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our stove would probley cost us 100 bucks in electricity just to light it ha ha ha i think just our fruit and vegetable bill a week is about 50 bucks.
the thought of feeding my wife and i on 3 bucks a day is a joke here.... thats a cup of coffee ... if i make it myself we can have the coffee and a buttered roll.
im curious what you live on for 3 bucks a day.... we cant even do tv dinners for that price
It goes along with cooking from scratch.
Growing your own veggies, and livestock maybe. Not that everyone does, but we do.
A loaf of bread baked each day, has a huge impact on your food budget. Flour is cheaper than store-bought bread.
Then once you get used to that, try grinding your own flour. Grain is cheaper than flour.
Then buy grain in bulk every September from the farmers as they do their harvest. It is much cheaper this way
Last edited by Submariner; 11-06-2009 at 07:20 AM..
Reason: sp3lling
To tell you the truth if we had to devote that much time to just feeding ourselves i would just stay working. as i wouldnt consider that my retirement... my time has a value to it as well... if i wanted to have a farming career then i would have been a farmer...
non the less some people really enjoy it , its just not for us...
i bet your livestock eats more then 3 bucks a day though
To tell you the truth if we had to devote that much time to just feeding ourselves i would just stay working. as i wouldnt consider that my retirement ... my time has a value to it as well ... if i wanted to have a farming career then i would have been a farmer ...
non the less some people really enjoy it , its just not for us ...
i bet your livestock eats more then 3 bucks a day though
I mix four grains to form our 'feed', my Dw did the math, I think it worked out to about $7 per 50 pounds of feed.
We go through about 75 pounds of feed a week.
I like being rural.
Kayaks just behind the house near the water's edge.
The forest is up close to the house on most sides, so we get wildlife coming right up to near our house. I can go 'hunting' by sitting on the porch, and take a deer, turkey, or moose.
Beneath the forest canopy we have hog pens, goat / sheep paddocks, a row of greenhouses that I built for our chickens; I grow ginseng and we pick mushrooms.
I tap maple sap for syrup in the spring.
We tend our fruit orchards from time to time, and have raised beds with veggies and garlic.
Not everyone likes rural.
Not every one likes the 'farm lifestyle' [I mean no insult to actual farmers who must earn a living from it, I am hesitant to call myself a farmer, because they work hard]
I worked hard for 20+ years in a career where I focused on being a warrior and the most efficient methods of killing people; I am a combat vet.
Now I get to choose my lifestyle.
I do not want to hear traffic; I do not want to smell traffic. I do not want to be in crowds. The sights and sounds of teeming mobs of people are not what I wish to experience.
I do not want to have to put on that 'level of awareness' that is required by my profession.
What that shows is that everybiody is the same. i would bet that many a workig person appreciates those that don't bake their breaqd and buys cars and other things.They also appreciate those who pay so many taxes that keep those nice roads intot own paved and open. It alolows people to have chioces to decide to mai9ng os of thier own living only and lower their taxes to almost zero by choice. Otherwise even those living the non-taxed life would not survivie so well. How about a hooray for tose who even in retiremnt are spending to keep those jobs paying and and keep the infrastructure going to enjoy that choice.Heres to those who contiue to pay fro their savings for choices and those who live on zero moany saved for whatever reason.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
34,690 posts, read 57,994,855 times
Reputation: 46166
Quote:
Originally Posted by mathjak107
...
im curious what you live on for 3 bucks a day.... we cant even do tv dinners for that price
I'll guarantee you I don't live on TV dinners, I haven't had one since I was 8 yrs old (about the time the dinosaurs were roaming the earth)
Well this last week it was: fresh grilled pnw salmon for 2 meals ($1.99/# at local shop, I bought 25 # that will last all winter.)
Smoked Salmon Chowder 2x
Potatoe Soup from new crop of ID potatoes ($1.50 for 25#)
(been cold and rainy so soup is nice AND Cheap)
Broccoli Salad ($.88 #)
Corned beef ($1.89#) and cabbage ($0.27/#)
Apple salad
Apple cake
Brownies & soup for a potluck dinner
Daily staples-
1 cup of milk ~ $.05/day
Steel cut oatmeal from local grainery ($0.60 / #)
Fresh fruit smoothies each morning (1 liter, would cost ~ $10 at a vendor) (Apples $.29# Pears $.19# Cantaloupe $.29# Watermelon $.18#, Pineapple $.40# )
Orange juice $.99 per 1/2 gal (loss leader at grocery)
Plenty of fresh garden produce from neighbors and friends (We all share)
Lots of salads too (Lettuce, carrots, and celery is cheap)
I itemized food budget last 4 months: ~$80 - $120 (when kids come home for weekend). I consider this an expensive time in life, as currently doing very little gardening and not raising beef / lamb / hogs. At the moment, I'm not hunting or fishing either.
