How To Make Your Own Terrarium

April 8, 2013 By 10 Comments

how to make your own terrarium

Every Earth Day the kids and I try to figure out new projects to do. This year we wanted to figure out how to make your own terrarium. Since we just moved we didn’t want to make anything really large, instead we grabbed some quart size ball jars and had a blast!

how to make your own terrarium

Making your own terrarium is really easy. It’s also a lot of fun. It costs us less than $5 for each terrarium, and the kids now have a little bit of the outdoors that they can take care of in their rooms! Let’s get started!

how to make your own terrarium

Supplies

  • Quart Sized Ball Jar
  • Sheet Moss
  • Organic Potting Soil
  • River pebbles
  • Activated Charcoal (only if you are closing your terrarium)
  • Small succulents or ferns (ask your local gardening store for plants good for a small terrarium)
how to make your own terrarium

Directions:

  • Make sure your jar is nice and clean before you start!
  • At the bottom add a thin layer of river pebbles. This will help act as your drainage
  • Next, place a layer of the sheet moss.
  • Now it’s time to add an inch or two of potting soil!
  • Then you add your plants! Make sure they are all covered with dirt.
  • To finish off your terrarium, add a layer of sheet moss over the dirt.
  • Then decorate with any extras. We opted to throw in a few extra pebbbles, and my son added his Lego man to watch guard!
  • Add water and watch your terrarium grow!
how to make your own terrarium

 

Whether it’s Earth Day, or you are just looking for a fun activity for the kids, this is a great easy activity to show your children a mini eco-system. Water it as necessary and give it a little sunshine. You will have your own little mini garden in no time!

Filed Under: Featured Post, Green Living Tagged With: , ,

10 Tips For Easy Green Spring Cleaning

April 3, 2013 By 18 Comments
Spring Cleaning

spring cleaning

 

Spring is one of those times that it just feels great to dust things off, and get out the clutter from your home. Spring is about renewal and the world coming awake again, so it’s nice for your home to feel like it’s getting a fresh start too.

Of course you know that this isn’t your typical article about spring cleaning, but I am going to show you 10 easy tips and tricks to spring clean a little bit greener this year. You will reduce your clutter, brighten up your home, and get the best spring cleaning done! The added bonus is that you will be helping out the environment too!

Spring time is the perfect time to reduce, reuse, recycle. As you are starting out on your annual spring cleaning, keep these things in mind! Of course, I am not going to leave you to figure it out on your own. Follow these 10 tips for easy spring cleaning, and your house will be sparkling in no time! There’s even a free spring cleaning printable checklist at the end of this post to make it a cinch. (Don’t forget to recycle it when you are done!)

 

10 Tips for Easy Green Spring Cleaning

1.Have a game plan: Before you start cleaning, take a few minutes to write down what your goal is this year. Is it to reduce the clutter? Is it to just have a place to put everything? Do you simply want to organize what you have? If you have an idea of what you want to get done this year, it will make the cleaning that much easier! Check out the great spring cleaning free printable at the end of this post to make this job even easier!

2. Reuse it, donate it, or recycle it: Instead of just throwing everything away this year, ask yourself these three things. Can I reuse it? Can I donate it? Can I recycle it? If you can answer yes to any of these questions, make sure to do that instead of it hitting the trash can. You just might be amazed how little actual trash you have.

3. Use green cleaners and save big: This year make sure to use great homemade vinegar based cleaners when you clean. It’s a great way to save lots of money, and it also keeps harsh chemicals out of the environment. Here are some really great green cleaners:

4. Knock it out one room at a time: Whatever your goal is for spring cleaning, make sure to finish one room before moving onto the next room! This way you know the room is done, and you don’t have to go back and forth which wastes time.

5. Garage Sale, Baby: For those items that might be of value, but you no longer really use, put it aside and have a garage sale. It’s a great way to make a little extra cash, plus get rid of items that are just taking up space. Whatever you don’t sell you can donate!

6. Repurpose items for storage: Rather than spending hundreds of dollars on organizers to keep your house organized repurpose something you already have around the house. Did you know you can make magazine holders from cereal boxes? They look spectacular! You can also make magazine holders from repurposed items too! Eliminate those piles of unruly magazines and don’t break the bank doing it!

Magazine Holders from Cereal Boxes

7. Reusable Rags are the way to go: Rather than spending tons of money on paper towels, grab some reusable rags! These save trees and save you cash, because once they are dirty you can just wash them! Washing windows? Use newspaper! It gets your windows streak free and the papers free if you have it lying around your house.

8.  Get Organized: If you have tons of clutter all around, it’s hard to see your progress. Grab containers and organize things such as your seasonal items and decoration!

9.  Hit Goodwill: In need of something to meet your storage and cleaning needs? Make sure to hit up Goodwill or other thrift stores before buying something new. You save things from landfills, and might save a buck or two!

10. Stay on Top of It: Now that you spent all that time spring cleaning, make sure to stay on top of it! Don’t fall back into old habits that got your house looking like a war zone to begin with!

Now that you have all the tips, make sure to print this spring cleaning checklist printable to make sure your house is clean from top to bottom!

What are some of your favorite green spring cleaning tips?

Filed Under: Green Living Tagged With: , ,

Why You Should Be Ticked About the Passage of the Monsanto Protection Act!

March 28, 2013 By 2 Comments
Monsanto Protection Act

Normally we don’t cover political topics here at Crunchy Frugalista, but this is a topic that you should really know about. You need to know why you should be TICKED about the new law: The Monsanto Protection Act!

