If you want or need to be frugal, it's not just about the "stuff" you don't buy. You also have to use everything to its maximum potential.
For example, I never throw away a chicken or turkey carcass after the majority of the meat has been consumed. I cook it in water, with some wilty celery, carrots, onions and a clove or two of garlic. I usually do this in the crock pot to save on energy. Then I strain it and give the veg to my chickens. It sure beats throwing it out. You could compost it if you have no critters to eat it up. Freeze the broth in two cup portions. To make it healthier, add two tablespoons cider vinegar to the cooking water. It's supposed to pull some of the calcium out of the bones.
I also routinely "recycle" leftovers. From meatloaf, I'll make chili, soup, or stir-fry (just chunk it up). With soup, I sometimes drain the liquid, add cubed potatoes and some cheese and make a casserole.
I have several pressure canners and now I have a pressure cooker, a very good investment for the frugally minded. This thing can take the worst, cheapest cuts of meat and make them fork-tender in 45 minutes. They're not scary anymore, think about getting one.
For a non-food related example, my husband built a greenhouse out of an old trampoline frame and some steel T-posts. He covered the thing with chicken wire and then clear plastic. Then last year, we actually built a greenhouse, so what to do with the old recycled greenhouse? He took it apart and used it to build a run onto the brooder coop where we raise chicks. Didn't have to buy anything for this project, and it looks pretty good, I must say.
It takes nothing but elbow grease to keep your house and yard tidy. No matter how bad your circumstances are financially, you will feel better if you do the best with what you have.
Add your voice! Click below to comment. ThriftyFun is powered by your wisdom!
Tidyness is a mindset, I agree! Poverty or thriftiness needn't be an excuse for a badly kept, messy or dirty yard or house. As to being thrifty? I think that's a mindset as well. Being wasteful is irresponsible (in my humble opinion). I love your ideas and thank you for sharing.
If I may, here are a few more things others might find helpful as well.
As much as I love fresh vegetables, at times they start to turn before I can use them. And finding recipes to use them up right away isn't always possible. Freezing is! Mushrooms, celery, bell peppers, tomatoes ... if they start to get a bit mushy or moldy, trim off the soft bits, bag everything and toss in the freezer. Every three or four months I haul out all those bags and make a soup. One big pot, all the veg, cover with water, add spices and simmer.
Lettuce isn't normally on my grocery list for the simple reason it often goes bad before I can use it all. Spinach on the other hand, I can freeze or add to a stir-fry and it has far more nutritive value than lettuce.
Tin cans come in handy around here (tops and bottoms removed) to protect plants from rabbits. I'll be planting fruit trees this year and using said cans to protect the seedlings. Good sturdy scissors or tin snips, one cut up one side and the cans be removed without damage to the plant.
Thanks for those of you who've taken time to read and I hope to hear about other thrifty ideas.
Hello !
You can keep lettuce on your grocery list. When parts of salads like the french endive or the Iceberg lettuce turn first slightly pink and then orange there is no need to cut off these parts has they keep the same taste as the rest of the salad. If you do not have time to use them before they go bad just cook them. Salad can be cooked and it is tasty and still very good for your health.
Separate the salad leaves and cook them in salted boiling water for 10 minutes. Drain in a colander and set aside.
Peel the onion and mince it, peel and chop the garlic cloves.
In a skillet, melt the butter. Add the onion and garlic cloves cook for 5 minutes then add the cooked salad. Season.
Enjoy very hot.
Its like a game I play with myself. I learned so much about being frugal in many forms from my mom.
My problem is trying to convert my husband. He thinks of it as being cheap & it embarrasses him, so I do my best to hide what I do therefore creating the game aspect.
donkeys years ago when i was pregnant i craved cabbage, i sent my hub to his mum to ask if she d got any spare- all she had was lettuce.i gave up and suffered.when telling my own mum later she said you can cook lettuce like spinach,but by that time id given up!xxx
Thank you so very much to everyone who voted!
I thought some of you might like to see a photo of my happy little girls in their "chick-run". It's working wonderfully - lets them out into the sun without my having to worry about foxes, hawks, or stray dogs.
My daughter usually lets them out to roam the yard in the evenings when we can keep an eye on them. It will be a few months before they are ready to go in with the big hens...
You deserved it. You got it. Yeah!!!
This is great advice. I have been living frugally for years and I love it. You are right ...it is hard work and I love your slogan to use everything to it's maximum potential.
Add your voice! Click below to comment. ThriftyFun is powered by your wisdom!
