Frugal Friday

[ecosophia]

Welcome back to Frugal Friday!  This is a weekly forum post to encourage people to share tips on saving money, especially but not only by doing stuff yourself. A new post will be going up every Friday, and will remain active until the next one goes up. Contributions will be moderated, of course, and I have some simple rules to offer, which have changed as we've proceeded. (As things have settled down to a nice steady conversational pace, for example, I've deleted the rules about only one tip per person per week and about limiting the length of comments; I was worried early on about people flooding the forum with too much too fast, but I think we're past that risk.)

Rule #1:  this is a place for polite, friendly conversations about how to save money in difficult times. It's not a place to post news, views, rants, or emotional outbursts about the reasons why the times are difficult and saving money is necessary. Nor is it a place to use a money saving tip to smuggle in news, views, etc.  I have a delete button and I'm not afraid to use it.

Rule #2:  this is not a place for you to sell goods or services, period. Here again, I have a delete button and I'm not afraid to use it.

Rule #3:  please give your tip a heading that explains briefly what it's about.  Homemade Chicken Soup, Garden Containers, Cheap Attic Insulation, and Vinegar Cleans Windows are good examples of headings. That way people can find the things that are relevant for them. If you don't put a heading on your tip it will be deleted.

Rule #4: don't post anything that would amount to advocating criminal activity. Any such suggestions will not be put through.

With that said, have at it!

Comments

Sewing Resources

[kylec]

Hi, I am learning to sew and thought I would ask the community if you have any favorite books, websites, youtubers, etc. I have found a number of good ones, especially Make, Sew, Mend by Bernadette Banner about beginner handsewing techniques with a special emphasis on historical techniques and fabrics, which I can recommend to my fellow beginners.

Also interested in recs for a sewing machine. I have a super old National RBR from the 40s that may or may not work, and does not have a zig zag attachment. I will try to get it running. Also considering an old singer 201 or 401, but willing to consider any old or new machine that people wholeheartedly endorse. I prefer mechanical to computerized.

Re: Sewing Resources

[(Anonymous)]

I learned to sew on a mid century all metal New Home. I highly recommend it if you can find one.

I used my tax refund to buy a Bernina Activa 140 in the late 1990s for about what used cars cost. I forget how many used vehicles later, maybe 5 I think, the Bernina is still going strong. I have spent about $500 in two separate servicings over almost 30 years now.

My suggestion, learn to sew first on a basic machine and then, if you want to get into embroidery and such, research the available machines at that time.

I inheirited my mother's top of the line Pfaff, and, for my money, the Bernina product is far better. BUT, Bernina marketing is predatory. The machines only work with Bernina, always overpriced, products. I have tried the generic bobbins, and was not happy.

Some sewists love the early Singers. I have not used one. For those, you must have Singer needles. European made machines take European needles, Dritz or Schmetz. When Joanne's was still having the 40% off coupons, I stocked up on machine needles.

It is critical to use the proper needles, all purpose or sharp for woven fabrics and ball point for knits, in the proper weights, 12 and up will get you through most basic projects. For delicate fabrics you need the smaller #9s.

Can you afford to take a basic sewing class at a community college or fabric store? You tube is like the Wild West and I have not yet seen a presenter I could recommend for a beginner.

Mary Bennett

Re: Sewing Resources

[claire_58]

I have a Bernina 730 Record from the early 1960's I absolutely love. The 830 Record that replaced it in 1971 was their best selling machine ever. I also have a Bernina 1008 from the 80's(?) that is very good; much lighter and has a better buttonhole system. It's the last mechanical machine they made and it's only been recently discontinued.
Singers from the 60's and 70's are usually still very good quality. I have a model from the early 60's set into a treadle base that works well. It's not quite as easy to treadle as a machine from the pre-electric era but the having the zigzag and other modern stitches makes up for that. Singer continued to make their machines treadle compatible for many years.

As far as sewing books go haunt the thrift stores. Compendium sewing guide books show up reasonably often. Many of the ones from the late seventies have techniques for sewing knits on machines that don't have special settings for stretch stitching.

Re: Sewing Resources

[(Anonymous)]

Hi Kyle!

If you need an owner's manual for a Singer or White sewing machine or serger, you can download one for free at www.singer.com/support. If you need one for another brand of sewing machine or a really, really old machine, try the International Sewing Machine Collector's Society website: www.ismacs.net/manuals.html and you might be able to find one there. Members have photocopied the manuals for their old machines and uploaded them as a .pdf that you can download for free, too. That's where I found an owner's manual for my Singer model 66 treadle machine. And if you don't find what you need at either of those websites, just keep doing internet searches and I can just about guarantee that someone, somewhere, has uploaded what you need that you can download for free. When I was trying to fix an old 1980s White serger that I'd been given, I was able to find a copy of the service technician's manual for it posted on someone's blog from 2008.

