Sometimes it is nice to indulge in a little treat! Get a coupon for a sixteen size smoothie for only two bucks when you become a Jamba Insider! Click here for more details.
Jamba Juice Coupon
Do the Earth a Favor: Don’t Celebrate It!
This was originally published on Earth Day 2010, I am republishing it because it is still true: We can’t spend our way to a greener planet. It also explains why corporations are not lining up to sponsor my blog.
Do the Earth a Favor: Don’t Celebrate It!
Or at least don’t celebrate it the way the merchants are suggesting, by driving all over town buying their “eco-friendly” products. Instead stay home and buy nothing; it is better for the environment, as well as your finances! Here are some frugal AND green suggestions to enjoy on Earth Day or any other day of your choosing:
- Instead of buying eco-friendly paper napkins and paper towels, use cloth napkins and towels.
- Instead of buying eco-friendly cleaning products, make your own dishwasher detergent, glass cleaner, and laundry detergent. You can make just about anything you need with Borax, Washing Soda, and Vinegar.
- Start a garden. You can not get any more local than your own backyard. You also don’t have to wonder what the term “organic” means when you are eating your own produce:
- Make something from scratch. Recyclable packaging is nice, no packaging or reusable packaging is better.
- Repair something. In most cases, it is better for the environment and your pocketbook, to repair a broken item, rather than throw it away and buy a new version. When my washing machine broke, I was able to fix it myself by following the steps on an appliance help board and it cost me less than $30.00 for the replacement part.
If you feel you must go out, here are a few frugal, eco-friendly suggestions:
Visit the Library – Even if you think you want to buy a book, why not read it first and make sure it is worthy of adding to your personal collection? Many libraries also loan DVD’s, Books on Tape, and CD’s.
Shop at a Thrift Store – Purchasing a used item, even if it was not made of organic cotton or renewable bamboo is better for the environment than buying a new item.
My personal favorite – Turn off the electronics and go for a walk or bike ride.
Am I the only one who finds it ironic that we are being encouraged to drive all over town and buy stuff on Earth Day?
This post is linked to Works For Me Wednesday and The Penny Pinching Party.
Pin It
How a Year of Buying Nothing New Changed my Perspective on Electronics
In 2010 my family joined The Compact and did not buy anything new for a year. In many ways it was not as hard as I expected. We were not big consumers to begin with and didn’t mind buying the items we needed used. There were only two items that were particularly hard to go a whole year without buying them new: books and music. I did buy used books from the thrift store and we borrowed books from the library, but it was really hard to get our hands on some of the new releases. I really wanted to read The Happiness Project
Prior to our year on The Compact, I was anti-electronic books and MP-3 players. I was a real books advocate and had only recently converted to CDs. I swore I would never go over to the dark side! As a year of buying nothing new wore on, I began to see the benefits of electronic books and MP-3 players. The driving principle behind The Compact is reducing waste and I realized that with electronic readers and MP-3 players the only physical item that is purchased is the electronic book or MP-3 player, after that everything is downloaded.
No, I didn’t run out and buy anything on January 1, 2011, but I did keep thinking about the benefits. There is no wasted packaging, no shipping materials, no dead trees, and no petrol products used to create plastic cases.
My husband bought me a Kindle
I have been able to upload the songs from my cds and now when I buy music there is absolutely no packaging to deal with. Plus, I only buy the songs I like instead of buying a whole album, which saves me money. There are only a couple of artists who produce albums where I like every single song (Hilary Hahn
I realize that the devices will have to be replaced at some point. However, I am still watching an old-fashioned t.v. rather than a flat screen and am still using a solar powered calculator that my husband gave me 23 years ago, so am not the type of person to upgrade just because a new version came out. I will use the devices I have as long as they run.
After the initial purchase of buying the electronic devise, we have saved money by buying books and music electronically. It has also reduced both the stuff in our house and the waste of packaging and shipping materials. However, I encourage you to do research for yourself before you purchase any electronic devices to make sure they fit your lifestyle and budget.
Pin It
Free eBook on Kindle: 51 Essential Oil Recipes to Improve Your Health
I just downloaded 51 Essential Oil Recipes To Improve Your Health And Clean Your Home
You don’t have to have a Kindle to take advantage of these deals. You can dowload Free Kindle Apps for your Computer or Smart Phone
Thank you to Annie of Haphazard Homestead for sharng this on her Facebook Page.