First, a little background. For those that don’t know Monsanto is a huge company that helped to bring about genetically modified food, aka GMOs. GMOs are these really nasty critters that basically have built in pesticides in their DNA. (over simplified, but it’s the just of these nasty hybrids)

Monsanto Protection act

No Known Risks?

While the FDA, is telling us

“The agency is not aware of any information showing that foods derived by these new methods differ from other foods in any meaningful or uniform way.” In contrast, an internal FDA report stated, “The processes of genetic engineering and traditional breeding are different and according to the technical experts in the agency, they lead to different risks.”

Governments in Europe have BANNED the sale and growth of genetically modified foods. They realize the dangers that these crops pose not only to our health, but to cross contaminating our “organic” crops as well. If Europe gets it, why don’t we?

What the Monsanto Protection Act Protects? Guess What It’s Not YOU!

Yesterday, the Agricultural Appropriations Bill was signed into law. In this great new law is a section some are calling “Monsanto Protection Act”. Basically it takes away our right to sue companies, like Monsanto, that make genetically modified seeds if we become sick because of their products or other products that have been cross contaminated by GMOs. 

According to RT.com:

The rider, which is officially known as the Farmer Assurance Provision, has been derided by opponents of biotech lobbying as the “Monsanto Protection Act,” as it would strip federal courts of the authority to immediately halt the planting and sale of genetically modified (GMO) seed crop regardless of any consumer health concerns.

That means that even if they find that health problems are occurring, the federal courts don’t have the right to immediately stop the sale or making of GMO seeds! There is already so much junk in our food from lobbyists with legislators in their pockets that it is even more terrifying that we may have no recourse if these awful seeds make our families sick.

As a mom, I am beyond TICKED that this bill slipped silently through Congress. My daughter has severe food allergies, and it’s sickening that we can’t even trust our government to protect our children. As she has gotten sicker, her allergies are getting worse, and if we as parents can’t tell what’s in our food how can we keep our kids healthy?

The part that bites my buns is the fact that the government is taking away our CHOICE! I choose to know what is in my foods. Parents should have the right to CHOOSE healthy products for our kids. Because no labeling is required on GMOs, and we can’t stop the making of them they are binding our hands as parents!

Organics Might Be a Thing of the Past?!

Right now we choose to eat more organically because we know that they have to be regulated to get that label. With the widespread pandemic of cross-contamination of GMO seeds even organic farms might one day be a thing of the past, and this crunchy mama is NOT happy about it! It’s becoming harder and harder to find products in our food supply that haven’t eaten, been grown around, or contaminated by genetically modified crops.

Food Democracy

Crunchy Calls YOU to Stand Up

If you are as peeved as I am about this, please take the time to join Food Democracy Now, and sign a petition letting our legislators know we are fed up!

You can sign the petition on the Food Democracy Website. You can also copy a letter there, and send it to your own representative for your state!

What do you think about the passing of the Monsanto Protection Act?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sources:

http://rt.com/usa/monsanto-congress-silently-slips-830/

http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/sign/stop_the_monsanto_protection_act/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/priya-advani/effects-of-genetically-modified-food_b_967667.html

Filed Under: Green Living, Rants Tagged With: ,

Homemade Cleaners: Kiss Stinky Toilets Goodbye, Well Not Literally

March 20, 2013 By 3 Comments
Homemade Cleaners

 

Homemade Cleaners

 

Disclaimer: This horridly dirty toilet was used for demonstrative purposes only of our homemade cleaners. Such filth is not permitted in the Casa de Crunchy.  No toilets were  harmed during the making of this post.

Did you know that commercial toilet cleaners are among the MOST toxic cleaners for our planet? I didn’t know that until recently. The toilet bowl is one place that HAS to be sparkly clean at all times. (That’s why letting my toilet get dirty for this post about killed me.) Clorox used to be my friend. That fresh scent dancing out of the bowl meant that the germs were kept at bay. Naive to the fact that those chemicals were really harsh to the water, I used to enjoy that floral smell! Yikes!

Our water treatment in my city stinks. Our sewer overflow actually enters into our local rivers. It’s so bad that we can’t even use the rivers anymore because they are filled with E Coli. YUCK!

So Crunchy the Green Crusader arrived to save the day. (Yep, talking about myself in the third person now) This cleaner is not only fabulous, but it’s also fun. Yep, you read that right! Fun!

Plus, as an added bonus, this recipe is amazingly frugal. It costs less than 50 cents to make this cleaner. Most “green” cleaners cost over $7 a bottle! Now onto the recipe!

 DIY Tea Tree Toilet Cleaner

  • 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar
  • 1/2 cup baking soda
  • 6 drops Tea Tree essential oil

Directions

Take 1/4 cup of white vinegar and pour it in the bowl. Let sit for approximately 10 minutes.

Then add 1/4 cup baking soda to the bowl, and watch that baby fizz. (No there will be no geyser and the toilet will not explode) After about five minutes flush it down.

Add the rest of the white vinegar and baking soda to the toilet. Then add the dropper of Tea Tree essential oil.

As it is fizzing, clean the bowl with the toilet brush.

Green Toilet Cleaner

Once it’s clean, flush it all down and you have a fabulously sparkly toilet! Doesn’t that look so much better!

Have your own DIY bathroom cleaners? What’s your go to recipe?

Green Toilet Cleaner

Filed Under: DIY, Green Living Tagged With: ,

Organize your office with repurposed goodies!

