What did you do to save $ today?

[me&thegals]

me&thegals,
my neighbor has bees. she said they cost $35,and just for pollenating. They come in cylinders and live in those. In the winter you store them in the frige. They have no stingers and are not good honey makers, but I was surprised at how cheap and easy they were....sounds like a hot date hugh?

I think you're referring to mason bees, right? I had thought about getting those if I couldn't get hives built (or help husband build them) in time for honey bees. They are said to be about 100 times more efficient pollinators than honey bees even.

Oh--I forgot. My husband and I built our top bar hives. That was a HUGE money saver--no foundation, frames, chemicals or anything. Some money for windows and hardware, but the wood was lying around the farm from last logging. Had to buy the bees, of course.

Foraging--starting to eat quite cheaply again with wild asparagus and garden produce.

Packed my kids' lunches. I do this 4 out of 5 days. School lunches are $2 each. I think I can pack their lunch for less than 50 cents.

Making bean sprouts and brewing another batch of kombucha plus sun tea. I would never buy these things in the store, but if I were to, this would have saved quite a bundle.

 

[VT-Chicklit]

I am going to pick up 300 feet of 4 ft chicken wire (new in wrapper) and 10 six foot posts for $50 tomorrow. I made a deal with a person on Craigs list. I can now fence in my garden to keep out "Stew" and his rabbit brothers and sisters this year!

I also am going to contact a person on Craigs list about a new Grain Grinder that she has that she posted on Craigs list this morning. It was a gift to her and she said that she will never use it. She wants $35 for it if she has to ship it but will take less if you pick it up. It is not too far from me so I am going to see if she will take 20 or 25 for it. Wish me luck.

 

[FarmerDenise]

Good luck VT. I would love to get a grinder.
We've mostly been dealing with the rain and hanging out. Good thing I made that minestrone soup, blackberry pie and bread. We've been living off of it.

 

[homesteadmomma]

Wow, this thread is inspiring.

Today I transferred our two credit cards to a new credit card offered through our local bank. The fee to transfer cost me $2.29 and now that balance is interest free for the next 12 months. I want to pay it off and not charge any more. I am freezing the two cards I just transferred the balances on. My goal is to be debt free except for our home and car.

I also made bread and hung the clothes to dry. I love to hang the clothes on the line. I have seeds starting to pop up of the kitchen table and if it EVER stops raining and warms up, the rest of the garden can get in.

 

[FarmerDenise]

I also find this thread inspiring. It makes me think of ways to save, just so I can post.
And then I feel I have to do what I say. Better than my "to do" list.

I cancelled one of my credit cards, when another bank bought them out, increased the interest by an outrageous amount and woudn't negotiate at all. I just want to get them paid off and out of my life.
I am also making sure I get my other two credit cards paid and not charging on them. I intend to not use my cards unless I absolutely have to and then I'll make sure to cover the amount on my next payment.
So when I order rubber rings for my jars, I'll add the amount of what will be charged on my card onto the amount I would normally pay.
This threat helps me stay focused on not spending money.
"If I cannot pay cash or trade for it, I'll have to do without" has become my motto. And I will succeed!

 

[hennypenny9]

I heard a snippet about how more people are going deaf at a younger age... About how we are almost afraid of being in silence these days. So I turned everything off, and wrote my to-do, and grocery lists in perfect silence. It's raining, and I love that sound, even though I live in Washington and hear it a LOT.

I admit that I did use my laptop a bit while writing my list. This all probably isn't saving tons of money, but at least I'm more organized. And eventually that will pay off.

 

[homesteadmomma]

FarmerDenise, your attitude is great. I have adopted the same attitude as of lately. We can do this and succeed!

 

[Beekissed]

You all have no idea how far ahead of the game you are! It seems every day I am around people who are discussing their debts and how overwhelmed they feel. Their solution? Trying desparately to find more ways to make more money! Most are already working 2 jobs and their husbands have a good job. They honestly believe that this is how most people have to live~to live!

No matter how many times I tell them that I am living well on one income with four people in the house and that my bills are always paid 1/2 to 2 mo. in advance and I'm making less than I've ever made in my life.....they don't seem to hear what I am saying. If they did, wouldn't you think they would stop in their fretting and ask, "How are you doing this?" They don't. They just continue to mindlessly and helplessly run in water, getting nowhere for all their furious motion. I so wish they could find the peace of mind I have about all this "makin' a livin'" problem.

This whole forum is inspiring and I learn something every day I am here...this is how I justify the computer time!!!

 

[me&thegals]

VT-Chicklit's thread on cost of kWh got me on my energy company's website to check things out.

To save money, I have signed up for a couple programs. One pays you to allow the company to shut off your air conditioner for chunks of time when the temp rises above 90 and there is intense pressure on the grid. I have to find out if they will pay me for not having it on in the first place!

The other program gives you cheaper rates for using at off-peak times, but it also gives you higher rates for on-peak use. I work at home and am a night owl, so this one might be a good fit for us.

But, I also decided to spend more money with them to support their renewable energy program. Hopefully the sum total will be on my side

 

[FarmerDenise]

Beekissed you are so right. People just don't get it. we do without! We don't go out for coffee or meals, we don't go to the movies, we don't buy the latest fashions, actually we don't buy much at all. When we do buy stuff, we look for special deals, go to secon hand stores or "put the word out".

Now I am going to go outside and plant some melons, cucumbers and corn and enjoy the sun, the wind, my property and my animals, the fresh air, my freedom and my SO. Wearing my old grungy, not very fashionable clothes and reusing old pots to plant my seeds in.