- For Part I see here
- For Part II see here
- For Part III see here
- For Part IV see here
- For Part V see here
51. Always ask about store reward cards - I never personally get the credit cards, but I do always make use of cards that offer buy 9 get 1 free or 10% off on Wednesdays etc. Three of the shops I have card for do not advertise this feature and yet they have exceptional savings!
52. If you decide to join a gym, shop around and consider things like how far the gym is from your house/work and the travel costs, also ask about whether they will waive the joining fee or give a discount because of the line of work you are in or who your employer is (I personally pay no joining fee and get 10% off), have a look at the hidden costs and be clear about what the terms and conditions are.
53. As much as you can, when you do need to buy something new try to buy off-season - I always try to purchase seasonal items like sandals and swimsuits in the sales, when I had the four children I purchased snowsuits and swimsuits for the following year in the sales!
54. I always go out of my way to lend books & DVD’s to friends and in return I’ve been able to read many books my library doesn’t stock as my friend’s were happy to loan theirs to me!
55. Get an allotment or if you can’t, then try to grow in your backyard or even your patio! In the past I even asked friends if I could help them on their allotments – it was a great experience and usually you are rewarded with some produce!
56. Consider keeping chickens/hens!
57. Ask your local farmer or butcher if they have any purchase a cow or pig, or share in a cow/pig schemes!
58. If you want a pet, make sure you have $$ in a pet account to cover vaccinations, health care, food and any emergency needs which may arise! Friends of mine recently spent over $800 on a dog, within two months they knew they’d made a big mistake and it took them another month to re-home the dog. In total, over that three months they spent over $2000 on the dog – mostly routine medical needs with one minor complication. Yet, when they got the dog they didn’t have $2000 ready & waiting for that purpose. I adore animals, I have one pet cat, I’ve fostered cats, I grew up with a dog, I volunteer at my local animal shelter but I know I am not in a position to get a dog.
59. Try to get your pets from animal shelters or rescue organizations. They usually take great pride in ensuring that you are matched with the right pet for your family, the costs are generally much lower (more of a donation) and in my experience they have always been educated about the breeds. The organization I volunteer for is very open & honest about what particular pets will need and will gently tell you that you may not be the right match. It is true that you may have to wait for the right pet, but who says waiting is a bad thing?
60. Before you jump into any new venture or experience, make sure you do your ground work and learn the skills it will require, for example through volunteering. I know people who’ve bought farms only to realize within a few months it was not for them, they’ve eventually sold but have often lost $50,000, $100,000+. I am painfully learning that researching, waiting and building as much experience as you can is vital! For example, you can volunteer on farms, take farm holidays, go and meet with farmers or even try renting a farm for 6 months, the same principles work for creating a new business or buying a cottage, moving to the countryside or even another country…!
I love being the owner of four legged family members but I have to agree with you, too many people go into it without proper thought or finances in place. There are so many people who say they are in debt yet have several dogs or get a new puppy. I think we live in a culture where people have to own it for themselves, there are very few people living how you do FT where you will volunteer or give instead of focuing on having for yourself. I am sure you are a blessing to all the cats and dogs you take care of and I’m sure one day there will be lovely pictures of your own puppies here!
No. 58 It drives me mad when people who live a much more materialistic lifestyle than we do say they “can’t” afford to get their pet neutered or treated by the vet when it’s needed. You wouldn’t buy a car unless you had money to maintain it and would go without something else to pay for it, if a big repair bill came in. But an animal feels pain! One of our 2 cats has, I think acne on her chin; if a few days of saltwater bathes doesn’t sort it out, then she’s down the vet! We can’t exactly spare the cash but it will come out of savings if the cash doesn’t stretch.
No. 51 I suppose every money saving idea comes with a “but…”. With these schemes, I always make sure that it’s something I will use anyway or you just end up spending more. For example, there’s a craft shop near me that gives 1 point for each pound spent, and once you get zillions of points you get a £5 voucher. As there’s no time limit, I collect the points but only buy what I really want. Maybe in a hundred years I’ll get my fiver!
#60 is what I need to do…volunteer on a small local farm to gain experience. I dream of having a few acres where I can have a big homestead garden and orchard, all organic, but I fear that my in-town square foot gardening experience might not scale up, especially time-wise.
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That photo right there is why I just can’t eat beef anymore, it’s sooo adorable!
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