase half a cow every year. Total cost for us ranges anywhere between $800-$1000. depending upong the size of the cow. So we end up paying an average of about $2.50 per pound across the board whether ground or prime rib. It is also nice shopping from the freezer, it has saved me trips to the grocery store which comes in handy since we only have one vehicle, not to mention the beef tastes wonderful! There are just the 2 of us so this last us a year (even after giving alot away to familes).This year we will be buying a steer and see how that works out.
~For those who cannot purchase meat like this, here's a tip for saving money. Usually on Wednesdays our grocery stores start a new sale. I used to shop early that morning for meat. Prices are usually marked down because they want to make room for the new sale items. I have purchased pork roast and boneless chicken breasts for .99 a pound.
~We are doing a garden again this year. I will be planting tomatoes, beans, peas, pumpkins, squash and herbs. I want to get the most productive plants growing and also those which will produce items I can freeze for winter. This year I am going to try fencing the whole garden and planting beans and peas along the fencing utilizing that space and making more room in the actual garden area.
~I glean. If I see fruit trees that look neglected I will ask the owner if I could pick some fruit. I have never had anyone tell me no. I have gleaned plums, peaches, apricots, pears, apples, sour cherries and even blackberries. I can or freeze these and usually make pies too. I love seeing the fruit tree owner's faces when I bring them a pie or some canned goods :) Canning jams, jellies, syrups and vinegars make wonderful gifts. I like to bring them for hostess gifts :)
~I love Thrift Stores. My best finds have been: a brand new pair of Vasque Leather Hiking Boots for $5.00 (retail $250.), a free Queen size headboard and footboard, a vintage quilt for $1.00, a Starbuck's burr coffee grinder for $1.00 (retails $100.) and lots of clothes :) I only buy new undergarments, socks, and pajamas and only purchase new clothing if something is a killer deal.
~If someone offers me free produce from their garden, I take it. I immediately can or freeze it, even if it is zucchini :)
What I would like to do:
~Learn to sew :)
~Soapmaking
~Hanging clothes out. I am LONGING to do this, but we need posts first and I'm waiting for my honey :)
~Raising chickens for eggs. It seems like we just never have time to build a coop, hopefully next year.
~Sharon
By His Grace, For His Glory
http://merryheartjournal.blogspot.com/ |
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MotherLodeBeth
True Blue Farmgirl
110 Posts
Beth
Calaveras County
California
USA
110 Posts |
Posted - May 07 2010 : 4:30:55 PM
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Nice weather means line drying laundry, which is a HUGE money saver. There is something soothing to the senses about shaking the wet laundry, clipping to the clothesline, seeing the end results which if hung right means less ironing. And the smell. My husband used to give me this look....when he laid down on the fresh sheets. And I honestly can tell when standing next to someone, that their clothes were line dried. They smell so fresh and clean.
~Beth~
~I am the best of France and California~ |
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bluebellequilts
True Blue Farmgirl
72 Posts
Teresa
Georgia
USA
72 Posts |
Posted - May 08 2010 : 6:17:29 PM
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~ Use my library card...you can have almost any book via inter-library loan if you are willing to wait.
~ Subscribe to a website called http://www.southernsavers.com that reviews grocery specials and deals for all of the major grocery chains in the Southeast. Also contains links to e-coupons. I shop @ at least two stores every week (it helps that they are right across the street from one another).
~ Buy double Sunday papers if the coupons are really good.
~ Sign up for email lists at my favorite stores.
~ One tip that I've always used from our local consumer guru, Clark Howard...when faced with several choices for the same item or service, don't buy the rock bottom, but select one the next level or two up. You receive a better value for your money. I've found the $5 carwash works just as well as the $12 car wash, but the $3 car wash is a waste of money because it doesn't clean my SUV. Works for appliances and cars as well as occasional treats like theater/concert tickets. (We suffered a severe drought until this year...only way I could wash my car was at a car wash...and we're still on watering restrictions even though the drought has ended.)
