I make my own toys which saves but I also buy in bulk and then cook and freeze. I also have reduced what I do for myself so my birds can still have the finer things.

I buy local produce, it may cost more in gas, but the food is better, stays fresh longer and is not contaminated with e coli or salmonella, and it is cheaper. But I am lucky, I can't spit without hitting a fruit and veggies stand or farmers market.

In Indianapolis, we aren't so fortunate. I am trying to buy more local, not just for Winkie, but our family too.

That truly stinks! One just opened up within walking distance from me, do you have room to grow your own? Poe's dad, is growing cucumbers, peas, peppers, herbs and tomatoes all in pots on his porch. So far so good. I realize it's mostly likely to late to start now, but maybe next year?

Well, we've got tomatoes on the side of the house - 4 plants in pots! No peppers this year. My neighbor has cukes & tomatoes in her garden. We used to have 2 large garden plots in the backyard, but the shade took over. There is a kind of market stand about a 1/2 mile or so from us that sells some local stuff. We occasionally get some stuff there.

It's hard....fids are expensive end of story. Food I don't find so bad. We freeze and dehydrate too...and I do have a sizeable garden which is all starting to come in now. We eat lots of fresh fruit and veg ourselves, so it's not a chore to have it here for the fids.

Toys are my challenge...keeping two big macaws in toys is HARD...and I am not sure if it's that I do not have the desire, or if I am just not creative enough...but I hardly ever make anything!!! I need to get some good ideas and actually spend some time making a bunch so they are just ready and waiting.

My mom is here for the summer and she's crafty....maybe we'll have to have a couple of weekend long bird toy making sessions. Hmmm do we have any threads on here with ideas for large bird toys...if not we should start one....I need all the ideas I can get!!

If I had 2 macaws I think I would just donate a tree to them, chop it down and bring it inside and let them have at it. I completely understand the shear amount of toys one goes through with the big guys! I would be like "oh here ya go this chair and table is old anyway, have fun destroying it"

I purchase bird food in bulk only.

I have many fruit trees in my area. I freeze a lot of the fruit when they are in season (and free to me). This way I can offer them local fruit, out of season. I'm currently cutting up & freezing Mango's. Our neighbor has an extremely huge fig (Turkey Figs) tree and I can get all that I want from that also.

We also have 2 Papaya trees in our yard with a load of papaya's on it! In about 1-2 weeks from now, we will be able to pick one of the papaya's off the tree. I have a food dehydrator, so I have use that too.

We have 2 different kinds of Banana's planted, but they are too small to produce.

Did you know that you can freeze almost any fruit?