I read somewhere that everything's negotiable. Even in chain stores where you'd think the marked price is what you pay, no question. Talk to a manager and offer something less, and you'd be surprised how often it works. Probably wouldn't want to overuse this technique, though!
No, I've never actually tried this. Wait, I take that back! In a furniture store, I was goofing around (I get in these funny moods sometimes, almost like that guy in Walmart) and we were about to buy a couple of recliners. I said "take three bucks off, and you got a deal!" He did it! I saved $6 by negotiating! ('Course, I wonder how much lower I could have gone if I wasn't just goofing around! )
My philosophy is-never pay full retail, unless you have no other choice!
Buy things on sale or negotiate a price.
My husband hunts venison. That is usually what we have for red meat. We butcher it ourselves. Less fat, no hormones. I was raised on venison and wild game and like it more than beef. Some people are squeamish about that, but I think it's better to know where your meat came from.
Last year while my husband was having cancer treatments, my Dad and our neighbor gave us venison which we greatly appreciated. I cleaned out my freezer (I try to do that before hunting season) and we still have a fair amount left. Beyond that, I buy chicken on sale (usually) and look for marked down hamburger. We make our own burger but usually run out of that before we run out of steak and roast.
We are already getting our chicken flock built up enough that we can have eggs & meat... we will probably not raise cows because we don't have enough land... we are looking at sheep.
We are also hoping to find a place to hunt this year. I grew up with venison as well. We like deer steaks & deer sausage.
We also keep a garden as well. Nothing like fresh food... and we enjoy keeping up with it as well.
We are already getting our chicken flock built up enough that we can have eggs & meat... we will probably not raise cows because we don't have enough land... we are looking at sheep.
We are also hoping to find a place to hunt this year. I grew up with venison as well. We like deer steaks & deer sausage.
We also keep a garden as well. Nothing like fresh food... and we enjoy keeping up with it as well.
I wish I could have a productive garden. Got a big ole brown thumb. Going to try again, though! (I don't know when to quit. )
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Hebrews 13:23 Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty
I wish I could have a productive garden. Got a big ole brown thumb. Going to try again, though! (I don't know when to quit. )
Take a good overview sample of your soil (pick up about a pint or so of dirt from 4-6 places around the garden) and then take it up to your local agricultural cooperative extension. They will test your soil for you and let you know what you need to add to bring it to all the right nutrition levels.
It is often a free service but can cost as much as $5... well worth it.
Just call them in advance and ask about the cost and exactly how much dirt they need and in what container etc.
That might go a long way towards greening up that thumb of yours.
Take a good overview sample of your soil (pick up about a pint or so of dirt from 4-6 places around the garden) and then take it up to your local agricultural cooperative extension. They will test your soil for you and let you know what you need to add to bring it to all the right nutrition levels.
It is often a free service but can cost as much as $5... well worth it.
Just call them in advance and ask about the cost and exactly how much dirt they need and in what container etc.
That might go a long way towards greening up that thumb of yours.
Thanks, I'll do that!
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Hebrews 13:23 Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty
We are already getting our chicken flock built up enough that we can have eggs & meat... we will probably not raise cows because we don't have enough land... we are looking at sheep.
We are also hoping to find a place to hunt this year. I grew up with venison as well. We like deer steaks & deer sausage.
We also keep a garden as well. Nothing like fresh food... and we enjoy keeping up with it as well.
I used to have a big garden and canned a lot. But then we moved and the soil is terrible, plus I am working more and don't have time to fiddle with it. I do very much enjoy that though.
I had chickens at one time. It was fun. But many of these things are not extremely cost effective. If a person likes to do them for a hobby and for health or other reasons, that's great. I love to do it too. But gardening isn't real cost effective and neither are chickens in my experience. Land is expensive too for raising beef. It just depends on what your priorities are. If you have a large family and want to raise them on one income, these are good things to do as well as if it is a hobby you enjoy. If you don't have a lot of time though and not a lot of hands other strategies may work better.
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Those who say it cannot be done should not interrupt the people doing it. ~Chinese Proverb
When I was young and clever, I wanted to change the world. Now that I am older and wiser, I strive to change myself. ~
For colder weather putting plastic on windows to keep out drafts is a suggestion. Also, keeping a rolled up rug at the bottom of drafty doors will help keep heating costs down.
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Those who say it cannot be done should not interrupt the people doing it. ~Chinese Proverb
When I was young and clever, I wanted to change the world. Now that I am older and wiser, I strive to change myself. ~
Ceiling fans can help in warm or cool weather. In warm weather by moving air downward and cooling you (so you an keep your thermostat higher) and in cool weather by reversing the blades and moving the warm air down.
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Those who say it cannot be done should not interrupt the people doing it. ~Chinese Proverb
When I was young and clever, I wanted to change the world. Now that I am older and wiser, I strive to change myself. ~
Ceiling fans can help in warm or cool weather. In warm weather by moving air downward and cooling you (so you an keep your thermostat higher) and in cool weather by reversing the blades and moving the warm air down.
Also, around here, we have about a month in the spring, and in the fall when the weather is nice enough to open windows instead of running the heat or air.
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"God, send me anywhere, only go with me. Lay any burden on me, only sustain me. And sever any tie in my heart except the tie that binds my heart to Yours."
--David Livingstone
"To see no being, not God’s or any, but you also go thither,
To see no possession but you may possess it—enjoying all without labor or purchase—
abstracting the feast, yet not abstracting one particle of it;…."
--Walt Whitman, Leaves of Grass, Song of the Open Road
Also, around here, we have about a month in the spring, and in the fall when the weather is nice enough to open windows instead of running the heat or air.
Certainly. When we lived in your area, we tried to wait until June until we ran the air. We usually only made it until the end of May!! (This is us getting out of the heat!)
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Those who say it cannot be done should not interrupt the people doing it. ~Chinese Proverb
When I was young and clever, I wanted to change the world. Now that I am older and wiser, I strive to change myself. ~
) and we were about to buy a couple of recliners. I said "take three bucks off, and you got a deal!" He did it! I saved $6 by negotiating! 
('Course, I wonder how much lower I could have gone if I wasn't just goofing around! 
)
I was raised on venison and wild game and like it more than beef. Some people are squeamish about that, but I think it's better to know where your meat came from. 
)
(This is us getting out of the heat!)
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