A good basic machine sewing instruction book is "Singer Sewing Book: The Complete Guide to Sewing" by Gladys Cunningham published in 1969. I have this book and like it very much. I just checked on Amazon and at the moment they have a good used hardcover copy for $8.79 with free shipping.

As for sewing machine recs, first if you're buying used you do NOT want a computerized one. If something goes wrong with one, you most likely cannot fix it yourself and it will be expensive to have someone else "try" to fix it. And unless someone is giving it to you for free, you don't want an older plastic machine with plastic internal gears. Those plastic internal gears from the 1970s/80s don't age well at all and have a tendency to crack and some of them just crumble into many little pieces. So your best bet for a used machine is a mechanical cast iron machine with metal internal gears. If they've had decent care, they will outlast you. If they haven't had decent care, they can most likely still be brought back to working condition with a little effort and be around for your great grandchildren to use. All my sewing machines are older than I am -- the "youngest" is a Singer 185 made in 1964, the next youngest is a Singer 99 made is Scotland in 1948 (I would love to know how that one made it to the middle of nowhere USA!), my oldest is a Singer treadle machine made in 1910. And if the old cast iron machines do need some repair, it's more likely something you can DIY if you're willing to try. The only problem with cast iron machines is that they are heavy. The 3/4 size machines like the 185 and the 99 are lighter than the full size machines but still kind of heavy if you used to lightweight plastic machines.

A Singer 401 is a good machine; I learned to sew on my mother's 401. One problem with them is the drop-in cams they use to make all the fancy decorative stitches -- they seem to have a tendency to get lost so finding a 401 with a complete set of cams can be difficult. Although if you don't care about the fancy stitches, a 401 missing some or all of its cams would still be a great machine. I used my mother's 401 all through high school and I never used the cams so it wouldn't make any difference to me if a machine had them or not. I've never used a 201 so I can't say much about them other than I've heard they're pretty good machines.

The missing 401 cams brings up another thing when buying used sewing machines -- know what the machine you're looking at should have and check for missing parts! Some parts are no big deal to replace (and no reason to reject an otherwise good machine) -- detachable power cords and foot controls are usually cheap and easy enough to replace if you just want a working machine and don't care if it's "historically accurate;" particularly for a common brand like Singer. Throat plates, cams(machines other than the 401 use them, too) and bobbin cases(if the model of machine happens to use them, not all machines do), on the other hand, can be quite pricey depending on the model and could end up costing more the sellers are asking for the machine itself if you need to replace them. If you have a treadle machine replacing the leather belts is no big deal -- you can get the belts on Amazon 4/$10. If the treadle machine has a cracked or missing piston arm... well, how's your fabrication skills? I know how to make a piston arm; I would really rather not so I wouldn't buy a treadle that was missing one.

I hope this helps!
Nona




Why yes, I am a sewing machine nerd! However did you guess?

Tempeh

[degringolade]

I've been playing with this for the last several days. I do like tempeh, It doesn't take much at all to make, it is nutritious and it can be delicious with minimal work.

This is where I began the learning process.

https://www.thekampungvegan.com/recipes/homemade-tempeh

I have been doing all sorts of basic experiments concerning the do's and don'ts. So far I have been finding out a lot about the "don'ts" but the basic ideas on the website appear to be solid.

Mostly I have been playing around with using different beans other than soybeans. Not that I have anything against soybeans, but in retail sizes they are expensive compared to other beans and the energy required to cook them is double and the hulls that need to be removed are a pain.

I will be posting updates over at my place, and when I work out details that reproducible work for me I'll post again here.

Store bought tempeh is more expensive than meat. Homemade tempeh is super cheap other than your time.

Re: Tempeh

[fringewood]

I love homemade tempeh, but haven't made any in years because of the soybeans. I found this online and it should work with black beans īnstead. Just have to find a consistently warm place in our home this time of year. ;^)
https://fullofplants.com/black-bean-tempeh-soy-free/

This looks really interesting as well http://gourmetvegetariankitchen.com/2020/01/31/homemade-soy-free-tempeh-3-kinds/

Winter Salads

[(Anonymous)]

Hi Frugalistas,

I have been enjoying grated beet and carrot salads. We have both vegetables in our garden and they are inexpensive even if you do not have a garden. A friend gave me a very simple salad dressing that really makes this a tasty salad. She puts a bit of chopped parsley and some sunflower seeds in hers. I usually just go straight beets and carrots. The dressing is just some balsamic vinegar, olive oil and a pinch of salt.

