I spent the day on Friday researching homemade cleaning recipes. I did this for several reasons. The first one is due to the amount of cleaning supplies we currently use. I am purely guessing, but I am going to try to average what we use for a month in cleaning supplies:
1 lg bottle laundry detergent- $14.00
1/2 dishwasher detergent- $1.50
1 bottle dish soap- $1.00
fabric softener- $2.50
carpet refresher- $3.00
1/3 furniture polish- $1.00
all purpose cleaners and wipes- $3.00
upholstery cleaner- $3.00
We use a few other things, but they are in such small amounts that it is not worth adding in the cents of it we use every month. So we use roughly $30 a month or so in high end cleaners.
I decided for my Spring cleaning in July to go au natural, that is, not using the stuff I normally do. Because I wanted to try out cleaning as naturally as possible with as little money as possible, I researched different cleaners, gambled with how they would work, and am here to share my experience with the natural solutions I used. I learned a lot today! Now, just for the record, I used normal laundry detergent because I just bought a HUGE container of the cheap stuff, and want to use the container when it is gone for my homemade trial. So I used regular laundry detergent.
What did I clean, what did I use, how did it work?
I did a thorough cleaning of our bedroom today. Our bedroom for now is a bedroom for 4. Our 23 mo. old and 11 mo. old are in cribs in our room.
The wood-
Lemon juice and olive oil seems to be the norm for furniture polish. I varied this to what I had on hand, which was lime juice (from making salsa) and I have all sorts of oil, but canola oil is SOOOO much cheaper than olive oil, so I tried that.
My results? It didn't smell like much at all, but the mixture cleaned the furniture and gave it a great shine. The part I was shocked about though is that some of the scratches that were previously there just "disappeared". Instantly. I have never seen this with the store bought stuff, although it has a great lemon scent. That is the trade off (unless of course I ever decide to invest in some essential oils).
The carpets and upholstery-
We have a carpet cleaner, but I refuse to pay 20 bucks for carpet cleaner (our recommended brand for our carpet cleaner). So I tried using vinegar. 1/2 vinegar and 1/2 water. I tried this with both our couch and our carpets. The carpets were only dirty from shoes, but the vinegar water solution did really well removing the stains. The "miracle" was with the couch. Our lil ones fall asleep with milk bottles and cups on the couch constantly, which leaves huge outlines of stains. We have tried to remove the milk stains with upholstery cleaner, and they did OK. But the couch removal was INCREDIBLE... It looked NEW!!!!! White vinegar worked wonders for this.
I mixed 1/6 borax, 1/6 washing soda, and 1/6 white vinegar with 1/2 water. It is not rocket science, so just eyeball them. This is what I used as a multipurpose, and it worked just as well as my normal cleaner. However, what I did notice is that is you leave it on rather than just wipe it off, it takes marks off immediately.
My conclusion? Getting started on "natural" cleaning is worth it. 100%. It cost me around 7 bucks to buy the borax, white vinegar, and washing soda, and the rest we had around the house. But I believe firmly that these 3 products are worth the minimal investment. I am going to do some research on other uses for these products, and post even more uses.
As always, thanks for reading!
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Start An orchard!
An orchard is probably one of the best investments you can ever make. If you don't have $40 a pop for trees, or don't have your dream home yet. That is ok. As your family goes through store bought fruit, start planting the seeds. All it takes to get these little guys started is 3-4 bags of soil, and a few dozen planting bags like the ones below. These bags are the exact ones I got, same seller, and they are doing great. They were ready to go when they got here. If the trees do not produce good fruit, you have some wood for other uses. I plan on planting EVERY single fruit seed and pit that comes into this house over the next year or two is getting planted. These bags worked so well for me, I am going to grab a bunch of 5 gallon bags, and 50 more 1 gallon bags to grow out our fruit trees in. I expect our total cost to be under $80 for the fruit trees (not counting water!).
So for the cost of 2 fruit trees, you can have 100! If you take good care of them, and half of those survive and produce fruit, you can have all the fruit trees you need to get your orchard started. Wait until they fruit for the first time. If the fruit is terrible, or it never fruits, give it away or use it for any of the other ways wood can be used. On the other hand, if you have 10 apple trees that produce great fruit, I am sure you have a few neighbors who will take it off your hands for a couple bucks. So starting an orchard this way may take a little longer, but it will save you tons of money, and you can even make a small profit in the end!
Right now though, we are all about savings. An orchard is a savings as WELL as a great investment for your future. This is an investment that can be as big or as small as you want to make it.
1. Sell the fruits.
2. Use the land under and around the trees for herbs, and sell the herbs. This works especially well when your trees are not producing.
3. Learn to root trees from branches and sell the little trees. These also make great gifts.
Do you have any other ways you make money off of your orchard?
So for the cost of 2 fruit trees, you can have 100! If you take good care of them, and half of those survive and produce fruit, you can have all the fruit trees you need to get your orchard started. Wait until they fruit for the first time. If the fruit is terrible, or it never fruits, give it away or use it for any of the other ways wood can be used. On the other hand, if you have 10 apple trees that produce great fruit, I am sure you have a few neighbors who will take it off your hands for a couple bucks. So starting an orchard this way may take a little longer, but it will save you tons of money, and you can even make a small profit in the end!
