The Moneyless Chicken

No clothes here either, only shoes were muck boots from a charity shop. Can't compete with consumables or garden stuff though.

I've been thinking about the items I use and are rarely given away free - and whether I can stop using them or make my own.
My aim is to make my own deodorant and swap more cups of coffee for free teabags (often given away) and homegrown herb teas for a start.
Still haven't tried dental tabs (embarrassed face).
I've stopped using paper hankies completely which is good because its put an end to bits of shredded paper in the washing machine.
Must explore making my own washing liquid/powder as that's another thing that isn't given away often.

So on the 1st January 2023 will you continue with your moneyless chicken ? Or do you have another plan?

Are you keeping record ( sorry for using such language!  )of how much you’re saving?
Is there going to be a massive spending spree on? My guess probably seeds or something for the garden.
Or do you plan to give a chunk to charity? Or something else entirely. Or tell me to *** off , being to nosy

Apologies for the 101 questions on a Friday morning. Just curious what your going to do. Especially as you’ve been doing such a fantastic job at being a moneyless chicken. As far as I can tell, you’ve meet lots of people and been sampling lots of foods you’d never normally consider. Win win.
I really do admire what you’re doing   . It really wouldn’t work so well on the island.

I'm curious too, have you considered drilling for oil to make fuel? all this collecting might have bumped up the car costs.
Seriously though all credit to you. I'm not sure it would work here either. I looked at Olio but the only thing of interest posted was a loaf of plastic sliced bread 8 miles away. A 16 mile journey for substandard bread, I don't think so.
We just haven't got the community spirit locally. 40 yrs ago we had a coal bunker of coal to give away and contacted the church to ask if there were any needy families that would want it. Vicar didn't know anyone needy.
Well done Veggie.

Questions, questions, always someone questioning me.
Some of the things I've tried have become my lifestyle now and I'll probably never go back to the old ways.
With OLIO, or any free stuff, I work out the distance to travel to collect it and I've put a value of £1 on every journey (£1 being the approximate cost of petrol to drive the distance). If the free stuff isn't worth £1 to me, I don't ask for it. If I can combine journeys, I do. For example, today, I'm picking up some sort of growing kit on the way to one of my OLIO regulars (usually sourdough bread -but also Tesco). Last night she messaged me to tell me what she'd collected and did I want any. I'm picking up blueberry muffins, panini, cheese rolls, celery, guacamole dip and she usually leaves the unrequested stuff for me to take if I want - usually lots of Baguettes and Batons (the bread sort not for roofing). I then go to my brother (next street) and share it with him and he passes it to his family.

As for the £££ I've saved, they go towards paying all the utility bills that are going up daily. My only income is my pension (work and state) and they don't go up much - certainly not at the same rate as price increases. Don't want you to think I'm broke, I'm not, but I hate waste. Think I'm turning into my Mother/Grandmother actually, in the way they managed on very little income and without some of the gadgets that seem to be "essential" these days.

Asking questions is the way we learn sensei.

I think we're all a little jealous

Moneyless habits begin at home, Jen. The food scrounging is secondary.
Over the last year I've tried to find ways of not buying some throwaway things but finding substitutes. I wouldn't tell everyone this so I trust you to keep my secrets.
I've replaced paper tissues (and I used to get through a lot as my nose runs a lot in summer with the pollen and winter with the cold), now use cotton table napkins as hankies and wash them for reuse (obviously).
Only use toilet paper for No.2s, a washable cloth otherwise and its much nicer.
I save the shower water, before it warms up, in a bowl and use that to wash my hands after the loo, then flush the toilet with it. Saves a couple of flushes a day.
I build my meals around what's in the garden first, then whatever I've scrounged (if fresh), then yellow stickers.
They're just little things but it makes me feel that I less of a consumer than I used to be.
I spent my "egg money" on a Hotbin to make more compost and the dehydrator to reduce food waste. The Hotbin liquid has replaced Tomorite that I used to buy every year.
As you know, I'm experimenting with DIY deodorant and think that will become permanent.

Many of those things we do too. The saving water trick especially, why let run off go down the drain? Its amazing how much you accumulate. Not sure about deo and washable loo cloth (our washing machine doesn't go on often enough). I put the homemade deo idea to P and got a resounding NO. As for food waste, practically nothing goes in the bin, it makes me seethe to see the waste that goes on. Luckily P will eat what I give him, if he was fussy, he'd have to go
I applaud your life ethic and take on board many of your ideas, except perhaps excessive seed buying I wish I lived nearer to be able to torment you personally, be thankful I'm not.

I know I'm preaching to the converted, Jen, but you did ask.
With the washable loo cloth (a face flannel cut into 4), its rinsed out after every use when I wash my hands, saving the water in my little bowl for flushing the loo. Its only lobbed in the wash when I'm doing a load. Since the loo is not in the bathroom, I can hang the cloth in the shower to dry between uses.

I know I'm preaching to the converted, Jen, but you did ask.

I only wanted to know where the oil rig was going