Homesteader Depot

Tag: saving money

  • 9 Useful Items You Can Find at a Dollar Store

    9 Useful Items You Can Find at a Dollar Store

    The dollar store is more than a place filled with cheap trinkets and toys. It also has plenty of useful items that many homesteaders will find handy. On top of that, everything at the dollar store is affordable. Depending on which one you go to, you might find that everything is a dollar – or at the most, a few dollars. Whether you’re on a budget or just want to save money, these stores are the best places to go for some basic items.

    Cheesecloth

    Cheesecloth is useful in the kitchen, as it helps you strain things like cheese. If your local dollar store doesn’t sell properly labeled cheesecloth, then look for very thin towels. They’ll work just as well, and can be reused, making them even more of a bargain.

    Sewing Needles

    Not only are these items great for their intended purpose (sewing, of course), but they work well for getting out splinters and even applying stitches. Just remember to heat up the tips first with a match or lighter to sterilize them. When you’re getting a package of dozens of sewing needles for a dollar, you’ll find that you come up with many additional uses for them!

    Towels

    We already touched on this briefly in the cheesecloth section, but towels, in general, are plentiful at the dollar store. For a mere dollar, you can get large bath towels, packs of washcloths, and even dishtowels. There’s one for every purpose. Stash some in your car for those just-in-case moments or slice them into smaller towels to wipe up spills.

    Buckets

    Plastic buckets are great to have around. You can fill them with soil and use them as planters (just make sure to punch a few drainage holes in the bottom), place chicken scraps in them, and even use them to hold general garden tools. If you can find food grade plastic buckets, feel free to place them in your kitchen where they can hold meal items.

    Plastic Containers

    Speaking of food grade plastics, these containers have any number of uses. They can hold leftovers from your meals. You can use smaller ones to separate out sewing tools or toiletries. Plastic contains can hold some of your children’s toys, such as puzzle or game pieces and sets of blocks, ensuring that they won’t get lost. Really, there’s no shortage of useful things that they can do.

    Twine

    Every good homesteader needs to keep a ball of thick string or twine on hand. This product is good for attaching your vine vegetables to the trellis. If it’s thick enough, it will make a nice laundry line, as clothespins will adhere to it well.

    Clothespins

    Speaking of clothespins, you can find those at the dollar store as well. These small wooden or plastic devices can hang up clothes to dry, keep bags of flour or rice closed, and even serve as impromptu bookmarks. You can even hang decorations with them around the holidays.

    Freezer Bags

    You won’t feel bad about using plastic freezer bags when they’re this inexpensive. These bags are great for freezing fresh fruits and vegetables for later use. You can also use them to store leftovers. They can even hold seed packets for next year’s garden.

    Rice

    Although white rice isn’t the best thing to eat, the kind sold at the dollar store can be used to make homemade heating pads. It also makes a great weight, if you need to anchor down a piece of wire fencing around your garden.

    The dollar store is filled with useful items for homesteaders. Many of these items can handle more than one task, ensuring that you really do get your money’s worth.

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  • 10 Simple Money Saving Tips Everyone Should Follow

    10 Simple Money Saving Tips Everyone Should Follow

    I remember seeing a news report on T.V. several years ago featuring people who are addicted to “coupons” shopping.  I was fascinated by some of the techniques these people had developed to get products for practically nothing.

    As I was watching though, and later when I was looking at the coupon mailers we regularly get, I was struck by the fact that so many things that companies and merchants often offer coupons for, my family don’t use.  Or at least, don’t use a large amount of regularly.

    As I was watching, I realized I didn’t see the point of buying five tubes of toothpaste for less than the cost of one 4-5 times a year.  I don’t know about you, but we don’t use nearly that much toothpaste in a 12 month period.  So, instead of saving money, I would have spent money I didn’t need to instead, and I’d have to find a place to store 20-25 tubes of toothpaste.

    So, the question you should ask yourself is this, “would I normally buy this product if I didn’t have a coupon?”

    If the answer is a quick and definitive “No” then consider this, does your coupon shopping habits actually save you money, or only entice you to buy things you don’t need?

