frugally green

How cost-effective is it to make homemade pantry staples?

2009-07-17T09:53:00.000-07:00

I just read an interesting article about homemade pantry items. The author tries out several recipes to see if she can make things like bagels and yogurt at home for cheaper than it costs at the grocery store. You can see the article here. Enjoy!

Favorite Baby Products that Don't Cost a Fortune

2009-07-03T08:43:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple of my favorite baby products. Don't worry, Frugally Green isn't turning into a baby blog, I'm just trying to point out how to get some good deals.

My Brestfriend Nursing Pillow
Despite it's ultra cheesy name, this is my absolute favorite baby product ever. It helped with nursing more than anything else out there. Unlike the boppy pillow the brestfriend sits high and close around your waist to get the baby in the perfect position for breast feeding. There are also two little bumps on top to either provide additional softness for your elbows or to prop your newborn's head on so that he latch properly. With the boppy my babies would slide down in between the pillow and my belly and I would end up hunched down and uncomfortable. The My Brestfriend pillow completely changed nursing for me. The are pretty expensive new--$30 to $40 dollars depending on which cover you get. But these babies are all over Craigslist, Freecycle, and in consignment shops and thrift stores. I bought one at a thrift store, still in the package for only $2! But a more realistic price on Craigslist is about $15.

Antilop Highchair by Ikea

This highchair costs $19.99 new and you can purchase the tray for $5. $24.99 for a highchair is a steal. But! Check resale stores and Craigslist. We found ours for $8 at a baby consignment store and I've seen them listed on Craiglist many times. What we love about this highchair is that it's simple, simple, simple. Since the seat is all once piece it cleans up very easily and if needed we can fit the tray in the dishwasher. When our son was little we just put a little pillow behind him to fill up the space. There are no different seat positions but we've never found that to be a problem. Plus, it looks great and doesn't take up much space.

I'll add more to this list in a couple of days. In the meantime, what are some of your favorite frugal or green baby products?

Preparing for Baby the Frugally Green Way

2009-06-29T10:17:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine once said, "When the blog is silent life is not." We sure didn't intend for the months of May and June to pass by without a single new post to Frugally Green. But when I stop to consider what that means I'm glad that we have decided to live real life instead of spending unnecessary hours on the computer. Don't get me wrong, I know Celina, Kristal and I enjoy sharing and learning frugal and green tips here. It's just that real life always trumps blogging.

In my case, May and June were occupied with getting through my first trimester of my third pregnancy. Some friends of mine have been asking me to register for baby shower gifts. But my main thought is, "It's my third child...I don't really need anything." And that thought led me to recall the ridiculous message our culture sends to first time moms--babies need a lot of stuff. That is simply not true, my friends.

And so here are some tips on how to get everything you need for baby's first year without spending a ton of cash and filling your home with useless plastic junk.

1. Reevaluate your needs. The "must haves" lists that places like Babies R Us and Target give to new parents are greatly exaggerated. You really don't need a diaper wipes warmer or a musical light up vibrating teething ring. Go down those lists with critical eyes and ask yourself, "Will I really need that item to take care of my baby?" Babies need a place to sleep, a way to eat, diapers, temperature control (clothes, blankets, etc.) , and a safe mode of transportation (a car seat if you will be driving, a sling/carrier or stroller for walking). Everything else is extra.

2. Borrow from friends who already have kids. You probably have friends who have children who have outgrown their crib, high-chair, swing, exersaucer, etc. But they're hanging on to all that stuff in case they have another child. Here's the thing, excepting the crib and high-chair, all those other things are only in use for a few months at a time. Most parents I know would be glad to lend baby gear to a friend so it will get more use and so that they can have some storage space back for at least a few months. So don't be afraid to ask if anyone has a baby bath tub or bumbo that you can use for a little while. Your wallet will thank you. And so will your garage shelves.

3. Buy used. Craigslist, ebay, thrift stores, consignment shops, and garage sales are great resources for used baby gear. Things like exersaucers and bouncy seats are used for such a short time that most are in like new condition. The only item you really need to purchase new is a car seat. For safety reasons, the peace of mind that you know the car seat has never been in an accident is priceless. Also, some car seats "expire" after 4 to 6 years because the plastic breaks down making them unsafe in the event an accident.

4. Make your own. If you have some simple sewing skills you can make your own baby blankets, bibs, burp cloths, nursery decor, clothes, even diapers and baby carriers. Or if you aren't crafty, let people know you are interested in handmade items. Lots of people enjoy making baby gifts. Etsy.com is great resource for purchasing handmade items, as well. Also in this category, make your own baby food. It's easy, doesn't take a lot of time and will save you so much money. And, as if it needs to be said, breastfeed your baby. At least try--there are so many benefits to breastfeeding including the fact that is free!

