Make everyone use candles.
Catch field mice so they can generate electricity via a small wheel attached to a generator.
Steal it from your neighbor.
Tell your kids that after 7 o clock every night you are playing blind man's bluff and hit the main switch.
Ditch the fridge and eat only canned soup.
cold
after opening the can with a spoon.
Hang your clothes outside till it rains...that will wash them...and then let them dry when the sun comes out..
in between....your naked.
What's the big deal.
Don't plug your tv in...write your own script and let the kids play the parts of your favorite show..
if it's something truly interesting like Dexter...you have the added benefit of explaining complex life situations.
Instead of a phone...get two tin cans and one heck of a long piece of string...it really works.
if that fails..
two words.
smoke signals.
Any one else got some great electricity saving ideas?
I'm all ears.
Chris out.
6.3.13
using coupons
I don't normally...unless it's a really good deal.
But last night...I had some 'just for U' coupons from Safeway that I wanted to use..
Now safeway has store coupons that you can put onto your safeway card electronically that are good for ALL club members..
and then they have coupons they tailor just for you.
I have unlimited milk for 2 dollars a gallon...or had, till march 5th.
So off I went to safeway, not only that but I had a 10 percent pff any Safeway brand product..
plus a 20 cent per gallon discount per gallon of gas if I spent 20 dollars at a go.
So I buy 6 gallons of milk (12 dollars-1.20 is 10.80....or a 1.80 a gallon...(which I freeze....if you drain a bit off the top, you can freeze the milk and it doesn't affect the quality of the milk.) and some apples, oranges and a few other items..
so I get to the counter and the lady at the counter tells me the milk doesn't count toward the 20 dollars, 20 cent per gallon discount.
Prior to that trip I had 3 out of 100 points toward a gas reward.
I didn't argue with her..I thought it was still a good deal and proceeded..
I didn't buy anything else but what I had already put in my cart..
The lady was WRONG.
I did get the 20 cent discount..I had two gas rewards when I was done.
I didn't say anything as I didn't want her to take it back..but I did wonder how many people went back to get more stuff in the wrongheaded delusion they were 'saving' money.
unfortunately or fortunately for me...I don't have the luxury.
So...My take on coupons is..
If it is something you normally buy, that you know the price of....that is an excellent deal.
Take the coupon...stick to that item and get in and get out.
Most of the time stores use items called 'loss leaders' to pull you into the store...to suck you in thinking you are getting a deal.
And then you spent an additional 20 dollars on things you don't need.
Loss leaders are just what they sound like...
items the store is willing to lose money on to pull you in..
so don't fall for it.
Get in and get out.
And if possible...combine it with a dual offer.
Chris out.
But last night...I had some 'just for U' coupons from Safeway that I wanted to use..
Now safeway has store coupons that you can put onto your safeway card electronically that are good for ALL club members..
and then they have coupons they tailor just for you.
I have unlimited milk for 2 dollars a gallon...or had, till march 5th.
So off I went to safeway, not only that but I had a 10 percent pff any Safeway brand product..
plus a 20 cent per gallon discount per gallon of gas if I spent 20 dollars at a go.
So I buy 6 gallons of milk (12 dollars-1.20 is 10.80....or a 1.80 a gallon...(which I freeze....if you drain a bit off the top, you can freeze the milk and it doesn't affect the quality of the milk.) and some apples, oranges and a few other items..
so I get to the counter and the lady at the counter tells me the milk doesn't count toward the 20 dollars, 20 cent per gallon discount.
Prior to that trip I had 3 out of 100 points toward a gas reward.
I didn't argue with her..I thought it was still a good deal and proceeded..
I didn't buy anything else but what I had already put in my cart..
The lady was WRONG.
I did get the 20 cent discount..I had two gas rewards when I was done.
I didn't say anything as I didn't want her to take it back..but I did wonder how many people went back to get more stuff in the wrongheaded delusion they were 'saving' money.
unfortunately or fortunately for me...I don't have the luxury.
So...My take on coupons is..
If it is something you normally buy, that you know the price of....that is an excellent deal.
Take the coupon...stick to that item and get in and get out.
Most of the time stores use items called 'loss leaders' to pull you into the store...to suck you in thinking you are getting a deal.
And then you spent an additional 20 dollars on things you don't need.
Loss leaders are just what they sound like...
items the store is willing to lose money on to pull you in..
so don't fall for it.
Get in and get out.
And if possible...combine it with a dual offer.
Chris out.
1.3.13
Tax time means belt tightening time...
so...to come up with what we owe...we have to cut our grocery and gas bill.
I have 400 dollars for the month.
What is the first thing to go....
paper towels.
I can use newspaper instead.
next thing to go..
Garbage bags.
You know why...at my store you have an option of paper or plastic.
So I choose paper and use paper sacks.
I don't know if you remember your mom using paper sacks for garbage bags.
I do.
So that's what we'll be using.
Next up
Bake your own bread.
I can get a 25 pounds sack of flour for 10 bucks.
buy some yeast..
It's about 50 cents a loaf...
as opposed to 3.00 dollars..
add to that all the biscuits and noodles you can make with that flour.
The pancakes.
There is a reason it's called the staff of life.
Meat...
No more than 2.50 per pound.
That means loads of chicken.
and the beef comes from 'reduced' section of the grocery store.
I spent 280 dollars at the beginning of the month for staples..
sugar.
flour
beans
dog food
dishwashing liquid.
eggs
baking soda and baking powder..
chicken bullion
beef bullion
frozen chicken
reduced beef..
economy tub of peanut butter.
oats
you get the picture....
enough for a one month supply
and am supplementing with the deer and elk we shot over the winter..
and the half a pig we went in on with some very good friends.
And we will be fine.
maybe you all have ways you cut back on your food budget.
I would appreciate any ideas you all might have.
I have 400 dollars for the month.
What is the first thing to go....
paper towels.
I can use newspaper instead.
next thing to go..
Garbage bags.
You know why...at my store you have an option of paper or plastic.
So I choose paper and use paper sacks.
I don't know if you remember your mom using paper sacks for garbage bags.
I do.
So that's what we'll be using.
Next up
Bake your own bread.
I can get a 25 pounds sack of flour for 10 bucks.
buy some yeast..
It's about 50 cents a loaf...
as opposed to 3.00 dollars..
add to that all the biscuits and noodles you can make with that flour.
The pancakes.
There is a reason it's called the staff of life.
Meat...
No more than 2.50 per pound.
That means loads of chicken.
and the beef comes from 'reduced' section of the grocery store.
I spent 280 dollars at the beginning of the month for staples..
sugar.
flour
beans
dog food
dishwashing liquid.
eggs
baking soda and baking powder..
chicken bullion
beef bullion
frozen chicken
reduced beef..
economy tub of peanut butter.
oats
you get the picture....
enough for a one month supply
and am supplementing with the deer and elk we shot over the winter..
and the half a pig we went in on with some very good friends.
And we will be fine.
maybe you all have ways you cut back on your food budget.
I would appreciate any ideas you all might have.
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