January 2, 2013 By 17 Comments
How to organize your office

My office space was a disaster area. I am almost too embarrassed to show you a before photo, but I am going to so you get the full effect! When I first moved my office downstairs, it was shoved in a corner. It wasn’t a bad space, but having my back to door was awful. I was beginning to think I was being sent to time out for bad behavior. (Mind out of the gutters ladies)

After some debate, and a pow wow with my best friend, a new office plan came to me. Yes, it was perfect. It would soon be a space that oozed creativity and inspire posts that were worthy of Shakespeare. (Ok, well at least mainly grammatically correct) This new office was to be my center of zen, my chi, my homey place. If I was going to spend hours on end working here, I might as well LIKE being there, right?!?

Enough of the rambling let’s get to it. Just promise not to laugh at how awful this before picture is! I mean it is BAD! It’s proof that ADD and OCD are a bad combination. (Ok, pulling off the band aid)

How to Organize your office

 

This is what I had to start with. Clutter was everywhere. Nothing had a “home,” which just resulted in never finding anything. Bless Mr. Crunchy’s heart for putting up with me.  I am not usually one for New Year’s resolutions, but this year I have resolved to get organized. First spot to start was going to be my office.

Now let me walk you through the fabulous changes I have made, and are still using, in this great new space. The first thing we did was moved it out of the corner and against the wall. This way nothing falls behind my computer anymore, never to be seen again.

At an estate sale, I was able to pick up these two great drawer units for $10 total. They offer great storage for all of my office supplies. In my drawers I even made my own organizers out of contact paper and cereal boxes. (Tutorial to follow) It keeps all of my pens and such nice and neat, plus it matches my desk.

use cereal boxes to build organizer

My desk is just a typical pressed board desk you can buy at Walmart. I’ve had it for almost 10 years. It still functions so I figured rather than spending money, I would give it a face lift. For the tops of the desk, I used this cute contact paper that I found on Amazon. For the back, sides, and front edges I used black acrylic paint to give it a fresh new look. It turned out great, and took me less than 30 minutes to do!

Now onto the organization! I broke down and bought this great filling cabinet from Walmart. It has three great drawers to fit all my important files and papers in. I grabbed some color coded folders and organized my families files. Here’s how I organized them.

how to organize files

How to organize your office

Yellow – Needs Attention

  •       To be paid
  •      To be filed

Blue – Long Term Finances (these are files that protect your finances and/or family)

  • Auto Insurance
  • Life Insurance
  • Retirement
  • SSI
  • Warranties
  • Credit Reports
  • Car Records
  • Homeowner’s/Renter’s Insurance
  • Taxes

Red – Medical Files

  • Each family member has their own red folder
  • Explanation of Benefits
  • Paid Doctor’s Bills

Green – All things money related

  • Bank Accounts
  • Savings Accounts
  • Loans
  • Credit Cards
  • Bills (I have a separate manilla folder for each bill we pay)

Keep all bills for 12 months, and then shred.

Orange – School Records

  • Each child has their own orange folder

On top of my filing cabinet is my  mail center. I found this really cute basket on eBay and it’s where my kids know to put the mail. When there are items in there, I know I need to review the mail and take action. This may mean recycle it, pay it, or shred it. My goal is to start every day with this basket empty!

How to organize your office

How to organize your office

 

The last part to my office are my shelves. Mr. Crunchy and I got this great long set of shelves for $15 at an estate sale. Mr. Crunchy cut one of them in half, so that I could paint them black. We hung them up and added some of my favorite goodies I have gotten at estate sales and some of my favorite photos. I have to say the shelves are really one of my favorite parts of my new office! 

How to organize your office

Here’s the grand finale. This is how nice and neat my office looks now!

How to organize your office

Filed Under: Frugal Tips, Green Living Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Bring Your Garden Indoors with Aerogarden

December 20, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Aerogarden Ultra

You guys know me. I LOVE to garden. Living in Indiana, it gets to be a little bit difficult to do this during the winter months. I like the cold and all, but I am not hardcore enough to want to build a winter box for my garden.

When my friend Lessie got her hands on an Aerogarden, I had to try one out myself. I mean can you imagine having fresh fruit and veggies year round. Woot!

Winter gardening needs to be really simple for me to keep at it. I am SO busy this time of the year, but who isn’t?! When we got our Aerogarden Ultra in the mail, I practically snatched it out of the mailman’s hands. I had a spot already for me to set it up.

Aerogarden Ultra

Set up took less than 10 minutes. (Most of that was reading the instructions, because I didn’t want to break it) Set up was pretty much idiot proof. It was super simple to do. Within minutes we had our plants “planted”, and understood how our little garden was going to grow.

Even if you think you have a black thumb, you can rock it with an Aerogarden. I mean it TELLS you what to do. It has a great digital display that gives you tips and tricks. It even tells you when and how to harvest you plants based on what kind of garden you are growing.

aerogarden

 

This great garden is mess free. All you have to do is add water to the unit, add nutrient packets when it says to, and let it do it’s thing. We have a lettuce garden right now, and in less than a month it’s growing like weeds! I am so proud of my little lettuce babies!

Aerogarden Ultra

The next Aerogarden kit that we are going to grow will be the herb garden. I LOVE fresh herbs, and this way we can grow them year round inside!

You can find great Aerogarden products on their website or on Amazon too! Plus here are some of the great features of this unit.

