March 16, 2010 | Posted by Brad Chaffee
Create Your Own Shirts For Just $12.00
When your kids are crazy about the latest and greatest cartoons or Disney movies, it won’t take you long to realize how expensive the clothes are. Our son wants EVERYTHING Lightning McQueen! Everything is not an understatement, and those shirts featuring the Disney cartoon cost an arm and a leg.
You can buy really nice clothes on eBay for much cheaper than in retail stores, not to mention the fact that Goodwill sometimes has some great finds as well. We found an even more frugal method and the greatest part is that our son loves them MORE, mostly because we can custom design the shirts.
You just need a few things to make this possible.
What You’ll Need:
$12.00
Photo editing software
T-shirts – $6.00 (pkg of 6/$1 per shirt)
Iron-on Sheets – $6.00 (pkg of 6/$1 per shirt)
Printer
Iron
Find/Create Picture
You can look for pictures of your kids favorite cartoon characters on Google, Flickr, Photobucket, and many more places. Once you find the picture you want to use it is important to remember to flip your image horizontally. This will make any text read backwards, but when you make the transfer it will read correctly.
If you want to get creative you can create your own pictures using your kids favorite cartoons as well. I created a picture of my son, where it looks like he is inside of lightning McQueen. I added some of my own text, and even decided to put something special on the back of his shirt to make it even more fun.
FRONT
BACK
Print Image on Iron-on Sheet
Again, before you print, be sure to flip your image, especially if it has text on it. Sometimes you will need to make sure your printer settings are correctly configured for the special transfer paper you are using.
Use Iron To Transfer Image
Heat your iron up and be sure you have a safe place to work on. An ironing board is ideal.
That is it, you are done!
EASY, CHEAP, and FUN!
ENJOY!
Categories: how to | 
Tags: frugal, fun, how to, self reliance, t-shirts | 
No Comments »
March 16, 2010 | Posted by Mark Z
Recently, we racked our homemade wine, siphoning it into a new container to remove the lees.
The authors of my wine making books describe this as an opportunity to taste the wine, and seem to regard it as a pleasant activity. It may be for some; it wasn’t for us.
I learned long ago not to drink alcohol with a straw. Aerating alcohol intensifies its inebriative effect. Unfortunately, my siphon includes a rigid section, so I can’t sink it into the wine to fill. If I wanted to siphon, I had to suck the liquid through the hose.
My siphon is long enough that pulling air out of it is chore enough; it didn’t help that air pockets formed in the line as I sucked. Out of breath, I sucked down mouthfuls of air and wine.
We discovered too late a little detail that none of the books mention: you need to break the seal to create a draw! They stress the importance of keeping air away from wine. I dutifully kept everything airtight, so that most of what I sucked out of the container got vacuumed back! Once we cracked the seal, things improved, but the hose kept backing up, requiring me to “reset” the siphon.
Michelle spelled me when I grew lightheaded. She quickly discovered that the instructions she’d been offering weren’t helpful. Nor was the snickering, which started pretty early. Against our will, during a fairly crucial step in the wine making process, we were getting blasted!
We started spitting wine into a container when we could, but that only worked for the last mouthful after flow started. Like it or not, we continued to guzzle wine at an alarming rate. It felt like we were being force fed.
Michelle urged me to leave it alone until another time, but with two half buckets of wine, we had to continue. Michelle sterilized a small pan and bailed the first bucket carefully into the second. We siphoned the remainder, sealed it, placed a bubbler, and cleaned up.
We ate very little dinner, staggered to bed early, and slept late the next morning.
We’re making our own wine out of frugality, but I would have paid premium prices to avoid that day’s ordeal. On the other hand, maybe we will save money—neither of us wanted our usual glass of wine with dinner, that night or the next. As for this batch, it needs to sit for several months of secondary fermentation. I doubt it’ll be disturbed for at least that long!
This is a significantly shortened version of a post that appeared previously on the Zeiger Family Homestead Blog.
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Mark Zeiger is a regular contributor to The Self Reliance Exchange. He and his family homestead off the grid in Southeast Alaska. Learn more about their life through their photos and blog at www.akzeigers.com.
Categories: DIY | Tags: do it yourself, racking homemade wine, self reliance | No Comments »
March 15, 2010 | Posted by Clair Schwan
Of the many driving tips that might be offered, this one isn’t intuitive – accelerate through curves to gain better traction. It seems that acceleration on a curve would cause a vehicle to loose traction and fishtail. It does if you apply too much, but limited acceleration improves traction when taking a curve.
