Going UP?

I am on a list where a link was sent through by a friend that talked about Peter Schiff and how he is a name to listen to and learn from. The link was to this most accurate and foretelling video about the coming recession (foretold in 2006):



So I searched for something a little more recent to hear his take on things currently and found this video:



It reminded me of a post I did recently on Extreme Frugality in response to a post by Crystal.

But with what he said about the price of everything going UP, it made me feel like I needed to stretch even MORE in finding areas to save money. So I wrote my beloved the following letter:

I have been watching more of Peter Schiff. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIbD3BGoe5g He has basically said that this new bail out is going to make prices go through the roof soon. SOOOOoooooo... If there is ANYTHING you feel we REALLY NEED (like a NEW COMPUTER for you), honestly NOW would be the time to buy it. The lens you are wanting, we might just have to wait and buy it when it gets a GOOD sale. I am trying to think if there is anything else we are going to NEED. I can’t. (thought of some more as writing below, see below) Maybe a few homeschool things here and there. But with the friend's we have and their library collection along with ours, I might be able to get it from them or use what we have. And hopefully we will be able to share with them as well!! :) It would be fun to have our own little library among ourselves to share with each other! NO LATE FEES! :) OR get it from ILL if necessary.

I also think it would be a good time to perfect our self-sufficiency skills. As you know, the unschooling homeschool group I belong to started a self-sufficiency co-op and our first meeting is this week! I plan to take FULL ADVANTAGE of it and learn as much as I can while sharing what little I know! :)

Making things from wood (like new shelves for your office, garden boxes and such for SFG, bookshelves, toy boxes, etc.). You have the tools, we just need to clear out the garage so you have space to use them.

I need to improve my sewing skills (I am thinking of making curtains for each of the rooms that actually are meant to >keep warmth IN, making flannel slips for myself and the girls to wear under our dresses, etc.).

Speaking of which, we did pretty good last year with keeping our bill down by keeping the thermostat at 65. There were even days I was able to put it to 63!! I know that you were cold on most of those days. However, the girls and I were pretty good. But then again, when they said they were cold, I told them to add another layer on. Speaking of that, there IS something we should buy for the girls and myself. Leggings. GOOD QUALITY leggings. They will help us stay warm. The girls have stockings, which should last them through this year, but if we see them on sale at the end of the season, we should get some for the following year . I have already darned a few stockings, so we should be set for this winter. But the leggings would be good and wool socks if we can get them. I am learning to crochet socks (ravelry link, so I might even be able to crochet some wool socks for us to wear!! :D

Maybe making some cold frames and growing lettuce this winter?? Also, getting a garden going for next year would be GREAT! I think we need to actually care for the compost pile we have (it needs to be turned every so often and needs to be kept moist (but not wet). I would also like to grow some herbs indoors in pots --- only problem is we need SUN (which our bedroom window supplies PLENTY of, but did you mind if we someone maybe put a board up and across that we can put the plants on that I can grow them??).

I of course want to start getting rid of more stuff (which as prices go UP, we will be able to sell on ebay and get a good return because people would rather pay for used than buy new).

As far as cooking, I think it would be fun to start trying new things and learning different ethnic cooking styles. I think it would also be good to start doing beans and rice days and soup days both at least once a week. Costco will REALLY help with costs, as well as stocking up. Oh that brings up another thing we REALLY need to buy --- a deep freeze for the garage. I also think it would help if we made a large batch of food and freeze one and cook the other. That way we would not be so tempted to go out to eat and/or go to the grocery store to buy food when we already have food. I also want to do more dry beans rather than canned. And am hoping that next year we can do a LOT more canning. Especially of salsa. :)

I think we both need to utilize the library more. There are magazines there as well as the movies. And the books too. I know we both want to learn some things. BTW --- how is you reading going? You have not been sharing what you are learning. I want to grow and learn too!! :D

Also, I have been hanging the heavier sheets to dry on the drying rack we have. But it would be really great to also have a line somewhere to hang up that I could hang up more. I would like to take the old rack that is outside and have you fix it (strip it of the current paint and maybe put a finish on it? I am not sure what to do, it will be getting wet things put on it) so we can bring that inside also. And it would be great to find at LEAST one more at a garage sale and/or thrift store. That way I would have three drying racks indoors.

I have already taken the budget down to bare bones and EVERYTHING else is going into ER fund. We are still getting our allowance, but even the blow money is now going into ER fund. I know how important it is to you to build up the ER fund as quickly as possible. This will help to make that happen.

Thanks Love for all the hard work you do EVERY DAY, even when things get tough, in order to provide for our family. We truly do appreciate ALL you do for us. And I want to help and make sure that I am doing the most I can to help YOU.

Are there any things YOU can think of??

I love you, Paula

----

So I ask YOU readers. Is there anything else YOU can think of? Anything else YOU are doing or planning on doing?

And does anyone know where we can get some good quality under things for the girls and myself (like leggings and other undergarments to help keep us warm in the cold months ahead)?? THANKS!