Another very good winter salad is finely-chopped Chinese cabbage, grated carrot, some chopped cilantro and an orange cut up how you like. The dressing for this is fresh-lemon juice, olive oil and salt. This is very tasty and refreshing and my delightful husband invented it.
Maxine

Re: Winter Salads

[(Anonymous)]

My family loves what I call veggie salad, which is equal parts grated turnips, carrots, and apples. For dressing I use lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and tiny bit of onion juice (or powder).

I served an amazing beet and orange salad with an over-the-top Christmas feast the first year after I married. My in-laws were horrified, complained as though I was poisoning them, and would not touch it for anything! That's alright, we really enjoyed the leftovers. Beet salads are amazing, and I never thought to add carrots. Thanks for the recipe.

shewhoholdstensions

Bored? Read a Poem

[(Anonymous)]

File under alternative entertainment methods...


If you don't already have enough to do running a home economy, and you end up bored, then reading a poem might be a good way to alleviate your boredom and give you something to contemplate when you pick up the broom again to finish sweeping out the pantry.


In terms of Frugal Friday's I'm thinking of poems as one of the most concentrated forms of literature. Everything is condensed. They often need time of contemplation to unpack all the imagery.

As such they can be thought of as a kind of imaginal fuel, to keep you charged, to give you solace, throughout the daily work of the wheel of the year.

The lyric poem will of course be the shorter ones to read quickly. But the epics can be read in pieces over the long nights.

For those who enjoy rap, I recently wrote an article about "Epic Bardcore Rap" as done by the Welsh rapper Ren. Also touched on is the microgenre of "bardcore" where contemporary pop songs get covered in a quasi-Medieval style.

http://www.sothismedias.com/home/epic-bardcore-rap

Justin Patrick Moore

In the meantime I leave you all with the following frugal poem.

There is no Frigate like a Book
by Emily Dickinson

There is no Frigate like a Book
To take us Lands away
Nor any Coursers like a Page
Of prancing Poetry –
This Traverse may the poorest take
Without oppress of Toll –
How frugal is the Chariot
That bears the Human Soul –

Re: Bored? Read a Poem

[francis_tucker]

I'm imagining the family sitting in the living room after supper taking turns reading their favorite poems or book exerpts or tidbits from their commonplace books... I'm loving that picture!!

An idea occurred to me as I was reading your post... it might be extremely worthwhile for someone who saves their old Old Farmer's Almanacs to either copy out or clip and paste the poems from the Monthly Forecasts section. Just 3 or 4 years worth would make a lovely collection of seasonal poetry! They're not really all that heavy or deep, so they'd be perfect for folks not used to poetry. At the same time, I've found them to have a downright uncanny power to connect the reader with the changing year.

As for rap, has JMG or anyone else heard from our rapper friend who used to stick his head in here now and again? I've quite forgotten his name. I'd love to hear his input on some of this. If JMG is right and weekly rap battles become the barn dances of the 21st century (and lemme just tell ya, I've not met a single redneck good ol' boy here in the lower Midwest who doesn't love rap... no exaggeration), then I'd love to hear some good ideas from an expert on how to get that started.

BTW, reading your blog post now...

Frugal Books for Frugal Cooks

[artsmith]

As Delia Smith once wrote, "Poor people don't need cookbooks"
However here are a few suggestions for cookery books if you are budgeting.

How to Cook a Wolf by M F K Fisher is a classic. Written during the second World War during rationing with a certain deadpan humour it will make you feel less wretched about being broke whilst trying to make ends meet during difficult times. It will lift your spirits even if you decide to pass on making Tomato Soup cake...
Tin Can Cook by Jack Monroe. Written by someone who has actually had to live and bring up a small child on UK benefits (social security) this is full of dishes that can be made from food bank basics and has genuinely tasty meals made with tinned and processed foods.
The Kitchen Ecosystem by Eugenia Bone. This one is for cooks who like meal planning structure as it requires you to roll leftovers from one meal into the next. If you like to free style with whatever you have in the fridge maybe give this one a miss. If you are aiming for zero waste and to build a pantry of home made flavourings, condiments and sauces give it a try.
I would be interested to hear other peoples recommendations if they have the time.

Re: Frugal Books for Frugal Cooks

[(Anonymous)]

Generations of American women have learned to bake from Betty Crocker, the housewife created by the General Mills marketing department. Older is better. GM, which was once a reputable and responsible company, collected recipes from all over the USA, tested them and published the best. In the early books, the recipe donors are named and credited. This is basic, family pleasing baking from scratch with no fancy pants, costs as much as narcotics, specialty ingredients. The step by step photo instructions remain the best I have seen.

For stovetop, savory cooking, I think Mark Bittman is the best. The Big Yellow, How to Cook Everything, shows up 2nd hand for around $10. I also like Big Green, vegetarian, and Big Brown, baking, which takes you where Betty doesn't go. Gateau St. Honore? Bittman explains it.

