Comments on: Smart Thrifting And A Good Harvest http://frugalbabe.com/2010/06/12/smart-thrifting-and-a-good-harvest/ A rich life without a lot of money Fri, 25 May 2012 09:15:00 +0000 hourly 1 By: FrugalBabe http://frugalbabe.com/2010/06/12/smart-thrifting-and-a-good-harvest/#comment-29006 FrugalBabe Wed, 16 Jun 2010 06:30:09 +0000 http://frugalbabe.com/2010/06/12/smart-thrifting-and-a-good-harvest/#comment-29006 Hi Jen, Here are a few posts I've written about food in the past, maybe they will help. http://frugalbabe.com/2010/01/26/stretching-our-food/ http://frugalbabe.com/2009/08/24/homemade-tortillas/ http://frugalbabe.com/2009/07/21/eating-our-dandelions/ http://frugalbabe.com/2008/10/20/what-i-eat/ We actually spend quite a bit on food. More than the average family, from all the reports I've seen about what people spend on food. But we spend much less than average on things like cars, clothes, toys, etc. so it all works out fine. I feel very strongly that we are what we eat, and I'm a stickler about feeding my family high quality, organic food, mostly made from scratch. We eat about 50% raw (in the form of lots and lots of green smoothies, salads, homemade dressings, and a few raw desserts). The rest of what we eat is mostly made by me, incorporates whole grains, lots of dried beans and lentils, and plenty of oats (we have them for breakfast every day, and they are very inexpensive since we buy 50 pound bags) Hi Jen,
Here are a few posts I’ve written about food in the past, maybe they will help.
http://frugalbabe.com/2010/01/26/stretching-our-food/
http://frugalbabe.com/2009/08/24/homemade-tortillas/
http://frugalbabe.com/2009/07/21/eating-our-dandelions/
http://frugalbabe.com/2008/10/20/what-i-eat/
We actually spend quite a bit on food. More than the average family, from all the reports I’ve seen about what people spend on food. But we spend much less than average on things like cars, clothes, toys, etc. so it all works out fine. I feel very strongly that we are what we eat, and I’m a stickler about feeding my family high quality, organic food, mostly made from scratch. We eat about 50% raw (in the form of lots and lots of green smoothies, salads, homemade dressings, and a few raw desserts). The rest of what we eat is mostly made by me, incorporates whole grains, lots of dried beans and lentils, and plenty of oats (we have them for breakfast every day, and they are very inexpensive since we buy 50 pound bags)

]]> By: Jen http://frugalbabe.com/2010/06/12/smart-thrifting-and-a-good-harvest/#comment-29004 Jen Tue, 15 Jun 2010 21:46:56 +0000 http://frugalbabe.com/2010/06/12/smart-thrifting-and-a-good-harvest/#comment-29004 I really like your blog and I'm interested in eating more raw items. Some of the blogs I follow use very expensive ingredients when cooking. I was curious if you can post some of your favorite recipes, books, and links and besides buying in bulk, how to spend less on those types of items. Since you are frugal, I'm hoping they won't be too pricey to make. I'd really be interested! Thanks:) I really like your blog and I’m interested in eating more raw items. Some of the blogs I follow use very expensive ingredients when cooking. I was curious if you can post some of your favorite recipes, books, and links and besides buying in bulk, how to spend less on those types of items. Since you are frugal, I’m hoping they won’t be too pricey to make. I’d really be interested!

Thanks:)

]]> By: FrugalBabe http://frugalbabe.com/2010/06/12/smart-thrifting-and-a-good-harvest/#comment-29002 FrugalBabe Tue, 15 Jun 2010 15:44:45 +0000 http://frugalbabe.com/2010/06/12/smart-thrifting-and-a-good-harvest/#comment-29002 Yep, nine plants is a whole lot :) I didn't know if they would all survive, as I planted them outdoors very early in the spring with a cold frame over them. All of them survived, and all have small zucchini on them. We eat a lot of veggies though, and I like to add zucchini to our green smoothies every day. I also use them in place of noodles on hot days, so we'll be having lots of zucchini "spaghetti" this summer. I'll probably use 3 or 4 a day throughout the summer, and freeze the rest. This year is a bit of an experiment in terms of how much of each thing to grow, and what plants do well. We'll fine tune it a bit more next year. Yep, nine plants is a whole lot :) I didn’t know if they would all survive, as I planted them outdoors very early in the spring with a cold frame over them. All of them survived, and all have small zucchini on them. We eat a lot of veggies though, and I like to add zucchini to our green smoothies every day. I also use them in place of noodles on hot days, so we’ll be having lots of zucchini “spaghetti” this summer. I’ll probably use 3 or 4 a day throughout the summer, and freeze the rest. This year is a bit of an experiment in terms of how much of each thing to grow, and what plants do well. We’ll fine tune it a bit more next year.

]]> By: Trudy G. http://frugalbabe.com/2010/06/12/smart-thrifting-and-a-good-harvest/#comment-29001 Trudy G. Tue, 15 Jun 2010 13:27:31 +0000 http://frugalbabe.com/2010/06/12/smart-thrifting-and-a-good-harvest/#comment-29001 Nine Zucchin plants!?! Wow... You are going to be SWAMPED with zucchini. I only grow two and still have to find people to give it away to. Remember that it does freeze well and can be used for soups, stews, bread in the winter time. Nine Zucchin plants!?! Wow… You are going to be SWAMPED with zucchini. I only grow two and still have to find people to give it away to. Remember that it does freeze well and can be used for soups, stews, bread in the winter time.

