Living Frugally

Are you an Ecotarian?

2008-11-27T12:07:00.000-08:00

An ecotarian is one who eats a diet based on the local environment or with the least impact on the environment. Ecotarians select food with consideration for all ecological factors, plus energy used to produce the food, with the goal of eating in a sustainable way.

However, being an ecotarian is not as easy as you think. Merely consuming the most local produce you can find will not always be the most energy efficient option. European Union bureaucracy often puts so many exacting conditions on food producers. For example, a carton of European fruit juice may have had more energy lavished on its production than a similar carton from South America.

More ecotarian food tips can be found in the following article.

Guardian - Should I become an ecotarian?

Joan Pick, ultra frugal

2008-11-14T09:30:00.000-08:00

Joan Pick, a lady from South London, has only been in a motor vehicle twice since 1973 and never in an aeroplane since 1971. She prefers to run everywhere having given up her bike.

Her diet consists of raw food, namely seeds, nuts, fruit and wheatgerm. Joan doesn't have a television, listens only to the radio and only uses electricity for a single light and her kettle.

There are many aspects to Joan's life that we can learn from. Reducing consumption is the key to a frugal life. Many think I am over the top but I see that I have a lot to learn.

Guardian - The woman with a tiny carbon footprint

Pre-cycling?

2008-11-06T06:08:00.000-08:00

We've all been told to recycle to save waste. Some of us are Freecyclers and give away things we don't need to others who might have a use for our junk. Now there is pre-cycling.

A lot of us bring waste home with us in the form of packaging. However, it is possible to shop without generating waste packaging. This is called pre-cycling whereby you reduce waste by bringing your own containers.

For example, you could bring your own containers to a fruit and veg sellers, delicatessen or butchers shop and buy loose produce. This produce can then be put into your own containers thus saving on waste packaging.

Guardian - Waste not, want not

Ultra-low temperature clothes washing

2008-10-30T06:01:00.001-07:00

Washing machines can be an awful waste at times. They use a lot of water so make sure you have a full load before using one. Modern machines do judge the correct amount of water for a particular load but nothing is more efficient than filling a washing machine to its full capacity.

A lot of electricity is wasted in washing machines too. Many machines only have cold water inputs and that water has to be heated, via an electric element, to the chosen wash temperature. About 90% of the electricity used by a washing machine goes into heating the water.

A friend of mine decided not to bother replacing his old machine and now washes everything by hand. Suffering from a bad back I have to use a washing machine as hand washing would be agony. When using my machine I always wash at the lowest temperature programme at 30C. I have not had any problems with the quality of wash at that temperature, which means I use less electricity to heat the water.

Washing powder companies are now looking at ultra-low temperature powders to reduce further the need to heat water. Ariel's Excel gel can wash clothes in water at just 15C.

Guardian - Does washing at 15C work?

Getting colder

2008-10-21T05:23:00.001-07:00

I have been burning wood to keep warm for almost my whole life. A few years spent in the city stopped me from heating with wood due to "clean air" laws. Not that there is anything clean about burning gas or oil to keep warm. Now, with the credit crunch biting into every pocket, there are many turning to wood to heat their homes this winter.

Wood isn't a dirty fuel. Coal is very polluting. Oil and gas, along with coal, are fossil fuels and so you are putting new carbon into the atmosphere. When you burn wood you are burning something that has captured carbon dioxide in our current century. So long as felled wood is replaced by new trees then we have a carbon cycle that does not add new carbon from under the ground.

Guardian - Home fires: Rekindling an ancient love affair

To bank or not to bank, that is the question

2008-10-11T07:18:00.000-07:00

With banks going bankrupt our trust in the banking system is being tested. In the UK people have the first £50,000 in their account protected by the government. However, the UK government has reimbursed 100% of deposits in failed banks so far, regardless of how much money an individual had on deposit over £50,000.

If the banking system comes under more pressure, and many more banks begin to collapse, then maybe the government will struggle to honour its promise to ensure no tax payer suffers from the credit crunch.

Some might think of doing without a bank but these days it is hard to live without having a bank account. If you are legally employed then your employer will want a bank account into which your salary will be transferred.

Many utility bills are cheaper if paid by direct debit from a bank account so it pays to have a bank account. Telephone and Internet service providers require payment through a bank account as proof of address.

Some people prefer not to have a bank account so that they can avoid being monitored by credit companies or have their details on a database. It is a matter of personal choice. Privacy comes at a price.

If you fear what will happen to your money on deposit then make sure you deposit less than £50,000 in any one bank. That will ensure there are no difficulties in the future, should the government decide not to honour its promise to help everyone out. For joint accounts the compensation limit is £100,000 so a couple might want to take advantage of that.

Make sure that if you deposit money in many banks that each bank is working under a separate banking licence. The £50,000 rule is per banking licence. If you have two accounts, one with the Halifax and one with the Bank of Scotland then that counts as a single banking license as both banks have merged. If the takeover of Halifax Bank of Scotland is completed by Lloyds TSB then you will have to make sure that you only have one account amongst the three institutions.

Take care also with overseas banks. They may have attractive interest rates but not all are covered by the government's promise. Only banks registered in the UK will have its depositors protected by the UK government. Some UK customers had online accounts with collapses Icelandic banks and will be reimbursed. However, customers with accounts in Icelandic banks based in the UK Crown Dependency of Guernsey are not covered.

Look after your money because you are going to need every penny you have. Life is about to get very hard. Trillions of pounds, dollars, euros, you name it will be borrowed to pay for this banking mess. Guess who is going to pay for it all? It won't be the bankers.

BBC - How do you live without a bank account?

Making money from waste

2008-10-08T15:18:00.000-07:00

A couple collected waste for recycling in return for air miles. The air miles were then used to pay for a club class flight for their honeymoon.

The couple's local supermarket offered the air miles in return for recycling aluminium cans and glass bottles.

BBC - Recycling litter funds honeymoon

A home, 4x4

2008-10-01T03:50:00.000-07:00

A new class of people are finding a new way of living. Middle-class, employed but homeless. They lost their homes in the credit crunch and now live in their cars.

I've lived in vehicles and tents by choice. Never one to raise debt, I guess I am lucky not to be forced to live rough. Many others are not so lucky.

Things will probably get a lot worse before they get better. Even then life will not return to the way it was. Banks just won't be as generous at giving away money as they were before.

BBC - 'Car sleepers' the new US homeless

No such thing as a free lunch?

2008-09-26T03:43:00.000-07:00

There are farmers' markets, many of which have stalls with plates of food samples for you to taste. Work your way through the market and enjoy the free lunch.

I just came back from a farmers' market. Not a filling lunchtime but I certainly don't have an empty stomach. I can have the lunch I was going to prepare for dinner instead.

Some points to remember when enjoying a free lunch. Don't rush around stuffing your face. Show interest in the products. You may actually taste something you want to buy more of. If everyone just wolfed down the free offerings then you can be sure they won't be available next time.

City dwellers can also go to galleries and other such places offering nibbles on special openings. I even heard of a person who had taken dressing down day at the office too far and was offered a free meal at a soup kitchen for down and outs.

So long as it is cheaper then I don't care who makes it

2008-09-15T05:46:00.000-07:00

When I first started buying at cheaper supermarkets I was worried about the difference in taste. The cheaper prices soon helped me get over any difference in taste. At the local Lidl shop most of the brands are unrecognisable.

Many brands are unpronounceable as they are German rather than English. So long as they are cheaper than English brands then I will continue to buy them.

Mind you, do take care. I read in the news about cheap powdered milk, imported into New Zealand from China, containing poison and equally poisonous bread being baked by the Mafia in Naples.

Guardian - A Lidl parmesan goes a long way for shoppers feeling the pinch

That was a quick summer!

2008-09-13T06:44:00.000-07:00

I find myself digging up crops of vegetables and wondering what happened to summer. Colder than previous summers. Not as wet as last summer but only just.

The days are getting shorter. Although it is not cold, I have begun piling up wood outside the door closest to the stove.

During the "summer" I met many people who are turning to frugal living. What a mess the world is in. Food and fuel prices going through the roof. People making drastic cuts to their spending. I don't like to say, "I told you so". I just get on with living simply and helping those who want to know more.

Frugal wedding for £480

2008-08-20T08:32:00.000-07:00

A bride paid just £480 for her wedding, with just £52 of it on her dress. Why do some people feel the need to splash out too much money on weddings? It's as though they regard the wedding as the high-point of their relationship and everything is going to be downhill thereafter.

BBC - Budget bride's basement bargains

Are you going to a swish party?