·         QuickPlant feature walks users step-by-step through set-up and planting

·         On screen GardenCoach delivers timely, on screen tips, teaching growers to be better gardeners each and every time they grow

·        Audio and visual alerts remind growers when to add water and nutrients

·         Automated MaxGrow full spectrum grow lights provide all the light plants need

·         Automated Germination and High Growth modes adjust as plants grow, maximizing yields

·         Compatible with all 40 existing AeroGarden Seed Kits

·         Easy to assemble and plant in less than 5 minutes, without tools

Filed Under: Green Living Tagged With: , , ,

How to make your own chalkboard

October 8, 2012 By 4 Comments
How to make a chalkboard

Recently I have really become addicted to upcycling and repurposing. I had to find a way to use all the goodies I have been scoring at estate and yard sales, right?! My latest project was to make something fun for my entryway. We have a spectacular wooden hallway, which was painted white by the previous owner. The color is great, but my wall is completely bare.

How to make a chalkboard

There have been chalkboard projects all over Pinterest, and I was dying to try my hand at it. First thing to do  was to find something to use as my board. My best friend and I headed off to our local Habitat for Humanity Re-Store.

If you haven’t heard of Re-store, you really need to see if you have a local one. It’s a great shop that is filled with goodies from homes that Habitat for Humanity tears down when rebuilding homes for the needy. Their prices are a lot cheaper than retail, and you are supporting a great cause as well. This trip, I grabbed a cabinet door for $3 and headed on my merry way.

How to make a chalkboard

Here’s what I needed for the project:

  • Wooden Cabinet door (from Re-store)
  • Hand sander
  • Sand paper in 220 and 50 grit
  • Wood stain (already had from previous project)
  • Twine (again from previous project)
  • Eye hooks (already had)
  • Antique Bronze Spraypaint (previous project)
  • Chalkboard Paint

The total cost of the project was $4 (calculating only the chalkboard paint I used)!

How to make your own chalkboard

This fun project was easy enough that even the kids helped me with it. Our first task was sanding the old finish off. You don’t want to completely sand the finish off. Just sand it enough that the finish feels gritty. I used a 50 grit sand paper, and then I followed it up with a 220 weight. It’s really important to use the 220 last. Otherwise, you will have sand markings in your stain. (Trust me I learned this from experience on this project)

How to make a chalkboard

After your project is all sanded, it’s time to stain the outside. When you are staining, make sure to have a rag handy. You let the stain set for 15 minutes (or whatever the instructions on the stain say), and then you wipe the stain off. If it’s not quite the color you want, you can always apply another coat after the first one is dry.

When the staining was all done, I added the chalkboard paint! This was really easy. You just paint it per the directions. Make sure you have even strokes so it dries as an even surface to write on.

I only had brass eye hooks in the house, so I spray painted them with an antiqued bronze spray paint so they would match the frame a little bit better. To stick with our rustic theme, I used the twine I had from the upcycled vase I made last week. Then it was ready to hang. I threw on a festive message and a seasonal decoration to finish it out. What do you think?

What’s your next project going to be at your house?

Filed Under: Frugal Tips, Green Living Tagged With: , , , ,

Cartons versus Plastic: Take the Evergreen Choose Cartons Pledge!

June 21, 2012 By 3 Comments
Choose Cartons

Choose CartonsWhen’s the last time that you have looked in your fridge and seen what you can recycle? I am sure you do it every Saturday night, right? Yeah, I know I haven’t done it either. If it’s recyclable, it must be a good choice right? Well after learning a few things, I have decided that not every recyclable material is equal.

 

Do not wait for extraordinary circumstances to do good action; try to use ordinary situations.— Jean Paul Richter, German Romantic novelist and humorist

Evergreen choose cartons campaign

Lots of plastic in there

Let’s take a look at the Crunchy fridge. Most everything in my fridge is in some form of plastic. The only thing that we buy that is in a carton is our rice milk and sometimes eggs. Everything else is in plastic; plastic bags; plastic cover (like on cheese); plastic milk jugs. I guess even though I try to be as green as  possible, I still have some things that I could do to be a little more green.

OH CARTON WHAT DID YOU USED TO BE?

It’s great that plastic is recyclable, but cartons can be made into so many more products once they are recycled. When you read paper products are made from recycled materials those materials could’ve been carton packaging. Cartons can be recycled to make things like office paper, tissue, wall boards, and other building materials. That last one shocked me a little bit.

CARTONS KICK CARBONS BUTT

Evergreen Choose Cartons

Nowadays companies that produce cartons are using more eco-responsible forestry practices where they can maintain the growth of trees with the needs of consumers. The recycling of cartons slows down how many trees need to be cut down each year, and responsible replanting keeps the trees population up to help produce the lovely oxygen our planet needs.  The replanting of trees in this manner has actually helped sequestered over 192 million tons of carbon emissions each year!

“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.”

— Mahatma Gandhi

It was interesting to find out that producing and recycling cartons isn’t doesn’t take that much energy since over 50% percent of Evergreen packaging comes from biomass! Less energy used, means less emissions into our atmosphere.

READY TO TAKE THE FRIDGE HUNT AND CHOOSE CARTONS?

If you are interested in taking the fridge challenge or just learning more, make sure to head to Evergreen’s website! Want to take it a step further “like” Evergreen on Facebook or follow Evergreen on Twitter! Plus for every tweet on Twitter using the Hashtag #choosecartons helps raise money for Habitat for Humanity!

