DIY Foaming Body Wash

After pulling out a new bottle of body wash, inspiration hit, & I decided to have a go at making foaming body wash.  Much like foaming hand soap or dish soap, this helps your soap last longer & save some cash. 

Simply take your chosen your body wash & an empty foaming soap bottle, 

Pour between 1/4 and 1/3 full of body wash, fill the remainder with water.
 

Combine, & voila, you have foaming body wash, which works just as well as the regular stuff.  This is quite possibly one of the easiest ways to go green & save some green, I highly recommend it.

Freebies In My Mailbox

I love getting the mail every day.  I look forward to it primarily because our mail is frequently peppered with free samples.  I definitely feel conflicted about the amount of waste that smaller sized samples create, but I do try to only order the samples I'll use & recycle all possible materials from the packaging.  I've found that for our budget, samples are a HUGE blessing, as are the coupons that often accompany them.  Here is an example of what we've received in the last week and a half:

Tide Pods
Sample box of Quaker Oat Squares & $1 off coupon (not pictured)
Purex Ultra Pack
Purex Detergent & $0.50 Purex coupon
3 bags of Lipton Tea (Not pictured) & $0.75 off coupon
Marley Organic Coffee
Gevalia Coffee
2 Dr. Weil for Origins Mega-Bright Serum
Garnier Pure Clean Shampoo sample
3 Tampax Tampons & 3 $1 off coupons
1 oz Craisin sample with accompanying coupon for a free bag of Craisins
 And I'm still waiting on my P&G sampler

 If you're interested in learning more about samples, find out my methods for getting free samples here.

Super Saturday Shopping--Target & JC Penney

We had several days this week where Emerson & I had to be out of the house, so we killed time at Target & JC Penney.  (Forgive the poor picture quality, I had to take the pictures with my ghetto fabulous 4 year old cell phone)

At Target I found some fabulous clearance deals:  

• Biore facewash:  Originally $5.99 on clearance for $4.18-$3 coupon from Biore facebook=$1.18

• 2 Biore astringents w. bonus facewash: Originally $5.99 on clearance for $4.18-$3 coupon from Biore facebook=$1.18 each

• 4 pack of Cascade tablets: $0.97-$0.50 P&G newspaper coupon=$0.47

• 20 pack of Finish tablets: Originally $4.97 on clearance for $2.38- $0.50 manufacturer coupon=$1.88

Grand Total:  $7.31-$5 Target Giftcard from prior purchase=$2.31 OOP after tax

Bug enjoying her free pretzel

Today we made a rare sojourn to the mall to get our Free Auntie Anne's pretzels & get our oil changed & while we were there we stopped by JC Penney's to see if there were any deals to be had.  I have to say the store looked great & I love their new ad campaign, but I for one am sad to see their store coupons vanish & along with their copious clearance racks.

Of the very few items they had on clearance I found this little American Living dress for Emerson.  It was originally $44 (WOW!!!) & I paid $2.

Hope you got some excellent deals this week.  Happy weekend!

DIY Fabric Softener

I haven't bought fabric softener in months.  We've run out of the Downy I bought several years ago for $0.99 a bottle & have just been making do without softener or  a splash of vinegar as necessary.  While I haven't have any trouble with static I must admit I do miss the smell of softener on our towels & sheets, but I figured I wouldn't buy any unless I could get it for under $1 after sales & coupons.

Then I read the following DIY Fabric Softener on HillBillyHousewife.com & figured I'd try it out:

3 c vinegar
2 c hair conditioner
6 c water

While this recipe looked great, it was a little large for me, so I used this recipe conversion calculator to reduce the amount down.  

I used hotel samples of conditioner that smelled like heaven, but were rather thin & after draining them in a funnel overnight ended up with 1/2 cup of conditioner.  

 While measuring the  1 1/2 cups of water, I funneled a little into each bottle so I could shake the remaining conditioner loose & not have any go to waste.

I then added 3/4 c of vinegar & poured all of it into a mason jar.  Shake the mixture until it is evenly incorporated & voila, you have homemade fabric softener!  I found an old measuring cup from coffee & intend to use that small amount (approx 1 T) per load as we have a HE washer. 