5. Be open to hand me downs. With each of my pregnancies I have had several people ask if I needed clothes, crib bedding, gear, etc. Just like with the borrowing thing, experienced parents and those who are "done" having kids are more than willing to clean out their garages and attics and pass all that stuff on to new parents. My advice is to say "yes" to those offers, especially if the givers don't want the stuff back. Then you can simply sort through the clothes and things, pick the items you like and will use, and pass the rest on to someone else or donate to charity.

6. Buy simple. Don't be suckered into buying an expensive highchair just because it has 87 seat back positions and comes with 3 trays and you can purchase additional toys that attach to the arms. Because you will probably only use two of those seat positions and hate the extra trays and overstimulating toys. Not to mention all the nooks and crannies in those types of highchairs that will inevitably become filled with food and be impossible to clean out. Go for simple designs that will be easy to assemble and clean. This applies to cribs, car seats, strollers, exersaucers, play mats, swings, etc. As my husband says, "If it needs batteries, don't bother."

So, there are a few general ideas for you. In the next few days I'm going to post links to my favorite specific baby items that offer a lot of value for their cost. In the meantime, if you have any other frugally green ideas on how to obtain the needed items for a new baby without spending a ton of money feel free leave them in the comments section. Thanks for reading!

Living Simply, Consuming Less

2009-04-28T13:32:00.000-07:00

Anyone else notice that the concept of "Green Living" is turning into a big money maker? Everywhere you look someone is using the concept to promote their product. It's no secret people are leaning towards more sustainable living and corporations big and small know that the trend means big business. Their goal is to keep you feeling good about consuming their products so that they can make more money. I believe that simple living and cutting our consumption are two components that must be incorporated into our lives in order to live both frugally and green.

Here are two examples of what our family is doing to live more simply and consume less:

*One of my husband and my goals for 2009 is to abstain from purchasing brand new clothing for one year (with the exception of undershirts, bras and underwear - aren't you all relieved :). So here we are at the end of April and we haven't purchased anything brand new for ourselves. A couple of things that this has resulted in:
- We realize that we are fine without new clothes. We already have PLENTY.
- We have saved money by not purchasing items we don't need.
- We look for ways to extend the life of the items that we already have.
- We have a new picture or "necessity".
- We realize that in order to live more simply and consume less that sometimes it means resisting what is popular, or not always having the latest and greatest and we are ok with that - actually, we're happier that way.
- When you resist the urge to buy, buy, buy, the result is a sense of power and the good feeling that you are not at the mercy of corporations!!!
- In consuming less we do good for our world - Cotton crops pollute. It is estimated that in the Third World, half of all pesticides used are used on cotton fields. When you recycle a single gently-used T-shirt and one pair of jeans, you help save a full pound of chemical fertilizer and pesticide from being released into the soil, water, and atmosphere. "Cotton accounts for only 2.5% of all agricultural land use, but for 22.5% of all insecticides applied in agriculture." (guardian.co.uk - very interesting article by the way).

*The second area that we have chosen to live more simply and consume less is in the food arena. We eat a lot of beans around our house and because of that, we have chosen to stop purchasing cans of beans and instead purchase bulk beans. The result has been:
- We save a lot of money on beans -dry beans are cheap.
- Our waste consumption goes down as we do not have to dispose of the container that we purchase the beans in (by the way, did you know that the inside lining of cans, if coated, contains the all-too-familiar chemical BPA. I just found this out the other day - Booo Hissss!).
- We are in control of all the ingredient that cook our beans (canned beans are particularly high in sodium and they also usually contain some kind of preservative).
- Soaking our beans releases all the nutrients and health benefits available.
- It takes time and forethought to use dry beans - I consider this a bonus and part of living simply - many might not think the same:)!
- As a side note here is a informative blog post that explains how to soak and cook dry beans in great detail: Kitchen Stewardship you can also fine a ton of information on the internet.

So there you have it - just a couple of little things that we have been able to incorporate into our lives. Sometimes the effort seems small but the benefits have been great for us. So what about you? I'd like to hear of the changes - small or big that have allowed you to live more simply and consume less.

"Reel" Mowers

2009-04-24T14:02:00.001-07:00

A couple years ago our family made the switch from a gas powered mower to a reel mower. Some consider the reel mower to be an ancient tool of the past :) but we are finding that there are many benefits. Ironically, as I am typing this I hear someone mowing their lawn two doors down.

