I produce 98% of all my power, I produce 100% of my water, I produce thousands of pounds of tropical fruits, MY GREEN GRASS PRODUCES FAT SHEEP, TURKEYS AND CHICKENS 😂
My money making strategy is to spend less on clothes, cars, entertainment & eating out. I’m fast becoming an extreme minimalist and it’s fun. Also, I handle a wealthy person’s finances, pay her bills and suggest money saving tips to her. I get 💰for working about 8 hours a week. Fun
I'm older and retired, disabled. My husband retired last year and passed away this year 2 months ago.....a loss of income. Devastating in so many ways. 😢😮if I wasn't prepared for the depression that's coming, I would be in bad shape. Paid off our home early in life. Become debt free!!! Save cash, not in the banks. Save, save. Buy extra every payday. Sell items you don't need or use anymore. Save old shoes for hard times. On and on. 😢😮 waste not want not.
I’m so sorry for your loss and can appreciate how tough it must be and at such a time as this. May God watch over and protect you. At least you have your head on right ! 💕🙏🏻
Yes,sorry for your loss. And save, save, save. Unfortunately, just keeping cash in your mattress is a losing prospect. You have to convert your cash to other commodities that will keep pace with this outrageous inflation. If you do have cash, consider the high return CDs banks are offering right now to, try to get close to the rate of inflation.
Sewing is my superpower. I recently made a duvet cover from two stray sheets. I mostly do repairs for family, neighbors, and our local clothes closet. It's too bad sewing isn't taught in school any more.
I make patchwork/pioneer style quilts. During a bazaar sale two booths down, had a wooden sign with the statement, 'when life gives you scraps make quilts.' I immediately bought it and displayed it on the end wall of my booth. The perfect logo for what I was selling.
I have made denim purses from old blue jeans. They didn't last long at my booth. One lady came up and grabbed one said, "OMG, I have been looking for one of these old Hippie Style shoulder bags for years."
After I retired from the army, I bought 3.5 acres in Maine. I built a greenhouse and have started growing herbs which I dehydrate and store in mason jars. It saves a lot of money. Above that, it is very fresh, and I know they have travelled only 100 feet not 1,000 miles.
I just finished reading a book of collected stories and recollections about The Depression called “We Had Everything But Money.” It was truly amazing the level of resourcefulness and resiliency that these people had during that time! It’s time to bring these practices back into our lives!! 👍🙏
When my kids were babies, we used cloth diapers , warm wash cloths to clean them. We also made our own baby food, basically blended much of what we all ate. Saved so much money and so much easier than we thought. They are now 34 and 37yrs. old and have always been and continue to be extremely healthy.
I've tried cloth diapers multiple times, and I would end up giving my babies rashes cause I could never get them clean. I tried all the tricks. Makes me sad I couldn't get it to work. I think it may have something to do with our super soft water, theres tons of tips for hard water but not really any for super soft water.
@@Sarah-psalm127I stumbled across an effective way of dealing with diapers that caused rashes... Boiling them with fresh nettles. Some got a very slight tinge of green, but no more rashes!
@annsaunders5768 I wish I had fresh nettles around here. I'm having a baby soon and thinking about giving cloth another try. You think dry nettles would help?
I adapted the motto "if it is free, it's for me!"....and I told it to everyone 😂 All my family and friends call me when they are getting rid of anything. My most recent gift was a like new king size bed with FOSTER & STEARN mattress (that had been enclosed in protectors). I'm guessing this saved us about $2000. It paid off being patient instead of running out and buying it.
UA-cam has a plethora of “fix it” videos. I still have my Kenmore washer and dryer we bought for cash 30 years ago. We’ve fixed the washer ourselves by paying next to nothing for the parts and watching a video on how to fix it. I love the older simpler machines. I also pray over it every time I do a load of laundry that it keeps going!! 🙏🏼🤞😂
My earlier comment stretched on so long I forgot to add one thing: I follow an appliance repairman on UA-cam, and he said even now buy the simplest basic machine that you can find. You don't need something with more electronics than a moon lander. Avoid anything with an ice maker or a slant compressor. Overloading a washer is the fastest way to break it. And in a pinch, be ready to use a diy camp-style washer made from a bucket and a plunger. That way you can wait until another good buy turns up, bc the old machine will decide to finally give up the ghost at the worst possible time.
I also owned a used old Kenmore (stackable) washer/dryer. I repaired it several times using those videos. Videos so much easier than trying to learn from a book.
I am 75 and so grateful I listened to my grandparents who lived through the Great Depression. I have practiced what I learned from them for years and it is pretty much as you outlined. We are ao accustomed to modern conveniences and doing what we want when we want. Time to change that and do as our ancestors did. I go on vacation maybe every 5 years or so but only the time and money is right. I have a trailer but will not use it for camping this year because of gas cost. I will stay home and grow food. As for cooking, I start dinner in a crockpot first thing in the morning so I have dinner ready after chores. When it rains I take advantage of that time doing inside chores. Today I am making tamales. Every day has a job. Pay cash for everything. If you use a credit card pay it off every month without fail. Buy from local ranchers and not the store. Pay off what you can and then pay other things ahead. Always have a contingency fund for emergencies.
@26skogen, I'm technically 'low-income' now in retirement, but I always lived rather frugally even in my working years, saving $ with a thrill after shedding a spendthrift husband. So when an injury took me out of the job market at age 58, I researched the best places for thrifty retirement, picked a good one and bought a house at auction there - a fixer - and plowed $25K CASH into immediate restoration work. Still had enough left over to survive 4 solid years until that first social security check hit when I had $27 left to my name. But still no debt. My ex will die in hock up to his eyeballs, thinking he 'won'. Most of the few people in TinyTown (central Midwest) have this ridiculous notion that I'm 'rich'. And as someone who'll be eternally considered a dangerous outsider, I can tell you they're blindly hostile as well. After 20 years there are maybe 3 or 4 people here that I'd get in a car with. Early on the klan showed up on the street outside my home, shouting and waving their excuses for manhood. I went straight out in the yard with my shotgun broke over my left shoulder, holding up a cell phone in my right hand. Shouted "Smile for the birdie, boys, the FBI said be sure and get good pictures!" They peeled rubber taking off. I still get anonymous hate mail sometimes, but I like to hope that by and large they decided it's best to consider me beneath any further notice. And y'know what? I've never really regretted moving here. Been asked 3 times wth is Bob Dylan? but due to a highly unusual visit more decades ago by somebody from the best-known Irish militia, way before I got here, they're scared shitless of Sinn Fein and recognize Gerry Adams' picture on sight. I'm 2nd gen Irish American Fenian, speak Irish, and already had SF tee shirts when I moved here. The rest has been comparatively easy. Eventually had to hang a discreet no trespassing sign on the front and back gates, but that's a minor compromise. Taught my southside neighbors not to park in front of my house in a classic move when they refused to park at their own place. Everybody has at least a 1/4 acre plot and there's an alley out back too, so they had no excuse other than a silly attempt to intimidate me. You just have to know how to use your available resources, that's all.
I will say as an avid canner, who owns 6 different canners, I would not lend my canner out to someone who doesn’t know how to use it. It can easily be damaged. Instead of trying to borrow a canner to learn, ask a canner you know for lessons when they are canning. Most canners will can food year round.
I feel the same way about sharing a lawn mower and other tools. People just don’t take care of other people’s belongings. Plus I love how she talks about not having a lawn as she stands in front of a grassy acreage! 😂😂😂
I agree you can't loan out a book or a cup of sugar and expect to have it returned so why would an intelligent person put more expensive or breakable items at risk.
I agree wholeheartedly. I lended a drill to a friend once, as his was broken, and he returned the broken one to me claiming it's mine. I never got it back so I do not lend my stuff to anyone now, except my partner scans he lends me his - but we both take good care of each other's possessions.
@@ad6417 I think that depends on what you can. I mostly can meats and ready meals like soups and stews and it does save me money. I live on my own so it makes sense to me to batch cook rather than cook small portions each time.
One very important thing to remember is TIME. All of these things will take time, significantly more time than you ever realized. Which is why this change is a full lifestyle change. Family activities are now revolving around berry picking, making bread, ect. This can be good, and teach valuable skills, but it's not going to be a quick "let's make bread in an hour" type activity. There is a good reason why people lived in communal tribes, why "working songs" were developed, why so many talks and relationships were built around various activities such as drying berries, making baskets, ect. It's a full shift away from our isolated individualistic capitalist driven lives towards a more communal, eco socialist, self sustaining existence.
Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day is a great place to start for fast bread making. There are short cuts to making "slow living" faster and more convenient. Sometimes when you hear that this kind of living takes too much time, it's just a ploy to turn you away from it (like the cost of raising kids thinking).
Yes maybe , but just because someone is smiling it doesn’t mean to say they weren’t depressed , back then it was a stiff upper lip you never spoke how you feel , I lost my husband not to long ago , but I put on a brave face to everyone and smile but feel differently inside .
@@Susan-kd3rv Yes I lost my husband also, 16 years ago , it’s just reality. Most people were sad about things in the old days but they didn’t obsess about their feelings the way everyone does today. There were are rituals to get us through. Frequent child death was something that was so common. Some cultures had prescribed wailing as a means to deal with feelings. It’s very complicated and different for everyone. To tell the truth when my dogs have died has been the hardest for me,
@@nancysalerno7036 yes very true people do seem to go overboard nowadays expressing there feelings , if I remember something of my husband I just have a little cry on my own so not holding grief in , then wipe myself down and get on with things , you have to otherwise you won’t survive yourself , my dad who I’ve never seen cry or get upset our dog died , my dad started to cry and get upset I was shocked , by this time I move out but go round nearly every day , we buried her in back garden , yes I got upset I love that dog but I couldn’t I understand why he cried , until I had my own dog for years then she died and I cried then and there I new what my dad felt at that time , people grief in different ways .
I found nothing new here, but I still appreciated the reminders. My mother's family lived through the Depression in barren Nebraska. They never threw anything away until it was totally useless. Sewing scraps and old wool coats became quilts, etc. My current strategy for reducing my costs is to boycott all restaurants and cook at home. This month I spent about $140 for my monthly groceries and I'll get dozens of meals out of that purchase and what aI have in my cupboards. At $20 a pop, fast food and restaurant dining would have yielded only seven meals.
Wendy's has the 5 dollar meal deal still and you get: a jr. bacon cheeseburger, small fries, 4 chicken nuggets and a small drink of your choice. Not exactly the Ritz but it still feeds even a hungry adult.
$140 a month? How? You can't be getting good meat or all that much good food...no way. 2 people need almost $500 today. Water is a killer now @ $1.75 X 30!!!
