MONEY SAVING TIPS FROM THE GREAT DEPRESSION THAT DON'T WORK
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- Опубліковано 16 чер 2024
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I think you just don't appreciate homesteading, its about quality and isn't cheap, but worth it in my humble opinion
On the canning part: it's just American thinking you have to buy all those supplies. In Hungary we don't pay for those things, we get jars and stuff for free and even if you buy them, you can use them over and over again. And traditional canning doesni't require any pectin or preservetives. If someone has a garden, after one year it's free because you use your own seeds. The only downside is the time aspect, but it's worth it because it's much healthier.
I'm an American and we people living out in the country can and freeze much of our food. I agree it is much healthier and tasty and less expensive that what you buy at the grocery store. Our mentality is much different than people in big urban areas.
Knowing how to do dressmaking from scratch isn't a huge savings...but knowing how to do minor repairs and alterations definitely is.
These days, fabric is not cheap, and a spool of thread is $2 or $3. Then there are the pattern, the zipper, trim, buttons, etc.!
I get clothes for free at bring/take events, including brands. Last year I got a huge box of different threads at one such events, totally free. The only costs are sewing machine, time and electricity. I even got an old sewing machine for free and fixed it, but didn't like it so I gave it away. I consider minor clothes alterations and fixes great ROI.
@@valerier4308 Sewing is like many crafts...you can let it cost a huge amount if you lack judgement about what's too much, or you can pay attention and get a lot done for very little money.
Amen to that.
@@valerier4308 agree. But watch for estate sales. You can sometimes get sewing notions that way for cheap or free. There are also many community sites that offer discounted or free items.
There are sites that have free patterns and tutorials on how to create your own patterns. Lots of free options or low cost options out there. 😊
I think you are missing the historical context. When the war started, everything was rationed as all the resources were used for war. If you can't get laundry detergent, you have to make it. It is about self sufficiency, not about money.
Amen
Exactly
I watched my grandma take apart old clothes and iron the fabric, put a new pattern on them and make a new dress or shirt from the fabric. She also made quilts from the old clothes.
Im a grandma and i do that, plus take and save buttons and zippers from old clothes. So much is thrown away in this country
Canning is stress release for me to have more control over what I eat . It may not be cost effective for a long time , but it helps me get closer to my garden and learn about growing.
They bought paraffin wax in blocks back then. It was melted down and poured on top of jellies and jams. When it was removed, it was washed and saved to be reused over and over again. I remember watching my Grandmother use it for her jellies. It was actually quite cost effective.
I think it's more about the healthier option than the need to be frugal. Gain and Tide and etc have some seriously damaging toxic chemicals in them. Cans of food from the store have an internal plastic lining that is hazardous to our health.Yes, buying clothes may be cheaper but they are made in sweat shops and also have toxic crap like polyester in them. Also raising ones own chickens may not be dirt cheap but it healthier. We can apply this to lots of things. It's about self sufficiency and not being poisoned.
You definitely get it. I wish so many other did, too.
Absolutely right
You can’t be self sufficient. Did you grow the crops that made the material to make your own clothes? Did you buy chicken feed or grow it yourself? Do you produce your own electricity, water and sewer? Self sufficiency does NOT exist in America no matter what. You would have to be part of a tribe in the Amazon or something to be self sufficient
I think people are just trying to regain whatever control they can back into their lives. Our main resource being history and the ways of our grandparents. But this is a whole new batch of chaos, we are on our own. One can only hope we can adapt and learn new tricks to survive. Most of us won't make it😅..
Correct, you cannot be 100% self sufficient, but this does not negate sound principles of self reliance. An infant has zero self reliance, an eight-year old much more, etc. Having skills, equipment, etc. now may mean the difference between suffering versus thriving in the future. Also, recognizing we will never be 100% self sufficient highlights the importance of community.
Re-doing the math, canning can be cheaper. I bought supplies used, new lids & do 1 canner load 3x week in the evening after work. Planning ahead & doing something else profitable while the canner does it's thing.
For those who dont know how to sew, yeah its cheaper to buy a $3 shirt at Wally World. But it won't be a decent quality fabric, won't hold up well, and you're limited to whatever style theyre currently pushing. Plus youre supporting the sweat shop industry. For me and my friends it's home sewing for the win! Better quality fabrics, personal style, and clothes that last for years rather than weeks.
Growing your own food, canning and freezing is definitely healthier than processed frozen or cans of food with preservatives. This is the best way if possible. There were six of us as kids growing up eating everything from the garden and fruit trees. Only the meat was from the store. We just lost our first brother at 91, other brother just turned 89, sisters 86, 83, 79 and 77. All healthy. I believe t was from our diet growing up.
Agree!