2008-08-15T13:37:00.000-07:00

I can't see men doing this but many women are going to swish parties. A swish party is where women bring clothes they want to swap with other party goers. The party goers then spend the evening having a little drink and a nibble whilst trying on other clothes.

For penny pinchers who can't afford a new dress this would be ideal. No, I can't see men doing this. Who would want to swap for an old pair my underpants or a torn t-shirt?

BBC - For women who love to swap

I don't eat much processed food

2008-08-09T02:50:00.000-07:00

There are some processed foods you can't avoid. I drink orange juice, buy a little butter and eat cereal. All of those are processed foods. Even salt and pepper too.

What I mean is that I don't eat heavily processed foods that I cannot make for myself with basic ingredients. It doesn't take long to make a tasty and wholesome meal in a few minutes.

Neither do I eat fast food, which is usually very fattening and unhealthy. You may have noticed the "KFC Consumer Warning" to the left of this post, which will tell you some truths about the fast food industry. Click it and see.

WWOOF for free food, accommodation and travel the world

2008-08-07T00:29:00.000-07:00

I have been out and about over the past three weeks, helping farmers bring in crops, herd livestock and do general labouring. In return I have been given plenty of food and meat to supplement what I grow or find.

On my travels I have met many WWOOFers, people who are willing to work on organic farms in return for food and lodgings. WWOOF stands for World-Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (also Willing Working On Organic Farm).

There is an organisation on the Internet that advertisers opportunities for people to travel the world in return for their labour.

If you are a person with spare time and would like to learn more about organic farming then WWOOFing may be for you.

WWOOF - World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms

Going green saves you money but only if you do it right

2008-07-20T00:44:00.001-07:00

The above inflation rises in food and fuel have forced many to live more frugally. In answer to growing awareness of green issues, many 'green gadget' websites have started up, promising to sell you things that will reduce your bills.

The best way to save money is to leave your wallet in your pocket. I haven't seen a single green gadget website from which I would want to buy anything. Everything they peddle is a load of rubbish.

The key to green living is to consume less. I have a car but won't buy a more efficient one until this one falls apart. Until then I will leave it in the garage until I really need it and when I do need it then I will eco-drive it. That's one less car that has to be built with valuable raw materials.

I had a fridge and when it gave up on me I bought a small camping fridge that runs off a 12V battery. Now, I just buy things that need to be refrigerated only when I need them. That cuts down on wasted produce hidden at the back of a big fridge and reduces the amount of power needed to run a fridge.

Too many people rush out and buy things that are advertised as being more efficient without thinking of how much energy went into manufacturing, transporting and advertising these latest products.

If a wealthy person wants to get rid of a functioning fridge for an A-class one then take their old one off their hands for nothing. The Freecycle website is full of not-so-intelligent but wealthy people getting rid of functioning fridges, washing machines and televisions.

Make-do with what you have. Run it into the ground. Replace only those things that you really need. Downsize. Change your lifestyle to suit your decreased wealth.

Everyone is feeling the squeeze

2008-07-15T08:32:00.000-07:00

The BBC has interviewed UK families from various economic groups. All are feeling the pinch from the credit crunch and double digit inflation.

From selling the second car and taking fewer car journeys, to replacing the oil heating with a wood burning stove, everyone is changing their lifestyle to make ends meet.

Downsizing to smaller homes. Reducing food bills through buying less, buying cheaper brands or basic ingredients are ways people are using to make food more affordable.

BBC - The squeeze family panel

Spending power decreasing

2008-07-05T05:35:00.000-07:00

Your average UK citizen has seen their spending power decrease by 15% over the past 5 years. The cost of living has increased markedly with double digit rises in the price of food and energy.

Though I live a frugal lifestyle I still notice price increases, especially the price of diesel (up 30% in 5 years) for my car and those foodstuffs (up 45% in 5 years) I can't produce myself.

In the past, when I talked about being frugal to others, I was looked on as being mean with my money. Now, everyone is mean.

BBC - UK spending power 'in heavy fall'

UK car tax increases

2008-07-02T06:38:00.000-07:00

The UK government wants to increase the tax on the most polluting cars. However, many are up in arms because the tax will be retrospective. In other words, the government will punish people for buying a car before the government announced the tax.

Naturally, many are against this move, including many politicians. The opposition Conservative party are putting forward an amendment to the new tax such that the tax can only be applied to cars bought after March 2008 when the tax was announced.

Sometimes, I think some of these green taxes are just stealth taxes. A method for getting more money for a hard-up government and for getting people to waste money getting rid of perfectly serviceable cars.

BBC - MPs gear up for car tax challenge

Gallons per mile is better than MPG

2008-06-24T15:06:00.000-07:00

I had to read this article twice before I understood it. The article contends that stating the efficiency of a car in miles per gallon (MPG) is misleading. Instead, it would be better to say how many gallons your car would travel over a certain number of miles.

The fact is, doubling a car's efficiency from 10 MPG to 20 MPG saves more fuel than from doubling the efficiency from 25 MPG to 50 MPG. In fact, improving an existing car's efficiency from 10 MPG to 11 MPG through eco-driving will save more petrol than replacing a 33 MPG car with a new 50 MPG car. Not to mention the savings in cost.

By stating a car's efficiency in terms of a set distance of say 1000 miles then a 10 MPG car would burn 100 gallons, a 20 MPG car would burn only 50 over the same distance, a 25 MPG car would use up 40 gallons, while a 50 MPG car would use 20 gallons. As you can see, doubling your car's efficiency from 25 to 50 MPG only saves you 20 gallons.

I think I will keep my 34 MPG car until it falls apart.

Guardian - Experts find key to saving fuel: say gallons per mile

Beware of bankers bearing gifts

2008-06-18T08:45:00.000-07:00

Today, I received a piece of junk mail from my bank, the Halifax. The letter proudly boasted about a new account offering 10% interest. I already have accounts with the Halifax, offering over 6%, and so the temptation would be to move money into the new 10% account. Reading further, I realised that would not be a good idea.

Many of these high interest accounts have clauses that mean you rarely get what is claimed. The clause that stood out with this account was the fact that you were not allowed to put more than £500 in the account during any month.

Being limited to £500 a month means that I would only be able to invest £6000 in this 10% account after one year. Even then you would not have the full £6000 in the account until the last month. After six months your account would only have £3000 pounds in it.

After a little maths, putting £500 a month into an imaginary account, and paying it 1/12th of 10% per month, I calculated that after 12 months my £6000 would have grown by 5%. Of course, my money would be earning interest elsewhere whilst waiting to be added to the 10% account but overall, I would still not be getting 10%.

The moral of this story is to check the small print with any financial investment because if something looks too good to be true then it usually is.

Buying a car? Go green - Go second-hand

2008-06-13T03:34:00.000-07:00

Following a previous post about buying a new car, here is an article in Wired magazine that echoes much of what I said.

The article points out that in buying a Toyota Prius hybrid, the car will have consumed 1000 US gallons of fuel in energy (used in production) before you start driving.

There are plenty of cars out there with decent MPG ratings. A Prius would have to travel over 100,000 miles before you get any savings over buying a second-hand car with good MPG.

Getting a decent second-hand car is a very green option because you are recycling a running car that would be wasted in a breaker's yard.

Wired - Go Green -- Buy a Used Car. It's Better Than a Hybrid

How to make money?

2008-06-09T12:31:00.000-07:00

I see lots of websites entitled "How to Make Money" or something similar. Why bother? Many of these websites are no different to junk mail falling through your letter box.

The only time you need money is when you HAVE to spend it. The best way to make money is to avoid spending money in the first place. "A penny saved is a penny earned," as they say.

Not having a television imploring me to spend helps a lot. No well-dressed super human telling me that my lifestyle needs money to make it better. I think before I spend. Can I do without? Can I make do or mend? Can I make or grow it? Can I beg, borrow or barter?

Money is just a way of taxing people, simply through the act of spending it. Every time money changes hands someone, somewhere, is taking a cut from the transaction. That is why I don't like spending money.

How to make money? The question should be, "How to make wealth?" And that doesn't always need money. It just needs thought and a realisation that a simple life is a trouble free life, free from the rat race.

Think before you green

2008-06-05T09:57:00.000-07:00

I was talking to a friend last night when he announced he was to buy a new car. From memory the car appeared fine and not about to fall apart.

"I want to take advantage of the new green road tax for low emission cars," he said.

"And what will be the saving?"

"It will drop from £120 per year to £35 a year, if I buy a low emission car."

"And how much will the car cost?"

"£10,900"

"So the saving will pay for itself in... 129 years, assuming the car lasts that long."

