Bartering, A New Look At An Old Way...

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barter
Barter is a method of exchange by which goods or services are directly exchanged for other goods or services without using a medium of exchange, such as money.^[1] It is usually bilateral, but may be multilateral, and usually exists parallel to monetary systems in most developed countries, though to a very limited extent. Barter usually replaces money as the method of exchange in times of monetary crisis, such as when the currency may be either unstable (e.g., hyperinflation or deflationary spiral) or simply unavailable for conducting commerce.

A 19th-century example of barter: A sample labor for labor note for the Cincinnati Time Store. Scanned from Equitable Commerce by Josiah Warren (1846)

As economies around the world continue to falter, bartering is fast becoming the new currency of choice. Bartering has always been around, but it's popularity is growing with the need to continue to provide for one's family. Bartering communities are popping up all over the place.

Trading goods and services for goods and services knocks out the middle man and the tax man. When money is scarce, but your needs are not, bartering is a sensible skill to have. It's very similar to negotiating. We have all traded something for something. Children learn this valuable skill early by trading toys. As we get older, we may trade more valuable toys or skills for things we want, but can never seem to afford.

Bartering is occurring more frequently out of necessity instead of out of the desire to own a new toy like a boat or snowmobile. Trading more tangible items like eggs or garden produce for a hair cut is a lot more plausible these days.

When we built our first home way back when, Number One bartered his labor to tear down a structure at the University for the materials. This provided all the large timbers for our house. It saved us a lot of money that we did not have and the University did not have to pay someone to tear the structure down or haul it off. It was a win win situation. Number One has bartered for many things over the years. I think that it just comes natural to a man to want to provide what's best for his family.

If the economy continues in it's current downward spiral, Greece may not be the only country needing a second type of currency. Don't wait until you have no options to act. Bartering can take some time to find the right deal for you and your family, so don't wait till the last minute...

2012

There are a lot of people out there preparing for the end of the world. If the world is ending, what are they preparing for exactly? Between the apocalypse movies and the media's coverage over the last few years, it's no wonder there are so many people panicking about one thing or another. Stay calm and make good choices for yourself and your family. Prepare for your future, not for the end of the world.

To me, being prepared to live life everyday is more important than not living life at all due to fear. Everyday that goes by could potentially be the start of a personal apocalypse for each and every one of us. There are more and more people who are so close to homelessness due to this horrid economy. 1 out of every 45 children in the United States is homeless. The numbers have never been so high in the history of the United States.

How exactly is the economy getting better? Unemployment numbers are dropping? What's dropping is the number of people who can qualify for unemployment benefits. Inflation hasn't risen because the government does not count things like food or energy. You'd think that they would count the cost of things that we can't live without like food, energy and gas. What's up with that America?

What can you do to help , you ask? There are many ways to reach out to those in need. Check with your local Schools, they are often the first line of defense. Some schools even have closets with donated items in them for those children in need. Check to see if they have a program in place and if you can help out with it. If not, think about taking charge and organizing one in your church or local school. You, your church and your friends can make a difference.

Military families often struggle due to their low wages. Most live under the poverty line and with only one parent in the home, while the other parent is serving his or her country, makes it difficult to supplement their income with a second job.  Look in your own neighborhood. Open your door, your life and your heart to those around you. Seniors can suffer under these circumstances too. Get to know everyone around you and you will find someone in need.

If you are thrown into an economic apocalypse, can you make due with the bare essencials? Can you grow a garden or raise chickens in your backyard? Can you preserve food? Learning these skills could help you in the event of an economic crisis in your life. Nowadays, with the internet, specialized magazines and (used) books, learning is at your fingertips. Most of the (not the $20 bottle of green for you goo) green movement is what our grand parents and great grand parents called "living". We can learn a lot from our elders....

