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Post by Deleted on Jan 17, 2021 0:44:26 GMT
Long time ago I think it was on HT, there was a sticky that had Frugal Tips or Frugal things done. Anyway, while many of us have frugal practices, maybe this will give us new ideas or help us stay the course.
With the inflation and bad times that might be coming I think it might be helpful.
So, I’ll start.... I’ve kept my thermostat on 60 degrees this winter and used my wood stove heavily. So far I’ve only used 1/4 of a tank of fuel oil. Also in the summer time I turn my hot water tank on the lowest setting reducing my electric use.
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Post by Ozarks Tom on Jan 17, 2021 1:23:12 GMT
I'm going to make this thread a sticky. It'll be permanently at the top of the page. We could all use some advice on saving money.
Thanks.
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Post by Ozarks Tom on Jan 17, 2021 1:33:12 GMT
Like you, we have another source of heat, a propane central heat/air unit, but we heat with a fireplace insert throughout the winter. We set the thermostat on the furnace at 65 degrees and it almost never comes on.
Years ago we changed over to an "on demand" tankless water heater from the usual tank type. Our propane usage went down by at least 20%. We were keeping water hot that we weren't using. The process of changing out the system was expensive, but I figure it paid for itself years ago.
One other thing, when ordering propane or oil, don't start out asking when they can come. Don't tell them your name, be abrupt and ask "What's your price per gallon today?" They don't know who you are, whether you're a regular customer or not, so they'll quote their best price figuring you're shopping everyone.
When I'm dealing with a small company, whose owner is giving me the quote like the guy who's going to replace our well pump next week, let him do his figuring and quote the price. Then, say "Alright, how much could you help me if I didn't want a receipt, and paid cash?" He knocked 10% off. It's always worth asking.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 17, 2021 1:43:25 GMT
Yes, I’ve absolutely found that paying cash typically saves at least 3% and often more. Cash is still king.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 17, 2021 11:19:56 GMT
For the most part over the years, we were only buying staple items on sale. We would stock up on those items big time. There are always going to be times you need to buy some other things, but I can't even guess on how much we have saved just on coffee! We are blessed in that there are some items I get free from work. While sometimes they are in bulk, there is always a way to re-package or use them in a menu item and can/freeze.
Hubs and Prodigal Son are pretty good at re-purposing/re-claiming wood and steel. Prodigal is a foreman for a steel company and is constantly bringing home steel scrap. (This is why I call them Sanford and Son for those who can remember that far back.) Some of those items that are sold are purely profit with no COGs involved.
The biggest one for me this last year was the quantity of seeds I saved. I did place some seed orders this year, but I ordered other varieties to expand my seed collection. I'm sure this one will benefit others as well as myself - especially in today's political climate.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 17, 2021 12:09:07 GMT
I forgot to add - we buy lantern wicks in bulk rolls and cut as we need them. It is sooooo much cheaper!
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Post by Jolly on Jan 17, 2021 14:08:55 GMT
Rice.
My MIL was one of twelve kids, raised on a small farm. They grew their own livestock feed and had a huge garden. But you can't grow everything, and some things can be stretched. Enter rice.
Rice is generally cheap down here. My MIL eats chicken & dumplings over rice. She eats chili over rice. Red beans or pinto beans are eaten over rice. Most of the time when she cooks meat, she makes a gravy and that is served with rice. Or maybe, she starts with rice and cooks a jambalaya.
Yep, probably too many carbs for some folks, but rice can sure stretch a meal...
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Post by Ozarks Tom on Jan 17, 2021 14:34:01 GMT
"Stretcher" meals in a jar are our specialty. When we're canning chili for instance we don't add beans. We've got plenty of beans stored that can be cooked up quickly enough to be added later, leaving self space for the chili itself. A quart of chili can be "stretched" adding beans as necessary, then served over rice to feed several people.