Right now though, we are all about savings. An orchard is a savings as WELL as a great investment for your future. This is an investment that can be as big or as small as you want to make it.
1. Sell the fruits.
2. Use the land under and around the trees for herbs, and sell the herbs. This works especially well when your trees are not producing.
3. Learn to root trees from branches and sell the little trees. These also make great gifts.
Do you have any other ways you make money off of your orchard?
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Your allotment
Growing Veggies in a small plot in your yard or patio is a great idea for saving a bit of money. There are people who love it, and people who hate it. Me? I love choosing what I plant and watching it grow. There is nothing better though than going out to your yard and picking tonights pasta sauce or salad. A garden is not only a symbol of frugality, but a symbol of luxury. It also offers the ultimate in security.
During my "fast food days", I realized at one time, peppers were banned at taco bell, and tomatoes became nonexistant at Burger King, Subway, etc. due to food shortages. I LOVE fresh tomatoes, even the grocery store ones. With the worst flooding in years along the Mississippi and the droughts throughout Texas and the surrounding states, I expect our food prices to skyrocket. Many basic staples have nearly doubled in just the last 12 months.
APARTMENT LIVING
Currently, we are in an apartment with only a small 3rd floor balcony. I am only being "allowed" a small shelving unit for my garden. At this point, we have a beautiful view of the water- and if we hit a money problem, we have fish abound right in our own backyard. This provides us with some security we need. Know if you ever get desperate, where some temporary food sources are.
My love for gardening and realizing the need for a secure future has made me exert much of the little space I have to only 2 plants for our immediate needs: tomatoes and peppers. This is partially because our porch is screened, so I get no help from the good insects, and need to pollinate my tomatoes and peppers by hand.
The remainder of our garden is completely dedicated to starting fruit trees from seed. Right now, I have 1 baby mango, a few lemon, a few lime, and a few papaya growing on our porch, all in 1 gallon bags. I grew all of them from $4 worth of fruit I got from the store. I also have 3 avocado seeds in 1, however, I have not had much luck with these guys. If one actually sprouts, I will move it. For newbies, many of these will not grow to be just like their parent plants in flavor, size or shape, and could be terrible. But then again, they could also be superior. I, personally, would rather take 33c and buy a lime and grow the 4-6 seeds in it for a few extra years (especially since I can not plant them outside anyway!) and take my chances that 1 of the 5 will produce an equal or superior lime. I now save the seeds from all the fruits I can.
If you have a brown thumb, but want to try this, go buy a papaya. They have hundreds of seeds, so hundreds of chances to screw up. I planted 3, and 2 have grown with little sun or assistance from me other than a daily watering. They are not a tree, by the way, so do your research on how to grow them. They are actually an herb, much like a banana.
Since I had so much luck with the lemons, limes, papayas, and the mango, I am going to try to get my hands on apple, orange, and peach seeds. I am also going to order a few more seeds from the SEEDMAN.
There is another plant that through years of research seems to be a "must have" no matter where you are. It is nicknamed the "survival tree" because it is extremely useful and is supposedly very easy to care for.
PEOPLE WITH LOTS OF LAND
You guys are the lucky ones. If you have many acres of land, that is you! Although we aren't focusing on people with tons of acreage, but there may be some great ideas to help you make more of your land.
THE "LUCKY ONES"
These are the people with anywhere from 1/4 of an acre to 2 acres. The reason I consider you "lucky" is that these are the people who can grow some of their own food and maybe even a bit of a profit (enough to cover a lot of expenses, including the rest of their food), and never leaving home.
I am hoping to use these "babies" I have planted on our balcony to get a great head start on being one of the "lucky ones" in about a year and a half. I hope to have a great source of EVERYTHING, and KNOW HOW TO USE IT, within the next 10 years.
During my "fast food days", I realized at one time, peppers were banned at taco bell, and tomatoes became nonexistant at Burger King, Subway, etc. due to food shortages. I LOVE fresh tomatoes, even the grocery store ones. With the worst flooding in years along the Mississippi and the droughts throughout Texas and the surrounding states, I expect our food prices to skyrocket. Many basic staples have nearly doubled in just the last 12 months.
APARTMENT LIVING
Currently, we are in an apartment with only a small 3rd floor balcony. I am only being "allowed" a small shelving unit for my garden. At this point, we have a beautiful view of the water- and if we hit a money problem, we have fish abound right in our own backyard. This provides us with some security we need. Know if you ever get desperate, where some temporary food sources are.
My love for gardening and realizing the need for a secure future has made me exert much of the little space I have to only 2 plants for our immediate needs: tomatoes and peppers. This is partially because our porch is screened, so I get no help from the good insects, and need to pollinate my tomatoes and peppers by hand.
The remainder of our garden is completely dedicated to starting fruit trees from seed. Right now, I have 1 baby mango, a few lemon, a few lime, and a few papaya growing on our porch, all in 1 gallon bags. I grew all of them from $4 worth of fruit I got from the store. I also have 3 avocado seeds in 1, however, I have not had much luck with these guys. If one actually sprouts, I will move it. For newbies, many of these will not grow to be just like their parent plants in flavor, size or shape, and could be terrible. But then again, they could also be superior. I, personally, would rather take 33c and buy a lime and grow the 4-6 seeds in it for a few extra years (especially since I can not plant them outside anyway!) and take my chances that 1 of the 5 will produce an equal or superior lime. I now save the seeds from all the fruits I can.