For fun in the kitchen, I like James Beard. Avacado noodles! I am not kidding and they are delicious.

I always check the cookbook sections of 2nd. hand stores and bookstores. And, alas, library discard tables.

Buy spices in bulk at health food stores

[(Anonymous)]

They are fresher than the grocery store tiny bottles which have been sitting in a warehouse for don't ask how long. Usually, they are certified organic. And you scoop out as much as you might need. While the per ounce price might be larger, you pay less for an amount you will actually use before the spice goes stale.

Mary Bennett

Re: Buy spices in bulk at health food stores

[methylethyl]

Alternately (or in addition!), if there are dried herbs or spices you use quite a lot of, it is often worth ordering them by the pound from a company like Frontier (ymmv), or buying them in bags at the indian grocery. That's going to vary a lot depending on what you cook and how many people you cook for, of course, but for our family of five a tiny amount of nutmeg or cloves will do us basically forever, other things like mustard seed, chili powder, paprika, peppercorns, taco seasoning, garam masala, dried basil, and granulated garlic-- those are worth buying in bulk.

The one we always get wrong is zaatar. It doesn't keep super long, and I usually buy too much and lose half to weevils or mold. Sigh.

One thing to look out for with spice mixes is salt. There are a few premade spice mixes we find useful, like chili powder and taco seasoning, but if you go that route, it's almost always better to search out a brand or variety with no salt. It'll be more expensive per ounce on paper, but cheaper in the end because salt is cheap, but it weighs a lot and you're paying a lot for the salt when you buy something with the salt included. Plus it doesn't keep very well because the salt attracts moisture and if you don't use it up quickly it'll cake up. And, you know, salt preferences vary, but if the salt is already in the mix you can't adjust it without over or under seasoning.

foraged craft supplies

[claire_58]

Inspired by this week's photo I would like to recommend the book Baskets from Nature's Bounty by Elizabeth Jensen and The Complete Book of Nature Crafts by Carlson, Crusick, and Taylor. The latter is heavy on the dried flower arrangements but it has many other fun things including the classic cattail hat, a woven backpack, seats for chairs, and many fun (and practical) things to do with gourds.

Handicraft Classes

[weilong]

Riffing off the photo, I'd recommend trying any sort of handicraft classes that may be available in your community. This winter, I've gotten involved in three (three!) classes learning traditional handicrafts, two of which are of the basket-weaving variety.

For starters, they are a cheap way to do something fun and meet interesting people. If I get good at it, they may also prove to be a way to make useful things for myself and my friends. In my area, all three of these classes are actually geared toward producing items for sale at the local markets - so the goal is professional quality, and eventually a small source of income. Several of the teachers are people who started off in the class 10+ years ago.

Clothing Refurbishing Success

[(Anonymous)]

So my husband has a specialty sweatshirt hoodie that he loves that he has had for 8+ years. It is still in good condition except for the white ribbed cuffs which are grayish and seriously ragged. I found some replacement cuffs on Amazon (which I bought with other stuff to get the free shipping) and we had our local dry cleaners replace the old cuffs with the new cuffs. Total cost was about $23. My husband is so happy that his favorite jacket has new life.

Beware the Hedonic Treadmill

[jprussell]

This may be less relevant in hard times, but if you are lucky and skilled enough to find your income rising, it's a well-known tendency for spending to rise along with it, leaving folks not feeling any richer. There are a variety of reasons for this, but one that is especially sneaky is the "hedonic treadmill," but luckily, with a bit of thought, you can avoid the worst of it.

Basically, the idea is that humans habituate to whatever we experience regularly, even nice things. So, if you used to be fine with the cheapest chuck you could fine, but you start eating grass-finished T-bones every day, even though at first that will feel like a treat, after a bit, that will become "fine," and if you try to go back to the chuck, it will taste bad to you. One that can get especially ridiculous is wine: you start out happy to splurge on a $10 bottle of wine and down the road after you've become rich, that same bottle tastes vile to you and you're dropping $200 a bottle.

The solution, of course, is to not let yourself creep upward on the cost/luxury of goods unawares, and to "treat yourself" sparingly, so that treats remain treats. I enjoy a good craft beer as much as the next guy, but I make a point to buy a moderately-priced Texas standby (Shiner Bock) as my "go to." We only go on really fancy dates a few times a year, and most of the time instead choose to be intentional in what we pick and what we do for cheaper, rather than assuming price = quality of date. If I get together with my friends, rather than going somewhere fancy, we order some pizza and play some D&D.

Now, some stuff is worth spending more on when you get the chance (like better/more local/more organic food), so the point here isn't "don't take advantage of your good fortune." It's more like "be intentional to not get sucked into entertaining yourself in more and more expensive ways."

