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- Wednesday, February 10, 2010:
- Friday, January 29, 2010:
- Wednesday, December 9, 2009: Burnt Applesauce
- Tuesday, December 8, 2009:
- Thursday, November 19, 2009: Replying-to-Comments as Blog
- Tuesday, November 17, 2009: Update
- Thursday, October 22, 2009: Keep it Coming!
- Sunday, October 18, 2009: Not Paris
- Wednesday, October 14, 2009: When Life Hands You Crab Apples, Make Jelly
- Tuesday, October 13, 2009:
Keep it Coming!
I don’t know about the rest of you but I just realized we already have a hefty amount of free advice and wonderful stories at this site–and not from me. You are leaving such thoughtful and helpful comments. A friend–OK, it was Mike Ross, the guy who helped shape my site this past few weeks, commented that there’s so much good stuff here. I said, yeah, yeah, just thinking he was being a surfing-for-frugality neophyte BUT THEN I READ ALL OF YOUR COMMENTS! I hope the rest of you take the time to read them too. I like so many of these helpful tidbits but am especially psyched about clf’s advice and information on canning without all the extra boiling. And then there was the post correcting me about fougasse and explaining how to make it properly (still haven’t broken out the cracklings but looking forward to it).
All I’m trying to say here is: let’s keep the information and ideas flowing. This is a good thing. A great thing, even. Thank you.
It turns out there are thousands of you checking in on a regular basis so my guess is there’s still a great need to share stories about coping with less. Equally pertinent, despite the fabulous, newfound wealth of the very banks that helped get many of us into our current mess, we’re still in a recession. Friends and neighbors are losing jobs. Most of our elected officials are not getting the big picture: We need to change. Live more consciously. We need to make sure this past year’s flirtation with frugality wasn’t merely a fad. It’s time to refocus our energy–spend less time reaching for the Almighty Plastic and more time reaching for tiny, long-forgotten crab apples so we can make our own food. So we can spend more time with our families. So we can feel good. Whole.
Well, I’m not too sure what just got into me but I do want to brag in closing. My Uncle Philip just had his 70th birthday and we decided to give him a few of the things we’d been making at home. These are items and foods that we worked long and hard to produce but had so much fun in the doing–way more fun than I’ve ever had buying something. The picture accompanying this entry is of his birthday basket which is holding homemade jelly, applesauce, mead, bread, leeks, eggs, turnips, squash and sweat.
Friday, October 23, 2009 at 07:42
Hodding, the gift basket for your Uncle Philip was probably more appreciated than if you went out and spent money on some extravagant gift.
Last year we had the best Christmas we’ve had since I was a child. All of our family gave home-made gifts and sweets and nobody went out and spent large sums of money. All the gifts were made with love and kindness, and that is the true spirit of giving.
Thank you Hodding, for yet another excellent read. Keep them coming.
Friday, October 23, 2009 at 08:20
I am a big knitter. A few years ago, I read an editorial from a Knitting magazine in which the writer explained why she knit Christmas presents. She explained that anyone could take their credit card for a walk through the mall; but when we give handmade we give much thought to the object we are making and the person we are making it for. In essence we infuse our giving into the object itself. I know that is the case when I am sitting quietly with my needles and string, knitting hats for my kids or socks for my husband.
That is a lovely basket. The fact that you hands and hard work touched every item in that basket is wonderful.
Friday, October 23, 2009 at 11:03
You are doing a great job, Hodding. I’m sure mornings are wild there as there are only three in this house with one bathroom and everybody has to be somewhere at 8:00 am. I go to school, my husband goes to work, and my daughter goes to her school. I wish we could work it out where we could all go in one care but because of work and school schedules, sadly we can’t.
I think your gift to your uncle was wonderful. I think my family needs to do something like this too. You are always an inspiration. Hang in there. Love you, love your blog! I have a blog too, http://chb417@blogspot.com. I have not posted this week. Didn’t really have time to read yours but, I did. I have a huge test in Nutrition on Monday, I have a column due for the Six Mile Post, our college newspaper, a two-day Phi Theta Kappa Conference tonight and tomorrow, PLUS my best friend’s daughter is getting married tomorrow. My weeks are not always like this, but this one is a killer! Your blog is my recess. Thanks.
