cutting back

[wvloony]

well i thought i would post this little tidbit on here and see who else is trying to cut back. swmbo, and i have decided to try and cut back on the gas bill for the cook stove, seeing how it is the only thing in the house that actually uses propane, we are gonna use it for just baking, and for the next month or so, cook most of our meals on the wood stove. we have been haveing fun doing it for now, figureing out the little tricks here and there. so is there anyone else looking at ways of cutting back. next thing you know i will be growing my own tobacco for my pipes.

[DoughBoy68]

Being on a fixed income we have tried different ways to cut back on everything we can from taking short showers to turning down the thermostate. About the time we figure a way to lower a utility bill they find some reason to raise the rates.

[wvloony]

well its not the utilities for us, its kinda thinking about a simpler method, and the fun of figureing it out. propane isnt all that expensive, especially when you only fill up the 25lbs tanks, and the cookstove is the only thing using propane.

[Link8382]

Kudos for trying to cut back. I try as much as I can where I can but with 6 people in my home and only two of us paying the bills it is a losing battle. Just keeping the lights off when not needed is a challenge.

[wvloony]

i can relate link, there are 5 people here and only my income to pay things off, luckily, this years tax return paid off the car and a few other things so that will help alot. also, something to consider, while we are trying to cut back, you have to figure out how to do certain things, and do them efficiently, cooking on the woodstove takes some challenges, like not burning up while your frying your eggs., but the fun thing about a puzzle is figuring out how it goes together.

[Link8382]

It is kind of nice to get back to the basics once in awhile. You get a real sense of pride embracing that pioneering spirit. Not that I want to give up all my current gadgets but in my opinion we had a better quality of life in the past. A little off topic but hopefully you catch my drift.

[Matt69]

One good trick I've tried for frugal cooking is to use a 'Sabbath hay-box'. It's simply a cardboard box, lined on all sides with good insulating material - I used 1/2" polystyrene sheets. You heat up a stew or casserole to a rolling boil on the stove, then put it in the box. Fill up any air-space with an old fleece, put another sheet of polystyrene on top, and close the box. The stew will continue to cook for hours if the insulation is done properly, it won't boil dry or burn, and you use no more fuel.

[Link8382]

Interesting! I had a friend who drove commercial trucks over the road and would put cans of stew/soup on top of the engine while he was driving. He would stop 20, 30 mins later and have a hot lunch.

[wvloony]

Matt, i will definately have to show that to my wife, let her see that so she can figure out what she would need, thanks for the tip

[syslight]

for cutting back on meat costs... find a butcher where you can buy whole or half animal and have them cut up for you to order.. you just need freezer space... cows, pigs and sheep are much cheaper this way. as for chicken buy whole ones and cut them up at home then freeze the parts.

books i have found with other 'getting back to self-suffiency' ideas are "possum living" by dolly freed and carla evans "the encyclopedia of country living"