If you have a brown thumb, but want to try this, go buy a papaya. They have hundreds of seeds, so hundreds of chances to screw up. I planted 3, and 2 have grown with little sun or assistance from me other than a daily watering. They are not a tree, by the way, so do your research on how to grow them. They are actually an herb, much like a banana.
Since I had so much luck with the lemons, limes, papayas, and the mango, I am going to try to get my hands on apple, orange, and peach seeds. I am also going to order a few more seeds from the SEEDMAN.
There is another plant that through years of research seems to be a "must have" no matter where you are. It is nicknamed the "survival tree" because it is extremely useful and is supposedly very easy to care for.
PEOPLE WITH LOTS OF LAND
You guys are the lucky ones. If you have many acres of land, that is you! Although we aren't focusing on people with tons of acreage, but there may be some great ideas to help you make more of your land.
THE "LUCKY ONES"
These are the people with anywhere from 1/4 of an acre to 2 acres. The reason I consider you "lucky" is that these are the people who can grow some of their own food and maybe even a bit of a profit (enough to cover a lot of expenses, including the rest of their food), and never leaving home.
I am hoping to use these "babies" I have planted on our balcony to get a great head start on being one of the "lucky ones" in about a year and a half. I hope to have a great source of EVERYTHING, and KNOW HOW TO USE IT, within the next 10 years.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
we need money
OK, so you are not going to change your life in a week, but you can get headed in the right direction! Can you really change your life with no money? The answer is YES and NO. You CAN change your life with just a little effort.
If you are at home during the day with kids or without, by choice or by force, utilize your free time! If you are at home watching a movie, why not do some paid clicking on your laptop? How about a survey while you are cooking dinner or looking after the children? Maybe starting a free blog here on blogger or write articles. Watch your neighbor's child. There are so many sites on how to make money online and offline that I am not going to put one on here, however I do keep a list of all of my sources, and would be happy to share my list with anyone interested (just send a request and an email address. Choose your own path. Aim for $10 a day of just "extra money". Every day, this is about $300 per month. It is certainly not going to pay your bills, but it is not intended to. This is LIFE money. This is to give you a better life. This $300 per month can pay off your car sooner, your credit cards, student loans, whatever is there. This is a great step to a better lifestyle.
If you have no debt, congrats! I highly recommend you check out the peer lending sites. I use Lending Club for any money that I am saving for 3-5 years. I constantly reinvest into new loans, and keep track of what I am yielding a month. I do this along with paying off debt, as I like to have the money there for an emergency. The advantage to lending club, is if you get into a tight position, you can sell your loans on a trading platform. In the meantime, the yield is excellent! Check it out! This is my FUTURE money. This is put aside for once I get our family's bills under control. This is to use to further our ability to save money on bills that NEVER get paid off (utilities, food, clothes, taxes, etc.).
Right now, this is also serving as my "business account". It will fund my side business, which I do not want to put any effort or money into until we cut down our other debt.
The "$10 a day strategy" has had a significant impact on our lives. It has allowed us to save some money along with making me feel productive and it is wonderful to not only contribute to the household by cooking and taking care of the kids, but financially also.
Then there is the "minimum wage dilemma" many parents face. I will tell you, I have a family member that has 1 child, and she ONLY works for medical insurance, daycare, and taxes. Her husband has insurance, but hers is $60 cheaper for the family. So essentially, she makes $60 per month working. This strategy may work for you to supplement your income enough to stay home with your children.
Your initial goal? $10 a day. If you make more, pat yourself on the back. This small amount can give you a SOLID future. It is all about multiplying this savings and saving what you multiply it into.
If you are at home during the day with kids or without, by choice or by force, utilize your free time! If you are at home watching a movie, why not do some paid clicking on your laptop? How about a survey while you are cooking dinner or looking after the children? Maybe starting a free blog here on blogger or write articles. Watch your neighbor's child. There are so many sites on how to make money online and offline that I am not going to put one on here, however I do keep a list of all of my sources, and would be happy to share my list with anyone interested (just send a request and an email address. Choose your own path. Aim for $10 a day of just "extra money". Every day, this is about $300 per month. It is certainly not going to pay your bills, but it is not intended to. This is LIFE money. This is to give you a better life. This $300 per month can pay off your car sooner, your credit cards, student loans, whatever is there. This is a great step to a better lifestyle.
If you have no debt, congrats! I highly recommend you check out the peer lending sites. I use Lending Club for any money that I am saving for 3-5 years. I constantly reinvest into new loans, and keep track of what I am yielding a month. I do this along with paying off debt, as I like to have the money there for an emergency. The advantage to lending club, is if you get into a tight position, you can sell your loans on a trading platform. In the meantime, the yield is excellent! Check it out! This is my FUTURE money. This is put aside for once I get our family's bills under control. This is to use to further our ability to save money on bills that NEVER get paid off (utilities, food, clothes, taxes, etc.).
Right now, this is also serving as my "business account". It will fund my side business, which I do not want to put any effort or money into until we cut down our other debt.
The "$10 a day strategy" has had a significant impact on our lives. It has allowed us to save some money along with making me feel productive and it is wonderful to not only contribute to the household by cooking and taking care of the kids, but financially also.