My mum and dad and their primary families survived the Great Depression! My dad was put off and could not get a job for five years! They put the unmarried ones off! My mum and dad married as soon as it was over! Grew beautiful fruit and vegetables and kept chooks! I have never missed a meal in my life! The shared and shared advice! After the depression my dad worked at his job for 45 ? Years diligently and gratefully know in how fortunate their lives were! He brought me up with the same values! They wasted nothing! Often not impressed with recycling of clothes! Learned from mum! Aussie Lady have had a great life
My parents went thru the great depression too, Daddy was 21 when it hit in 1929, it changed him forever and we kids benefited from their experiences. It will be far worse if it happens again, because most don't know how to be self-reliant. No one is truly self-sufficient, but we can be self-reliant, not waiting on the government to save us. I had a dress made from a seed sack. Blessings!
A lot of jars like pickle and jam jars can actually be reused for canning purposes, multiple times.
A lot of these practices will come back when the depression hits and a lot of people have nothing else to do.
My sewing machine has saved me BUNDLES .. especially after losing weight and taking my clothes in!! Otherwise I’d have to buy a whole new wardrobe! And dont even get
Me started with repairs to clothing.. saved me tons my whole life
Most people would save sooo much money if they just ate at home and didn't go to the movies. Alcohol and cigs are budget killers too.
Now now. Be sensitive to those of us that sell booze for a living. I love alcohol and cigarettes.
@@jonlouis2582 well, that's fine, but those are expensive!
@jonlouis2582. Doing your part to cull the herd for the WEF. 😄😂
@@SewingBoxDesigns We do what we can.
I’m 66 years old, I was raised on a small farm. People’s concept of money was so different then.
Using a slow cooker crockpot to make preserves - don’t need to stand there watching the pot on a stove. Love sewing - learnt from my mother. Grow grain for the chickens & feed scraps. Plant a food forest & not much work. Love being able to walk out the back door & get fresh eggs & talk to the chooks.
Sewing is important to know tho. I saved 30 dollars by sewing my own button and fixing a hole around my junk area for my work pants. Most of my coworkers just buy new. And then when my boss gave us a discount on some pants I took the deal and got me one for 15 dollars.
Another great thing to do with unwanted or unused high thread count pillow cases is to turnthem into dinner napkins. They are already soft and stain resistant.
I've been mending and replacing zippers for cash on the side for several years. I think it depends on where you are what skills/equipment is needed and pays off earlier than later.
Canning is actually not a hobby. I make food how I can eat it without all the chemicals. Also most of what I can is discounted. It is $2 for a can of chili (14oz) and I can make it for $0.50c for 16oz. Your not a canner so you wouldn't understand the importance of it.
I think you missed some of her message on canning.
And you can can or 'pot' almost everything. Just look at the grocery store shelves and find the recipe on line. 😁 Home made marmalade is wonderful medicine when you're sick. I swear the French born lady who gave us jars of her gorgeous marmalade saved my life.
That’s also why I can and make everything from scratch.
1 jug of white vinegar, box of soda, container of ammonia & borax, you won't need anything else for ANY of your cleaning, rodent or insect control. All of them together won't cost much more than a bottle of windex and will last a lot longer. Two chickens will survive on your leftovers, can't think of anything they won't eat (if it is hard, boil in water first such as carrots etc.) and they give you enough eggs for all your eating/cooking needs. It isn't just about cheaper it is about having something if stores aren't available. You make excellent points for singles but I'm an old widow and can tell you, canning, gardening and having chickens does save me money. One thing is for sure, a jar of my canned beans sure tastes a lot better than dollar general beans lol. Blessings!
For me, canning my own food is more about organic and knowing how it was grown than cost savings. I grow from last year's seeds and make my own compost. But I also invest in new long term gardening supplies like metal garden stakes. I don't cost as much as other hobby farmers but I still spend more than at Walmart. And that is alright. Less gmo is great and less chance for ulcers in my digestive system.
I think canning your own food is better yes it’s a larger investment but in a grid down situation you can store and replenish supply’s and from your own garden you know exactly what your getting 👌👍
In my front loader I use as extremely little laundry detergent as possible, and instead of softener I use the cheapest white vinegar resulting in soft clothes and a sparkling clean machine, leaving the door open means zero mold......happy as 😂
I a canning with jars my grandmother used 70 years ago. Considering the cost of new lids and a single 49 cent cost of a packet of seeds, I can put away 30 quarts of green beans for $3.89. Thirty cans of storr brand green beans would cost $15.00.
And considering the poison that’s in/on the store bought veggies, health wise, it’s way cheaper to can your own
I’ve been canning for 30 years and use my Moms and Aunts canning stuff . I mainly do it because I can control what goes into my jars . To many preservatives in store bought stuff
Canning meats, meals and veggies is wonderful. Once you have cases of jars the cost is pretty nominal. Lids don't cost alot IMHO and the goods that I can tastes far better than any store bought in cans. Just my 2¢
Plus the local thrift store will have the equipment piled up at certain times of year, as the weaklings give up. 😂
Now days growing your own food and canning is more about the ingredients you are consuming and the quality and taste. Same with raising chickens. There are some preppers that do it just in case SHTF. I don't think most people think it is to save money, except maybe the people who have no idea what is involved.
