Hacks for Using Less and Making Do

[VanFan]

1 3lb chicken = 3-4 meals, plus leftovers.

Otherwise known as "rubber chicken"--you can stretch it a long way!

 

[crofter]

The gym is closed!

You can do this instead:  crofter

https://www.nbcnews.com/better/lifestyle/30-day-workout-tone-strengthen-your-core-ncna1149856

Link to the workouts.

https://www.nbcnews.com/better/30-day-workout-plans

 

[MrNoodly]

I'm set up so "breaking camp" means simply putting the step inside and driving away. I LIKE being on the move. It's one of the main reasons I became a van dweller. Since I change locations every few days, supplies are usually on the way to the next place. The current situation has me moving less and resupplying less often, but it's not a huge adjustment. The hard part is when I wake up each morning it always feels like today is the day to move on. Once I get through that feeling I'm okay.

 

[crofter]

....2 or 3 years ago at the RTR when it rained a lot I collected almost 100 gallons of water in a few days.  even in the desert water is pretty easy to come by....

This is the year to collect water. We have been flooded out several times, not set up to collect the runoff, just wade through it. (Raining again).   
-crofter

 

[crofter]

Rice is a good meal stretcher for many types of cuisine. Also doubles as a breakfast food, and an ingredient in dessert altho the sticky rice for rice pudding dessert is arborio.

-crofter

Free shipping on 25 pounds of organic brown rice: here's the link.
https://www.foodservicedirect.com/l...Tb0cSO8Zbv0hfo3mQu47Er1Pi9yEvwXRoCbDEQAvD_BwE

 

[crofter]

Chicken Alfredo one pot meal:
Spice a cup of flour in a plastic bag. Try lemon pepper.
Slice two chicken breast thinly.
Flour the chicken  pieces, and brown in bacon fat.
Dump in rest of spiced flour and some olive oil, stir.
Add 1 quart boiling water.
Add 2 servings linguini noodles. 
Cook over medium heat for about 30 minutes. Add boiling water to keep the sauce as thick as you like.

Place a slice of muenster cheese on plate, top with chicken alfredo. Place another slice of the cheese on top. Let rest for 5 minutes, and enjoy! 

To extend this recipe, add green beans or zuchini.
-crofter

 

[1shemp]

Always buy the cheapest beer.After the first six pack,the taste doesn't matter anyway.Make your own hot dogs by rolling up left over bologna.Save used motor oil for chain saw chain lube.Use weekly sale papers for place mats and paper towels.

 

[crofter]

Your face mask can double as all natural sunscreen.

-crofter

 

[maki2]

Always buy the cheapest beer.After the first six pack,the taste doesn't matter anyway.Make your own hot dogs by rolling up left over bologna.Save used motor oil for chain saw chain lube.Use weekly sale papers for place mats and paper towels.

You don't want to do that with some of the inks they use to print those ads. They are not all done with soy based ink and not all of the inks are food contact safe. You won't have a good way to tell which ads are safe for use in the kitchen area. But they are still handy to put under other kinds of messes such as when painting or varnishing while doing a build. Or for putting down on the floor to set muddy boots and shoes on.

 

[nature lover]

With some of the crap they print in those "news" papers they ought to to used for TP.

 

[crofter]

Most liquid soaps can be diluted quite a bit and will work just fine.

Make ice cream sandwiches out of gingersnaps and vanilla ice cream. 

Cut the "funnel" off a gallon water jug and freeze water in the remaining container. Makes a block ice that will last longer in a decent cooler. If you have access to a freezer, you can turn the setting colder when making ice and your ice will last longer. Store ice is not very cold.

If you have a raised mole or skin  "tag" that bothers you, take thread and tie a tight knot on the skin tag, right next to the skin. This cuts off the blood flow, and in a day or two it will fall off. 

-crofter

 

[maki2]

Offer to make dinner for a friend and yourself...if they buy the ingredients

Of course there is the offer to teach them how to cook something....if they buy the ingredients

 

[TMooney]

Two things of importance I guess. Black bucket of water in the sun and a 6 inch sea sponge for bathing. I love it. I ordered 25 lbs of pinto beans in bulk . They are in a 5 gallon bucket with a screw lid. Cowboy up. I also brew one cup of coffee at a time which helps save it. Time is of no essence so use it to stay busy which goes back to our roots of bush living.

 

[WanderingRose]

Everyone should know how to make a basic bread of some sort, as a good bread is very inexpensive and life sustaining.

If you can’t find bread in the store, make your own.

Use a little whole wheat flour, add a nutrition booster such as wheat germ or ground flaxseed meal.

If you have an oven, bake it in there, if you don’t pat a piece into a buttered skillet, let rise then cook like a pancake.

Cover the rest of the dough and keep in the frig for up to a week.

 

[nature lover]

TMooney - "25# of pinto beans - cowboy up" Have you seen Blazing Saddles? Gas is cheap right now you don't have to make your own.

 

[ByeBye]

Great thread!

 

[GypsyJan]

"If you have a raised mole or skin "tag" that bothers you, take thread and tie a tight knot on the skin tag, right next to the skin. This cuts off the blood flow, and in a day or two it will fall off. "

In the old days, they used one of their own hairs to ties around the tag til it dropped off. I wouldn't mess with a mole, however. That needs to be sent to a lab for analysis.

 

[highdesertranger]

"I wouldn't mess with a mole,"

what about a gopher?

sorry I couldn't resist. carry on.

highdesertranger