I'm not certain that this is the most economical recipe, but if you happened to have free conditioner on hand then this is a great solution. Add this to some homemade laundry detergent & you've got a frugal laundry habit! 

Happy washing!

My Life As A Lab Rat

Not the brilliant rocket scientist type, the much less glamorous consumer test panel type.  A year ago I signed up to be a part of Johnson & Johnson's consumer test panel.  I've been selected for studies twice & I've found it to be a surprisingly fun way to try a new product & make some extra money. 

E's test panel Johnson & Johnson Natural Body Wash

My first test was actually on Emerson for Johnson & Johnson's Natural Baby Body Wash.  It was rather simple, they sent me was full sized bottle in the mail (score!), I used it on her 3 times in a week, took a brief survey on the product & we got paid $10 cash.  Piece of cake!

More recently I was asked to try a dandruff shampoo for women (which ended up being an Aveeno dandruff shampoo).  They sent me a slightly smaller bottle, I used it 3 times, took the survey & made $20 cash.  And I got to pass the leftovers to my dad, who blessed me with that lovely little genetic quirk. 

Currently Johnson & Johnson doesn't appear to have open enrollment, but they do have a study for dry shampoo that pays $50.  You have to be able to make it to their lab in New Jersey to test the product, but if you'd like the info leave a comment & I'll forward the email. 

Loreal does have an open enrollment at the moment & you can qualify for their test panel by taking a short survey.  I haven't tested anything for them at this point, so if you have let me know how it went. 

If you've never heard of consumer test panels, or haven't tried them they're worth a shot.  I probably only get selected once every 6 months, but it's minimal effort for some bonus cash & toiletries. And who doesn't like that?

A Peek At My Frugal Bathroom

Once upon a time I shared a peek at my frugal shower, and I wanted to share other aspects to my frugal/green bathroom.

I've got a crowded toilet tank--Adding items to your toilet tank displaces water when your toilet fills, resulting in less water used per flush.  We already have a low flow toilet, but I have added a 1 liter bottle, a brick, & a hang it & save pouch my mom gave me from Scott toilet paper.  Even if you only tried one of these items, you would be saving water & money, while getting the same necessary flush.

I don't buy air freshener--I know a lot of uber green people suggest not using air freshener at all, but it's better for my marriage if some smells are covered up. ;)  Instead of buying aerosol cans of air freshener or matches, I've begun using my unused body splash.  It only requires one spritz, so it last a long time, & I'm using up stuff that has just been sitting around.  Win, win. 

I've minimized the cost of paper products--I've started using my Swagbucks to purchase toilet paper made from recycled paper.  It's great for the environment & because I'm using my swagbucks, it's a help to our budget.  Additionally, I use hankies when I'm at home instead of Kleenex & have cut my consumption entirely.  I've had that little sample box of kleenex in my bathroom for months & I've yet to use a single tissue.  I still have to keep some on hand because JC uses at least a box per cold, but at least I've cut down on my usage.

I'm always trying to find more ways to cut down on our budget & footprint, & I'm finding the more I think about it the more ideas I come up with.  I just don't know that I'll be buying a composting toilet any time soon...

Make It Do: Backseat Car Organizer

Organizer for $11.99

I suffer from insomnia quite often.  It's absolutely obnoxious, but it is also a time in which inspiration usually strikes.  Last night when I couldn't sleep I got to thinking about our upcoming travels & how nice it would be to have some sort of an organizer in the car.  Then I got to thinking about a roll up travel case my OBGYN gave me & figured I could use it for that purpose. 

The top zippered portion has grocery bags & paper napkins.  (They're napkins leftover from our wedding 3 1/2 year ago--the last time we bought paper napkins!  haha)

The mesh portion has hand sanitizing wipes & Kleenex (from a sample, naturally).  

The bottom zippered portion has hand towels & extra bibs. 

 

All & all I think it should work nicely hanging in the car.  Not too bad for free. 

