Hubby and I have been chatting about this thread, while doing our chores.
We’ve come to the conclusion that we don’t like to see waste.
We don’t waste money by buying the most expensive - it isn’t always the best.
And as I wrote before, we try not to waste food either.
But … we spent our lives bringing up a family, paying a mortgage and doing the best for our children, like all others here.
This is our time now. We refuse to scrimp and scrape, we think we have earned our time for spoiling ourselves.
Yes we grow some of our vegetables, more for fun than economy and we freeze what we can’t eat.
As for the vinegar, I’ve been using it for years to clean … cheap washing up liquid is great too for cleaning, especially in the garden. I use salt to spot weed.
Of course you should feed your animals well as Julie says it pays in the end. As far as I’m concerned, it is no different to how you fed your children - you wouldn’t give them poor food.
Surely animals shouldn’t be compared with children, they are much lower down the pecking order, or should be, imo. I would go as far as to say it is very WRONG to feed animals on quality meat products when humans are going hungry, horsemeat and lesser cuts of other meats are good enough for animals.
I’ve found bulk cooking gives me the added bonus of a sense of organisation in my life too - sadly lacking until now.
I’ve never thought of adding cucumber to water - sounds so refreshing and a good way of using up cucumber too.
I think your idea of a clothes swap is great. A friend of mine had weight loss surgery and a support group was set up whereby people who were losing weight donated their clothes to the support group at each stage of their weight loss - it was very well utilised by all accounts. I might think about setting up a facebook page or something similar. They have a movement called “free stuff” or something like that the only problem is people donate their stuff and unscrupulous car-boot sellers take the stuff off their hands - bit of a shame really.
Yes exactly - I too hate seeing waste and there is so much of it around so making the decision to live frugally has the added bonus of avoiding the heart sinking feeling when seeing a pile of uneaten food go to the rubbish.
I know what you mean about scrimping and saving, we have a de longhi coffee machine - bean to cup - and that is one more luxury that we do indulge ourselves with - interestingly because the coffee is so divine we tend to only have one cup a day and I rarely have coffee out as it just doesn’t compare. My other indulgence (oh my days, I’m worried there might be a few) is good cheese!
Sandi.
Tescos, Aldi and Iceland supermarkets (to name but a few) wouldn’t agree with you Willow darlin’ as they’ve apparently been feeding humans on horse meat for quite a while, notwithstanding their labelling states 100% beef.
Willow
Please for the love of God can you please not try to hijack my thread with your ridiculous postings on animals being lower down the evolutionary chain/pecking order.
I’ve seen your provocative posts in other threads and I just find it terribly immature. Think what you like about what I feed my dog I don’t give a flying fig.
If you are incapable of adding anything constructive then please do not post anything - people will respect you far more.
Sandy
Hi Wrinkly
I guess you’re right - I don’t think the two are mutually exclusive, I’m finding that living more frugally also means living healthier. Never thought about it 'til I read your post.
I’ve responded to Willow in terms that he/she may understand!
Sandy
I have a perfect right to air my views on ALL topics just as others do, and will continue to do so, whether you like it or not. If you don’t like what I have to say ignore me!
Perhaps but commenting on others views and lives does leave you somewhat open to criticism yourself IMO.
Of course you have a perfect right air your views but hijacking another’s thread is just bad-manners in my opinion.
I have the perfect solution - why not start your own thread on how we feel about our pets? Then you can air your own views to your hearts content.
Just to be clear this thread is about frugal living - not about what I should be feeding my dog.
If you post irrelevant stuff again I will ignore you and I only hope others do too. Your compulsive desire to be noticed will not be fed and perhaps then you’ll go off and play with the traffic.
Janela. I’m pretty much in agreement with your sentiments. We’ve done our bit and now it’s time for some fun.
We deserve some treats and to live as well as we can. I think that most would agree that this doesn’t mean buying the most expensive items. If we are canny with our purchases, avoid waste and thereby some money, then there’s more to spend pampering ourselves.
If people want to pamper their pets, that’s up to them, but I wouldn’t do it myself.
Sandy - I get what you are saying re- Willow, but please dont encourage ‘another’ thread on her ‘take’ of animals…there again - we could all ignore it ! :-p
I was thinking about this thread when I was out and about this morning walking the dog - it really is a truism isn’t it that the best things in life are free. I had a lovely time taking in the views, experiencing the cold, the ground hardening under my feet, watching my dog chase imaginary rabbits.
Since deciding to become more frugal my husband and I, when we go to see his mother who lives on the Devon coast, now have pasties on the beach rather than going to a cafe, it’s saved us a fortune and it’s so much more enjoyable. Granted - the misbehaving dog has barred us from many cafes in the area!
Maybe I’m just having one of those “life is good” moments today.
Sandy
I get your point!
I have to hand it to her - she’s very adept at getting attention. Do you think she was an only child by any chance? Not that there’s always something wrong with only children - phew close one.
Completely agree the simple things definitely make me happiest, I think you either get it or you don’t and nothing wrong with being either way though, just know the simple life is best for me.
Tips on frugal living? I’ve been doing it for so long, everything is automatic now.
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My first piece of advice would be learn to cook, but I see that you can already do that. I used to eat veggie meals when single but my husband hates vegetables so that is out.
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Never pay interest (unless mortgage of course) save up for everything and earn interest (even now it is possible)
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Take care of things, tools, clothes and especially shoes, stick on soles, repair them yourself if you can. Use shoe trees and plenty of polish.
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Watch your use of kitchen paper towels, it is so easy to tear off, mop then throw away. Use a clean tea towel for drying vegetables.
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Grow your own herbs
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Compost heap
http://fc09.deviantart.net/fs5/i/2004/304/1/7/Witch_Emote_Animated_by_eStunt.gif
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This only child feeds her dogs better than herself lol & my hawks have a diet to die for!!!
Ssschhhh…
:shock:
‘giggle’ to you - Sandy…:-p
Hi Myth and Magic
I loved your posting as it’s so earthy and environmentally friendly.
Your advice about saving up is a very good one - I cannot believe how much interest people pay on credit cards and payday loans.
My husband is a fantatic regards recycling, he regularly picks up litter and brings it home and sorts it for recycling, we have an excellent recycling service in Somerset and also have a composter.
I rarely use kitchen towels because I would get through them so quickly.
Thanks for your points.
Sandy
Hawks have a diet to die for?? I thought that birds of prey needed to eat whole prey - skin, bones and all. What’s their diet - day old chicks, mice etc…? I think I’ll pass on that one myself.
You make a good point Myth & Magic, about loans. There seems to be lot of these payday loans, high interest, short term loans etc… these days.
Even the Pawn shop has reappeared on the High st. - even if it has a fancy name, it’s still a Pawn shop. There also seems to be a lot of online Bingo sites advertised on TV. Hardly a way to solve any financial problems!
Low interest on savings is a sore point with me, still you don’t lose much interest if you pay cash, but you pay a lot if you don’t pay your credit card off each month.
So permit me to add to your advice slightly, by saying it’s OK to use credit cards - If you pay them off in full each month.