Yesterday, I focused on reviewing gardening and food resources in the Permies Homesteading Bundle. Today, I'd like to take a look at other resources that can help save us money. Prices for everything seem to be going up, so what is the average person to do? Here are some ideas.
There are a couple of resources in the bundle for ways to stay warm without increasing our utility bills.
This is one of the 35 resources found in
the Permies Homesteading Bundle.
I'm pretty sure that most people would agree that the biggest chunk of the
electricity bill goes for cooking and heating. For me, I'll add food
preservation to that list because I do so much canning. So, here are a couple
of resources for the more adventurous of us.
The beauty of rocket stoves is that they require much less wood for
cooking or heating! Efficiency is built into the design. That makes this
little outdoor stove perfect for cooking and canning. And the removable collar
for a canning pot is quite clever.
Uncle Mud's PDF contains clear instructions for building this, with whimsical
illustrations to clarify. And it's one of the 35 useful resources found
in the Permies Homesteading Bundle.
3D plans for a Pebble Style Rocket Mass Heater by Paul Wheaton
and the Bernal Bros. Studios
Along the utility saving lines, here are plans for a small but effective
rocket stove for home, workshop, or greenhouse heating. This design combines
the fuel efficiency of the rocket stove with a heat-retaining thermal mass.
The instructions are clear, with plenty of photos and beautiful graphics from
the Bernal Bros. For those of us looking for a serious way to stay warm and
cut the heating bill, this resources deserves a good look.
Okay, one last one for those of us looking for creative, frugal ways to save
money and solve problems.
The High Art and Subtle Science of Scrounging by Jim Juczak is
not just dumpster diving! It starts with examining our choices when we have
a need and developing a strategy of not buying anything we have an
alternative for obtaining. These strategies are discussed in the book's
chapters for housing and shelter, building materials, food, health and
medicine, transportation, clothing, and even taking vacations. Lots of
interesting personal examples make this a truly enjoyable read with
practical information to be put to use.
And it's one of 35 resources found in the Permies Homesteading Bundle.
Not what you're looking for? The excellent thing about this particular bundle is that you can use the codes for yourself, or you can give them away as gifts to friends and family. You can check out or purchase the entire bundle here.
3 comments:
Leigh, Building A Better World In Your Backyard was in the most recent Kickstarter bundle, and one I am looking forward to reading. It is what attracted me to Wheaton in the first place: the idea that instead of being negative and lecturing, go do something positive and do it in such a way that people do not feel like their lives are being significantly impacted.
(Soapbox moment: This is one of the greatest flaws and complaints I have about much of the conversation around the environment, smaller living footprints, and lighter living. The underlying leitmotif is "You must give up things. You must readjust your standard of living down. You must adjust your expectations down. You must feel guilty. This is not the sort of language to get people to buy into your program.)
So interesting, Leigh! I am never going to be a homesteader like you, but I enjoy living it vicariously through your posts. We're keeping our thermostat at a lower setting and wearing housecoats on top of our usual clothes. I do try hard to buy only what I need, and I'm quite creative at repurposing over and over.
TB, I couldn't agree with you more. And that's why about the only places I visit on the interwebs are Permies (where the "be nice" rule is strictly enforced) and my favorite blogs.
The negative and criticizing approach of so many environmental and climate "activists" does not portray a sense of sincerity in solving the problem. Because dividing people never solves problems.
Fundy Blue, thank you! And good for you! The book Toirdhealbheach Beucail mentions above (Building A Better World In Your Backyard ) is one everybody ought to read, I think. It's interesting, entertaining, and loaded with lots of good ideas.
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