I know I've mentioned this before, but it's worth repeating. Years ago, on a trip to Brazil I toured a wood flooring manufacturing plant. As we walked past the lunch room the owner mentioned that they fed their workers black beans & rice, along with black bread for breakfast and lunch. He mentioned that some of them ate only those two meals a day. I noticed lots of different sauce bottles scattered on the tables, allowing them to eat a slightly different variation as they'd like. People can indeed not only exist, but put in a hard day's work on beans & rice.
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Post by wildhorseluvr on Jan 17, 2021 18:37:16 GMT
I know I've mentioned this before, but it's worth repeating. Years ago, on a trip to Brazil I toured a wood flooring manufacturing plant. As we walked past the lunch room the owner mentioned that they fed their workers black beans & rice, along with black bread for breakfast and lunch. He mentioned that some of them ate only those two meals a day. I noticed lots of different sauce bottles scattered on the tables, allowing them to eat a slightly different variation as they'd like. People can indeed not only exist, but put in a hard day's work on beans & rice. My friend in Uganda who ran an orphanage for many years fed the kids mainly beans and rice 2x/day. For breakfast they had a roll too. For a long time, salt was their only seasoning...no onions even. The kids were happy, active and apparently healthy. Of course this doesn’t work so well for diabetics, etc.
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Post by wildhorseluvr on Jan 17, 2021 18:40:25 GMT
I forgot to add - we buy lantern wicks in bulk rolls and cut as we need them. It is sooooo much cheaper! Thanks for the reminder... I need to check for oil lamp wicks at one of the feed stores.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 17, 2021 18:42:12 GMT
I forgot to add - we buy lantern wicks in bulk rolls and cut as we need them. It is sooooo much cheaper! Thanks for the reminder... I need to check for oil lamp wicks at one of the feed stores. Just as a reminder for those who are not aware: do not buy wicks from Wally World or Meijer. You pay for 1 pkg what I pay for an entire roll!
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Post by wildhorseluvr on Jan 17, 2021 18:55:54 GMT
Always making use of meat bones or poultry carcasses for broth or soup saves a lot of money. I never buy the cans or jars of broth...whoa, they are expensive! I do use some low-sod. bouillon type products if needed. Most people I know always throw away the chicken carcass. But the broth and leftover meat, combined with some veggies left over from previous meals, almost always provide me with at least 3-4 “free” meals, which really lowers the cost per meal. Toss in some rice or homemade noodles and you have a filling and healthy meal for next to nothing. I also consider Costco deli chickens a money saver. Considering their size, they tend to be cheaper than even raw chicken, and I don’t have to use my oven or spend time cooking. They are fairly salty but I pull the skin off before using which helps.
Regrowing veggies saves money too...lots of things you can regrow in a windowsill.
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Post by gayle on Jan 17, 2021 19:46:56 GMT
I buy deli chickens, too. Whole raw chickens are a little over $8 here, while day-old deli chickens are $4. I pull off all the meat and use the bones for broth. I save the skins to add to the broth. Most of the time they have enough salt, so I don't have to add much, if any. I portion the meat and broth and freeze what I don't need right away. Very handy!
I also add chunked carrots, celery, and onion to the broth while it's cooking. After it's done, I strain it and pick out the vegetables. I mince them and freeze them on a tray, then put them in a ziploc. Whenever I want vegetables to add to soup, a casserole, or scrambled eggs, I just throw in a few handsful.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 17, 2021 20:41:24 GMT
I forgot to add - we buy lantern wicks in bulk rolls and cut as we need them. It is sooooo much cheaper! OMG!
Thank you for the reminder! It did not occur to me that I will certainly need wicks for the lanterns!
Where do you order yours?
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Post by Deleted on Jan 17, 2021 21:35:20 GMT
I forgot to add - we buy lantern wicks in bulk rolls and cut as we need them. It is sooooo much cheaper! OMG!
Thank you for the reminder! It did not occur to me that I will certainly need wicks for the lanterns!
Where do you order yours?
Lehman's. I also pick them up there when we venture up.
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