To understand this, let’s first look at traction. Then let’s see how a vehicle wants to behave when rounding a curve, and then let’s put the two together.
Traction is…
Traction is necessary for travel in the direction we desire. When we accelerate away from a stop, the vehicle moves because it has traction with the road. It moves away from the curb smartly if we accelerate more because greater acceleration provides more traction – up to the point where we’ve lost traction because of applying too much power to the drive wheels.
If we’re on snow and ice, nearly any hard acceleration will cause the wheels to slip and the vehicle to slide in ways that make it behave more according to momentum and gravity than in the direction in which we’re steering. If we accelerate lightly, then we’re likely to move in a manner and direction that we expect.
Think in Term of Vectors…
Now, think of vehicle travel in terms of a single vector pointing in the direction your vehicle wants to travel. When you’re driving straight, there is a vector pointing directly ahead of you because your drive wheels are pushing or pulling you in that direction. Easy enough to understand.
Now, imagine the vector when you’re coasting around a curve. It’s pointing ahead of you and towards the outside of the curve because you’re going forward yet momentum wants to take you off the road. Accelerate hard and you lose traction and slide in the direction of momentum – the vector points hard to the outside of the curve as you slide off the road. It’s the same as if you had hit ice on a curve – you lose traction and the vehicle goes where momentum and gravity want it to go.
Putting it Together…
In light of the example above, where we lost traction on a curve, it’s easy to understand that more traction will keep us going in the direction we desire (simply because a loss of traction had the opposite effect). We also discovered that increased acceleration provides enhanced traction – up to a point.
Therefore, if we accelerate just a bit, then we’re taking advantage of enhanced traction and effectively redirecting the vector to point more towards the desired direction of travel and away from the outside of the curve. This is why experienced motorcyclists will slow down a bit going into a curve and accelerate through the curve – it helps them “stick” to the road with more traction.
Try it Yourself…
Here’s an experiment to prove the point. Drive with a steady foot around a curve you travel often and note how it feels. Then the next time drive around the curve, simply coast a bit and see how it feels. Then, the next time you drive around the curve use slight acceleration. You’ll notice the difference between the three approaches, and it will convince you that limited acceleration promotes traction in a curve.
Again, of all the driving tips, this one isn’t intuitive, but it’s true that acceleration through curves provides a wider margin of safety because of improved traction.
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Clair Schwan is an experienced driver in a range of weather and road conditions. See all of his safe driving tips over at Frugal Living Freedom, where the motto is, “…living well, and well within your means…”
Categories: driving | Tags: curves, driving tips, safe driving, self reliance | 1 Comment »
March 15, 2010 | Posted by DDFD
Got some fresh fish? Time to make your own Cocktail Sauce. Prep time is under five minutes.
Here’s what you need:
- 1/4 cup of ketchup
- 1-2 tablespoons of horseradish (How hot do you want it?)
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1-2 dashes of hot sauce (Again, how hot do you want it?)
- Dash or salt
- Dash of pepper
Here’s what to do:
- Mix ingredients
- Chill
- Serve with fresh fish
Enjoy!
This post originally appeared on DaddyCooksQuick.com, here is the link to the original post, How to Make Your Own: Cocktail Sauce.
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DDFD believes that self reliance and self sufficiency are the roads to individual freedom. He is dedicated to living a quality life through Frugality, personal growth, development, and productivity, and Defensive Entrepreneurship. On weekends, he can be found in front of the BBQ grill.
Categories: recipes | Tags: cocktail sauce, cooking from scratch, recipes, self reliance | No Comments »
March 14, 2010 | Posted by Clair Schwan
A more self reliant life in the country often means using cattle guards to keep cattle in or out of certain areas. They are often used where we want an open road or driveway, but we don’t want cattle wandering off where they shouldn’t be.
If you have ever traveled in open range country, you’ll see these guards across the road. They are good size pipes placed about 8 inches apart for about 3 to 4 feet of the road surface, across the entire width of the roadway, with a 1 foot deep pit below them. They are the cattle equivalent of a tightrope, and so cattle won’t cross them, but vehicles can safely travel across them.
These guards work well for cattle, but they also work well for horses. And, horses can be just as much of a nuisance as cattle. I’ve had more than one occasion where horses have wandered onto my land and trampled through the garden – what a mess.
You can build do-it-yourself cattle guards or simply pass the word that you’re interested in getting one. Friends, neighbors and the local salvage company might just come up with one for you to help fend off cattle, horses and other livestock that may be found wandering your neighborhood.
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Clair Schwan doesn’t raise cattle, but he lives in a “fence out” state where you have to fence out livestock that you don’t want on your property. Cattle guards are in his future if only because his neighbors have horses that occasionally go for a stroll.