"Oh."

He'll be keeping his current car for the foreseeable future. I pointed out that in a few years, plenty of low emission cars will be on the second-hand market should his one become irreparable.

Free for a day

2008-05-29T01:08:00.000-07:00

Here is an article on someone's attempt to live cheaply in London for a day. It reminds me of my office life days, and my realisation that I was just a machine for the creation and spending of wealth. Now, I am more interested in the creation and spending of love and happiness.

This person spent the day avoiding having to spend money. In the office he drank nothing but water. During his lunchtime, he wandered around looking for free offers for food. He was not tempted to skip dive for edible food thrown out by restaurants and supermarkets.

There is a lot you can do to save money and saving money is as good as making it!

BBC - Surviving on the best things in life

Potato blight

2008-05-27T11:29:00.000-07:00

Not yet but I worry about it. We seem to have hit a rainy period with warmed periods interspersed, ideal for blight.

I refuse to treat my potatoes with any chemical, not even Bordeaux mixture. Early season blight is not something that I have experienced. Just as well as it would mean no potatoes until the following year.

Like clockwork, blight usually hits me in August. It's a matter of cutting away everything above the ground and leaving the potatoes where they are. They will still grow a little and the ground is the place to keep them fresh.

I bag my potatoes in late September. Everything above ground is dried out and burnt. It never goes on the compost heap for fear of contaminating the heap with blight spores.

Darn it!

2008-05-10T05:57:00.000-07:00

There are a few holes in my socks and t-shirts. Am I going to throw them out? No way! Who is going to see the darning in my socks? Nobody. Most of the darned holes in my t-shirts are hard to see, especially when I have a jumper or jacket on.

Any t-shirts that are obviously hanging on for their dear lives I either use when working in the garden or alone in the house. I'm not an image conscious, marketing manager's dream. I will wring the last penny out of my clothes.

The cost of a needle and thread is a lot less than new clothes. With the price of food and fuel on the up, clothes won't be far behind.

Summer is here early so I'm butt naked, writing this post. No wear and tear on my clothes now! I'll leave you with that image.

Love water

2008-04-20T06:31:00.000-07:00

Since I cut down on most drink except for water I have gained a new understanding of this life giving fluid. I had steadily reduced my tea and coffee intake until finally I felt I could do without it. Soft drinks were easy to abstain from. I still drink the odd fruit juice but with prices going as they are I may end up drinking only water.

I only ever drink tap water and never touch bottle water. The waste of energy and resources should make anyone think twice before buying what nature gives us for nothing. I wonder why people are so willing to pay so much for their water?

Now that water is my main drink it makes me think that because people drink so many other drinks and pay for them that they don't think twice about paying for water. It's as people think water is produced in a factory like coffee, coca cola or alcohol.

Thirst is a thirst for water. Be it juice, tea or even a beer the body craves rehydration and so people drink. I just finished eating a meal of pasta washed down with a glass of water. I don't feel I missed anything by not drinking wine or some juice. The meal gave me a thirst and I satiated it with what my body really needed, a glass of water, from the tap and free.

Save that 5 1/4 inch floppy disk box!!!

2008-04-04T04:02:00.000-07:00

I was taking a load of old stuff to the recycling centre yesterday when I noticed some old floppy disk boxes. I asked a friend if he wanted them and, of course, he said he no longer used floppy disks.

The 3 1/2 and 5 1/4 disk boxes were about to go in the car when I remembered that 5 1/4 is about the size of a CD or DVD. I kept the 5 1/4 inch box and now I have a nice recycled CD box.

Having second thoughts about cashless buying

2008-03-02T02:35:00.000-08:00

Recently, there has been a lot in the news about credit and debit card fraud. Many people, and I am one of them, choose to pay only with cards. The benefits are many. You don't carry any cash on you so there is nothing for a mugger to steal. My debit card provider gives me 1% back of all the money I spend. Other retailers offer me discounts too, some as big as 10%.

The main draw back is the increasing amount of fraud. Chip and pin was introduced so that merely swiping a stolen card through a reader was not enough to steal money from someone's account. However, the banks chose not to encrypt the data travelling from the chip on the card to the bank. This means that anyone can intercept the data and clone a card in a country that does not use chip and pin.

It doesn't take much to intercept the data on a card chip. Organised crime is rife. With the indigenous population refusing to do any job that involves getting out of bed it is easy for an eastern European gang to put a member into a petrol station or shop. The gang member can then replace the card reader with a modified one that gathers pin numbers. The details are e-mailed abroad and cards can then easily be cloned and used to gain access to accounts.

What can be done to stop this problem? Well, banks can admit they made a mistake and improve the security of the chip and pin system. The current credit crunch demonstrates how unintelligent banks are so we will have to wait for them to catch up with the fraudsters.

In the meantime, I will only be using my card in reputable shops and petrol stations. Shopping in small independent shops with little or no security policy means there is a chance that the shop has been infiltrated. It pains me to give money to the corporations but at least it will ensure I don't spend money too often.

Unrecyclable plastic

2008-02-08T01:49:00.000-08:00

We are told to look out for the triangle mark on plastics so that they can be recycled. However, there are some plastics which are not recyclable. Usually, these are plastic bags and wrappers.

Luckily, these are things I rarely see. I always take my own bag or box to the supermarket so never take a supermarket plastic bag. Likewise, I rarely buy things in the supermarket that come wrapped in plastic. I notice a lot of meat comes on an unrecyclable plastic tray with an unrecyclable cellophane top but as I either hunt, find or am given meat then I don't have to deal with it. Occasionally I might buy meat from a butcher but that will be wrapped in paper, which goes straight into the stove.

I do eat a lot of yoghurt though and that comes in plastic that cannot be recycled. However, it is the perfect size for planting seeds in. I have a greenhouse full of seedlings in yoghurt pots. All that needs to be done to a yoghurt pot after use is a quick wash and then poke a few holes in the bottom of it with a bradawl or other small pointy thing.

It is best to avoid plastics that cannot be recycled. Only use plastics that will have a future use after being recycled or reused as something else.

Frugal driving

2008-02-07T01:32:00.000-08:00

Yesterday evening, I was taught how to 'eco-drive' by a friend. I always had a bit of a lead foot but after a little tuition I realised that eco-driving is a very frugal way to save money.

Of course, the best way to save money on petrol is not to drive. That would be very easy if I lived in a town. Unfortunately, I live in the countryside. However, I do walk and cycle around the village.

Now that I can eco-drive, I can pass on what I have learnt. Instead of stamping on the accelerator and the break you need to think ahead. Just gently press the accelerator to get you to the next bend or junction. In that way you don't need to stamp on the brake to slow down. When you break hard, you are wasting all that energy stored up in the car's motion as heat in the brakes.

Keeping the tyres pumped up will lower your vehicles rolling resistance. Flat tyres have more rubber in contact with the road. This results in more friction and more fuel being used to move the car.

Lowering the weight of your car by removing unnecessary items reduces the load your car has to move thus decreasing your fuel bill. Now, I just have wheel changing tools in the back.

It doesn't take much effort to change your driving style and your driving needs. Give it a try!

At last it's February

2008-02-01T04:01:00.000-08:00

Time for me to be outside, preparing my vegetable garden. I have potatoes to plant first. The seed potatoes have been chitting on the window sill since December and are ready to go in.

I have onion seedlings in the greenhouse that can wait until the last of the frosts. They are pretty hardy anyway but they haven't outgrown their pots so they can stay where they are for now.

There is still plenty to eat in my root store but I will be out of potatoes by the time these new ones are ready. I always eat what is seasonal rather than wasting money in supermarkets for something shipped in from thousands of miles. That will be a thing of the past in the future.

At the moment I eat a lot of soups. I have many leeks that over-wintered in the ground. Some sliced potatoes, leeks, carrots with a little ham or sausages if I can get them make for a nice warming soup. I have just had some and will now go back out to dig.

Eating wholesome food is so much more enjoyable

2008-01-31T01:28:00.001-08:00

I am so used to eating my own produce, food cooked from basic ingredients that I notice a big difference when eating processed food. When travelling or in someone else's houses I notice when I am eating processed food. A feeling of dissatisfaction, that what I ate did not nourish me.

Processed foods contain added sugars, preservatives, flavours and colours. All added to satisfy a sweet tooth or to make the produce last longer or to look and taste in a certain way. None of these additives are added for nutritional reasons.

It doesn't take long to create a nourishing meal. Not having enough time should never be an excuse. After all, it is your health at stake. What else were you going to do with that free time? Shop for junk? Watch a crummy Hollywood movie that is trying to sell you an unsustainable lifestyle?

