Changes I've Made in the Last 3 Months

**Kaos Kitty** · 03-04-2009, 02:31 PM

Being Frugal is a slow process. I've kept inspired by visiting Frugal Village pretty much every day! Some of you talk about snowballing debt, well with all the talk of Recession/Depression I feel like I'm "snowballing" frugal! It took 8 years to pay off $45000 in student loans and credit cards to become debt free. But once I was debt free, I didn't automatically save the difference. Most of 2007 I was asking "where did our money go?". About mid 2008 I started to get it under better control. Unfortunately, just when I thought we would be getting ahead, the Recession struck. Dh's job has officially ended as of March 1st and we are living on my paycheck and his 4 months of severance pay.

I knew the layoff was coming, and since September 2008 I have been trying to get our budget down to 50% of our income (I've managed to get it to a comfortable 40% so far. If Dh stays unemployed I can cut out all extras to live only on my pay). I've used that 40% savings in the last 3 months to:

1) Make a 7 day emergency kit. Everyone's stories about the recent ice storm made an impact. It covers 2 scenarios. We're trapped at home without heat, water and power or we have to evacuate and camp out for a week. I've put it all in easy to carry to the car plastic bins (bought on sale

). Each one is about the size of a DVD player, just deep enough to hold cans. I discovered that a bin filled with cans is heavy, and putting the cans on the sides of each small bin, and the center with lighter crackers/cookies made it the right weight to lift/carry. We also have a tent, -15C sleeping bags, indoor propane heater, jugs of water, changes of clothes and personal items, first aid, cat carrier ect. It's all located close to the door in a single closet. So I can say, "load up the car with everything in the closet!", and not worry I've forgotten something important.

2) Have 3 months emergency savings in cash. The only money I keep in the bank now is my RRSP's (retirement savings). I struggled with the lost interest (3%) but any doubt about the banking system is too much. If everything's fine in a year I'll put it back. But for now, I'd rather not check the news on the banks in fear every day.

3) Began 1 years food supply in dry pack. (oatmeal, flour, grain, sugar, rice, dried fruit, milk, eggs, cocoa, dried vegetables). Dh hates beans, so I haven't stocked up on those. Because a really good emergency supply is one you eventually eat and keep replenishing.

4) Buy only basic food stuff for groceries. I've made it a bit harder for myself financially by only buying local and organic. But I realized that if I'm going to spend my hard earned money I wanted it to go to small local business people who actually appreciate my business, not corporations. Particularly people who do business in an responsible way for the environment and my family's health. I'm combining it with my dry pack and preserved food so I know how to cook and make meals with it. More reasonable portions, and cooking from scratch should even things out financially.

5) Apartment Gardening: I'm going to start up my sprout maker again (it sits year round by the kitchen window), and plant heirloom seeds for my container garden. I'm growing red pepper, jalapenos, spinach, romaine, green onions, garlic, dill, rosemary, mint, basil, oregano, thyme, catnip, strawberries and tomatoes. Last year I only grew a few herbs and peppers. I live in Canada, so everything came indoors in September, but my peppers produced indoors right into December and my herbs kept going year round.

6) Move to a farm. We're saving up to buy a farm in about 2 years, but as things get worse I feel the need to make sure I can feed my family. So then I realized for not much more than we pay now that we could rent a country property. It will be more of a commute to work, but I will feel better being able to have a larger garden, chickens and perhaps meat rabbits. During the Great Depression their was equal traffic of people leaving the city to the country, and country people heading to the city. The country people didn't have any cash - but they did have food.

Some Frugal Triumphs in Last 3 Months:

~ I got a $4 haircut (I had gotten library books out on how to cut hair and was seriously going to try it - then Dh received a work coupon from a new hairstylist trying to get clients. I got it cut very short and won't need a new one for 6 months or more. Maybe by then I'll have bought my hair cuttin' scissors.

~ Making my own condiments. I figured out how to make BQ sauce instead of buying it. Mayo is next! (DH is nervous

)

~ Making dinner with what we have and cut down on food waste. I try to make a weekly list of meals, but sometimes life interferes. This week I was supposed to make chicken soup with our roast chicken carcass. I boiled it up, and then forgot about it. On day 4, instead of throwing it out and going out for dinner (as we normally would have) I boiled the broth on high for 5 minutes and added, dried onion (dry pack food storage), meat from the bones, carrots, garlic, container herbs, simmered for 20 minutes and added perogies. Dinner!

~ Throw fast food coupons/flyers away as soon as I get them. Temptation is a glossy picture that delivers when you're tired!

~ Switch to washable cotton bar mop cloths for that "time of the month" when at home. (Thanks for the idea Lady V!)

I'm going to keep on working at being "hardcore" frugal as fast as I can in the coming months. Anything pre-made/packaged is going to get the "ole hairy eyeball" from me before I buy it. I'm going to get rid of any clutter we don't need, repair items we do so they last longer, and in the end -learn to do without!

**Debbie-cat** · 03-04-2009, 02:35 PM

Wow, you really have done great. Good for you! That's the way to do it ... slowly but surely and you will begin to see progress. Keep up the fantastic job!

**jas** · 03-04-2009, 02:49 PM

great job! keep it up and keep us posted!!

**MommyBliss** · 03-04-2009, 02:58 PM

That is so awesome of you! Congrats on all that you are doing, you are an inspiration.

**rowdy35** · 03-04-2009, 03:04 PM

I agree. You really are prepared !! Hopefully your husband can find a new job right away after the lay off !

**lori17048** · 03-04-2009, 03:05 PM

You are doing a wonderful job! Keep us post on your progress......Lori

**rainbowgc** · 03-04-2009, 04:46 PM

I am impressed with your accomplishments. You should pay yourself on the back.

**Spirit Deer** · 03-04-2009, 07:02 PM

Sounds like you're doing great.

One thought though, make sure what you're making is actually saving you money. Some things cost as much or more to make as to buy. Then the question becomes one of quality.

**Trishagirl** · 03-04-2009, 08:43 PM

Keep up the good work!

**sabrelvssammy** · 03-04-2009, 09:14 PM

trishagirl....i love your smileys......

**ravenmaniac** · 03-04-2009, 09:28 PM

Progress is sometimes slow and steady. You have inspired me to keep going at my slow steady pace. My goal is to have 2 small loans paid off in the next two years, work on our home loan to have that paid off in 15 years, and help my daughter with her student loans. She won't start paying on them until 3 years.

**lukesmama** · 03-05-2009, 09:46 PM

This is a great post. Congrats on your accomplishments, you've worked very hard!

**angelbumpkin** · 03-05-2009, 10:02 PM

Keep up the good work your doing awesome.

**mauimagic** · 03-05-2009, 10:27 PM

What a wonderful 'essay' - am really impressed with all that you have done and how you have incorporated your beliefs into action plans. There is no doubt that you are and will continue to be successful. Mahalo for being such a wonderful role model and sharing terrific ideas. Your ideas make me believe that I can do it - one step at a time!!