Categories: animals | Tags: cattle guards, hints and tips, horses, livestock, self reliance | 1 Comment »
March 14, 2010 | Posted by Mark Z
Hopefully, you find that the Self Reliance Exchange offers a lot of really good information, particularly about emergency or other “unusual” situations that might arise unexpectedly. Are you printing the articles you really like? I hope so!
Emergency preparedness includes having the information you need at your fingertips, regardless of what else may be going on. A lot of SRE’s content will become very useful during a local, regional, or national emergency—if you can access it.
Face it, knowing where you can find important information on the Internet in the case of an emergency doesn’t hack it. In many emergencies, your Internet connection will likely fail. Even if it doesn’t, you probably won’t have time to log on and pull up the information you need to make it through the crisis.
Just as now is the time to prepare for emergencies, it’s also the best time to print the articles you think you might need at a later date. Print them if you judge them worth saving, and stick them in a loose leaf binder. That way, you’ll have the information available, in hard copy, when you need it most.
As you do this, please remember to give credit where credit’s due. Don’t cut and paste in ways that remove the article’s author, or the source Web site from the document. The SRE team is sharing this information at no cost to you, and you’re welcome to use it at your own risk. In return, please help ensure that what ownership we reserve is preserved! Even if you don’t care about extending us this courtesy, do it for your own sake. You may need the reference documented somewhere down the line.
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Mark Zeiger is a regular contributor to The Self Reliance Exchange. He and his family homestead off the grid in Southeast Alaska. Learn more about their life through their photos and blog at www.akzeigers.com.
Categories: emergency preparedness | Tags: emergency preparedness, ready access to information, self reliance | No Comments »
March 13, 2010 | Posted by DDFD
Don’t correct it even if you know you made a mistake. Today, I lost my cool over someone’s compounded mistake. I realized when I got home that I was the person’s victim. I remembered that I had been asked to confirm back my order after it was done– I thought strange at the time. Later, I had to trudge back out in the rain and burn gas to go back. All of this was pointed out to the manager– I asked for and received double the amount of the correct order.
I understand people make mistakes, but what burns me up is when they know they made it and they pretend it didn’t happen and hope nobody notices– like a small child afraid of getting in trouble. Sadly, in many circles, this is becoming the new American Way. Self reliant people know that as a country, we need to get away from this approach and return to the doing it right– even if it is the second time.
So, how do you avoid making mistakes worse?
- Own up to it
- Fix it immediately
- Learn from it
Why fix mistakes right away? Here are some reasons:
- It costs less money and time fix it sooner or later.
- Customers and clients respect you.
- You will feel better knowing you got it right.
Moral of the story– do it right the first time or fix it fast!
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DDFD believes that self reliance and self sufficiency are the roads to individual freedom. He is dedicated to living a quality life through Frugality, personal growth, development, and productivity, and Defensive Entrepreneurship. On weekends, he can be found in front of the BBQ grill.
Categories: self improvement | Tags: fixing mistakes, how to, self improvement, self reliance | No Comments »
March 13, 2010 | Posted by Clair Schwan
Predators are around the homestead even if you see no sign of them. Let’s take a look at the basics of how they interfere with your objectives of raising small animals for meat and eggs. This is the basic knowledge you need to start understanding your small animal adversaries and how to deal with them.
- No matter where you go, it’s always a struggle between animals that want to occupy the same space. It’s either cooperative or competitive. When it comes to predators, it’s mostly competitive, and they view us as just another animal with which to compete. Your job is to be a better competitor.
- Whether growing vegetables or raising chickens, what you have is seen as “free food” or fair game for your adversaries. They’re especially appreciative of you providing them with a wide selection of food – all at seemingly no cost. Your job is to make it cost them something.
- Determine what kind of animal you’re dealing with. To do this, you’ll have to know a little about reading tracks, identifying scat, and knowing a bit about animal behavior. Each animal has distinct characteristics that are identifiable. If you know your animal problem, you’ll be able to figure out what kind of behavior you’re likely to face.
- Depending on your animal adversary, you may have a daytime problem, a recurring unwanted visitor at night, or a clever critter that hunts and gathers during the day and night. Know when you’re vulnerable to predation.
Your options to deal with predators are many and varied, but largely boil down to killing, relocating, preventing and deterring. What you select and how you go about doing it is largely your choice, but each choice has a place in your playbook. Your job is to know what will work best to eliminate or avoid problems caused by predators.