If your meals are balanced then it is surprising how little you need to eat during a day. I can prepare a salad or a pasta or any other meal in under 10 minutes. Even a roast can be started in under ten minutes and left to cook. Then served up in another ten minutes. What is wrong with a world that can't find ten minutes?

Guardian - E-numbers should be banned in food and drink, say MPs

Some light but smelly exercise

2008-01-30T12:57:00.000-08:00

A quick visit to the supermarket. Half an hour and £4 later and I had plenty to keep me going. No ready meals, just plain ingredients or food I cannot produce myself.

I met a lady friend more in tune with simple living. Not for her the 2 for 1 bargains, coupons and 50% off something she could do with out. She had been dropped off in town so I gave her a lift back to the village.

We had a good laugh about those who shop for bargains, simply because they feel compelled to shop and treat it like a game. "Look at me! 100 cans of coca cola at half price!!!" I'm sure the 50% saving will come in useful when the dentistry bill drops through the letterbox.

I needed some exercise, what with the slower pace of winter, so I stayed at my friend's farm to help her clean out her stables. I get regular loads of manure from her for my vegetable garden so it is only right to repay her kindness. Some nice tea and home-made cakes afterwards before heading home.

A state of shock

2008-01-29T04:24:00.000-08:00

I had wanted this blog to be about what I do to make life simple and frugal. However, over the past few days I have received so many ill-informed attacks that I better speak out and lay things to rest.

Maybe it is because the US is at war and people are regretting having voted an idiot into the White House. Whatever the reason, certain people, on a certain frugal living forum, took it upon themselves to follow the herd of "nationalistic group think" and attack me for no good reason.

I pointed out some irrefutable facts about consumption, that we westerners are wasteful and that we have to try harder than getting 5c off our favourite, fattening, processed food.

Instead of engaging me in intelligent debate, a few people decided to attack me because I was either un-American or just plain not-American. It is that sort of knee jerk reaction that pulls people into pointless wars and gains the disrespect of the world.

There were many intelligent people who have messaged me that they could see nothing wrong in what I said. I can sense that the forum in question is rather right-wing in that nobody was brave enough to stand up for me in public. It's the herd instinct again and wanting to feel apart of something that makes people clam-up.

Enough said. This blog still lives and will always entertain intelligent debate. The rest can gorge themselves on 2 for 1 pizzas whilst Rome burns.

Oh dear, what can the matter be?

2008-01-28T12:04:00.000-08:00

Looks like my last post caused problems for some. I guess people don't like to be told that what they are doing isn't enough. Getting more for your money is just treading water. It helps but ultimately it is futile.

Getting used to a new way of life is a must. That is why I live as I do. Getting used to hard times before they happen. They will indeed happen.

What does living frugally mean to you?

2008-01-24T06:35:00.000-08:00

I am a member of a forum on frugality. The forum is based in the US and most of its members are North Americans. What surprises me about the majority of them is that they try to find ways of living their current lifestyles more cheaply.

For many of the forum members, their lifestyle is non-negotiable. Often, members send in links to adverts for discounted luxury items, DVDs and jewellery. There are more ideas for spending money on the forum than for saving it. And by saving it, I mean keeping it in the bank, not wasting it on cheap junk. If you have the need to be frugal then luxury items and jewellery are off the shopping list. DVDs, books, music etc, can all be borrowed.

I feel sorry for those who can't change their behaviour because in future they will have no choice. Better to get used to it now than face a future sudden drop in the standard of living. With all I see in the news, such a drop may not be too far ahead.

Lights, urban myths and saving power

2008-01-21T05:20:00.000-08:00

I have been using the "new" Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL) bulbs for about 12 years. These "new" lights use about 10% of the power an incandescent light uses to provide the same amount of light. I replaced my 100W bulbs with 9W CFLs and my 60W bulbs with 7W CFLs.

There are a few urban myths surrounding CFLs. The first myth was actually true but is now irrelevant. The early CFLs would blow if you used them with a dimmer switch. Modern CFLs can now be used with dimmer switches but you should check with the manufacturer just in case.

Another myth says that CFLs use so much power when they are initially switched on that they have to be left on all the time to get any power savings. Now this is a myth and probably started by someone who liked to leave their incandescent lights on all day. CFLs should be used as you would use any other light. Switch it when you need it, switch it off when you don't.

There is also the myth that the light from CFLs will hurt your eyes. There might be a slight difference in colour but then incandescent lights are not the same colour as natural light either. Also, there is no noticeable flicker from CFLs. If there is then there is something wrong with your power supply.

Many people are put off by the apparent high price of CFLs. The lifetime of a CFL is supposed to be around 10 years. However, I have been using mine for 12 years now. Over this time I would have bought many more incandescent light bulbs and the cost of buying them would have been greater than buying the CFLs.

One thing you will need to remember is that lighting takes up only a small fraction of the electricity bill. The biggest power eater is the fridge. Downsizing it to an energy efficient one will save money. Buying food just-in-time and cooking from scratch rather than buying ready meals that need to be kept in a fridge will save a lot more on electricity. Those big two door monster fridges use 1500 to 2000W per day.

Buying a 30W LCD television to replace a 200W CRT television will provide a big saving in power too.

Getting rid of silly outdoor halogen lights that come on when a cat walks through the garden is a saving. If anyone visits me then their own car lights provide all the illumination they need.

I'd recommend a power meter. It plugs into the wall socket and then you plug your appliance into the meter. You can then check how much power each appliance uses. You may get a few shocks and then decide what you don't want, what needs to be used less, what needs to be switched off at the wall when not in use and what can be thrown out of the window.

Beware of coupons

2008-01-18T19:31:00.000-08:00

Coupons are great, they give you money off products, two for one style purchases or additional points on your store card with which to get more coupons. However, you must remember one thing, stores give coupons to make you spend money.

What the stores have realised is that there are many people out there who buy things solely because they are "bargains" and not because they really need what they are buying.

I shop mostly at Tesco supermarket and use their store card, which records the points earned when I shop there. I buy petrol at their filling station too if I am in town and receive 1 point for every pound spent.

Every three months I receive coupons in the post from Tesco. The coupons come in two forms. The first are money off coupons for any bill. These are the most useful and I use them in the filling station to reduce my petrol bill.

The rest of the coupons are not so useful. They have been specifically computer generated for me by looking at my previous purchases. The coupons tempt me into buying products that the computer thinks that I may like but which Tesco can earn a higher margin from than with my usual purchases. You won't see coupons of Tesco own-brand products, there just isn't any more margin left to offer a discount.

Do I ever use these targeted coupons? Rarely, I am either certain I have no need for the product or I already buy a cheaper brand.

Whenever you receive coupons, remember that they are for high margin products and you can probably buy a cheaper brand. Remember, only use coupons on products that you will definitely need and not because the shopaholic in you fancies buying something that you may or may never use.

A day in calories

2008-01-14T11:15:00.000-08:00

Not a busy day. Mostly reading and some splitting wood for the fire. Further to a conversation with a friend about calories earlier in the week, I decided to see what I consumed today.

Yoghurt - 100 cals
Soup - 212
Bread (90g) - 243
Cashew nuts (25g) - 120

A main meal of pasta on a bed of lettuce covered with onion, chiles, olives and chorizo fried in olive oil.

Pasta (100g) - 349
Onion (150g) - 52
Olives (25g) - 42
Olive oil (15ml) - 125
Chorizo (20g) - 67

Orange Juice (200ml) - 94

Total calories - 1404

Total cost about £2.50 (I grew the onion, lettuce and chiles)

For a pretty sedentary day, I feel as though I have eaten enough. I might have another yoghurt later so let's call it 1500 calories for the day.

If I had been more active then I would have eaten another 500 calories or so.

You can't beat water for a good drink

2008-01-14T08:17:00.000-08:00

Whenever you feel thirsty your body is not calling out for a sugar and/or caffeine drenched drink. Your body is just asking to be rehydrated. Yes, a sugary or alcoholic drink can be nice but it is not to be drunk at every opportunity.

We get thirsty when our body has a fluid imbalance, which arises from a lack of fluids and/or an increase in the concentration of things like salt. If the water volume of the body falls below a certain level, or the salt level becomes too high, then the brain signals a feeling of thirst.

For optimum health of mind, body and a frugal bank account it is best to opt for water over all other drinks. Drinking coffee, tea or cola gives your body an imbalance of the stimulant caffeine, when all that is needed is a healthy eating and drinking regime. When someone says, "I need caffeine to get my started in the morning" what they should really say is, "My addiction to caffeine demands that I drink caffeine to bring my caffeine level up."