 

 

I wrote this review while participating in a campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Evergreen and received a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.

 

Filed Under: Green Living

Free 25 points from Recyclebank!!

June 21, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Right now you can score 25 FREE points from Recyclebank by playing the “Think before you trash!” game! Not sure what Recylebank is? It’s a great program where you learn how to live greener and pledge to live better! In exchange, you get points that you can convert into great items like coupons. Just by playing this game, you are half way to a HOT $10 off any 2 entrees at Ruby Tuesday coupons! There are tons of great coupons to choose from. Just make sure to sign up for your FREE Recyclebank account, and then pledge to save the planet!

Filed Under: Green Living

Do YOU know what’s in your food? New GMO bill presented in Congress

June 19, 2012 By 17 Comments

GMO, if you aren’t familiar with the term it means genetically modified organism. Foods that are made from GMOs have been genetically altered by using bacteria and other means to alter the DNA of a plant or organism.

Advocates against the GMO wave of foods, are fearful of what effect these altered foods may have on our populations health. It is also of concern because once a crop or plant has been “contaminated” with the altered DNA it changes our ecosystem. You can’t undo this genetic spreading, which in itself is a really scary thought.

My family and I have been trying to eat a little more healthily lately, so we have been reading more labels. Specifically we have been trying to avoid foods that contain GMOs. I figured it had to be labelled as such, right? Wrong!! There currently is no governmental law requiring companies to disclose if they are using genetically modified foods.

Personally, I thought that food labels were supposed to empower consumers and give them the ability to know what they are eating. Labels, such as organics, are strictly monitored so why aren’t GMOs?

Naysayers against labels are touting that it would cause packaging costs to go up. Even if that were true, isn’t it the consumer that the cost is passed down to anyway. If we, the consumer, want the labels why is cost then an issue.

There are so many things put in foods nowadays that aren’t the best thing for you; dyes, artificial sweetner, and now genetically modified foods. Even if you are eating whole foods there is no way to tell if what you are eating has been modified. Most corn and soybeans produced in the United States now contain some form of genetically altered DNA.

I find that a little bit scary, ok not a little but, a whole lot of scary. My children already have medical conditions so I have to be picky about what they eat. How can I do that when the labels don’t really TELL me what’s it is made of.

For me, it’s all about transparency. If bills hadn’t been passed for allergens in foods, it would be virtually impossible to feed my daughter. Why can’t the food industry have the same transparency with genetically altered food. It’s not even a question if they are “good” or “bad” for you. It’s an argument of consumers having enough knowledge about what’s in their food to make an educated decision.

I really hope that this bill passes, so that families can know what they are eating. In our family, it would definitely put our minds a little bit more at ease!

What about your family? How do you feel about GMOs? Are you fr or against this bill?

Filed Under: Green Living Tagged With: ,

Green Car Smartphone Apps by Dale Cooper

May 8, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Top Four Smartphone Apps for the Green Driver

Green car and smartphone technologies are advancing at an unprecedented rate, and now there are more chances than ever to use the two together. We use smartphones for everything: email, internet, navigation and even automotive diagnostics. If you own an alternative energy vehicle, or just want to make your gas-powered car a little greener, check out these smartphone apps.

 

  1. Gas station finder: You probably know all of the gas stations in your neighborhood, but what if you’re on a road trip or visiting an unfamiliar city? Instead of driving around looking for a station and wasting fuel, download a gas station locator smartphone app. Several of these apps will even provide gas prices, so you can be sure to find the best deal.

  1. GPS navigation: You may not think of a GPS smartphone app as being green, but it can definitely help reduce your carbon footprint. GPS navigation apps show you the most direct route to your location, so you’re using as little fuel as possible.

 

  1. Automotive diagnostics: Before smartphones came along, it was necessary to take your vehicle to a mechanic for diagnostic tests. Mechanics have specialized equipment that plug into the vehicle and generate data that report how well the car is running. Now, you can do the same thing with a smartphone app and an adaptor. The small, affordable adaptor allows you to plug your smartphone directly into the vehicle, and see all of the same information a mechanic does. If you’re mechanically inclined, this is a great way to monitor your vehicle and make sure it’s running efficiently.
  2. Charging station finder: If you own an electric vehicle, a charging station location smartphone app is a must-have. Green car owners can easily find nearby charging stations so they’re not stranded with a dead battery. Since current electric cars have about a third of the range of a gas-powered car, this app is necessary for longer drives.

 

One of the great things about making your vehicle as green as possible is the money you save. Using less fuel and making sure your engine is running efficiently are not only great for the environment, but also they’re great for your wallet, too. To save even more on automotive expenses, compare online auto insurance quotes, and find an insurance company that offers the coverage you need at the best price.

 

Filed Under: Green Living, Reviews Tagged With:

Rubbermaid 2-in-1 Recycling: Recycling Made Easy!

April 30, 2012 By 51 Comments
Rubbermaid 2 in 1 Recycler

Recycling is a great way to help keep reusable products out of landfills. If your house is anything like mine, we are really passionate about recycling. The only problem is that we recycle so much that it ends up being all over our house. We have tried using so many systems to keep it organized, but nothing has seemed to work! Our city offers all-in-one recycling containers, but who wants to make a trip outside each time you have something to put in the recycling bin.

To prevent having to go outside all the time, we started to use some smaller recycling bins inside and would just dump them in the bigger bin when they were full. The problem with this was our two bulldogs, Decker and Llyr, thought that the recycling bin was a toy basket! We would end up with milk jugs and plastic two liter bottles chewed up ALL over the house! It would drive me nuts, and make it impossible to keep the house clean!