Waste Not, Want Not

My grandma taught me that if I did not waste, I would not do without. I remember this lesson, one of many,  when I was helping her make Christmas cookies one year. I was probably 19 years old or so when I watched her scrape the dusting flour back into the flour jar when we finished rolling out the cookie dough. This concept seemed so foreign to me. Why on earth was she putting that " used flour " back into the flour jar, I asked myself. After coming up with no answer, I asked her the same question. This was the first time I had ever heard the saying "waste not, want not". It has stuck with me every since.....

What happened that day over the cookie dough changed the way I perceived things. I now look for ways to save on everything. Saving usually equates to saving money. If I bake, I will fill my oven to get the most out of the energy it takes to use it. Today, I baked a batch of cookies from dough that I had frozen in balls while making a previous batch, baked sausage balls (sausage on sale) that I had also frozen and I made croutons from last weeks leftover homemade bread that I have kept in the refrigerator for just such an occasion.
 Baking these items did not require me to preheat the oven, this also saved energy(solar) and propane. I also turned the oven off for the last few minutes. The oven was hot enough to finish baking everything. Then I opened the door to the oven to let the heat escape to warm my home. It takes 20 minutes or so for the oven to stop giving off heat once turned off.
 Everything I baked was purchased on sale or at the best possible price. The propane was purchased in bulk during the summer when prices are low. Number One negotiates the best price by shopping around. We also only pay $1 per year for tank rental (saves $119). If you have these things working for you and you are not afraid to have a new company service you (existing company knows it) they will negotiate! Every time you have your tank filled you are charged a $55 government transit toxic crap fee. Get the biggest tank (1000 gal), only have it filled once a year and negotiate. This is a great way to save. Last year we saved 80 gallons of propane from the year before by turning the heat down a few degrees, insulating better, changing to a digital control and being conservative.
These are just a few ways to improve your lifestyle by keeping more of your money in your pocket for the things that really count. Look around and find your own ways to save and be conservative. It's a fun challenge that will make a difference for you, your family and others.

Just remember that the Lord provided these things for you in abundance and He wants you to share.......

Frozen oatmeal cookie balls

Frozen sausage balls

Full oven

All done

17 Ways To Use Potatoes

Merry Christmas Eve! My Grandma Ruby called me last night and she inspired "17 Ways To Use Potatoes." Grandma and I were talking about the state of the world and the cost of potatoes when she announced that her friend bought 50 lbs of Irish potatoes for $10 bucks. She informed me that she came up with 17 uses for potatoes and she was sure that there was more, so here goes.....

1. Mashed Potatoes  (I made them yesterday with steamed potatoes and garlic)
2. Potato Soup
3. Hash Browns (We just had these for breakfast with homemade bread and gravy)
4. Add to soups, stews and pot roasts
5. Au gratin
6. Scalloped
7. Fried
8. Baked
9. Boiled with butter
10. Potato Pancakes
11. Potato Chips
12. Fries
13. Twice Baked
14. Potato Salad
15. Pierogi
16. Baked Potato Casserole
17. Tatar Tots



Number One came up with most of these. He enjoys potatoes as much as I do. Although, I'm not a big chip fan like he is. I'm sure that there are more ways to prepare potatoes, I just can't seem to come up with them. Grandma and I were discussing how more people should learn to cook from scratch and save money instead of buying expensive boxed items. My Grandma grew up during the Depression on a farm. They never did without food, only material items were scarce due to lack of funds. They lived through the Depression because they could feed themselves. They could sell or barter their extra food to meet their other needs.

When I got up this morning it was -17*. It was very chilly. I took some pictures the last couple of days of the beautiful winter scenes that God has blessed us with.....

Our Neighbor was laying in the middle of some
 frozen grass with her frozen nose. This was a serious frost
that we recieved last night.

This ice formed on the inside of our north facing window.

The window is frozen shut.

I raise the blind every morning to melt the ice, so the water will drain out.

