One of the things I like about trapping and trappers is it differs a little from a lot of other hobbies/lifestyles. Hunting for instance is chock full of stuff you don't need for insane prices and people gladly open their wallet and swan dive straight into debt.

We have a good discussion going in the truck thread about driving old trucks vs replacing etc. Lots of good dialog in there. It got me to thinking, what are other ways people save $? In this day and age it's probably more critical than ever to be saving $, but its also getting harder for a lot of people. What are some ways you save a little extra each month OR even long term.

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My grandpa used to tell me that if you aren't somewhere making money you are somewhere spending money. I find it much easier to save money when I spend more time working than not. I work a full time job, do masonry side jobs on the weekends, load ammunition to sell to friends, etc etc. The busier I stay the less money I spend on unnecessary things.

Flip this, flip that. Don't do it as a hobby but do it as a prime opportunity pops up. Anything from an atv to land. Bought 20 acres a few years ago and owned it for about 2 hours. Sold it for 10k more than I paid.

I tell the kids there is a limit to how many hours you can get at most jobs and what they will pay you , so saving costs is sometimes worth more than making money that will get taxed before you get a chance to spend any of it.

if I hear the furnace run it might as well be an alarm clock

I have to be very tired to sleep through the furnace kicking in

keep feeding that fire and cutting that fire wood

bring food, food purchased out is crazy expensive a couple sandwiches and some water in a jug , bag of nuts , block of cheese and you can avoid a 30 dollar trip through the drive through , it sure doesn't take long to add up.

learning to do it and maybe even buying the tool wheel hub assemblies , they really aren't that hard to do and the 35mm socket wasn't that much cost.
I like my tools and they make life easier so if I could save the labor and buy the parts and the tools I can re-use the tools and they were paid for by the labor savings.

OBDII scan tool that blue-tooth's to your phone can save you wondering what the code is and let you clear them also

if you don't know how to cut up your own deer , learn and buy a few tools to make it easier.

salvage butchery , I have gotten 3 cows in the last 2 years , road kill can be a good source also .

road side finds.

build it yourself - Willow furniture isn't hard and your cost is a couple boxes of nails.

Brown bagging lunch

Eat more pork and chicken

You tube and fix your own appliances

Set thermostat at 64 day...61:night

Wear ice fishing gear while watching TV

Grocery shop with a list and stick to that list.

Have a freezer

I Make my list based on the ads for the week.

Compare prices in the weekly advertisements, I check 2 Grocery Stores and Aldi weekly. It may take a couple of ad cycles to Identify the Best deals and when to buy some extra,

Example Chicken hind quarters 49 cents a pound in 10 pound quantity this cycles over a 6 week period between the 3 stores and from .49 to .69

80% ground beef 1.99 pound in 10pound tube.. smaller quantity 2.49 I will buy at least two tubes This cycles around less frequently.

If you live where there are Kwik Star/Kwik Trip Shop there. Onions, Taters. and banana prices make it worth checking them out.

Good advice. And 100% correct. I don't spend all that overtime money. My wife does.

I save money by eating wild game and fish, I hunt on the farm and fish close to home. No expensive hunting or fishing trips for me. If I ice fish a lake out of town I sleep on the ice in my hut or share a cheap hotel room with a few guys. Buy pork a hog at a time. Chickens from my neighbor or the Amish that butcher his. We rarely eat beef, it's too expensive and we have plenty of venison. Big garden and we can, dehydrate and freeze most veggies. I make my own wine and distill my own hooch.

if you cut fire wood , learn to file your own chains , longer life and less cost.

Don't forget the butter, milk and bread(.79/loaf right now) at Kwik Star.

Smart TV with Roku instead of cable/dish ( I have far better TV now and save a LOT of money each month).

Woodstove for heat. A chainsaw doesn't cost much per month in the end and you never have to bundle up in the house no matter how cold it is outside. When it hits 80, I'll crack a window and giggle.

Sams and costco sell perfectly cooked, whole chickens for $4.88....and pork is still cheap if you run out of venison.

Beaver makes the best dog food on the planet. Even if you have to mix it in to kibble, you will notice big improvements in your dogs coat and muscle mass (OK, maybe that's not a huge money saver but it's a way to use those beaver and it's not bad in the crock pot for human food).

Now, I realize not everyone has the same shopping situations, I'm pretty sure I could save most folks a good deal of money by doing some pretty simple everyday things. First, get the APP! If you frequent a certain grocery store, convenience store, fast food joint, whatever. Get the app. There are tons of digital, money saving offers and coupons available. Only buy groceries you want when they are on sale. Keep a running list of everyday items you will need so you can take advantage of sales. Get a membership to Costco and/or Sam's Club if they are in your area. I will easily save the cost of the annual membership fee just by purchasing gas at $0.12-0.25/gal less than everywhere else. If you are going to buy something significant and plan to shop around, DON'T DRIVE to 10 different stores looking, do your research from home online and by phone and purchase at the closest, least expensive place. Many times, local small retailers can get you what you want for the same $$$ as the big box stores, if you ask. Some places still offer cash discounts, also. And, finally, it is less expensive per pound to buy a half a beef than it is to harvest and process the equivalent amount of venison.

There are asset accumulators and there are networth builders and most often they are not the same persons.

Bryce

Save your change

Good post although I must disagree with the buying beef cost less than venison. For years I had an old shot gun and hunted behind the house after work and shot all my deer. A couple boxes of slugs a year. I butcher my own deer and always have. Definitely cheaper than half a beef for me

You would be what we call an anomaly. Price of permit, packaging materials, sausage casings, smoker, ammo and travel to and from hunting area for most would cost, considerably, more.

how you deer hunt has everything to do with venison cost.

when my kids were little I would go to deer camp it typically cost me the gas to get there a 20 dollar license and going out to eat with the family.

several years I drove the min van or little Saturn we had , used the shotgun I bought then I was 14.

you can get easily get 4 deer in a Saturn S if you lay the back seats down and break the deer down and put them the coolers

if you start adding hotel rooms and leases then your absolutely correct beef would be cheaper

work your connections I don't get downer cows because I just showed up at a farm one day and asked , I get them becsause I helped out with a bunch of stuff over the years , trapping and tree work.

I also get my firewood from the farm and do a little hunting there

but put in the work also

these connections have huge value but no taxes

I combine trips when I need to go into town and run multiple errands at one time

I keep my house about 61°

I mow my own lawn and don't rely on chemicals for it

I eat venison instead of buying beef

I carpool when possible

I process my own venison

You are right about saving money, but I will gladly pay a little more to avoid the idiots at Costco and Sam's Club.