Frugality
None of this is expert advice. It's what people worked out for themselves, usually the hard way — what actually helped, and what they'd tell someone standing where you are. Take what fits and leave the rest.
If you only read a few
Create a cross-hatch texture on two soap bars before pressing them together to help them bond.
This technique mirrors how potters join clay pieces.
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Buy land without a Homeowners Association (HOA) to have freedom over land use.
HOAs may invent rules to restrict what you can do with your land.
- Littering may occur occasionally.
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Save herb seeds from the current harvest to plant in the following year.
It may reduce total costs over time.
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Use a sisal soap bag to hold bar soap.
It creates better suds and makes the soap last longer.
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Provide squash plants with more space than small containers allow, such as digging a hole in the lawn filled with good soil.
Each plant needs about 10 times the space of a small container.
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soap, bar, together, bars13
Put small soap bits inside a mesh pouch, terrycloth drawstring bag, or net to use as a scrubber.
Use only cash for payments to make spending feel real.
The physical connection with money makes it feel real.
- Some people prefer credit cards for cash back rewards.
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Rotate between two bars of soap, swapping them every two weeks or when one begins to soften, to allow each to dry out completely.
Soap absorbs water over time, becoming soft and wearing out faster; drying it out makes it hard again and extends its life.
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Place bar soap on the lip of the tub or outside the direct path of running water to prevent it from dissolving prematurely.
Running water washes the soap away.
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Put small soap bits inside a mesh pouch, terrycloth drawstring bag, or net to use as a scrubber.
The bag can function like a loofah to aid in skin exfoliation.
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Use a well-draining soap dish or suspend the soap above collected water to keep it dry between uses.
Soap turns mushy and dissolves quickly if left sitting in water.
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Harvest rainwater and apply heavy mulch to reduce water usage.
Use much less water that way.
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Place an old soap sliver on a new bar and rub around the perimeter with a single finger to create a soapy weld.
It requires less effort and reduces the chance of the soap slipping from your hands.
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- Dampen small soap scraps and press them against a fresh bar so they stick together during use.3
Keep bars of soap tucked in dresser drawers and between towels and sheets.
Everything has a pleasant smell.
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Wait until the end of the shower to press soap slivers together, then let them dry completely before using the combined bar.
Using it immediately causes it to fall apart.
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- Ensure both soap bars are hydrated before attempting to press them together.3
Shave after showering to take advantage of steam-softened beard hair and save water.
The steam softens the beard, and this method saves water compared to other approaches.
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Mix some conditioner into homemade liquid soap made from dissolved slivers to thicken it.
The mixture is really watery otherwise.
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plants, plant, grow, vegetables20
Plant mint in raised beds or pots to prevent it from taking over your property.
Mint will spread to cover an entire property within three years if not contained.
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Grow zucchini or summer squash as they are robust and produce large yields from small spaces.
They grow very robustly and produce tons of vegetables.
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If plants remain floppy after watering, repot them into a larger container in case they are root-bound.
The pot might be too tight for the roots.
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Relieve stress by walking outside after a stressful day and staring at your plants.
Very stress relieving.
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Grow herbs instead of vegetables if you want significant monetary savings with less space.
A single herb plant can replace store-bought equivalents worth several dollars.
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Trim herb plants frequently to promote growth and allow for harvesting as they become ready.
Frequent trimming promotes plant growth.
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Start with a small-scale garden to avoid becoming overwhelmed.
Planting too much can lead to feeling overwhelmed and letting the garden fail; keeping it simple helps prevent this.
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Use containers for plants instead of in-ground gardens to reduce weeding and maintenance.
Containers require far less weeding and maintenance, and allow you to move plants on and off a porch if necessary.
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Start plant cuttings in water, then transfer them to soil once established rather than keeping them in water indefinitely.
Plants kept only in tap water may lack flavor.
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Grow potatoes in homemade containers to secure a high-calorie staple crop.
They are easy to grow and provide a significant portion of meal calories.
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Plant onions near vegetables to repel most insects.
Onions repel most insects.
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Focus on growing leafy greens you enjoy eating to avoid buying expensive store-bought tubs.
It saves money on costly lettuce purchases.
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Do not attempt to regrow mushrooms from scraps using water methods.
Mushrooms require spores and established mycelium; this method only grows household mold.
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Plant regrowable vegetables like scallions in soil with compost and fertilizer instead of just water.
Growing them only in water results in flavorless, slimy, and smelly produce.
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Amend soil after growing plants to replenish lost nutrients, ensuring new plants have enough nutrition and flavor.
Without replenishment, plants become deficient in both nutrition and flavor.
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Do not start a vegetable garden solely to save money.
The daily time required for watering, fertilizing, and pest control often outweighs the financial benefit.
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Plant different seedlings directly into the ground to test which crops grow well before committing.
Testing reveals which plants thrive naturally (like zucchini and tomatoes) versus those that do not (like cucumbers).
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Harvest dandelion greens before they blossom to avoid bitterness.
Greens picked after blossoming are all bitter.
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Eat cauliflower leaves as a substitute for cabbage.
Cauliflower leaves are basically cabbage and using them makes the purchase much cheaper than buying cabbage separately.
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Rally neighbors to grow small front-yard vegetable gardens simultaneously to normalize the practice and meet municipal codes for 'suitable' plant material.
It makes front-yard gardening common, which satisfies requirements for suitable plants.
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