Corn cobs were before my time, apparently, but I do recall the ever present Montgomery Ward catalog in the outhouse.  Didn't work too well, especially the pages with slick photographs, LOL.
Patrink

I've completely weaned my family off paper products with the exception of TP, but I use washclothes myself. I keep a covered vinagar bucket under the sink (like I did for cloth diapers) and a basket of dedicated washclothes on the back of the toilet. I've been doing this for two months--works well, but most people would consider this a corn cob. I just figured that I did it to wipe my recently toilet trained DD's butt, so why not my own? What's the real difference?

I don't use chemical cleaners in my home for health reasons more than frugality.

Happy to be here. Congrats to Pat.

My parents had chickens before...Mom and Dad were constantly debating cost. Mom said they did spend more but Dad felt the convenience and freshness was worth it. If compared to the top brands or organic, I think they saw the price evening out. Dad's chickens were odd little things, they preferred dog feed though Dad did toss some chicken feed to them. It kept the cost down but I have always wondered if that was bad though.

 I actually caught Dad talking to them, trying to explain to them the difference between chickens and dogs. I guess they didn't get it. I started calling them Fido, Rover, Snookems and Spot.

 For us, we will eat nearly a dozen eggs at one time. I estimate that I am spending $16 a month on eggs. And who knows what went into the chickens that laid them.

It's good to see you here, Momscheap!

Brandy, regarding the chickens, there's also the environmental factor - home-grown and locally-grown produce can save an awful lot in terms of energy and water consumption for processing, transport and packaging. So even if the price value is borderline, there is definitely a green bonus. I believe chickens keep garden pests under control too, is that so?

 Plus the added nutrition value from happy hens with a healthy diet - that would have hidden health-cost benefits.

Hi, Helen..

At this point in my life if natural or healthier is a little more than other stuff, I consider it well worth it. I struggle with paying a lot more though. Dad is talking about restarting his garden and acquiring chickens and rabbits again. He and I are considering sharing the costs and work on it since I live close enough to them to make this a possibility.

 His former chicken home consists of a roomy coop that would fit a dog or three and a enclosed yard that is larger than those easy to put up chain link dog cage/kennels. The yard was mostly cleared with plants growing scattered on two sides. The third was against some weedy, brushy area that was allowed to remain overgrown and was also allowed to creep into the enclosure. They seemed happy to sometimes hang out in the "woods".

Rabbits occupied it last. Dad had a standard rabbit cage or whatever those are called. He made some adjustments to make a doorway and an inclined walkway to the ground in the enclosure. It was Mom and I who crawled all over looking for recently born to check on them. Maybe the bunnies made the nest in the cage, maybe in the old coop, maybe somewhere in their little woods. The weedy area was the worst as sometimes bramble grew up in there, arghh!

Hi Brandy!

On Sunday, I shop in a famer's market for produce. The market is closed on Monday so the end of the day they sell off large quantities of produce for very little money. When the market closes they will throw away what is left. I love checking the dumpsters before I leave! I often find bruised fruit that can be baked, cooked, preserved or veggies that can be cooked and frozen. While I would not consider eating any of my finds in their raw state, I really do think that dumpster diving is my equivilent to corn cob living! LOL

Kris