Good list. I agree with everything you said. I have a saying “ information is free. Try and learn something new every day. It keeps your mind sharp and you never run out of storage, never know what you might need to know.” We run a trap line and I tan the furs. I sew garments and blankets for my family from those hides to keep us warm on those cold Minnesota days. I also stay home and grow and preserve our food. We bought a fixer upper and I am the stay at home construction wife. My hubby has a better ability to earn a living so we decided that I would be the one to reside the house, build the outbuildings, renovate the interior, and so on. We also let our finances dictate our pace. If we can’t pay up front, it’s not time for the project. Wait until you can pay. I’m going to build an off grid tiny house on our land for an air b&b as well as an emergency residence for family members if times get tough.
It drove me nuts when I had a perfectly fine cell phone but had to change because the provider no longer supported 3G. Same happens with computers. Some of this is driven by the manufacturers who intentionally make things obsolete so they force you to buy something else. I try to go without whenever I can or buy used or the cheapest version that will still work if I can't fix it myself.
I find that if I leave the house, I spend money. I am a teacher on summer break, my son is using my car to drive to work while he is in the shop. I’ve enjoyed a week at home. I’ve made granola, dried herbs, tended my garden, read, home repair, and started handwork. I used to live like this when my son was little. I’ve missed this. I always have a greater sense of accomplishment when I see the fruits of my labor than rushing to a job day after day.
During this past fall and winter, I have been saving all the one-dollar bills. Due to the present economic conditions, there will be a plethora of garage sales this summer. I have saved thousands of dollars getting hand powered tools and other items I know I will be needing as I continue to become more self-reliant on my acreage. Sometimes I will offer 'twice-the -price' because of the VALUE of the item and to help the seller. This summer I will have several hundreds to go, 'tool and hardware hunting.'
I live in NM where the sun is very intense, and I am amazed how few people use a clothes line. I hang my clothes out all year. It takes most of the day for them to dry in the winter, but I can do two loads in a day in the summer because they are dry in a couple hours. The summer sun will destroy the fabrics if I leave them out too long, so I turn them inside out to keep the colors from fading.
There are so many more options to buy, and that's why it seems easier than using your imagination. I reduced portion sizes to save money and my health. I collected reusable containers to prepare meals in batches and freeze. This works good for me and my husband since we became empty nesters.
Health is wealth. Cost a fortune in some countries to get good health care. Be very alert on your health - better to be prepared and do everything to keep a good health. Take care of your teeth. Never learn your children to drink soda pops and eat candy. Avoid everything that is bad for the health - you will thank yourself in old age.
I'm getting a spiral cut ham I'll put it in baggies n freeze for sandwiches. A tube of hamburger like 10 lbs makes 40 hamburger patties to fry or bake after cooked let cool n baggies 2 each n freeze for spaghetti or chili or burgers n potatoes. 10 lbs leg quarters cook up seperate legs from thigh bag up n freeze. 😮boil off bone add egg noodles add greens n apple sauce balanced meal. Ive 3 cats n price of can cat food 78 cents each. Ill give cats some of chicken n noodles in cold weather they love it good for them cheaper share w cats twice week.
@@stevehartman1730I have a cat and also feed a stray who comes everyday for meals. I cook some wet meals for them . Chicken liver mousse( fresh chicken livers are cheap and good for them but not too often), cooked shredded chicken, deboned fish, boiled mashed pumpkin mixed with boiled egg yolk. This in addition to kibble. One meal a day is a wet meal.
My father was a young child living on a farm during the final years and after the 1930's depression. The habits/lifestyle carried with him. He would stock away almost everything. My mother wanted to 'purge the pile,' one day when my father was gone for several days. She found an old leather work boot, just the one, not the pair. She asked me, "Why is he keeping only one boot?" I answered, "Because he thinks he might need the leather for something someday." The 'make do, do over or do without' was deeply ingrained in him.
Everybody far out enough in the country should have a junk pile behind the main shed or barn with scrap metal, etc. and other things of potential use at need. Got a leak in the roof, which btw should be metal? Go out back and cut yourself a piece off a leftover piece and cover the hole with that. Etc. I understand your dad totally. At a church rummage sale one time, I bought TWO cashmere wool coats from the estate of well-off twin sisters. Why'd I buy both? One had a good body but the mink collar was moth-eaten. The other had a perfect collar even though the rest of the coat was in bad shape. Do the math. For $10 I had a fantastic coat, and I used the parts I didn't need to make the dog a new bed.
Just started watching your videos and received so much encouragement and reassurance to move to country, buy land first and start homesteading. Thank you.
My grandfather was a WW1 veteran. After the war, he sold a huge chunk of land he had inherited , moved to town and got a job with the USPS. He oaid cash for his house. Paid cash for 3 other houses which he rented out. And bought three- one acre plots which he gardened. He would let 2 go fallow with clover or buckwheat then garden one acre, rotating yearly. He married my grandmother who put the produce up in Mason jars. He also raised rabbits and honey bees. This is how he supported 9 people through the Great Depression and WW2 Home Front rationing. It can be done again.
I think keeping an organized home saves money. You know where things are and you know what you have, so you never doubles. This may sound strange, but I have long hair and often throw my hair in a poneytail. I have had the same hairties for at least 10 years,,I only replace them when after about a decade they loose their elasticity. Now thats being cheap!😊
I got 3 55 gal barrels n lined with contractor bags. Each marked metal snd alum cans and plastic. The plastic when full is recycled at Walmart. The metal mostly cans r rinsed n put in barrel n when it and alum cans full sold to scrap yard. All trash burned in woodburner that i cook on top of too. All garbage goes to compost as well as asher. Hence no garbage bill.
I live in Australia and everything is expensive, even more so after the pandemic. I own my home, I grow a lot of my own food including herbs. There are only two of us now..I can, dehydrated and freeze I buy quality and meal plan. I make my own taco, Italian, Greek etc, herb blends. I buy used, look on line for freebies or swap with other members of my community. Any excess produce we share with our community and they share with us. That's just what we have always done, it's not that hard...
Aussie here too. We forage and grow food, have an off grid home and cook everything from scratch/DIY and fix stuff. But some of the baseline costs (insurance, council rates, etc) are wild right now.
Another Aussie here. Pretty sure that I would have been deemed to be living 'below the poverty line' most of my life, & there was a couple of weeks here & there when I got unemployment benefits. Seems to me there are a lot of well off Aussies who think they are doing it tough UNTIL they actually fo have to do it tough. I see people on current affair type TV programs saying they go without but clearly get their hair done at the hairdresser & don't appear to have missed too many meals. I think a lot of Aussies are part of the wealthy minority in this world without realising it. I am sure there are those who are genuinely doing it tough too but overall we have it pretty good in Australia. Does the average Aussie even get the benefits of our health system compared to the USA for example? Overall we are pretty spoilt - many employers say they can't find people to work. Sad😅
True, Kerry; but not so easily explained to the American magas with toxic johnwayne syndrome, taught to be afraid of their own shadow and everybody else's ... For financial reasons I retired to remote TinyTown, and I'd swear Beirut must be more civilized.
Preserving food is great. I prefer to can, not use the freezer space. I also bake all my own bread. 🍞 over the years I have learned to bake just about every kind. I buy wheat, rye, or spelt berries in bulk. Store it in airtight 5 gal food buckets. Then I just grind up what is needed for recipe. Those berries can last 25 yrs if stored correctly. Bread here in California can be $8-$10 a loaf. And the ingredients are not that good. I think mine costs about $2.50 bc I use olive oil and organic honey. Great video. I love how green your land is!
Check how people live in other countries like Philippines, Africa, etc... To them a "poor" person in the US is wealthy. They've been living with almost nothing for generations. Americans live in a bubble. Kind of amazing.
Not so much Philippines, maybe Africa. If you are talking about the extremely poor in Philippines then yes, buy you have homeless in the US too. The middleclass in Philippines isnt that poverty stricken. Many work abroad and send money home. I live in Singapore, not that far from Philippines.
@@bunchielove6893correct I actually screened shot this to share with my good friend who is like a sister to me is SA. I think it’s very very ignorant of a lot of Americans to assume that everybody in Africa is poor. I watched a video the other day that told their children to eat all of their food because they’re starving children in Africa. There are starving children in America. Africa is a developing continent with many minerals and resources that is constantly being exploited. Luckily they are smart up.
@@kristiemiller4752 that line about starving kids in Africa is something I heard growing up too in Asia. There are rich and poor people in every country including the US. In fact the average American is poorer than the average Asian in some countries like mine, Singapore. Unfortunately due to the media, some have the view that Americans are much better off than everyone else. But there is a poverty index and some countries including many African score pretty low in terms of standard of living, income, amenities. However Americans can see homeless and poor folks in their own country, worse off than some Africans and Filippinos. So that analogy doesnt mean anything.
Wash and reuse ziplock bags,use rags to clean not paper towels.Make your own clothes soap,mouthwash,mayonnaise, with recepies on line and no new furniture. I shop thrift stores and learn which ones have personal items an clothes and shoes. I grow veggies. carrots, potatoes, herbs can be gr own in buckets. So many ways.
A recycled squirt bottle from something like ketchup works, too. Perineal bottles issued to new mamas in the hospital after childbirth can also be repurposed.
I really appreciate these tips. I love the foraging one. It also really pays to live in a smaller home, like you said! We recently boughf a smaller house and the heating bill is $120 less each month and taxes/insurance are less too. It feels good!!
I save all plastic bags, use for bathroom trash cans, and cat litter.i save every glass jars, fill w/ beans, rice, and noddlrs.last longer, keep flour in fridge, no bugs, lasts a super long time. Save large gallon water jugs, store rice, beans, and water 💧
I buy crackers onnsale.and put in jars with lid...lasts for a long time...mayonnaise jars even large pickle jars..keep lids..works also basically anything in jars
We are currently living in Orlando FL (born and raised in FL). It has gone to s**t and completley unaffordable. We are planninng on moving up to Minnesota and buying a house with some land. We want to have a small farm and be able to provide mostly for ourselves. We are not living a good life right now due to rent cost and crime rates around us, I feel like a prisoner. Thank you for the video!
I love to buy books and clothing at goodwill or second hand stores. Always love to get items that are secondhand due to they are usually better quality than newly produced items.
I gave my mother-in-law a woollen cardigan that was 2nd hand - had she known, she would have been horrified, but I got it professionally dry-cleaned & it was like new - would have cost me way more to buy new, that is if I could have something of that quality today.
I would highly recommend you do learn to can though. I pressure can meats and when the prices went up we've been eating from our storage. I also pressure can meals so when I'm tired we can just pop open a homemade jar of beef stew, pot pie, or a soup. I also purchase fruits in season to can or make jelly/jams.
Sewing is my side hustle and retirement income. I learned to sew at age 9 and now I teach sewing classes (a lost art and skill) and I have and on-line shop where I sell things I make and sewing supplies. I also grow a fruit, vegetable and herb garden to save money and to eat healthy.
Canning isn't that hard to learn and it doesn't have to cost much to get into it. I bought a big stock pot on sale and make it into a water bath canner by adding canning rings to the bottom as a "rack." Before for I got that, I used to borrow my mom's. I do a lot of canning now. I have basically allowed myself to try canning one more thing each year to help it be less overwhelming for myself.