If you have slipped into indulging more than you would prefer on something you theoretically could satisfy for cheaper, Seneca gives us a method that can help "reset" - he would spend one week a month being "poor" - eat the most basic food, wear the coarsest food, and sleep on a minimally comfortable bed. Doing this for a week every month might be a bit excessive for most of us, but taking some time living a bit more ascetically can help you appreciate the smaller things.

Anyhow, hope this helps,
Jeff

Re: Beware the Hedonic Treadmill

[(Anonymous)]

Jeff, this has been my greatest gift from "Collapse now and avoid the rush"

I no longer panic when thinking about the future and think "just what will happen if such and such goes away". There's always a work around if you don't dig your heels in.

Gardening, strawberry divisions

[(Anonymous)]

There are a few ways to save money on strawberries

First, buy bare root, second buy in bulk if possible. I realy like Seascape strawberries for my location, and they are everbearing and keep giving strawberries for a long season, and it is not always easy to find and expensive in local stores. Also, bare root strawberries are the cheapest, and buying in bulk is cheaper still. I have organized group buys of bareroot Seascape strawberries in the past, where I have had 1 or 2 cases of strawberries sent here and then dispursed, I do have to say that the internet with email lists and such was used for part of this, but the bulk of it was that we had a in person swap meeting and people signed up for how many bundles of 25 they wanted and gave me money and their contact information. Once the order comes, you keep them cool or cold until planted, I plant at 1 ft centers.

3rd, You can also get or share strawberries for free once they are established. Strawberries do spread by runners, but also they divide and end up with multiple plants right there in the center, this isnt always easy to see while they are growing, but this causes decreased yields due to this over crowding after a couple of years. And, the soil gets a bit worn out and compacted. So, every 3rd year or so, you need to dig up your strawberry plants in the winter when they are dormant, split them, and replant a bed in a different location.

My garden got neglected and overrun with noxious weeds( himalayan blackberry, teasal, etc..)in the aftermath of the wildfire we had 3 years ago, and I have rescued part of it and gardened a bit last year, but I am working to reclaim more of it. I hired local guy who took his triblade weed wacker over the whole mess of 5 ft tall teasal and blackberry vines, and I weeded a raised bed with a shovel to dig out blackberry roots ( Some of you are chuckling as you know I will never get them all...) and got it ready to have a strawberry bed again. But, 50 strawberry plants are expensive without a group order, so I asked on our online garden groups if anyone was splitting a strawberry bed this year with no luck at first, then someone said she would dig out and divide a few.

Meanwhile, I was looking around for which bed I should rescue next, and saw a few shunted strawberry leaves peeking threw other various weeds. I thought, well, maybe I can get a couple plants, it looked like nothing was realy there 3 years of neglect and all, but I know a few plants of my coveted seascapes would multiply over a few years. So, I got the shovel and was amazed that there were more severly shunted clumps than I thought. ANd, then I divided them, I told my aquaintance not to trouble herself on digging some of hers. Today I transplanted them, I not only filled the bed with 40 plants, I filled 6 large size six pack plastic trays with 36 more plants, and have another 14 too large for those 6 pack cells I will pot up tomorrow ! It feels like the loaves and fishes story, I divided them and can strawberry up 2 or 3 households ! 90 or more strawberry plants, for free to have and to share.

My garden bed they are in is not in prime shape, so far after digging it, I added 2 tin pails of charcoal pieces from the burn pile I did 2 weeks ago, wood ash from my wood stove, and this morning before transplanting, I covered the bed a few inches deep in goat stall cleanings ( alfalfa stems and dust and goat poop/pee). If their growth is sluggish later I will add diluted human urine.

The old large six packs I just put in native soil from my yard, and once they get over transplant shock and start to grow, I will add diluted human urine to give those transplants some fertility until they find a new home.

Re: Gardening, strawberry divisions

[(Anonymous)]

Thanks for the info on dividing the strawberries, I'll have to take a closer look at mine!

Blackberry is a worthy adversary. I find a weekly or fortnightly dig of any sprouts wins the war.. eventually, just have to be as persistent as the blackberry.

Makeup

[michele7]

This may be a bit controversial...ladies, rethink using makeup. A quick online search showed the average cost of make up and beauty treatments can range from $40 - $130 a month. When I married in 2007, my husband said he preferred my natural face, so I tossed all the make up and went natural. I taught middle school until 2022 and no students died because they saw my natural face. lol. I'm 61 and my oldest son told me the other day that I look younger. I know genetics has some part in that, but I do wonder if not clogging my pores with chemicals has helped. If you can't or don't want to give up makeup try using less. Maybe a touch of lipstick and mascara only.

Re: Makeup

[ecosophia]

My late wife Sara never wore makeup. Late last year, when she was already in her final illness (and was beginning to show it), a couple of people were startled to find that she was 62 -- they thought she was in her early 50s. Her contention, and I think she was right, is that the chemicals in makeup prematurely age the skin.

