Turning a new leaf on our thriftyness

Pollycat

retiredlady wrote: »

It sounds a hard life to me! What about toilet paper, shampoo, soap etc? I wish you luck, however! I'm thrifty, but I save so I can relax and enjoy myself. I do grow some veg and some fruit but I only have a small garden:beer:

It does to me too.

Reminds me of that old joke about the bloke who doesn't drink or smoke or socialise and is asked if it will make him live longer and he says something like 'No, it just feels like it'.

The OP doesn't say if this new thriftiness is driven by a financial need (other than to stop 'far too much leakage and seepage of money being lost on all sorts of unnecessary things').
I too wish the OP well (although I'm not sure how well he has thought out his plan) and look forward to reading updates on how he is doing.

FairyPrincessk

Sorry, I meant legumes not specifically lentils. I must have been distracted. I still think you might want to broaden the grains/cereals you eat. They're a significant source of b vitamins and trace nutrients like selenium. A couple of thoughts, first you might want to look at the kinds of 'dry goods' pioneers in the US used to buy. Living far from suppliers they bought an interesting selection of things to supplement what they couldn't produce on their own. You may also want to look at the challenges that were most difficult for the government during rationing in the UK. Fats were challenging, but so was providing for a well-rounded diet solely with what could be produced here. Fish is one thing that springs to mind--in the winter it is an important source of vitamin D, especially if you aren't getting much animal fat from cheese, butter etc. If you're consistently eating greens and can also add in broccoli then an adult would probably be fine for Vit C and calcium, but I would not attempt the experiment on a child. I'd also try to locate some sources of nuts and seeds--be they part of your dry goods purchases or foraged and gathered.

If it were me, I'd probably scale back the plans and try to approach it more in stages. So, for the first year I'd probably just try to produce as much fruit and veg as possible and re-evaluate what processed foods I bought (i.e. processing grains is very labour intensive and takes a lot of land so I'd still buy things like flour, barley, rice etc.) I'd keep records that first year of what I produced, what I bought and how I could improve. Gadget and clothing purchases would be avoided.

The next year, I'd probably be ready to reconsider a few more things--you might have bees by then and only need to buy sugar for preserving. You might have a better handle on your preserves by then so you might not need to top up your fruit and veg in the lean months as much.

You'll still need to buy salt, and personally I'd allocate an annual budget for spices as I'd not want to go back to the days before cinnamon and cumin etc. were available. You can probably grow most herbs, but I doubt you'd be able to cultivate a cinnamon tree.

While I don't think it is a crazy project, I think we've all started something in our lives with a big jump in--be it one of those fad diets, an exercise regime or an all around lifestyle overhaul and given up far too quickly. There is something to be said for that old story about the tortoise and the hare.

Out,_Vile_Jelly

Good luck with your bold and interesting plan, and please keep us updated.

Unless you are seriously restricted financially, it might be easier to break these major life changes down into a stages as I think it will be more successful long term.

I would suggest having some emergency tins (beans/soup from the value ranges) in stock, in case of isolation due to severe weather, or if both of you are struck down by flu at the same time.

Lynplatinum

Hi

Good luck with this idea. It will be hard work but not impossible! I think you might need to factor in loo roll, bleach, washing up liquid. Some folks have got a kind of egg thing that goes into a washing machine (can anyone help the OP out with its proper name) that I understand does not need replenishing often.

I would agree with the stock of tins - when I broke my leg last year and was house bound - until I cold get my first MrT order delivered I fed from freezer, tins and dried milk (made own bread) (had butter and cheese in fridge also). Just in case something immobilises you its as well to be prepared.

Another thing is to write down each night EXACTLY what you have spent that day and on what!! A real eye opener exercise!!! Start with a page with each day of the month on it - mark Direct Debits on in red in column 1. use column 2 for food. Column 3 for car. (for example) Last column is where you total the day up and last Row is where you total the month up. did this for 2 years before I managed to get myself under control! I did it on paper as I kept this by where I sat and relaxed each night but you could use a spread sheet - if you are sure you would do it everyday :-)
Good luck! :-)

[Deleted User]

I live alone and have a food budget of £60.00 per month.In the first three months of this year Jan -Mar I came in under budget.I do pad meals out with veg and have cut back on meat consumption quite a bit.Veggie only meals about twice a week for variety as Lasagne or Curry with veg is great instead of meat, as another poster said, herbs and spices are essential to add flavour to your meals.