Here are a handful of reasons we made the switch:
*Rotary mowers tear the grass - reel mowers cut grass like scissors, leaving a fine spray of clippings as mulch for your yard. Additionally, the way that reel mowers cut helps the grass maintain moisture and keeps diseases out.

*Less noise pollution - instead of the roar of a mower, you hear the quiet mechanical sound of the blades and the chirping of birds (or in our case the squawking of chickens).

*My husband doesn't stink when he is finished - Instead of the smell of gas exhaust, you have the smell of fresh air and fresh-cut grass.

*Mow early or late - we don't have to worry about waking the neighbors or interrupting someone's afternoon nap. The temperature will be cooler!

*Per hour of operation, a gas lawn mower emits 10-20 times as much hydrocarbon as a typical automobile (1).

*Reel mowers offer a great work-out. The new designs are definitely easier to use that those 30 or so years old but using a reel mower is not an effortless task.

*You don't have to worry about starting up your mower and having it break down on you. The pull chain won't snap and you'll never run out of gas.

*Gas powered mowers cost more: you have a higher purchase cost, a higher maintenance cost, higher fuel costs and a higher cost to our environment.

*Reel mowers are light enough to lift and store on a wall in your garage.

Some drawbacks:
- They do take some effort, but they aren't any harder to push than an 80-pound gas mower that isn't self-propelled. You are your mowers engine!

- It does take a bit longer to mow with a manual mower than a power mower.

- Manual mowers are harder to push when the grass gets too tall, so keep your lawn mowed weekly.

- Your lawn will look cut but not manicured.

-Blades should be sharpened every two years (i think this is the same for a gas powered mower).

- Reel mowers don't chop up sticks.

- You will have grass clippings left on your lawn - we feel like this is better for your lawn as it provides natural mulching but some may be bothered by it.

All in all, our family has enjoyed the benefits of using a reel mower. So next time you're in the market for a new lawn mower maybe you'll consider a reel mower!!!

(1) www.eartheasy.com

Whole Wheat Bread in the Bread Machine

2009-03-20T07:53:00.000-07:00

If you have a bread maker you'll want to check out my post at my personal blog. I've finally come up with a recipe that makes whole wheat bread taste soft and chewy like store bought bread! For my family that means saving over $3 per week! You can find the recipe here.

breathing new life into a tired lamp

2009-03-04T11:16:00.000-08:00

check out how here!

Amazing Eye-Make-Up Remover (in a cute package!)

2009-02-26T08:02:00.000-08:00

My favorite Christmas gift this year was from my beautiful sister-in-law, Anita. We had told each other that we both wanted to make as many handmade gifts for our family as possible and she did not dissappoint! Isn't it cute? And it works wonderfully, too. The skin around my eyes feels so soft and I feel much better using this than I do about putting mineral oil on my face (ew!) I think it's a fantasitc gift idea and you probably want to make one for yourself, too!

dryer balls

2009-02-25T07:42:00.001-08:00

dryer balls...no, they're not related to the little beasts that eat random socks in your dryer:) they actually save money and the earth's resources! these balls are designed to reduce drying time by separating laundry while it tumbles and allowing warm air to flow more efficiently. they also soften your fabrics without using chemical softeners. they have been proven to make ironing easier, decrease lint and reduce drying time up to 25%! they are totally reusable...just leave 'em in your dryer and forget about them. and if that isn't enough.....i just found a site that tells you how to make your own!! (yes, i watch too many infomercials:) act now, this offer won't last! oh, wait. it will. but still, get on this right away and let us know how it goes!

Popcorn

2009-02-18T08:08:00.000-08:00

I made a great find at a thrift store recently--a popcorn maker!

My kids LOVE it. I love it, too and here are some of the reasons why:

Popcorn is an easy healthy snack.
By making my own popcorn I can control how much butter and salt is used.
Popcorn kernels are MUCH cheaper than pre-popped popcorn or microwave popcorn.
There is very little waste with popcorn kernels, as opposed to microwave popcorn which often has a plastic wrapping, plus the paper bag, not to mention to cardboard box it comes in.
It's fun to watch the popcorn popping (and it takes about the same amount of time as microwave popcorn)
No hot dangerous oils or burning microwave bags.

As you can see I bought it for a great price! New popcorn makers cost between $14 and $20 on average. For all the benefits listed above, I still think they are worth that price. However, buying a fun appliance like this at a thrift store not only saves you money but it also means you're giving something a second life--which is always more environmentally friendly than buying something new. Plus, you won't be contributing to any landfills with all the packaging of a new appliance.