Fasting at least one day / week is good for health and frees up meals we can donate to the poor. I have been feeding 3 meals / week to an elderly couple all inclusive in our $100/month budget.
other bargains;
Excellent fresh Local U-bake pizza sells excess inventory after 9 pm for $5.99 & it will feed 2 for 4 meals. I don't eat till after 9pm anyway (farm kid / used to live in Spain)
Top Ramen $ .08 for 2 meals (just in case things get tough, that would be under $5 per month, get free veggies to add from produce shop, tell them you are feeding the hogs).
My stove is a bit less than $100 to turn on (thank goodness for our abundant hydropower) I spend $90 / month utilities on LARGE full electric home in adverse climate. I also have cookstove fired by wood if need be.
It's all in life's choices. I did the 'rich and famous' thing while living on an expense report, it got old for a 'farm-kid'. And I thought it might ruin my own kids
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
34,690 posts, read 57,994,855 times
Reputation: 46166
Quote:
Originally Posted by Texas User
A $35 car?
Yeah, I feel it's amazing, but local towing company sells ~300 cars / week at auction. These have been towed for illegal parking, broke down, trespassing, drug bust ... Minimum bid is based on scrap price so varies from $35 > $150 depending on steel market and size of vehicle. I have often bought a car just for its tires. It is amazing to see how many of the cars drive back the next week!! These sales are in OR where license plates are good for 2 yrs, so those with new plates bring a few extra bucks. Many druggies and drunks buy cars with good plates, then never register them (and hope they don't get stopped, or that they can run fast). I have got a few cars for free from folks seeing me towing my Diesel VWs home on a trailer. I have a pristine '84 Rabbit that cost me $50 and I might bring it back to the rust belt and sell for Big bucks ($1000, is big bucks to me)
There are some travails of a $35 car. I've never had AC that worked (but I don't need it, live in Mtns). I usually have to fix something (wipers, heater, radio, ...). I have spent too much $$ on some (maybe $500 in parts for 100,000 miles). If you have to buy dino diesel, it cost more to fill the car, than the car is worth
When buying a car from abandoned vehicle auction BE SURE to check the trunk!! (the boot). You don't want to end up with a dead body, it will cost you serious opportunity costs while car is under investigation, It is cheaper to buy it back at the next sale Sometimes you can get a loser, then you need to part it out on eBay for $500.
I'll guarantee you I don't live on TV dinners, I haven't had one since I was 8 yrs old (about the time the dinosaurs were roaming the earth)
Well this last week it was: fresh grilled pnw salmon for 2 meals ($1.99/# at local shop, I bought 25 # that will last all winter.)
Smoked Salmon Chowder 2x
Potatoe Soup from new crop of ID potatoes ($1.50 for 25#)
(been cold and rainy so soup is nice AND Cheap)
Broccoli Salad ($.88 #)
Corned beef ($1.89#) and cabbage ($0.27/#)
Apple salad
Apple cake
Brownies & soup for a potluck dinner
Daily staples-
1 cup of milk ~ $.05/day
Steel cut oatmeal from local grainery ($0.60 / #)
Fresh fruit smoothies each morning (1 liter, would cost ~ $10 at a vendor) (Apples $.29# Pears $.19# Cantaloupe $.29# Watermelon $.18#, Pineapple $.40# )
Orange juice $.99 per 1/2 gal (loss leader at grocery)
Plenty of fresh garden produce from neighbors and friends (We all share)
Lots of salads too (Lettuce, carrots, and celery is cheap)
I itemized food budget last 4 months: ~$80 - $120 (when kids come home for weekend). I consider this an expensive time in life, as currently doing very little gardening and not raising beef / lamb / hogs. At the moment, I'm not hunting or fishing either.
Fasting at least one day / week is good for health and frees up meals we can donate to the poor. I have been feeding 3 meals / week to an elderly couple all inclusive in our $100/month budget.
other bargains;
Excellent fresh Local U-bake pizza sells excess inventory after 9 pm for $5.99 & it will feed 2 for 4 meals. I don't eat till after 9pm anyway (farm kid / used to live in Spain)
Top Ramen $ .08 for 2 meals (just in case things get tough, that would be under $5 per month, get free veggies to add from produce shop, tell them you are feeding the hogs).
