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

[CrealCritter]

CC, if others followed your example: living debt free, it would be amazing how the economy of our country would turn around. Further, if every one who could, would: grow a garden, keep a small flock of chickens (if for nothing more than the eggs provided, learn how to process the food provided, learn how to cook, and learn how to live within their income level, with a goal of becoming debt free, AND exercise their right to bear arms, we would: turn the government of this country on it's ear. Our fearless leaders would be scared out of their socks to be faced with a nation full of people who know how to think independently and take care of themselves.

When it looked like Obama had a chance of getting into office, that's when hubby looked at me and said: "it's time to buy a real gun." That constitutional right may soon disappear.

I'm trying hard to do my part. It's one of the reasons I moved to the county. I just want to be left alone, to live the way I want to live.

 

[canesisters]

haha - dumped the roommate - so far my power bill has dropped by half - the groceries are a 1/3 what they were and the contentment of me and the house pets is off the charts.

 

[Beekissed]

I've never had a major credit card in my life. I had a Montgomery Wards card at one time back in the early 90s for a couple of years, but found it was too much of a temptation to buy my family things, so I got rid of it.

All things have been purchased with money I have earned, except for a house loan and, a couple of times, a car loan, but haven't bought a car on credit since the 90s. Haven't owned a house since the early 2000s either.

Don't get me wrong...in this present world, credit seems to be a nice thing to have...but God has directed me otherwise and I expect that's for a reason. Maybe so I would live depending totally on His provision and not on my good credit? Not sure if that's the case but credit hasn't played much of a part in my life.

It's allowed me to drop off the grid of life(not go to work) and go help my mother in her golden years without any worries about paying off debts. Everything I owned was paid for and I have need of nothing extra right now, other than what God provides, so I'm good. That makes most people my age extremely nervous~no retirement, no 401K, etc.~but I don't feel a bit of anxiety over it.

 

[Mini Horses]

if every one who could, would: grow a garden, keep a small flock of chickens (if for nothing more than the eggs provided, learn how to process the food provided, learn how to cook, and learn how to live within their income level

I've often said a garden, some chickens and a couple goats, I could feed myself very well. There's veggies, eggs, meat, milk, cream, cheese... I'm good. Just need a house with that.

The housing and power issues always need consideration, along with transportation and communication. So, a vehicle and gas are nice, a phone is beneficial. But both CAN be eliminated if need be, as with electric for most. Yes, electric loss is not a fun thought but, we all know we CAN live off grid.

My house, phone, truck, electric, garden, chickens & goats. What a total package. How simple is life? Basic.

 

[Lazy Gardener]

Bee, being debt free is a truly liberating thing. We have a car payment now. But, otherwise have been debt free for years. I've watched my IRA make significant losses in the last year. If I were in the same financial circumstances of most folks of my age, I would be suffering much anxiety over that. But, as you say, "I choose to leave it in God's hands." DH retires at the end of 2019. I am on his medical insurance. So... at that time, I will be challenged regarding medical insurance needs. As you know, medical issues are our greatest expense, and most likely to cause our financial downfall. So, I will need to do something for insurance at that time. I trust God to provide.

 

[Mini Horses]

So, I will need to do something for insurance at that time. I trust God to provide.

Old enough for Medicare? I've had that for 8 yrs. I suppose it will pay if I ever need it. Just hate to pay $1600 a yr for something I don't even use -- & at same time I'm thankful I don't need to use. A real sweet/sour item.

 

[Beekissed]

I've often said a garden, some chickens and a couple goats, I could feed myself very well. There's veggies, eggs, meat, milk, cream, cheese... I'm good. Just need a house with that.

The housing and power issues always need consideration, along with transportation and communication. So, a vehicle and gas are nice, a phone is beneficial. But both CAN be eliminated if need be, as with electric for most. Yes, electric loss is not a fun thought but, we all know we CAN live off grid.

My house, phone, truck, electric, garden, chickens & goats. What a total package. How simple is life? Basic.

Do y'all have a safe drinking water source that doesn't require electric to access it? We used to when we lived off grid, but in our current situation, we have an electric well pump...and no back up hand pump installed on the well head. It's something we really need to do but haven't prioritized.
So, how many really do have capabilities of living off grid, as far as abundant water sources for livestock and family, as well as sanitation issues? Those are basic needs that need to be prepared for BEFORE an extended loss of power occurs, not during or after the fact.

We have water drawn up at all times for a power loss of a couple of weeks but beyond that, we are not sustainable for potable water. We're good for sanitation but it would quickly mount up beyond our outhouse's depth if we had family move in on us due to a grid failure. For just Mom and I, it would serve us well for a long time.

Along with that is an alternate heat source. How many are set up already for a heat source that depends on readily sourced fuel such as wood, as opposed to electric or gas?

 

[Lazy Gardener]

Nope. When hubby retires, I'll be 16 months shy of 65. He's picked up Med A. He'll need to pick up Med B and a supplement when he retires. I've checked out open market, and it would cost me $800/mo. No way can I afford that. Right now, I've not had any work hours for the last 6 weeks. It's tempting for me to follow the "do nothing" plan. But a catastrophic illness would leave him/us homeless.

 

[tortoise]

My goal is to save money on interest in the coming year. I'm scheming to restrict variable expenses (grocery, gas, clothing, IDK, whatever) and pay the amount saved to mortgage principal. My goal is $12K in 2019. I'm not on track for January - DH wanted to go for a mini-vacation and that used up the amount I was planning to save. Oh well. Gotta find a balance. He works too much and it's good to see him take a break.

 

[Lazy Gardener]

Excellent post, Bee. Our well is over 200' deep, with only 1.5 G/min. fill rate. I think there are places on our property where we could put in a hand pump. I wish I'd addressed that when we had the guy and his excavator clearing our land and making a huge mess of it. It would have been a very easy thing for him to dig out that sink hole we had in the "new" front lawn. I think that would have yielded a good water source. Sink an oak barrel, rock it in, and we'd have had water at least for the "unfrozen" months. In order to have water in the winter, it would need to be very well insulated, and over 6' deep.