I am always fixing things to donate. Apparently things that need repair or refresh do not sell. When I was young nobody thought twice about buying things they would need to fix or refresh. Of course I darned socks as a child too. The world has speeded up, we need to slow down. You have such great ideas for home care.
One place that I lived at had an apple, pear, plum, fig and cherry tree. We planted blueberry and gooseberry plants. Had a bed of potatoes and had tomatoes, radishes and bok choy in containers on the deck. We live in British Columbia, Canada, so we have an abundance of blackberries, huckleberries, salal, thimbleberries, and salmon berries to forage.
I was born and raised in rural Newfoundland in a fishing village with a native mother and a Irish father. Poor wasn't the word but I didn't know I was poor until I went out into the world. I was taught about danilion and cattail roots have the same nutritional quality as a potato and potatoes are a super food lacking only vitamin K. Trout rabbits cod moose and root vegetables. I didn't know what a grocery store was until I was 15.Used newspaper and the Sears catalog to wipe my bum.. to many things to mention
@@BigSmashKing if you hunt Caribou you can eat the lichen out of the third stomach making it digestible by humans. Always keep the organs of your prey because if you can't get your mitts on fruit and vegetables the organs can be made into a paste that contains most vitamins and minerals you need. If you like the taste of coffee and run out you can dry danilion roots and roast them grind up and it tastes just like coffee. I drink Labador tea for most pain relief.. Wild honey is good for keeping infection out of wounds and spider webs can keep deep wounds closed. If you know the sun comes up in the East remember where north south and west is.. many more things
Yes in times of distress Common Since will take over and things will become real urgent as what you should do things become clear as the situations unfold before you.
I am so glad that my husband is really good at fixing things. He fixed our washer a few times already, changed the pump. Same with the dishwasher. Also the oven, that broke during the pandemic.
As a senior, my advice to everyone is to make sure you have enough land to grow food on, even if your yard becomes your garden. Container gardening is all fine and good but it wont provide enough food to keep a family alive.
I applaud your lifestyle. Brougt up in the late forties and fifties, items were scarce, We had a huge garden, and ate from it. I was taught to knit and sew, made the bulk of my own clothes for many years, My Grandma gave me her sewing machine, a hand Singer when I was about eleven, I still have it in my eighties. With three sons and a husband, I baked every week, cooked from scratch, and we also grew our own vegetables. I still mend my underwear, re elastic my waist slips and my pants. I rarely buy clothes, preferring to buy second hand. I have lived in the country most of my life, a lot of us live this way. My husband was a joiner by trade, and made a lot of our furniture. My dining room table was a birthday present from him. I could gSome of my furniture belonged to my grandparents and my parents, good solid items. I could go on and on!
I think i ll survive…I was born in country side in Russia, we were poor n I have some skills … have a tiny garden just for my children n grandchildren to watch how fruit n vegetables grow n how to canning stuff n I can sew …have sewing machine…n other stuff that my grandma taught me to do…How to start a fire. Also I learned here in USA how to use a gun… I hope I don’t have to use this last skill.
I share the same hope, Somecat. But I'm locked and loaded anytime the local magas want to try me, and after a brief get-acquainted period, they've kept their distance. They are teachable to a degree.
Same! We used to struggle so much with wasted food and not eating everything we bought. After Biden wrecked the economy we now buy very little and everything always gets eaten! I prefer it this way, but hoping things get better soon 😄
Great ideas. I live that way. We try to use as little gasoline as possible because it is very expensive as well. Carpool, multipurpose the trips, stay home more. #2 We never eat out. Entertain at home, cook the meal at home instead of paying someone to do it and rush you to eat it. #3 All animals have a purpose, earn their keep by either providing food, protecting or hunting mice and rats. #4. Give homemade gifts repurposed from used thrift items.
- I always like to do things on my own. Since i was a kid, doing my toys. It was the best part of playing. Further it was the base for my entrepeneur career . I live almost off grid today in Brasil!
Good morning. I took a fence down and needed trellis for the garden. I made five yesterday with lattice strips, twine and cut the fencing in long strips. They turned out way better than I thought they would. Free from my yard. I buy frozen bread dough. Five loafs for the cost of one! Not full of chemicals n keep in fridge holds longer.
My sister and I don't need more "stuff." So, we practice intentional regifting. If she wants to give her sister-in-law a pair of Cutco shears for Christmas 1) I buy a very old set on eBay when a great price comes up, 2) I send it to Cutco for free repair or replacement. If it is damaged or worn out, great, they will replace it for free. I just pay shipping. 3) When I get the replacement set, I give it to my sister. This is my Christmas present to her. 4) She gives the new pair to her sister-in-law. Her sister-in-law knows that we do this 😊 She wants them. Two presents for the cost of one ratty old pair! $142 is the current list price -$ 40 used on eBay -$9 shipping from eBay -$9 shipping to Cutco -$9 to have them ship it to my sister Also, since my sister works in Austin, Texas, where there is a Cutco store, I can have the eBay vendor send it directly to my sister. They send it in to the factory for free. This saves $9. Also, the knives are union made in the USA. Lifetime warranty.
I recently subscribed to your channel and have been on a marathon looking at your videos. You are very well versed in your knowledge of things. In the future you should think about doing some public speaking regarding homestead and off-grid living (gig work). Regarding waterbath canning, years ago I started to waterbath food. I did it the way my grandmother, mother and aunt did it...they all used a large stock pot, put a kitchen towel on the bottom, filled with water and put in what needed to be processed. Dehydration was done by handing herbs or whatever upside down with string, thread or those twist ties from the grocery store. You are correct in that we as a society has forgotten what it was like to live everyday during our ancestors' time. I live like most homesteaders (smaller version), except I have no livestock. You and your husband are on the right track. You are in no hurry. You work at your own pace. I look forward to future videos.
❤ My maternal Grandmother had a great little rhyme she taught me ( she was a tween during The Great Depression)... Use it up Wear it out Make it do, Or do without!
I have been this way for many many years fixed small appliances that stopped working even watched a UA-cam video about what was wrong with my refrigerator and figured out what it was and solved it saved us hundreds if not, thousands of dollars over the years and things like that.
I now can beans, beef, chicken, garden squash. I taught myself, mostly. I do remember helping my Mom to can during the summers, but I was young and it seemed so boring then. Funny, now I'm so excited to can! I use the Nesco/Carey Smart Canner. Yes, it uses electricity, but while we still pay for electricity I figured I'm using something a bit easier than the traditional canners over a hot stove in summer! I have a traditional canner, but until I have to use it, I'm using my smart canners.
Best advice, ever! The way she described how property switched from being used to grow food to being ornamental was very eye-opening to me! Reminded me of when California was told to stop all watering; meanwhile Kim K had a golf course green lawn around her mansion! 🇨🇦♥️
The communal aspect is so important. If (and I hope not) we have to live through economic collapse again, I want to think "how can we and our neighbors work together to get through this" and not "how can I stop my neighbor from robbing me before I have a chance to loot their house". The other day we had a one-day water outage and because we had water stored, we were able to help out our neighbors. I'm sure they'd also share with us next time :)
Depends on where you live as to whether they'll return the favor or even appreciate just what you do for them. Mostly for financial reasons I retired to TinyTown, central Midwest, where cows outnumber people and it's STILL the county seat. But this is a very old town and inbred as hell, so extremely xenophobic too. They even fight amongst themselves. The only thing they agree on is that they hate outisiders more than each other. Enter moi, the damnYankee invader by most accounts. What they don't realize is that I seriously prep, and if general disaster ever strikes here in Tornado Alley, my house (150 years old) will be the last one standing. I'll be able to help more than just myself if/when that happens. When they make me mad enough now, I entertain myself by plotting to make them salute and sing the internationale b4 they get anything no matter how desperate. I probably wouldn't actually require that, but it's fun to think about anyway when I'm mad at them. And I am well armed and trained enough to back it up if I have to. :p
Simple cleaning solution: Quarter or Half bucket of Hot water, ounce of dish soap, ounce of white vinegar. Good for glass, wood, and tile. Grandmother-in-Law swore by it, and she lived through the Depression.
I'm lucky to have retired to a remote region where the local church has a thrift clothing/household goods store where everything is only 50 cents. I don't think you mentioned sewing; but the uses for pre-owned sheets is endless. One of my more unusual ideas is to cut them up to sew garments or undies or other items you can't find otherwise. I happen to love flashy vintage buttons, so I'll buy something with those and just take the buttons off for something else. For instance, found a genuine Amish black wool hat, adorned it with a hatband on which I'd sewed a large collection of vintage buttons. (Old hippie) Guess what, it ain't Amish no more! And I make sure to get at least double use out of everything. The garments I bought for the buttons? Stuff pillows or even the dog bed with those. If sheets are too old for any other repurpose, cut 'em up in large enough pieces so you don't need to buy quite so much TP anymore. And that's only the start of repurposing things. For instance on Big Trash day, carry around a small screwdriver with you while out walking the dog or something. If you find something set out by the street like a nice piece of furniture that you can't drag home w/o somebody's vehicle, take off one major piece of hardware while you're there and the item will likely still be waiting when you get back since nobody wants it then. If you forget to bring a screwdriver, pull out one of the drawers and carry that home until you can go back for the rest. If you live anywhere near a college, visit the grounds when students are moving out - you'll find lots of goodies waiting for free. Inspect and sanitize everything b4 bringing it in your home, of course. When it comes to water and energy usage, right after I retired to TinyTown (nearest big box store 70 miles away) the town admin guys came out to make sure my electric and water meters hadn't been monkeyed with bc they'd never seen bills so low. But I've lived in the desert enough to know most ways to save there too. There were no lightbulbs in the place for instance, and I bought everything with then-current technology - CFL. Twenty years later those wore out and got replaced with nothing but LED. Lastly, yes smaller houses are better in most instances. However! what I bought at auction was an 1880 Vic for $14.5K and then had to plow 'only' another $25K into it to make it livable. So rare opportunities need to be taken full advantage of. It's 2200 sq ft, 2 storey with an alpine steep roof. I only really live in the downstairs front half; but the place has a deep wraparound porch and wide roof overhang. Now it's insulated to the max. So basically the rest of the house serves as passive cooling space in hot weather. I open one window downstairs on the west side of the house and another upstairs on the east end, then put a strong fan on the mid-landing of the stairway where it makes a hard right turn, to encourage airflow upstairs and on out of the house. When it's 100 outside in the sun, my living space will not reach over 78 before I even turn on that fan. And we have to be at hell's front door b4 I close off the stairway and turn on a window AC for my 700 sq ft of living space downstairs. Lastly, there's no way I could ever afford full replacement insurance on this place, so I just carry $55K for contents. If a major disaster ever struck, I'd have enough for Amish friends to help me build the most earthquake-proof/sustainable structure in the world - a dome with a belvedere. Anyone who's building from scratch should consider one of those.