The Art Of Negotiating

You may have heard the old adage " If you don't ask, you can't receive" well, it's true. We usually will ask for a discount and we will usually get one. It's standard practice to ask for 10% or 15 % off at antique stores or a flea markets.

I have received discounts from pizza places to big box stores. I have learned my skills of negotiating from my husband. He is amazing at getting discounts. I'm amazed every time. He never forgets to ask, especially on big ticket items or for services like auto repairs. Cash will usually get you a discount. If the store doesn't have to pay out the fees associated with credit cards, they have more room to negotiate. Sometimes you have to go to the manager to get the floor model marked down to cost, but it's worth it and it makes their bottom line look better.

Furniture stores and jewelry stores have some of the biggest mark ups. We have never paid retail for furniture. Ask if they have any coupons available at stores or when purchasing items on the phone. Look up coupon codes for online purchases.

We had to go to town to get our battery replaced on our car today. Thank God it was under warranty. We decided to check out a few second hand stores. Number one found an antique Wagner Ware cast iron skillet. It was already a good price, but he asked for a discount and received 50% off. He got the skillet for $6. We were feeling pretty good with a new battery( included a new warranty) and a nice skillet.

Number One's record, however, was when we purchased our truck. They sales manager and staff were laughing when we left, because another penny and they would have had to pay us to take it off the lot. We didn't pay the $100 title fee nor did we pay for all the other fees they try to tack onto the contract. He negotiated add on items like having our goose neck hitch installed. Do your homework. It will pay off. It was time to move that truck off the lot to get ready for the new trucks coming in and they were ready to do that for cost.

We have a small home and I like to keep it as uncluttered as possible, so I have a personal rule when buying items. I only buy things that I can use in everyday life. This rule not only helps with the lack of space, it saves money and cuts down the time it takes to dust all those little trinkets that we are all so fond of. This also helps me appreciate my purchases. Think before you purchase, you may not even need a discount.

I drive by homes that have all their vehicles parked outside in the weather because their garages are so full of all the little trinkets that they couldn't do without. When their garages fill up they rent storage lockers to put more stuff in. I think that the smallest spaces cost $40 a month. That's $480 a year. How much is that stuff worth after the first year? The rent adds up and pretty soon they could buy all new stuff and it will be just as depreciated as it's predecessors.

The next time you feel the need to buy something, don't forget to ask for your discount. Don't forget to ask yourself if you really need it, if you could do something better with the extra money (give to the needy) or should I save for a rainy day? It has been raining a lot lately.....
          

Saving Europe? Save Us!

I do not understand this mentality that we can do anything we want because we are the United States. Our debt is right behind Europe's debt with no end in sight. They say we were there in 2008. I say we are still there. Nothing has changed except that there are more Americans suffering and more debt.

Where did they get the money to loan to Europe? They printed it. If Europe's money is worthless because there is nothing backing it except debt, then what is the printed money we loaned them worth? That's right, nothing! How can nothing rescue nothing? It can't. What is going to happen? We are not playing Monopoly or maybe we are. Is the money fake because there is nothing but debt backing it?

Who is going to rescue us? Are we too big to fail? Our super committee failed to do anything to reduce our debt and I don't see anyone moving toward this goal anymore. Are they just going to forget about it like it doesn't exist? We cannot continue this free fall into this debt abyss. We can fail. History has proved this time and time again. "Big" can fail too......

The Sun Is Shinning On Our Solar Panels

                              

I woke up this morning and it was very bright. It has been partly dull for the last few days. When Number One got up he also immediately noticed the brightness of the morning. We have been unplugging unnecessary items at night to conserve on power, since we have been baking a lot for Thanksgiving. My oven uses a lot of power to light itself. I would like to change it out for a stove that has pilots. The pilots would also take the chill out of the air on the days that we don't use the heater.