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katalind
True Blue Farmgirl
177 Posts
Kathy
Chapin
SC
USA
177 Posts |
Posted - May 18 2010 : 3:26:17 PM
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| I use those eco light bulbs, use coupons, wash my clothes in cold water & line dry them, buy in bulk, eat produce that's in season because it's cheaper and purchase it locally from roadside stands, repair things instead of buying new, use lots of re-useable hand towels and don't buy paper towels, I clean almost everything with just baking soda and vinegar. Keep my air on 55/60 in the winter and 80/85 in the summer (use fans mostly), in spring & autumn I have it turned off completely. I was so proud when my last power bill was $80. I love this forum I can't wait to try out some of your suggestions and try to save even more money. |
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katalind
True Blue Farmgirl
177 Posts
Kathy
Chapin
SC
USA
177 Posts |
Posted - May 18 2010 : 3:28:49 PM
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| I also forgot to mention that I'm vegetarian which save more than just lives but a ton of money every year compared to my meat eating friends. |
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Leilaht
True Blue Farmgirl
155 Posts
Elizabeth
Highland
MI
USA
155 Posts |
Posted - Jul 22 2010 : 5:10:05 PM
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~Hanging clothes out. I am LONGING to do this, but we need posts first and I'm waiting for my honey :)
~Sharon
That's why God made trees! Don't need posts to hang a clothesline. I never saw a clothesline on poles until I was 17. Just make sure the trees you use don't have any fruit, and no pine trees. They drip sap. I have mine between 2 maples. I just hung mine last week. We had to live in a trailer park for 12 years. No clothesline. Now we have a house and I can hang my laundry! |
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Leilaht
True Blue Farmgirl
155 Posts
Elizabeth
Highland
MI
USA
155 Posts |
Posted - Jul 22 2010 : 5:21:17 PM
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I use coupons, go to Dollar Tree (my favorite), grows herbs and veggies, cook from scratch, sew, knit and crochet.
I buy all of my clothes that I don't make on clearance or from Salvation Army. I'm too tall to do yard sales. I never turn down free things that I can use.
I get my books from the library, half.com, or bookcrossing.com. I sometimes buy books on clearance at Borders, but only about once a year. I think most of my cookbooks were on clearance.
If I can make it instead of buy it, I do. I really don't use commercial cleaners, just vinegar and baking soda.
We don't eat processed foods, so we don't need medicines. A multivitamin, a calcium supplement, and some fish oil are all I need. I get them when they are buy one get one free and I usually have a coupon to boot.
Now that we have somewhere to make a garden, I am going to try square foot gardening. I got most of the wood from pallets I brought home from work. Next year I am going to try ducks for eggs, and maybe a dairy goat.
It's mostly just little things like making coffee at home, riding to work together, and taking leftovers for lunch. You know the little dribbles that add up quickly. |
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Calicogirl
True Blue Farmgirl
5216 Posts
Sharon
Bruce Crossing
Michigan
USA
5216 Posts |
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Leilaht
True Blue Farmgirl
155 Posts
Elizabeth
Highland
MI
USA
155 Posts |
Posted - Jul 24 2010 : 5:04:38 PM
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[quote]Originally posted by Calicogirl
Oh Liz, if only we had trees big enough :)
I'm so sorry! I'll guess you have to wait for your honey to get around to it. |
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FebruaryViolet
True Blue Farmgirl
4810 Posts
Jonni
Elsmere
Kentucky
USA
4810 Posts |
Posted - Jul 27 2010 : 08:50:12 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Leilaht
"....We don't eat processed foods, so we don't need medicines...."
I find this statement intriguing. We also don't consume processed foods, either, but I always have some sort of ibuprofen on hand for headaches, backaches, etc, which comes naturally to a household where we tend a garden, play hard with a 16 month old (and as a former ballerina, sometimes my body just aches), and my husband is on his feet 8 hours a day.
Musings from our family in the Bluegrass http://sweetvioletmae.blogspot.com/ |
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Bonnie Ellis
True Blue Farmgirl
2474 Posts
Bonnie
Minneapolis
Minnesota
USA
2474 Posts |
Posted - Jul 27 2010 : 5:13:24 PM
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Wende of Farmgirls on the Loose taught me this one. Every time you get a $5 bill, put it away. If you can do this you will really save money for when you need it desperately. Not immediate savings of lots of money, but a way to increase it quickly. Thanks for the idea. Bonnie of Farmgirls on the Loose
grandmother and orphan farmgirl |
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FebruaryViolet
True Blue Farmgirl
4810 Posts
Jonni
Elsmere
Kentucky
USA
4810 Posts |
Posted - Jul 28 2010 : 05:45:15 AM
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Bonnie, I do something similar..my husband is a server, so he gets cash at the end of the evening whatever he brings home, whether it's $15.00 or $115.00, I take 10% and put it away. It really adds up quickly--he laughed at me when I told him what I was doing, but it has helped out in emergencies, fun money, vacay, whatever.