I will be interested to see how you manage .I, because of age and clapped out bones, don't grow food myself , but utilise all of the Aldi offers when possible, and my local greengrocer often has left over stuff from the weekend on a Monday morning ,(a large bag of slightly soft tomato's 50p) make a great litre or so of ragu sauce for spag bol,and I freeze in portions for later use.
Obviously not going near to a shop helps as well and I have this month managed to actually shop on three times. Over last year I seemed to have accumulated large stocks of dry and tinned good and my kitchen cupboards are fairly full.

Dried milk is essential during the winter time, I don't eat bread so I don't have that problem.

I think maybe 'baby steps' at the start and just break yourself in gradually to the frugal life style will help you far more than just starting it off at such a low amount.but if you can do it then I wish you well.Its the incidentals that creep in to grab your cash.

I menu plan every week and know within the following 7 days what I need and what I have in store.definitely a large bag of lentils will help no end for soup,pate's etc and rabbits (although not my go-to meat ) if plentiful where you live will help supplement you meat.

Even shooting stuff costs cash, unless you have some ferrets to help catch them(then you have to feed them as well. Hens need feeding.The idea of growing your own sounds great but what will you eat while its growing. Fruit also has its seasons .hopefully you can pick and freeze or bottle your fruit.
If all else fails do nip into the 'Not Buying It' forum or the 'Make do & Mend & Minimise' one we are all pretty frugal and have lots of ideas between us all to help streeetch those pennies

JackieO

jamars

Many thanks for all of your warm thoughts and suggestions - we have taken them on board and we are continuously reviewing budgets and methods.

To comment on a few points - and sorry for not replying to each and every. . .

We do have an emergency supply of tins in the stockpile - over 80 tins of the essential types.

We do keep track of everything spent, the Mrs is a marvel at accounts and spreadsheets. Food budget for the past 7 days £3.99, £1.01 under our budget.

As for cleaning supplies, like detergents, washing up liquids, shampoos and soaps - we simply use vinegar and bicarb bought in bulk from a wholesalers. Toilet paper is supplied by the free copy of the Metro found at train stations.

We are keeping our diet pretty varied, not just on shot rabbits and squirrels, but on heart and kidneys that the local butcher donated in exchange for eggs.

We do have a habbit of going full on into projects, but this concept has been with us for a while, and I we will do our best with it!

Pollycat

jamars wrote: »

Many thanks for all of your warm thoughts and suggestions - we have taken them on board and we are continuously reviewing budgets and methods.

To comment on a few points - and sorry for not replying to each and every. . .

We do have an emergency supply of tins in the stockpile - over 80 tins of the essential types.

We do keep track of everything spent, the Mrs is a marvel at accounts and spreadsheets. Food budget for the past 7 days £3.99, £1.01 under our budget.

As for cleaning supplies, like detergents, washing up liquids, shampoos and soaps - we simply use vinegar and bicarb bought in bulk from a wholesalers. Toilet paper is supplied by the free copy of the Metro found at train stations.

We are keeping our diet pretty varied, not just on shot rabbits and squirrels, but on heart and kidneys that the local butcher donated in exchange for eggs.

We do have a habbit of going full on into projects, but this concept has been with us for a while, and I we will do our best with it!

You've just lost my interest (and your credibility) with the comment in bold.

[Deleted User]

Using newspaper as 'loo paper' is really turning an old leaf into a new use. I'm in my late 60s and can remember when newspaper squares in the only toilet we had which was outside at the top of the back yard was all we ever used, I don't remember there ever being shop bought toilet paper and if there had been it would have been the kind that is like greasedproof paper and very scratchy. Newspaper is much more comfortable than that. Just another aspect of 'waste not, want not'.

jamars

MrsLurcherwalker wrote: »

. . . been the kind that is like greasedproof paper and very scratchy. Newspaper is much more comfortable than that. Just another aspect of 'waste not, want not'.

Yeew that grease proof paper - I remember that from primary school.

I see now't wrong with using news paper - it's free. Why pay for something just to throw down the drain!

[Deleted User]

We make papier mache logs with our newspapers, dry them in the polytunnel and use them to help get the woodstove lit when we run it through the winter. Just saving landfill space, saving us cash and using up something we've paid for, only common sense isn't it?