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Post by manygoatsnmore on Oct 4, 2015 3:29:29 GMT
There are so many variables that it would be hard to give you an accurate figure. It is dependent on income, and as far as I know, you no longer get a break for your good health as they can't exclude any preexisting conditions.
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Post by AD in WNC on Oct 4, 2015 15:58:02 GMT
Skandi my 30 yr old son pays $176/mos for health insurance. The plan has a $5000 deductible. It is basically a major medical policy. Location and affordability of local hospitals contribute to policy costs too. If you added maternity coverage the premium would increase by $100/mos.
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Post by AD in WNC on Oct 4, 2015 17:26:53 GMT
We do have about 50 chickens on average. We switched to banty breeds only. They lay medium eggs. Only a few lay small. But we never buy more than 100# of feed a year. That's about 30$ here. What type of bantam lay medium size eggs? Mine lay small blue eggs.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 5, 2015 1:50:10 GMT
Slight derailment, how much (ballpark figure) would health insurance in the US be for say a 30yr old female healthy nonsmoker yada yada yada? Before I moved I was paying (on minimum wage in the UK) about $208 a month total in income tax which of course includes healthcare. an average wage earner pays about $800 a month in income tax/National insurance payments, how does that compare to the US's system? so maybe more fairly what % of an average earners paycheck goes straight to health insurance? You have to be a non-drinker too. Since I am a 29 yo nonsmoker/nondrinker (assuming you are too) I felt we were comparable. I plugged in my data with only changes being income and that it was a household size of 1 (since mine is 3). If you make 25k+ a year, I got quotes starting at $165/month from ehealth. If you make less than 25k+ I believe you can qualify for medicaid which is "free" US health insurance.
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Post by farmgal on Oct 10, 2015 3:33:51 GMT
We do have about 50 chickens on average. We switched to banty breeds only. They lay medium eggs. Only a few lay small. But we never buy more than 100# of feed a year. That's about 30$ here. What type of bantam lay medium size eggs? Mine lay small blue eggs. I have blue egg layers too. Aricanas, or is it Americana's lol.whatever they are called they are very good layers. Daily and in middle of winter. We also have white and buff bramas, those varieties lay medium sized too. We also have Japanese, fuzzy frizzle and a few mutts, I don't know what they are. Lol. Most lay medium. Frizzles and Japanese lay little smaller than medium. I love my banties. I think the partrage varieties lay very tiny eggs.
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Post by AD in WNC on Oct 10, 2015 10:25:15 GMT
Thanks! I need to get some brahmas. The LF brahmas were great layers.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 12, 2015 15:28:23 GMT
Sorry if this is the wrong place to ask, but tightwad and frugal threads are all locked which is the only place I considered this query of mine to fit. If you are a gentleman who does not care for woman troubles I urge you to stop reading now! So is there an alternative for tampons? The super ones? Not pads, I don't like those. I have been recently diagnosed with PCOS and I am bleeding really badly all the time. For 3-4 months straight and it is so heavy that super tampons of any brand are only lasting about an hour or so. The cost of these tampons is really costing us an arm and a leg. Almost 50 bucks a month in just tampons. I try to time it so I'm not wasting them and it's still this way. Any advice? Secondly is there an alternative to waxing? I don't mean as in shaving/threading etc. I mean are there any recipes for homemade hard wax you have tried that works like a store brand? I don't like the strips like with normal wax and have gotten really comfortable with hard wax for all my hair removal. This is also getting expensive since my weird hormones are making me have to wax my lips and brows every other week and my arms and "other areas" at least once in three weeks. This one www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0030ZRSHK?keywords=gigi%27s%20hard%20wax&qid=1444663496&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1 is the one I have been using for a few years now and just realized it's something I'll be using for the rest of my life (hard wax that is, not that one in particular) so I would love to start making this and save money down the road. I have the warmer, so a recipe where I could fill the tin with my own wax would be so perfect, since that would fit in the same warmer. I'm asking here because it first came up when it was mentioned using cloth things instead of toilet paper. It really boggled my mind as I had never even considered alternatives to every day costs that could be cut down on necessities. So that ended up with me making a mental list of things I use so frequently now or will always use for the rest of my life. Then which of these things could I sub out or make to cut down costs and these are currently the two biggest costs for me.