@@jstu8 Thanks. I know this is a cliche, but 'it has good bones'. And hopefully it will be beautiful again someday, although under my care never what it was when first built. Too much too many have done to the poor thing b4 I got it, such as pouring glue on hardwood floors when the finish had worn off, to make it easier to hold down hideous carpeting. 12' ceilings, so you know there were transoms -which somebody built over; etc. But I'll leave the old girl as restored as I can when it's my time to go. Just too much for me to finish in one lifetime. But she has a heavy duty metal roof now, so her chances are good for the forseeable future. Back when I first got her, she had a gaping hole in a. rotting roof and probably would've been unsalvageable before long. According to my research, the Lennox furnace was the first model they ever built, and it had worn out to the point it was about to blow the place to kingdom come. Municipal records indicate people were paying (or trying to pay) utility costs up to $400 a month. After I finished rewiring, replumbing, etc and returning to more passive measures, it's rare when my entire bill for everything goes over $120.
I buy my groceries weekly but shop thru the store app based on the menus I plan. Then I pick them up, never going into the store. No more impulse buying!
This is a wonderful video. Thank you so much. Your demeanor and your attitude is very calm and relaxing. And of course, your ideas are wonderful, practical, down to earth.❤
Something that I have to do is to - - Reorganize what you have. You may create more space, and or see what you can re use in a different way. At the very least, your space will give you the change that you crave!😊
While I’m sitting watching this, I’m making a latch hook pillow cover. I love these and I love to give as gifts for birthdays and Christmas. I also love diamond art so I make coasters and pictures and earrings and things for gifts. Obviously you but the kits to begin with but they are then made with love.
My Dad was alcoholic. He would forego house maintenance so i had to take the $16600 college money id worked hard n saved saving house from condemned. He just said when i went broke Noone asked u to. In 1975 mom had 1st heart attack there were 7 adults n a 4 yr old living on Dads 1 A&P grocery store pay. With 4 days till his next pay n no food n house he wanted to get a $500 loan for 4 daus food n in case something comes up. In all actuality he wanted to b a big shot drinking beer n flashing it n buying drunks for others. So thats when i pulled out the store id been getting 3 extra cans a week n hiding the . He was LIVID. So for a month hed go over the list n register receipt to make sure i didnt do it again. Hed search the place id hidden food. But i continued w 3 extra cans n hid under steps. Please dont drink alcohol or smoke cigs or do drugs n forget tatoos anything like that takes food from your loved ones mouths.
Sounds like my husband only he was a pothead. Got evicted and had to move multiple times due to his weekly pot budget. Cannot prove to me this stuff was not addictive. I worked off hours so he could babysit. I saved money in a 401k. Always rented. When the housing crash came in 2008 I found a house in a safe area equal to the money in my 401k. I paid cash for the house. It was a fixer upper and still is but I don’t care because it’s mine free and clear. I did take a tax hit on the 401k but to me it was well worth it.
I'm a Newfoundlander who was raised in a rural fishing village before Newfoundland discovered oil offshore. I drove a motorcycle through West Virginia and other places when I was younger because I read to much John Steinbeck as a boy. I didn't know I was poor as a child until others told me I was. What do you think my chances of surviving anything. I was a fisherman soldier and miner and I lived the most dangerous professions and did well.Like me mudder said it's only bragging if it ain't true Tommy..My mother named me after Tom Joad and I ain't mean because of her influence and love.
Thomas, obviously your mom knew that there's no such thing as reading too much John Steinbeck! I named my own son after him and knew I would from the time I was 10 or 11 and my Montessori mom let me start reading anything I wanted to. Between him and Joseph Campbell, I turned out at least halfway okay too. And Dorothy Day. She had a lot to do with my upbringing as well. One of her favorite sayings was that if you have 2 coats, one of them belongs to somebody else.
Have you done a video or thought about doing a video all the ways you use and mix the dr bronners soap? I would be very interested! I do use it for hand soap so far, but want to use for cleaning. I did try it as dish washing soap and didn’t like it. Do you use it for dishes and if so what is your ratio of soap to water? Honestly a video with that plus all the natural cleaners you use and how, laundry soap, cleaners, and etc. I love learning new ways to do things and how others do/ use as well. 15:13
Dr Bronner's makes Sal Suds that they sat is better for cleaning, and the regular castile soap they say is better for the body. I use both and it lasts forever.
@@cindysams9832 thank you, I have heard of the Sal suds, but haven’t tried it. Unfortunately I have really hard water and regular Castile is not recommended for dishes with hard water. I still tried it, and definitely don’t recommend as I had to wash again.
A good list the only thing I would add is build it yourself...go buy framing lumber to build your shelves, furniture, ect. You can get old bikes and build hand carts. Learn to blacksmith and you can hammer out hand tools for cheap. Pick up simple electrical skills and you can repair extension cords or wire in a light and skip the drop cord light. It fits in with the reuse but now I can take the old mower and old alternator and make a 12v gas generator for solar systems
I never thought the world would come to this but here we are. I am saving more stuff I find for free and trying to find out how I can sell things. Sometimes people will buy things that you never thought had value. They might do something else with the item other than what is intended. They may even melt the item down if its metal.
Speaking of technology- save by saying goodbye to all those streaming services and join my hobby of collecting dvds! In my area, people give them away or sell them for around a dollar. I've got a dvd player for 5 bucks. In 3 weeks, I have over 200 amazing and classic movies. And to save space, I cut the picture of the movie and slip that with the movie in sleeve/case and tuck away. If the power goes out or if you live off grid you own the movie. You can even pick up a cheap/free portable dvd player and have movie nights (charged with solar). Its been such a fun hobbie when me and my hubby want some time away from the homestead we can visit some thrift stores. And entertainment is so comforting during power outages like hurricanes
I’m 61, and I grew up with my grandmother living with us. I don’t think a week went by without hearing about the Great Depression. I guess it stuck in my head because she taught me how to sew, bake bread, make sausage, plant a garden, and use things on hand to make something new…etc. I’ve taught my own three daughters these lessons. It’s all about turning time into value. If someone can’t be bothered, I don’t feel sorry for them when things get tough.
When shopping for food buy what is on sale. Stay away from packaged items. I love my clothesline. Nothing compares to sun dried clothes and sheets. Why every yard doesn't have one is beyond me. 🌻
Yikes. What a horrible HOA. They could always line dry inside. Not as quick as drying outside, but it gets the job done. It's what I do in the winter and during allergy season. 😆 I started line drying my clothes not to be frugal, but because it's so dang hot here, I might as well put the solar energy to some good use.
@@dortek882I always see ask these great pallet ideas by my SO in the construction business always tells me to stay away bc I don’t know what they’ve been treated with :/
I live below my means and i produce a lot, I fix 90% of everything, I build all my infrastructure including my home that i wasn't going to build to small lol.
Get a pressure canner and learn how to use it. Meat and low acid foods must be pressure canned. You can get everything you need for under $100. Jars are not cheap but can be reused for many years. We have jars that we have been using for 30 years. Dehydration is good for some things, but canning is a necessity.
You can water bath foods like applesauce, fruits, tomatoes with a large pan. Just make sure the jars are covered with water by at least an inch at all times. Use extra rings to put on the bottom of the pan as a rack. Stock pots are good for this, or use smaller jars.
What your your best money-saving strategies?
12 WEIRD Ways I SAVE MONEY ua-cam.com/video/lVmtOWHtcBM/v-deo.html
I produce 98% of all my power, I produce 100% of my water, I produce thousands of pounds of tropical fruits, MY GREEN GRASS PRODUCES FAT SHEEP, TURKEYS AND CHICKENS 😂
My money making strategy is to spend less on clothes, cars, entertainment & eating out. I’m fast becoming an extreme minimalist and it’s fun.
Also, I handle a wealthy person’s finances, pay her bills and suggest money saving tips to her. I get 💰for working about 8 hours a week. Fun
I'm older and retired, disabled. My husband retired last year and passed away this year 2 months ago.....a loss of income. Devastating in so many ways. 😢😮if I wasn't prepared for the depression that's coming, I would be in bad shape. Paid off our home early in life. Become debt free!!! Save cash, not in the banks. Save, save. Buy extra every payday. Sell items you don't need or use anymore. Save old shoes for hard times. On and on. 😢😮 waste not want not.
Very good advice. I'm sorry for your loss 😢
I’m so sorry for your loss and can appreciate how tough it must be and at such a time as this. May God watch over and protect you. At least you have your head on right ! 💕🙏🏻
Yes,sorry for your loss. And save, save, save. Unfortunately, just keeping cash in your mattress is a losing prospect. You have to convert your cash to other commodities that will keep pace with this outrageous inflation. If you do have cash, consider the high return CDs banks are offering right now to, try to get close to the rate of inflation.
Spousal social security
You should not lose income.
If the banks crash I doubt having cash is going to matter
Sewing is my superpower. I recently made a duvet cover from two stray sheets. I mostly do repairs for family, neighbors, and our local clothes closet. It's too bad sewing isn't taught in school any more.
I make patchwork/pioneer style quilts. During a bazaar sale two booths down, had a wooden sign with the statement, 'when life gives you scraps make quilts.' I immediately bought it and displayed it on the end wall of my booth. The perfect logo for what I was selling.
I have made denim purses from old blue jeans. They didn't last long at my booth. One lady came up and grabbed one said, "OMG, I have been looking for one of these old Hippie Style shoulder bags for years."
Biden doesnt need the money
That's pretty good!
Me too! I like to make clothes for my kids. So fun!
After I retired from the army, I bought 3.5 acres in Maine. I built a greenhouse and have started growing herbs which I dehydrate and store in mason jars. It saves a lot of money. Above that, it is very fresh, and I know they have travelled only 100 feet not 1,000 miles.
Have you heard of a book "The Four Season Garden" by Elliot Colman?
@@bcarolynn No. I will certainly look it up.
I live in Maine too, hoping some day to have some land of our own. It’s getting so expensive to live here, but I can’t imagine leaving.
@@DamarisW If you are financially able to do it, there are many advantages.
@@bcarolynnI have that book! 😊
This society has created a generation of immediate gratification.
Im just here for the comments. They're my favorite part about a frugal video. 😊
Me too
Gotta sift through a lot of trash to find some gems, but it's always worth it.
Love reading informative comments that can save time and money.
Me too. The comments are very telling.
Me too😅
I just finished reading a book of collected stories and recollections about The Depression called “We Had Everything But Money.” It was truly amazing the level of resourcefulness and resiliency that these people had during that time! It’s time to bring these practices back into our lives!! 👍🙏
I have that book too! I totally agree with your review of it.
Thank you for the book recommendation! I love memoirs and considering the times we're in, this is going to be a good one.
When my kids were babies, we used cloth diapers , warm wash cloths to clean them. We also made our own baby food, basically blended much of what we all ate. Saved so much money and so much easier than we thought.