Moral of the story: make the most of cheap and readily available things like canned food now while the getting is good!
I know how to mend...i think that is still an important skill to have.
I took sewing in school and a local community sewing class for 25.00. I learned to go to church sales and resale shops, bought clothes based on fabric quality. Reconfigured for amazing skirts, suits, dresses. I buy used high quality candles for a dollar and melt wax to remake candles or dip pine cones for fire starters. Everyone has different perimeters.
We grow our own food and use no pesticides or herbicides. I'll pay more for home-grown organic non-GMO fruits and vegetables than poor quality food any day. Chickens not only provide higher quality eggs, but they also provide great fertilizer. But everyone will be paying more for food soon.
Even more than now? 😬
I think you have hit on two competing priorities: is it more important to be frugal or to be self-sufficient? A lot of the time it seems they are mutually exclusive and it’s difficult to decide which one to focus on. Probably a little of each isn’t a bad plan.
In my
Mind being self sufficient is supposed to make life essentially free of charge. Seems the opposite. Makes life harder, more time consuming and more expensive. If you love to garden then by all means do it, but tricking yourself into thinking it’s saving money is incorrect.
In France we used and still use soap of Marseille, based of olive oil. You can wash yourself, your all body, hair, you baby, and grate some in your wash machine. It s cheap, organic are the best. Vinegar can destroy the colors of your clothes. 👍🏻
The Rocky fiasco was hilarious 😂
Parafin wax was used for canning...
I sew for a number of reasons: skin allergies, fit issues, limited clothing access due to living in the middle of nowhere, and because I like doing it. However, I rarely buy fabric from a fabric store. I thrift it or buy it from fabric warehouses online when they have sales. Just recently, I bought some vintage sheet sets that were in excellent condition for my daughter for $2.25 a set to make some retro dresses/skirts she wants to make but can’t afford to buy from the specialty plus size websites.
You use paraffin, not candle wax for canning! Never candle wax!
@@AellaMaude-oy9qn Crayon was seals things well.....but probably not great for food sealing.
We can use paraffin wax to make candles; thus, paraffin wax is also a form of candle wax.
Candles have other things mixed in such as scents ect.? They are not for use in canning and yes you can make candles out of paraffin
My mother sealed her jams and jellies with paraffin. Anything else was canned with canning lids.
I was going to say that too
Do you believe in self sufficiency anymore? Being prepared for emergencies?
Am I missing something essential here? You were able to start frugality early so now you don't need it?
Right now I am living off my pantry because of extensive medical bills.
Agree!
4 chickens - we just feed them scraps and it's practically free eggs. Get 3-4 eggs/day.
That's a great return; any specific breed?
@@wrenjacobs9392 Golden Comet
If, like me, you have case of jars in the basement, canning is well worth it. Mostly tomatoes and pickles from the garden. Indeed, when fruit is "in season", I sometimes make jams. That is just for fun.
I agree on almost everything except with how inexpensive it is to cook from scratch at home vs pre-made convenience foods. While all of the other things are currently "hobbies" during times of war and depression they were necessary and may become so again. Like you, I weight the value of the labors to do so and would rather stock up on store bought canned goods, buy potatoes, eggs and even laundry detergent when they all go on sale. I wouldn't give up the made from scratch cooking for anything though as it's so incredibly inexpensive and delicious. Incidentally I can make a lasagna far less expensive than $25, it'll taste a lot better and have far less salt and chemicals.
Cheers!
I think one thing that your not factoring in, is that women during the depression didnt got out andbuy specialty items or even usually new items. When they made clothes, it was often from feedsacks (which were sold in printed cotton bags) or they were made over from hand me downs in the wrong size or even made over to hide worn spots or holes etc... They didn't have access to thrift stores. We may not always either, so having those skills are wise jic. You can buy fabrics and notions very cheaply at estate sales, yard sales and thrift stores etc... or if you put the word out, many people would be happy to gift them to you. Flat sheets are a dime a dozen because the fitted sheet wears out first. There is a lot of fabric in them.
You can also use many of these same ideas for canning- check thrifts, estate sales etc... for used jars. And these items can be used
Over and over again. You can also share equip with friends. And they make great gifts to request for birthdays etc.... Look into european canning and amish canning for ideas on doing things more cheaply.
Basically, you have to look for cheaper alternatives. They made jams without pectin. Youcan too. They didn't buy special salts for pickling etc... If you used the same principles that they did, your costs versusbenefits might come out quite differently. But they did what they did, because it was the only way to survive. We coukd very well end up there again. Having those skills and that knowledge might be your only options to stay clothed and fed etc... Dont make the mistakeof thinking we'll always have the option to go buy cans of food and cheap Walmart clothes. Better to have thebasic skills andnever need them than vice versa. Please dont discourage this inothers either. Abetter video might be to provide ideas and options for doing these thjngs affordably.