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Post by sss3 on Oct 12, 2015 16:07:02 GMT
rachelmcmurtie I have a recipe for wax. Been using it well over 10 yrs. Will find and post soon.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 12, 2015 18:30:40 GMT
Sorry if this is the wrong place to ask, but tightwad and frugal threads are all locked which is the only place I considered this query of mine to fit. If you are a gentleman who does not care for woman troubles I urge you to stop reading now! So is there an alternative for tampons? The super ones? Not pads, I don't like those. I have been recently diagnosed with PCOS and I am bleeding really badly all the time. For 3-4 months straight and it is so heavy that super tampons of any brand are only lasting about an hour or so. The cost of these tampons is really costing us an arm and a leg. Almost 50 bucks a month in just tampons. I try to time it so I'm not wasting them and it's still this way. Any advice? Rachel, there is something called a menstruation cup. It is inserted and, when full, rinsed and reinserted. So it can be used for years, I think. I have never tried it, though. Edited to add: You might also want to take an iron supplement, because you're losing a lot of blood!
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Post by Melissa on Oct 12, 2015 19:03:10 GMT
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Post by sss3 on Oct 12, 2015 21:56:20 GMT
rachelmcnurtie Face Wax Recipe 2 c white sugar 1/4 c lemon juice 1/4 c water Put in jelly jar put in simmering water till golden when time to use put in simmering water till med thin apply w/popsicle stick be careful it's hot use strips of old sheets or something similar to take off put on following growth of hair remove going the opposite direction may have to do more than once since hair growth will be of dif lengths l
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Post by manygoatsnmore on Oct 13, 2015 1:29:53 GMT
Try googling Diva Cups - it's silicone cup that is inserted like a tampon, and can be emptied, washed and reinserted. I think it was about $30 or so to purchase, but it's a one time purchase rather than tampons that have to be purchased over and over. I have to imagine it's costing you a small fortune in tampons to deal with this condition. The cup will last for many, many years - likely for your reproductive life time. You may want to consider a "no no" or one of the small laser hair removers. I think they cost about the same as a salon visit for waxing, although I haven't priced either one lately. Again, up front, a bit more spendy, but in the long run, it will save you a lot of money, and even more important, time.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 13, 2015 4:56:20 GMT
Yeah I have heard about the diva cups before, but disregarded them as "messy". Time to give it a second look. MGNM: I don't go to salons to get my waxing done, I do it myself and have been for a few years now So I wanted to know how to make the wax instead of buying the wax to do it myself. sss3: Thanks for your recipe. That sounds like soft wax though. That one is tacky/sticky so it requires strips. Hard wax dries hard so you just rip the wax off and it doesn't require any strips. Just the wax. If you have a recipe for hard wax as well, would greatly appreciate
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Post by sss3 on Oct 13, 2015 5:01:37 GMT
Might try google for hard wax recipe.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 13, 2015 5:18:51 GMT
Sorry if this is the wrong place to ask, but tightwad and frugal threads are all locked which is the only place I considered this query of mine to fit. If you are a gentleman who does not care for woman troubles I urge you to stop reading now! So is there an alternative for tampons? The super ones? Not pads, I don't like those. I have been recently diagnosed with PCOS and I am bleeding really badly all the time. For 3-4 months straight and it is so heavy that super tampons of any brand are only lasting about an hour or so. The cost of these tampons is really costing us an arm and a leg. Almost 50 bucks a month in just tampons. I try to time it so I'm not wasting them and it's still this way. Any advice? Rachel, there is something called a menstruation cup. It is inserted and, when full, rinsed and reinserted. So it can be used for years, I think. I have never tried it, though. Edited to add: You might also want to take an iron supplement, because you're losing a lot of blood! I tried iron supplements on two occasions. They made me awfully sick both times. So for now I'm just trying to eat well (three hearty meals a day), exercise, pray and monitor my health. So far so good, but thanks for the advice nonetheless
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Post by manygoatsnmore on Oct 13, 2015 5:22:19 GMT
The thought of yanking my hair out by the roots is enough, in and of itself, to consider a painless one time option to stop from having to ever wax again, lol! Thankfully, I don't come from a hairy family, so no excess facial hair and a razor was and is enough for my pits and legs. I don't think I could handle waxing - I really don't even like to tweeze my brows (and don't anymore).