They are now 34 and 37yrs. old and have always been and continue to be extremely healthy.
I've tried cloth diapers multiple times, and I would end up giving my babies rashes cause I could never get them clean. I tried all the tricks. Makes me sad I couldn't get it to work. I think it may have something to do with our super soft water, theres tons of tips for hard water but not really any for super soft water.
@@Sarah-psalm127I stumbled across an effective way of dealing with diapers that caused rashes... Boiling them with fresh nettles. Some got a very slight tinge of green, but no more rashes!
Hpw the hell you even clean the cloth diapers properly?
@annsaunders5768 I wish I had fresh nettles around here. I'm having a baby soon and thinking about giving cloth another try. You think dry nettles would help?
I made baby food too in a blender. He ate what we ate. 40 years old and no cavaties.
I adapted the motto "if it is free, it's for me!"....and I told it to everyone 😂 All my family and friends call me when they are getting rid of anything. My most recent gift was a like new king size bed with FOSTER & STEARN mattress (that had been enclosed in protectors). I'm guessing this saved us about $2000. It paid off being patient instead of running out and buying it.
That's my daughter's motto. Boy does she find free, nice stuff. She also donates to places that give away freebies.
UA-cam has a plethora of “fix it” videos. I still have my Kenmore washer and dryer we bought for cash 30 years ago. We’ve fixed the washer ourselves by paying next to nothing for the parts and watching a video on how to fix it. I love the older simpler machines. I also pray over it every time I do a load of laundry that it keeps going!! 🙏🏼🤞😂
I've prayed over my appliances too! God cares about us staying out of debt.
My earlier comment stretched on so long I forgot to add one thing: I follow an appliance repairman on UA-cam, and he said even now buy the simplest basic machine that you can find. You don't need something with more electronics than a moon lander. Avoid anything with an ice maker or a slant compressor. Overloading a washer is the fastest way to break it. And in a pinch, be ready to use a diy camp-style washer made from a bucket and a plunger. That way you can wait until another good buy turns up, bc the old machine will decide to finally give up the ghost at the worst possible time.
I also owned a used old Kenmore (stackable) washer/dryer. I repaired it several times using those videos. Videos so much easier than trying to learn from a book.
I'd take a 30 year old machine over new touch screen ones that have a 5-7 year life!
I am 75 and so grateful I listened to my grandparents who lived through the Great Depression. I have practiced what I learned from them for years and it is pretty much as you outlined. We are ao accustomed to modern conveniences and doing what we want when we want. Time to change that and do as our ancestors did. I go on vacation maybe every 5 years or so but only the time and money is right. I have a trailer but will not use it for camping this year because of gas cost. I will stay home and grow food. As for cooking, I start dinner in a crockpot first thing in the morning so I have dinner ready after chores. When it rains I take advantage of that time doing inside chores. Today I am making tamales. Every day has a job. Pay cash for everything. If you use a credit card pay it off every month without fail. Buy from local ranchers and not the store. Pay off what you can and then pay other things ahead. Always have a contingency fund for emergencies.
@26skogen, I'm technically 'low-income' now in retirement, but I always lived rather frugally even in my working years, saving $ with a thrill after shedding a spendthrift husband. So when an injury took me out of the job market at age 58, I researched the best places for thrifty retirement, picked a good one and bought a house at auction there - a fixer - and plowed $25K CASH into immediate restoration work. Still had enough left over to survive 4 solid years until that first social security check hit when I had $27 left to my name. But still no debt. My ex will die in hock up to his eyeballs, thinking he 'won'.
Most of the few people in TinyTown (central Midwest) have this ridiculous notion that I'm 'rich'. And as someone who'll be eternally considered a dangerous outsider, I can tell you they're blindly hostile as well. After 20 years there are maybe 3 or 4 people here that I'd get in a car with. Early on the klan showed up on the street outside my home, shouting and waving their excuses for manhood. I went straight out in the yard with my shotgun broke over my left shoulder, holding up a cell phone in my right hand. Shouted "Smile for the birdie, boys, the FBI said be sure and get good pictures!" They peeled rubber taking off. I still get anonymous hate mail sometimes, but I like to hope that by and large they decided it's best to consider me beneath any further notice.
And y'know what? I've never really regretted moving here. Been asked 3 times wth is Bob Dylan? but due to a highly unusual visit more decades ago by somebody from the best-known Irish militia, way before I got here, they're scared shitless of Sinn Fein and recognize Gerry Adams' picture on sight. I'm 2nd gen Irish American Fenian, speak Irish, and already had SF tee shirts when I moved here. The rest has been comparatively easy. Eventually had to hang a discreet no trespassing sign on the front and back gates, but that's a minor compromise. Taught my southside neighbors not to park in front of my house in a classic move when they refused to park at their own place. Everybody has at least a 1/4 acre plot and there's an alley out back too, so they had no excuse other than a silly attempt to intimidate me. You just have to know how to use your available resources, that's all.
Same age . . . Same story. 😊
I will say as an avid canner, who owns 6 different canners, I would not lend my canner out to someone who doesn’t know how to use it. It can easily be damaged. Instead of trying to borrow a canner to learn, ask a canner you know for lessons when they are canning. Most canners will can food year round.
I feel the same way about sharing a lawn mower and other tools. People just don’t take care of other people’s belongings. Plus I love how she talks about not having a lawn as she stands in front of a grassy acreage! 😂😂😂
I never found canning to be cheaper than buying from the grocery store.
I agree you can't loan out a book or a cup of sugar and expect to have it returned so why would an intelligent person put more expensive or breakable items at risk.
I agree wholeheartedly.
I lended a drill to a friend once, as his was broken, and he returned the broken one to me claiming it's mine. I never got it back so I do not lend my stuff to anyone now, except my partner scans he lends me his - but we both take good care of each other's possessions.
@@ad6417 I think that depends on what you can.
I mostly can meats and ready meals like soups and stews and it does save me money. I live on my own so it makes sense to me to batch cook rather than cook small portions each time.
One very important thing to remember is TIME. All of these things will take time, significantly more time than you ever realized. Which is why this change is a full lifestyle change. Family activities are now revolving around berry picking, making bread, ect. This can be good, and teach valuable skills, but it's not going to be a quick "let's make bread in an hour" type activity. There is a good reason why people lived in communal tribes, why "working songs" were developed, why so many talks and relationships were built around various activities such as drying berries, making baskets, ect. It's a full shift away from our isolated individualistic capitalist driven lives towards a more communal, eco socialist, self sustaining existence.
LOVE your comment!! ❤
even potato peeling
Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day is a great place to start for fast bread making. There are short cuts to making "slow living" faster and more convenient. Sometimes when you hear that this kind of living takes too much time, it's just a ploy to turn you away from it (like the cost of raising kids thinking).
Ive got an old black and white picture of my family around the same time. Everyone was smiling. Life is what you make of it. 🤷♂️
Seems like depression existed but was way less during the “depression “.
Yes maybe , but just because someone is smiling it doesn’t mean to say they weren’t depressed , back then it was a stiff upper lip you never spoke how you feel , I lost my husband not to long ago , but I put on a brave face to everyone and smile but feel differently inside .
@@Susan-kd3rv Yes I lost my husband also, 16 years ago , it’s just reality. Most people were sad about things in the old days but they didn’t obsess about their feelings the way everyone does today. There were are rituals to get us through. Frequent child death was something that was so common. Some cultures had prescribed wailing as a means to deal with feelings. It’s very complicated and different for everyone. To tell the truth when my dogs have died has been the hardest for me,
@@nancysalerno7036 yes very true people do seem to go overboard nowadays expressing there feelings , if I remember something of my husband I just have a little cry on my own so not holding grief in , then wipe myself down and get on with things , you have to otherwise you won’t survive yourself , my dad who I’ve never seen cry or get upset our dog died , my dad started to cry and get upset I was shocked , by this time I move out but go round nearly every day , we buried her in back garden , yes I got upset I love that dog but I couldn’t I understand why he cried , until I had my own dog for years then she died and I cried then and there I new what my dad felt at that time , people grief in different ways .
I found nothing new here, but I still appreciated the reminders. My mother's family lived through the Depression in barren Nebraska. They never threw anything away until it was totally useless. Sewing scraps and old wool coats became quilts, etc. My current strategy for reducing my costs is to boycott all restaurants and cook at home. This month I spent about $140 for my monthly groceries and I'll get dozens of meals out of that purchase and what aI have in my cupboards. At $20 a pop, fast food and restaurant dining would have yielded only seven meals.
Wendy's has the 5 dollar meal deal still and you get: a jr. bacon cheeseburger, small fries, 4 chicken nuggets and a small drink of your choice. Not exactly the Ritz but it still feeds even a hungry adult.
@@kysmik8214years, but it is all processed & garbage!
$140 a month? How? You can't be getting good meat or all that much good food...no way. 2 people need almost $500 today. Water is a killer now @ $1.75 X 30!!!
I’m from western Nebraska, Bridgeport area
@@jakekot1351I spend under $300 a month for 2 people
So glad I paid attention when my grandparents talked about growing up in the 1930s.
Any advice you could share?
Good list. I agree with everything you said. I have a saying “ information is free. Try and learn something new every day. It keeps your mind sharp and you never run out of storage, never know what you might need to know.” We run a trap line and I tan the furs. I sew garments and blankets for my family from those hides to keep us warm on those cold Minnesota days. I also stay home and grow and preserve our food. We bought a fixer upper and I am the stay at home construction wife. My hubby has a better ability to earn a living so we decided that I would be the one to reside the house, build the outbuildings, renovate the interior, and so on. We also let our finances dictate our pace. If we can’t pay up front, it’s not time for the project. Wait until you can pay. I’m going to build an off grid tiny house on our land for an air b&b as well as an emergency residence for family members if times get tough.
It drove me nuts when I had a perfectly fine cell phone but had to change because the provider no longer supported 3G. Same happens with computers. Some of this is driven by the manufacturers who intentionally make things obsolete so they force you to buy something else. I try to go without whenever I can or buy used or the cheapest version that will still work if I can't fix it myself.
Yep
It's called planned obsolescence.
Saaame I was so mad
Will be eating lots of bread and soup to stretch our organic veg.
Q
Try making stew.
Look up European methods.
Q❤
I find that if I leave the house, I spend money. I am a teacher on summer break, my son is using my car to drive to work while he is in the shop. I’ve enjoyed a week at home. I’ve made granola, dried herbs, tended my garden, read, home repair, and started handwork. I used to live like this when my son was little. I’ve missed this. I always have a greater sense of accomplishment when I see the fruits of my labor than rushing to a job day after day.
How nice for you
During this past fall and winter, I have been saving all the one-dollar bills. Due to the present economic conditions, there will be a plethora of garage sales this summer. I have saved thousands of dollars getting hand powered tools and other items I know I will be needing as I continue to become more self-reliant on my acreage. Sometimes I will offer 'twice-the -price' because of the VALUE of the item and to help the seller. This summer I will have several hundreds to go, 'tool and hardware hunting.'
