We live in the country and it is 45 miles away from any grocery store. The first thing we do is to make a shopping list and only go shopping once a month. Our doctors are 180 miles from our home so, when we have a doctor's appointment, we check the shopping ads for the stores in that town and buy what we know we will use and stock up on those items at those stores. We go to a Sprouts at those times and stock up on sale meat items because they are organic or Kosher, due to my allergies.
We have a wood heat stove and a wood cook stove. My husband is friend's with a wood carver and he gets free wood that is just the size for the stoves. We also have a small cook stove that we use on the back porch in the summer. I save all leftovers and use them for soup or chili for winter or stews and casseroles in the summer.
I don't buy clothes unless it is absolutely necessary. I had to buy some this year but bought 20 items on sale for less than $50. This included a dress for my son's wedding. My husband hasn't bought things in 20 years. Family buys him clothing for Christmas and birthdays.
I get free books for Kindle on the internet and read them on our computer. I do crafts for gifts for our children and other family members. We live good on less than $2,000 a month. That includes a $500 house payment, electricity, propane $150 in medicine a month and gifts at birthdays and holidays.
The only thing we splurge on is DTV because we like to watch the news and we are living in the boondocks. I would love to get rid of it and just listen to OTR and read books but my husband has to have it. Since he is disabled, I think he deserves it.
