Things you quit buying due to inflation.

Had not thought about that. May have to give it a try later on tomorrow after church.

Right now I'm enjoying reading up on things here and getting to know my way around and running my bucket mouf.

 

Thanks Ghrit this old codger hadn't even thought of using google earth to scale distance. I hate that my grey hair seems to be made up of brain cells.

 

A frugal life can be a very rich life....

A frugal life can be a very rich, rewarding life...and a life of material wealth can sometimes be an empty unrewarding existence.....it's all a matter of perspective, and what one values as important in life.

Note 1. Budgy smuggler - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Note 2. Common yabby - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

@ chelloveck

Thank you for taking the time to comment on what I had to say, I enjoyed reading all of it.

I want to make sure you know about a few of our southern words that may not mean the same in Australia. (I know I have to ask about some of ya'll also.) Also you kicked off a brain drizzle so im just gonna run with it and see what I end up typing.

Here in Alabama a "blue hole" is a place where a spring comes out of the hill or at the bottom of a creek that is just barely above freezing. They are so cold they take your breath away when you jump into them on a 100 degree day.

Usually a bit downstream the water is more pleasant to swim in.

Blue holes make the best spring houses for natural cooling and the water is as pure as can be unless coming out under water in a stream. The one we have is about 100 feet across in a patch of trees in the middle of one of our pastures / hay fields. The low swampy areas are just left with a patch of trees in a lot of southern fields.

They are also great places to run up on feral hogs and deer and other game to hunt.

Yabbing, Thanks, learned something.

I have been watching the "bushtucker man" shows that I can find on utube. I love his vehicle / trailor and the hat he wears with his special "bash". And his revolver on his hip too.

I especially loved the one where he made a bark canoe in a couple hours then paddled it around.

Well enough drift. (as usual, kind words kind of get me to feeling like I don't deserve em.)

OH, and those kids, they are not commies, they just have to save coin. A 10 dollar an hour job is rare around here, most families are trying to get by on 2 or 3 minimum wage jobs. (Dad working 2, and mom 1 or 2 -- if they can get them, most are part time , no insurance etc.)

A lot of people are doing "side line" work like buying up a wreacked car, repairing it then selling it, or selling the parts off on the internet etc.

And there is the inevitable old fellow driving around on his moped with a couple wire baskets and a stick with a nail in it finding cans to sell to the scrap metal guy. (He hits up the places where the kids sneak off and drink beer and throw out the cans. won't report em cause it is one of his honey holes for cans.)

People are trying to get by everyway they can.

Another feller buys up all the double yolk eggs from the chicken farmers cause they don't sell those to the stores, and then he doubles his money selling them to the wet backs in the area selling to em at a local trade day. Apparently double yolks are extra good in their books.

I gather about 6 - 12 eggs each morning. Give some to family, and neighbors.

The left over goat milk that dosen't get made to cheese or drunk and the extra eggs and scrap go to the pig.

I am trying out oiling the eggs to see how long they keep, and I read a story a long time ago about this guy on a wagon train putting eggs in a barrel of lard on his way to a gold field, then selling the eggs for a ton so im thinking the lard worked like oiling so may look into that also.

I don't really realize that I do stuff that other people don't know about or do until I stop and think about it or read a thread like this.

Well to be honest since my stroke, my kids and hired hand do most of the actual work, I just supervise and do what I can. Knowledge, even in the dribbles that come out of me helps me feel still useful around the place. The way my stroke messed up me was short term memory so I might forget a phone number or new face / name, but I remember stuff I learned from about 5 years back just fine.

Getting it from brain to mouth or keyboard depends on the day. (This has been a couple of good days so I am really spouting off, then Ill have a slow one and be quiet for a day or so.) Plus spell check is my friend.

 

Like many others here, we don't buy anything if it ain't on sale.

I've noticed that even the sale price on lots of things is now what the retail price was 5 or 6 months ago. Examples: Pork & Beans, now on sale for 3/$2, used to be 2/$1; tuna fish used to be 2 cans/$1, now it's 79 cents. And meat?? Don't even think about anything fancy. Hamburger (80/20) on sale is $2.99. Roasts?? Try $3.49-$5.49. We did manage to catch steaks on sale a while back: t-bones and NY strips for $4.99/lb. Chicken breasts (boneless/skinless) are going for $1.99-$2.69. Canned veggies used to be 3/$1, now are 69 cents each. And on and on and on. Renewed Sam's Club membership, but it's 65 miles away one-way, so that's a once every 2 month trip.

So everything goes up except for my salary. Course, according to the dot gov, inflation is running less than 3% per year. Yeah, right.

Kajun

 

Any-day is a good read Sir, I like your style.


