More good sense from Down To Earth

lilmisskitkat

What a lovely blog

I've heard people mention it on here but never actually read it before - its on my favourites list now though

Very relaxing to read with a cuppa (and another 3 jam teacakes - oops!)

Kate xxx

patentgirl

thanks Thriftlady for bringing my attention to the down to earth blog I know you have mentioned it before and she talks such good sense I have bookmarked it now and will get my daily dose every morning

thriftlady_2

moanymoany wrote: »

Thriftlady, I think that many of this lady’s ideas are very similar to Tightwad Gazette’s ideas, do you agree?

Yes I do. She is a fan of the Tightwad Gazette as she has a picture of it on one of her posts. Stockpiling the pantry is something Amy Dacyczyn is very keen on too.

moanymoany

rachelleblondel wrote: »

I love this blog and have signed up for the tote bag swap...can't wait to find out my swap buddy. I'd love to have a mum like Rhonda Jean....

I'm interested in this rachelleblondel as I made some totes - I call them my save the planet bags - and I have one I could swap. Where is it on the blog - I knoww this is lazy, but I've spent the day cleaning and polishing ready for the weekends viewings as it's on the market. This means I'm really tired as I'm old....:p

kunekune

There's one comment I would make: Rhonda Jean is talking from an Australian perspective, obviously, and assumes that it is possible to have a modestly sized house, one income and live well. That might be true if your modestly sized house has an Australian or NZ sized garden attached to it. But where we are, in W Yorks, the cheaper houses have nothing but a small amount of concrete at the back, if that. If you want to grow, you need an allotment. Fine, you think, but will you be able to tend that while the little one sleeps? I doubt it.

I have no doubt about the validity of much of what she is saying. But before we feel guilty about what we think is necessary to keep up our 'life styles', do remember that the basics in one country are not the same as the basics as another. So be careful who you criticise for asking more than is necessary. In New Zealand, almost no house (and, except in inner cities, no cheap house) came without land on which you could grow your veggies. In Bingley, that is a luxury.

buxtonrabbitgreen

that was an interesting read. And I read all the comments too. It is not much different to the os way is it? I agree with kunekune about the land for growing veg. Though we do grow some in our garden, not much as it is quite small. I have never felt the need to keep up with the Joneses and have always been fairly frugal. And for the last 4 months very very frugal as my oh has been out of work.
Funnily enough, just this evening my 15 yo ds was saying that his friends all have a lot more than him, and feel hard done by with only £200 for christmas. I was genuinly shocked. It made me feel a bit mean and guilty for about 30 seconds.
I don't think it hurts him that he doesn't have as much money and goods as his rich friends. He is now doing 2 paper rounds that bring in £15 a week, and often helps people with computer problems to earn money.

moanymoany

I understand what you mean kunekune, however, the way I look at websites like Rhonda Jean's is the same way I look at the Tightwad Gazette, it is an inspiration rather than a blueprint.

I wouldn't copy Rhonda Jean's lifestyle because as you say, it is from a completely different cultural background. However, I can take the germ of many of the things she says and use them to fit into my lifestyle.

One example I can give about a germ of an idea can apply to a concrete back yard. Many years ago I saw an article in a magazine about how a family had used such a backyard. I was so impressed I kept it for ages and read it often. They created a little Garden of Eden by using pallets and scavanged materials to make a long, quite wide bed down one side - along a wall that divided them from the neighbouring backyard. They created a plastic greenhouse - tiny, but it worked. They used all sorts of scavanged containers to grow plants. They grew lots of veg and flowers, it was really superb.

rachelleblondel_2

moanymoany wrote: »

I'm interested in this rachelleblondel as I made some totes - I call them my save the planet bags - and I have one I could swap. Where is it on the blog - I knoww this is lazy, but I've spent the day cleaning and polishing ready for the weekends viewings as it's on the market. This means I'm really tired as I'm old....:p

I think it closed on March 5th so I guess you may have to wait for the next one. Rx

rachelleblondel_2

kunekune wrote: »

the cheaper houses have nothing but a small amount of concrete at the back, if that. If you want to grow, you need an allotment.

Hi there
When we moved to Yorkshire our first house had nothing but a concrete hanki sized 'yard' at the back and I managed to grow allsorts. Grow bags, pots, old buckets, builders rubble sacks for the potatoes and hanging baskets of strawberries/tomatoes, you name it I tried it. I even grew raspberries in a trough cause they have a shallow root syatem & they loved in. In fact I often remember those days with fondness as now my garden is hard work and I still don't bother the cheaper veg just lots of fruit & expensive more unusal stuff.

So give it a go you'll be suprised...:D

kunekune

In my case, there are other reasons why I don't garden (I usually work at keast 6 days a week, the children play ball on the bit of concrete we have, and it is not possible to make any changes as it's a rental property). But I get the point about what can be done - the picture that comes to mind is those wonderful spanish patios. And, I was thinking more of Rhonda Jean's view of the garden as productive enough to save money and thus, if I read her correctly, to avoid needing that second income ...

Though I'm not sure that's