MAKES RECYCLING A BREEZE

Rubbermaid 2 in 1 Recycler

Rubbermaid recently came out with their new 2-in-1 recycler, and it couldn’t have come a moment sooner! This great 2-in-1 system has 2 bins that help you keep your recycling all in one place! You can either use it for trash and recycling, or you can use both compartments to separate your recycling.

I absolutely love this bin. It has saved my kitchen and my house from all of the recycling clutter!

FEATURES OF THE 2-IN-1 RUBBERMAID RECYCLER

  • The 2-in-1 Rubbermaid Recylcer is made from recycled materials and is even recyclable itself!
  • The bin itself is compact, but has plenty of room to store garbage and/or recycling materials.
  • The bottom bin tilts foward to make placing items in it a breeze. It also has a LinerLock TM bag management system that keeps any 8-gallon trash bag in place.
  • Both the top and bottom bins have convenient  handles that allow you to remove the bins and your recycleables very easily!

Rubbermaid 2 in 1 Recycler

NO MORE RECYCLING CLUTTER

Since switching to the Rubbermaid 2-in-1 recycler, my kitchen is no longer cluttered with all of our recycling. Plus, our dogs can’t get into the bin. No more plastic bottles are strewn all around our house. I am all for products that make my recycling habit easier. There are no more messes for me to clean up, and all I have to do is get the kids to empty the bins when they are full. We are absolutely in love this bin, and certify that it’s 100% Crunchy approved!

Ready to get your own bin? You can pick up the Rubbermaid 2-in-1 Recycler at Meijer or by checking them out at the Rubbermaid Website.

I did receive a product to help facilitate this review, but all opinions are my own

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Re-Play: A fantastically green line of children’s dishware!

April 20, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Re-Play

 

Re-Play Bowls

I absolutely love finding companies that have found a creative way to be green. Re-Play is company just like that! They use recycled plastic to make fabulous BPA free children’s products! I recently had a chance to try some of their products out, and I was really amazed at what great products they have to offer.

Re-Play currently offers children’s feeding utensils, bowls, sippy cups, and divided plates. All of these great products come in vibrant colors of orange, pink, green, and turquoise. All of their products are FDA approved for food contact. They are also dishwasher safe, and amazingly sturdy. I was actually surprised how hefty the bowls were Re-Playconsidering they were made out of recycled plastic bottles.

Re-Play even carried the green vibe over to their packaing! All of their packaging is made from recycled materials as well. Plus, when you are done with the packaging it can go right back into your family’s recycling bin.

This line of products is not only green, but it’s also really affordable. The prices on the products range from $3.99 to $6.99, which is a great steal considering all of their packages comes with more than one item. If my kids were still little I would definitely buy these sippy cups versus a regular brand because they are safe and putting recyclables to use!

If you want to learn more about Re-Play, head to the Re-Play website and check out their amazing line of products. Want to buy some of their great products?  Just click the “BUY” button at the top navigation bar and order your first set of Re-Play children’s ware just in time for Earth Day!

I did receive products to facilitate my review, but all opinions are my own.

 

 

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Live a little greener!

April 4, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Earth

April 22nd is Earth Day. What are you doing to celebrate the Earth this year? Are you taking a pledge to live a little bit greener? How about volunteering to clean up your local rivers? Every year during the month of April, our family strives to find some way that we can live a little bit greener than the year before. It’s a great way to bring the family together and to celebrate a great cause at the same time.

This year our family is learning to reuse and repurpose things before we buy something or throw it out. What exactly is repurposing? It’s finding a new use for something that was originally used for something else. This way that item doesn’t end up in the recycling plant or landfill. An added benefit is that we don’t have to go out and buy whatever it is that we needed for a particular project around the home. So far this month, we have turned empty cereal boxes into magazine holders using the boxes and contact paper. It was a really simple project, and it saved us $10 per magazine holder because we didn’t have to buy them. Talk about a win/win situation.

We also found a new purpose for some old recycling bins that came with our new house. Instead of heading to Lowes to grab some new pots for our container garden, we repurposed the recycling bins and a little bit of landscaping fabric to fashion some sturdy containers to grow our tomatoes and herbs in. We already had the dirt, so this project literally cost us nothing. Now we are ready to grow our garden.

Repurposing items around the house has even helped our family start composting. It not only keeps food and yard products out of landfills, it helps develop nutrient rich materials for our gardens. The kids and I put together a yard composting bin by putting together old fence parts and gardening wire that we found in our shed.

We have a ton of trees in our yard, so we have more than enough green material to make our yard compost from. This mulch should be ready in about a year, and will work well to cover our flower beds during winter!

You can repurpose items like our family did, or you can pick another green act close to your heart; volunteer at a community clean up, pledge to recycle a little more this year; help educate your community about living a little bit greener. Every little step you take to live a little bit greener helps our Earth! What are you doing to step up to the challenge?

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Repurpose things around the house and start container gardening

April 2, 2012 By 7 Comments
Blog Pics 020

Container GardensContainer gardening can be a great way to have the garden you always wanted even if you don’t have the perfect yard for it. Thousands of people of across the country have taken to container gardening as spectacular way to fit as much produce as they can in tiny, tiny spaces.

Even if your space isn’t tiny, container gardening is great for areas, like where I live, that have really poor soil. Rather than spend hundreds and hundreds of dollars tilling nutrient rich compost into the soil, you can make your container soil exactly what your garden needs from the get go.

