Thoughts on Extreme Couponing

You know, I have been watching that "Extreme Couponing" program with An'joe, my daughter-in-law.  I know some people who hit the local Rite-Aid with coupons every week when the flyers come out in the local shopper.  Now, don't get me wrong, I love living frugally and saving money makes me very happy.  I was thinking to myself while I was watching these guys...but is this really saving money?  I mean how much toothpaste, fabric softener sheets, and Advil can one family use? 

I think if I were going to feel like I was doing something in the line of extreme couponing I would like to go to the store for my:

1-lb of hamburger (aka mince meat)

1 box of spaghetti noodles

1 jar of tomato sauce

1 package of garlic bread

and 1 Marie Callendar's Chocolate Satin pie

and get that for .10 cents after coupons.  Never mind the 15 bottles of pop, 42 tubes of Crest or Colgate, 10 bars of Irish Spring soap, 5 boxes of Bounce fabric sheets, etc.  I think my reflections are rooted in the daily trips to the local grocery store run by Harold Vey.  We walked there every day and got the things that we needed.  Someone in the family went to Lawlor's Meat Market and picked up the frying meat (steak) or mince meat (hamburger) and brought it back to the house.  We had fresh-baked break and drank a nice cup of tea or a cold glass of water with our meals.  There was always potatoes, turnip, cabbage, and carrots to be had. 

We never had a stash under the beds of this weeks specials.  We did not have to donate our soon to be expired items to the food bank.  We only bought what we needed. 

Years later Lawlor retired and his shop became a chip store.  Ayres had a supermarket a couple of blocks away from our house by that time.  Mom walked there every day to get what we needed under one roof.  She chatted with the cashier and produce manager, the meat cutter, the clerks and went about her business of preparing meals like you would. 

Now, there was a friend of ours who had a nice pantry full of canned goods.  She could go in there and get a can of Carnation milk or a tin of Lynn Valley peas when she needed it.  It was not a storage locker but rather a closet with shelves on each side.  They still went to their local butcher shop and picked up the sausages, or chicken as they needed.

My point?  My hat is off to those who spend their days organizing their coupon excursions and returning to their homes with their haul of bargoooons hunted from the local newspaper.  AND guess what...I am not the only one who thinks that way.  Who knew... 

Extreme Couponing More Like Hoarders Than How To

I wonder if the author of this article had a local grocery store where they bought what they needed?  Do you think his mother went to a meat market to pick up fresh cut meat from someone like our Mr. Lawlor? 

Oh, and just in case you want to check out what my friend will be picking up this week:

Rite-Aid Flyer for This Week

Me?  I will be going to the Perry Market Place to pick up what I need where I get points that add up to $$$ at the gas pump.  Oh, they have three markdown bins that are really good as well.  I will be doing the same at Perry Rite-Aid so there's no fear of me taking all the paper towels on you.  Did I mention that they have wonderful markdown specials at the end of the season?  Well, it all adds up but I don't have to rent a storage place to keep all my bargooooons.  Don't tell anyone but I am spending my money locally to help keep those little stores open...      

Sign me, Living Simply in Small Town America

Frugal Tips for the Beginner

Someone wrote to my Facebook "Living Simply" group to ask for frugal tips. Initially, I wrote several small responses but the list got quite long...lol! See what you can add to the list of frugal information.

1. Downsized - gave excess to thrift shop in town.

2. Purchased and moved to a smaller house. No longer paying rent. Mortgage will be paid off in 14 months.

3. Insulated very well to conserve heat.

4. Install rainwater collection barrel. Too much rain this summer to use for watering the garden.

5. Each year I have had a vegetable garden for produce. Share excess with neighbors.

6. Trade wooden pallets (free) for large brown eggs from friend. (They use the pallets for kindling.)

7. Cooking with two friends who live alone. End result? Wonderful meals and good company!

8. Took vacation that would have been out of reach financially for one person. Advertised trip to Newfoundland on (www.Kijiji.ca) rideshare site. Result? Four people traveling in one vehicler sharing expenses instead of four individuals driving four vehicles to Newfoundland. We had wonderful time!

9. Keeping track of finances for 30 days to track money outgo. Seeing exactly where my money went for that period of time. Making better financial choices to stretch dollars.

10. Buying used textbooks (university) rather than new. Wonderful savings!

11. We recycle our tins, cans, paper, etc.

12. Buy used rather than new.

13. No longer purchase new cars. No car payment.

14. Have unlimited long distance plan to permit economical communication with grandkids in Canada. Very reasonable cost rather than .05 per minute plan.