If you decide to go thrifting for a popcorn maker I'm sure you'll find plenty to choose from. When I bought this one there were four others on the shelf, including a brand new one still in the box. Just be sure to check the power cords for kinks or fraying--setting your house on fire is not frugal or green. :)

Move Over Glade

2008-11-06T12:43:00.000-08:00

'Tis Satsuma season! Don't you just love those easy-to-peel little oranges? We fly through them in our house. Instead of ditching the peels in the compost why don't you used them to make a natural air freshener? Here's what you need:
Put the peels from a few of the little guys into a small pan, sprinkle some cinnamon over them or add a few cinnamon sticks, cover them in a decent amount of water and set the burner to the lowest heat level. Make sure you check it periodically so that all of the water doesn't evaporate - or if you're me you set a timer :)
Soon your home will be filled with cinnamony-orange goodness without the chemicals or waste from a store bought air freshener. Mmmmmm . . .

Article: Toxic Chemicals Found in Common Laundry Detergents, Air Fresheners
Hidden Hazards of Air Fresheners

Time for a Treat

2008-09-19T09:08:00.000-07:00

Me: If you finish eating those vegetables you can have a
treat!

My 5 year old: Oooh! What kind of treat?

Me: You'll see!

I'm sure my son was expecting a cupcake or a piece of candy or maybe even a small toy. But what he got was so much better. First of all, it was completely free. Plus, it not only causes no harm to the environment but it actually helps the earth. And it's something he'll never get tired of so I can use the same treat over and over again. Want to know what it I gave him?

My 5 year old: Mom! I'm done! I ate all my vegetables!
What's my treat?

Me: Time with me! You get to choose, an extra story at story time
or we can play a board game together.

My 5 year old: A game! A game! I want to play a game with
you!

You would think I had just told him he could live in Toys R Us. We played 3 rounds of Mancala and had a great time together. Not only was it a treat for him but it was also a treat for me.

The next night, I offered the same deal and he gobbled up the foods he is usually very picky about for another game night with me. He did extra chores for a trip to the park with Daddy. And last night he ate a bowlful of rice (which he HATES) to be able to have craft time with me.

I know how tempting it is to use candy or toys to avoid tantrums or picky eating battles or all manner of parental woes. But ultimately, those things are entirely consumable. They will rot our children's teeth or occupy space in a landfill. But time, that's the most frugally green gift you can give--and it will last forever!

free magazine!

2008-09-05T05:05:00.000-07:00

you can get a one-year subscription to kiwi, a magazine dedicated to helping families live healthy lives and all you have to do is purchase one annie's product...even a box of mac and cheese! click here for details and to submit your request.

give me a crock-pot and some veggies and call me gerber!

2008-08-27T07:42:00.000-07:00

one of my absolute favorite blogs is a year of crockpotting. this woman decided to cook in her crock-pot every day of 2008. she invited all of us to join in and learn from her journey. the best part, in my opinion, are not the pot roast or soup recipes (we've all seen those before), but the unique things she makes in there. for instance....baby food! we've heard the benefits of making your own baby food many times, but that usually included slaving over a steamy stove and lots of messy pots and pans. not this way! even if you don't have a baby right now she mentions using these cooked and pureed veggies in a deceptively delicious way and "sneaking" them into food for extra nutrition for your family.

she also has posts about making crayons, cream of mushroom soup, and other such frugally green items. so-dust off your crock-pot and see it as your new green friend!

Saving "tons" on lunch

2008-08-21T22:50:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year . . . the yellow school buses are rolling out of the bus barn, the pencil sharpener is waking up and moms and dads around the world are preparing to pack daily lunches once again. I think that we'd all agree that "brown bagging" it is definitely the least expensive way to eat lunch at school . . . not to mention the healthiest way! Hopefully after reading this post you'll have a few more ways to save some cash as well as the lovely planet. Let me explain . . .

Every kid produces an average of 67 pounds of lunchbox waste per year. That equates to 18,760 pounds of lunch waste for just one average-size elementary school (laptoplunches.com)- think baggies, wrappers, yogurt containers, juice boxes, plastic silverware, paper bags . . . enter Lunchopolis, Laptop Lunches, Lunchsense, Kid Conserve and other lunchbox systems.

These lunchbox systems will run you around $30 - $40 but believe me, you'll save that much and more . . . I'll explain:

First of all, Laptop Lunches are phthalate free, bisphenol-A (BPA) free and lead free. Lunchopolis is PVC and lead free. Lunchsense is BPA lead and PVC free. Kid Conserve is made of recycled cotton and non-leaching food grade stainless steel. You're saving your kiddo exposure to some fantastic chemicals - bravo!!!