Just because pots are the usual containers used in these types of gardens, doesn’t mean you can’t get a little creative. Why not look around your house and find something that you can repurpose for your container garden.

Over the weekend, the kids and I got together our materials to set up our garden. You want to know how much we spent? Absolutely nothing! Yep, ZILCH! Repurposing items you already have not only saves money, but it also keeps items out of the landfills.

For our garden, we repurposed recycling containers. When we moved into our home we inherited 4 recycling bins that are no longer used by the recycling service that we have. They are the perfect size because I can put several different types of plants in one container, or I can spread plants out that need a little more room.

First thing we did with our recycling containers was wash them out. Make sure their aren’t any insects or residue in your container. That makes for unhappy veggies!

After washing it, we used landscaping fabric that we had left over from another yard project and laid it on the bottom. This step isn’t absolutely necessary, but the recycling bins usually have quarter sized holes in the bottom, and you don’t want the soil to escape over time. This fabric contains the soil, but still allows for drainage.

Once you get the landscaping fabric laid down, it’s time for dirt. We used left over manure and top soil from last year’s garden, and then we were blessed to have 4 bags of compost left by the previous owners as well.

Now we are all ready to plant! This year we are going to shoot for a blueberry bush, strawberries, onions, garlic, and hopefully a lettuce bin. This is in addition to the the fragrant herbs that grace my patio.

So, look around your house and get creative! What could you repurpose to start your container garden? Here’s just  list of a few ideas to get you started!

  • Shoes
  • Over the door shoe racks
  • 2 liter soda bottles cut in half
  • Egg cartons (great for starting seedlings)
  • Milk crates (just make sure to wrap inside in landscaping fabric)
  • Old plastic totes (make sure to drill holes in the bottom)
  • Old plastic food storage containers
  • Food pails
  • Ice cream buckets

What did you find in your house that you can repurpose?

Want to read more gardening posts? Make sure to check out Don’t Throw It Out, Grow It Out!

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Crafting with Crunchy: Repurposed Magazine Holders

March 28, 2012 By 11 Comments
Homemade magazine holders

Homemade magazine holdersIf you are anything like me, you have magazines everywhere. I have stacks and stacks around my house and it makes my OCD twitch. I don’t want to spend the $10 for the lovely magazine holders that places like Target sell, even though they would control my chaos. Instead, I decided to come up with something that was not only frugal, but a little green as well.

Enter cereal box magazine holders to save the day! To make each of these magazine holders only cost me about .25 cents each. That beats $10 a piece any day! Want to give it a whirl? Here’s what you need to do

Supplies
Large Cereal Box
Box cutters
Contact Paper

To get started, make sure your cereal box is empty and clean. Don’t want any breakfast goodies left in your magazine holder.

Next, cut off the top flaps of the box. Make sure to use the box cutter so you get clean lines

Then you are going to work by cutting the sides.

Start at the top of the and measure about 2 inches horizontally. Make a dash mark to mark your spot.

From this spot, measure a diagonal line right at 8 inches long. (You do not want this to connect to the other side of the box)Make sure when your line ends you have to cut across horizontally about 3.5 inches to reach the end of your box. So your cut line should look like this.
Once you finished on the first side, repeat it on the second side until you can cut it all out so your whole magazine holder looks like this on both sides!Now that you are done cutting it out, you can decorate it however you want! I use contact paper to cover the outside. You can get a ton of great designs to match your decor, plus it helps make the box a little more sturdy!There you have it your finished magazine holder, and it is so much more personal and less expensive than buying the ones you find at big box stores

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Homemade Cleaner: Carpet Powder

March 28, 2012 By 4 Comments
Homemade Carpet Cleaner

Homemade Carpet CleanerI love the smell of a freshly, cleaned house. I will have to admit that I keep Glade in business. So the other day I thought why not try to make my own carpet cleaning powder. Even couponing, I can usually get Glade for about $1 a bottle, but then there is the problem with all the extra packaging that comes from continually buying new bottles. Making my own, I can keep reusing the same bottle over and over again. Plus, I can customize the fragrance that I want to use. Plus, its all natural as well so I don’t have to worry about what chemicals I am putting in my house. Make your own homemade cleaner and you want ever want to buy it again. Trust me! Here’s how to get it done!

It’s super easy and inexpensive to make your own carpet powder. Here are a list of things you need

1 box baking soda (73 cents)

Essential oil, make sure it is 100% pure essential oil (fragrance I used is Lavender) ($5)

Parmesan cheese container (if you don’t have one, buy one and then put the cheese in a ziploc bag) ($2)

That’s really all you need! Now here’s how to make your great personalized carpet cleaning powder

 

 

Directions:

  • Empty a Parmesan cheese container. Clean and DRY it (make sure NO moisture is left in the jar)
  • Fill it half full with baking soda
  • Add five drops of your favorite essential oil, then give the powder a shake
  • Fill the container the rest of the way up with baking soda
  • Add five more drops of essential oil and then shake the container again

Wala! Your carpet cleaner is ready to use! Baking soda is an amazing product. It helps evaporate all sorts of odors. Plus, the fragrance from the essential oil will leave a wonderfully calming fragrance throughout your home that is chemical free!

Once your carpet powder is done, just gently shake a thin layer on your carpet. Let it sit for about 5-10 minutes, then vacuum up. If you are worry about stains, test on a small spot first then remove.