Then there is the "minimum wage dilemma" many parents face. I will tell you, I have a family member that has 1 child, and she ONLY works for medical insurance, daycare, and taxes. Her husband has insurance, but hers is $60 cheaper for the family. So essentially, she makes $60 per month working. This strategy may work for you to supplement your income enough to stay home with your children.
Your initial goal? $10 a day. If you make more, pat yourself on the back. This small amount can give you a SOLID future. It is all about multiplying this savings and saving what you multiply it into.
Monday, July 4, 2011
City Farm
Farm animals provide fresh meat, eggs, and other supplies to your home. Just because you can not have chickens or goats does not mean you can not have an ample supply of meat.
Rabbits, for example, reproduce rampantly, grow quickly, and give a high quality meat that is eaten regularly in other parts of the world. There are also breeds you can use for their fiber.
Quail are not necessarily chickens, but they lay plenty of eggs. Their eggs are about 1/3 the size of a chicken egg. However, per square food of area needed to raise these, they can yield much more. Quail meat is also a delicacy, and sells for a great price.
Fish, like Tilapia or Catfish, can yield an excellent amount of food in a tiny space. Tilapia reproduce so fast that you may not be able to keep up with them!
Other seafood- I have heard of people raising shrimp, crawfish, oysters, and many other seafood products in their own backyard.
These 3 tiny creatures can give you a LOT of food that can be produced in a tiny amount of space. If you are like me, and get a little queasy at the thought of "preparing" your own food, many times fish supply stores or butchers will take care of the dirty work for you. If you are a regular, you may even be able to get a deal or work out a "trade".
Rabbits, for example, reproduce rampantly, grow quickly, and give a high quality meat that is eaten regularly in other parts of the world. There are also breeds you can use for their fiber.
Quail are not necessarily chickens, but they lay plenty of eggs. Their eggs are about 1/3 the size of a chicken egg. However, per square food of area needed to raise these, they can yield much more. Quail meat is also a delicacy, and sells for a great price.
Fish, like Tilapia or Catfish, can yield an excellent amount of food in a tiny space. Tilapia reproduce so fast that you may not be able to keep up with them!
Other seafood- I have heard of people raising shrimp, crawfish, oysters, and many other seafood products in their own backyard.
These 3 tiny creatures can give you a LOT of food that can be produced in a tiny amount of space. If you are like me, and get a little queasy at the thought of "preparing" your own food, many times fish supply stores or butchers will take care of the dirty work for you. If you are a regular, you may even be able to get a deal or work out a "trade".
A Garden Story
I genuinely believed for a long time that I could grow NOTHING! I had a great little bed in the yard of our 120 year old home. I tried to grow a little bit of everything in it. My yield for the year? A 4" pot of tiny, red, split tomatoes, 2 deformed carrots, and a deformed cucumber. Nevertheless, I abandoned and neglected my little garden bed, and sure enough....
The next year, before we got relocated out of state, the bed was thriving. I am not sure what all was in there, but the beans I had planted, and the strawberries among many others, were thriving. It just goes to show you, you can get veggies to grow with no effort at all!
The next year, before we got relocated out of state, the bed was thriving. I am not sure what all was in there, but the beans I had planted, and the strawberries among many others, were thriving. It just goes to show you, you can get veggies to grow with no effort at all!
Grow cash !
Make the kids (or yourself!) that fruit salad, and save the seeds! If you have a brown thumb, or have no idea what is a tree and what is a weed, use the 1/2 - 1 gallon plant bags and get those babies started! If you have extra bags, it gives you an opportunity to try it out. Don't expect to make a profit at this point, just expect to take pride and enjoy what comes out of your own little garden!
The truth is, a simple fruit tree will pay you back many times it's cost when you sell your house. That same tree will save you on your grocery bills too! Make the best of it! The other benefit to this strategy is that you shouldn't plant a whole lot of what you will not eat. After all, if you plant 10 apple seeds, chances are you eat apples!
The truth is, a simple fruit tree will pay you back many times it's cost when you sell your house. That same tree will save you on your grocery bills too! Make the best of it! The other benefit to this strategy is that you shouldn't plant a whole lot of what you will not eat. After all, if you plant 10 apple seeds, chances are you eat apples!
planting containers
There are many free ways to obtain containers for your garden, and some are better than others. Since our plan is to rent a house for another year or two to save a bit more money before we buy another home, I have begun to plan how I can have a decent yielding garden without a lot of money, and not digging up their yard. Here are some GREAT ideas I have come up with. Some are the courtesy of others.
The rubbermaid planter- This seems to be a PROVED planter for tomatoes and other large bushy crops, and the yield seems too good to be true. Many people swear by these. At $7 a planter (according to the author), I will be using these for tomatoes, eggplants, and any other larger bushier plants I choose to grow. I apologize, but I am unaware of who the genius was, but if you google "rubbermaid earthbox", it will come right up.
The shelving garden- Yep- down here in the south, you can grow lettuce and a few other veggies in part or even mostly shade. So putting together a cheap shelving unit (heavy duty, $14 at Walmart.com) and throwing together 4-5 square planters can yield you a solid steady supply of salads and herbs.