Musings from our family in the Bluegrass http://sweetvioletmae.blogspot.com/ |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - Jul 28 2010 : 09:29:37 AM
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I went to our farmer's market this weekend. I love buying the fresh fruits and veggies. Potatos are SO cheap there right now and we got a pound of super fresh Sugar Snap peas for only $2.50 Nora also really wanted to have her own little plant so she bought a chocolate mint. Yummy. Free herbal tea for the winter. Now all I have to do is encourage it and my peppermint to spread like crazy! I love an equal blend of the two mints.
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.awarmheart.com
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com
www.allergyjourneys.blogspot.com
Put your pin on the farmgirl map! www.farmgirlmap.blogspot.com |
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shunger
True Blue Farmgirl
224 Posts
Suzanne
Helena
MT
USA
224 Posts |
Posted - Jul 28 2010 : 12:41:56 PM
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We have mint plants for mint tea -- chocolate mint is my favorite.
I use the library often.
We preserve our garden veggies.
I make almost all of our Christmas gifts and get the fabrics on sale or at garage sales.
My husband repurposes wood and windows for our various projects -- hope to have a chicken house soon.
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momdrinkstea
True Blue Farmgirl
180 Posts
Elizabeth
Ozark
AL
USA
180 Posts |
Posted - Aug 30 2010 : 3:48:17 PM
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*Favorite "FREE" sites: Freecycle.org, Craigslist.com
*Church thrift stores are the cheapest! And garage sales!
*Local CSA's and farm stands for produce,
check www.localharvest.org & type in your zip.
Also great for finding local farmers selling meat,
or for selling produce/eggs/meat yourself direct from your farm!
*BARTER! Try to set up a local barter group, you
can communicate by setting up a group on www.yahoo.com.
List wants and offers like on Freecycle. Put up flyers at school, offices.
*Shop dollar stores, bulk stores, and farmers - and ask your
farmers where THEY buy from! (notoriously frugal, those farmers!)
Check with the local farm bureau or extension for lists of local farms.
*BUY LOCAL! Helps your community, saves you money, fresher food. Found a local
seller of chicken feed, it's half the cost of Tractor Supply, and better
quality. He sells to Cornell University's Beef Program, they've had only
one sick cow since they switched to his feed. Ask around!
*Never buy what you can make, grow, trade, swap, barter, thrift or wait for!
LOVE all the tips girls!
Keep 'em coming!
"Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better." -Albert Einstein |
Edited by - momdrinkstea on Aug 30 2010 3:49:55 PM |
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michgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
148 Posts
Mary
Glendale
WI
USA
148 Posts |
Posted - Apr 23 2013 : 09:06:54 AM
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| I have been using my own laundry soap for three months and couldn't be happier. Less allergies (I use Ivory Soap for the soap) and get happy whenver I smell the detergent!! |
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neeter302
True Blue Farmgirl
257 Posts
Anita
Hanover
Indiana
USA
257 Posts |
Posted - Apr 26 2013 : 09:48:48 AM
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All of you ladies are so helpful and inspiring, keep sharing your wonderful posts please!
Farmgirl #522
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SandraM
True Blue Farmgirl
295 Posts
Sandra
Coldwater
Michigan
USA
295 Posts |
Posted - Apr 26 2013 : 8:25:57 PM
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We burn wood in the winter (huge savings for us)
Raise our own steer or buy meat from local farmers (whole or halve and keep in freezer)
Buy bulk (50 pound bags) of oats, rice etc..
Grind our own wheat for flour.
Buy second hand when possible
Shop sales and try not to pay full price for anything
Canning and Drying foods from garden and fruit trees
Cook from scratch. For conveniance food we make our own mixes.
Sandra
www.mittenstatesheepandwool.com |
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Nifty Thrifty: How does your Family save? |
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How does your Family save?
