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F-You Money and Herbs.
I learned about F-You Money at Chautauqua, a financial independence conference set in the English countryside and surrounded by herb gardens. Five amazing speakers/bloggers shared their ideas about financial independence (FI), side hustles, and early retirement.
One of the best parts of Chautauqua was being with a group of people who get it. People who have F-You Money. People who understand there is more to life than working at a job (when you’d rather just spend your time puttering in the garden or playing with herbs).
If you can grow a garden, learn how to forage for wild food, become your own chef, and get to know just 10 herbs to spice up your meals and keep you out of restaurants, then you may be able to save more F-You Money!
Table of Contents
What is F-You Money?
What, you may be wondering, is F-You Money? It’s more than an Emergency Fund (3 to 6 months of living expenses), but less than complete Financial Independence (FI).
F-You Money is just the right amount of savings that allows you to walk away from a job and do something else that you’re more passionate about for a year or two – maybe start a little herb business. F-You Money equals freedom.
Check out JL Collins, the mastermind behind Chautauqua, as he channels John Goodman in “The Gambler” to illuminate this concept (warning – explicit language).
(Used with permission from jlcollinsnh. Directed, filmed and edited by Joan @ Meister’s Balogna and Brian @ Inner Parakeet.)
As a baby boomer who didn’t save enough money when I should have, I went to Chautauqua to learn ways to catch up on my retirement savings. The week was spent learning about investing, tax optimization, and side hustles to make and save extra money.
Can herbs help you to make more money?
I’ve had a few herbal side hustles in the past, and am still very passionate about herbs and aromatherapy. Growing herbs and making your own herbal products can be a fantastic way to save money to invest.
An interest in herbs can also be developed into a money-making side hustle. I’ve made money selling herbs, writing about herbs, teaching herb classes, and leading herb walks.
Chautauqua herb walk, just for fun.
While attending UK Chautauqua in Stratford Upon Avon (Shakespeare’s birthplace), I led an herb walk just for fun. Here are some of the cultivated and wild plants that I talked about with my new money-minded friends.
We started our herb walk in the traditional knot garden where we talked about Tussie Mussies – small, fragrant bouquets or nosegays that were used in medieval times. Tussie Mussies were often held close to the nose to avoid smelling the unpleasant body odors of others (bathing wasn’t big back then).
I’m not suggesting anyone should give up bathing in the hope of growing an IRA with the money saved on soap and water!
As our group strolled over to an ancient chapel on the grounds of the castle where we were staying, we discovered Lady’s Mantle, Lavender, and Roses. This gave me an opportunity to introduce the Language of Flowers in addition to the folklore and traditional uses of herbs.
The Language of Flowers became popular in prerevolutionary France and remained a favorite pastime during the Victorian era both in Europe and America. Tussie Mussies were given as gifts to convey a message or make a statement without saying a word.
Each flower or herb used in the bouquet had a secret meaning. A bouquet containing red roses signified passionate love, while yellow roses said, “Let’s just be friends.”
It was fun to find Lady’s Mantle growing on the grounds, as this beautiful herb was believed to have magical properties. The Latin name Alchemilla comes from the Arabic word alkemelych, which means alchemy.
The magic of F-You Money goes way back!
Alchemists gathered dewdrops from the leaves of this plant in their quest to create the Philosopher’s Stone, which reputedly could turn base metals into gold. Medieval alchemists were into FI, too!
The lovely serrated edges of Lady’s Mantle leaves resemble the scalloped edges of capes worn by women in medieval times. And in fact, women revered Lady’s Mantle as an herb for enhancing beauty, as it was believed that applying the dewdrops to the skin would lighten imperfections.
Years ago, I studied with herbalist David Hoffmann, who noted “Lady’s Mantle has the power to restore feminine beauty, however faded, to its early freshness.” An herb that can restore feminine beauty, sign me up!
Traditionally, Lady’s Mantle was used to regulate the menstrual cycle, as an astringent and anti-inflammatory, and even as a wound healer.
Culpeper listed Lady’s Mantle as one of the important healing herbs used in the battlefields of the 15th and 16th centuries. A wonderful herb for women, men, and even magicians!
Walking across the lawn to a wooded lane, we passed a beautiful specimen of Chicken Mushrooms growing on a tree, and a nice stand of Comfrey in the grass. Along the lane and next to the stream, we found Plantain, Bedstraw, Stinging Nettle, Yellow Dock, Self-Heal, Linden, and Cedar.
We also found 8′ tall poisonous Hemlock, which the hotel staff confirmed that they were trying to eradicate! Not all plants are safe – don’t harvest or use anything if you’re not sure what it is.
Seek an expert before collecting and using wild plants.
Consult an herbalist (and of course, you will want to get permission if you are not on your own land).
LADY’S MANTLE (Alchemilla vulgaris)
LAVENDER (Lavendula officinalis)
ROSE (Rosa spp.)
COMFREY (Symphytum officinale)
PLANTAIN (Plantago spp.)
BEDSTRAW (Galium spp.)
STINGING NETTLE (Urtica dioica)
YELLOW DOCK (Rumex crispus)
DANDELION (Taraxacum officinale)
SELF-HEAL (Prunella vulgaris)
LINDEN (Tilia spp.)
These were some of the herbs that we found on our herb walk while in Stratford Upon Avon. I’d like to encourage you to pick any ten herbs that intrigue you and get to know them. Grow them, use them to beautify your home, make your own skincare products, or eat them (if edible).