As a mom who raised 11 children on a homestead, you had me rotfl about the women in the depression having more time for things like this. Im sure they would be doing the same. 😅
I think most people who make their own laundry soap make it to avoid the chemicals and fragrance in the laundry soap
Then why use soap at all?
@@PrepperPrincess hahaha very true ...... Baking soda and borax make clothes brighter 🎉. A wee bit of lavender oil for smell 👃🏻 👍🏻👍🏻
My mother bought their first second hand car with money she made crocheting beautiful bed jackets! I used to unwind and pile up skeins of wool as my part of the project!
Is home economics even taught in school now? It’s so important for anyone to know basics- cooking, threading a needle for a button or whatever. I agree that now some things are cheaper to buy or get done, BUT, if we go into a depression state, the awesome homesteader friends of mine are on my list for trades. Huge respect for them despite the costs they incur.
Thank you for keeping us all inspired. Maybe I have already mentioned my former neighbor who grew up in the Great Depression. He told me that his family didn’t know there was a depression going on. He is gone now and I often think about what he said. He did what he could with what he had.
I love your calculations! I did enjoy sewing back in the day when I made my daughters adorable matching dresses! Hubby won't eat premade lasagna. I make it from scratch and invite lots of friends for dinner! I ask them to bring salad, wine, and garlic bread. Winner winner lasagna dinner!
The strange thing about much of this is that if shtf, ie...another great depression or www3...people won't just be running to the wally world and getting anything for $3 or whatever. Or just going to the grocery store to get whatever. Coming at a problem of shtf with todays abundant society standards is just weird.
Oh they'll be running to Wallet World. The looting has already gone into effect. It's actually legal now. My guess is the store will be stripped in hours and the black market set up before sunset. Look at New York. The shoplifted street markets are in full swing outside the immigrant looted stores.
Air drying clothes helps save on my gas bill and time. I use vinegar in my wash to help with odor and skip the baking soda
Baking Soda will not do anything for washing your clothes, but Washing Soda will do wonders for you laundry!!!
I love to garden it doesn’t save a lot of money but the quality and nutrient content are superior to grocery store
That has been scientifically disproven several times.
😅@@PrepperPrincess
@@PrepperPrincess Factory farms have depleted soils with chemicals; there's no way that can compare to growing your own food organically and making your own rich compost. It's common sense that the plants grown in nutrient rich soils will be nutrient dense. And there have been studies to show this as well. (Sorry, it's been many years and I don't recall where I read the studies but I defer to common sense here). :) Love your channel and your pups!
Chickens cost more in work than actual money. We feed them bran from the mill (25kg is 5€), waste potatoes that can't be sold (150 kg cost 22€) and old dry bread, which is either free or 5 € per 17 kg. They also eat bugs, grass, old salad, egg shells, waste oil, whole grain from the kitchen. My calculation is they bring around 3-4000€ in eggs - we sell around 1500€ eggs for cash, and use the rest of eggs meat and poo for compost at home. They aren't great fans of store bought chicken fodder.
Hi, PP! I absolutely agree about the laundry soap - costs way too much to make it. On the other matters, one big thing that changed since the 1930s is the extent to which everyday items were reusable. Almost any glass jar could be a canning jar and lids and rings were handled carefully and reused. Bulk goods like flour came in fabric sacks which became little girls’ dresses and when those wore out they became patchwork quilts. Today everything is “use once and throw away”. I try to find at least one second use for everything that comes into my house.
I used to make my laundry detergent when I didn't have children. Now with a house of 4 people, I buy the store brand as I believe my time/effort is worth more than saving a dollar making detergent. I learned, as you said, to use the correct amount per wash.
Yes the initial cost of canning is daunting, but canners last so do jars, I only replace lids , it’s not a hobby for me, I grow a large garden and raise my meat source so yeah in todays time I save so much on the wallet . Plus I know what my chickens consume , eggs, meat. Please don’t discourage people from trying to fill their pantry’s by canning or raising chickens your doing a disservice just because you don’t do it and you have no interest please don’t discourage those who might enjoy it.
Due to skin issues, I make my own, clothes detergent and it does save me. I sew and always repair clothes. I am time rich ,so making everything from scratch is fine for me.
It’s not about saving money more so not relying on the government and being self sufficient. Being able to feed yourself and do things for yourself without relying on grocery stores. Having chickens and canning cost money but knowing that if another plandemic happens and the whole world shuts down again you’ll be okay.
How can you be self sufficient by spending more government printed money on quality? It has the opposite effect.
Agree 100%! My Grandma saved money gardening but now water prices are so expensive its cheaper to buy veggies at farmers market. The only thing cheap now would be hanging clothes out to dry after washing.
