What do you do to cut expenses down?

[gardeninggirlie]

@frustratedearthmother
Yes! Look for the ferny asparagus growing in ditches along roadsides, they'll be 3-4' tall, some have the red berries hanging near the stalk this time of year. Wherever you see the ferny stalks now, there will be wonderful tender asparagus next spring. In the places we've found them, near guardrails of all places, the road is less traveled and the city never sprays the ditches, just mows it well after the best crop has already been picked (by us, haha!).

I would advise against eating any red berries found on asparagus found this time of year until you research it fully yourself, if interested. They could potentially be a source of seeds to plant in your own space though.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Thanks for the info!

I have a small asparagus bed that has gotten smaller every year.... We've been so wet for so long the last couple of years that it just can't tolerate it... If/when I replant it, I'll put it in a raised bed for sure.

 

[Mini Horses]

A closer to home savings ...

I turn off the breaker to my hot water tank. Now I have a 50 gal one, WELL insulated, only me to shower. So, I turn the breaker off, still have plenty of hot water for about 3 days of showering if I don't just "stand there". On the days that I turn it to on position, you can bet I take a longer hot shower. But, a couple of days (esp in summer heat) of cooler water can be a savings.

 

[MoonShadows]

Cut another $10 a month off my internet bill, by switching to a slower speed. It is still pretty fast. I don't need lightening. Funny how our local cable company (read: monopoly) charges more for basic internet if you don't have a TV plan to go along with it. We dropped our cable TV a few years back. Mostly garbage anyway. We have a Roku Box, now. Our only cost on top of internet is a Netflix subscription which is $$$ less than the local cable company's TV packages. We watch a lot of old shows and documentaries. Love the YouTube Channel for Homestead/Off Grid vids....but, I'm rambling now!

 

[Britesea]

Hey @MoonShadows my husband wants to know if he'd be able to watch rugby, or australian football?

 

[MoonShadows]

Hey @MoonShadows my husband wants to know if he'd be able to watch rugby, or australian football?

I will check it out, but nothing is "live" on Roku....all previously recorded. I'll get back to you.

 

[lcertuche]

Great tips! Some new to me, many I already use, so no need to repost.

Only thing I can think of at the moment: Shampoo. I don't make my own, I buy concentrate. I am licensed, and have a beauty supply store near me so, when their gallon sized concentrate goes on sale for 3.99, I pick up some. I would guess an item like that wouldn't be restricted to the public. It can be diluted up to 8:1. I can't make, homemade, 9 gallons of shampoo for under $4. I keep an old regular sized shampoo bottle to mix/use it.


I can't count

This is a great tip for those of us with large families. Kudos!

 

[MoonShadows]

Hey @MoonShadows my husband wants to know if he'd be able to watch rugby, or australian football?

@Britesea I found this link for all the sports channels you can get with Roku Streaming

https://channelstore.roku.com/browse/sports

There are dozens of sports channels...I even noticed a Rugby channel

 

[Britesea]

Thanks @MoonShadows I'll have DH check it out.

 

[baymule]

Cutting expenses......we traded a horse for hay bales. She weighed 1200 pounds and I didn't do anything with her, so it was a good thing to do. The feed bill has gone down.