Frugal, Eco-Friendly, Homemade Soaps and Cleaners
Annie Jones, from Haphazard Homestead, is sharing frugal, green recipes for household cleaners, laundry soaps, and hand and bath soaps.
Going green and going natural doesn’t have to be an expensive venture when it comes to homemade soaps and cleaners. Whether it’s bath soap, laundry detergent or all-purpose cleaners, making these at home can be both frugal and fun. The biggest expense may be your time.
**********
Frugal all-purpose household cleaners go together quickly with just a few ingredients.
The simplest of these is simply vinegar and water. Vinegar is mildly disinfectant and safe for both people and pets, and is good for hard surfaces, glass and floors.
Vinegar and Water Cleaner: Simply mix 1 part white vinegar with 1 part water in a 32 ounce spray bottle. Use as you would any homemade spray cleaner. Suitable to be used on floors, glass and almost any hard surface.
For a stronger, yet safe, cleaner, a mixture of grapefruit seed extract and water is effective. In addition to being an immune-system booster, grapefruit seed extract has a wide variety of medicinal, kitchen, and household uses. Some of those uses can be found here. Grapefruit Seed Extract can be ordered online or purchased at most natural food or vitamin/supplement stores.
Grapefruit Seed Extract All Purpose Cleaner: Add 30-60 drops of Grapefruit Seed Extract (GSE) to any 32 oz. pump sprayer filled with water or cleaner. Use on all surfaces around the house to disinfect, kill mold and add potency to your regular cleaning solution. Test a small area before applying to the entire area.
Sometimes a mild abrasive cleanser is in order. An effective solution is a simple paste of baking soda and liquid dish soap. The baking soda provides the mild grit, while the dish liquid cuts through grease, oils and soap scum. Rinse away the solution very well, especially in the bathtub, as it can be very slippery.
Safe Abrasive Kitchen and Bath Cleaner: Make a paste of baking soda and grease-cutting liquid dish detergent of your choice. Apply to surface with wet scrubby sponge. Rinse well.
Glass and other surfaces will sparkle with a solution of ammonia, rubbing alcohol, dish soap and water. It has a clean smell as it is, but will also accommodate essential oils or fragrance oils for a “designer” scent. This formula is my personal favorite, but if you are bothered by the small amount of ammonia in this solution, you can use vinegar instead.
Alcohol-Based All-Purpose Cleaner
Empty gallon
1/2 cup ammonia (or, alternately, 1/2 cup white vinegar)
16 oz. rubbing alcohol
1 tsp. grease-cutting liquid dish detergent
Essential or fragrant oil (optional)
Food coloring (optional)
Place ammonia, alcohol and dish detergent in a gallon jug. Slowly fill jug with warm water (the slower you fill, the less the suds will be a problem). Add a few drops fragrant oil and or food color if desired.
**********
Laundry detergent can be a big cleaning expense, but making your own at home requires just a few ingredients and can be other unscented or scented to your liking with essential oils. If you prefer a liquid form, it can be made at home as well. Homemade laundry soap is friendly to both the environment. Earlier this year, I mixed up a triple batch of the powdered version. For the approximately $10 I spent, I was able to do laundry almost daily for seven months.
Powdered Laundry Soap: 
1 bar Fels-Naptha soap* grated
1 cup Borax
1 cup washing soda
Combine all ingredients.
Store in an airtight container.
Use 1 Tablespoon of this mixture per load of laundry. If laundry is heavily soiled, use 2 Tablespoons per load.
I use my food processor to grate the bar soap, and I find that if I use both the shredding disk on top and the chopping blade in the bowl, I can grate the soap to a fine powder that mixes more easily with the Borax and washing soda.
Liquid Laundry Detergent:
1 bar Fels-Naptha soap* grated
1 cup Borax
1 cup washing soda
Combine the soap with 6 cups of water in a large pan. Heat until soap has melted. Add Borax and washing soda and stir until dissolved. Pour 4 cups hot water into a large pail (3 to 5 gallon capacity) and stir in the warm soap mixture. Add 5 quarts plus 2 cups (22 cups total) of water and stir well. Let sit 24 hours before using; the mixture will gel. Use ½ cup per load of laundry.
*All ingredients are available in the laundry aisle of most grocery stores, discount stores, at some full-line hardware stores and online. Instead of Fels-Naptha, you can use Ivory, Pure & Natural, Zote, homemade soap or any other all-natural or laundry bars as desired. Make sure you use washing soda and not baking soda, as they are not the same thing. While I have never made the liquid version of this soap, I am told it sets to a gel that is thin, rather than thick.