I’m interested in reusing and repurposing thrift clothes into different clothing styles because I hate the idea of sending out-of-size to thrift store. On over abundance of clothes from thrift & second-hand stores are shipped to Africa to landfill sites. I have been sewing with 70% off cost on fabrics, a big savings.
On the other hand, if clothing manufacturers would stop making clothes for 10 years we would have enough clothes to clothe everyone!!
Love your videos and have a great day ❤❤😊
They showed us that junk yard of fabric in Fashion design school. 😬 Remember when churches used to gather up clothing for those poor starving Africans? That's part of that pile, too.
Why do the countries not invest a bit in teaching their third world citizens fabric sewing and clothing skills? Even sewing mats for them to sleep on, or tarp covers for their tents, blankets would go a long way in survival. They are all sitting on mountains of money if they can get these citizens trained, skilled t9 survive, and then get the items out to market.
Maybe my hearing is bad, but I can never really hear background noises that UA-camrs mention during videos. We can’t hear what you’re hearing, so don’t worry, and let poor Rocky lick himself to his heart’s content. 😝
This is so true I've been sewing since I was 12 or 13 years old and there was a time that that was a very cheap way to have a lot of clothing. When I was a pastor's wife I made my own suits very affordable. Fabric is so expensive now. So what do I do I still sew but I take clothing that are actually hand me downs people that give me clothing and I remake them into something that fits me. So there is still a cheap way to sew and save money. Even some of the sheets that are made of cotton can make a nice set of overalls or a skirt or whatever so there is a way of getting free material and remaking this material into clothing. But otherwise it's too expensive to sew. Thank you for telling it like it is
I have a neat trick for all those king sized high quality material pillowcases that come with my sheets... I use the finished end as the hem and one finished side as the outside and cut 2 of them into each leg of lounge pants. Sew up the inside and put in an elastic waist and boom, free soft, beautiful pjs and lounge pants. You can leave them with loose flowing legs or cut them down into more fitted pants. The sheets I buy are 800 thread count, and the designs and luxury of the softness are wonderful.
@@lovechangesus wow I love flowy pants. They sound wonderful
Lots of great tips if your looking at just direct savings, however i view some of these things as investing in the future, where i have some control over my own resources. For example the canning, sure the equipment wasn’t cheap, nor was the garden set up. However when you consider supply lines being subject to foreign groups and governments i know we are going to be okay, plus we are eating food I purchased 3-5 years ago which keeps us behind the inflation curve. This year we invested in two apple trees, raspberry bushes, blueberry bushes, and a cherry tree. I know we wont see a return on investment for about 5 years, but then…I also feel like sewing skills and other basic skills like gardening are important. Not that i sew like I used to because of the cost but that i know how. So many skills are being lost yes because of cost but not all things can be measured by a dollar sign. Wisdom is knowing when to put these skills into use and when it just becomes an expensive hobby,
I used to have chickens for eggs and maybe I did not do it right but feeding them was not cheaper than just buying eggs. Granted they were fresher, and my chickens were free range. Also, my husband can make gardening super expensive with all his gadgets and then critters get a lot of it, too. It's just the two of us now and we just don't eat enough to make it cheaper than just buying produce in the store. Of course, our produce is organic and tastes better.
Gardening isn’t just about making things cheaper.
I used to have a couple of chickens ; the store bought feed is not cheap. The affordable way is to have a big area they can root around eating bugs and vegetation to supplement their diet.
I finally bought a bidet for my toilet and cut my toilet paper down to almost nothing. The amount I have saved has been paid for the bidet. I believe you told us to do this a while back.
I'm slightly embarrassed to admit that we fell for the make yer own detergent thing. It was more expensive than just buying laundry soap, and made a huge mess in the kitchen.
I fell for it too
But buying big plastic jugs are horrible for the environment. I buy plastic free laundry sheets or pods.
We make DRY powdered laundry soap from three ingredients. Borax, washing soda, laundry bar soap.
30 years of gardening at my current home and i have never bought fertizer, but i compost everything and put it back in the garden.
I can ( and often have) buy a 50 cent - $2.99 tomato plant, dig a small hole anywhere in the yard and end up with at least $30 of tomatoes from the1 plant.Same woth any type of squash....
Dig a small hole in your yard and put a seed or a $1 plant in there and you'll get about $20 worth of squash.. you"ll likely have to move vines to mow around it unless you stick a fencing or cage around it to have the vines climb.
Only have to water on real dry summers.
This year i have not had to water yet and currently am getting an ice cream pail full of strawberries daily and about a quart of sugar snap peas daily. Just recently froze rhubarb and asparagus. Soon I will be picking raspberries and green beans after that. ....and many more fruits and vegetables to follow. I freeze fruits and vegetables way more than canning.
Doing the math, i am saving lots and lots of money yearly. Plus, I am eating healthy foods without herbicides or pesticides on them.