Michele, a lot of men agree with your husband about makeup -- I certainly do. May I venture on a potentially explosive subject here? Many of the things that women in our society do, ostensibly to please or attract men, aren't things that men actually like or want. They're things that other women (and corporate advertising) pressure women into doing. Ladies, if there's a man in your life, see if you can get him talking about what he actually likes in terms of your appearance; it may surprise you.

One very common example: perms. Most men loathe them -- they make your hair feel like a Brillo pad. A great many men would much rather you let your hair grow out naturally -- and, oh, while you're at it, consider ditching the dye jobs. Sara's hair, long and straight, honey-brown in her younger years and beautifully silvered later on, was one of the things about her appearance I loved, and liked to compliment her on.

[(Anonymous)]

Can we perhaps say that magick itself can be used as a form of frugality by charging spirits? People do 'money magick' which manifests in the form of them being frugal while also bringing opportunities for gain they could not even think of.

[ecosophia]

Yes, and magic can also be an even more direct instrument of frugality. Try invoking Saturn sometime and asking him to help you see opportunities to save money and cut costs that you might not otherwise see. Insofar as anything can be said to delight the old, cold Oyarsa of the seventh circle, that'll do it; he tends to be very propitious to such requests, and you'll find yourself saving much more than you expect.

Eat the Weeds

[(Anonymous)]

Have you ever had Crispy Spinach in a Sichuan restaurant? Fabulous texture and mouth appeal.

You basically saute fresh greens in ample fat (I prefer bacon fat for flavour and it already has the salt in it) at a medium temperature until all the water is driven out, drain and serve.

Spring is not far off and I will have fresh dandelion, nettle, dock, chicory, plantain, you name it, to cook this way. Later in the year kale, lambs' quarters and other annuals can pick up the slack. Yummy!

Pattern drafting resources?

[methylethyl]

I've a lot of experience sewing simpler things (though I did also do my own wedding dress), but I want to take that up the next notch.

Have thrifted all my clothes for years, and this works well enough, but even there, throwaway fashion is a plague, and so much wears out or falls apart quickly. I'm old enough to know what looks good on me, have a couple of favorite tops and dresses, and I'd like to try using them to make more things in the same cut and style, in durable fabric, to last a while. I don't need new fashions. I need to reproduce the two that look good on me!

One of the less-nice things about thrifting is that a lot of time goes into it, and it's mostly still settling for something that's good-enough. Buying nice fabrics is often expensive, but I'm thinking... if it's also durable fabric it might be a win in the end. Worth a try, and another useful skill to tuck in my rucksack.

Any of y'all more expert tailors and seamstresses out there have any good/favorite resources for learning how to use an existing piece of clothing as a pattern to make a new thing?

Re: Pattern drafting resources?

[michele7]

Jump on YouTube and search for cloning clothes. There were a lot of videos of people showing you how to use a favorite piece of clothing to make a pattern without cutting your clothes apart.

Hammocks

[(Anonymous)]

I'm in a shared living environment where I have a room to myself, and all other spaces are shared. At the beginning of this arrangement, I had a queen sized bed, a dresser, and not much room for anything else. I decided I needed more personal space, so I gave the bed away and opted to sleep in a nylon camp hammock instead. My thinking was that I could put the hammock away during the day and have the room for other tasks.

I set two 4" lag eye bolts into wooden studs at the opposite corners of the room and adjusted the hammock so that it hung low enough that I could easily roll out of it in the morning. Over time, I realized that a hammock underquilt was needed most of the year since I lost too much body heat through the nylon. A sleeping bag liner, fleece throw, and neck pillow completed my bedding arrangement.

After a minor back injury, I found I needed to sleep on my tummy some of the time to offset the effects of the curved sleeping arrangement. I also learned that this is only good as a solo sleep arrangement. Even a 7-pound cat can make it unpleasant.

After yoga hammocks became popular, I opted to switch. I set 1500 lbs weight rated swing hangers in the ceiling joists in a corner of the room about a 1' off the wall and 4' off the adjacent wall. Taller people would probably need greater adjacent wall distance. The benefits from a regular hammock are a horizontal sleep position when laying perpendicular to the fabric and the ability to lounge in it as a chair. The drawbacks are that it's harder to stow away (because I need a ladder to reach the ceiling), and the ready-made hammock underquits don't work well with it. To offset the heat loss, I now sleep in a sleeping bag liner inside a down sleeping bag.

Hopefully, this can help people either make more of the space they have or feel more confident moving into a smaller space. Given the cost of housing, this is likely my most frugal bit of advice.

