How to live Cheap

[Super Fast]

I am concerned with rising costs of gas & other things.

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Within the last year, I bought & paid off a trailer, fixed it up, & I still got my car that I had for 3 years or so, also paid off.

Neither are new, but I own the land, trailer, & car.

 

Car is a 96 cavalier, about 30 or so MPG.

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I am wondering, what can I do to live cheaper? Here are steps I have done so far to cut costs, so I am open to new ideas.

 

- Install energy efficient 52 inch ceiling fans.

- Replace 40 & 60 watt incandescent bulbs with 13 Watts = 60 CFL bulbs.

- Replaced wood fireplace with gas fireplace, in case of power outage or a need for a fireplace.

- Replaced gas stove with electric stove.

- Patched ductwork holes to improve heating & cooling.

- Repair skirting around trailer to reduce lost heat & air.

- Replaced a few windows, repainted inside, & replaced hot water heater.

- Replaced rain gutters.

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I am thinking of starting a food pantry to combat rising food costs. Say, an area large enough to hold about 1.5 to 3 years worth of food.

 

I have the basic insurance I need on the car & trailer. All the insurance in the world won't do you good if you don't live long enough to enjoy life.

 

I have a savings built up, somewhat.

 

Any tips or ideas?

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* I thought of converting to LED bulbs once they perfect it. LED would be probably around 4 or 5 Watts, compared to 13, & are instantly at their max brightness, while CFL take up to 30 sec to a min to = full wattage & brightness.

 

Incandescent bulbs last 1,200 hrs.

CFL last 8,000 hrs

LED last 50,000 hrs

 

Ideally, I want to move totally off the grid one day, with perhaps well water, & my own electricity (solar panels/wind mills, perhaps? high powered laptops instead of energy hog desktop computers?) I also discarded old CRT NEC/Dell/etc monitors for LCD since they use 25% the power. Am thinking of LED later on.

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If anyone knows any more tips or ideas, I am looking for good long term investments to my place that would reduce or eliminate monthly bills where possible. I do have DSL internet, but not cable TV. I have a prepaid phone with a permanent minutes doubler card since I don't use the phone a lot. Sometimes, I get 2 or 3 months off $40 & 400 min.

 

Am thinking of getting short growing grass to reduce mowing & gas for mower/time spent mowing/worn mower parts.

I send junk mail back to reduce it & make them pay for it being removed off their list. I have a cross cut shredder so I don't have to use scissors.

 

Let's hear your cost saving ideas! Hopefully, cheap ones that can give great long term savings!

[Guest]

So do you live in a trailer in a field somwhere? Also, gas is more efficient than electric.

[Super Fast]

I live in a trailer, yes, but not in a field. In a small town here. Gas may be more efficient, but the price of it is getting lots higher.

[Fluffy]

Hi Superfast,

Have you thought of growing your own food vegetables etc.

Planning meals saves quite a bit of money,sounds boring but it works as you do`nt throw much away and use what you have bought more effectively you can also cook more than you need and have some for the freezer,as well as looking for bulk offers on food items in the stores.

It`s also amazing what other people throw away as rubbish,sometimes it can be cleaned up and sold on or used,

In this age of not repairing anything and throwing things away it`s refreshing to find someone who`s trying to reduce their eco footprint !

[Super Fast]

Hmmmm.... Well, that's a good idea! I don't like the idea of herbi or pesticides, since they could leach into the groundwater, or if kids were over, they could ingest infected rain run-off, so I thought of trying to create a greenroom that is insulated from bugs/weather for a better "growing" season.

 

Speaking of rubbish, that gives me an idea! I believe Craigslist has a free section. Might can call the freebies up, get em, & if the used bed/furniture/etc. is in good condition, try to sell it, or fix it up!

[Alan_B]

I read last week that bed-bugs were a problem in the past that was overcome,

and now it has become a non-problem the relevant precautions are no longer taken.

Consequently you can now carry them into your house :-

Via your body from an expensive holiday hotel that takes inadequate precautions; and

Via second-hand furniture.

Enjoy

[Super Fast]

Note to self. Per Alan's wise suggestion: Avoid bedding or other items that could cause problems!

[Guest]

How expensive is gas compared to electricity where you live? Where I live electricity prices have risen by ~20% over the past year.

[Super Fast]

Here, about $3.89 a gallon for gas for the car.

 

Since I moved here a 1.5 years ago with that 100 gallon gas tank, I don't know how much gas is, since I haven't had to use it & get some to replace it yet.

 

I think electricity bills for heating/cooling may be $250 or so a month. I will have to get back with you on it & let you know a few figures if it is higher or lower.