    Other Ways to Save Money

    If your primary purpose for coupon shopping is to save money, consider some of these other ways to accomplish this without risking papercuts.

    Go Generic

    Check to see if there are decent generic brands of the products you normally buy.  Many stores now carry their own in-house brands of things like canned soups, bread, and even organic veggies.  Check the day to day prices of these items to see how they compare to name brands.  If you take them home and your family likes them, Great!  You’ll automatically save money for that item each time you buy it.

    Shop the Sales

    Healthier items are more likely to go on sale than have a coupon.  Just be sure that you are only buying items you use.  You don’t want to get caught up in the same habits in sales that you do in coupons.

    Only Shop When You Have a List – Then Stick to It

    It’s very easy to get side-tracked by sale signs and in-store coupons as you peruse the aisles.  With a list, you know exactly what you will need.  Stick to it, and you have less of a chance to buy a bunch of items you don’t need.

    Eat Healthier

    Choosing water, homemade iced tea, and homebrewed coffee instead of sodas, packaged juices and carry out coffee drinks will not only help you feel better but be better for your wallet.

    Cook Foods and Snacks from Scratch

    The cost of ingredients is often much lower in total than buying prepackaged, processed versions.   This includes items like most meals, bread, snacks, pizza and more.

    Avoid Dining Out

    Eating out can be very expensive, even at most fast food places.  If you are really in the mood for a cheeseburger and fries, make your own with ground beef and potatoes.  Even if you buy the buns, you’ll still be able to feed your whole family for much less than a trip through the drive-thru would be.

    Pack Your Work Lunch

    The average dining out lunch is $10.  The same amount could give you lunch supplies for a week.

    Related Article: “Frugal Foods for the Homesteader on a Budget”

    Imbibe Less

    Alcohol is pricey, and even discount wines and beer can add up.

    Quit Smoking

    Not just for your health, also for your wallet. Calculate how much you spend a month on cigarettes.  You will probably be surprised.  Then, figure out how else you could use that money.

    You Don’t Have to Give Up Coupons Altogether

    Thanks to the digital age, the resources for both paper coupons and digital coupons have grown, and it’s easy to get caught up in coupon and Groupon fever.

    As you sift and sort through all the great bargains out there, just remember, you’re only saving money if you are purchasing something you’d normally buy without a coupon.

     

  • 10 Simple Tricks For Saving Energy

    10 Simple Tricks For Saving Energy

    lightbulbs

    Saving energy, both to ease the burden on your wallet and to contribute to conservation efforts, is a hot topic for many homeowners these days. But when you live in the country or on your own homestead, saving energy can be a little more challenging. Raising animals can often require extra energy, and by doing a lot of things yourself rather than buying pre-made versions, you may have to use more energy.

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    However, by focusing on energy-saving practices, you can still lower your utility bills exponentially, and do your part to help conserve the Earth’s resources and atmosphere. Here are some great ways to save energy on your homestead:

    1. Tint your windows, or use heavy drapes, to keep your house cooler naturally.
    2. Plant trees on the side of your home where the sun shines in, to ensure that your future energy use is lower.
    3. Rely more on ceiling fans or other fans, and less on the AC.
    4. Don’t leave any floor bare – area rugs help retain heat in the winter.
    5. Unlike ceiling fans, portable heaters won’t save you any money. Skip them and raise the temperature just a bit instead.
    6. Install a wood stove to heat your entire home, or to heat your barn or milking stall. Even if you used the wood heat during the day and your heater at night, you’ll save money.
    7. Changing your light bulbs to more energy efficient CFLs really does make a difference.
    8. Microwaves use less energy to heat leftovers than your oven.
    9. Vacuum your refrigerator coils. This one chore can have an immediate effect on the efficiency of your appliance.
    10. If you can’t line dry your laundry, do several loads all at once. The dryer uses less energy if it doesn’t cool down between loads.

    These tips won’t add up to much on their own; but all together, they’ll help you lower your energy costs throughout the year without sacrificing your comfort or the efficiency of your homestead.

    [Bonus] DIY Home Energy System…