**********
Handmade cold-processed hand and bath soaps require an investment of time and a few basic utensils and ingredients. However, the process can be fun and even frugal if you make enough batches to recoup the cost of equipment. Perhaps the biggest advantage in making soap is in knowing exactly what is in your soap and being able to get away from the chemical additives in commercial bath bars. Homemade soap is normalizing, in that the same basic soap can help moisturize dry skin or clear oily skin. In my family’s experience, it also noticeably improves eczema.
Over time, soap making can be a rewarding hobby. It can become something of an art-form, as the combinations of oils, scents, colors, herbal additives, molds and milling techniques are virtually endless.
Because I’m a beginner to the soap making process, I am including just one basic recipe or formula here (one that has given me very nice results), then I will direct you to some websites and blogs for the actual process of making soap, which is the same, regardless of the ingredients and the amounts. The process requires time and care, and may seem daunting at first, but is actually not complicated at all.
Basic Handmade Soap
Ingredients:
810 grams (28.5 ounces by weight, not volume) olive oil
310 grams (10.9 ounces by weight) coconut oil
300 grams (10.5 ounces by weight) rice bran oil
80 grams (2.8 ounces by weight) peanut oil
570 grams (20.1 ounces by weight) water
213.5 grams (7.5 ounces by weight) lye
Essential oils for fragrance and soap dye for color – both optional
Follow the process listed HERE or HERE. Please pay special attention to all directions and safety tips.
**********
For further details and ideas on soap making, I’ve found the following books to be helpful:
The Complete Soapmaker by Norma Coney
Making Soap from Scratch by Gregory Lee White
Soap: Making It, Enjoying It by Ann Bramson
**********
I hope you will give some of these homemade soaps and cleaners a try. Even using just one will make your life greener and simpler. For me, they are definitely worth the time it takes to mix up a batch or two.
Annie Jones’ blog, Haphazard Homestead, focuses on the topics of food, gardening, sustainable living, home improvement and general life observations.
Annie lives in a suburb of Kansas City, MO, with her husband Shane, granddaughter Kat, and three cats.
This post is linked to Frugal Friday.
Repurposing Clothespins
Bumpkin Chip Clip
Why spend $2.00 on a plastic chip clip that is just going to break and end up in a landfill? My bumpkin chip clip cost 4 cents (you can buy a bag of 50 for $1.99), is over 10 years old, and shows no sign of breaking:
Ziploc Bag Dryer
Ever wonder how people who wash out and reuse their baggies dry them? I snuck the below picture last time I visited my parents. They pin their wet bags to their kitchen curtains and let them dry. Yea, I know the nut doesn’t fall far from the tree.
Drying Art Work
When my indoor clothes line is not in use drying sweaters, it is often employed to dry art work:
Whiter Whites
Line drying your clothes not only saves money it is a great way to brighten your whites without chemicals:
How are you repurposing clothespins in your home?
For more frugal ideas, visit Frugal Fridays at Life as Mom.
Mercy House Shop Review
I have a very special store I want to tell you about: Mercy House Shop!
All of the proceeds from the Mercy House Shop benefit the Mercy House Maternity House in Kenya. Most of the items are made by residents of the maternity home. They learn various skills and earn 25% from each item that is sold to help them start a business or further their education once they graduate from the program. By purchasing from this store, you are supporting these young mothers and their babies.
A number of the products are made from recycled items, in addition to being handmade. Visit the Mercy House Shop to view all of their merchandise.
The winner is #7 Shelly C. The Giveaway is now closed.
The giveaway is open until Saturday, December 3rd at 12:00 midnight (EST). The winner will be chosen by Random Number Generator. The winner will be announced here and notified by email. This giveaway is open to everyone. Shipping or handling chardes not included as part of the giveaway.
To enter the giveaway, leave a comment on this post.
Disclosure: I have not received any compensation for writing this post.
Repurposing a Water Bottle to Create a Vase
My intent in repurposing water bottles was not just to create a vase, but to create a childproof vase because this little guy will not stop picking my daffodils:
Every time I open the back door Andrew shoots out and quickly returns with flowers for me. I made several attempts to redirect him early in daffodil season. I quickly realized the futility of trying to dissuade him and instead turned to trying to find a safe vase for him to put his bouquets.