Why I Don't Play The Drugstore Game

I've never really shopped at drugstores or used their respective rewards programs, but after reading through some extreme couponing sites & speaking to some friends I decided to give it a try.  After a month & a half of shopping at Walgreens (the only pharmacy chain in town), getting all of the freebies & their respective register rewards, I've come to the conclusion that the drugstore game is not for me.  Not for me at all.  Here's why:

Time:  It takes a lot of time to plan out the proper shopping trip, including maximizing register rewards, & pairing them with manufacturer coupons.  I'd say it would take me at least half of one of E's naps to come up with a game plan.  Time that is money.  Time in which I could be cleaning up the house, so we don't have to hire a cleaning service, or time where I could be cooking from scratch so we're not tempted to order takeout.  Though I was getting "deals", unneeded bottles of shampoo & tubes of toothpaste weren't valuable enough for me to spend my time getting them.

Stuff:  Rather too much stuff.  In order to get maximum register rewards you need to purchase the free items, the problem being that sometimes you don't want the free items.  I don't need a "free" glucometer or a soy supplement to help menopause.  Yes those items could be donated, or passed along, but I still have to buy them, store them, & then figure out what to do with them.   

Gas:  I spent extra money on gas going to Walgreens several times a week in order to get the maximum deals.  I'm concerned about my carbon foot print, & to me, it's just not worth the financial & environmental costs. 

Higher Prices:  Walgreens does have some great sale items to get you in the door, but if you don't happen to need or want those sale items their prices a high.  Much higher than the places  I normally shop.  For instance, one week at Walgreens a gallon of milk was $4.07, while a gallon of milk at Target the same week was $3.09.  I found that despite having register rewards, my money just didn't go as far at Walgreens. 

Money:  Often, I get hoodwinked into thinking that by getting deals & "saving money" I'm money ahead.  In reality I always have to SPEND money in order to SAVE money.  The same prinicple applies to Walgreens, you have to spend money to get your free register rewards.  When we tallied up our expenditures for the month of August I was shocked at the amount of extra money I spent to get my "free" items.   My problem came in the amount of money I had to pony up for sales tax for each item.  Here sales tax is 9.25% and it doesn't take much time for the to amount to a significant amount of money.  Though I got well over $120 worth of merchandise, I still ended up spending close to $30.  $30 isn't a ton, but it's enough to make a dent in our budget. 

Bottom line, trying to play the drugstore game caused me to go shopping much more frequently that I normally do.  It cost me extra gas, extra time, & extra money.  I'm impressed at people who do enjoy playing the drugstore game & can make it a money saver, but for me & our family, it just wasn't worth it. 

Handling My Lady Business--The Keeper Cup

FAIR WARNING:  This post will contain personal graphic matter.  If you know me, don't run me out of town, I'm sharing this because I wish I had had someone who could give me their first hand experience .  If you don't want to hear about my favorite Aunt Flo, DO NOT read this post.  Come back tomorrow for some lighter fair.  Consider yourself warned...


I first heard about The Keeper menstrual cup back in high school when I was on my I-love-anything-written-by-a-radical-feminist phase.  I then heard about it while reading The Tightwad Gazette and much a I value the opinion of Amy Dacyzyn, the idea of a reusable cup in my nether-regions wigged me out.

Flash forward to 9 months into breast feeding Emerson--it seems that after 18 months of not making an appearance, my period came back WITH A VENGEANCE.  Seriously, it had a vendetta & I could hardly catch a break.  After getting my period every 20-24 days for several months I was SHOCKED at the amount of waste I was creating.  Box after box of tampons wound up in the trash.  Finally I couldn't stand creating such waste & used my Swagbucks to buy The Keeper, a reusable rubber menstrual cup that is used in place of a tampon. 

I went with The Keeper because to my knowledge, it has been around longer than similar products, so I figured if I were to have a problem they could help.  After reading the instructions thoroughly I decided to try it out.  I have to say figuring out how to properly insert The Keeper was hairy for a minute, but after it was in it wasn't that bad.  Sort of like wearing a thong for the first time, at first it feels weird & you think everyone can tell, but after a while you get used to it & forget about it.

My first removal was also a tad strange, the cup sort of suctions, so you have to break the seal to pull it out.  From there you simply dump  the cup (I rinsed mine) & then re-insert.  In my experience it can be worn just as long as a tampon, including overnight, which to me is fabulous.  I have to say I was worried it would leak, or be gross, but I was truly surprised.  As bizarre as it may sound I actually found wearing The Keeper more reassuring & hygienic than a tampon.   