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Post by Deleted on Oct 13, 2015 5:36:30 GMT
LOL trust me I'm a huge wuss. It doesn't hurt me, it's more like passing sensation. Maybe hard wax is different than soft wax. Never tried the strips, I've heard those are painful. Length of hair also plays a huge factor. If I go an extra week then it stings that's what patting is for though lol. Patting right after stripping the wax off instantly soothes and cures any stings/pains. I am so envious of you ladies who aren't super hairy. I have been afraid to let anything grow out, I would probably be mistaken for Bigfoot if I did
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Post by manygoatsnmore on Oct 13, 2015 5:49:48 GMT
LOL trust me I'm a huge wuss. It doesn't hurt me, it's more like passing sensation. Maybe hard wax is different than soft wax. Never tried the strips, I've heard those are painful. Length of hair also plays a huge factor. If I go an extra week then it stings that's what patting is for though lol. Patting right after stripping the wax off instantly soothes and cures any stings/pains. I am so envious of you ladies who aren't super hairy. I have been afraid to let anything grow out, I would probably be mistaken for Bigfoot if I did Lol, I have a sweet sister in law who is "blessed" with the Bigfoot gene. She bought an epilady when they were the newest thing on the market. Now, if you want to cause yourself some pain, try that little instrument of torture!
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Post by Deleted on Oct 13, 2015 5:52:25 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Oct 13, 2015 6:05:34 GMT
LOL trust me I'm a huge wuss. It doesn't hurt me, it's more like passing sensation. Maybe hard wax is different than soft wax. Never tried the strips, I've heard those are painful. Length of hair also plays a huge factor. If I go an extra week then it stings that's what patting is for though lol. Patting right after stripping the wax off instantly soothes and cures any stings/pains. I am so envious of you ladies who aren't super hairy. I have been afraid to let anything grow out, I would probably be mistaken for Bigfoot if I did Lol, I have a sweet sister in law who is "blessed" with the Bigfoot gene. She bought an epilady when they were the newest thing on the market. Now, if you want to cause yourself some pain, try that little instrument of torture! lol! Thanks but no thanks. I tried that when I was a teen, it's the one that has a spinning coil and RIPS out the hair I think. Yeah I'll stick with my hard wax lol. I'll check that out thank you
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Post by Deleted on Oct 13, 2015 15:35:20 GMT
Bleeding hard - I had my girlie bits cauterized to deal with hemorrhaging endlessly. If you're done spawning, it is worth it! Insurance may pay for it, if it is considered a medical necessity. Google "uterine ablation". Mine was done with a fine wire mesh expanded up yonder and electrocuted to fry the lining. I took two ibuprofen that afternoon and was tiling a floor the next day. Zero discomfort following the procedure. www.webmd.com/women/endometrial-ablation-16200Sasquatch Fur: I have the next generation of Epi-thing... I do call it "the torture device", but it works well and returning hairs are much finer and usually give up after about 30 years of yanking them out by the roots. My legs are 80% fur-free now! Check out the dual-use (electric razor/epi) Braun Silk-Epil. Mine is probably 15 years old, and still works like a champ! It is not near as painful as that horrid thing that originally came out!!!!!! It looks like this, and apparently is four iterations back from current technology...
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Post by Deleted on Oct 13, 2015 18:12:06 GMT
traciintexas I would very much like to spawn more and keep spawning if at all possible down the road I so understand what you mean with the hair coming back reducing and/or diminishing over time. I've seen those results with waxing too. But this contraption would sure be cheaper than constantly buying or even making wax since it would be a one-time buy. I'll have to check it out. Oh and thank you for the LOL moment I had when I read "Sasquatch Fur"
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Post by moldy on Oct 14, 2015 15:22:17 GMT
Started reading this thread this am - really need to stop and get to work!! Jangirl - Eshs/Dacono had tons of depends last time I was there. You can also find the underpads in medical supply stores that are washable, so you're not constantly throwing out the used ones. I would think that 'puppy pads' would work just as well as the human disposable ones, and are probably cheaper.
Insurance is a killer. After reading this, I plan on contacting state farm for a quote. Our biggest issue is that not every company will insure livestock/feed/farm equipment. We have Farmer's now - not great, but I'm not sure any insurance company is. If you have teen drivers, drivers ed and good grades will sometimes help bring down their premiums.
