It has been said that the best things in life are free. In this day they may not always be exactly free but we can find ways to save lots of money. Some Santa Rosa County families are finding both new and old tricks of the trade to save money on their homestead, to make life a little easier, and to live the simple life better.
Jim and Joyce Miller, Holley, said; "A couple years ago, Jim had a heart attack that lead to open heart surgery and eventually he was forced into early retirement due to his health. We then had to figure out how to live on a very different budget than what we were used to. I have always used coupons. Before I met Jim I was a single mom of three and combining coupons with existing sales was the only way we could make it. We live by the rule, if it's not on sale, and you don't have a coupon for it, you don't buy it," said Joyce.
"We also buy a lot of things online through discount websites and local yard sales. People waste a good amount of money only buying new," she said.
From the stockpile she has created for herself, it is obvious how profitable coupons have become to her family. While on the other hand many individuals like Amy Goodyear, Milton, has found it better to make what they need instead of purchasing. "We grow a good bit of our food. We have about 3,000 sq ft of garden. We have chickens, and therefore eggs, we have goats and milk them and they make awesome compost. We have pigs that will be in the freezer soon. We make a lot from scratch like our laundry detergent and soap. Most of the gifts we give are homemade,” said Goodyear. She said the focus isn't always about money sometimes it is more about quality.
Haley Gordon, Milton said with four children she had to find a way to get their food bill under control.
“I started to pre-plan all of my meals monthly. I only buy exactly what I need. Mondays are always left over days and we always seem to be able to stay on our food budget this way," she said.
It seems with the economy pressing on budgets these days; many have to find even more ways to save. Like Natalie Paesani, Navarre, who supplements food with donations from food banks.
“We hang our clothes outside, we wash clothes with cold water only, and we use biodegradable dish soap and reuse the water for my plants outside," she said. Paesani said she uses compost for her vegetable garden to grow fresh vegetables and she doesn’t use air conditioning until July or August.
“I cook on the charcoal grill instead of the oven to keep indoor temps down. And to save on the grocery bill I also pool with several neighbors to buy a full cow that we split. Out of my home I have a cottage industry in vegetables, lawn care, and pet training. I change my own oil, brakes, and transmission fluid."
Paesani said she’s a single mom who used to have a fantastic job in Colorado making an excellent salary with benefits package.
“In 2009 when the economy collapsed, I struggled to find work after being laid off. I am owed almost $90,000 in back child support, but can't afford the attorney to change my case to Florida. Over the next several years, I lived through my savings because I had very low wage jobs that were part time only. I currently make minimum wage at a gas station, but I walk to work or ride my bike to save on gas,” she said. Learning to do these things made it where she could afford her sons medication, she said, and still pay my rent.
Rene' Ferguson, Navarre said she learned to save some money around her home.
“I have a clothesline and use it weekly. I use liquid fabric softener and my clothes come out nice and soft plus smell awesome. I shop at thrift shops and yard sales for neat stuff and clothes. I try and get fresh veggies at Palafox Market or the little side place in Gulf Breeze; once in awhile I stop in at Habitat Restore on Wednesdays because they have fresh fruits and veggies at a really good price. Being a single mother I do a lot of stuff around the house myself. Recently my bathroom sink was not draining so I took the "U" off, I think it’s called a P-trap, and cleaned out my drain from the bottom of the hole. It was very easy, but disgusting," she said, “It becomes a way of life if you do it long enough."
Families who are learning ways to save and are stretching their dollars to the furthest possible distance are taking daily measures to pinch pennies, with the mentality of ‘waste not, want not.’
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Frugal families share their plan