Things you need to know:

•  The Keeper comes in two sizes, before birth & after birth, so if you order choose B for BEFORE & A for AFTER.  I was a little confused at first.

• The Keeper is made of medical grade rubber, but if you happen to be allergic to latex you can try The Moon Cup, which is made by the same company.

• I have read that wearing The Keeper can also cut down on menstrual cramps, & it seems many women get cramps due to the chemical in the tampons, rather than their periods.  I didn't have any cramps, but I can't be 100% certain that was due to The Keeper without a few more months of use.

• The Keeper is economical. Though it is around $25 to purchase initially, it can last up to 10 years. Think of all the money you will have saved over 10 years!

• The Keeper keeps A TON of trash out of the landfills.  The average woman uses 11,400 tampons during her lifetime. Flow: The Cultural History of Menstruation, states the average woman throws away up to 300 pounds of feminine hygiene related products in a lifetime.   In the U.S. alone, an estimated 12 billion pads and 7 billion tampons are disposed annually. Imagine if those tampons weren't adding to our waste. 

I know this might not be for everyone.  I realize that. .  I do however encourage you to at least consider looking into more reusables  in your life.  It doesn't necessarily have to be a menstrual cup, it could be cloth napkins, real dishes, or the like.  I think the important thing to remember is the daily impact of EVERYTHING WE USE & if it is possible to keep some of it out of the landfill, even tampons. 

Thank You Vick's

Emerson has been sick & cranky & woke up every 2 hours last night.  She's got a cold, she's teething, & last night she ran a low grade fever.  The unfortunate side effect from this is that a tired & cranky child can lead to a completely worn out & scatter brained mother.  (I lost the keys of our car today, inside the car, after I had unlocked it.  I have no idea that was even possible).

Today I felt so exhausted that when it came time for bed I was desperate for a better plan of attack than Ora-jel & Benadryl; especially because they failed so miserably last night. Then I remembered an article I had saved from a parenting magazine about natural & unconventional home remedies.  The remedy for colds is simple: put Vick's Vapor Rub on your child's feet, cover them with socks, & then put the child to bed.  I have to say I was somewhat skeptical, but equally desperate, so I went ahead & tried it.

It's been 3 hours since E went down & so far she's only woken up once, & that was because she was hot.  Last night she would have been up 5 times by now.   I'm pretty convinced it's the Vick's & I have to say I'll definitely be trying this myself my next cold. 

 Here's hoping the Vick's continues to work &  I get some sleep!

Green Organizing

One of the major tenants in green & frugal living is to be creative.  This does not mean that you necessarily have to be a creative person; you simply need to look at your possessions with the ingenuity to see them for ALL of their potential uses, in order to give them their fullest life possible.

I've said before that I am not the neatest person, but for some reason I LOVE to organize small spaces; I rock at cleaning our closets & cupboards.  JC always complains that my favorite things to clean are the things no one will see, which is true, but I believe it is one of my many lovable eccentricities... at least that's what I keep telling myself.

Seeing as how we don't live near a container store, nor do I have any interest in spending virgin materials or money to find things to hold my things, I've had to get creative.  Here are some ways I've recycled items in my bathroom: 

Paper clip holder turned bobby pin holder

Random oversized coffee cup turned chapstick/travel sized lotion holder (note the lotion is upside down, the ideal frugal way to store lotion).

Non- recyclable (in our area) candle turned Q-Tip holder

Childhood desk organizer turned sample organizer

Non recyclable candle turned thermometer & lose band-aid gatherer

Non-recyclable No. 5 plastic baby wipe tub ala tiny baby wash cloth wrangler

 No. 5 plastic cookie tray turned in-drawer organizer

Egg cup turned floss (these were a gift from many years ago, I wouldn't buy pick style floss myself) & Q-Tip home.   *Ok, I admit that I DID buy this one after Easter on deep clearance, but if you had one sitting around you could recycle yours for this purpose.

Sushi dip dish turned chapstick/floss/white strip fetcher.  