The raised BED garden- literally! How about this idea! Obtain a boxspring and metal frame. You can get these free, and in abundance, on Craigslist. Cut the coils and fabric out, buy a few pieces of plywood, including ones for the bottom, and frame the bed. Leave a 1/2 to 1 inch opening in the bottom of the frame to let the soil drain. Line it with whatever you can get ahold of, even heavy duty trash bags. This will protect the wood frame. Staple or nail the plastic to the inside of the wood, leaving the slit in the middle open. I would LOVE to hear about anyone who has tried this, or who is inspired by this post to trying it. This would theoretically provide 33 square feet of planting area, and consider what you can do with that! I plan on trying this with 2- one just a 1 level frame, the other putting 2 same size frames together to make a deeper planting bed for veggies and fruits that have longer root systems. I know that there is going to be very little light that gets through to the grass beneath, but I am intentionally looking for a rental with an "already ugly" back yard.
I still plan on letting my little trees grow in the grow bags. The price of the bags is GREAT, and I can switch out their bags as needed. I LITERALLY spend 8 minutes a day tending to my little "garden", and of that, 6 of it is admiring the ripening tomatoes or the mango's new baby's leaves. I bought 1 gallon bags to start my grocery seeds, and a surprising amount are growing happily in their bags. Much better than I expected! I am planning on moving them to 5 gallon bags, and as for my mango, she will go into a larger bag. When we move into our new house, I will be SOOOO happy, as I will already have a good amount of baby trees ready to thrive! When they grow into larger bags, they will be replaced by new babies.
I have no idea how big our yard will be in the next place, but I will have plenty of little trees to plant. Then I will sell or give away the ones that won't fit. ROI? 1000000000000000% Why? One grocery trip to make the kiddoes a great fruit salad yielded a great future orchard for me! IF IN DOUBT, TRY TO SPROUT! The worst that will happen, it won't grow. Use the fruits, sprout the seeds. If they, in a few years, yield great fruit, you are getting free food. If they yield terrible fruit or none at all, see what other use they can have. They may make a great firewood. But if your budget does not allow you to buy a $40 citrus tree, which mine doesn't, then plant the seeds. You have very little to lose.
The rubbermaid planter- This seems to be a PROVED planter for tomatoes and other large bushy crops, and the yield seems too good to be true. Many people swear by these. At $7 a planter (according to the author), I will be using these for tomatoes, eggplants, and any other larger bushier plants I choose to grow. I apologize, but I am unaware of who the genius was, but if you google "rubbermaid earthbox", it will come right up.
The shelving garden- Yep- down here in the south, you can grow lettuce and a few other veggies in part or even mostly shade. So putting together a cheap shelving unit (heavy duty, $14 at Walmart.com) and throwing together 4-5 square planters can yield you a solid steady supply of salads and herbs.
The raised BED garden- literally! How about this idea! Obtain a boxspring and metal frame. You can get these free, and in abundance, on Craigslist. Cut the coils and fabric out, buy a few pieces of plywood, including ones for the bottom, and frame the bed. Leave a 1/2 to 1 inch opening in the bottom of the frame to let the soil drain. Line it with whatever you can get ahold of, even heavy duty trash bags. This will protect the wood frame. Staple or nail the plastic to the inside of the wood, leaving the slit in the middle open. I would LOVE to hear about anyone who has tried this, or who is inspired by this post to trying it. This would theoretically provide 33 square feet of planting area, and consider what you can do with that! I plan on trying this with 2- one just a 1 level frame, the other putting 2 same size frames together to make a deeper planting bed for veggies and fruits that have longer root systems. I know that there is going to be very little light that gets through to the grass beneath, but I am intentionally looking for a rental with an "already ugly" back yard.
I still plan on letting my little trees grow in the grow bags. The price of the bags is GREAT, and I can switch out their bags as needed. I LITERALLY spend 8 minutes a day tending to my little "garden", and of that, 6 of it is admiring the ripening tomatoes or the mango's new baby's leaves. I bought 1 gallon bags to start my grocery seeds, and a surprising amount are growing happily in their bags. Much better than I expected! I am planning on moving them to 5 gallon bags, and as for my mango, she will go into a larger bag. When we move into our new house, I will be SOOOO happy, as I will already have a good amount of baby trees ready to thrive! When they grow into larger bags, they will be replaced by new babies.
I have no idea how big our yard will be in the next place, but I will have plenty of little trees to plant. Then I will sell or give away the ones that won't fit. ROI? 1000000000000000% Why? One grocery trip to make the kiddoes a great fruit salad yielded a great future orchard for me! IF IN DOUBT, TRY TO SPROUT! The worst that will happen, it won't grow. Use the fruits, sprout the seeds. If they, in a few years, yield great fruit, you are getting free food. If they yield terrible fruit or none at all, see what other use they can have. They may make a great firewood. But if your budget does not allow you to buy a $40 citrus tree, which mine doesn't, then plant the seeds. You have very little to lose.
Yard Money
Growing Veggies in a small plot in your yard or patio is a great idea for saving a bit of money. There are people who love it, and people who hate it. Me? I love choosing what I plant and watching it grow. There is nothing better though than going out to your yard and picking tonights pasta sauce or salad. A garden is not only a symbol of frugality, but a symbol of luxury. It also offers the ultimate in security.