Some things are simple like tomatoes and squash and some things take more work. But i dont count the value of time involved it as i enjoy it and the work itself keeps me healthier.
I'll add that I am lucky here in Mnnesota to have nice black soil and no need to build raised beds.
Berries are not available around here to acavenge and are very expensive in the store.
I expect i will be picking about $20-$30 worth of raspberries soon daily for a couple of weeks.
( I have found some raspberries to scavenge around here but they are wild raspberries so they are super small and they are along a trail
that gets spayed with weed killer twice each summer. I'd rather pick my own chemical free ones.)
I got my strawberry plants 30 years ago from my dad's patch.
No cost. Today, and for the past 20 years, my patch has grown enough that I will give away a few dozen plants to someone who wants them( yearly , if I find someone who wants them).
Rhubarb plant produces way more than I need. I started that from some my neighbor dug up for me from hers about 6 years ago. I can now do the for others. Basically zero work to grow rhubarb and it makes less lawn to mow.
I haven’t seen a $3 shirt at Walmart in years.
From a money-saving perspective only, you are absolutely correct. Everything has an opportunity cost. That's what I taught my children - know the opportunity cost and decide what works for you. Many of the things you discussed are more self-sufficiency related now versus money saving. I consider the small amount of gardening I do a hobby only because I sure don't break even and never will. That's why I stick mostly to herb, which I enjoy fresh and can keep in little cages to keep all the local rodents out. I do think the ability to sew well enough to mend has saved me a lot of money. It is not less expensive to make your own clothes or just about any textile-based item unless you are given the materials or repurpose something you already have. For example, I have purchased (pre-2020 before prices got ridiculous) items at thrift stores and altered them myself for much less than a new one would cost. Old sheets become extra pillow cases, etc.
Line dry your wash, and i have an old push mower
it all comes down to time or money
I canned my whole life. We planted a huge garden. It did still save us up till I became a widow. Now it is not worth it for myself. I did sew clothing and knit for my family. This did save us lots as my husband did not make much money. Wearing Sweaters helped as I turned down the heat to save. We never had central air and we would go to basement to stay cool.
I totally agree with you. Some of these DIY things are best approached as a hobby and not as a "money saver." I don't like having bulk "ingredients" sitting around either!
I have made my own liquid soap for the past 7 years, I love it. the initial cost was approximately $19.00 for all the supplies counting the 5 gallon bucket cost at home depot. I dilute it with about 2 1/2 cups of water to one gallon jug. My 5 gallon bucket makes 6 gallons of liquid soap. The cost per gallon is about 0.96 cents. I make 6 gallons at a time which lasts me approximately 5 to 6 months. It is much cheaper than buying detergent as I large jug now costs around $22.00. So for me it is much cheaper. I have not had the problems you discussed with the Borax and Washing Soda, it may be the way it is stored. Just wanted to let everyone know it can be cost effective after the initial investment since you would only replace the Borax, Washing soda etc. when you get low.
Casseroles are great money savers and tasty. Noodles are a staple with most of the ingredients.
And cobbler. ❤🎉
People should not be using Crayon/Candle Wax for sealing Canning Jars, because of the additives to those items.
A better idea is to buy Blocks of Paraffin online or Art Supply Stores. Paraffin is what our Mothers, Grandmothers, etc. used to seal Jams, Jellies, Marmalade, Conserves, Preserves & Chutneys.
The Paraffin is reusable, simply remove the 3/8"-1/2" thick wax plug from the jar with a sharp warmer knife, rinse the plug and place it in a container for reheating to melt for Sealing the next batch of canned goods.
Best Tip of the Day is to pickup a cheap Metal Coffee Pot & heavy bottomed pot at a Thrift Store. You will sit the Coffee Pot in the pot with about 2"-3" of water. The setup creates a Double Boiler for the coffee pot with wax in it to be melted. Just toss the wax plugs into the pot after rinsing for recycling the Paraffin into new plugs for jars..
Every once in awhile add Bees Wax and pour the wax dredges in the bottom 1/2"-1" out on pieces of 100% Cotton cloth of various sizes, squeegee the wax off once the cloth is soaked.
TaDa...you now have Waxed Cloth for wrapping sandwiches, leftovers, raising bread, etc. Use the clothes wherever you would use Plastic Wrap, Foil or Tea Towels. The clothes wipe off easily and are reusable for years.
Thanks for sharing
If your wise about these things believe me you can save heaps. Yes cost a bit to get set up but second hand things work just as well. I do agree if you take time into it guess that is where it does not work out. But if you enjoy doing these things you get great satisfaction from home grown home cooked home made items. Then it’s worth it. Think if you have some land then chickens might work out. If you sell some of the eggs to off set cost of grain. Because they can get bugs from land etc.