Second you've got reusable containers that fit perfectly in the box so that saves trash and cash. No more buying lunch bags and Ziplocs to store lunch in. You can also buy a "back-up" set of containers so that while one set is being washed, the other set can be packed for the next day's lunch - handy dandy. Using one plastic sandwich bag per school day will cost approximately $10 a year. With a lunchbox system you never need to use plastic bags.

Third - more trash and cash savings: think juice boxes, yogurt, bottled water, granola bar wrappers, chip bags . . . using a lunchbox system encourages bulk buying. For example, packing one 8 ounce juice box in your child’s lunch every school day will cost approximately $224 a year. Refilling your reusable drinking bottle every school day from a 128 ounce bottle of juice would cost approximately $144 a year. That’s a savings of $80 (see you've paid for the lunchbox and it's guts already!!!). An individual serving of organic yogurt costs approximately $1.50. A 32 ounce container of the same yogurt costs approximately $3 and you get up to 5 servings to fill your reusable container. Individual 8 oz bottles of spring water will cost you approximately $47 a year. Using a reuseable waterbottle and water bought in a 1 to 5 gallon container will cost approximately $5 to $11 a year . . . . you get the point.

Other ways to save:
Pack a reusable cloth napkin
Pack real silverware - afraid your kid will lose your nice silverware (they will :)? Take a trip to your neighborhood thrift store and stock up so that you won't have to worry about granny's silver going missing.

Just think, if every child did this - Money normally spent on waste hauling could be used in the classroom instead.

If you are looking for some creative, healthy and fun lunch ideas for the 180 days that you all pack lunches, check here.
Learn to pack a no waste lunchbox here.

Packing lunches in containers means a bit more work . . . no more easy to throw in Quaker granola bars, snack packs of Doritos and Gogurt. However, calculating the cost to your wallet as well as to the environment shows that the extra effort pays off in the end.

move over mcnuggets!

2008-08-18T12:52:00.000-07:00

i am on a mission to get convenience food without the cost to my wallet and health. i LOVE convenience food cuz i think it's so yummy and so....well....convenient! i've tried several things already and love having the power to make something "packaged" my very own self! it is very empowering. for some reason when i look at things in the store all neatly wrapped and labeled it never even occurs to me that I could make that.
well...no longer! i tried my very own "mcnuggets" and boy were they good! i even sliced up some apple dippers on the side:) they really tasted so good and even my boys liked them (after years of the ones from the golden arches). super easy...wanna try?

-put some corn flakes, special k, or other cereal in your blender/food processor. chop -them to oblivion. add some salt, pepper or other spices to taste and maybe a little flour as well.
-cut up some chicken (boneless, skinless is easiest)
-dip chicken bits in egg and roll in the crushed cereal mixture
-bake

wasn't that fun? you can buy or make your own sweet 'n sour, bbq, honey mustard, or any kind of sauce! i put mine in little ziplocs in portions of 8-10 so i can pull 'em out and microwave for a warm healthy, and oh-so-convenient meal for my boys!

they're grrrrrrrrrrrreat!!!

2008-08-13T05:59:00.000-07:00

i have no original creativity, but boy can i spot a good idea when i see one! check out a multitude of ways to repurpose all those cereal boxes you're tossing...

t-shirt bags...who would have thought!?!

2008-08-09T01:05:00.001-07:00

this is SUCH a great idea! it is reusing something we all have (t-shirts that aren't being worn), it is frugal (pretty much free) and it provides a an alternative to plastic bags. it even eliminates the need to produce and buy reusable grocery bags! so frugal and so green on so many levels! sigh. if only i had a sewing machine. if you do and you make one of these will you PLEASE email me the pic...i will post it and you will be famous! (ok, maybe not famous, but i will think you are really really cool.)

also-these are much more compact than the bags you can buy for the same purpose so you could actually just roll and put in your purse so that when you shop you would actually have the reusable bag you meant to use and if something leaks...throw it in with your laundry!

Car Lockdown Update

2008-08-04T08:57:00.000-07:00

Well, we lasted 6 days. On Saturday we had to free our car in order to run a group of errands for the Family Business in the next town over. And on Sunday we drove it to a wedding near Salem. We figure we saved at least $40 worth of gas by not driving it for nearly a week.

Not driving helped us save money in other areas, too. For one, we didn't use any fast food drive throughs. Haven't you had those days when you've been shopping and you're stuck in traffic and the kids are whining that they're hungry and you spot a McDonalds and suddenly you've blown $10 and are now the proud owner of two horrid plastic kids meal toys?