Sign me, Still saving money in small town America, M

Facebook "Living Simply" link:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=14664425723

From Everyday Cheapskate

Housecleaners’ Best Friends: Baking Soda, Dryer Sheets and Hair Spray

Housecleaners’ Best Friends: Baking Soda, Dryer Sheets and Hair Spray I never get tired of receiving tips from my readers that they have tried and found to be true! Whether it’s a tip that has been handed down from a loved one, or is discovered quite by chance, the excitement is contagious when I open my mail and feel their enthusiasm. As you can see, this week I received many enthusiastic letters. SHINY SINKS. For an easy, cheap and green way to clean my enamel sink, I scrub with a mixture of baking soda and vinegar. After rinsing, I add the stopper to the drain and pour hydrogen peroxide into the sink to cover the bottom. I let this sit for 15 to 20 minutes and use a sponge to clean the sides of the sink if it’s needed. Any stains usually disappear. There’s no odor and it’s non-caustic. Juli F., e-mail SPICK AND SPAN PAN. Many years ago, my aunt told me to put baking soda in a pan that had burned, add some water and simmer on the stove for a while, or just let it sit if it’s a dish. Doing this easily removes the burned particles. Geneva D., Florida SCUFF FREE. I clean houses part-time and I have another great use for baking soda. I discovered that using a baking soda paste (add a couple drops of water to the baking soda) gets black scuffmarks off of floors beautifully. Test in a corner first, but this is safe on most vinyl flooring. It also works on walls but can cause the paint to come off, so test first and be careful. Patty K., Indiana CRAYON CLEANUP. My toddler loves to sit at the table and color with crayons. When the crayon markings end up on the table or other hard surfaces, I rub them with a used dryer sheet. Doing this cleans up the marks easily with no residue, and the dryer sheet can be reused many times. Erika T., e-mail MAGIC MARKER. I recently found out that you can remove permanent marker from surfaces using hairspray. I had metal filing cabinets that my mom had labeled with permanent marker, plus several plastic drawers for organizing my kids' room that they “decorated” with sharpie pens. My sister was visiting and had some aerosol hairspray that she sprayed on a napkin and then rubbed over the marker. It came right off, which saved me from replacing these items. Mary Ann D., e-mail CLEAN CARPET. Cornstarch is great as a quick carpet cleaner. Just sprinkle the cornstarch on the carpet, especially in front of the sofa, chair or entranceway. I usually use my wire mesh sifter from the kitchen to get a fine dusting. Leave on the carpet for one hour and then vacuum. This works really well. Ann P., e-mail If you liked this article by Mary Hunt, you'll find lots more in theEveryday Cheapskate Archives, orsubscribe to receive Everyday Cheapskate in your email inbox every weekday. ©Copyright 2009 Mary Hunt Everyday Cheapskate is a Registered Trademark

Traditional Ways Prevail Today

My husband is a Native American. He is a Tuscarora from New York State. We live simply and I have noticed that some of our lifestyle reflects the traditional beliefs. I was raised with some pretty basic old-fashioned beliefs that go hand-in-hand with DH's upbringing. It is just something that we have always enjoyed. Living simply is very important to both of us.

I am taking a Biological Psychology course presently and in my reading this week I came across something that just stayed with me. DH and I discussed it later. The subject was eating and the brain's functions in the feeding process. The Native American Pima tribe out in Arizona and New Mexico have a problem with obesity. This is genetically connected to the presence of two genes linked to obesity. However, there is also the fact that the tribe were not obese until the 1990s! Previous to that their diet consisted of plants from the Sonoran desert. They have been struggling with diabetes as a result of the severe weight problems.

There is a general enlightened school of thought that is encouraging the people to return to the old ways. This would include changing back to the historically traditional diet. I found several questions and answers when I checked further. The Tohono O’odham and Achimel O’odham (Pima) tribes of Arizona were two tribes that were studied.

This obesity-linked obesity issue has been seen in other native communities as the people change and adapt to the (now recognized as unhealthy) drive-thru biggie-size way of life. An article in the New York Times in 1991 really covered the present day hope that the Pima will be able to resume and reclaim the way of life that was the best for them.

Returning to the old ways has saved many of us in this time of downsizing and economic adjustments. It is such a wonderful experience! I would be fibbing if I did not tell you how much it means to me to live as simply as my grandparents. It means a great deal to me. But getting back to the Native American Pima tribes, I have added several items to offer you the opportunity to check this out. Sign me, Living the old way in small town America, M

AT THE DESERT’S GREEN EDGE
An Ethnobotany of the Gila River Pima - Amadeo R. Rea
430 pages (Hardbound)

For those seeking a real understanding of Pima lifeways or alternative ways of inhabiting arid riparian ecosystems, this book will be a treasured classic. It has the power to immerse and transform, as well as to inform in subtle ways. The Akimel O’odham (Pima Indians) of the northern Sonoran Desert continue to make their home along Arizona’s Gila River despite the alarming degradation of their habitat that has occurred over the past century. First discussing the Pima people’s environment and language, Rea then proceeds to share their botanical
knowledge in entries for more than 240 plants that cover information on economic botany, folk taxonomy, and linguistics, This is an archive of otherwise unavailable plant lore that will become a benchmark for botanists and anthropologists. Enhanced by more than 100 brush paintings, it is written to be useful to nonspecialists and to be a great resource for the Pimas regarding their former lifeways. More than an encyclopedia of facts, it is the Pimas’ own story, a testament to a changing way of life in the Sonoran Desert. 0-8165-1540-9

THE DESERT SMELLS LIKE RAIN: A NATURALIST IN O'ODHAM COUNRTY
BY GARY PAUL NABHAN
Paperback 147 pages.

