Sharing the Good Life! - Getting back to basic living

So you have read the intro and think to yourself 'I want a bit of the Good Life, how do I get it?' Well to start you need to look at your current lifestyle and see what changes you can make or what changes you want to make. It does not have to be all or nothing, just makeing small changes makes a lot of difference. Below is a few examples of what you could do:

1) START GROWING YOUR OWN VEGETABLES - This does not mean you have to turn your whole garden into a vegetable plot and lots of back breaking digging. Start off small and gradually expand. Start by growing some tomato's in growbags or trailing tomato's in hanging baskets. Another easy thing to begin with is growing potato's in bags. Once you become more experienced and confident then you can expand your growing space and choice of vegetables.
There are many advantages to growing your own vegetables and fruit, you know what has been used to grow them, the taste, the satisfaction of knowing that you produced it when placed in front of your family to eat and also it helps to keep you fit.

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2) MAKING YOUR OWN MEALS, CAKES, BISCUITS, JAMS ECT - Instead of buying shop bought ready prepared meals, cakes, biscuits, jams and sauces, make your own. It's not difficult and there are 1000's of recipes to choose from, you can make it as difficult or as simple as you want. If you are not a confident cook then start off with the simple things which just use a very limited number of ingredients and only has about 5 different steps in the making/cooking process. As the saying goes the more you do it the better you will become.

The advantages of making your own food again is numerous, you control what you eat, especially if you or someone in your family is on a special diet. It will cost you less and less waste. You can cook batches of your favourite food and freeze for use at a later date, this is great when time is limited. And most of all the satisfaction of knowing you made it. One of the best things my mother and grandmother ever taught me was to have a well stocked store cubboard, this is all your basic essentials you will need to cook anything. Having a well stocked store cubboard you will never be without a meal, as there is always something you can make.

3) FAMILY OUTINGS/ DAYTRIPS - These can still be special without costing you a fortune. You don't need to go to the heaving theme parks or any other cash guzzling place. There is plenty todo with hardly any or no expence at all. Pack a picnic and venture off down to the local park or forrest and take games that you can all participate in. Go for bike rides and stop off for a picnic. You could go to the beach again with a picnic and ball games. Instead of going to the cinema, rent some DVD's make your own popcorn and any other goodies you fancy and all sit down with the lights of to watch. Involve the kids in preparing the food and and choosing what they want to do. By involving them they look forward to doing these things.

You don't have to go without going to the the expensive places, get a container and label it day's out and pop in your loose change and save for them. Another way to save on days out is to keep an eye out for money off vouchers, free tickets and any special offers that maybe going. These trips to the park, forrest and beach do not have to be limited to the summer month's either, just wrap up warm, it's the best way to beat them winter blues.