Cheap Living for Dummies

i'm moving out of my house soon and with the cost of living as high as it is and with my only foreseeable job prospects being of the minimum-wage variety, i'm compiling a mental list of ways to cheat north america's high living costs. i haven't really had a chance to put my methods to the test yet, but this is what i've come up with so far based on observation:

- the cheapest foods are bought dried and bulk, are generally healthy and can be made into tasty foods with some patience and a few spices. beans, lentils, rice, oats, raisins, nuts, some dried fruits (most are expensive), pasta, and tvp are cheap and useful.

- if you can deal with the dubious food quality, soup kitchens are the perfect solution to a tight food budget. they're either free or very, very cheap (all-you-can-eat for $2).

- dumpster diving. i haven't ventured this far yet, but some people live just fine off of the stuff others throw away. dumpsters behind grocery stores, bakeries and pizzarias are (i gather) usually full of perfectly safe and edible food that just didn't look sellable. however, some places dump bleach and other poisons into their dumpsters to deter "vermin," so be careful.

- some bakeries give away their day-olds. ask around.

- know when to stock up. get all your food, clothes, batteries and whatever else when they're cheap so you won't have to when they're expensive.


- fresh fruit and veggies can be bought much cheaper in chinese markets. so can soap and just about everything else.


- during the harvest season, pick as much fruit and veggies as you can while they're cheap, then dry or freeze them so you don't have to buy them when they're out of season and expensive.

- depending on where you live, there are tons of free fruit going to waste all along the roads and parks during summer and fall - cherries, plums, apples, blackberries and pears are common weeds where i live. take advantage of the local roadside bounty.


- during harvest season, you can do work-trades with people who have fruit trees or vegetable gardens on their property. you help them pick their fruit and weed or harvest their garden, and you get to keep some of the goods in return. (i know this from experience - my whole neighborhood used to be an orchard and every fall our property becomes an overflowing cornucopia of rotting, wasp-infested fruit. we're only too happy to give our plums, apples and pears away to whoever wants them as soon as they come into season.)


- if you're lucky enough to own a patch of farmable land, USE IT! but choose your crop wisely. i don't know enough about gardening to say which crops are high-yeild and low-maintenance - someone help me out here!


- some more enlightened communities have bartering clubs - groups of people who join the club and have swap meets where they get together and bring all the stuff they want to get rid of plus a list of stuff they need. this can be anything. people trade guitar lessons for bushels of fresh rosemary, bookshelves for books, garden work for kitchen utensils...the idea is that everyone has something to offer that someone else needs, and everyone needs something that someone else has to offer, so why let money get in the way? search out these clubs and join them - they are fantastic.


- work trades are extremely useful. use whatever skills you possess as barter for food and other needs.

- when in need of clothes and other thrift-shop items: first, seek out free bins. these are common outside of homes people are moving out of or renovating, and sometimes the YMCA or some churches have them. next, check out garage sales - they're the next best thing to free. after that, go to thrift shops. but seriously, if you need clothes, sometimes it's best to make them yourself. alter and fix old stuff, or take old stuff and use it to make new stuff.

- the microwave is generally the most efficient appliance in the house, and heaters and lightbulbs are among the most inefficient. microwaves are creepy but nobody can prove they're killing us, so i'd go with the microwave whenever possible when trying to cut down on electricity bills.

- a good chunk of electricity bills are for heating, and most of our heat is wasted by poor insulating and sealing in the home. if your house is sealed properly, you won't need to spend so much money (and contribute so much to pollution) heating it.

- if you use the bus regularly, get a year-long pass. otherwise, ride a bike or just walk. once you get used to it, you'll never go back. no gas to pay by the liter for + no waiting for rides + no missing the last bus + no insurance + a lower mortality rate = much better than driving a car.

that's all i could think of for now. not bad, considering i've never been poor! seriously, though, i see so many people who have no idea how to manage money. they take their meagre wages and blow it all on expensive food that doesn't keep, brand new clothes at retail prices, gas, and inflated utility bills (not to mention the percentage who spend it on various addictions and vices) and then they live in poverty with one pair of pants and nothing to eat but ichiban noodles and hamburger helper until the next payday. it's pathetic.
so please, everyone, post your tips on living cheaply and we can compile a big Cheap Living Manifesto and make everyone's lives easier!