Fels Naptha, my maternal grandmother cleaned everything with it. Including her 7 boys mouths. 😂 Grate it, put it in a canning jar with hot water and shake until it's melts, meanwhile spot treat stains with the bar. It used to work but have the changed the recipe? Line drying makes clothes last longer. Knowing how to sew paid our bills after hubby had his stroke. I didn't go a week without piles of work, and it wasn't charity toward us but strangers on my Etsy shop. Sewing is a trade skill.
There are many many many many many many ways to cheaply feed chickens. You can go to any farmer that grows grains and asked and they will probably fill the bed of your pickup truck with corn or soybeans for very very cheap. You just got to make some connections
Cheap clothes and cheap food may not always be available. Conditions will change sooner or later. Where does that $3 t-shirt come from? Will it always be available? Many food items have doubled in price over the past 5 years. We may well need to be much more self reliant. Growing and preserving as much of your own food as possible will be very important again.
I listened to a science podcast in which the host weighed up the cost and eco friendliness of various laundry detergents, including soap nuts and home-made detergent. He concluded that if you use the correct amount (not what they suggest on the packaging), commercial washing powder comes out ahead because it is specifically designed to be effective at low temperatures and prevents damage to your washing machine, thereby extending its life.
We live in the UK and go through a £5 box worth of washing powder from lidl each year as a couple (and we're clean!).
I think airing things helps a lot. I hang my used clothes up after each wear and keep them on a rack separate from my clean clothes. Air sheets and jumpers regularly, hang towels up to dry properly etc. We do two loads a week and that's plenty! I hate perfume which helps too. Its easy to tell when clothes need washing, since my benchmark is completely odourless clothes.
One of the old ways that works like a charm! I was taught to do this as a child and am still doing this at 68 years old.
Love your videos and agree with most of what you say but we will have to agree to disagree about canning. LOL It saves me money and provides shelf stable meals ready to heat up when I get home from work. Some days that keeps me from spending at drive thru after a long day.
also you know your food isn't full of chemicals
Making your own laundry soap: I used make the POWDERED form. It lasts over a year for my 4 kids and myself! It does not get moldy! There are ways to make it WITHOUT all of the mess. It works well. I did not use essential oil. I purchased wool balls to put in the dryer (helps dry clothes faster!) and add some essential oil (a few drops on one of the wool balls) when you toss them in the dryer if you want a "scent". Non-toxic (of course there are chemicals in the homemade detergent due to the soap, just a FYI). It's absolutely a personal choice. For some larger families, it has its benefits. 😊
Canning is cost effective if you grow your own vegetables. Depends on how much extra work you are wanting to do.
1 bar Zote soap, 1 Cup Washing powder, 1/2 Cup borax. Is the basic recipe.
You mean Washing Soda not Washing Powder!!!
@@LoboLady2007 It just amazes me how people on youtube have to get so exacting and to argue with everything. Its called "Household cleaner & Laundry Booster" or "Super Washing Soda." On the back of the box its called detergent booster. Dictionary: washing powder ... Washing powder is a powder that you use with water to wash clothes. So it really does not matter what you call it. Its all the something. "washing powder comes in powder form" which was my point originally that is was a powder!!!
@@bsgarey I though you were unknowingly mistaken and was just trying to remind you of the correct term If I were being mean I would have told you that you meant Sodium Carbonate and given you the chemical symbol for Sodium Carbonate which is Na2CO3!!!
@bsgarey I have made a bucket of it but keep it dry. Lasts forever. I put it with boiling water when ready to add to clothes. Works well.
Friction and water are the lion's share of how our clothes get clean. New HE washers have no friction other than the clothes falling against each other. I always throw in the measurement cap WITH the small amount of soap. I am now also adding in my hairbrushes (remove all hair first) combs go into a small lingerie bag. This added friction helps clean the clothes with the added benefit of sparkling clean hairbrushes. Don't put the brushes or measuring cup in the dryer! Weird, but it works.
I have made my own bar soap for years. I use those bars, along with used oils, arm n hammer washing soda and a cup of borax for suds and its pennies per load. Storing one box of borax and another box of arm n hammer washing soda takes practicality no space. Have used those two boxes for over 8 years and will have them for another 8 years. I can jam every year from my plums n apricots. I reuse the old sealable glass jars over n over, for years so it's free other than the cost of sugar. I dont use pectin because its toxic, no need. The fruit already has enough pectin. Using detergent is straight chemicals and toxic to your body. It's not real soap. Cheers!
Lasagna is not a casserole. Mom’s casserole was all leftovers!!! Cheap. Lol
I've made my own laundry detergent from baking soda, borax, washing soda and grated Fel Naptha or Zote (total cost ~$25). Just leave it in a powder form in a 5 gallon. I put 1 TBS to the load AND you can use it as an all purpose cleaner around the home. Baking soda, borax (a mineral) and vinegar has multiple purpose for cleaning, plant nutrient and physical health. I shop Thrift store for decades so the only thing I buy new are undergarments at the regular stores. I have chickens and rabbits ($140/6 months for feed plus scraps off the table) which cost much less than having a dog food bill at this time. Also in the Spring through early Summer, weeds like henbit and chickweed are plentiful and edibles for both the chickens and the rabbits for free.