We are trying to live within our solar means. We don't want to run the generator unless we have too. It cost money to buy the fuel for the generator and it cost money to replace the generator. Living within your means, financially, is a new concept for many. It's a hard reality for some. It's not too late to learn how to incorporate this into your life. It's actually a challenge that is fun for the whole family. Step out of your box and start figuring out ways to conserve. My grandmother taught me this old saying that she learned when she was a child growing up during the Great depression.


Use it up, wear it out, use it again or do without!

My grandmother also taught me that they never did without food because they lived on a farm. They preserved the food that they grew and raised with the future in mind. They were not rich and did without many things, but they were able to provide the basic necessities for themselves in a time when a lot of people could not. People had to learn how to live all over again. Did they re-create the wheel? No, they just went back to the basics. 

Living a more self reliant life style does not mean that it's less work. On the contrary,  it's a lot of physical work to provide food for yourself and your family. It takes a lot of knowledge and skill to run and maintain even the smallest operation. We do not have a major corporation backing us with unlimited funds. We care about what we produce and it does not always turn out the way it should.

I don't know the future of our economy, but I want to be able to provide for my family. I'm learning new skills all the time. I'm planning for our future and learning to conserve what God has seen fit to bless us with...

Needs or Wants?

In these tough economics times one of the things we must do is to cut back on unnecessary expenditures. Number One claims that it is the little things that add up. If you are trying to save money or simplifying your life then you must start by determining if the item you are about to purchase is a need or a want. Just because it's one dollar doesn't mean you need to buy it. Pretty soon you've spent thirty bucks on dollar deals. What could you have purchased with that thirty bucks that would have made a difference in your life or maybe in someone elses' life?

Using the dollar figure is a joke nowadays. You can't even get a pound of onions for a dollar anymore. Onions are another item that I look for on sale and when I find them I stock up. Just like potatoes when properly stored in a cool dark place they will last quite a while. Make sure you choose fresh (unblemished) ones. If you see mold think "death". It's a sure sign of things to come.

One of the ways to save money is to buy when things are on sale. Most everything you buy has a sale seasons. Peanut butter, roll sausage and turkeys have sale seasons. Just to name a few. Watch for items with a new face lift. Lately, it means smaller product.

Have you seen how expensive and small toilet paper has become? They have increased size of the cardboard roll in the center and decreased the amount of product they wrap around it. It looks like the same size, but don't be fooled. There is a lot more room on the sides of your toilet paper dispenser now. If you haven't noticed. They have also shortened the height of your roll, decreasing the amount of product. This toilet paper is four inches high and the tube is two inches wide. It's a toilet paper conspiracy.

You need a degree in "calculator" to figure out the true prices now that they use different ways to price like items. It takes precious time in this fast paced world. It's frustrating. Set aside the time to shop and do your leg work at home.This will help save time and hopefully lessen your frustration. Don't forget your coupons. Most places have member cards that you can download your coupons to instead of printing which saves the cost of paper and ink. This also helps those of us who do not have access to newspapers.

You can also help out yourself and others by championing the stores you frequent to have a coupon bin. This way coupons get shared and not wasted if everyone puts the coupons they don't use into the bin.

Before buying items over(set your limit) go home and sleep on it. Don't buy items on a whim. Go home and think about it. If you still think you need the item the next day then the next time your out and about buy it. Don't make a special trip to the store. It just raises the cost of the item. If it is a sale item be sure to find out when it goes off sale, so you don't miss out on the deal.

Scrap Paper Tip



Scrap paper

I read this years ago in a Mennonite cookbook. I recommend the More-with-Less Cookbook by Doris Janzen Longacre for those of you who are interested in giving more to others, saving money, consuming less resources or all three.

 

I cut up junk mail paper and envelopes into scrap paper for Number One to use while he works. He writes notes on everything. I just gather all the scraps when they become an eye sore and put them in a large envelope with his name on it to go through when he gets the chance. If he never gets around to it I file the envelope with the taxes for that year.

Our bank does not provide envelopes at the night drop, so I save the return envelopes. I put them in the vehicles, so we can make deposits on the road.