Sloth

 

Well, must have been a good day yesterday, found 10 eggs (and easter coming on fast) and have 5 new chicks out from under the broody hen that youngest son calls Henryetta.

Need to get me some extra chicken feed laid in.

Gonna do a roast chicken this next day or two to thin out the flock, probably that extra rooster that don't understand when to hush his mouf n is always fighting with stew (Our main rooster)

I try to name my animals stuff like stew or oven or frie or hamburger or crock pot.

Helps the younger kids remember what they are and are for. Heck it helps me.

I hate butchering a goat, well the killing part, I swear the dang things know you are gonna do em up and will "beg" ya not to.

Fortunately my friend (RIP - long story on that nick name) has been a butcher among his many woods bum incarnations and will come do the butcher work for me for a trade of meat n veggies which I don't mind at all.

 

Walgreen's carries a brand called 'Zone' that is a 6 blade razor. DH only shaves every other day as the Zone gets his face seriously baby bottom smooth....I mean like a teenager before he ever shaved smooth and close. He dries the blades after every shave and can go several months without changing the blade. The razor and the refills go for $6.99 each (a 4 pack of refills). Occasionally they go on sale. He says it's the best razor he's ever had.

 

Those things considered luxuries or conveniences get cut first, like eating out or going to the movies.

Turn the A/C down, start carpooling, postpone the new clothes, consolidated shopping trips or buy over the internet.

On the income side: work extra hours, get a second job, or start a side business.

 

I gotta say the way utilities are going I am thinking of digging a new root cellar and fixing it up as a "family room / computer / entertainment room / storm shelter to spend time in with the earth shelter holding the temp cool / warm.

probably put in one of those nice soapstone stoves for purdy n warm it up and use it year round.

Need to figure how to make a hall from the house to it so I don't have to go outside, and how to pay for it, and how much of it I can get work DIY.

 

We cut down a large evergreen that was shading the south side of the house to get more sun on the house; more light and heat. I believe that counts in a way.

 

North = more sun and heat

South = more shade n cool

Different based on climates.

I have read up on using earth shelter to maintain steady temps inside. I know it works with a good root cellar.

I just started contemplating something called Earth Ships. These might be a good option for someone just deciding to build. ;Using old tires to "frame it in" is a good way to use up the scrap, and can often be had for free. A tamper is easy to make,

Now all I need are some young strong backs to do the work and I'll sit and sip sweet tea and supervise from the shade. sort of anyway.

Thad

 

Just remember Thad...as the tires oxidize, they'll rub off on you - nice black smears.

I quit buying the gov't line that all is well and getting better

Seriously tho, building up reserves of firewood, fuel, food, etc. But as many others have alluded to, catching more sales/discounts along the way.

 

cigs

i was smoking Marlboro lights.
now i roll my own. cost me 10 bucks a carton wish i had did it sooner
taste no diff from the name brand and no exc.. junk either

 

We bought a new place in December and I'm slowly getting rid of the purely decorative landscaping and putting in edible plants (which still look really nice), as well as adding thorny plants in areas where it will help with security.

We have lemon and lime trees w/ thorns, blackberry / raspberry vines that will be guarding one side of the property by the end of the summer.

... I'm hoping to save about $1,000 a year by enjoying fresh fruits and veggies by this time next year. Over time the fig and avocado trees will kick in and we'll be doing even better.

I'm also trying to get a small tea plant to take root, but it hasn't like our weather yet.

 

I have been shaving with a mug and a brush for so long i can't remember when I got the last set. Badger brushes, for me, are the best. Medical expenses have really cut into normal item budgeting. For example, I have a great Bahamian Peas & Rice recipe 'cept I cain't afford the peas.
Razor blade prices were driving me batty so I said to my DW, I found a neat straight razor on the internet and it looks like the one my Daddy had 60 years ago. She looked at me and said "hold our your hands and think about holding that razor to your throat."
Well I saved a lot of money by not ordering that bone handled beauty.....
We're happy in the Good Lord so we have no complaints. We started out poor and are rapidly getting there like many folks. We're lucky, old pharts, it is our kids, their wives, and all the grandkids that we worry about......
GB

 

I never really thought of my shaving habits as being mandated by the economy but now that I think about it, I did start using a mug ad brush rather than shaving creme as a penny-pinching matter of fact and I use straight razors but that isn't really a savings thing as much as liking quality.I could use a lot of Bics for the price of any of my dozen or so antique razors and don't even think about the silver mug and shaving mirror.

​

 

Fresh roasted Kona coffee beans that I would get from a local coffee shop, take home, course grind, and french brew. Although it was still cheaper than getting it brewed at the coffee shop, it is still a luxury I can do without.

Plain old Goya expresso grind in a yellow can is pretty cheap...