Lifestyles of the cheap and frugal

[leftimatic]

I will keep this as brief and short winded as possible. About 5yrs ago when my wife was pregnant with our first child we decided time would be our most important gift to our offspring. So we set in motion a plan to down scale our lives and save money and work less. I was a foreman/superintendent for a commercial construction company. Up at 4am out the door at 5am, home around 6or7 pm, when I was in town that is. She is a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine weird hours and some very long days. This wouldn't do.

It started out with simple things like getting a clothes line and not using the dryer. We went to eating vegetarian 3 or 4 nights a week. Now we take turns with our work days. I do odd jobs and make things from wood that we have lying around. And she works for a small Vet two days a week and is home on time. Keeps the kids out of daycares and saves on fuel getting them there. And we live mighty comfortable and happily I might add.

Okay life story over now on to the question:

Are we the only ones who put time on a pedestal? I don't think so. So just wondering if anyone has examples of things they do so they can live a bit more free and easy. Here are some of things we did to loosen the grip we felt every time the alarm clock went off.

- well we sold off our houses and moved to a 5acre homestead with minimal mortgage

- we grow most of our own food vegetable and meat (four freezers overloaded as I type this post)

- we heat our house all winter with wood we get from the property (costs about $70 dollars a year for chainsaw fuel and splitter rental)

- most building projects come from wood milled off the property too ( Had 5000 brd ft milled up onsite first year still lots left. Cost me $950)

- we make a lot of the things we need soap (have a recipe for shaving soap I want to try), vinegars, beer, wine, household cleaners

-still only use the clothes line

- buy once buy well( some of my handsaws for example are $300 but my kids, great grandchildren will be leaving it to their kids)

- we preserve a lot and I mean a lot

- installed a laser into my laptop that shoots me in the eyes every time I click on the 12:12 or LFTH posts (its all about control)

There's a tonne more but that will get things rolling, really interested in hearing some ideas. If not monetary driven as we are but even self reliant and less dependant on government control as we tend to be also. example- next spring I plan on trying to grow tobacco. Any and all tips would be appreciated.

[bradbrennan]

That's pretty cool! I grew up that way to some degree. Big family, always had enough to eat, milked our own cow, raised chickens for eggs and meat.

[santela]

Inspirational post, I don't have anything I can add, but I find your lifestyle... awesome!

[tjohn7]

My in-laws are like you. Heat the house with their own wood, hunt the animals on their land. It's very impressive.

[LeafLover]

I like the way you think. Growing up, my brothers and I raised each other basically because my parents worked ALL THE TIME.

When I had my second child I said they will not grow up as I did. So I worked and my wife stayed home with the kids full time. 10 years ago I started s business thinking I will be able to spend more time at home. Physically it was true but it was a mental ball and chain. So, I sold the business this April. Now virtually debt free, I feel a lot more free and my kids truly have a dad who is really 100% there.

Having turned 40, I look forward to seeing my children grow. I mean really soaking it in. But during those ten years, I often lamented to my wife that if we could live on an island and grow our food and eat what we kill, I'm there. She was all for it.

I jokingly retracted and said as long as I have internet and my cigars.

[fookite]

Personally, I'm a big fan of civilization and appreciate that I don't have to grow and/or kill my own food.

On the other hand, I'd also be pretty happy to know that I was able to grow and/or kill my own food.

[LeafLover]

Leftimatic, I found your post very heart warming in that you had planned for a lifestyle that you wanted and succeeded in attaining it. As kids, I know we all thought of how we wanted to be when we grew up.

Then adulthood comes and the reality of it I'm sure has tainted many dreams.

[Bulldog4]

me and my gf are talking about kids she wants to stay home during the first 5-6yrs we are going to try and squirrel away as much cash now to be able to attain that goal but as you know lefti downtown van is not cheap one of the most expensive cities in the world

[MIKA27]

Inspirational post, I don't have anything I can add, but I find your lifestyle... awesome!

+1

[imangelo]

Are you still on the grid or is your power totally independent too?

[HarveyBoulevard]

No, you are not the only one. Just had my first child at age 38. Beautiful little girl who is now 18 months old. Time with her is the most important thing on this planet for me and my wife. My wife just came to work with me so there is always time for the kiddo. Two people doing 1 job means we can make all the plays, games, trips, etc. Super happy that the wife comes aboard November 3rd.

[paulF]

Brilliant post and well done to both yourself and your wife on making such a courageous move!

[leftimatic]

I like the way you think. Growing up, my brothers and I raised each other basically because my parents worked ALL THE TIME.

When I had my second child I said they will not grow up as I did. So I worked and my wife stayed home with the kids full time. 10 years ago I started s business thinking I will be able to spend more time at home. Physically it was true but it was a mental ball and chain. So, I sold the business this April. Now virtually debt free, I feel a lot more free and my kids truly have a dad who is really 100% there.

Having turned 40, I look forward to seeing my children grow. I mean really soaking it in. But during those ten years, I often lamented to my wife that if we could live on an island and grow our food and eat what we kill, I'm there. She was all for it.

I jokingly retracted and said as long as I have internet and my cigars.

Good on yah. Being debt free is as empowering as a black on black pinstripe suit with leather shoes and a silk tie. Small business is very taxing but I would rather build goat barns, decks and chicken coops (my specialty by the way) at a set hourly rate show up work my 5 or 6 hours three days a week and hit the beach with the kids collecting drift wood. Hardest part is not letting it take control. I remember an old guy telling me one time, as we sat on a roof of some shopping mall we were building and I was complaining about not having enough money and thinking of taking out of town jobs for the LOA ( live out allowance). He just looked at me and said "Boy, your kids will never remember how much money you made." I just shut up and started planning my escape.

