Search Results for: blog 6 ways to reduce our use of paper products

I Wash Out Baggies

Oh the stigma. I am a baggie washer. It is tough to admit this, as it plays into the whole stereotypical cheapskate persona. Only really cheap people wash out baggies, right? I mean how much can a baggie cost? A friend of mine confessed that she would never stoop to washing baggies. “I tried once, and my mother-in-law was so shocked that she offered to buy me a year’s supply of baggies so I wouldn’t do it any more.” I asked for her mother-in-law’s number. I would gleefully welcome a year’s supply of baggies. With that, I do have to … Continue reading →

Make Everything Last Longer

One sure way to make sure that you spend less money is to avoid replacing items in your home, especially expensive items. Just a little extra care can go a long way to making your stuff last longer. Just yesterday, I reminded a sweet little girl from the neighborhood that she left her bicycle helmet in our garage. Her response was to leave it there, that she would just buy another one. My own kids were a little shocked by this and stopped her a few times as she was leaving to go home for the night. They couldn’t believe … Continue reading →

How to Make Your Bathroom Green

Sometimes the bathroom is the last thing that we think about when we think about the environment. But because this is a room that has water and heated water, it really should be on the radar when considering making changes in your home for the better. As a bonus, updating a bathroom, even with small changes, may increase the value of your home. Upgrading your toilet, the most used fixture in your home, can reduce your annual water use by almost 15,000 gallons a year! Look for a model that uses 1.6 gallons per flush. There are also dual toilets … Continue reading →

Five Easy Ways to Go Green Right Now

Make an impact on the Earth in a positive way today. Here are five different ways that you can reduce your footprint and go green right now. They don’t require major changes in your lifestyle or complicated equipment. 1. Wash your laundry in cold water. Since heating water is the biggest energy requirement in most houses, switching that dial or setting to cold will immediately make a big difference. For a bonus, use a clothesline or indoor drying wrack to dry your laundry. 2. Give up the bottled water. Here is a secret. Most bottled water is actually just tap … Continue reading →

Dealing with Limits in the Economy

Most of us are facing limits these days. From food prices that have soared, to layoffs, to declining stock prices, we are being forced to take a look at limiting the things we can have and the things we can do. Dealing with limits can be difficult, especially if the concept is new to you. But it is important to take stock of your resources as soon as possible, so you know exactly where you stand. if you don’t do that, you may continue to live within the limits you used to have and not the ones that really apply … Continue reading →

Frugal Living: Have a Half Day

Challenge yourself to only use half of everything in your regular routine today. Not only will you save, but it may teach you exactly what you need and don’t need. What is a half day? A half day is when you go around your home or day and consciously choose to only use half of the amount of the stuff that you usually use. To keep it simple, approach each product or service and then half it to the best of your ability. By doing this for one day, you can have fun in the challenge, while learning what products … Continue reading →

Frugal Month in Review: September 2008

Now that September is come and gone and the kiddies are settled back into school and regular routines, it is time to welcome the fall. Still, there is plenty of good stuff that went on in September, including a bunch of ways to save money. September 1st Frugal Living Week in Review: August 25th Through August 31st Food and back to school are the two things on my mind this week. I e-mailed my son’s teacher ahead of time to ask about additional supplies that she might need for the classroom. She said that she usually asks parents for antibacterial … Continue reading →

Frugal Living Week in Review: September 8th Through September 14th

Now that we are settled in the school routine, we can sit back and take a look at how we are doing in terms of managing our money with all of the little expenses that will come up throughout the rest of the year. There are the school fundraisers, Halloween, the cold weather and of course the holidays. Check back every day to see what is new as we cover these topics and more. Now, here is what came up last week. September 8th When You Are Tempted to Eat Out 2 Would you like to save between $1,400 and … Continue reading →

Save $1,700 a Year on Water

According to the Brita company, which makes water filters, you can save $1,700 a year on water if you use a Brita water filter. They have ads on television emphasizing where all of those bottles of water that we purchase end up in a landfill practically forever. Their website, filerforgood.com also talks about the value in using a filter instead of buying bottles of water. I’ve never done the calculations for bottled water. Do some people only consume bottled water even when they are at home? One of the commercials shows a woman sitting in bed reading with a bottle … Continue reading →

Frugal Living Month in Review: June 2008

What a happy month is June, filled with the renewal of spring and the promise of summer. In the last month, we have shared so many ideas for frugal living and saving money. This past month has seen some pretty big increases in food, gas and other items (look for an upcoming post about strawberries increasing more than 100 percent). Now more than ever, it is important to save money where we can. This is why I decided to do a month in review. June 2nd Frugal Living Review: May 26th Through June 1st Garage sale shopping has got to … Continue reading →