During my "fast food days", I realized at one time, peppers were banned at taco bell, and tomatoes became nonexistant at Burger King, Subway, etc. due to food shortages. I LOVE fresh tomatoes, even the grocery store ones. With the worst flooding in years along the Mississippi and the droughts throughout Texas and the surrounding states, I expect our food prices to skyrocket. Many basic staples have nearly doubled in just the last 12 months.
APARTMENT LIVING
Currently, we are in an apartment with only a small 3rd floor balcony. I am only being "allowed" a small shelving unit for my garden. At this point, we have a beautiful view of the water- and if we hit a money problem, we have fish abound right in our own backyard. This provides us with some security we need. Know if you ever get desperate, where some temporary food sources are.
My love for gardening and realizing the need for a secure future has made me exert much of the little space I have to only 2 plants for our immediate needs: tomatoes and peppers. This is partially because our porch is screened, so I get no help from the good insects, and need to pollinate my tomatoes and peppers by hand.
The remainder of our garden is completely dedicated to starting fruit trees from seed. Right now, I have 1 baby mango, a few lemon, a few lime, and a few papaya growing on our porch, all in 1 gallon bags. I grew all of them from $4 worth of fruit I got from the store. I also have 3 avocado seeds in 1, however, I have not had much luck with these guys. If one actually sprouts, I will move it. For newbies, many of these will not grow to be just like their parent plants in flavor, size or shape, and could be terrible. But then again, they could also be superior. I, personally, would rather take 33c and buy a lime and grow the 4-6 seeds in it for a few extra years (especially since I can not plant them outside anyway!) and take my chances that 1 of the 5 will produce an equal or superior lime. I now save the seeds from all the fruits I can.
If you have a brown thumb, but want to try this, go buy a papaya. They have hundreds of seeds, so hundreds of chances to screw up. I planted 3, and 2 have grown with little sun or assistance from me other than a daily watering. They are not a tree, by the way, so do your research on how to grow them. They are actually an herb, much like a banana.
Since I had so much luck with the lemons, limes, papayas, and the mango, I am going to try to get my hands on apple, orange, and peach seeds. I am also going to order a few more seeds from the SEEDMAN.
There is another plant that through years of research seems to be a "must have" no matter where you are. It is nicknamed the "survival tree" because it is extremely useful and is supposedly very easy to care for.
PEOPLE WITH LOTS OF LAND
You guys are the lucky ones. If you have many acres of land, that is you! Although we aren't focusing on people with tons of acreage, but there may be some great ideas to help you make more of your land.
THE "LUCKY ONES"
These are the people with anywhere from 1/4 of an acre to 2 acres. The reason I consider you "lucky" is that these are the people who can grow some of their own food and maybe even a bit of a profit (enough to cover a lot of expenses, including the rest of their food), and never leaving home.
I am hoping to use these "babies" I have planted on our balcony to get a great head start on being one of the "lucky ones" in about a year and a half. I hope to have a great source of EVERYTHING, and KNOW HOW TO USE IT, within the next 10 years.
During my "fast food days", I realized at one time, peppers were banned at taco bell, and tomatoes became nonexistant at Burger King, Subway, etc. due to food shortages. I LOVE fresh tomatoes, even the grocery store ones. With the worst flooding in years along the Mississippi and the droughts throughout Texas and the surrounding states, I expect our food prices to skyrocket. Many basic staples have nearly doubled in just the last 12 months.
APARTMENT LIVING
Currently, we are in an apartment with only a small 3rd floor balcony. I am only being "allowed" a small shelving unit for my garden. At this point, we have a beautiful view of the water- and if we hit a money problem, we have fish abound right in our own backyard. This provides us with some security we need. Know if you ever get desperate, where some temporary food sources are.
My love for gardening and realizing the need for a secure future has made me exert much of the little space I have to only 2 plants for our immediate needs: tomatoes and peppers. This is partially because our porch is screened, so I get no help from the good insects, and need to pollinate my tomatoes and peppers by hand.
The remainder of our garden is completely dedicated to starting fruit trees from seed. Right now, I have 1 baby mango, a few lemon, a few lime, and a few papaya growing on our porch, all in 1 gallon bags. I grew all of them from $4 worth of fruit I got from the store. I also have 3 avocado seeds in 1, however, I have not had much luck with these guys. If one actually sprouts, I will move it. For newbies, many of these will not grow to be just like their parent plants in flavor, size or shape, and could be terrible. But then again, they could also be superior. I, personally, would rather take 33c and buy a lime and grow the 4-6 seeds in it for a few extra years (especially since I can not plant them outside anyway!) and take my chances that 1 of the 5 will produce an equal or superior lime. I now save the seeds from all the fruits I can.
If you have a brown thumb, but want to try this, go buy a papaya. They have hundreds of seeds, so hundreds of chances to screw up. I planted 3, and 2 have grown with little sun or assistance from me other than a daily watering. They are not a tree, by the way, so do your research on how to grow them. They are actually an herb, much like a banana.
Since I had so much luck with the lemons, limes, papayas, and the mango, I am going to try to get my hands on apple, orange, and peach seeds. I am also going to order a few more seeds from the SEEDMAN.
There is another plant that through years of research seems to be a "must have" no matter where you are. It is nicknamed the "survival tree" because it is extremely useful and is supposedly very easy to care for.