Don't mislead yourself in drinking fruit juice all the time. Although juice does rehydrate you from its water content it does contain a lot of calories. One litre of orange juice contains over 400 calories. It is good to drink juice as part of your daily intake of fruit and vegetables but there must be a balance. Juice is good as part of your breakfast as it gives you immediate energy. At lunchtime you might want to have water instead or a glass of juice that has been diluted with 50% water.

Remember that water is calorie free and contains no sugars. By reaching for a glass of water every time you feel thirsty you add nothing to your waistline. Drinking juice all day rehydrates you but contains calories. Tea and coffee contain sugar and caffeine. Even decaffeinated drinks have some caffeine in them.

And where does my water come from? Straight out of the tap. Buying water is a sin that no frugal person would commit. Boil it or filter it if you must (and you probably don't need to) but never pay for it.

What's with the change jars?

2008-01-10T09:22:00.000-08:00

I have noticed people who have jars for holding change. They are always the ones that spend too much money. Loose change consists of the remnants of money you have wasted on buying something you probably didn't need.

In today's world you should pay bills with a direct debit from your bank account. By doing that you will take full advantage of holding your money in the bank until the last moment, earning interest. Many utilities offer a discounted bill if you pay with a direct debit.

Visits to the supermarket should be funded with a debit or credit card that offers cash back on every purchase. In that way your money stays in the bank until after you have shopped and you get some of the money back.

There is really not much need for physical cash anymore. Cash just sits in your pocket, begging you to throw it at rubbish you don't really need. A jar of coins earns no interest from the bank, it is a waste. Keep it in the bank.

Diets are a waste of time

2008-01-09T05:09:00.000-08:00

I was devouring a roast chicken yesterday when a friend dropped by, naturally she was invited to join me. The skin from the bird was lifted off and I offered her a piece of it. She declined it and winced when she saw me eating it.

"But it's full of fat," she said. And so our little debate had started.

"I only eat a roast chicken once a month so why deny myself the pleasure of something so tasty as its skin?" I replied.

"But it's full of fat," she repeated.

"And so are you my little dumpling," I said with a wicked smile.

The fact was that my companion that evening was plumper than myself, and yet she counts the calories but I don't.

I always think of my ancestors at times like this. If my ancestors did anything truly harmful then surely I would not be alive today. My forebears would have extinguished themselves and the branches of their family tree would not have reached out to me.

My ancestors would certainly have eaten fat and would have been grateful for it too. The difference between our ancestors and us is that they were a lot more active and any meal would have been their only meal of the day.

That is why diets are doomed to failure. If you don't have an active life and don't moderate the number of portions, and their size, then you are wasting your time.

My breakfast is just enough to get me to lunch. I have a hearty lunch and little else for the rest of the day. Maybe a sandwich, a soup or a yoghurt if my sweet tooth begs it. There is no snacking between meals.

I don't count calories. Nor do I make a routine out of eating otherwise it gets boring. If food becomes boring then you look for ways to make it exciting, usually by eating junk or by overeating.

I make things interesting with flavours and spices. The meal is satisfying in taste and in quantity. I can then get on with being active rather than sitting around waiting for the next meal.

The cult of celebrity

2008-01-09T02:49:00.000-08:00

Isn't it odd? How people have become atheists but have felt so empty that they have filled their lives with another religion. The cult of celebrity and the consumption that surrounds it.

I am reminded of this by the imminent birth of a certain celebrity's child. There would be no need for us to be mindful of being frugal if a large percentage of the population were not obsessed with celebrity, their lifestyles and their products. I think I have seen this particular celebrity hawking perfume on television. Do we remember what Bill Hicks said about people who hawked stuff on television? "Suckers of Satan's ...."

I am happy that someone has what they have always wanted (so long as it is no more than two) but it is only a baby and millions of them are born every year.

There is nothing special about her baby but making a song and dance of it makes her baby seem special. That leads to celebrity, purchasing of gossip magazines and whatever else crap they want to hawk on us. Wasteful spending and debt is soon upon you.

You won't see celebrities reading this blog. Ever! Their accountants, agents and marketing machines will see to that. Hawking garbage to others so they can live a lifestyle that is unnatural, unsustainable and certainly not frugal.

And so endeth the lesson. Go forth my children and frugaply.

When is a bargain not a bargain?

2008-01-08T11:31:00.000-08:00

When you needn't have bought it. So many people buy things only because there is money off the price and not because they actually need it. Often, people will buy something that is on sale and give it away because they never had any intention of using it.

Bargain hunting without purpose is just shopping by another name. It is no different to being like any other consumer. You are shopping for junk that you don't need.

The rules for buying bargains

1) You have a real need for the item

2) You are sure you cannot get the item for nothing somewhere else.

3) In the case of perishable items, you do not buy too much that it will perish before it is used.

4) In the case of food, remember that 2 for 1 offers are often trap people into overeating.

A year on the cheap

2008-01-04T18:40:00.000-08:00

Last year, Lila Das Gupta tried to buy nothing new. At the end of her experiment she said, "Material goods do make our lives more comfortable, but the best things in life are still free."

Telegraph - I don't shop, therefore I am

Uses for baking soda

2008-01-03T04:14:00.000-08:00

I was rummaging around in an old pile of magazines when I came across two old copies of Field and Stream from 1971. It's really odd looking at old adverts. How things have changed.

One article I liked was one for outdoor uses for baking soda. Instead of buying an expensive medication for poison ivy, insect bites, prickly heat or chafing you are recommended to take a paste.

Take a palm full of soda and mix with enough water to make the paste and rub it on the affected area. Superficial skin burns, say from a camp fire, can be treated with the paste and kept moist with a damp cloth over the paste.

After a long day outside, be it cutting wood or digging the vegetable garden, try soaking them in a basin of water with 3 tablespoons of soda.

Baking soda is great for removing unpleasant odours and tastes. To deodorise chopping blocks, utensils and hands, just rub with a soda paste. To freshen sponges and wash cloths let them stand in a basin of warm water with half a cup of soda.

Storage bottles and jars that have developed an odour can be rejuvenated by filling the container with water, adding 2 table spoons of soda, shaken and then rinsed. Corks can have dry soda rubbed into them too.

Deodorising boots and shoes is simply a matter of sprinkling dry soda inside them and leaving them overnight.

Baking soda is a good cleaning agent too. Rust spots on stainless steel can be removed by dabbing the spot with a solution of 3 tablespoons of soda in 2 pints of water. The steel is then rinsed and dried. Discoloured plastics can also be cleaned in a solution of soda.

Pots and kettles can be cleaned by filling them with boiling water and adding 3 tablespoons of soda. Leave for half and hour and then rinse. Pans with burnt on food can be cleaned with a sprinkle of dry soda and left for 20 minutes before washing normally.

Corroded battery terminals can be cleaned with a solution of one tablespoon of soda to two pints of water. Dry the terminals and then coat with Vaseline. Car windscreens, lights and chrome can be cleaned with a damp sponge with soda sprinkled on it.

Oh, and you can bake with it too.

Buying in bulk

2007-12-29T17:54:00.001-08:00

We all like a bargain and buying in bulk is one way to get that bargain. However, care must be taken. Any visit to the supermarket will promise you 2 for the price of 1 and many other kinds of bargains.

The problem is that many of these so-called bargains are just there to make you spend your money on things you might not want.

When I bulk buy it is only ever for staples. By that I mean items that I will definitely be eating or using. I eat foodstuffs like pasta, rice and flour on a regular basis. Buying this in bulk is wise. Likewise, everyone has to go to the toilet. Buying toilet paper in bulk is sensible.

However, being offered two pizzas for the price of one, 33% extra cola or a chocolate bar that is 10% bigger is not a sensible bulk purchase. Why? Because you can make your own pizzas for far less than the price of the offer. And you don't need me to tell you why you shouldn't be buying cola or a chocolate bar.

I buy bulk orange juice, which is a far healthier drink than cola. I buy bulk cocoa powder and make chocolate cakes for when I need my fix. I never accept a bargain if it is going to cost me more than if I can make it myself or if it going to do me harm.

When buying bulk always make sure you are not buying too much that it will go off before you use it. Check sell-by dates and how much you really need. Cartons of orange juice will keep for well over a year so when I see a bargain I will clean the shelves. Toilet paper too. Perishable items I will only buy enough to keep me going until the sell-by date.

