Alternative Ways of Living

Nah not for me, I work hard enough all week to be frugal, nothing like splashing out on expensive craft beer that I don't need, or a weekend in Berlin that I don't really need either.

It's funny you would mention giving up your phone as I am also thinking of ditching my smartphone. I was gifted one by my husband in 2012 when he realized I would never get one myself, comfortably happy with my ancient Nokia and clueless about whatsapp now I spent wayyy too much time online, especially on facebook, wasting quality time when I could be enjoying something else offline instead. Plus I pay for data every month to do so. I mean apart from google maps and free calls abroad, what does one need a smartphone for? This month I got a prepaid amount without data and only use wifi at home and take a guess...am still alive!

I am also a bit obsessive when it comes to not spending money and when I do I make sure I really want the item (even if it's a gift, I put in a lot of thought before shelling out my cash). We keep track of all our expenses so any day without an entry feels good somehow but not even a bit deprived.

I love finding ways to get items cheaper or free by being more patient and thinking things through. I used to be very quick to buy and then too the first available option but I have become better with that.

Our bank balance is comfortable and we intend to keep it that way. We are thinking about buying property but only if it makes money sense and not because everyone does it. I have friend who buy because that is supposedly what one should do or they buy a car on loan which to me is silly as it is a depreciating asset so what is the point? I think in general consumer loans are a trap and one should just keep away!

I have stopped drinking upon getting pregnant last year - yes, I do not care what people say but I firmly believe it is harmful to drink during pregnancy - and since them have not been to a pub as my friends only wanted to get wasted so I sort of fell out of those rounds. Interestif which friends stick around if you do not want to go out for a drink or a night of partying. Eye opening to say the least. I do not intend to go back to drinking; am breastfeeding still and not drinking any alcohol.

Op look into Bushcraft skills. Might be the life for you. Very enjoyable and fantastic for self development and well being

Sure money is there for spending. Ye are some tight shower and deserve to be named and shamed. Made my night reading about all of your eccentricities though. Drinking a craft beer now and planning my next weekend away. Go get some joy into your lives!

mrmanire wrote:

Sure money is there for spending. Ye are some tight shower and deserve to be named and shamed. Made my night reading about all of your eccentricities though. Drinking a craft beer now and planning my next weekend away. Go get some joy into your lives!

Believe it or not, the way we live now is completely unsustainable for this planet and our race, but do carry on!

I work part time and have to have a mobile phone for it, its €20 a month and €10 goes to all calls, €5 on a text bundle and the other 5 for when the text bundle runs out or for using for calls when month is up. I use web text for most of my work group texts.
We bought satellite box, its €70 subscription a year and we have all the channels. I watch Game of Thrones and a movie at the weekend, husband watches Formula One.
A trip to France just bough enough wine for the next 6 months, a few parties and a cold glass every evening in the garden, we don't go out and we don't smoke. We much prefer to entertain at home.
I am an excellent cook and normally cook everything from scratch. We have €80 each week for grocery/toiletry shopping (we are a family of 3 to 5 adults). I do the shopping on Sunday and that's it other than milk for the week. I found just running into the supermarket I was buying lots we didn't want. LIDL is main shop, ALDI for a few things and Tesco for specialised such as bread flour and spices, or the local health food shop. But we grow all our own vegetables and have our own hens, we don't buy most veg all summer long. The €80 includes household items such as linens, towels, smelly candles etc. It also includes gifts and any entertainment expenses we have. I'm not trying to scrimp on the food bills I just hate waste and hate paying for extra packaging and additives. We dine vey well on this. I use all the leftovers.
I make our own bread and bake cake in bulk and then freeze so we always have some sweet treats to hand and are not tempted to buy it.
I love clothes and shoes but have more than I need so a few years ago I started my €100 a year budget. I have €100 to buy regular clothes for the year, socks, underwear, jeans, sandals etc. I am also allowed one "special" outfit such as something new for a wedding/christening/party. And sometimes you need something specific, last December it was really good walking wellies when we were flooded, they cost €60. This year it was a new swimsuit...these come our of any money I have been given as presents for Christmas and birthday.
5 adults cost a lot in water and electricity, always dishes and clothes to be washed. The washing machine and dishwasher are loaded up each evening and set to come on during night time rates. No dishes are hand washed as this uses too much water, the dishwasher is more economical. We have no microwave or tumble dryer. I know water is not charged now but we also have the cost of waste water, we have a treatment system and each day a pump comes on, the more water going the more electricity we use, so we watch carefully and don't leave taps running for washing or rinsing things.
House is well insulated with underfloor heating, heat is on only Nov to Feb. Hot water is timed each day and simply if none is left them you wait until tomorrow or have a cold shower (no immersion).
I live in a rural area and have great neighbours. One gives me manure for the garden, another lets me raid their apple and plum trees as it is too much for them, and yet another (who has a bakery) gives us leftover bread for the hens. I give them eggs and jam. Yesterday our next door neighbour and I visited each others garden and swapped lots of plants and seedlings.
I can knit and sew and this means lots of clothes can get repaired, I'm very short and have to take up all my jeans. A €70 LIDL sewing machine saved me €12 on every clothing item...the cost of having it altered.
I'm not frugal for the sake of scrimping money, its that I hate waste and the idea of using up all the earths resources. And then I enjoy a three week holiday in France each year and a really good long weekend in a 5 star hotel in the Spring.