PEOPLE WITH LOTS OF LAND
You guys are the lucky ones. If you have many acres of land, that is you! Although we aren't focusing on people with tons of acreage, but there may be some great ideas to help you make more of your land.
THE "LUCKY ONES"
These are the people with anywhere from 1/4 of an acre to 2 acres. The reason I consider you "lucky" is that these are the people who can grow some of their own food and maybe even a bit of a profit (enough to cover a lot of expenses, including the rest of their food), and never leaving home.
I am hoping to use these "babies" I have planted on our balcony to get a great head start on being one of the "lucky ones" in about a year and a half. I hope to have a great source of EVERYTHING, and KNOW HOW TO USE IT, within the next 10 years.
Garden Archive
This week is completely dedicated to Gardening. We are not focusing on flowers. We are focusing on feeding our families. Whether you have a small yard or just a balcony, you can grow food for your family. We are focusing on people who are trying to get a lot of use out of the little bit of land that they have. Since we relocated about 8 months ago into an apartment with only a balcony with little space, and even less sun (no direct sun!), my garden at this point is meager and frugal.
I bought a small greenhouse, which only consists of 4 shelves, for my garden, as I was unsure if anything would grow with such a limitation on natural sunlight. I ended up buying a greenhouse just like the one below. Initially, I used old dresser drawers for a LOT of planting area (for the space), and planted it for a square foot garden. My efforts failed after my first crop of lettuce for 2 reasons: the drawers disintigrate quickly and they attract EVERY kind of bug you can imagine, worst being biting gnats. They were also WAY too heavy for the shelves of the unit, and they eventually started to give.
In a search for something incredibly cheap for me to plant in, I discovered plant bags, like the ones below. They come in a multitude of sizes, and I am very happy with them. I started off with 1 gallon bags, and am getting ready to purchase a set of 5 gallon bags. I challenged the needs of tomatoes and peppers, and started growing citrus trees, a few papayas, and a mango tree from seeds of fruit from the grocery store. I know this is not necessarily the fastest way to grow these trees, and the fruits will not be the same as their mother tree (they could be worse OR better!). It was the cheapest by far. At this point, my garden has a few tomatoes growing and a few peppers. These are currently full size plants in 1 gallon bags. They should be in larger ones, but my garden at this point is for testing and experimentation. My total garden setup to date has cost me about $65. I also bought soil and a sprayer from a local hardware store. My shelves are full of baby trees I hope to transplant when we move into a home with a yard. I estimate we will purchase a home or at least land for a new home in about 2 years, and by that time they should be strong enough to go in the ground.
Moving from Chicago to Florida changes a lot of things with how, what and when to grow. I also wanted to test the limits of these land loving plants. Gardening does not have to be hard or time consuming, but can make ends meet with your family's food bill. I had a much larger set up in Chicago, even on our small shaded lot. The first year will be a great test for what grows well in your particular microclimate. Plant as many vegetables and varieties of what you can afford, and visit your agricultural extension's website to see what grows well in the area.
I bought a small greenhouse, which only consists of 4 shelves, for my garden, as I was unsure if anything would grow with such a limitation on natural sunlight. I ended up buying a greenhouse just like the one below. Initially, I used old dresser drawers for a LOT of planting area (for the space), and planted it for a square foot garden. My efforts failed after my first crop of lettuce for 2 reasons: the drawers disintigrate quickly and they attract EVERY kind of bug you can imagine, worst being biting gnats. They were also WAY too heavy for the shelves of the unit, and they eventually started to give.
In a search for something incredibly cheap for me to plant in, I discovered plant bags, like the ones below. They come in a multitude of sizes, and I am very happy with them. I started off with 1 gallon bags, and am getting ready to purchase a set of 5 gallon bags. I challenged the needs of tomatoes and peppers, and started growing citrus trees, a few papayas, and a mango tree from seeds of fruit from the grocery store. I know this is not necessarily the fastest way to grow these trees, and the fruits will not be the same as their mother tree (they could be worse OR better!). It was the cheapest by far. At this point, my garden has a few tomatoes growing and a few peppers. These are currently full size plants in 1 gallon bags. They should be in larger ones, but my garden at this point is for testing and experimentation. My total garden setup to date has cost me about $65. I also bought soil and a sprayer from a local hardware store. My shelves are full of baby trees I hope to transplant when we move into a home with a yard. I estimate we will purchase a home or at least land for a new home in about 2 years, and by that time they should be strong enough to go in the ground.
Moving from Chicago to Florida changes a lot of things with how, what and when to grow. I also wanted to test the limits of these land loving plants. Gardening does not have to be hard or time consuming, but can make ends meet with your family's food bill. I had a much larger set up in Chicago, even on our small shaded lot. The first year will be a great test for what grows well in your particular microclimate. Plant as many vegetables and varieties of what you can afford, and visit your agricultural extension's website to see what grows well in the area.
Dealing with being unemployed
I was reading an article on Yahoo, asking people to tell their stories about unemployment, and lo and behold, there were 2600 responses from people with their stories. This is why I have decided to change gears a bit and do a week about surviving on unemployment, or even worse, nothing.