You'll wish you had those hobbies when there's no supermarkets or things are do expensive
Homemade soap left a film on my clothes and in my machine. Ditched it
As well as the plumbing!
I am pulling together an herbal medicine "apothecary". I have purchased basic herbalist books. When TSHTF we will not have access to conventional big pharma staples such as antibiotics. I am researching colloidal silver as well. Apparently, it is one of the few things that kills MERSA on contact. Lots to learn in a short amount of time.
Just my 2 cents about chickens....
They eat the bugs from the yard. They are free range. I might buy 1 bag of feed a year for the month of January when everything is frozen, even their water.
So the cost of initial flock, around $75 for 15.
Incubator around $45.
We have chicks every year born on our property so overall, great ROI!
@@AellaMaude-oy9qn we just don't usually have scraps leftover 🤷
I think PP would have fun with chickens if she knew how much you get on such little investment. 🥰 For little to no maintenance.
@@KeetoowahChristinait’s illegal to feed chickens kitchen waste in the U.K., but most people either don’t know it or ignore it!
@@munchkinheaven7877Why is it illegal?
I understand your viewpoint, but i have to laugh cause i have all these "hobbies". 😅 These are heritage skills that should not be lost, plus it's fun 🎉
After I sewed the sleeve onto the bottom of a shirt in Home Ec.., I decided then, nope, sewing isn’t for me.. lol
I thought I was crazy. We don’t live in that same world any longer. All makes perfect sense!
I don't remember what my Mom used it for, but I weirdly loved the smell of Fels Naptha soap. I agree with the person who says it's more about the taste of the canned or grown foods. There are so many things that look nice, but have no taste anymore, but we don't eat according to the seasons either. But since the channel is about being frugal, you hit the mark on all of the points.
Most cost effective things to grow are herbs and fruit especially berries. Tomatoes aren’t especially cheaper but taste 100percent better than store bought
I like planting fruit trees, I get probably 400 pounds at least each year from my two orange trees. Berries are silly to plant, they are everywhere and I could probably forage them
By the barrels. I do believe if you’re going to plant something, don’t just plant something decorative. Plant something edible, medicinal or something that attracts the right pollinators saying bugs or repels the bad ones
Bell peppers are a huge savings. ONE red pepper is $1.99 and ONE green one is about $1.25. Not even organic at that prices. I also make my own sauces and spices from them that saves a ton of money.
God I love these videos. This kind of living is really what the whole world needs right now. Since I’ve started watching this year I’ve changed some of my spending and have bought my first stocks. Also I’m getting through my clutter and it’s helping improve my physical health. I tried making my own cleaning products and preserves and you’re right it’s not worth it. Totally love your wisdom😊
I wish I could make $29/hour!! Here in Wisconsin the average pay per hour is $20. I'm blessed that I make $16/hour in my area!
I am so happy you're a Christian. I just absolutely love you. And I knew you were such a wonderful woman. If you want to learn more about Christianity watch on UA-cam a lady named Peggy Joyce Ruth. She will teach you all about the Bible now there's other people too that are teaching about the end times. I do believe 100% that we are in the end times. I'm in the middle of cleaning out my closets and everything else just trying to make room for in case people need to stay here. Let me ask you something I'm supposed to go to Greece next year with a Christian group I'm sure we'll be okay but I feel like we're going to be at war like maybe January or February. But there is one thing the Lord says you cannot have fear and faith at the same time. We just need to believe in the Lord he's going to take care of everything Read your Psalms that's for the promises are in the Bible Psalms 91. I just love you so much. You're so kind and sweet. I'll be praying for you too.
I wish we were neighbors because we're a lot alike.
Great post❤
Speaking of the gross part - you can set up a black soldier fly colony for recycling food scraps into little bugs that chickens LOVE. Pure protein.
My friend sewed to save money, but her idea of saving was to spend $500 to make a garment that would have cost $1200 ready made. Her creations were esquisite.
@@user-jq1ys8rg4n I have a similar policy when it comes to furniture etc!
Love your videos ... I am 67 years old and agree that most money-saving practices we were taught by our moms, such as the yarn and fabric arts, are now just expensive hobbies. My mother was an amazing home seamstress who made everything from doll clothes to tailored wool suits, coats, wedding dresses and beyond. Now materials and fabric cost so much more than a finished item usually sells for. Sometimes DIY has "other values" like off-grid independance, eating organically, or just loving the creative process, which can justify the cost or effort. But you're right -- life is extremely different than it was 90-100 years ago and many time-honored practices no longer pay.
We do all you describe in Soviet Union Times simply because there were no items/ product available.