Longtime residents of the Sonoran desert, the TOHONO O'ODHAM people have spent centuries living off the land - a land that most modern citizens of southern Arizona consider totally inhospitable...bringing O'ODHAM voices to the page at every turn, he writes elegantly of how they husband scant water supplies, grow crops, and utilize wild edible foods, woven through his account are coyote tales, O'ODHAM children's impressions of the desert, and observations on some problems that come with living on both sides of an international border.


The New York Times article:

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D0CEFD71F31F932A15756C0A967958260&sec=health&spon=&pagewanted=all


To the untrained eye, a desert is a wasteland that defies civilization; yet the desert has been home to native cultures for centuries and offers sustenance in its surprisingly wide range of plant life. Gary Paul Nabhan has combed the desert in search of plants forgotten by all but a handful of American Indians and Mexican Americans. In Gathering the Desert readers will discover that the bounty of the desert is much more than meets the eye—whether found in the luscious fruit of the stately organpipe cactus or in the lowly tepary bean. Nabhan has chosen a dozen of the more than 425 edible wild species found in the Sonoran Desert to demonstrate just how bountiful the land can be. From the red-hot chiltepines of Mexico to the palms of Palm Springs, each plant exemplifies a symbolic or ecological relationship which people of this region have had with plants through history. Each chapter focuses on a particular plant and is accompanied by an original drawing by artist Paul Mirocha. Word and picture together create a total impression of plants and people as the book traces the turn of seasons in the desert.

Transportation - Car costs Reviewed

I was checking on my simple living websites and found this really interesting article. The writer goes over the costs of purchasing and maintaining a Volvo in an experiement of sorts. I found it very interesting! It was enlightening, to say the least. Hope that you like it.

http://www.resourcesforlife.com/docs/item487

Sign me, Buying a Blazer....hope that I can afford to drive it, M

Building Small Houses - As a Business

A friend and I are going to be building a small cabin. It will be for sale at the end of the process...it is a cottage industry. Pardon the pun! However, with tough times upon us we have decided to work at home doing what we love the best. Watch this spot for photos of the progress. You can make an offer when we are done. If you are the winning bid/offer, you can move the little place to your property.

As small business goes, we will take a one-day break and begin the next one. Help us to make ends meet...stay in touch. Sign me, good old-fashioned work ethic in place for success, M and Company

Frugal Things To Do For Fun

I know that living simply sounds like life without the FUN factor. Well, that is not realistic, right? My friend and I have been enjoying some of the FREE fun things to do in our county. There are many free things out there that are available for anyone wanting to save money without staying home.


A few weeks ago we went to a Super Cruisin' Car Show at the Charcoal Corral in Perry, New York. There were so many cars to see! Corvairs, Corvettes, Chevy Trucks, El Caminos, you name it they had it! I just love the trikes...I would love to get one someday.

Another simple way to enjoy life without the cost:

LEATHERWORK

The Arts Council of Wyoming County offers free Folk Arts demonstrations. The first one that we went to was a leatherwork demonstration by John Mary from South Wales, New York. He was very interesting with lots of stories to share about his work. He showed us how to make an leather carrier/cover for an axe. Here is a picture of the demonstration. John was sitting on an antique leather stitching horse. He also brought along several different types of leather. When he does machine sewing he uses a Tipmann sewing machine called "The Boss".

John Mary, Leatherworker

John also showed us how to braid reins. This is interesting because there are no loose ends. The trick is to gather the ends and pull them through periodically to keep them from tangling. This is a very difficult thing to do...lol.

BLACKSMITH

Last night, we went to a blacksmithing demonstration given by the Arts Council. The blacksmith was Dan Kruszka. We drove to Syler Road in Varysburg, New York. Mr. Kruska was a wonderful speaker with lots of things to share. Indeed, we were surprised to hear that he had he had shod Secretariat! Of course, he modestly added that he had not yet won the Triple Crown so he was not that famous at the time he worked on him.

During the demonstration Dan shared the many different types of horses he had worked on. These included one of the Lippizzaner Stallions and one of the Budweiser Clydesdales. Overall, he was a lot of fun to listen to; he did say that he did not like working on ponies. Of course, I had to ask him if he had ever come across a Newfoundland Pony. He had...lol. One of his doctors had three Newfoundland Ponies. He remembered them as "the horses with all the hair".

Dan Krutzka, Blacksmith

Diagram of a Horse's Leg/Hoof

The Arts Council of Wyoming County: http://www.artswyco.org/index.html

So don't forget to check your newspapers for the local events, there are so many interesting things to do that do not cost much. Even if there is a fee, it is usually minimal. It is also a good way to meet people!

Sign me, Enjoying Frugal Life in Small Town America, M

If you would like to learn more about the Lippizzaner Stallions, go here: http://www.lipizzaner.com/