Re: Hammocks

[(Anonymous)]

I would caution to not do this if you rent, and even if you own to be careful. Just an eyebolt in a 2 inch wide edge of a ceiling joist may not hold. My kids used to have a heavy bag, and while you may think your hammock isnt going to get that kind of strain, it is the first thing that came in my mind reading this as the heavy bag had the eyebolt tear the wood up and boke the wood and fell out. There are ways to hang heavy objects where you open the ceiling more and have the support go thru the joist thru the middle, not off the bottom, and many points of contact. Be safe out there. I cant imagine the repair bill if a renter had a heavy item rip the wood on a ceiling joist.

thrift stores as a source of sewing/knitting supplies

[(Anonymous)]

I like thrift stores as a source of fiber arts supplies. I have gotten: a sewing machine, a mini sewing machine that wasn't very useful, knitting needles, crochet hooks, thread in a rainbow of colors, fabric, scissors.

I've also gotten a lot of jewelry-making supplies: dead jewelry to take apart, unused beads (glass, stone and semiprecious stone, biological materials including pearls) You have to get good at identifying what you're looking at if you're doing jewelry - being able to tell the difference between glass and the real thing makes a big difference.

Re: thrift stores as a source of sewing/knitting supplies

[methylethyl]

I have found ugly thrift-store necklaces to be a nearly inexhaustible supply of cheap, right-sized wooden beads for making prayer ropes. The beads that make great prayer bead ropes also tend to make truly hideous jewelry that nobody else wants to buy ;)

Women's Hair

[(Anonymous)]

Hi Frugalistas,
I wanted to mention that it is really easy to cut your own hair if it is long. If you part your hair in the middle and bring it down in front of you. Just tie each bunch of hair with a hair tie and decided how much you want to cut off. Bring the hair ties to an equal length and saw off all the hair below the tie. When you brush your hair out, it will fall into a nice curve on your back.

I have never worn makeup and have a couple of times met men who wanted me to wear makeup. So, I got rid of them. My skin is really nice because of that and because I make my own face cream of olive oil infused with comfrey, besswax and some rose water.
Maxine

Re: Women's Hair

[(Anonymous)]

I spread the hair out rather than bunching it up, but otherwise very similar. My hair's wavy, thick and long, which tends to hide any inaccuracies. The last time I got it cut by someone else was in 2019.

Used quality furniture at a discount

[open_space]

I am typing this on a 30 year old leather armchair with an ottoman that I got from John's Used Furniture in Seattle and thought up brining the topic of such stores. He told me he gets a bunch of his furniture at a deal from wealthy people that are redecorating, this one apparently belonged to a millionaire from an old family (hope some of it sticks if that's true). John was happy to get my Wayfair couch that I got 6 years ago in exchange for it (they sell fast apparently) so he wins because he gets to move furniture around, good for business, and I get a comfortable piece of furniture that will last my lifetime.

I am posting here because he said to me: Just remember, don't let the world overwhelm you, small groups of people can make a big change. It all comes from one thought setting a direction. He must be a wizard or something.

Re: Used quality furniture at a discount

[baconrolypoly]

The cheapest piece of furniture I ever got was a fine quality sofa bed that cost me a tub of fruit compôte and half a hour's work. That day I'd been to the market and bought a huge bag of stone fruit to cook up and it smelled so delicious that I offered some to my neighbour as she was going into hospital and needed cheering up. When I took it round, she was in floods of tears because the charity who were meant to be taking the sofa bed from her spare bedroom wouldn't take it because it was upstairs and their insurance didn't cover that. A new bed was to be delivered the following day but she and her husband, both in their 80s, couldn't shift the sofa bed and were panicking. My partner came round, took the heavy bed workings out and then we took those and the rest of the sofa out of the house. We asked her what she wanted to do with it but she just wanted it gone, so it replaced our old and scruffy sofa. The funniest thing was that once the sofa was gone and my neighbour had calmed down, she asked me what it was I was calling on her for and I said 'To bring you a tub of compôte' and then we both fell about laughing.

Anyway, I suppose my point is that helping someone out can have unexpected rewards.

Question about make-ahead salads

[(Anonymous)]

A few years ago, I saw a description of how to put prepared salads in Mason jars in the fridge for a few days ahead. The jar was packed in layers, with the greens at one end, other ingredients in the middle, and dressing at the other. It might have been that the dressing was at the bottom, and one flipped the jar over to spread it before serving. Does anyone know about this, or have other related tips about no-cook prepared meals?

Christopher from California

Re: Question about make-ahead salads

[(Anonymous)]

That sounds like a good idea. I suppose one could eat it straight from the container, if it weren't a mason jar, but something a little broader-topped, in which case I'd keep the dressing in a smaller container inside of it. So, I'd have to wash the extra container for the dressing, but then, I wouldn't have to wash a plate.

