Interesting ways to save money……..

[woodland]

I think there’s a few too many covid threads and it’s getting warmer on here than standing beside the burning brush piles here. 😉

I’ve really grown fed up with how the price of mineral for the cattle seems to ratchet up way faster than what I get for the critters. Had enough of it a year ago and now I buy the ingredients and mix it myself. Example….. I bought a pallet of mineral for our grazing corn for $31/bag whereas the limestone, salt, ADE, and molasses that I mix comes out to $14/bag. That bag covers 200 head a day and only takes an extra minute to mix a batch in the feed box when I give it to them twice a week. Probably saves at least $500 a week during the winter grazing and the ingredients are all in bags too so all it takes is a bit of math.

What odd things does everyone else do to save a buck?

P.S. Diesel is now over a $1.05 which is eating up my savings…….. Grrrrrrrrrr😉

[AlbertaFarmer5]

My money saving tip.
Waste my time on agriville instead of going out tool shopping or auction sales or restaurants or concerts or or sports or traveling or equipment dealers or farm shows.
Much more entertaining. And much much cheaper.
Now if only I could convince the rest of the family about the benefits of this cost saving measure.

You probably don't really want to get me started on my cost saving measures, it will make the scotch and the Dutch blush.
But the best one I know of.
An older trucker once told me that when he was a teenager he would deflate his bald tires in the fall, and somehow squeeze them into a bigger truck tire casing that still had tread. Then inflate his own tires inside of the good tire and have instant winter tires.

[6V53]

During harvest I dump some diatomaceous earth in the first load and last load going into the bin. I buy the stuff for cows not the stuff the chemical companies sell for 10 times the price.

[woodland]

During harvest I dump some diatomaceous earth in the first load and last load going into the bin. I buy the stuff for cows not the stuff the chemical companies sell for 10 times the price.

Is that to prevent possible bug issues?

[Guest]

Is that to prevent possible bug issues?

yes , very effective for grain beetles, as good as the stuff you buy for it ,way cheaper
they have to crawl through it and it kills them

[GDR]

I think there’s a few too many covid threads and it’s getting warmer on here than standing beside the burning brush piles here. 😉

I’ve really grown fed up with how the price of mineral for the cattle seems to ratchet up way faster than what I get for the critters. Had enough of it a year ago and now I buy the ingredients and mix it myself. Example….. I bought a pallet of mineral for our grazing corn for $31/bag whereas the limestone, salt, ADE, and molasses that I mix comes out to $14/bag. That bag covers 200 head a day and only takes an extra minute to mix a batch in the feed box when I give it to them twice a week. Probably saves at least $500 a week during the winter grazing and the ingredients are all in bags too so all it takes is a bit of math.

What odd things does everyone else do to save a buck?

P.S. Diesel is now over a $1.05 which is eating up my savings…….. Grrrrrrrrrr😉

Can you buy selenium to mix in? Maybe you aren't in a deficient area?

And is the molasses the dry stuff, and assume its just for taste?

[makar]

Going to try reloading my own ammo.

[poorboy]

Make sure you put a fair value on your time is my advice. Often the things we really like to do take a lot of time with a very poor return for our time.

Most commercial seed treatments can be made much cheaper by buying the raw ingredients and combining them than buying the ready to use product.

Seeding my canola last only requires 1 in crop spray at my place as more weeds are emerged for the burn down.

Seeding my earliest maturing crop first helps my harvest start sooner. I used to seed my latest maturing crop first and shortest season last, but my harvest started later and everything was ready at once. Lost more to late harvests.

[blackpowder]

Going to try reloading my own ammo.

Actually that can be a costly bug unless you use a lot. But I'm a tool freak.

[blackpowder]

Make sure you put a fair value on your time is my advice. Often the things we really like to do take a lot of time with a very poor return for our time.

Most commercial seed treatments can be made much cheaper by buying the raw ingredients and combining them than buying the ready to use product.

Seeding my canola last only requires 1 in crop spray at my place as more weeds are emerged for the burn down.

Seeding my earliest maturing crop first helps my harvest start sooner. I used to seed my latest maturing crop first and shortest season last, but my harvest started later and everything was ready at once. Lost more to late harvests.

How does one buy the raw ingredients?

[makar]

Actually that can be a costly bug unless you use a lot. But I'm a tool freak.

Cost dont matter if there is nothing to buy.

[Sheepwheat]

Going to try reloading my own ammo.

I do shotgun shells. Got a rifle reloading manual for Christmas from the kids. Looking forward to it..

[Happytrails]

re: saving money

I used to unplug about 4 livestock waterers at 9:30 or 10 AM and plugged them back in at 6. Saved 1/3 of the electricity for heating. But dont forget to turn them back on! Not sure if the current operator is maintaining the practice.

[shtferbrains]

I had some water bowls set up with heat tape in the lines underneath right up to the valve with no other heat underneath. Used a 250 watt sinking heater in the float box.

[woodland]

re: saving money

I used to unplug about 4 livestock waterers at 9:30 or 10 AM and plugged them back in at 6. Saved 1/3 of the electricity for heating. But dont forget to turn them back on! Not sure if the current operator is maintaining the practice.

If the waterers don’t have heaters there’s one less thing to spend on. 😎 Only have a single electric waterer for the sick pen on this place. Some ice chipping may be required on cold days with the tire waterers but most of it is the build up around the waterer. Got an axe in every vehicle and tractor that goes out to the cows all winter.