I live in NM where the sun is very intense, and I am amazed how few people use a clothes line. I hang my clothes out all year. It takes most of the day for them to dry in the winter, but I can do two loads in a day in the summer because they are dry in a couple hours. The summer sun will destroy the fabrics if I leave them out too long, so I turn them inside out to keep the colors from fading.
There are so many more options to buy, and that's why it seems easier than using your imagination. I reduced portion sizes to save money and my health. I collected reusable containers to prepare meals in batches and freeze. This works good for me and my husband since we became empty nesters.
Health is wealth. Cost a fortune in some countries to get good health care. Be very alert on your health - better to be prepared and do everything to keep a good health. Take care of your teeth. Never learn your children to drink soda pops and eat candy. Avoid everything that is bad for the health - you will thank yourself in old age.
My grandmother used Cool Whip containers.
@ZXX984 and lots of butter containers too! You never knew what was in the multiple containers.
I'm getting a spiral cut ham I'll put it in baggies n freeze for sandwiches. A tube of hamburger like 10 lbs makes 40 hamburger patties to fry or bake after cooked let cool n baggies 2 each n freeze for spaghetti or chili or burgers n potatoes. 10 lbs leg quarters cook up seperate legs from thigh bag up n freeze. 😮boil off bone add egg noodles add greens n apple sauce balanced meal. Ive 3 cats n price of can cat food 78 cents each. Ill give cats some of chicken n noodles in cold weather they love it good for them cheaper share w cats twice week.
@@stevehartman1730I have a cat and also feed a stray who comes everyday for meals. I cook some wet meals for them . Chicken liver mousse( fresh chicken livers are cheap and good for them but not too often), cooked shredded chicken, deboned fish, boiled mashed pumpkin mixed with boiled egg yolk. This in addition to kibble. One meal a day is a wet meal.
My father was a young child living on a farm during the final years and after the 1930's depression. The habits/lifestyle carried with him. He would stock away almost everything. My mother wanted to 'purge the pile,' one day when my father was gone for several days. She found an old leather work boot, just the one, not the pair. She asked me, "Why is he keeping only one boot?" I answered, "Because he thinks he might need the leather for something someday." The 'make do, do over or do without' was deeply ingrained in him.
Everybody far out enough in the country should have a junk pile behind the main shed or barn with scrap metal, etc. and other things of potential use at need. Got a leak in the roof, which btw should be metal? Go out back and cut yourself a piece off a leftover piece and cover the hole with that. Etc. I understand your dad totally. At a church rummage sale one time, I bought TWO cashmere wool coats from the estate of well-off twin sisters. Why'd I buy both? One had a good body but the mink collar was moth-eaten. The other had a perfect collar even though the rest of the coat was in bad shape. Do the math. For $10 I had a fantastic coat, and I used the parts I didn't need to make the dog a new bed.
I live in the Colorado Eastern prairie and try to utilize many of these concepts daily. i am a computer programmer... Take nothing for granted.
Just started watching your videos and received so much encouragement and reassurance to move to country, buy land first and start homesteading. Thank you.
My grandfather was a WW1 veteran. After the war, he sold a huge chunk of land he had inherited , moved to town and got a job with the USPS.
He oaid cash for his house. Paid cash for 3 other houses which he rented out. And bought three- one acre plots which he gardened. He would let 2 go fallow with clover or buckwheat then garden one acre, rotating yearly.
He married my grandmother who put the produce up in Mason jars. He also raised rabbits and honey bees. This is how he supported 9 people through the Great Depression and WW2 Home Front rationing. It can be done again.
That’s incredible. Truly. Smart man.
I think keeping an organized home saves money. You know where things are and you know what you have, so you never doubles. This may sound strange, but I have long hair and often throw my hair in a poneytail. I have had the same hairties for at least 10 years,,I only replace them when after about a decade they loose their elasticity. Now thats being cheap!😊
Bingo
I got 3 55 gal barrels n lined with contractor bags. Each marked metal snd alum cans and plastic. The plastic when full is recycled at Walmart. The metal mostly cans r rinsed n put in barrel n when it and alum cans full sold to scrap yard. All trash burned in woodburner that i cook on top of too. All garbage goes to compost as well as asher. Hence no garbage bill.
Your ideas are a great help to me, and I’m now able to live below my income and save hundreds a month.
I live in Australia and everything is expensive, even more so after the pandemic.
I own my home, I grow a lot of my own food including herbs.
There are only two of us now..I can, dehydrated and freeze
I buy quality and meal plan.
I make my own taco, Italian, Greek etc, herb blends.
I buy used, look on line for freebies or swap with other members of my community.
Any excess produce we share with our community and they share with us.
That's just what we have always done, it's not that hard...
Aussie here too. We forage and grow food, have an off grid home and cook everything from scratch/DIY and fix stuff. But some of the baseline costs (insurance, council rates, etc) are wild right now.
@@jenduck5520
It's crazy at the moment..wow off grid.. haven't managed that yet...go you👏🏼🙌🏼
Another Aussie here. Pretty sure that I would have been deemed to be living 'below the poverty line' most of my life, & there was a couple of weeks here & there when I got unemployment benefits.
Seems to me there are a lot of well off Aussies who think they are doing it tough UNTIL they actually fo have to do it tough.
I see people on current affair type TV programs saying they go without but clearly get their hair done at the hairdresser & don't appear to have missed too many meals. I think a lot of Aussies are part of the wealthy minority in this world without realising it.
I am sure there are those who are genuinely doing it tough too but overall we have it pretty good in Australia. Does the average Aussie even get the benefits of our health system compared to the USA for example?
Overall we are pretty spoilt - many employers say they can't find people to work. Sad😅
@@wendylang2360 We are definitely WAY better off than many many people, especially overseas.
True, Kerry; but not so easily explained to the American magas with toxic johnwayne syndrome, taught to be afraid of their own shadow and everybody else's ... For financial reasons I retired to remote TinyTown, and I'd swear Beirut must be more civilized.
Water bath canning does not require special equipment. And you can re-use glass jars from other food items if the gasket is still in good condition.
The lids have gotten so expensive! It was more economical to buy a case of jars rather than buying lids .
Back in 2020 we went back to all most all of your ideas. Love it!
Same here.
Preserving food is great. I prefer to can, not use the freezer space. I also bake all my own bread. 🍞 over the years I have learned to bake just about every kind. I buy wheat, rye, or spelt berries in bulk. Store it in airtight 5 gal food buckets. Then I just grind up what is needed for recipe. Those berries can last 25 yrs if stored correctly. Bread here in California can be $8-$10 a loaf. And the ingredients are not that good. I think mine costs about $2.50 bc I use olive oil and organic honey. Great video. I love how green your land is!
Such a useful video! Great work. Thanks for sharing.
Check how people live in other countries like Philippines, Africa, etc... To them a "poor" person in the US is wealthy. They've been living with almost nothing for generations. Americans live in a bubble. Kind of amazing.
Not so much Philippines, maybe Africa. If you are talking about the extremely poor in Philippines then yes, buy you have homeless in the US too. The middleclass in Philippines isnt that poverty stricken. Many work abroad and send money home.
I live in Singapore, not that far from Philippines.
Africa has o er 50 countries. Africa where?
@@bunchielove6893correct I actually screened shot this to share with my good friend who is like a sister to me is SA. I think it’s very very ignorant of a lot of Americans to assume that everybody in Africa is poor. I watched a video the other day that told their children to eat all of their food because they’re starving children in Africa. There are starving children in America. Africa is a developing continent with many minerals and resources that is constantly being exploited. Luckily they are smart up.
What country in Africa Africa is a continent
@@kristiemiller4752 that line about starving kids in Africa is something I heard growing up too in Asia. There are rich and poor people in every country including the US. In fact the average American is poorer than the average Asian in some countries like mine, Singapore. Unfortunately due to the media, some have the view that Americans are much better off than everyone else. But there is a poverty index and some countries including many African score pretty low in terms of standard of living, income, amenities.
However Americans can see homeless and poor folks in their own country, worse off than some Africans and Filippinos. So that analogy doesnt mean anything.
Wash and reuse ziplock bags,use rags to clean not paper towels.Make your own clothes soap,mouthwash,mayonnaise, with recepies on line and no new furniture. I shop thrift stores and learn which ones have personal items an clothes and shoes. I grow veggies. carrots, potatoes, herbs can be gr own in buckets. So many ways.
Try water instead of toilet paper it's cleaner and healthier
How is that done?
@@FlaGrown1955a spray attachment/ a bidet attachment and home cloth
@@BigSmashKing got it. I will check that out.Thank you!
A recycled squirt bottle from something like ketchup works, too. Perineal bottles issued to new mamas in the hospital after childbirth can also be repurposed.
I really appreciate these tips. I love the foraging one. It also really pays to live in a smaller home, like you said! We recently boughf a smaller house and the heating bill is $120 less each month and taxes/insurance are less too. It feels good!!
I save all plastic bags, use for bathroom trash cans, and cat litter.i save every glass jars, fill w/ beans, rice, and noddlrs.last longer, keep flour in fridge, no bugs, lasts a super long time. Save large gallon water jugs, store rice, beans, and water 💧
That is a great idea! Been trying to find another use for my water jugs.
I buy crackers onnsale.and put in jars with lid...lasts for a long time...mayonnaise jars even large pickle jars..keep lids..works also basically anything in jars
I use vinegar, water and dawn blue soap to clean most things.
Me too. Have for years. As my youngest was allergic to most cleaners. She is in her 20s now.
What is the amount of each ingredient that you use, please?? I need a good cleaner and this sounds like it would get everything clean.
We are currently living in Orlando FL (born and raised in FL). It has gone to s**t and completley unaffordable. We are planninng on moving up to Minnesota and buying a house with some land. We want to have a small farm and be able to provide mostly for ourselves. We are not living a good life right now due to rent cost and crime rates around us, I feel like a prisoner. Thank you for the video!
Remain stoic and resourceful so you are able to persevere. Stay safe and prayed up.❤️🙏🇺🇸
@@pinkpixiepeony4407 Thank you! 🙏🏻💗
I love to buy books and clothing at goodwill or second hand stores. Always love to get items that are secondhand due to they are usually better quality than newly produced items.
I gave my mother-in-law a woollen cardigan that was 2nd hand - had she known, she would have been horrified, but I got it professionally dry-cleaned & it was like new - would have cost me way more to buy new, that is if I could have something of that quality today.
I would highly recommend you do learn to can though. I pressure can meats and when the prices went up we've been eating from our storage. I also pressure can meals so when I'm tired we can just pop open a homemade jar of beef stew, pot pie, or a soup. I also purchase fruits in season to can or make jelly/jams.
@farmtoplate123 I never thought of bbq meats. Thanks for the idea. I have some empty jars too so great timing.