Andrew wanted a vase and was not pleased when I provided him with cups and bowls. Most of my vases are handmade by friends so I didn’t want to sacrifice one. While looking through my collection for one he could use he pointed to a heavy crystal vase that was given to us as a wedding gift. I asked him what he liked about it and he said liked that he could see the stems. I told him he could see the stems through the glass on the counter and he said, “It’s not a vase”. True enough. I asked him if he wanted to help me make some vases and he was thrilled with the idea.
Turning a water bottle into a vase was so easy, I really don’t know why I hadn’t thought to do it before. Andrew cut the labels off with his scissors. We washed the glue off with warm water. Then I cut the bottle right below where it began to neck down using kitchen scissors. I didn’t even have to measure my cut, I just followed one of the groves in the bottle.
At the rate he is bringing in flowers, I expect to have more daffodils inside the house than growing in the back yard by the end of the week.
4 Ways to Minimise Household Waste
Mrs. Green is guest posting today. In the picture to the left she is holding all of their household waste for the entire year of 2010!
Mrs Green runs My Zero Waste which gives tips and advise on reducing household waste – find out how to reduce, reuse, recycle AND save money!
I’m honoured to be sharing a guest post on Alea’s blog today and I want to talk about minimising waste.
Like losing weight, reducing waste tends to plateau after a while and you might be wondering how you can up the stakes and get back on track!
That certainly happened to us during 2009 where we were accumulating 100 grams of waste per week. When we got to the end of the year we took a look at our habits to see where we could reduce waste even further. Our goal for 2010 was for ZERO waste to landfill, so we needed to make some pretty radical changes to achieve this.Here are some ideas that might help you:
1 COMPOST
You might be surprised to learn that up to 60% of your household waste can be composted. This includes things like fruit and vegetable peelings, but extends to coffee grounds, crushed egg shells and even the contents of your vacuum cleaner and hair brush!
Check out our beginners guide to compost to learn about achieving the right ‘green to brown’ ratios and to see what other items you can compost.
2 PACKAGING
We all need knowledge to become aware of issues, so it might be time to take a bin audit! For a week, keep everything you might ordinarily throw away and ask yourself if you could reuse it in some way, recycle it or even swap your shopping habits to buy something with less packaging in the future. You might be surprised to see what wasteful habits have crept in.
3 REUSE
Do you buy disposable items? Maybe it’s time to ditch the disposables and switch to reusable options. Here are 7 commonly bought disposable items which you might be able to switch:
Microfiber cloths instead of kitchen towel
Rechargeable batteries instead of disposable ones
Furoshiki instead of wrapping paper (See here for information about furoshiki)
Nappies – cloth diapers are kinder to the skin and better for the environment
Sanitary protection – try the mooncup or washable pads
Disposable biros – try a fountain or ink pen instead and replace just the ink
Water bottle – say no to bottled water and take your own reusable bottle with you
4 FOOD WASTE
In our house we don’t have food waste, we have INGREDIENTS! This simple shift in mindset can bring creativity and some exciting meals to your table. Sure it can bring disasters too, but see what you can come up with. One of our favourite meals of the week is on a Monday lunch-time when we have ‘Sunday Lunch Soup’. As you might guess, Sunday Lunch Soup consists of leftovers from our Sunday roast blitzed in the blender, livened up with a few herbs and served piping hot with crusty bread.
POSITIVE SIDE EFFECTS
Many people are feeling a bit of ‘green apathy’. We’ve all heard the green stories and we’re getting a bit fed up of people telling us what to do. But the great side effect of making these changes is that we can save money and who doesn’t want to do that? By composting household waste you don’t have to buy expensive compost for your garden or house plants. By switching to reusable products, you’re not throwing money away on ‘once-use’ items and by reducing food waste, you could be saving up to a third of your grocery budget.
Tell me, what methods do you use every day to minimise waste in your home? I’d love to hear them!
Free Box of Gently Used Clothes from thredUP
Swapping on thredUP allows you to replace your child’s old clothes (and toys) for “new to you” clothes (and toys) for your child. Pick up a box of gently used children’s clothing or toys when you join today – it’s Free to join and you’ll get your 1st box for Free (just pay the shipping) through this link. Then list a box of your child’s gently worn clothes and when another member selects your box, you print out the prepaid label and mail it off – at no cost to you!