 

awesome ideas!

 

walking or biking everywhere is truly rewarding! a few things to add:
unless you have someone else providing regular transportation, do all your shopping within walking distance or work or home. it's tempting to make a special trip out to the suburbs to get a cheaper price, but there is the cost of bus fare to consider and more importantly the tendency to spend more once you get there.

learning to do without stuff is also very rewarding, not to mention cheap. and get rid of the damn, energy-wasting tv. get rid of your computer, too, if you're braver than me, and can get away with it. use public computers at libraries.

public farm markets are also sources of cheap food. and look into CSA - that's a bit of a gamble because if it's a crummy harvest you're screwed, but some CSA's accept food stamps, and if you pay for it all in one shot, then you don't have to worry about food for the rest of the season.

parents: consider cloth diapers. the difference in price is definately worth it.

 

Here's a post some peeps may find helpful from the cac-st board:


Living Without Work -RedWolfReturns
------------------------------------------------------------------------
here's some suggestions for super-simplifying one's life to cut expenses to the max and reduce slavery to the workplace.

Food:

Learn edible wild plants--most weeds are edible and a good lunch can be had in nearly any abandoned city lot (or between the rows of one's garden). Pick up roadkilled animals for meat (not necessarilly a good option in urban areas unless one is desperate, but an excellent option in rural ones). Learn to hunt, fish & trap with non-technological (you make your "weapon") methods (this is not just for the wilderness, if you are carefull not to be seen you can catch food in most city open-space parks). Learn to dry plants and meat to pack with you when you travel (pemmican--rendered fat mixed with dried meat and greans--is the ultimate travel food). Do some research at your local library or on the internet.

Garden (in the city get a plot in your local community garden) and dont forget to eat the "weeds"! (most of them, that is...) Check out "The Natural Way of Farming" by M. Fukuoa.

"Steal" condiments from resturants--one can get all the free catsup and sugar packets one might want at MC'D's.

Dumpster dive resturants and supermarkets (small organic groceries are best).

Eat at Food Not Bombs or other "soup kitchens" in the city. Check with the local homeless community--they are an excellent resource on all this stuff! One can often find at least one free meal a day in most large urban areas.

Buy what you still need whole, raw, and in bulk. Farmer's markets are a good option to cut out the middleman.

Shelter:

Learn stealth and how to squat in the woods. Also learn the legalities of it all (in most national forests you can legally camp for two weeks in a particular spot--this basically means that you live in one spot until you are discovered, then you have two weeks to move to a different spot in the same forest...one could live indefinetly this way.) Learn to make debris huts/scout pits & other earth shelters. Forget the tent--use a natural shelter or a tarp when camping out.

Stay on rooftops when in the city to avoid detection and molestation.

Live in intentional communities and exchange labor for room and board (check out the "intentional communities directory" on the web or in print--your library can get it for you). Monestaries are an option for work exchange as well (many contemplatives/mystics are much cooler than mainstream church followers). Willing Workers On Organic Farms is an option when travelling abroad or in the eastern u.s. (look them up on the web).

Clothing:

Learn to make your own (tan hides, cordage & weave plant fibers, knit, sew, etc). You can make good sandals out of old bias ply tires from the dump.

If you must purchase, buy clothes only at thrift stores, then learn to repair it and make it last as long as possible (learn sewing).

Stop wearing underware and go barefoot or wear sandals or moccasins as much as is safe to cut wear on sox.

The local homeless community will know where free clothing barrels are in the area--again, if you live in the city, get to know these guys!

Hygene:

Stop using soap and shampoo (no need to even mention how unnecessary deoderant and mouthwash are!), use hot water and friction (scrubbing) to clean yourself. Detergents are totally unnecessary (unless you work as an auto mechanic or something) and are VERY polluting of the earth. They also cut your natural body oils in an unhealthy way (when you stop using shampoo your hair may become a grease-pit for up to a month, but it will stabilize after that and return to normal). The same goes for your clothing--no soap--just hot water. Wash things like sox often. Steal towels and washcloths from hotels during room cleaning times.