Coming soon I’ll provide detail about the most common animal problems that you’ll likely face while raising meat and eggs. I’ll address the lowly and ubiquitous mouse – yes it qualifies as a predatory animal and you’ll see why. Rats are simply larger versions of the mouse, so they’ll be addressed together as rodents.
Another common animal problem is the domestic dog and domestic cat, both of which can become stray and turn feral. You may also have to face the coyote, even if you live in an urban area. Foxes are beautiful, but they create problems as well. So do raccoons and what I call a “raccoon in a tuxedo” – the skunk.
I’ll also address birds of prey like hawks, falcons, owls and eagles. Snakes can also be a problem, so I’ll touch on those slithery animals too. Lastly, I’ll discuss larger predators like bears and cougars. Although not nearly as common as others, they can still present a problem for those of us who keep “free food” on hand for others brave enough to invade our airspace to get it.
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Clair Schwan loves wild animals and enjoys seeing them, even right up close around his homestead, but he knows that some are predators and will offer serious competition for other small animals he raises for meat and eggs. See his adventures in small animals over at Frugal Living Freedom where the motto is, “…living well, and well within your means…”
Categories: animals | Tags: common predators, homestead animals, predators, self reliance, small animals | 2 Comments »
March 12, 2010 | Posted by DDFD
Here’s another fish recipe I used to make for romantic dinners for two– the thing is the kids like it too. The flavor is a combo of sweet (the shrimp) and zesty (the citrus).
Here’s What You Need:
- A bag of medium sized (24-31 in a bag) raw shrimp
- 1-2 Lemons squeezed (seeds out)
- 1-2 Limes squeezed (seeds out)
- 1 tablespoon of sea salt
- 1 tablespoon sherry or wine
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon of fresh ground pepper
- 1 teaspoon parsley
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
Here’s What to Do:
- In a pan put the olive oil and butter on medium heat
- Put washed, shelled shrimp in pan add more olive oil if needed
- After two minutes, start flipping and add all other ingredients
- Flip, Stir, Serve
How I serve it: Over rice with a choice of veggie side or serve over pasta (Don’t forget lemon slices)
This works on tilapia too. Enjoy it!
This post originally appeared on DivorcedDadFrugalDad.com, here is the link to the original post, Quick Dinner Idea: Lemon/Lime Shrimp.
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DDFD believes that self reliance and self sufficiency are the roads to individual freedom. He is dedicated to living a quality life through Frugality, personal growth, development, and productivity, and Defensive Entrepreneurship. On weekends, he can be found in front of the BBQ grill.
Categories: recipes | Tags: cooking from scratch, cooking shrimp, recipes, self reliance | No Comments »
March 12, 2010 | Posted by Mark Z
While our unusual weather here in Alaska is far less dramatic than what the east coast has experienced lately, it’s far enough from normal that we’ve taken bold measures.
I heard the term “snow drought” on the radio, quoted from a fairly official source, to describe our lower than normal snow pack this year. Even with our low ridge, we rely on a snow cover that’s deep enough to melt slowly in spring, and hopefully, to linger into early summer to feed our water catchment systems. Last year’s water shortage is still very clear in our memories; we’re afraid of a repeat this year. That’s why we decided to prepare early for switching from our winter water tank to the summer one.
The homestead’s original owners established the system so that in late spring, after the last freezes, the intake of the summer system would be opened to fill that tank. Once it had filled, the house can be switched to the summer tank. This allows the winter tank to replenish from snow melt and rain run off. Since the summer water source dries out in the summer, eventually, the switch must be made back to the winter system, usually in late summer.
That’s the model. We decided to alter the practice a bit to prevent a shortage later. We began filling the summer tank on March 3.
There’s risk involved. It’s very possible that we’ll still see one or more hard freezes this season. By setting the creek diversion to fill the summer tank, we commited to extra vigilance to avoid freezing. It’s worth it to fill the tank early, especially since the current strong run off means clearer, fresher water than we usually expect from that source. By building a reserve early, we can use that tank longer into the summer, as the dwindling source won’t be required to fill the tank in coming months.
Last year Michelle researched weather records, and arrived at an earlier “safe date” for planting in the spring. She has, in effect, proven that we can start considerably earlier than the “official” safe planting date. Likewise, we find ourselves adjusting the water guidelines to ensure that we have water when we need it.
A version of this post appeared previously on the Zeiger Homestead Blog.
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Mark Zeiger is a regular contributor to The Self Reliance Exchange. He and his family homestead off the grid in Southeast Alaska. Learn more about their life through their photos and blog at www.akzeigers.com.
Categories: water supply | Tags: rain collection, self reliance, water catchment | 2 Comments »
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