Official SS Poll: What do you do to eliminate bills / cut down expenses?

[tortoise]

I voted:

1. Make your own ______ (e.g. bread, laundry detergent, shampoo, etc.)
   
   
2. 
   Maintain a vegetable / fruit garden

What do you "make your own"? I'm always looking for ideas...

 

[Swede]

This is a DIY bamboo stand for my sunflowers.
Here are some things I DIY'd:


Bread:
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2060/easy-white-bread

Ant killer:
http://tipnut.com/ant-killer/
Weed killers:
http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/gardening/advice/g777/homemade-weed-killers/

All of these I was successful with

 

[Hinotori]

Hubby wanted to buy some of those Belvita breakfast things. He always makes me look because he knows I read ingredients and can decipher it. When it hs 3 to 4 different sugar types to disguise just how much sugar is added it's nothing more than a cookie with a hyped up name.

I told him if he was going to eat cookies for breakfast I could do better and cheaper.

So since it's hot out he's just got no bake peanut butter oatmeal cookies right now. It's at least got enough protein to actually keep him full for a bit, unlike the processed crap he wanted to buy.

The recipe is amendable to mixing in pretty much anything dry, so I can add nuts or chopped fruit to the oatmeal later. Mom suggested I just use a square pan and cut it into bars instead of spooning it out as cookies. She figures if I play with it enough I could make a very decent cereal bar for him.

 

[Swede]

Hubby wanted to buy some of those Belvita breakfast things. He always makes me look because he knows I read ingredients and can decipher it. When it hs 3 to 4 different sugar types to disguise just how much sugar is added it's nothing more than a cookie with a hyped up name.

I told him if he was going to eat cookies for breakfast I could do better and cheaper.

So since it's hot out he's just got no bake peanut butter oatmeal cookies right now. It's at least got enough protein to actually keep him full for a bit, unlike the processed crap he wanted to buy.

The recipe is amendable to mixing in pretty much anything dry, so I can add nuts or chopped fruit to the oatmeal later. Mom suggested I just use a square pan and cut it into bars instead of spooning it out as cookies. She figures if I play with it enough I could make a very decent cereal bar for him.

I hate those dry rocks!!

Your recipe looks better

 

[Hinotori]

Picked up rolled 5 grain cereal in the bulk section as well as some fresh ground almond butter to try in them. Cocoa powder if he wants chocolate.

Some nonfat dry milk to add a bit more protein. He asked if I could add protein powder and that's my compromise until he finds a good unflavored or sweetened whey powder.

 

[Mini Horses]

Anyone with a Foodsaver unit...the jar lid sealers are on 1/2 price. FYI

 

[Mini Horses]

cooked turkey in oven while I bush hogged a couple acres -- shared 1/2 turkey with DD on her way home from work. We'll both eat lunches several days from this. Put a pot of split peas in pot over the vent from oven -- cooked those from just oven heat -- AND heated house. I'm good!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

That's a multi-function turkey for sure!

 

[sumi]

I buy quite a lot of berries for my morning smoothies, rasp berries, strawberries, blue berries, etc. And they are NOT cheap here, since most are imported, though I learned the watch the marked down fridge in the supermarket and grab them when they are at 1/2 price. Two days ago I picked up a garden catalogue in the pub of all places and found plants at a good price… Hmm. Grow my own berries, save a lot of money long term, especially since I can freeze the extras. Makes sense.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

That sounds like a plan @sumi ! Berries aren't that hard...and most will spread. I lost a lot of my blackberries because of the constant wet ground this past year - but maybe not, lol. I have a whole new batch that came up in a raised bed right across gthe fenceline from their original planting spot. Do berries know it's a better place, lol? Actually not sure if they are the same cultivar or a wild variety that pushed it's way in. I'm going to wait until next year and see what kind of crop they set before I decide to either help them along - or root them out.