Don't be a freezer filler. Many people buy bulk frozen items and congratulate themselves on their savings. However, they never stop to think that all their savings will go on electricity to keep the freezer running. I don't have a freezer. I don't freeze anything and I certainly don't waste money on electricity to run a freezer.

Don't forget to buy your bargains with cash back debit cards. I have an Egg debit card with a 1% cash back on all purchases. Every penny counts.

In conclusion I will sum up by saying, a bargain is only a bargain if you really need it and you can't do it yourself.

Frugal eating

2007-12-28T12:03:00.000-08:00

Eating frugally is not the easiest of things to do at this time of year. If you are like me then you can never turn down a meal. With so many people inviting me to their homes it's easy to put weight on.

However, my friends and I never eat wastefully. Expensive processed food is not for us. At our parties we all bring something that we have prepared ourselves. We sample a little of everything and are quite contented at the end of the evening. If we have excess crops then we bring it along too and give it away. A far better gift than the rubbish many people give each other at this time of year.

The best way to eat frugally is to produce your own food. I have more than enough vegetables and produced casseroles for everyone to eat at our parties. Other people I know have farms and provided a goose, pork for stuffing and calf meat for burgers. I don't eat meat all the time as I don't produce my own, save for what I hunt, find or get given. Supermarket meat is to be avoided at all time. Pumped with chemicals, factory farmed, and devoid of real taste.

It's surprising how little food you really need. If you feel bloated or sick during a time of excess then obviously a lot of food has gone to waste. I prefer to eat small amounts regularly during the day. Waiting for big meals tends to leave me hungry whilst waiting so I overeat. When you are hungry it's as though the brain tells you to overeat because it thinks it might never see a meal again. By eating small amounts frequently you don't get caught in the overeating trap.

Five small meals (snack sized) with a good balance of vegetables, a little piece of meat, some bread and liquid is much better. Being spread out I never feel hungry during the day so I don't overeat. For an active man 2500 calories per day is the recommended intake. Five small 500 calorie meals is better than three 1000 calorie meals.

I never try diets. They never attack the root of the cause for overeating, namely the mind. Regular, simple small meals, eaten with the knowledge that you are eating money. You won't be overeating large meals. Food that hasn't gone to waste or the waist is money in the bank.

The things people throw away

2007-12-23T14:55:00.000-08:00

I was in town today and noticed some goodies being thrown out by someone who looked to be moving from their flat. I asked if I could rummage through their rubbish and they mentioned lots more was to be had inside the flat.

Half an hour later I had 30 books, some furniture, a meat grinder (always wanted one of those) and a telephone (I know someone who could do with it).

I asked if the person wanted any money for it. They said it was just junk. Nothing was in a condition that warranted calling it junk. Some people value things quite differently from those who are frugal. People in towns throw things away far too easily. Things that are in perfect condition and can be used by others.

I'm too far from town to get involved in the Freecycling I see on the Internet. Where I live everyone offers their unwanted items to others or the church bazaar so things are regularly recycled. Freecycling is very popular though so I advise you to look it up rather than dumping things into the bin.

T'is the season to be thrifty

2007-12-19T05:12:00.000-08:00

Is this time of year really all about shopping and consumption? I don't think so.

At the moment I'm busy making cards to send to family and friends. A home-made card means so much more to the receiver when they know how much love and attention you put into it.

I have home-brew fermenting. Vegetables in the store. Plenty to give to others.

The monetary cost? Very little. Rich in love and self-reliance? You bet!

Money off bargains

2007-12-15T03:47:00.000-08:00

I live in the countryside and am very conscious of how much travelling adds to the cost of finding a bargain. Just because a friend tells me I can get something more cheaply in the next town does not mean I am going to travel there. That is because the fuel cost will be greater than any saving made from buying the bargain.

More often than not I will buy things online if I really need them. Occasionally I will buy a bulk load from a supermarket and get free delivery. Luckily I am just within the delivery area of some supermarkets. I get the free delivery from a promotional codes website.

There are many websites that collect promotional codes for you to enter when you buy something online.

Link - How to get 10% off everything

Cheap books

2007-12-14T01:10:00.000-08:00

The winter sees reduced activity. No crops to tend to, save for the seedlings on the window sill. It's just a matter of bringing in firewood, fixing things that have broken over the year and keeping an eye open for frost and storm damage.

The rest of the time sees me sitting by the log fire, reading a book. I don't read newspapers or magazines. Most up to date news can be had for free on the Internet. I have learnt about RSS and news aggregators that can collect news from various websites so that I can read it in the morning when I get up.

There are many ways of getting cheap books. The easiest is by way of the public library but that's a long way to travel for me so borrowing a book has a cost. Here is a list of other ways of getting books cheaply.

Amazon - Many people sell their old books on Amazon so before you pay for a new book, check for the cheapest price on Amazon.

Book swapping - Swap books amongst family and friends. You can also swap books further afield using websites such as Read It Swap It. See http://www.readitswapit.co.uk/TheLibrary.aspx

eBay - As with Amazon, you can find books for less than the retail price on eBay.

Freecycle - Join your local Freecycle network and ask if anyone has books they don't want. It's also a good way of getting rid of books you no longer need. See http://www.freecycle.org

Project Gutenberg - many older titles are past copyright and can be downloaded for free at the Gutenberg website. See http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Main_Page

When you have finished with your books they can either be exchanged, given away or sold.

Stocking up

2007-12-10T06:41:00.000-08:00

At this time of year, with not much to do outside, I like to stay indoors next to the wood stove. It's hard work, during the summer, bucking and splitting wood but you are grateful for it when you can heat yourself up in the winter at no cost at all.

I made my last visit to the supermarket for the year. No need to buy a bird for Christmas, I'm off to a friend's house to help him eat a goose he's fattening up. I never buy meat. The energy put into processing supermarket meat is far greater than what I will get out of it in a meal. Sometimes I shoot or fish. Sometimes I'm given some meat. At other times I'm lucky to find a recently dead animal. A pheasant or a rabbit.

I have plenty of vegetables in my store to keep me going until almost the middle of next year. One thing I can't grow is rice so I buy a sack of that once a year. A 20 kilo sack is much cheaper than buying small packets of rice. I buy spices that I can't grow myself. Some tea, coffee and sugar.

I made sure to bring my debit card, with its 1% cash back, anything to lower the price of what I buy. I get a block of cheese from a nearby farm that lasts me a year. I also get my milk from there too. All in exchange for my brewing talents. I don't buy alcohol either.

I will have friends round this month for a celebration of the year past. Plenty of home brewed falling down fluid and home grown food. A frugal celebration but a wholesome one that is not dependent on anyone but myself and my friends.

Credit and debit cards

2007-11-28T02:00:00.001-08:00

I never thought I would own debit and credit cards but recently I have started to use them. Having debt is something I always avoid. I like sharing with friends and family. Be it gifts, food, help or love you know that whatever you give always comes back to you. Not so with debt. A bank will take and take until you have nothing left.

However, I do have a debit card because whatever I spend I get 1% cash back. It doesn't sound much but when you add up what you spend over the years then it can amount to a tidy sum. It's free cash so why turn it down?

The same with credit cards. They are always offering you the first months free of interest if you move over to them. So long as you have some money in the bank then by all means take advantage of these 0% interest deals. Your money can then stay in a high interest account. Only pay the credit card companies when you have to and pocket the interest for yourself.

I have even heard of people using their credit cards to borrow money for investment. It is known as stoozing. You borrow the maximum amount of money that your credit card company will allow, invest it and when the credit card company wants their money back you keep the interest it earned for yourself. More free money. Obviously, it's not as easy as that so do read up about stoozing on www.stoozing.com

Wood gas, a new way of heating?

2007-11-04T05:49:00.000-08:00

A friend introduced me to wood gasification. I love burning logs on my wood stove to provide myself with heat and hot water. My woodshed has lots of waste wood on the floor. Sawdust and wood chips that I would normally put on my compost heap can be burnt in something called a gasifier.

A gasifier heats wood to form charcoal which then drives off combustible gases that can be burnt in a stove and even in an engine to drive a car.

Apparently this is not a new technology but has been around for about two hundred years. How soon we forget, when we get lazy on oil.

My friend's webpages on wood gas

More supermarket shuffle

2007-10-31T03:54:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately I can't produce everything that I eat. Firstly, there are some little luxuries like coffee and chocolate that I like. Then there spices that I can't make myself. Also, I don't have too much land so I don't produce my own meat. I either hunt for it or I buy it in the supermarket.

Still, even in the jungle that is a supermarket I can be frugal. And it really is like a jungle. In Borneo you might get pounced on by a tiger. In a supermarket you can get pounced on too. You won't lose your life but you will lose more of that precious money.