Friday, October 23, 2009 at 12:00
Hodding … my wife and I have found it interesting to focus some attention (and personal gamesmanship) on the other end … waste. We have tried to reduce our home waste to as close to zero as we can. It is amazing how these issues of frugality and waste are connected. The more unnecessarily consumptive we are the more unnecessary waste we generate. Conversely, reducing waste means evaluating consumption. Readers should give it a try. It is fun and socially beneficial.
Friday, October 23, 2009 at 12:30
I really appreciate your blog and all the comments. For our part, I have cut our grocery budget in half and make as much of our food as possible. I am planning our garden for next year in the hope that we can feed ourselves from it exclusively while it’s in season. As Paul mentioned, we are also cutting down on waste. I carefully plan menues and shopping to decrease wasted food. I have created a chart where I weigh anything that should have been used and is instead composted. (squash that was left too long etc.) I’ve challenged our family to decrease this number each month. So far, it’s been a huge success.
Friday, October 23, 2009 at 15:55
Hodding,
When I realized that Gourmet was discontinuing, my first thought was your experiment and how the experiment has worked out so well for your family. And very timely. I also thought about how I would miss your articles. I am so glad that you are continuing on your own website!
I have been thrifty for most of my college and married life. I have been married for 22 years and we make ok money but certainly not alot. It amazes me how much my friends who make a really good income complain about their lack of money. My husband and I hardly every fight or complain about money. We have enough money to pay our bills and live a great life. I cook most of our food from scratch and buy most of my clothes from discount/thrift shops.
The one thing we don’t do, is grow our own food. With your posts on growing your garden, I may just grow a garden next summer. By the way, I am reading a book about Four-Season Harvest. The gentleman who wrote the book is from Maine, you may want to look it up at the library.
Thanks so much for your great blog!
Monday, October 26, 2009 at 12:13
When your posts stopped appearing every Thursday, Carter, I was afraid I had lost your amusing, witty stories for good. After two desperate emails to Gourmet and Bon Appetite, I thankfully found your new site. Long Live Extreme Frugality!!!
Tuesday, October 27, 2009 at 07:50
I have always thought that hand made presents were the best and most thoughtful presents. Also, I used to use old paper grocery bags as wrapping. I thought that they gave a rustic appeal that conveyed the spirit of wrapping and exchanging presents. Given time demands though, I have resorted to buying presents and the best I can do is buy gifts with the recipient in mind, hoping that it is something that they enjoy. I wish I knew how to even make the jump that you have to the frugal life.
I hope you keep this blog going for awhile.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009 at 11:21
What a lovely gift basket. i would LOVE to receive that . Much more so than something bought from a shop.
Thursday, October 29, 2009 at 14:30
Your Extreme Frugality posts were something I looked forward to whenever I got computer time. I’m so happy that you are continuing to share your thoughts and adventures with us here.
I, for one, would welcome you putting ads on this site. If it gives you a chance to make money, I’m all for it. I generally ignore the ads and sometimes I see one for something that I am actually interested in. Bloggers need to make a living too and I don’t begrudge you using advertising to do it. I would happily click through on some ads if it means getting to keep reading your blog.
Friday, November 6, 2009 at 13:11
Hi there,
I am looking for contact information. I have an interview request I would like to send along.
Thank you,
Erica Penton
Monday, November 9, 2009 at 13:34
I’m glad you enjoyed the fougasse comments, here’s the blogpost I wrote afterwards : http://american-in-avignon.blogspot.com/2009/10/fougasse-of-provence.html — citing your blog of course.
I too am coping as frugally as possible, in a down market for culinary and Provence tourism, with two small kids (plus some boarders I’ve taken in), post-divorce (it’d be more fun to have a partner in this, but ah well).
I’ve reduced waste to near nothing, feed the kids well and simply, keep the heat down, the car usage to a minimum, gifts simple, and lots and lots of home-made everything. The vegetable garden is just beginning to get going, and how I would love to have chickens.
It’s an interesting life in Avignon, but here too, the stresses of the economic crises are being felt, and here too, living carefully and mindfully is worthwhile.
Take care, and do continue blogging,
Thursday, November 12, 2009 at 13:38
Okay, Hodding, it’s been long enough since posts! Get going!
Love your writing, love your blog.
Thursday, November 12, 2009 at 22:52
Yar, 2nding Christie. Quit raking chicken poo and get posting! We all miss your editor, but we’ll make it through if you can.
Saturday, November 14, 2009 at 13:29
Where have you been the past few weeks? You’re not going away, are you? I agree with Christie - no harm in taking on ads. We all have to earn a living.