Here are my basics:
- Hydroponics: lettuce, basil, strawberries, microgreens. Cost to implement well ~ $350CDN
- Yoghurt: Cost to implement well ~ $50
- Crochet + yarn: mainly for making dishcloths. $5
- Mayo: I like mayo, obviously, but it doesn’t last very long. Has anyone made mayo that lasts as long as store bought?
More advanced ideas?
- locally sourced meat and eggs: is this cheaper? I’m in Vancouver BC and there are a lot of farms in the valley. Logistics seems challenging.
- jarring: is it worth learning how to do this and investing in the equipment? volunteering at a farm: I’m sure this would net some food
- solar power or bike generator: electricity is cheap here
- minimalism: I’m realizing this is a lifestyle. It has taken me a while to reduce, and I’m still reducing. Are most of you like this?
And things that can save money, but I don’t want to do:
- Bread: I don’t like making bread. Bread machine vs. buying a mixer?
- Beer: I’d like to but last time I tried it was messy and space consuming
- switch to cotton socks and underwear. Quantity over quality.
- no alcohol or drugs: What’s your experience?
- meal prep: savings seem big if combined with jarring. But if I had food prepped I’ll eat it, cheaper to skip meals?
Any other ideas welcome. I’m looking to save $$$ by spending $$
Canning is worth it IF you like canned goods. I only do hot water bath canning because of my kitchen setup, but you can do pressure canning.
I live in an area with cheap local produce so I do a lot of pickling and jams.
A great food preservation option, however, is a dehydrator. I use that way more than canning. There is a lot you can dehydrate and if any of my produce is starting to go, I dehydrate it. It is very easy to use and takes minimal prep time. You can also get them cheap and are often easy to find second hand because many people buy them and realize they wont use them.
I think this is the real key to canning. For canning to be worth it you have to have something cheap to can. If you’re going to an NYC grocery store to buy strawberries for jam, you’re better off just buying the jam on the shelf.