Firstly, the layout of the supermarket is designed to make you spend money on things you don't want. Products with the highest mark-up are placed at eye level. These are the things you will look at first. Commonly bought items are spaced throughout the supermarket so you are forced to look at all those offers. Then, when you have finally finished and head to the checkout there are all those sweets next to the counter, begging you to buy them.

Even sales and bargains are fraught with danger. Make sure you compare what you are getting with alternatives. Yes, you might be offered 3 extra toilet rolls but if each roll has fewer and thinners sheets than the slightly more expensive rival then the bargain is not all it appears to be.

Don't forget the cheap supermarkets like Aldi and Lidl for staple foods. I buy my pasta and vegetable oil from Lidl as it is much cheaper. Don't use just the one supermarket for the sake of convenience. But do factor in the extra travelling if going by car. Choose a little nest of supermarkets that are close to each other and then play one off the other.

Make a note of when and where there are priced down bargains. These usually occur when perishables are at their sell-by date. You can sometimes make a feast for a party if you wait until the day. Meat and vegetables can all be had at knock down prices if you buy them on their sell-by date. A cheap meal on the day of purchase that has been kept fresh in someone else's fridge. Perfect frugalism.

When I go to the supermarket I make a list and stick to it. Head down. Charge!

Waste not, want not

2007-07-09T08:40:00.000-07:00

I had a friend drop by for tea who then made fun of my pressing old bits of soap together to make a new bar. Okay so I only save a few pennies each time but I hate to waste anything.

What matters is that I am in the habit of not wasting. Saving bits of soap is just one of many things I do to make savings. Be it reusing plastic containers, composting waste or whatever, I hate to see anything go to waste.

My friend, as you would expect, is not so caring about waste. He visits the local tip once a week and pays to forget about his rubbish. When he cuts the grass in his garden he dumps it in the corner and forgets about it. Luckily for him, I collect it and compost it for my garden. He thinks nothing of going to the garden centre for a bag of compost.

I have lost count of the money I have saved by switching off appliances, using CFL light bulbs, making my own compost and so on. My friend is different, he has no idea of the amount of money he wastes. He doesn't seem to care. I wonder what would make him care.

Save water

2007-03-17T17:52:00.000-07:00

At this time of year with almost constant daily rainstorms you wouldn't think that water was a scarce resource but it is. Not just oil but water too could be the cause of resource wars in the future. Global warming and climate change might cause havoc with our water supply.

It is best not to take water for granted. I no longer have flush toilets and built my own composting toilet. It's a simple affair. Some make permanent composting toilets but I thought that was excessive for my needs. I just collect the day's waste in a bucket and put it in a special barrel outside, separate from my compost heap.

Each evening the bucket is emptied into the barrel and a thin layer of compost put on top. It takes well over a year to compost human waste. Others, I know, just dig small holes round the garden and deposit their waste here, there and everywhere.

Flushing the toilet wastes an awful lot of water. And for what purpose? To move dirt from one place to another with clean water. If you must have a flush toilet then connect the cistern to a tank of rainwater or dirty bath water. There is no need to use clean water for flushing toilets.

Water from sinks, baths and showers (also called grey water) should be directed to the flower and vegetable gardens. There is no need to fill a sewerage system with anything other than human waste. And, as previously mentioned, there are greener ways of treating that too.

If you use water solely for washing, drinking and preparing food then you need a lot less than the average user. For those living where water is metered and paid for by the litre then you can save a lot of money.

Don't flick that switch, think!

2007-03-12T15:10:00.000-07:00

A frugal life is not a convenient one. If you want everything at a flick of the switch then good luck to you. However, if you care about looking after your money, not enriching the already wealthy and you care about the environment then you will think before flicking a switch.

Is it cold? Then put on a jumper. Hot? Take off that jumper and/or open a window. Our ancestors did fine without a push-button world. How do I know? Because we are here. If they couldn't survive without flicking a switch then we wouldn't be here.

Remember to turn everything off at night. No phantom loads. No little red lights shining throughout the night. The fridge and freezer will have to stay on but that is all.

Why do people insist on illuminating the outside of their homes? It is all very well being house proud but illuminating it as though it were Buckingham Palace? For what purpose? Automatic motion detector lights for security reasons are one thing but don't illuminate the sky all night long.

Don't believe in the myth that everyone's electricity supply is cheaper at night. As a student I lived with a family who had their washing machine on a timer switch so that it started at 6am. The reason was because "electricity is cheaper at that time and I can hang out the washing before going to work," or so my landlady said.

I looked around the house for the meter and when I found it I could only see the one dial. If you want cheaper night time electricity then you need dual metering. One dial for daytime usage and another for night time usage. That is the only way they can charge you for night time electricity. There is usually a larger standing charge for night time electricity so there is not always a saving to be made. The once a week clothes wash and the fridge are not enough.

Buy an electricity power meter and monitor your usage. Use it to see how changing your lifestyle can make a difference. See how measuring out the exact amount of water for the kettle uses less electricity. Better still, heat the kettle with a wood fire!

Cheaper home lighting

2007-03-08T07:44:00.000-08:00

The cheapest way to light your home is by using the sun. So if you are on the move or about to build then that should be of prime consideration. With south facing windows you get the benefit of passive heating too. A kitchen should be on the south eastern side of the house for a well-lit breakfast in a warm room.

An evening room for reading or watching one of those televisions should be positioned to make the most of the setting sun. Day rooms should be along the south side. Bathrooms and bedrooms on the north side. Velux windows are a good way of allowing light in through the roof. I found them very easy to fit.

When the sun has set, it's time to switch the lights on. There should be no reason to use old fashioned incandescent light bulbs. Yet I still see people buying them. "Why?" I ask.

"Because they're cheaper," is the reply. I try to explain the longevity of compact fluorescents (CFLs) and that they use less power so you save in the long run. They reply with, "I didn't do no maths (nor English!) at school."

A CFL is a no-brainer. Buy them as you replace your old bulbs. However, make sure that you are not using dimmer switches. I guarantee that the life of your CFL will drop from 10 years to 10 seconds if you put them on a dimmer circuit.

There are new bulbs now made from clusters of light emitting diodes (LEDs). They use even less power than CFLs and last longer too. I haven't used any yet as my CFLs are still going strong 9 years after buying them. I might get a failure in a year or two and will try LEDs then.

I do have LED torches for walking around outside during the night. They last a long time on my rechargeable batteries so the power usage must be extremely low.

Starting a wood stove without paying for it

2007-03-07T05:38:00.000-08:00

Many people have access to free fuel for their wood stove. Either they forage for it or they have trees on their own land. Far better than buying unsustainable coal, peat and manufactured logs. Your money stays in your pocket and not in the hands of the wealthy.

It amazes me when I see people buying materials to help them start their wood stoves. It isn't hard to learn how to start a fire properly. Still, some people give in too easily and either get kerosene impregnated material of the Zip variety or worse, buy kindling wood.

Kindling wood is very easy to make. The wood just has to be soft and seasoned. Split it into small pieces and I dare you not to start a fire with it. Broken bits off pallets make ideal kindling. Off cuts of pine from a building site or broken items of furniture. In the country there are plenty of soft woods to choose from. Picking up dead softwood should be a focus for spring walks after the storms have dislodged branches.

Most people start a fire back to front. They put crumpled-up paper in the stove first then they dump logs on top. They set fire to the paper which blazes quickly, the wood collapses and the fire goes out.

To start a fire properly you need to get the wood up to about 300 degrees centigrade and sustain that long enough for the larger pieces of wood to catch fire.

The best way to start a fire is the top down method. You put some medium sized logs on top of the previous ash. Then you put kindling sticks on top of that. On top of the kindling some pieces of cardboard and then some crumpled up newspapers. Remember to open the air intake to the maximum to help get a hot fire as quickly as possible.

You light the paper, which then ignites the cardboard. The cardboard burns long enough to burn the kindling wood, which then sustains heat long enough to allow the logs to burn. At all times lighter material lies on top of heavier material so there is no collapse.

Once the smaller logs have burnt down to coals you can then start putting in your larger logs. A mixture of hard and soft logs are best. After half an hour you can close off the air intake almost down to a full close. Just let enough air in to sustain the fire.

Haircut 100

2007-03-07T02:50:00.000-08:00

I prefer to cut my own hair. I don't have time to travel to a barber and it's money down the drain. Of course, being able to cut your own hair depends on the style you want.

