My Thrift Store Challenge

Before I made my big move to live tiny in the country, I was a city/suburb person. I lived in big houses, bought the latest trendy crap, and dreamed of the "simple life." When I finally made the choice to jump in feet first and make my move, I started making lists. Lists of everything I thought I would ever need in a house. My lists were formed room by room. I mentally checked off everything at first, then I actually made paper lists. For example, a bedroom would need a bed, two dressers (long and tall), two night tables, two lamps, two changes of sheets, etc. You get the idea. I poured over catalogs, wandered in stores, visualized my particular style, and slowly began ticking things off the list as I purchased them. By the time I made my big move I had collected almost everything on the list.

Two Lamps for $10.95. Score!

Over the years I had discovered I got great joy of finding an expensive item at a fraction of the cost on places like Craigslist, Goodwill, and thrift stores. I made a game out of it - a type of adult scavenger hunt, if you will. I got a rush and sense of personal victory never paying full cost for the things on my list. I made a commitment to buy the best, but never pay full price. I also like the idea of buying things secondhand because I feel it is more environmentally friendly.

I went with a good friend thrift shopping on Saturday and scored two terrific vintage tole lamps for my new recording studio at just $10.95 for both. I also found some fantastic vintage oven pads someone's grandmother crocheted for just a dollar. But other than those two purchases, I didn't find anything I didn't already have or simply did not need.

So here I am surrounded by the things I researched, coveted, and collected. But here's the weird thing: Now that I have all these things and the challenge has been met, I find myself kind of bored and miss "the thrill of the hunt." Shopping no longer seems fun. There are no pressing needs or personal missions with which to focus my nervous energies. I didn't realize how much I enjoyed those personal challenges. This got me thinking about setting up a new challenge for myself.

I am setting up a "Self Sufficiency" or "Prepper" challenge for myself. I am going to scour Craigslist, Goodwill, thrift stores, etc. for items for the homestead that will allow more independence. Here are some of the items on my list:

Old School Meat Grinder

• Sausage/Meat Grinder
• Grain Mill
• Kitchen Aid Mixer Add On's
• Cider Press
• Cheese Press
• Large Crocks 
• Dehydrator 2/4/17 ($5 at thrift store)
• Pasta Machine
• Berkey Big Water Filter
• Solar Cooker
• Manual Crank Ice Cream Maker
• Vintage Storage Baskets

I love an adult scavenger hunt. How about you? What are some of the things on your "want" list that you think you could find at substantial savings second-hand?

Reusable Canning Jar Lids

I love canning. I love the idea of putting by and, even more, I love the idea of being able to eat good, hearty food when times are rough. Learning to can and preserve is indispensable on a homestead as a way to preserve and extend the harvest. There are three key components to canning jars: the glass jar itself, the sealing lid, and and the ring. The rings and the jars can be reused, but the traditional aluminum canning lid cannot. Tattler Reusable lids are the answer to replacing lids year after year. They are also green because you purchase them one time and are not disposing of them each time you open a jar.

Tattler lids come in two parts: the plastic lid and a rubber gasket seal. Combined they make an excellent seal and each rubber gasket will last approximately 20 canning cycles. The seals are super reasonable (about a quarter a piece) to replace. They are BPA free and made in America too! If you buy in bulk you can save even more.

I have added 200 regular and 500 wide mouth Tattler Reusable Jar lids to my wish list along with some replacement seals. You can find them at the companies website http://www.reusablecanninglids.com/, and find many of their products sold with a discount if you choose to buy in bulk.

Have you used Tattler lids? If so, what do you think are the pros and cons of using a reusable lid?

First Aid Kit on a Budget

In a prior post Help I Have Fallen and I Can't Get UP I listed a comprehensive list of items to include in a first aid kit for those who live a distance from "civilization." Today I took another look around the 99 cent store again. I decided to see how many of the items on my list could be purchased at the 99 cent store or any similar dollar store. Here is a photo of today's haul and a photo of my first aid kit as it stands right now

Don't Worry, When You Die I Will Be Happy To Use All Your Stuff

One of my obsessions is watching Youtube videos of things that can help me in my quest to live off grid and have a sustainable homestead while still living comfortably. This morning I was poking around for a DIY on building a rocket stove. True to form, I got off on a tangent and found a guy who is a "Prepper" who decided to shut off all  his utilities and try to live "off grid" to simulate an emergency situation for one full week. I can see that this man makes a comfortable living. He has purchased/built a home solar system and also built a rainwater catchment system. I totally got sucked into his first video when I saw the beautiful gardens his wife manages to maintain that fill their backyard. Other than the ability to harvest immediately the plants that are edible, this guy is in serious trouble.