My Cottage Economy.

Over the last week I've been giving much thought as to may cottage economy of living. Being in focus a the new UK financial year fast approaches. With all the main bill that require settlement and I'm a firm believer that one needs to get on and settle the accounts as required. Paying Gods things to God and Caesars things to Caesar. Regardless if I agree with how the money is spent or maybe wasted. The cost of day to day living is ever rising with relentlessness and ones wages never seem to be able to keep pace with the worlds economic idea of spend spend spend. I'm very much anti debt. It always cost you more in the long run. If I ain't got the money I can't have it. One has a responsibility to keep a solid debt free stress free non financial liability way of living. Being prudent pays dividends in the long run. Don't get me wrong I'm not against being frivolous and being able to afford some of the goodies that life presents but one has to be able afford it with a debt free way.

Also my aim is to be able to survive a few months at least should hard times prevail against me. would love to make it a complete year but at this moment I can't see this happening. If I can make it to 6 months of put by rations and enough credit in utility accounts to not to worry to much about the bills for Gas and Electric. This winter past I was able to start the Dark season with a good credit balance which I only had to fall back on very slightly. But one never knows what is around the corner.

What I Need and have to buy.

Unfortunately the real world dictates that there is a requirement to buy in items for survival. Some things on my monthly list are as follows which I use regularly but can put extra aside.

Items in a Tin.

Baked beans.

Tuna.

Sweet Corn.

Corned Beef.

Spam.

Dried Packeted Items

Pasta.

Rice.

Soups.

Noodles.

Porridge.

Brown Sugar.

Beans

Other items

Toilet Roll.

Soap.

Disinfectant.

Bleach.

Toothpaste.

Soaps.

Trying to add extra to my monthly shopping of comestibles to put aside. But only what I like to eat and anything that looks interesting on the comestibles I'll buy one to try and if I don't like it nothing lost.

I have a monthly delivery of shopping shopping from the Local National Supermarket. Not my favourite place to shop but it gives me the basics at a cost that I can bear. Yes this a problem for the small family farms and there shops as in the basics everyday. Then if I want excellent quality I'll go to family run Farm Shops and butchers etc. This for me is about striking a balance in my life. And as I don't have by a personal decision not to have a motor vehicle although I can drive. But saying that my work involves me driving round in a company vehicle (which I have to collect every day for my work) so I can go in my lunch to the Local farm shop and carry back in a backpack items of sustenance as I'm able to carry. This helps me to keep fit for it is a mile and a half walk back from the local station to my humble dwelling.

Most gardening implements I already have and I purchase higher quality makes as they do certainly out last cheaper makes. Always with stainless steel heads and quality wooden handles. This bring me to the point of I not a lover of mechanical devices for the garden the only petrol item I have is a Lawn Mower and electrical a garden shedder which is not much used and a rechargeable battery hedge trimmer (Personally I prefer to cut the hedges by hand which is good exercise and much more contemplative).

Grow my own food fruit and vegetables as I'm able to.

Composting all the green waste weather it be from the garden or fruit and vegetables waste from the kitchen (uncooked) plus egg shells and any unbeached cardboard that can be put in.

Planning the year the best I can as to what my requirements will be and purchase enough to get me though the hungry gap. Some things that I mean to purchase this year is a food dehydrator and more kilner jars for food preservation.

Things that cost me nothing but time.

Making my post ash the wood burning way.

Making my own compost.

Keeping as much within the the garden as possible (Except for evasive problem weeds which do end up going into the general waste bin for collection).

Working in the garden in general which is also good for mind and body.

Things that I do have to purchase that I've found that work.

Well rotted horse manure. (If it not well processed as it needs to be one will have problems with weeds. Having learnt this my self with much time going into removing them to my cost)

Pelleted Chicken Poop. (Wonderful stuff and I can't recommend it enough).

Slug and snail control (have a huge slug and snail issue and its been a war with them every year for the last 10 years that I've live where I am now currently).