[leftimatic]

Personally, I'm a big fan of civilization and appreciate that I don't have to grow and/or kill my own food.

On the other hand, I'd also be pretty happy to know that I was able to grow and/or kill my own food.

I love getting into town too. We still shop at Costco, and have hotdogs and troll the sample tables. I think sometimes it goes beyond killing though. For instance our broiler chickens we take to a slaughterhouse. We just don't have time with kids and such to be doing in 50 or 60 birds. Our pigs we have the fellow that owns the slaughterhouse come and he shoots and takes them away for us. My heart is in the fact we brought up the healthiest animals we could. And saved a whack of money while doing it. And as for growing our own food that is a labour of love, hard work for sure. The payback is tenfold when the shelves and freezers are full and all we have to do all winter is collect eggs and put another log on the fire. I always say being a farmer is the most honest satisfying thing I have ever done.

[leftimatic]

Are you still on the grid or is your power totally independent too?

Oh we are still on the grid, can't kick and go cold turkey man. We are hoping to do all the outbuildings solar and the outhouse too ( we have indoor plumbing but I want to build an outhouse so bad). Just a crazy carpenters dream, I put a deck on the chicken coop so I need to go one better on the crapper. In the end it is all about saving money. I have learned its not what you make its what you don't spend.

[earthson]

I miss living the country life! I also really, really miss heating with wood in the winters.

[leftimatic]

me and my gf are talking about kids she wants to stay home during the first 5-6yrs we are going to try and squirrel away as much cash now to be able to attain that goal but as you know lefti downtown van is not cheap one of the most expensive cities in the world

Oh I know it. I grew up in Cloverdale, and met my wife and had kids in Kelowna. All tough spots to buy affordable these days. I got lucky and bought in Kelowna when things were sort of cheap and the wife owned her place when we met also. Those two houses and me going to northern Alberta for a year plus my mother-in-law selling her place and moving with us (There are two houses on the property we have now) insured a little chunk of heaven for the family. Its not as tough as it sounds though. It's all mind set just need to trim the fat and give up all the things one doesn't really need. I am no Saint of the Holy Church of Saving by any means. Come on I smoke Cuban cigars, and drink high priced whiskey. But to offset it I drive an old one eyed Volvo and buy my work clothes at that new French boutique Valu'vilage. And I smoke the cigars and drink the whiskey I don't collect them, doesn't make sense in my frugal mind. It's just a matter of doing it that's all. A quote I have lived by since I was a kid, my mom told it to me but I think it was really Henry Ford. "Whether you say you can or you say you can not. You are correct."

[leftimatic]

I miss living the country life! I also really, really miss heating with wood in the winters.

I am the king of the hottest fire possible. All windows are open when I stoke the coals! Planet saving energy Nazis and leaf eating earth cookies flee in terror. Paint melts off the walls, I love it! I do it because I can.

[leftimatic]

No, you are not the only one. Just had my first child at age 38. Beautiful little girl who is now 18 months old. Time with her is the most important thing on this planet for me and my wife. My wife just came to work with me so there is always time for the kiddo. Two people doing 1 job means we can make all the plays, games, trips, etc. Super happy that the wife comes aboard November 3rd.

Sounds fantastic, I was 38 with the first one too. I think if were younger none of what I am doing now would of happened. To busy and maybe just different priorities. Getting older tends to make life a little more important. I hope it all goes well for you.

[Lotusguy]

I admire your lifestyle.

I would never want to live it, though. I work long hours, I frequently travel for work, I make good money. It's the better lifestyle for me. The time I spend with the family is absolute quality time. If I was stuck at home all day, I couldn't breathe.

Again, kudos for living your dream

[leftimatic]

Thanks for the good words everyone. But back to the real reason for the post.

Does anyone have any tips for growing picking and curing ones own tobacco!??!

[Rushman]

Unless you include the 2 years the wife and I lived in mexico. Sure the cigar shop made money but not a lot. Our annual gross sales was less than i made in the states. We had no car. We walked or rode the bike or took the communal minivan busses they call combis. My life was for more rich then ever before. A huge treat was a bus ride to Cancun to go to the Cineopolis VIP and see a movie in style.

I hate to admit it but once I was employed and making good money again my western ways got the best of me. Me not her. We live on a small island so the big diff is cars. I had a very nice ride in the states and now she drives an 04 Hyundai matrix which is likely one of my favorite case now. I drive am 07 Hyundai Santa Fe that was a company car until two days ago. I suspect when we return to the states our tendencies on cars will stay right where it is now - cheap, reliable and well used.

I admire what you did for your family. Good for you.

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[Maplepie]

Wow. This independancy is really amazing. Consider getting 3 ducks and 2 chickens for eggs? Rabbits for meat? 5 acres is amazing and I can't begin to imagine what to do with that!!

The fireplace heater is probably one of my favourite ideas. Growing food beats it, though. Probably the best part of everything aside from the inspiration, of course.

[earthson]

I am the king of the hottest fire possible. All windows are open when I stoke the coals! Planet saving energy Nazis and leaf eating earth cookies flee in terror. Paint melts off the walls, I love it! I do it because I can.

Hell, yeah. Get you some hickory and a little seasoned osage and melt the firebox!

(P.S.: Please don't ever put osage in your firebox)

[leftimatic]

Hell, yeah. Get you some hickory and a little seasoned osage and melt the firebox!

(P.S.: Please don't ever put osage in your firebox)

No can do anyway, all I get around here is fir,cedar, and alder. Osage would be used to make something out of if I could get my tools to work it LOL. Hickory makes my axe handles and wedges for splitting logs.