No cook meals for me would include: boiled eggs (boiled already, that is), cheese cubes, dried meat, olives, pickled, dried fruits, and trail mix.

When I do long drives I usually bring along snacks / meals of dried meat, cheese, maybe some bread, and trail mix. I hit the fast food joints and gas stations only for the coffee and chance to visit the washroom.

You know what, I think I may have watched that same video about packing the salads in Mason jars. As I recall she used a vacuum pack machine thingy, to be able to keep the salads fresh longer.

How I quit smoking and saved oodles upon boodles of money

[(Anonymous)]

Last week someone brought up quitting smoking and asked about people's experiences and advice. Over 35 years ago, after about 6 years of 3 pack a day habit, I quit. I estimate I have therefore saved oodles upon boodles of money and time, and also preserved my health.

So how did I do it? I did try and fail a few times. But then on the final, successful attempt:

I had a revelation that the problem was simple: My mind kept tricking me into believing that the discomfort (of wanting a cigarette when I was trying to quit) was going to be forever & ever and it was just so horrible, impossible to abide, OMG OMG OMG, therefore, give up. Now this was a monkey-mind lie because once an addiction is overcome, the discomfort largely disappears. Yeah, there might be some nostalgia, but it's no big deal. The discomfort is replaced with comfort, and with a sense of accomplishment and self-respect.

Another way to see it: It's like you have to travel from one valley (the valley of addiction) to another valley (the valley of health) by way of a high icy mountain. Yeah, hauling your bones over that icy mountain sucks. But it's just stupid to tell oneself that, OMG OMG I'll be stuck on this icy mountain forever. No, you get through the mountains, and then you go down the mountains, into the new valley— the valley of health. It's fine down there. It's a place worth taking the trouble to get to. So buck up.

My second revelation was, to put the same story-trick in yet another different frame, my mind would, whenever uncomfortable, overly discount the future. Like, the future doesn't matter, what only matters is NOW, and NOW OMG OMG I feel horrible without a cigarette so I have to have a cigarette NOW. Again, this is just monkey-mind.

So I kept my laser focus on these two issues: one, that the discomfort isn't going to be like this once I overcome the addiction, and two, my future well-being is REALLY valuable (I must not overly discount it).

Sounds simple. It was. It worked.

A Comment About Teeth

[(Anonymous)]

It has been more than five years since I went to the dentist. Probably a lot more if I'm honest. I had severe pain and thought I might be losing a tooth. Horrible.

However, the verdict was tooth grinding, which I hope will be a lot more manageable. I am going to get my teeth cleaned finally, and x-rayed fully to be sure I'm on top of things and get back into dental habits. But the dentist said my teeth are healthy and I've taken good care of them. I absolutely know that is not true as my teeth only became a priority in the last couple of years, I had some real bad habits for a while.

I want to share some things that have helped my teeth stay strong (although apparently I have more to learn about how not to grind them during my sleep from stress!).

I am being really honest about the poor choices re: teeth when I say that I've struggled with sensory issues and brushing my teeth even once a day has been a real struggle for me for years. Experimenting with different tooth brushes, and with different tooth pastes, is finally helping, but this has been a long term struggle for me, and I definitely haven't brushed after every meal, ever.

Good teeth can be genetic, but both my parents had cavities from a young age. However, I had a reasonably good diet and dental care as a child. I learned about Vitamin K a few years ago and have been using that whenever I had tooth sensitivity. This is apparently the vitamin that Dr. Weston Price tried to identify in his butter oil / in traditional diets that brought good tooth health. In plain language, it tells your body to put calcium where it should go, and not in your veins (blockages etc). Calcium goes in bones and teeth, not veins and body deposits. So, I do think this worked because it helped a lot with tooth sensitivity.

I also read (and tried it for myself, with good results), about using powdered kelp to get gunk off your teeth instead of getting your dentist to clean it off (and scold you for not brushing well enough). Obviously I still need to do a cleaning, so I wasn't able to fully replace it with kelp, but it does make a difference you can feel. It grabs hold of the gunk regular brushing doesn't touch somehow and then you can scrub it off with regular toothpaste/etc. It makes a mess of toothbrushes and it feels a little weird "brushing" your teeth with it, but it does work. Teeth feel clean and smooth afterwards.

I've also tried the mouth rinse that you make at home from baking soda and trisodium phosphate, but I haven't really done it enough to know how much it did for me. I'm still trying to get in the habit of doing it more than once or twice a month to be honest.

Another possible factor (not sure, honestly), is that I drink raw milk, which is legal in my state if it's from a properly licensed and inspected place.

Anyway, despite some poor life choices re: teeth, and some real work yet to do, I am in my forties with no cavities, strong teeth, and a dentist telling me I took good care of my teeth. I hope I can make my teeth a priority and not have any more scares now. And figure out the grinding issue!