Stop using toothpaste. Brush with baking soda--it works just as well and you can get a 5 years supply for fifty cents. You can usually get free toothbrushes and floss at a local dentist office or community health/dental clinic.

Medicine:

Learn medicinal plants and alternative methods. Learn preventive medicine--nutrition, execise, etc--taking care of your body is the key. Many medicines are free to all through the plant community, some examples are; Aspen/willow inner bark works as a pain reliever / aspirin substitute. Balaam fir sap is an antiseptic for wounds & cuts. Urine is an excellent anti-fungal agent for athletes foot infections. Garlic is anti-viral. Ginger is good for digestive problems.

Many clinics have programs for low-income to get up to 100% of their bills covered--check with health & social services.

Transportation:

Become more locally self sufficient so you have to travel less to meet your needs. Get used to walking--any trip under 5 miles its better to walk if possible. Under 10 miles--bike. In the city, check with local homeless resources about free public transportation for low income folks. Hitchhike, hop trains (be careful & consult someone experienced with these) or at very least, go greyhound. No car, of course.

Misc:

Make fat-lamps for light and emergency heat. Candles are another expense...

Boil water to purify or just get used to micro-organisms through slowly aclimating your system to them & building healthy internal digestive-tract flora. Use charcoal and sand to make your own water purifyer (layer them in a cutoff denim pant leg, hang it up and pour water through it to purify) for heavy industrial metals (when needed). Forget about buying purification tablets or filters.

Hope this gives some initial ideas for folks to try out...

"...give me a wildness who's glance no civilization can endure..." --Thoreau

 

I carry around a little plastic bottle when I travel and put a few squirts of the liquid soap available in restrooms, which I can use later for soap or shampoo, so you don't have to give up soap just coz you can't get it free, though I do agree we use too much soap and more scrubbing with plain water is good.

 

There are some really awesome ideas here, I am going to have to rey some of them out.

 

i know its not environmentaly sound and corperate companies suck, but if you live in an urban area and can secure a job at a chain restaurant ie:applebees employees usually get a discount if not free food at each shift. and its damn easy to steal shit when a managers not looking. P.S. dont do this to private buisness it just not right.

peace bob

 

Easy Patchwork Pants

-I had an old pair of pants and an old skirt that I couldn't wear anymore because they were a bit too small.

-I first cut the pants along the seam on each outer leg from hip to ankle, all the way.

-I cut up the old skirt into small patches.

-I used the patches to sew the pants back together to give a larger, more comfortable pair of pants that look really cool too.

-Cost = 79 cents for thread.

 

What about hunting and trapping, money can be made by selling hides of certain critters, only in season though, there are lots of rabbits and squirrels out there and opossum and racoon ain't bad either. You could also make money buy selling certain roots and such too. Ginseng is one of the more popular, but once again there are seasons for such. Living in the woods is a cheap way to go, close to a campground, meet the campers and get yourself invited to some meals, lots of food get thrown out by campers as they bring too much. Make money by selling firewood to campers as in ohio it is illegal to gather dead wood in the state parks for fire. Learn edible plants that are in your area, and pay close attention to those which you get in the winter as they will be necessary for survival. Learn to fish and gig frogs for food. Learn to take care of yourself so a doctors visit doesn't have to happen. Learn to clean water so you can drink it, boiling will kill the germs but will still have crap in it, so a filter may be nice. I would avoid the city homeless shelters as anything you have may be stolen as you sleep, plus diseases are with the homeless, not to mention lice. Bradford Angier has several books on survival if you get to a library. As far as food goes, rice is a good staple, and spices to keep it from getting bland, curry, chili, cumin, even cinammon, salt a pepper. Get yourself a backpack to carry the essentials. A bicycle will carry more than you can, even if you have to push it. They are free for the taking at alot of the rescue boxes. Learn to dehydrate things for use later, if you are in area that doesn't freeze you can learn to can any excess. If you have land, garden, buy a storage shed to live in and store things out of the weather. Think of what the settlers lived. No electric, no health care, no this and no that. They survived. Of course age 50 was old. But there is so much we can do, but we just don't want to do without. I
I long for the a simpler life, but stuck in this rat race and the rats are winning, of course I've been doing this for 30 years and it is hard to break a habit. In a way I'm hoping for a layoff so I can implement some of my ideas. I'm not rich, but I'm not lacking either. I sent a daughter to college and still paying for it, and pretty much live payday to payday with a wife that won't do without. I attempt to live cheaply, I buy myself clothes only when the others are no longer servicable, and then I put it off as long as possible. Food I stock up on what is on sale, buy enough to last till it goes on sale again. Everything will go on sale sooner or later so you should never have to pay full price.
Dave