There are so many fragrant, medicinal, and culinary herbs. It can be a little intimidating to ponder learning about them all. Start slowly.
Just pick ten herbs.
Anyone can get to know ten herbs. Once you’ve mastered your first ten herbs, move on to your next ten, and so on. Baby steps.
It can be helpful to keep a notebook, journal, or create your own Materia Medica to record what you learn as you grow, taste, and use herbs to enhance your health.
Materia Medica refers to the body of knowledge about the healing properties of plants and how they have been used over time.
Most herb books have a Materia Medica section, describing each herb in depth. Taking a course will also provide this information.
My favorite herb books are a good place to learn more.
Any book written by Rosemary Gladstar, David Hoffmann, or another herbalist is a good place to learn more. Here are some of my favorite herb books to get you started (affiliate links):
Forest + Home: Cultivating an Herbal Kitchen by Spencre McGowan (Newest work from herbalist and writer Spencre McGowan!)
The Herbal Kitchen: Bring Lasting Health to You and Your Family with 50 Easy-To-Find Common Herbs and Over 250 Recipes by Kami McBride.
Medical Herbalism: The Science and Practice of Herbal Medicine by David Hoffmann
The Alchemy of Herbs
The Herbal Medicine Maker’s Handbook
Rosemary Gladstar’s Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health: 175 Teas, Tonics, Oils, Salves, Tinctures, and Other Natural Remedies for the Entire Family
Herbs for Natural Beauty: Create Your Own Herbal Shampoos, Cleansers, Creams, Bath Blends, and More. A Storey BASICS® Title
For more great herb books & the best financial independence books, check out my shop.
Other ways to save money with herbs, whether you need F-you money or not:
Growing and using herbs can be a great way to add incredible flavor to your meals without spending all your cash in restaurants. If you really get into it, you can save buckets of money by making your own herbal lotions, balms, and creams.
Make your own herbal teas and treats to give as gifts instead spending a ton of money in stores. People really appreciate hand-crafted gifts from the heart, like easy and beautiful homemade herbal vinegars!
Or even start a little side hustle selling herb plants, culinary herb blends, fresh lavender bundles, dried herb wreaths, or herbal soaps. Have fun, and be sure to invest your savings into your retirement account!
The more you save, the sooner you will have your own F-You Money so you won’t have to keep working at a J.O.B. (when you’d rather be outside playing).
Linking herbs and FI…
…ya gotta love it!
Thanks for linking to my now infamous little video. Just so your readers know, in person I rarely drop the F-bomb. 🙂
But when you do, Jim, it’s perfect.
“I’m not suggesting anyone should give up bathing in the hope of growing an IRA with the money saved on soap and water!”
Hahaha! And I was just thinking I never have to take bath again!
So cool that you know so much about herbs! One if my ex-coworkers had all these poisonous plants around his house (liked the look of them) and for some “mysterious” reason his dog kept getting sick and puking all over the place. Hmmm mystery.
Thanks for sharing your herbilicious knowledge with us at Chautauqua!
My pleasure, Kristy!
The herb walk at Chautauqua was lovely Kathy. You are a wealth of knowledge and I thank you for sharing it with us on the walk.
Awww, thanks, Jolene. It was so great to meet you at Chautauqua!
I love growing herbs in our small backyard garden. The return on investment is huge given how much fresh herbs cost in the store. I love the connection between herbs and f-u $.
Thanks, Shawn! Yes, it’s incredible how much money you can save by growing your own herbs. Make your meals fantastic!
You have inspired me to check out some books on herbs.
Thank you, Justine, that’s great! There was a time when very few herb books were available, but thankfully that’s not the case anymore! Always look for herb books written by herbalists (rather than a book that was compiled by an editor who may not know about herbs). The library has a good selection of herb books now, too.
Chicken of the woods is such a delicious mushroom! We love eating it fried. We keep a full garden, and love to tincture and create herbal oils and remedies.
My mother makes a wonderful homemade herbal soap. 🙂
That’s great, Jaya! Our family enjoys mushroom hunting, too. My favorites are black trumpets and hedgehog mushrooms. Gardening is great for so many reasons, including the satisfaction you get from raising your own food, creating your own health remedies & herbal handcrafted items. Your mother’s herbal soap sounds nice!
And of course, you’ll save lots of money!
Good post! I had never heard of F-U money, but love the concept!
Thank you, Eric. I appreciate you for stopping by & sharing your thoughts. I’m so glad you enjoyed the post!
The term F you money is a new one on me, but I like it 😂 I recently walked away from my job, partly to care for my children, and partly to follow the things I want to do
Glad to hear you liked the post and the whole idea of F-You Money. Having a good financial cushion makes it so much easier to leave a J.O.B. and spend your time (a finite resource) on something more important to you. Thanks for stopping by, Adam!
I haven’t heard of F-You money but my former boss used to refer to FI as the F-You Chair. That has stuck with me over the years.
The F-You Chair? Very curious, Michelle!
An informative, beautifully written post!
As well as the financial gain, there’s something so rewarding about growing your own!
Thank you, GWT! Yes, it’s definitely satisfying to be able to grow your own herbs and even better to be able to create an extra income stream!
Love the idea of F-you money! What a freeing thing to be able to walk away from a job to pursue a passion.
I’m not a great gardener. I’m just learning, but have had a side hustle refinishing furniture. It’s a lot of fun!
That is the great thing about following your passion! You can turn a hobby into another income stream. That money becomes your F-you fund! I know several people who make good money refinishing & selling furniture. Thanks for reading & commenting, Alison!