Sewing is my side hustle and retirement income. I learned to sew at age 9 and now I teach sewing classes (a lost art and skill) and I have and on-line shop where I sell things I make and sewing supplies. I also grow a fruit, vegetable and herb garden to save money and to eat healthy.
That’s wonderful. Great ideas.
This is the first video of yours I’m seeing…LOVE it! Love the way you think and look forward to hearing more from you!
Canning isn't that hard to learn and it doesn't have to cost much to get into it. I bought a big stock pot on sale and make it into a water bath canner by adding canning rings to the bottom as a "rack." Before for I got that, I used to borrow my mom's. I do a lot of canning now. I have basically allowed myself to try canning one more thing each year to help it be less overwhelming for myself.
I’ve had an AAC for almost a year now but havnt run anything through it. 😢 a year ago getting it was half the battle.
I have yet to use my canner. I lack confidence in creating a safe product, Any day now, going to watch a few more videos . Lol
I am always fixing things to donate. Apparently things that need repair or refresh do not sell. When I was young nobody thought twice about buying things they would need to fix or refresh. Of course I darned socks as a child too. The world has speeded up, we need to slow down. You have such great ideas for home care.
One place that I lived at had an apple, pear, plum, fig and cherry tree. We planted blueberry and gooseberry plants. Had a bed of potatoes and had tomatoes, radishes and bok choy in containers on the deck. We live in British Columbia, Canada, so we have an abundance of blackberries, huckleberries, salal, thimbleberries, and salmon berries to forage.
I was born and raised in rural Newfoundland in a fishing village with a native mother and a Irish father. Poor wasn't the word but I didn't know I was poor until I went out into the world. I was taught about danilion and cattail roots have the same nutritional quality as a potato and potatoes are a super food lacking only vitamin K. Trout rabbits cod moose and root vegetables. I didn't know what a grocery store was until I was 15.Used newspaper and the Sears catalog to wipe my bum.. to many things to mention
Please tell us more, us city folks need the help!
@@BigSmashKing if you hunt Caribou you can eat the lichen out of the third stomach making it digestible by humans. Always keep the organs of your prey because if you can't get your mitts on fruit and vegetables the organs can be made into a paste that contains most vitamins and minerals you need. If you like the taste of coffee and run out you can dry danilion roots and roast them grind up and it tastes just like coffee. I drink Labador tea for most pain relief.. Wild honey is good for keeping infection out of wounds and spider webs can keep deep wounds closed. If you know the sun comes up in the East remember where north south and west is.. many more things
Yes in times of distress Common Since will take over and things will become real urgent as what you should
do things become clear as the situations unfold before you.
Keep calm and a clear mind you will be fine.
I eat the yellow petals of dandelions when they grow in spring and fall. Makes a nice tea, which has a slightly sweet flavor!
I am so glad that my husband is really good at fixing things. He fixed our washer a few times already, changed the pump. Same with the dishwasher. Also the oven, that broke during the pandemic.
Has he got an older brother available? I am 79 now but everyone guesses me at not a day over 60. :)
As a senior, my advice to everyone is to make sure you have enough land to grow food on, even if your yard becomes your garden. Container gardening is all fine and good but it wont provide enough food to keep a family alive.
And get familiar with edible wild plants you can forage such as dandelions. That way even if the crops fail you can still get some veggies.
Love to pick wild blackberries. So good to forage for food.
I applaud your lifestyle. Brougt up in the late forties and fifties, items were scarce, We had a huge garden, and ate from it. I was taught to knit and sew, made the bulk of my own clothes for many years, My Grandma gave me her sewing machine, a hand Singer when I was about eleven, I still have it in my eighties. With three sons and a husband, I baked every week, cooked from scratch, and we also grew our own vegetables. I still mend my underwear, re elastic my waist slips and my pants. I rarely buy clothes, preferring to buy second hand. I have lived in the country most of my life, a lot of us live this way. My husband was a joiner by trade, and made a lot of our furniture. My dining room table was a birthday present from him. I could gSome of my furniture belonged to my grandparents and my parents, good solid items. I could go on and on!
We are a family of 10. I use every frugal tip that I can find .❤
I think i ll survive…I was born in country side in Russia, we were poor n I have some skills … have a tiny garden just for my children n grandchildren to watch how fruit n vegetables grow n how to canning stuff n I can sew …have sewing machine…n other stuff that my grandma taught me to do…How to start a fire. Also I learned here in USA how to use a gun… I hope I don’t have to use this last skill.
I share the same hope, Somecat. But I'm locked and loaded anytime the local magas want to try me, and after a brief get-acquainted period, they've kept their distance. They are teachable to a degree.
I use to go to the store every payday now I stretch it a little more till we eat everything. I literally have no food wasted.
Well , you need to prepare for harsh coming months
Do prep
Same! We used to struggle so much with wasted food and not eating everything we bought. After Biden wrecked the economy we now buy very little and everything always gets eaten! I prefer it this way, but hoping things get better soon 😄
Always prep in every area of the home x
Great ideas. I live that way. We try to use as little gasoline as possible because it is very expensive as well. Carpool, multipurpose the trips, stay home more. #2 We never eat out. Entertain at home, cook the meal at home instead of paying someone to do it and rush you to eat it. #3 All animals have a purpose, earn their keep by either providing food, protecting or hunting mice and rats. #4. Give homemade gifts repurposed from used thrift items.
- I always like to do things on my own. Since i was a kid, doing my toys. It was the best part of playing. Further it was the base for my entrepeneur career . I live almost off grid today in Brasil!
Good morning. I took a fence down and needed trellis for the garden. I made five yesterday with lattice strips, twine and cut the fencing in long strips. They turned out way better than I thought they would. Free from my yard. I buy frozen bread dough. Five loafs for the cost of one! Not full of chemicals n keep in fridge holds longer.
my grandpa that lived in the depression would always walk around telling us kids those black eyed peas saved a lot of life during the depression.
My sister and I don't need more "stuff." So, we practice intentional regifting.
If she wants to give her sister-in-law a pair of Cutco shears for Christmas
1) I buy a very old set on eBay when a great price comes up,
2) I send it to Cutco for free repair or replacement. If it is damaged or worn out, great, they will replace it for free. I just pay shipping.
3) When I get the replacement set, I give it to my sister. This is my Christmas present to her.
4) She gives the new pair to her sister-in-law. Her sister-in-law knows that we do this 😊 She wants them.
Two presents for the cost of one ratty old pair!
$142 is the current list price
-$ 40 used on eBay
-$9 shipping from eBay
-$9 shipping to Cutco
-$9 to have them ship it to my sister
Also, since my sister works in Austin, Texas, where there is a Cutco store, I can have the eBay vendor send it directly to my sister. They send it in to the factory for free. This saves $9.
Also, the knives are union made in the USA. Lifetime warranty.
I recently subscribed to your channel and have been on a marathon looking at your videos. You are very well versed in your knowledge of things. In the future you should think about doing some public speaking regarding homestead and off-grid living (gig work).
Regarding waterbath canning, years ago I started to waterbath food. I did it the way my grandmother, mother and aunt did it...they all used a large stock pot, put a kitchen towel on the bottom, filled with water and put in what needed to be processed. Dehydration was done by handing herbs or whatever upside down with string, thread or those twist ties from the grocery store.
You are correct in that we as a society has forgotten what it was like to live everyday during our ancestors' time. I live like most homesteaders (smaller version), except I have no livestock.
You and your husband are on the right track. You are in no hurry. You work at your own pace. I look forward to future videos.
❤ My maternal Grandmother had a great little rhyme she taught me ( she was a tween during The Great Depression)...
Use it up
Wear it out
Make it do,
Or do without!
She says this are the beginning of the video 😊 That’s a useful saying to remember!
Love these stories, and reminders - and they are very timely, when I want a change, but shouldn't spend money for any changes!
I have been this way for many many years fixed small appliances that stopped working even watched a UA-cam video about what was wrong with my refrigerator and figured out what it was and solved it saved us hundreds if not, thousands of dollars over the years and things like that.
We grew up making do and glad we did! It taught us much. Great video
I now can beans, beef, chicken, garden squash. I taught myself, mostly. I do remember helping my Mom to can during the summers, but I was young and it seemed so boring then. Funny, now I'm so excited to can! I use the Nesco/Carey Smart Canner. Yes, it uses electricity, but while we still pay for electricity I figured I'm using something a bit easier than the traditional canners over a hot stove in summer! I have a traditional canner, but until I have to use it, I'm using my smart canners.
Loved this. It also made me happy that I follow a lot of these ideas.❤
Loved this video, you made me laugh out loud describing grass as useless 😄
Best advice, ever! The way she described how property switched from being used to grow food to being ornamental was very eye-opening to me! Reminded me of when California was told to stop all watering; meanwhile Kim K had a golf course green lawn around her mansion!
🇨🇦♥️
The communal aspect is so important. If (and I hope not) we have to live through economic collapse again, I want to think "how can we and our neighbors work together to get through this" and not "how can I stop my neighbor from robbing me before I have a chance to loot their house". The other day we had a one-day water outage and because we had water stored, we were able to help out our neighbors. I'm sure they'd also share with us next time :)
Depends on where you live as to whether they'll return the favor or even appreciate just what you do for them. Mostly for financial reasons I retired to TinyTown, central Midwest, where cows outnumber people and it's STILL the county seat. But this is a very old town and inbred as hell, so extremely xenophobic too. They even fight amongst themselves. The only thing they agree on is that they hate outisiders more than each other. Enter moi, the damnYankee invader by most accounts. What they don't realize is that I seriously prep, and if general disaster ever strikes here in Tornado Alley, my house (150 years old) will be the last one standing. I'll be able to help more than just myself if/when that happens. When they make me mad enough now, I entertain myself by plotting to make them salute and sing the internationale b4 they get anything no matter how desperate. I probably wouldn't actually require that, but it's fun to think about anyway when I'm mad at them. And I am well armed and trained enough to back it up if I have to. :p
Simple cleaning solution: Quarter or Half bucket of Hot water, ounce of dish soap, ounce of white vinegar. Good for glass, wood, and tile. Grandmother-in-Law swore by it, and she lived through the Depression.
I'm lucky to have retired to a remote region where the local church has a thrift clothing/household goods store where everything is only 50 cents. I don't think you mentioned sewing; but the uses for pre-owned sheets is endless. One of my more unusual ideas is to cut them up to sew garments or undies or other items you can't find otherwise. I happen to love flashy vintage buttons, so I'll buy something with those and just take the buttons off for something else. For instance, found a genuine Amish black wool hat, adorned it with a hatband on which I'd sewed a large collection of vintage buttons. (Old hippie) Guess what, it ain't Amish no more! And I make sure to get at least double use out of everything. The garments I bought for the buttons? Stuff pillows or even the dog bed with those. If sheets are too old for any other repurpose, cut 'em up in large enough pieces so you don't need to buy quite so much TP anymore.
