Living on Less!

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Save some money by starting (or expanding) your backyard garden. It's amazing how much all that homegrown produce is worth. We recently estimated the total market value of all the produce grown by MOTHER EARTH NEWS readers each year. Our rough calculation was $1 billion!
Save some money by starting (or expanding) your backyard garden. It's amazing how much all that homegrown produce is worth. We recently estimated the total market value of all the produce grown by MOTHER EARTH NEWS readers each year. Our rough calculation was $1 billion!
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Simple living is all about slowing down and enjoying life more. Another key is to learn strategies for self-reliant living, such as planting a vegetable garden or raising a few livestock animals to produce some of your own food.
Simple living is all about slowing down and enjoying life more. Another key is to learn strategies for self-reliant living, such as planting a vegetable garden or raising a few livestock animals to produce some of your own food.
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Why not raise backyard chickens and enjoy fresh eggs?
Why not raise backyard chickens and enjoy fresh eggs?
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How much could you save by keeping a family milk cow? By breeding the cow each year and raising the calf for beef, you could net between $4,000 and $6,000 worth of milk and meat!
How much could you save by keeping a family milk cow? By breeding the cow each year and raising the calf for beef, you could net between $4,000 and $6,000 worth of milk and meat!
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You can’t beat great-tasting homemade bread at 50 cents a loaf!
You can’t beat great-tasting homemade bread at 50 cents a loaf!
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By using fuel-efficient driving techniques, John and Helen Taylor set a Guinness world record for mileage. On their 9,000 mile trip they averaged 58.82 mpg.
By using fuel-efficient driving techniques, John and Helen Taylor set a Guinness world record for mileage. On their 9,000 mile trip they averaged 58.82 mpg.
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Living on less doesn't automatically mean living in a small house, but this Arkansas couple decided it was a perfect fit for them. They're quite happy together in a 480-square-foot cabin.
Living on less doesn't automatically mean living in a small house, but this Arkansas couple decided it was a perfect fit for them. They're quite happy together in a 480-square-foot cabin.
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Contributing editor Steve Maxwell, and his wife Mary, built this stone and timber house by hand and without a mortgage!
Contributing editor Steve Maxwell, and his wife Mary, built this stone and timber house by hand and without a mortgage!
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Gary Reysa designed and built this solar heating system for his Montana home. It saves him the equivalent of 340 gallons of propane each year.
Gary Reysa designed and built this solar heating system for his Montana home. It saves him the equivalent of 340 gallons of propane each year.
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This house was designed to utilize a simple passive cooling technique. In the summer, the vines on the trellis provide welcome shade. In the winter, they die back and let in additional sunlight.
This house was designed to utilize a simple passive cooling technique. In the summer, the vines on the trellis provide welcome shade. In the winter, they die back and let in additional sunlight.
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Grow more of your own food and save!
Grow more of your own food and save!

These days, many people are getting inspired by the ideas of simple living, self-reliance, and living on less. Not only are more people looking for ways to go green, but in these uncertain economic times, it just makes sense to try to stretch every dollar as far as possible. Here at MOTHER EARTH NEWS, we believe that saving money, protecting the environment, and living a satisfying life all go together. It’s all about making the most of the resources you already have and finding joy and satisfaction in “doing it yourself.” Below you’ll find a collection of our best advice for simple living, including ideas for how to trim your budget and, in the process, enjoy better food, consume less, and be healthier and happier, too!

A Thrifty, DIY Lifestyle

First, let’s consider some general strategies for simpler living. Much of living on less is figuring out what you really need and want, and what you’re better off doing without. And when there is something you need, it’s worth shopping around to find the best deal! Comparison shopping is always a good idea, whether you’re buying groceries, gas, or general household items. It’s even more crucial when you start looking at services such as insurance, banking, or a cell phone plan, because there can be so many optional extras and such a wide range of prices. Make sure you’re not paying for services you don’t really want or need.

It also pays to discover your handy side. Before spending, get in the habit of asking the question, could I do or make this myself? Many frequently purchased items are surprisingly easy and inexpensive to make at home — including most household cleaning supplies and toiletries. Consider mending your own clothes, changing the oil in your car, fixing plumbing problems, and cutting hair for yourself or any willing family members (especially kids).

Another good idea is to ask yourself whether you really need to buy something new, or whether you can get it secondhand — especially furniture, clothing or tools. Buying secondhand at thrift shops, consignment stores and yard sales saves money and conserves resources, too. For online scavenging try eBay, Craigslist and Freecycle. These days there are more options than ever to buy used or nearly new and save big bucks!

  • Published on Jul 12, 2010
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