​Thrifty Living Part 4 is about bartering.

 If you have a talent or skill you can barter with friends, family or neighbors for things you both can agree on.  

Possible barter items or skills-
​
Eggs-from poultry you raise *
Produce- fruits and vegetable your grow*
Homemade Jams or Jellies*
Fresh Baked Bread, cookies, brownies, etc.  *
Cooking a meal*
Grocery Shopping for someone else*
Sewing or mending clothes
Knitted or Crochet items
Hair Cuts*
Hair Braiding*
Office work-examples include typing or data entry*
Trimming Trees
Mowing Lawns
Weed Eating
Oil Change-vehicle
Repairs-vehicle
Repairs-home
Dog Sitter
Dog Walker

There are so many more things than what I have listed above.  The ones marked with * are things that I know how to do and could use those items or skills to barter.  Since we live in a rural area we don't have the conveniences of those that live in a city so bartering here could be useful for those who live here.  No to mention that I live in an economically suppressed area in Arizona.  There are a lot of times that I couldn't afford to have something done but I could offer to barter for some or all of what I needed done. For example having the oil changed in my car. I would offer to barter what it would cost me to have it done professionally.  My offer may include 1 jar of homemade jam, a couple loaves of homemade bread (of their choice), eggs from chickens or ducks I raise and something from my garden (if it does well).  I believe that bartering should make a come back. It would help our community and ourselves.  

Happy Bartering!

Thrifty living started many, many years ago

Thrifty Living Part 3 is about food.  I will list what works for me.  First off I'd like to say I'm so lucky that my family has no restrictions on what foods they can eat and that they will eat pretty much anything I make.  No picky eaters in my house.  

Having a plan before any shopping is pertinent.   

Step 1- Look at store flyer for the week to see what is on sale.
Step 2- Make a meal plan around sale items and make a shopping list.
Step 3- Look for coupons to use. 
(Step 4- Now days with smart phones you can use apps with coupons or get cast back on items you buy)
Step 5-Eat something before you go shopping so you won't be tempted to buy something on impulse.
Step 6-Gather coupons and shopping list and head to the store.
Step 7-When returning from shopping put away perishable and non perishable items.
Step 8-If time allows in the same day start the prep on some of the meals for the week. Chop vegetables, cook some of the meat (I cook ground beef ahead for quick and easy meals), measure and package meals for either the refrigerator or freezer.
Step 9- Make dinner for that night from planned meals.
Step 10- The next day do the work under step 8 if time didn't allow.

It's so much easier to have meals planned out for a month. I kept the monthly meal plan on the fridge so my family would know what we are having for dinner that night.  Plus a bonus for me if I have a meal prepped ahead in the freezer and I had to work late I would let my guys know to pull that meal out and put it in the oven.  They could eat before I got home and not have to wait for me to cook. Yeah!

 We eat a lot of casserole type dishes, homemade soups, stews and chili. We all love meat but for the most part whatever the meat is becomes part of the dish not the main part unless we are grilling.  Yet when grilling we try to grill lots of veggies too to bulk up the meal.  

Below you will see a list of meals or foods that I thought my family would like and so I based some of the meal planning around them. (this is from 8-2014).  Who doesn't like comfort foods?  For simplicity I would print of a generic calendar month to use for meal planning and write in the date and the meal. That's it for that part.  If your new to cooking look at some cook books or online for inspiration.  I never thought I would like split pea soup until I made it myself and now I love it.  More food posts to come.

​Happy Thrifty Living!