Or how about this scenario: You're in Target getting toilet paper, dental floss, and a garden hose and your child sees some little trinket and it's only $2 so you let him get it. And oh look, this completely unecessary candle holder is so cute and its on clearance for only $4! So you throw it in your cart. You know what I'm talking about right?

Well, walking everywhere forced us to plan better. Since we were always close to home and there isn't really such a thing as pedestrian traffic jams, there was no excuse for fast food. (They were too far to walk to anyway.) Anything we might have purchased that was uncessary wasn't even a temptation because we knew would have to carry it home. When you've got to fit all your purchases into a backpack or a stroller basket you tend to only buy the things you really need.

We enjoyed walking everywhere so much than on Sunday night we locked the car up again. We know we'll have to use it on Tuesday and possibly Thursday, but it would be awesome to save another $40+ this week. How did you do? Want to join us for another week?

beautifying the earth

2008-08-01T10:13:00.000-07:00

today we walked home from a playground and i started being disturbed by all of the trash along the way. ari (5 1/2) and i started talking about how ugly it made things and how people make choices that impact other people, animals, and plant life. finally when we were almost home we decided...hey! let's pick this stuff up! we didn't have a bag and we were almost home, but we came up with all of this in our little impromptu litter walk. we are going to be more intentional next time and the discussion sparked was even better than the beauty restored.

Car Lock Down Challenge

2008-07-28T11:21:00.000-07:00

This is our car. It's not broken down. It's not being repaired. It's in jail. Yep, we've locked our car into our backyard and we're going to see how many days we can go without driving it. So far we've gone a day and half and we haven't missed it yet! Want to join our Car Lock Down Challenge? Leave a comment below. We'll check back in next Monday and see how everyone did.

Forgotten Money

2008-07-19T07:37:00.000-07:00

I have a lot of money. Vast quantities of it, actually. And I almost never think about it. In fact, I often look in my wallet and complain that I only have five dollars. You see, all that other money--it's forgotten money. Want to know why I forget it about it? Because it looks like this:
Not too long ago my husband and I made up a shopping list of things we needed. We only had $17 to spend and it looked like the items on our list would total that amount. My five year old asked if we could get some ice cream while we were out. It was a super hot day and ice cream sounded sooooo good. But, "Sorry, buddy. We might not have enough money for ice-cream," my husband said patiently. My son replied, "But you have lots of money! It's all over the place!" And he proceeded to point out our change jar, the pile of change in my husband's nightstand, the bulging coin pocket in my wallet, and then he reminded us of all the coins on the floor of our car.

He was right. We had lots of forgotten money! We each took a handfull of coins with us to Fred Meyer and when we were ready to pay we used the U-Scan. Our total was $17.82. If our son had not reminded us of all our forgotten change I might have thought to scrounge around in the bottom of my purse for 82 cents. I probably would have chosen to put one item back. Instead, we started plugging all our change into the U-Scan machine and watching our total go down, down, down.

At the end we only needed to pay $11.81. We still had a five dollar bill! Plenty of money for a carton of ice cream. It was a happy day indeed!

Now we try to use the U-Scan as much as possible so that we can play "The Change Game." (We could use the regular line but it seems rude to ask a real person to count all our change and to hold up the line for other customers.) It's amazing how much our dollars can stretch when we actually use all of them!

So where's your forgotten money? Do you have any tips on getting the most of out your change?

robot teaching green?

2008-07-04T19:23:00.001-07:00

today we went to see the new pixar movie: wall e. now, i know going to the movie theatre isn't exactly frugal, but maybe you could catch this at the redbox when it comes on dvd or do a matinee with no concessions:) it does fall into the green category, though. no preaching. not even much dialogue. just a picture of what can happen when we care more about convenience than beauty. more about ourselves and the immediate then those we share creation with.
i'm a person who feels almost any information about a movie is a spoiler so i will stop typing, but has anyone seen this flick? any thoughts?

Putting it all on the line

2008-06-29T15:06:00.000-07:00

So you make your own laundry soap? You rock! Here's another way to make the household chore of laundry cost less and leave a smaller footprint (hello buzzword =). Hang it out to dry! Did you know that electric dryers are in the top five energy hogs in your home? Of course it depends on the age, brand and model, but in general it's true!

Here's a link (How much electricity does my stuff use?) where you can calculate approximately how much energy you are using with certain appliances and then you can calculate the cost. This is a great tool! You can pick an appliance, device or even a kind of light bulb, adjust the amount of time you use it in a day, choose the cost of your electricity in kilowatt hours (get out your utility bill and do some math - the cost of your electric bill for the month divided by the KWH that you used) and whalaaa! Your cost per year is calculated for you!

