Weekly Roundup - Living On Nothing Edition [Survival Today - an On going Thread #3]

Frugal Dad .com ^ | July 23, 2009 | Frugal Dad

[nw_arizona_granny]

Weekly Roundup - Living On Nothing Edition Category: Roundups | Comments(15)

Did you hear about the guy that lives on nothing? No seriously, he lives on zero dollars a day. Meet Daniel Suelo, who lives in a cave outside Moab, Utah. Suelo has no mortgage, no car payment, no debt of any kind. He also has no home, no car, no television, and absolutely no “creature comforts.” But he does have a lot of creatures, as in the mice and bugs that scurry about the cave floor he’s called home for the last three years.

To us, Suelo probably sounds a little extreme. Actually, he probably sounds very extreme. After all, I suspect most of you reading this are doing so under the protection of some sort of man-made shelter, and with some amount of money on your person, and probably a few needs for money, too. And who doesn’t need money unless they have completely unplugged from the grid? Still, it’s an amusing story about a guy who rejects all forms of consumerism as we know it.

The Frugal Roundup

How to Brew Your Own Beer and Maybe Save Some Money. A fantastic introduction to home brewing, something I’ve never done myself, but always been interested in trying. (@Generation X Finance)

Contentment: A Great Financial Principle. If I had to name one required emotion for living a frugal lifestyle it would be contentment. Once you are content with your belongings and your lot in life you can ignore forces attempting to separate you from your money. (@Personal Finance by the Book)

Use Energy Star Appliances to Save On Utility Costs. I enjoyed this post because it included actual numbers, and actual total savings, from someone who upgraded to new, energy star appliances. (@The Digerati Life)

Over-Saving for Retirement? Is it possible to “over-save” for retirement? Yes, I think so. At some point I like the idea of putting some money aside in taxable investments outside of retirement funds, to be accessed prior to traditional retirement age. (@The Simple Dollar)

40 Things to Teach My Kids Before They Leave Home. A great list of both practical and philosophical lessons to teach your kids before they reach the age where they know everything. I think that now happens around 13 years-old. (@My Supercharged Life)

Index Fund Investing Overview. If you are looking for a place to invest with high diversification and relatively low fees (for broader index funds with low turnover), index funds are a great place to start. (@Money Smart Life)

5 Reasons To Line Dry Your Laundry. My wife and I may soon be installing a clothesline in our backyard. In many neighborhoods they are frowned upon - one of the reasons I don’t like living in a neighborhood. I digress. One of our neighbors recently put up a clothesline, and we might just follow his lead. (@Simple Mom)

A Few Others I Enjoyed

* 4 Quick Tips for Getting Out of a Rut * Young and Cash Rich * Embracing Simple Style * First Trading Experience With OptionsHouse * The Exponential Power of Delayed Consumption * How Much Emergency Fund is Enough? * 50 Questions that Will Free Your Mind * Save Money On Car Insurance

[CottonBall]

Yeah! We’re back in business!

I couldn’t get to this thread through my links for a while. Now, it appears to be working again.

[CottonBall]

test

[metmom]

That’s an invaluable reference.

Did you ever think of posting it on your homepage for handy and quick reference?

[metmom]

See post 9218 for a list of heirloom seed providers that may be of interest to survival types.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2299939/posts?page=9218#9218

[metmom]

See post 9218 for a list of heirloom seed providers that may be of interest to survival types.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2299939/posts?page=9218#9218

[metmom]

See post 9218 for a list of heirloom seed providers that may be of interest to survival types.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2299939/posts?page=9218#9218

[metmom]

I hate it when FR burps....

[upcountry miss]

Still get to this thread by conventional methods, but still can research threads of individuals and find their posts. After I post this, I will research my name to read the intervening posts between mine and yours-weird????

[upcountry miss]

Still can't get to this thread by conventional methods, but still can research threads of individuals and find their posts. After I post this, I will research my name to read the intervening posts between mine and yours weird, no ????

[upcountry miss]

Granny, are you having trouble posting like most of us?

[DelaWhere]

You folks up in Maine have been on my mind this winter - seeing how we seem to have pretty well lucked out and not gotten REALLY dumped on with snow, but they keep showing the storms making a beeline for you. Hope it hasn’t been too bad.

Speaking of butternut squash - I have been experimenting a bit - I still have 6 (well, now 4) from October 2009. I just cooked up two yesterday, and they are STILL good... 15 months and counting - every couple of months, I try a couple in between eating last year’s.

Another of my experiments for this year will be going vertical... Seems in more recent years, most everyone around here has sacrificed yield to have bush everything... I too have dropped back to where the only pole items I grow are butterbeans. (well, they do cage tomatoes too). I am going to get some of the heavy duty 16’ long and 5’ high stock panels, and put them up with steel ‘T’ posts. That way, I can avoid all the bending to pick them, and can just burn off the vines in the following winter. So, I’ve got my Kentucky Blue Pole Green Beans, Telephone Pole peas, Garden King Lima seeds all ready. I will try some cukes and maybe some squash too.

Will let everyone know how that goes...

[DelaWhere]

>>>Did you ever think of posting it on your homepage for handy and quick reference?<<<

Well, strange that you mention that... I just changed ISPs and may try doing several things with the added speed and capacity. (like firing up my server software that I used a few years ago)

Gotta keep those alternatives open... 8^)

[hiredhand]

Thanks! :-)

[hiredhand]

Thanks! :-)

[hiredhand]

Thanks! :-)

[upcountry miss]

One of my daughters does a lot of the heavy work around here as well as processing lots from my garden. Recently told her that hubby and I would plant this year and then when school gets out, she can take over. Her reply, “well, in that case, don’t plant enough beans for the whole town.” Guess I need to get those beans up to waist level.

[Joya]

Thanks, Granny, love you.

Joya

[Marmolade]

I’m glad to see the thread back up. I couldn’t get through this week either. I’m not sure what the problem was. I was worried Granny took it down due to computer/health problems. I hope everything’s OK.

[CottonBall]

testing....

[Marmolade]

It’s nice to have help. I’m excited about the garden this year. Our son’s girlfriend told me she was interested in canning and gardening. I’m new to the canning part, but it looks like I may have found a willing participant this year. It’s much more satisfying having someone who is actually interested in participating. Let’s hope we have a good growing season this summer.