A lady might want a particular style that just can't be achieved by them self. They will have to pay someone to do it. Most communities will have a part-time hairdresser who will drop round your house and charge a lot less than a hair salon would. You could even do a favour in return for a haircut.

I keep my hair short so that I don't have to spend hours cleaning and drying it. Nor do I shampoo my hair that often. Running water through the hair is more than adequate for dislodging dirt.

People complain about greasy hair but after a couple of weeks your hair will settle down. It's the constant shampooing of hair that makes your hair oily. This oil lubricates the hair and if you keep washing it out then your hair overproduces oil and your hair looks greasy.

To cut my hair I use one of the many electric hair clippers on the market. They come with attachments to crop the hair to the desired length. I have a mirror to the front and rear of me. With a half inch attachment I just run the clippers all over my hair until every hair is to the desired length. After the third time of use it has already paid for itself.

Make your own greeting cards

2007-03-05T07:38:00.000-08:00

Greeting cards are a pain! A device devised my the men of capital to prise your hard-earned cash out of your pockets.

I started making my own greeting cards when the weather was too harsh to go to the village shop. Being a small shop I knew the selection of cards would be minimal anyway. I decided there and then to make my own cards.

I already had a computer, internet connection and printer so it was just a matter of searching the web for the right images. I have learnt how to use a graphics package so that I can cut out images I like and build the final look I want.

All that is needed from the shop is some cheap card to print the final result. Even the envelope can be crafted from a sheet of paper. You can even produce the card like a postcard and save on the envelope too.

If you don't have access to a computer but have some artistic talent then what could be better than some inks and a pen. If you are adept at water colours then use them too. Glitter and other items can be bought cheaply from a craft shop and stuck on as decoration.

I am not an artist but have pressed a few wild (but not endangered) flowers and stuck them to cards. You are only limited by your imagination.

There are three benefits when making your own greeting cards

It is a lot cheaper and better value than a shop bought card.
The recipient is always very pleased that you have taken the time to make something yourself. The message has that much more meaning than a mass-produced card.
The choice in the shops is very poor. Retailers seem only to stock vulgar cards these days.

Catching your own meat

2007-03-03T11:09:00.000-08:00

Many of my friends are vegetarians. Personally, I think that's an urban 20th century disease. I love meat because it's tasty and because I don't have to eat as much as the carrot chompers.

One argument levelled by vegetarians at meat eaters is, "I bet you wouldn't eat meat if you had to kill it yourself." Well, I do kill most of my own meat and most of my meat is free. I fish, I have chickens, I don't want but have rabbits and I live near roads.

I often fish by the sea for mackerel or rummage around the rock pools for shellfish. Nothing beats fresh fish. I have chickens to provide me with eggs but after a year their productivity tails off and they begin to eat more than they produce in eggs so off comes their heads and onto the roasting dish with them.

I live in the countryside so rabbits are a nuisance. My vegetable garden is heavily netted but it still attracts rabbits looking for a way in. I don't mind that because at least they stand still whilst I get the gun out and shoot them. I have a cheap air rifle for that purpose. A head shot and they are hanging up in the food store.

I mentioned roads earlier. Well, I do eat the occasional road kill. I can hear pheasants at this time of year as they mate and rear young. You often see them dead by the roadside. If one is only recently dead (I normally look at the eyes and see if they've been pecked out meaning it's been dead for some time) then it's on the plate later that evening.

I also have a farmer friend who butchers the odd cow of his for the table. If I do a few odd jobs for him then my fridge magically fills with steaks and roasting joints. There's a lot of free meat out there. Why put a supermarket and your wallet between you and a square meal?

Playing the supermarkets at their own game

2007-03-03T10:25:00.000-08:00

Most of us do at least some of our shopping at a supermarket. Maybe we have a fondness for something that we can't produce ourselves. Convenience should never be an excuse though. Why buy a cake if you can make four for the price of a supermarket one? A combination of producing my own food and buying cheap raw ingredients from supermarkets mean that I live on just £1 a day.

Always bear in mind how far you have travelled to the supermarket. If you live in the countryside then nipping to the village corner shop for one or two items is cheaper than wasting gallons of petrol on going to the supermarket just because your favourite coffee shop is next door.

I am a member of Tesco's club card scheme that rewards frequent shopping. Food, hardware, clothing and petrol purchases all go on the card. Every pound spent is a point on the card. I also shop for other less able people, their shopping goes on my card too. I am not averse to picking up discarded receipts and adding them to my card at the information desk. The corporates deserve it!

If the price drops suddenly on a regular item I buy then it is usually due to a market glut. I make a note of the 'best before date' and then buy as much as I can afford of the product whilst not having too much that it goes off. I have often cleared my local supermarket of orange juice when greeted by a '£1 off for a pack of 4 cartons.'

Every quarter, I receive tokens based on my club card usage. Some of the tokens get a certain amount taken off my next shopping bill. Other tokens are for double points on certain purchases or money off. I first make sure that I actually want the product mentioned. Never buy anything just because it is on offer. Buy it because you need it and for no other reason.

Make a note of prices from various supermarkets and corner shops for your staple foods. Supermarkets are not the cheapest for everything. I eat a fair amount of rice but my local supermarket only stocks rice in kilo sacks at £3 a kilo. My local Chinese supermarket sells 20 kilo sacks for £15!

The cheaper supermarkets such as Lidl, Aldi and Netto often have products which taste as good as familiar brands but are far cheaper. I have a soft spot for Twix bars but buy the Lidl equivalent for less than half price. My favourite tipple of orange juice is a blend of Tesco and Lidl orange juice so as to reduce cost.

Finally, it goes without saying. Bring your own bags and leave as much of the plastic wrappers in the shop as you can. I burn my rubbish in my stove but never plastic. Leave it piled up in the supermarket and one day they might get the message.

Here are some tips for making the most of supermarkets

Go as infrequently as possible. Once a month for bulk buying.
Only buy it if you can't produce it yourself.
Think, "Do I really need it?"
Make use of special offers but don't be tempted into buying something solely because it is on sale.
If your supermarket has a club card scheme then join it. Make full use of all available savings.
Buy bulk when there is an offer that can't be refused.
Make a note of prices in all shops and split your shopping list into separate supermarkets.

Avoid processed food as best you can

2007-02-18T07:43:00.000-08:00

As many as 10 calories of energy are used to produce processed food for each calorie that you get from eating it.

Add up the industrialised farming with its pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers and transportation to the factory.

Add up the electricity to process the food. The packaging. The distribution, advertising and marketing. The intercontinental transportation to countries that could probably produce their own.

All that energy just to put a spoonful into your mouth. It's not sustainable, it's not good for the planet and it's not good for your health. Leave it out!

A vegetable garden

2007-01-25T11:47:00.000-08:00

Everyone can and should have a vegetable garden. Even people in towns and cities. There can be no excuse.

Nothing beats eating home-grown food. It's fresher, it tastes better and if you allow some produce to go to seed then future crops are free.

Home-grown food is local food. Do you realise how much energy goes into transporting food around the globe? It just doesn't make sense that of all the energy used to put processed food into your mouth only a fraction of the energy is actually in the food itself.

Vegetable seed is cheap. It's free if you take seed from previous crops. Set up a seed swapping group in your community.

There is no reason not to grow your own. Vegetables can be grown almost anywhere. You don't even need a garden. Container growing is fine.

Never buy compost make your own from garden and kitchen waste.

Cut out imported vegetables. Be frugal. Eat your own.

The cost of processing

2006-11-25T02:48:00.000-08:00

The best way to be self-reliant is to do as much for yourself as you can. Every time someone else does something for you there is a price to pay. Be it a plumber or an electrician, after they have done a job you can expect a bill for it. It's a good idea to learn the basics of plumbing and electrical work to save money.

In the same vain we can either cook for ourselves or allow someone else to cook for us. Eating out is expensive. However, some who eat in do so by eating processed food, which is more expensive than eating food prepared at home.

Every time there is a processing step in your meal, and you entrust that step to a supermarket, then you are adding cost to that meal. It is far cheaper to start with raw ingredients. The cheapest ingredients being those that you have grown in your garden.

The steps to cheap healthy eating are

Grow your own food where possible,
Buy raw ingredients or better still barter with other local growers,
Prepare your own meals from scratch with as few processed supermarket products.

Debts? No savings? Take control. Be self-reliant

2006-11-21T07:36:00.000-08:00

Everyday, your television gives you many reasons to spend money. Do you really need all the stuff they're pedalling? Why do businesses want you to buy things? To enrich your life? No, it's to enrich their lives.

Take control of your life. Be self-reliant. Make do with what you really need.