Sam Kade wrote: »

Do you think the planet will explode or something.

If the planet exploded, we might as well have been living like courtesans at the fall of Rome. No. What you need to worry about is what happens when changes we cause to the planet make the rainfall and temperature not match the amount of sunlight to a given latitude, and the plant and animal life that evolved to exist under certain proportions of each fail because those proportions are so out of whack, and things that depend on the failed organisms fail because of their dependencies, and humans fail because the food chain collapses. There's more to "global warming" than "gee, it's hot outside this year".

Sam Kade wrote: »

Global warming is a load of hot air.

Heh

Hi all,

I make my own tarts and jams and trade with my neighbour for her delicious bread, wish more of this went on, spent good part of the day baking tarts, scones and have freshly made gooseberry jam, looked after friends children today got lovely compliment, you are a great cook, made my day ☺.

Am useless fixing punctures on child's bike, wish I could do a trade for puncture repair.

Wouldn't it be great if the men's sheds charged small fee for this type thing.

I try hard to hang on to cash but it seems to leave me.

Fair play to every one for their tips etc.

florawest wrote: »

Hi all,

I make my own tarts and jams and trade with my neighbour for her delicious bread, wish more of this went on, spent good part of the day baking tarts, scones and have freshly made gooseberry jam, looked after friends children today got lovely compliment, you are a great cook, made my day ☺.

Am useless fixing punctures on child's bike, wish I could do a trade for puncture repair.

Wouldn't it be great if the men's sheds charged small fee for this type thing.

I try hard to hang on to cash but it seems to leave me.

Fair play to every one for their tips etc.

Bartering would be a great idea I never tried baking tarts but I've repaired punctures from bicycle wheels up to tractor wheels

enoughalready wrote: »

Hi all,

I am obsessed with this idea of being frugal and thriftily saving my money! I can go days and days without spending a cent. Literally no spending days are the best! I have only spent €5.20c in the last 4 days. I could probably manage a whole week without spending anything. It got me thinking of other people's alternative ways of living and examples of how they cut costs.

Do you have a way of living that others would perhaps deem 'abnormal'? But saves you hundreds or even thousands of €€€? For example, I'm thinking of ditching my mobile phone and living my life without one. It would certainly cut costs and I don't NEED it. Surely there are other examples of thrifty, alternative living recommendations that you are all experiencing at the moment, would love to hear some stories. Just because everyone else is doing something doesn't mean we should follow like little sheep, STOP for a moment and question why we are paying out for stuff when it's not necessary.....

how do you manage food?