In my situation we wash approximately one load of laundry per day (cloth diapers will do that to you). As a result, we run the dryer about one hour per day. I live in Oregon and the my average cost per KWH runs 7 cents. If I dried my clothes on the clothesline each time, I would save 150 KWH/month, $10.50/month and a whopping $126/year!

Does this offset the cost of my clothesline? Absolutely! My clothesline cost me $42.21 plus a bit of quickcrete and a little labor from my hubby (having a hubby is not necessary to complete this project, it just helps when you have a 1 week old newborn). If I use my clothesline 121 days the first year then I've paid for it with the money that I save not runing my dryer - every time i use it after that it's like money in my pocket!

Now, if you have to use your dryer like I do for part of the year (living in sunny Oregon and all), here are a few tips on cutting down on your energy usage:

of course you COULD hang your clothes on an indoor rack - Our dryer is in our garage so I hang my clothes on hangers and then hang them from the garage door tracks
when it's time to buy a dryer, buy one with a moisture detection feature so that it will shut off when the clothes are dry - and just FYI, the EPA does not award dryers with the energy star label
if possible put your dryer in a warm location in your home that way less energy is used to heat the air to dry your clothes
clean the lint filter after each use so that the hot air moves efficiently through the dryer
dry two or more loads in a row - take advantage of the heat still in the dryer from the first load.
dry full loads when possible - drying small loads wastes energy

I hope you are inspired! Personally even though it takes a little more time hanging my clothes out to dry, I find it rather therapeutic, much like weeding or hand watering my garden.

free green stuff...gotta love it!

2008-06-25T09:43:00.000-07:00

welcome to frugally green! i am so excited about this blog, but i will share more about that later. right now i need to pass on this great offer to you. corporate image is giving away FREE binders that are made with the earth in mind. just click here and give your name and address to have this lovely set sent to you! i already did and received a confirmation email. can't wait to get my "green" binders in 2-4 weeks!

Our FlexHinge Binders begin with durable binders board made of 100% post-consumer waste.
We have always worked very hard to make these binders green from the inside out:
We use soy-based inks and recycled papers
We recycle metal rings
Our lamination is inert
We are improving our production processes to reduce waste

Welcome!

2008-06-24T12:33:00.000-07:00

Wow! I just noticed that we already have comments! This blog is still kind of under construction as we plan out our posting ideas and decide on a final template. Add to all that the fact that one of our authors just had a baby and another one is about to move across the country! I'm not sure when regular posting will really start up but I hope you keep checking back! Thanks for all the nice encouragement!

How to Make Your Own Dishwasher Detergent

2008-06-24T10:24:00.000-07:00

Making your own cleaning products is super easy and super cheap. Here's what you need to make Dishwasher Detergent and a Rinse Aid: 2 cups of Borax
2 cups of Baking Soda
4 small packets of sugar freelemonade Kool-Aid (you can also use 4 tablespoons of citric acid--if you can find it)
White Vinegar

Mix everything together by either dumping into a big bowl and stirring it really well or dumping it into a container with a lid and shaking it up. You can keep it in your lidded container or re-use your old detergent box.

I used this adorable thrifted glass jar because going green doesn't mean losing my sense of style.

Use 2 tablespoons per load. (1 tablespoon in the open cup and 1 in the closed locking cup) Pour some White Vinegar into your rinse aid receptacle and your glasses will come out sparkling! (If your dishes end up covered with a white residue, you probably have hard water and need to experiment with the amount of Borax to use.)

This batch of dishwashing soap cost me about 65 cents to make and it will last for about 100 loads of dishes. It took me less than 5 minutes to make and probably only took that long because I took pictures for you!

If you try this out, let us know how it worked for you and what adjustments you made. Maybe add what part of the world you live in so others near you can benefit from your discoveries. Thanks!

Coupons for Organic Goods

2008-06-23T21:49:00.000-07:00

Found through the "Cent"sible Sawyer

Stonyfield Farm – Coupons for yogurt, milk, smoothies, ice cream - click on coupons
Horizon Organic - $1 off coupons for various dairy
Organic Valley – Coupons for milk, cheese, butter
Earths Best - Coupons for baby food
Rosetto - $1 coupon off pasta
Seventh Generation – coupons for diapers, wipes, laundry, cleaning, dishwashing products
Knudsen Juice - $1 off coupon for juice boxes
The Healing Garden – misc. coupons for moisturizer
Organic Prairie – coupons for steak, hotdogs, deli meat, other
Coleman Naturals – coupons for meat
Misc. products – dairy, skincare, gourmet, homeopathic coupons

Next time you fly . . .