First, let me say, I sympathize with anyone who has gone through the same thing we have. Bring up 4 children on 1 salary isn't easy, let alone if you were living on one to begin with. Our family scrapes by on our income. Over the past year, our situation has dramatically improved. Before I spend a week on this subject, I want to give you, the reader, a few tips. These are not only good for the unemployed, but for anyone trying to better their financial situation.
1. Immediately cut down as low as you possibly can. This may or may not mean cutting luxuries, but it does mean cut anything that you have been putting off. For example, we paid for 9 months for a house phone, and never even used it! We just didn't "have time" to cancel it. At least that is what we told ourselves. But not holding off on it and cancelling it immediately would have saved us $270 that we wasted because we didn't.
2. Going back to school and finishing your degree, getting a different degree, etc. may not be a great option for several reasons. A long term program may risk losing your unemployment. Also, many college graduates are finding themselves strapped with student loans AND still having a hard time finding a job. Child care is expensive, and the stress from being unemployed and needing money may keep you from obtaining your goals.
3. Learn a trade, a skill, or take a class. Some skills can be turned into money making opportunities. Still others will save you money. Use what you have. Have a lawn mower? Put it to use. Have a talent with the piano? Teach lessons. Sewing machine, sew! This could help you make a bit of extra money to get you through.
4. Put the kids to work! I have an 11 year old who will do just about anything to get some extra money! Have them take surveys, click ads, or write articles (just make sure they are only doing the clicking. Being the honest person you are, it should be easy to sit one of your children down with a laptop on the kitchen table. Teach them to click the ads and check them out while you are cooking, folding laundry, etc. Give them a "cut" when you get paid, and have them put it towards, for example, that new pair of shoes they wanted. If you have older kids, help them start their own business mowing lawns, babysitting, petsitting, etc. It won't help you directly, but it could lighten the expense load when that kid can pay their own way when they want to go out with friends or that expensive new shirt. I put together a few money making websites that I use HERE. Some sites are better than others, but then again, I like to balance my day with things that actually require thought and attention and things that don't (things my kids can help with or that allow me to do two things at a time!)
5. Get back to basics. Work backwards. Do whatever you have to do (legally of course!) to help you get back on your feet! Rent an apartment and be content until you are able to pay cash for a condo, and work your way up. I know this sounds difficult if not impossible, but following these tips, and having a dedicated place to put this money will help you. Maybe start with a inexpensive lot and put a small trailer or even an RV on it until you can afford to build your own home.
6. Get creative! This is the single most important thing! When you have no money and few job prospects, the easiest thing to do is to save money. Once you count sales taxes and income taxes, for every dollar you save, it could actually save a lot more. Do your own math, and find out what that dollar burger really costs you once you pay Uncle Sam.
First, let me say, I sympathize with anyone who has gone through the same thing we have. Bring up 4 children on 1 salary isn't easy, let alone if you were living on one to begin with. Our family scrapes by on our income. Over the past year, our situation has dramatically improved. Before I spend a week on this subject, I want to give you, the reader, a few tips. These are not only good for the unemployed, but for anyone trying to better their financial situation.
1. Immediately cut down as low as you possibly can. This may or may not mean cutting luxuries, but it does mean cut anything that you have been putting off. For example, we paid for 9 months for a house phone, and never even used it! We just didn't "have time" to cancel it. At least that is what we told ourselves. But not holding off on it and cancelling it immediately would have saved us $270 that we wasted because we didn't.
2. Going back to school and finishing your degree, getting a different degree, etc. may not be a great option for several reasons. A long term program may risk losing your unemployment. Also, many college graduates are finding themselves strapped with student loans AND still having a hard time finding a job. Child care is expensive, and the stress from being unemployed and needing money may keep you from obtaining your goals.
3. Learn a trade, a skill, or take a class. Some skills can be turned into money making opportunities. Still others will save you money. Use what you have. Have a lawn mower? Put it to use. Have a talent with the piano? Teach lessons. Sewing machine, sew! This could help you make a bit of extra money to get you through.
4. Put the kids to work! I have an 11 year old who will do just about anything to get some extra money! Have them take surveys, click ads, or write articles (just make sure they are only doing the clicking. Being the honest person you are, it should be easy to sit one of your children down with a laptop on the kitchen table. Teach them to click the ads and check them out while you are cooking, folding laundry, etc. Give them a "cut" when you get paid, and have them put it towards, for example, that new pair of shoes they wanted. If you have older kids, help them start their own business mowing lawns, babysitting, petsitting, etc. It won't help you directly, but it could lighten the expense load when that kid can pay their own way when they want to go out with friends or that expensive new shirt. I put together a few money making websites that I use HERE. Some sites are better than others, but then again, I like to balance my day with things that actually require thought and attention and things that don't (things my kids can help with or that allow me to do two things at a time!)
5. Get back to basics. Work backwards. Do whatever you have to do (legally of course!) to help you get back on your feet! Rent an apartment and be content until you are able to pay cash for a condo, and work your way up. I know this sounds difficult if not impossible, but following these tips, and having a dedicated place to put this money will help you. Maybe start with a inexpensive lot and put a small trailer or even an RV on it until you can afford to build your own home.
6. Get creative! This is the single most important thing! When you have no money and few job prospects, the easiest thing to do is to save money. Once you count sales taxes and income taxes, for every dollar you save, it could actually save a lot more. Do your own math, and find out what that dollar burger really costs you once you pay Uncle Sam.
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