I love a bargain! Many times I buy generic brands. I shop thrift stores. And I've become more and more interested in being as self-sufficient as possible.
A major motivator for being self-sufficient is not being at the mercy of the ever-increasing prices of food and utilities.
Until I buy property and move my herd of doggies onto acreage, I live in the city. However, I'm still looking for ways to be more self-sufficient and save money.
For example, I planted more vegetables this year so I don't have to buy so much food at the stores for my dogs and me. Of course, the veggies need water, which means my water bill goes up. Is that really saving money?
Well, it can be--by reusing water. I've done some research on using graywater from showers and the washing machine to water plants. I've switched from using detergent to using natural cleaners that won't harm plants, and I have the parts to set up this system--before a total kitchen remodel side-tracked my good intentions.
This morning, I accidentally rediscovered another way to reuse water. I say rediscover because I remember my mother talking about washing dishes in a dishpan and using the water that was left for their flowers.
While I was using a large kettle to do the final wash of carrots my granddaughter dug the other day, I realized I could reuse that water for my tomato plants. Duh!
I do a lot of rinsing of veggies and other items in the kitchen, as well as washing my hands about every five minutes. :) All this water adds up--enough to water my 50-plus tomato plants, cucumbers, and broccoli.
That was just this morning. The bargain hunter in me was delighted--and so were my veggies!
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