2008-06-23T21:35:00.000-07:00

Not necessarily green but definitely frugal . . . unless you count the cash you save then it's green too.

"Has the price of your airline ticket ever dropped after you bought it? No Problem. Get a refund or a travel voucher for the price difference through http://www.blogger.com/www.yapta.com. Type in your confirmation number and ticket price and Yapta will track the fare for you for free. If the price drops, you'll receive an e-mail with step-by-step instructions on how to claim your refund and spread your wings for less." found in RealSimple

How to Make your own Laundry Soap

2008-05-10T21:43:00.000-07:00

Last December my friend Celina blogged about making her own laundry soap. I decided that I would try it out once my current supply ran out.

I did a lot of research online to find as much information as I could about making my own laundry soap. What I found was that pretty much all the recipes are essentially the same, some people use more or less of each ingredient, and that bath soap does not clean as well as laundry soap. I also learned that this is great for High Efficiency washers because it makes little to no suds (FYI the suds in store bought laundry detergent are for looks only and don't actually have anything to do with cleaning.)

In the end I went with Celina's recipe because a) she's my friend so I believe her when she says something works and b) because I believe her, her recipe is considered tried and true, c) it seemed pretty easy and d)Celina already did the price breakdown which saved me a lot of mental math work. Basically, homemade laundry soap costs less than 1 cent per load. You can't get much better than that!

Here's what you need:

Some kind of bucket to mix all your ingredients in. I used a 2 gallon paint bucket.
1/3 bar of Fels Naptha Laundry Soap (you can also use Zote, Octagon, or Ivory--amounts may vary)
1/2 cup Borax
1/2 cup Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda (everything but the bucket can be found in the laundry aisle of Walmart, Fred Meyer, or WinCo--at least in my neck of the woods)

Baking Soda and Washing Soda are different. See?

Step 1: Cut your bar of Fels Naptha Soap into thirds and finely grate one third of it. If you are awesome you have this grater from Ikea. $4.99 for two! If you don't have this grater you are still awesome. You just need to take a trip to Ikea.

This looks like it would be good on spaghetti but...no. Don't try it.

Save the other two thirds because next time you make a batch of laundry soap it will feel like you are doing it for FREE!

Step 2: Put your grated soap in a pot with 6 cups of water and heat on low until the soap melts. Don't let the soap boil. Once all the soap is completely melted add the washing soda and the borax and stir until it is dissolved. Continue stirring until the mixture thickens (almost as thick as honey) Remove from heat.

Step 3: Pour 4 cups of hot tap water into your bucket. Add the soap mixture and stir it up. At this point you could add a few drops of essential oil like lavender or tea tree oil if you wanted your soap to have a fragrance. Add nothing and your clothes will simply smell clean. (Don't you love how I give you a picture pouring? As if you have no idea what it means to pour? Yes, I am helpful like that. You're welcome.)

Now add one gallon of hot tap water plus 6 more cups. I used my giant 8 cup Pyrex measuring cup but if I had had an old milk carton I would have just used that. As you can see my 2 gallon bucket barely fit it all. You might want to use a 5 gallon bucket to avoid unnecessary sloshing.

Give it another few minutes of stirring and then let it sit overnight.

Step: 4 In the morning your soap might look runny, or like gel, or separated with big clumps of slime on top and water on the bottom. This is all normal depending on the weather, the type of soap you used, and how much of a tree-hugging hippy you are. At this point you can be done and simply keep your laundry soap in the bucket and just scoop out 1/2 cup per load. Or you can give it another good stir and funnel it into your old well rinsed laundry soap bottle. OR you can be a sucker for cute packaging like me and take it one step further.

Step 5: I wanted to use a Beverage Dispenser with a spigot but my soap came out all clumpy and I knew there was no way it would flow through. So I busted out my immersion blender and smoothed all the clumps layer by layer.

I funneled each layer into my container then went back and blended the next part. Blend, funnel, blend, funnel, blend, funnel...etc.

I found this cute plastic cup at a thrift store and it holds exactly 1/2 cup. Perfect!

An adhesive plastic hook gave me a cute litle laundy soap set-up. Oops, I attached it to the wrong side. Easily fixable. But wait! There's more!

If you have a Downy ball, you can put about 1/2 cup of Distilled White Vinegar in there and it makes a fantastic fabric softener. And no, your clothes do not come out smelling like vinegar. If you don't have a Downy ball just add your 1/2 cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle. I don't like babysitting my washing machine so I have a Downy ball.

Check me out! Cute! Frugal! Tree-hugging! I'm a REAL Oregonian!