Before you head to the store in search of a container look through the things you have on hand.  Start with things that you can't recycle in your area & see if you can re-purpose them in your own home.  From there consider canning jars, tea cups, bowls, baskets, boxes, etc.  The recycling possibilities are endless.   

Frugal Experiments

I suppose I just miss chemistry class, but I truly enjoy experimenting around the house. I'm always trying to find a greener & cheaper way of doing things I already do.  Here are a few of my latest efforts:

Recycling Pickle Juice-- I have read in both the Tightwad Gazette & other frugal websites that by taking the pickle juice of store bought pickles & adding a new cucumber you can create your own pickles.  So when I ran out of Vlasic pickles (my favorite non-store brand pickles) I figured I should try it out. 

I promptly bought 2 pickling cucumbers, sliced them up, submerged them in the juice, & left the on the counter to pickle.

 
I think I waited around a week & a half before I opened the jar, but as soon as I opened the lid I could tell something was...off.  The juice was carbonated & it smelled like pickles & beer.  Never being one to shy away from such things I pushed through the strange smell & tried a pickle.  It was rather firm, rather carbonated, & didn't really taste much like any pickle I've ever had.  I'm not sure if the pickling time was a factor or what, but for me, this was a major Frugal Fail. 

Spaghetti for a candle lighter--For most candles, once they burn down  you have to use one of those long butane lighters, which are expensive, & to my knowledge, not recyclable.  To cut down on the waste try using a piece of spaghetti. 

Simply light the end of the spaghetti & then use it to reach down to your low laying wick.  After you've extinguished the flame simply snap off the end, throw out the ash, & save the piece of spaghetti for the next time you need to light a candle.  I love using this method & haven't bought one of those long lighters in years.  I will say that my sisters don't like this method because they don't like the smell of the burnt spaghetti.  Try it once & find out for yourself.  The smell doesn't really bother me & goes away quickly, so for me, this is the way to go.


Conditioner for shaving cream--I use my razor blades forever.  They have to be dull as dirt & rusty before I'll change them out.  That being said, after a while I need a little something on my legs to lessen the feeling of my skin being pulled off as I shave.  I've heard the suggestion of using conditioner as a shave cream for many years now, but I've never been in a position where I felt it would be financially worth my while, seeing as how I have always seemed to have a stockpile of nearly free shaving cream. 

That was until I pulled out my last can of shaving cream & realized I had a whole lot of conditioner & not a lot of shaving cream, so I figured what the heck, I'd try it.  It actually works REALLY well.  Like, amazingly well.  Like, I may never ever buy shaving cream again well.  It sticks to your skin better than shaving cream, doesn't dissolve as quickly in water, you don't have to use very much (a dime size/ half a leg), & it's a great way to use up hotel conditioner that doesn't really do it for your hair. 

I'm not sure what the financial breakdown between using shaving cream & conditioner would be, especially because I haven't spent much money on either for years, but, if you happen to have a large stockpile of unused conditioner this is a great & cheap way to shave.

Even if you just try one of these things they'll save you some cash & trash.  Any of you lovely readers have any other great frugal/green tips to share? 

Getting What You Paid For--Tube Edition

First let me apologize for my absence here, we were traveling for the last three weeks, and as soon as we got to town one of my dearest friends came to visit.  If you're reading this, thanks for making it through the break with me...

I don't know about you but I have quite a few things I use in my daily life that come in a tube with corkscrew turn at the bottom (ala chapstick).  Usually when the product gets level with the plastic packaging & becomes scratchy to use I chuck it in the recycling bin; but, in the name of frugal experimentation, I decided to see how much product was lurking beneath the surface.  

 E's got some seriously ridiculous dry patches and one of the many products I've tried is Surgeon's Secret, a beeswax moisturizer in a tube.  It took no time to get down to the end of the tube, so I then began trying to get as much out with my fingertip as possible. 

When that was no longer working I thought I'd try one last thing to get out the remaining beeswax--my handy dandy cuticle pusher.  I just scooped that sucker down into the wax & was SHOCKED to see how much moisturizer I would have thrown into the recycle bin.  The photo does not do it justice...I was able to get another week out of that wee tube & that was after sticking my finger down as far as possible the previous week.   Amazing!

