Posted on 06/24/2005 6:35:23 AM PDT by Gabz
I was participating in a thread the other day started by a FReeper who has started to grow his own tobacco because of the ever escalating increases in tobacco taxes.
The fact his "crop" is tobacco is neither here nor there and I only mention it as way of introduction to the idea for the title of today's thread theme.
We all got talking about the benefits of making and or growing our own things as a means of saving money and were called on the carpet by a bean counter who claims that when one adds in the time it takes to prepare the things we grow or make we are not saving any money and in fact are losing money because the time could better be spent doing soemthing that actually pays money.
I disagree and would like all of your opinions.
Same here!
We are wonderful. We can't seem to get schoolwork done but we are so far ahead it doesn't matter.
Hugs to y'all!
I make most of our bread/buns/french bread. I have thought about pasta but I thought I would need a machine. Can you direct me to a book or web site for instructions as to how to get started in pasta making?
Freeze your chili before you add beans.
When you reheat, add a can of beans.
We were just at a birthday party last weekend that had a jumphouse....those do seem to be the latest trend, don't they?
When our oldest turned 6, she was still our only child then, we had ponies brought to our house. We lived in an older subdivision of identical little brick bungalows. Getting the horse trailer parked on the street took some strategy. All the neighbors came out of their houses with their mouths open....it was a spectacle!
Thank you for the freecycle suggestion. I had never heard of it! I'm in the process of signing up now.
Thanks for the gardening tips! I will get the Square Foot Gardener....I think I've perused it before but I need to own it. I did start a compost pile a couple years ago but have neglected it until recently.
My other issue with having a garden is our chickens tear up anything I plant, so it will have to be protected somehow. We've tried fencing the birds in but their house and yard sits in full sun and it gets much too hot for them in summer. So we have to let them free range in the yard.....ah, it's always something!! :)
When I was a kid, birthday parties were so simple. I would have a few friends, and my mom made cake for us. It was a big deal when I turned 8 and had a sleepover party.
My daughters really want a sleepover party for their birthday party this year. The only thing is that most of their friends are boys, so I think they have to come up with a different plan.
Wanna bet? Amsoil 5w-30 synthetic oil (drain interval of every 25,000 miles): $24.20/gallon, Amsoil oil filter (change every 12,500 miles): around $12-13 (depending on filter). So, approximately $35 for oil per 25k miles, and another $25 or so for filters for same amount of miles, PLUS, your engine will last at LEAST 2-3 times longer than with regular oil. If you change your oil every 3,000 miles at Wal Mart, how much would 8 oil changes cost?
You need to garden in raised beds.
It's actually easier to control than gardening in the earth.
You can build a raised bed with lumber , but I like the idea of the fake wood. Use 12 inchers.
Fill it with a combination of topsoil, peat, sand . It's not too late to start a garden.
Put down a weed barrier and plant ( no weeding). Every time you mow the lawn throw the clippins on top of the barrier.
Green beans grow year round. You can start a cold weather garden in August. Broccoli, Cabbage, Brussell sprouts, spinach, swiss chard , kale love the cold.
If your winters are mild, they might last all the way through.
I just signed up to be a Mystery Shopper recently. They do a lot of grocery stores in my area. If I do 3 a week I have my groceries free. (I'm just shopping for me and one dog) I just started, so I can't tell you much about it, but it is worth a look.
If your city has a craigslist you can find some bargains there. There is even a free section where folks give stuff away.
Pasta machine just saves labor.
Pasta making is easy but you have to learn how "feel when it is right"
1 egg
1 tsp oil ( I like olive)
couple of hand fulls of flour.
Salt and pepper.
Some people just make a pile of flour on the counter, make a well in the flour, dump in the egg and start beating.
I don't like my counter to get funky, so I do the first steps in a bowl.
Once you have a sticky paste, start adding flour and beating it in.
Flour counter well and start kneading. You want a nice pliant dough with no stickiness but you don't want it to get stiff.
Start rolling it out. Keep it floured. Keep turning it.
You want it very thin. Rub the excess flour off and roll it up.
Use a pizza cutter to slice it about 1/4 inch , I usually use my pinky finger for a uniform measurement.
Unroll, voila Egg noodles.
Makes the best Chicken noodle soup ever. You don't have to dry them to use. Just feed them into the broth a few at a time and stir.
You can make an eggless variety using water but they aren't as flavorful.
Here chick,chick,chick.
Grrrr. . .
;-]
I'm going to have to bookmark this thread for later reading. I am definitely one of those "time is money" types, but I'd rather not be.
A few years back I read some tightwad book in an effort to learn but I was appalled at the advice to turn your Jack O' Lantern into pies and moved on with my less-than thrifty habits!
I have turned somewhat to Mary Hunt at www.cheapskatemonthly.com. She takes a more rational approach to thrift, but I'm still struggling with the whole concept. For example, I tried her homemade laundry soap recipe and had to live with a huge bucket of soapy goo in my utility tub until it was gone. Well, at least until I dropped my cell phone into it and spent far more on replacing the phone than I saved by making my own detergent! See what I mean when I say "I try"?
We are lucky to be blessed with the wherewithal to pay for many services and conveniences, but living as far below one's means as possible is just smart life management.
Thanks, FRiends!
thank you! :)
ping to read later.
Well, for $19, walmart will clean out my car, fill all my fluids, check my tire pressure and we don't have to keep the oil until we get around to taking it to get dumped. All in about 40 minutes, early Saturday morning. That is what we can't beat. My car tells me when to change the oil by the number of something or others by the engine which for me, averages twice a year. Not sure if the type of oil affects that or not. The hubby figures that for $19 twice a year for my Tahoe, they can do it. :)
You're welcome.
Look here
http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/1000/1641.html
Pasta sounds easy. I don't have to bake the noodles after I cut them?
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