Stretching the shrinking dollar

[Snax]

No doubt on the paper useage. I think I used to go through about a roll a month. Now it's one of this big 24 roll packs a month. No wonder the toilets in this house plug up so often. >:|

[Devinator]

You can save on lighting costs by trying to wake up at sunrise to take full advantage of daylight and minimize the time you are awake at night and have the lights on.

[jcp123]

I unplug my TV/Satellite box/other electronics when not in use. I'm a light-turning-off nazi, too. We use some CFL's, but aren't font of the harsher light range they put out, and can't use them in dimmer lights or in a couple of lamps where the shades mount on the bulbs, either. Otherwise, the house does a lot of conservation work for us - the guy who built the house for himself was a housebuilder by trade, so it's so well-sealed that when you close a door you can hear the pressure changing on all the other doors and windows in the house.

Of course, the guy next door to us who built his house into the side of a hill has us beat...$70/mo electricity bill for a 2200sf house vs. $130 for our 2800sf.

[Snax]

We just cancelled our satellite subscription which should lead to much more TV off-time. Throw in the writer's strike and the fact they give away Faux News but charge people more for somewhat more real channels, and I'm not missing it much.

I pretty much only watched DIY, HGTV, the premium movie channels, and Mythbusters, but between Netflix and all of the on-demand stuff available over the internet, it's hardly a loss. Now my kids won't be watching endless ads for crap that nobody needs during their cartoons, and they just might have to do something active or read!!

I guess having grown up with just 3 over the air channels for so much of my youth, I don't have allot of sympathy there.

[white90crxhf]

Originally Posted by QDM

Solar PV powered off grid house. Solar water heater. 50 MPG car. 80 mpg motorcycle. Ponytail and beard so no haircuts or razors. Buy wheat and grind it myself with a hand grinder to make bread. Vegetarian so no high priced meat. No cable TV and $9.95 internet. House and car paid for so minimal insurance costs. No debt so no interest payments. There's more but I can't think of them right now.

Q

every try growing your own wheat? i'm going to try this year in a small part of my yard.

[GasSavers_James]

I would like to grow my own wheat. I dont think I will get to it this year, but we are doing potatoes, carrots, beets, parsnips, onions, and winter squash. I am excited to use the root cellar in the house we just bought. I have a lot of work to do clearing a big garden and planting an orchard, along with pruning back the old apple trees to get them bearing.

[GasSavers_James]

We are getting goats for milk, and for clearing brush around here. It should save some money, considering how expensive organic milk is. Also am doing it for health reasons: if you drink raw milk from animals eating green grass, you barely ever get cavities...so it reduces your dentist bill. really good for children too. I do realize that goats are a complete pain in the a**, and I will have to do a lot of fencing to keep them where i want them.
We also have a use for the hq manure they produce...the garden and fruit trees.

[white90crxhf]

i won't be growing much wheat...maybe 150sq ft probably not even sure how much wheat i'll actually get. Do moles eat wheat? we got a mole that won't go away.

[Snax]

Mrs. Snax here

We also did cloth diapers.. fuzzy bunz. 300 dollars invested in diapers, an extra 10 bucks a month in laundry (less in summer). Breast feeding children is also a money saver. Between the saved medical costs and formula costs it is expected that parents can save between 1200 and 4000 a year JUST by breast feeding your babies. (dads get to sleep more at night too)

We buy the best bikes we can for the kiddos. We have a Gary Fisher cross over bike that has now been through four children... much cheaper than a 70 dollar walmart bike for each kiddo. ESPECIALLY since my mom is the one that purchased it and passed it to us after my MUCH younger brother and cousin were through with it.

[MD2000]

All good suggestions,
I canned 24 quarts of tomatoes using a modified radar dish (c-band would work) and only the sun for energy.
http://www.99mpg.com/resources/artic...ingintothesun/
This dish outputs 1500 watts and can melt aluminum.
I heat with coal,wood, and solar, and get all my winter hot water for free.
Story of heating system development.
http://pages.cthome.net/genesisone/solar_page.htm
Then I have the batmobile for transportation that can get over 100 MPG and run 40 miles on only electric which I generate with solar panels over the garage door.
http://www.99mpg.com/Projectcars/mikesinsight/