And that's only the start of repurposing things. For instance on Big Trash day, carry around a small screwdriver with you while out walking the dog or something. If you find something set out by the street like a nice piece of furniture that you can't drag home w/o somebody's vehicle, take off one major piece of hardware while you're there and the item will likely still be waiting when you get back since nobody wants it then. If you forget to bring a screwdriver, pull out one of the drawers and carry that home until you can go back for the rest. If you live anywhere near a college, visit the grounds when students are moving out - you'll find lots of goodies waiting for free. Inspect and sanitize everything b4 bringing it in your home, of course.
When it comes to water and energy usage, right after I retired to TinyTown (nearest big box store 70 miles away) the town admin guys came out to make sure my electric and water meters hadn't been monkeyed with bc they'd never seen bills so low. But I've lived in the desert enough to know most ways to save there too. There were no lightbulbs in the place for instance, and I bought everything with then-current technology - CFL. Twenty years later those wore out and got replaced with nothing but LED.
Lastly, yes smaller houses are better in most instances. However! what I bought at auction was an 1880 Vic for $14.5K and then had to plow 'only' another $25K into it to make it livable. So rare opportunities need to be taken full advantage of. It's 2200 sq ft, 2 storey with an alpine steep roof. I only really live in the downstairs front half; but the place has a deep wraparound porch and wide roof overhang. Now it's insulated to the max. So basically the rest of the house serves as passive cooling space in hot weather. I open one window downstairs on the west side of the house and another upstairs on the east end, then put a strong fan on the mid-landing of the stairway where it makes a hard right turn, to encourage airflow upstairs and on out of the house. When it's 100 outside in the sun, my living space will not reach over 78 before I even turn on that fan. And we have to be at hell's front door b4 I close off the stairway and turn on a window AC for my 700 sq ft of living space downstairs.
Lastly, there's no way I could ever afford full replacement insurance on this place, so I just carry $55K for contents. If a major disaster ever struck, I'd have enough for Amish friends to help me build the most earthquake-proof/sustainable structure in the world - a dome with a belvedere. Anyone who's building from scratch should consider one of those.
You lead a very interesting life. Great & creative tips. Your home sounds beautiful.
@@jstu8 Thanks. I know this is a cliche, but 'it has good bones'. And hopefully it will be beautiful again someday, although under my care never what it was when first built. Too much too many have done to the poor thing b4 I got it, such as pouring glue on hardwood floors when the finish had worn off, to make it easier to hold down hideous carpeting. 12' ceilings, so you know there were transoms -which somebody built over; etc. But I'll leave the old girl as restored as I can when it's my time to go. Just too much for me to finish in one lifetime. But she has a heavy duty metal roof now, so her chances are good for the forseeable future. Back when I first got her, she had a gaping hole in a. rotting roof and probably would've been unsalvageable before long. According to my research, the Lennox furnace was the first model they ever built, and it had worn out to the point it was about to blow the place to kingdom come. Municipal records indicate people were paying (or trying to pay) utility costs up to $400 a month. After I finished rewiring, replumbing, etc and returning to more passive measures, it's rare when my entire bill for everything goes over $120.
I buy my groceries weekly but shop thru the store app based on the menus I plan. Then I pick them up, never going into the store. No more impulse buying!
I just saw your channel and I freaking love it! ❤
Yay! Thank you!! 😁
This is a wonderful video. Thank you so much. Your demeanor and your attitude is very calm and relaxing. And of course, your ideas are wonderful, practical, down to earth.❤
Such a wonderful video. Thank you.
Something that I have to do is to - -
Reorganize what you have. You may create more space, and or see what you can re use in a different way. At the very least, your space will give you the change that you crave!😊
GREAT advice!
Also I learned through UA-cam how to tile and did my 880 Sq.ft. basement myself. Saved a few thousand this way & learned a new skill.
Great channel. Very encouraging. Thank you
Thanks for watching!
While I’m sitting watching this, I’m making a latch hook pillow cover. I love these and I love to give as gifts for birthdays and Christmas.
I also love diamond art so I make coasters and pictures and earrings and things for gifts. Obviously you but the kits to begin with but they are then made with love.
My Dad was alcoholic. He would forego house maintenance so i had to take the $16600 college money id worked hard n saved saving house from condemned. He just said when i went broke Noone asked u to. In 1975 mom had 1st heart attack there were 7 adults n a 4 yr old living on Dads 1 A&P grocery store pay. With 4 days till his next pay n no food n house he wanted to get a $500 loan for 4 daus food n in case something comes up. In all actuality he wanted to b a big shot drinking beer n flashing it n buying drunks for others. So thats when i pulled out the store id been getting 3 extra cans a week n hiding the . He was LIVID. So for a month hed go over the list n register receipt to make sure i didnt do it again. Hed search the place id hidden food. But i continued w 3 extra cans n hid under steps. Please dont drink alcohol or smoke cigs or do drugs n forget tatoos anything like that takes food from your loved ones mouths.
😥
Wow, I'm so sorry you had to deal with that. :-(
personal choice
Sounds like my husband only he was a pothead. Got evicted and had to move multiple times due to his weekly pot budget. Cannot prove to me this stuff was not addictive. I worked off hours so he could babysit. I saved money in a 401k. Always rented. When the housing crash came in 2008 I found a house in a safe area equal to the money in my 401k. I paid cash for the house. It was a fixer upper and still is but I don’t care because it’s mine free and clear. I did take a tax hit on the 401k but to me it was well worth it.
I'm a Newfoundlander who was raised in a rural fishing village before Newfoundland discovered oil offshore. I drove a motorcycle through West Virginia and other places when I was younger because I read to much John Steinbeck as a boy. I didn't know I was poor as a child until others told me I was. What do you think my chances of surviving anything. I was a fisherman soldier and miner and I lived the most dangerous professions and did well.Like me mudder said it's only bragging if it ain't true Tommy..My mother named me after Tom Joad and I ain't mean because of her influence and love.
Thomas, obviously your mom knew that there's no such thing as reading too much John Steinbeck! I named my own son after him and knew I would from the time I was 10 or 11 and my Montessori mom let me start reading anything I wanted to. Between him and Joseph Campbell, I turned out at least halfway okay too. And Dorothy Day. She had a lot to do with my upbringing as well. One of her favorite sayings was that if you have 2 coats, one of them belongs to somebody else.
Have you done a video or thought about doing a video all the ways you use and mix the dr bronners soap? I would be very interested! I do use it for hand soap so far, but want to use for cleaning. I did try it as dish washing soap and didn’t like it. Do you use it for dishes and if so what is your ratio of soap to water? Honestly a video with that plus all the natural cleaners you use and how, laundry soap, cleaners, and etc. I love learning new ways to do things and how others do/ use as well. 15:13
Great video idea! For washing dishes, I just use a couple drops on a wash rag before scrubbing. Dr. Bronner’s should be diluted A LOT.
Dr Bronner's makes Sal Suds that they sat is better for cleaning, and the regular castile soap they say is better for the body. I use both and it lasts forever.
@@raisingwildflowers thank you 😊
@@cindysams9832 thank you, I have heard of the Sal suds, but haven’t tried it. Unfortunately I have really hard water and regular Castile is not recommended for dishes with hard water. I still tried it, and definitely don’t recommend as I had to wash again.
A good list the only thing I would add is build it yourself...go buy framing lumber to build your shelves, furniture, ect. You can get old bikes and build hand carts. Learn to blacksmith and you can hammer out hand tools for cheap. Pick up simple electrical skills and you can repair extension cords or wire in a light and skip the drop cord light. It fits in with the reuse but now I can take the old mower and old alternator and make a 12v gas generator for solar systems
Lawns became a symbol of wealth because of the estates in England.
I never thought the world would come to this but here we are. I am saving more stuff I find for free and trying to find out how I can sell things. Sometimes people will buy things that you never thought had value. They might do something else with the item other than what is intended. They may even melt the item down if its metal.
Since you are off grid could you show us how to? And fees.
I’m very interested in learning
Speaking of technology- save by saying goodbye to all those streaming services and join my hobby of collecting dvds! In my area, people give them away or sell them for around a dollar. I've got a dvd player for 5 bucks. In 3 weeks, I have over 200 amazing and classic movies. And to save space, I cut the picture of the movie and slip that with the movie in sleeve/case and tuck away. If the power goes out or if you live off grid you own the movie. You can even pick up a cheap/free portable dvd player and have movie nights (charged with solar). Its been such a fun hobbie when me and my hubby want some time away from the homestead we can visit some thrift stores. And entertainment is so comforting during power outages like hurricanes
back them up onto an external drive in case, check ones wiht the least amount of failures, buy a projector
I’m 61, and I grew up with my grandmother living with us. I don’t think a week went by without hearing about the Great Depression. I guess it stuck in my head because she taught me how to sew, bake bread, make sausage, plant a garden, and use things on hand to make something new…etc. I’ve taught my own three daughters these lessons. It’s all about turning time into value. If someone can’t be bothered, I don’t feel sorry for them when things get tough.
Check thift stores and yards sales for canning supplies. We have pick your self fruit places so I make sauce, jams freeze for winter.
When shopping for food buy what is on sale. Stay away from packaged items. I love my clothesline. Nothing compares to sun dried clothes and sheets. Why every yard doesn't have one is beyond me. 🌻
My in laws aren’t allowed to have one (dang HOA!)
@@jenniferrosenthal7731 I would never live in a HOA🌻sorry for them having to deal with so many rules
I wouldn’t either! They can’t even have a removable one!
Yikes. What a horrible HOA.
They could always line dry inside. Not as quick as drying outside, but it gets the job done. It's what I do in the winter and during allergy season. 😆 I started line drying my clothes not to be frugal, but because it's so dang hot here, I might as well put the solar energy to some good use.
A word to the wise, sometimes good stuff is thrown out along the road because the owners had a bedbug infestation. Be careful!!!
We found free pallets and lined all 4 sides,not the bottom, with free stuff we had. Cut to waist height and screwed together. Free raised beds!!!!
Please be aware they can be pressure treated with materials
@@dortek882I always see ask these great pallet ideas by my SO in the construction business always tells me to stay away bc I don’t know what they’ve been treated with :/
I live below my means and i produce a lot, I fix 90% of everything, I build all my infrastructure including my home that i wasn't going to build to small lol.
Yard sales . One it’s super cheap plus it’s a way to talk to others
Get a pressure canner and learn how to use it. Meat and low acid foods must be pressure canned. You can get everything you need for under $100. Jars are not cheap but can be reused for many years. We have jars that we have been using for 30 years. Dehydration is good for some things, but canning is a necessity.
You can water bath foods like applesauce, fruits, tomatoes with a large pan. Just make sure the jars are covered with water by at least an inch at all times. Use extra rings to put on the bottom of the pan as a rack. Stock pots are good for this, or use smaller jars.
I go to the library and use their internet, borrow videos, books and audio books