]]> By: David @The Frugality Game http://frugalbabe.com/2010/06/12/smart-thrifting-and-a-good-harvest/#comment-28998 David @The Frugality Game Mon, 14 Jun 2010 16:44:25 +0000 http://frugalbabe.com/2010/06/12/smart-thrifting-and-a-good-harvest/#comment-28998 Yum! Life is always better when the garden starts producing. Yum!

Life is always better when the garden starts producing.

]]> By: Courtney Carver http://frugalbabe.com/2010/06/12/smart-thrifting-and-a-good-harvest/#comment-28995 Courtney Carver Mon, 14 Jun 2010 14:17:16 +0000 http://frugalbabe.com/2010/06/12/smart-thrifting-and-a-good-harvest/#comment-28995 It has become clear to me that clutter attracts clutter, so I applaud your efforts for shopping only for what you need! I used to go to the store for two things and come out with 10X that. I bought things that I thought I deserved, or to reward myself and now I've finally figured out that "stuff" is not the reward I am looking for! It has become clear to me that clutter attracts clutter, so I applaud your efforts for shopping only for what you need! I used to go to the store for two things and come out with 10X that. I bought things that I thought I deserved, or to reward myself and now I’ve finally figured out that “stuff” is not the reward I am looking for!

]]> By: Amy http://frugalbabe.com/2010/06/12/smart-thrifting-and-a-good-harvest/#comment-28994 Amy Mon, 14 Jun 2010 13:55:53 +0000 http://frugalbabe.com/2010/06/12/smart-thrifting-and-a-good-harvest/#comment-28994 I outfitted all 3 of my boys from birth to age 9 or so with clothing, shoes, and outerwear from thrift stores and yard sales. When your children are young (especially infants and toddlers) there is next to nothing you can't find from these sources, but as they get older it gets much harder to find stuff as the clothes get more worn out (especially in the case of boys), and they just don't outgrow them as quickly. Now I have friends with older boys who give us hand-me-downs when they have them, but I also buy clothing on clearance when I can find it and use worn out sweats and t-shirts for pajamas so I don't have to buy that on top of everything else, LOL. The great thing about boys is that they could care less what they wear in most cases, and wrinkles and stains don't matter much when they're home and tearing around the yard anyway. Life is short and the most important thing I've learned over the years is not to sweat the small stuff:). I outfitted all 3 of my boys from birth to age 9 or so with clothing, shoes, and outerwear from thrift stores and yard sales. When your children are young (especially infants and toddlers) there is next to nothing you can’t find from these sources, but as they get older it gets much harder to find stuff as the clothes get more worn out (especially in the case of boys), and they just don’t outgrow them as quickly. Now I have friends with older boys who give us hand-me-downs when they have them, but I also buy clothing on clearance when I can find it and use worn out sweats and t-shirts for pajamas so I don’t have to buy that on top of everything else, LOL. The great thing about boys is that they could care less what they wear in most cases, and wrinkles and stains don’t matter much when they’re home and tearing around the yard anyway. Life is short and the most important thing I’ve learned over the years is not to sweat the small stuff:).

]]> By: Victoria http://frugalbabe.com/2010/06/12/smart-thrifting-and-a-good-harvest/#comment-28991 Victoria Sun, 13 Jun 2010 19:16:12 +0000 http://frugalbabe.com/2010/06/12/smart-thrifting-and-a-good-harvest/#comment-28991 That's a good example and a good path to be on. Drop off a carload and don't buy a carload more! That’s a good example and a good path to be on. Drop off a carload and don’t buy a carload more!

]]> By: FrugalBabe http://frugalbabe.com/2010/06/12/smart-thrifting-and-a-good-harvest/#comment-28990 FrugalBabe Sun, 13 Jun 2010 14:25:14 +0000 http://frugalbabe.com/2010/06/12/smart-thrifting-and-a-good-harvest/#comment-28990 Tom - Glad to help! The government subsidizes the wind energy we buy from our power company, which helps a lot. They break it all down on our bill and by the time they subtract the subsidies, it usually costs us less than $25/month extra to buy 100% of our electricity from the wind farms. We really like knowing that the money is being used to support the development of the wind energy program, which will end up benefiting everyone in the long run. Tom – Glad to help! The government subsidizes the wind energy we buy from our power company, which helps a lot. They break it all down on our bill and by the time they subtract the subsidies, it usually costs us less than $25/month extra to buy 100% of our electricity from the wind farms. We really like knowing that the money is being used to support the development of the wind energy program, which will end up benefiting everyone in the long run.

]]> By: Tom http://frugalbabe.com/2010/06/12/smart-thrifting-and-a-good-harvest/#comment-28989 Tom Sun, 13 Jun 2010 14:19:46 +0000 http://frugalbabe.com/2010/06/12/smart-thrifting-and-a-good-harvest/#comment-28989 This doesn't directly relate to this post but I wanted to mention it anyway. After reading about how you buy wind power from your energy company I searched around a found that my energy company offers a similar program (for which I have now signed up for). Your Canadian readers may be interested in knowing about Bullfrog Power. I'm glad I learned about these types of programs through your blog. Keep up the great work. This doesn’t directly relate to this post but I wanted to mention it anyway. After reading about how you buy wind power from your energy company I searched around a found that my energy company offers a similar program (for which I have now signed up for). Your Canadian readers may be interested in knowing about Bullfrog Power. I’m glad I learned about these types of programs through your blog. Keep up the great work.

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