My stove is a bit less than $100 to turn on (thank goodness for our abundant hydropower) I spend $90 / month utilities on LARGE full electric home in adverse climate. I also have cookstove fired by wood if need be.
It's all in life's choices. I did the 'rich and famous' thing while living on an expense report, it got old for a 'farm-kid'. And I thought it might ruin my own kids
ill give you 10 bucks a day to come cook for us........
wow corned beef for 1.89 a lb.. i couldnt get that here if it still had whip marks on it where the jockey hit it... ha ha ha
im looking at your prices and even in pa, forget about nyc, thats not even the sales tax we would pay on the item . where are you?
I'll guarantee you I don't live on TV dinners, I haven't had one since I was 8 yrs old (about the time the dinosaurs were roaming the earth)
Well this last week it was: fresh grilled pnw salmon for 2 meals ($1.99/# at local shop, I bought 25 # that will last all winter.)
Smoked Salmon Chowder 2x
Potatoe Soup from new crop of ID potatoes ($1.50 for 25#)
(been cold and rainy so soup is nice AND Cheap)
Broccoli Salad ($.88 #)
Corned beef ($1.89#) and cabbage ($0.27/#)
Apple salad
Apple cake
Brownies & soup for a potluck dinner
Daily staples-
1 cup of milk ~ $.05/day
Steel cut oatmeal from local grainery ($0.60 / #)
Fresh fruit smoothies each morning (1 liter, would cost ~ $10 at a vendor) (Apples $.29# Pears $.19# Cantaloupe $.29# Watermelon $.18#, Pineapple $.40# )
Orange juice $.99 per 1/2 gal (loss leader at grocery)
Plenty of fresh garden produce from neighbors and friends (We all share)
Lots of salads too (Lettuce, carrots, and celery is cheap)
I itemized food budget last 4 months: ~$80 - $120 (when kids come home for weekend). I consider this an expensive time in life, as currently doing very little gardening and not raising beef / lamb / hogs. At the moment, I'm not hunting or fishing either.
Fasting at least one day / week is good for health and frees up meals we can donate to the poor. I have been feeding 3 meals / week to an elderly couple all inclusive in our $100/month budget.
other bargains;
Excellent fresh Local U-bake pizza sells excess inventory after 9 pm for $5.99 & it will feed 2 for 4 meals. I don't eat till after 9pm anyway (farm kid / used to live in Spain)
Top Ramen $ .08 for 2 meals (just in case things get tough, that would be under $5 per month, get free veggies to add from produce shop, tell them you are feeding the hogs).
My stove is a bit less than $100 to turn on (thank goodness for our abundant hydropower) I spend $90 / month utilities on LARGE full electric home in adverse climate. I also have cookstove fired by wood if need be.
It's all in life's choices. I did the 'rich and famous' thing while living on an expense report, it got old for a 'farm-kid'. And I thought it might ruin my own kids
You are the Greatest.
I do all my own cooking. I feed myself on about $60-80 a month. I do it because I need to survive on less but I also enjoy cooking. It is like a part-time job, shopping for bargains and cooking.
I did graduate from The Culinary Institute of America, many decades ago and I have years of food buying and preparation experience. It makes sense for me to cook my own meals. If I was a plumber, I would do my own plumbing; so being a cook, it is stupid for me to hire someone to buy food and cook---so, I rarely eat in restaurants.
I got food storage of many kinds of food. I buy more when it is cheap. When I cook, I go down to my cool, dry basement and make a selection from my grocery store. Today, I have a boneless pork loin (half loin, lean loin end at $1.49 lb.), that I bought yesterday that I will cut up for chops and cutlets; trim for stir fry, pork adobo and ground; and a small roast. The pork will go good with the fresh pears I bought for 25 cents a pound.
I think I know much, but you got me very impressed.
wow corned beef for 1.89 a lb.. i couldnt get that here if it still had whip marks on it where the jockey hit it... ha ha ha
Forget the corned beef.....I'd like to know where someone buys milk for 90 cents/gallon!
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)
). I consider this an expensive time in life, as currently doing very little gardening and not raising beef / lamb / hogs. At the moment, I'm not hunting or fishing either. 
)
These sales are in OR where license plates are good for 2 yrs, so those with new plates bring a few extra bucks. Many druggies and drunks buy cars with good plates, then never register them (and hope they don't get stopped, or that they can run fast). I have got a few cars for free from folks seeing me towing my Diesel VWs home on a trailer. I have a pristine '84 Rabbit that cost me $50 and I might bring it back to the rust belt and sell for Big bucks ($1000, is big bucks to me)