To prove my point further I did the same method with my Spray & Wash stick.  I've been working on shoving clothes down in the remnants for months, so I figured there was NO WAY the stick would yield any more from its tiny little crevasses. 

Much to my surprise there were still huge globs of stain stick in the very bottom!  I've been working on the crevasses for a few weeks now & still haven't run out.

Another was to get the max out of your tub products is to use a lipstick brush.  Once your lipsticks/chapsticks become uncomfortable to apply, try using the brush.  It's amazing how long you can make your lipsticks last this way!  And remember, you don't necessarily need a lipstick brush, a small art brush or something of the like could certainly do the trick Additionally if you were able to pry the leftovers out of the tube I've heard of people melting them down in pill organizers & applying with a clean finger tip. 

Remember the point is to save money & make things last as long as possible, so look at things you have on hand to remove the leftovers from your various tubes.  Be creative & use whatever works.  Happy saving!

Mail Time!

Anyone remember that song from Blue's Clues?  Mail time is seriously one of my favorite parts of the day. With regularity the mail truck pulls up in front of our house & brings me many wondrous treasures.

Here is an example of my mailbox one day last week.  It contained 3 tampons, 2 sticks of deodorant, 1 biscotti, 2 flossers, 2 coffee creamers, 1 laundry detergent sample, a coupon for a free Glade product, a coupon for a free coffee creamer, E's Dolly Parton book, a $15.99 rebate check, and many other high value coupons.  It's seriously better than Christmas! 

I do realize that sending away for samples might not be the greenest of choices, but it is something that I need to do to live our frugal little life.  I try to be as responsible as possible & recycle all of the packaging, but I do realize that this can create a lot of extra paper. 

 

If you do send away for samples, please be responsible about it & RECYCLE the packaging, as well as all other envelopes, etc. that come in your mail.  

Speaking of recycling, have any of you seen the best stamps of all time?  The post office has released new forever stamps that show different ways to go green.  They're seriously so awesome I'm going to stock up so I have enough to last me till I'm 82! 

JC's aunt & uncle got these for me as a birthday present.  Do they know me or what?!

Yet another reason to love mail time...

Meet Grandma

I believe in relishing in the kitch of childhood for as long a possible.  My going to grandma's suitcase is still my favorite way to travel.  Unfortunately it is too petite to fit any of my clothes, but it makes the perfect train case.

Not only do I not like to buy toiletries, I also don't like to buy the small bags that keep all of my petite little sample sizes organized.  I've tried to reuse as many little things as possible to keep everything organized.  Let me show you...

This held a Kiss My Face gift from my mom & dad.  It comes in so handy for holding larger travel sized items.
 

This little container was from a sample from a pharmaceutical company I believe.  

Our travel sized first aid kit is held in an old Strawberry Short Cake Band-Aid container,

While hair accessories are held in an old Altoid tin. 

 

I've found this way of traveling with samples to be highly effective, and using my grandma suitcase always makes me smile.  If you have any tiny suitcases, or find a vintage train case in an antique store, I highly recommend using samples and found/reused containers.

Struggles with Consumerism Part II

I previously posted about the great deal a local store was having on Burt's Bees products:  75% off and testers even cheaper. I also posted about my MAY-JAH struggles with breaking down and purchasing more toiletries when I am stocked, and can usually get toiletries for free.  Well, after waiting three days, due to a snow storm, I finally bit the bullet and went back and purchased Burt's Bees till it was coming out my ears.

I got:

2 toners
4 facial cleansers
1 bottle of conditioner
3 hair conditioning kits
1 face mask
1 royal jelly moisturizer
1 eye cream
1 serum
1 candle
1 tube of hand cream
a loofah
and a lavender eye mask

$139 worth of products all for....$34.25.  One of the kits alone retailed for $30.  I'm not planning on keeping it all, some will go as gifts, but I am thoroughly pleased with my purchases.  Also, in keeping with trying to lower possessions, I removed enough from my linen closet to make room for my new ones.  They will be donated or given as gifts shortly.

Definitely no buyer's remorse here.