 

Here are some good articles for living on little or no money:

Part One http://home.earthlink.net/~astrology/confessi.html

Part Two http://home.earthlink.net/~astrology/confes2.html

Here is her main website, TONS of articles on all kinds of stuff, just scroll down and you'll find them all http://home.earthlink.net/~astrology/

 

Dont want to burst your bubble but books by Bradford Angier whom I've read and admire 40 years ago,are pure fantasy in todays world.Using bear grease for cooking,c'mon give me a break here.To trap any poor critter you need a trappers licence wich is bought ,now if you actually catch a bunny and clean it and eat it and tan it's hide,where in the world would you sell it?
I personnally have met trappers in northen Canada who were licence and had a terretory to trap in,it is hard work.
Hunting is an expesive hobby that requires money ,knowledge ,hard work
Purifying water ,= a purifier.
Dont get me wrong ,but I have been reading post by these youngsters and not so young people who just want to live out there for free.Being a bum is not easy and is not enjoyable and is not being free.I live in Fla. and see bums all the time ,it,s not a pretty site being homeless in 93 degree weather.Dumpsters dont smell that good,your not welcome on the beach ,police constantly check you out,your really not free.
I've met some boaters who live aboard and they are about as free as it gets after your boat payments insurance,marinas,maintenance.
Take my advice please,get a job,save some money and get a little cottage' go camping with real food and good friends,gocanoing or sailing and experience true freedom,dont be dependent of others,be free.

You already live in a commune,everybody does their share in a commune,look around you ,there's the shoe maker ,and there goes the carpenter,and there's the baker, get it?

 

Ceres,

those are some awesome articles! thanks!

 

If anyone is near Dorchester, NH then check out www.dacres.org this is community living on 150 acres. It cost $15 a week and 26 hours of work for the week. It's on a back road in a small town, so there isn't lots of traffic and you won't see lots of advertising for this great place.

 

Cacophony,

Have you thought about Hawaii? Being homeless is ok there, and wild fruits grow rampantly, especially guavas.

Here's another really radical idea: the live of Giri Bala. She lived 50+ years without eating AND drinking.

What about living a life of abstinence? Fruitarianism is the best path to lead towards breatharianism, which I believe was Giri Bala's greatest accomplishment in life.

Think about it!

 

erm...thanks, but asceticism ain't my cup of tea. i can afford to be a little frivolous...you know, eating and all that.

phew, 50 years without eating or drinking? what's the point?

 

Wouldn't theye die after like a week or so, without drinking..?

 

There are some weird theories about manifestation. One I personally believe in is with the holographic model of the universe. If you want to know more about it read the Holographic Universe.

Also there was a Stimatist Nun who went for most of her life without food or water. It is well documented by the Catholic Church. They followed her for months, even going as far as to measure the amount of water she rinsed her mouth out with when she brushed her teeth, before and after she spit it out.

 

l just spent like an hour and a half reading that site and it was very informative

 

I heard about this guy who lived for like thirty years off the sun. He would just stare at it instead of eating. Maybe you could try that.

 

thanks for all the info everyone............. Looking to find a way to heat my home without going through the electric company K
Kris