If you already buy in bulk, try buying directly from the farmer. We bought dried pintos and onions this way. I paid 30c/lb for the beans and 50c/lb for the onions, but I had to go to the field and get them directly from the combine.
We couldn't live on less than $1000/mo. at this point. We do spend a lot for feed (herd of cows, pigs, chickens), but I don't know that I would change that. The pigs are a wash - we don't make much money on them at all, but it provides our pork for free after we sell the extras. The chickens are definately not money-makers - I probably need to let them free-range, but with the hawks and foxes around here, they wouldn't last long. And who knows - when we have issues like the egg shortage, they are priceless.
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Post by jangirl on Oct 15, 2015 2:09:18 GMT
Thanks, Moldy. I do find some depend type generic pants at Goodwill occasionally, for about 1/3 what they cost in the stores, but not always in Mom's size. She doesn't need pads for the bed or chair yet, tho. Farm insurance is terribly expensive! My aunt lost a lot of fence posts in a fire, and had a real fight to get them covered. When you're talking miles of fencing, it's a big bill. A lot of people don't realize how much it costs to produce food!
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Post by moldy on Oct 15, 2015 2:23:04 GMT
If I ever win the lottery (of course, you have to play to win...), my first purchase is fencing the entire place (both of them) with railroad ties and cattle panels!
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Post by Deleted on Oct 15, 2015 15:14:56 GMT
Secondly is there an alternative to waxing? I don't mean as in shaving/threading etc. I mean are there any recipes for homemade hard wax you have tried that works like a store brand? I don't like the strips like with normal wax and have gotten really comfortable with hard wax for all my hair removal. This is also getting expensive since my weird hormones are making me have to wax my lips and brows every other week and my arms and "other areas" at least once in three weeks. This one www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0030ZRSHK?keywords=gigi%27s%20hard%20wax&qid=1444663496&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1 is the one I have been using for a few years now and just realized it's something I'll be using for the rest of my life (hard wax that is, not that one in particular) so I would love to start making this and save money down the road. I have the warmer, so a recipe where I could fill the tin with my own wax would be so perfect, since that would fit in the same warmer. My hairstylist uses regular beeswax, and it works great. Smells good, too.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 15, 2015 15:17:32 GMT
This thread has really gotten me thinking and crunching numbers. I want to be able to LIVE (not just get by) on ~$1K a month, but not sure.
Pretty sure we could do well on $1200-1500.
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Post by manygoatsnmore on Oct 16, 2015 2:45:15 GMT
I think that there is probably a different goal amount for each of us - and being able to LIVE, not just survive, is very important, as @pony said. I know that if I didn't feel like I was having fun and enjoying life on my budget, I'd probably be looking for a job again!
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Post by Deleted on Oct 18, 2015 8:31:37 GMT
This thread has really gotten me thinking and crunching numbers. I want to be able to LIVE (not just get by) on ~$1K a month, but not sure. This! It's pretty interesting though. The things I "thought" I did before that meant I was saving money has been far different than the things I now (after spending time with you lovely folks and your ideas on here) feel is saving money. For instance, I thought I was thrifty and not wasteful by buying the clothes on sale that I liked. Versus now I've started crunching the numbers down to the ingredient to see which on our weekly rotation is the most expensive. Since we have more than enough for a week I have been able to pull the expensive ones out and sub in more conservative recipes (ingredients and cost-wise). Food has literally been our biggest expense. We've gradually gone from struggling to keep and adhere to a $100 per week for food budget for the three of us (which again I THOUGHT was thrifty for a family of three), to now we're eating for $35 (this week's budget). I mean that's almost a third and I'm still making food the kiddo and hubby love and go crazy for. I guess my point here is thank you? It's really a mindset about being happy with what you have and not forcing yourself to cut corners and live without which would be a grudgingly thrifty life, versus a life worth living
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Post by manygoatsnmore on Oct 18, 2015 16:02:57 GMT
Sweet! Saving $65 more per week is going to get you to your dream home in the country so much faster! Now, let's tackle your clothes shopping habits, lol. From new on sale, to shopping thrift shops and garage sales - have you already made that leap? For anyone who hasn't, a few thoughts.... The Tightwad Gazette has a line about used clothes that I like. Paraphrasing, basically, all new clothes are only a washing away from being used clothes. I'm willing to let someone else give the clothes their first washing if I can save 90% or more on the cost of my clothes.
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