My final cost for the whole project (not including initial buying costs)

Baking Powder 75 cents

10 drops of essential oil 10 cents

Final cost: 85 cents a canister versus the $3 you would pay at a store plus you are putting less waste in the landfills. So it’s GREEN and it’s frugal!

 

 

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Crafting with Crunchy: Framing and Matting for under $10!

March 26, 2012 By 3 Comments
How to mat your own photo

I love decorating my new home, but as most of you know it can get really expensive pretty quickly. Shoot, most matting and framing can cost at least $60 depending on the size and the frame you choose.

I recently went to a conference, and found this amazing fairy picture that I just had to  have! The artist was selling the prints for $3 each or you could get one with a frame for $75. Way to frugal for that kind of price tag, so I paid my $3 and took my print home!

Before I get too far, I have to share with you that Goodwill is your best friend. Ok, repeat after me “Goodwill is my best friend.” Think I am nuts, you won’t when I am done showing what awesome goodies I have found at my local thrift store.

Goodwill, or your local thrift store, is a mecca for home decor items. Lots of them can be reused and/or repurposed to fit right in to your style and design in your home. It is especially a honey hole for picture frames.

I love pictures! Any kids, but frames are so darned expensive. That’s why I head to Goodwill a few times a month to see what they have. This week, I was able to pick up a large frame with matting for only $6! Plus, I am going to share with you just how I turned this old yucky frame and photo into a great framed piece of unique artwork. Just check out how to make your very own in this great instructographic!

How to mat your own photo

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Water Footprint of an American Is Inforgraphic

March 22, 2012 By Leave a Comment
waterfoot print infographic

It is so important this time of year to realize your impact on the water resources in this country. I absolutely love the information on this infographic courtesy of The Nature Conservancy. It discusses the water footprint of most Americans. Take a look and see how you can change your ways to make less of an impact! I would love to hear comments how you think you can reduce your water footprint!
waterfoot print infographic

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Springtime Urban Gardening: Don’t throw it out, grow it out!

March 5, 2012 By 5 Comments

Spring is the time when the world blossoms back into life. No longer will you or your neighbors be hibernating. It’s time to dust off those gardening gloves and spades and get ready to grow our own garden. It’s not only an amazingly rewarding hobby, but it’s also an incredibly frugal one!

With my library card in tow, I recently headed to my local county library in search of books to get me into the spring spirit. Loving my new backyard, but realizing it’s sunless pastures really won’t warrant an outdoor garden, I was on a quest for anything and everything to do with “urban gardening.”

“Urban Gardening” may sound like it comes with some type of karate belt, but it’s really away for people to garden in super small spaces. My space isn’t small, but my areas of sunlight are so I am prepared this spring to put on my “urban gardening” warrior sash and promise not to throw it out, but grow it out!

When you were a kid did you ever ask your mom what would happen if you swallowed those orange seeds in your lunch? I know I did! Well, this urban gardening project is really going to inspire your inner child. Did you realize that though mom swore those seeds wouldn’t make orange groves sprout out of your tummy, you can actually grow a lot of plants indoors straight from the foods that you eat! When I picked up a copy of Don’t Throw it, Grow it, I was fascinated by all the possibilities for my little ninja urban garden.

My husband and I had just returned from the store, after the library of course, and had great bounties of produce in hand. We planned to just do our usual routine of unpack, rinse, and consume  with all the yummy fruits and veggies that we had in our midst. It wasn’t until I cracked open and read the knowledge in Don’t Throw It, Grow it , that I realized I actually had the makings of a bountiful urban indoor garden in my refrigerator.

I dare you to peer in your fridge look at what fruits and veggies you have that you could actually grow indoors! Did you know that you can actually grow pineapples from the ones you buy at the store? Don’t believe me? Well here’s how to do it!

Grab the crown of the pineapple and twist until it comes off.

Then peel the bottom leaves off of the crown until you have a 1 inch stub. You will see little brown stringy looking things under the leaves. This is the start of the roots.

Once it’s peeled, place the pineapple top in a glass of water and place 1 t of activated charcoal.

In about four weeks the routes will have grown approximately 4 inches.  Once this is done, transplant your plant and you are ready to start growing your own pineapples!

There are so many things you can grow very easily. So before you go to throw those onions, garlic, potatoes, or other fruits and veggies away make sure to see if you can use them to start your very own indoor urban garden. It doesn’t just make your home blossom with foliage, but it’s a great way to reduce your grocery costs as well!

Sources:

Don’t Throw it, Grow it! by  Sarah Peterson & Millicent Selsam

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$5 Fire pit: Reuse and repurpose to save big!

February 23, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Blog Pics 002

Reusing and repurposing when doing home improvements is a really frugal way to save cash. It’s also a great way to conserve resources and save goodies from the landfill. If you are wanting to have a fire ring in your back yard. You might just have everything that you need in your yard already. It doesn’t hurt to repurpose things to get a new project completed.

For a basic fire pit you need to start of with a few steps first.

  • Make sure to clear area of all items that could easily catch fire (ie. dry leaves, twigs, grass clippings)
  • Actually clear the area of the ring down to the dirt. If there are any roots near the surface, make sure to dig them up as they can be a fire hazard.
  • Now’s the fun part! Search your yard for great items that you can use to line your fire pit! Look for medium sized rocks, old bricks, metal fencing.
  •  Get creative! This part just needs to be non-flammable and something that hopefully will be aestetically pleasing. In our fire pit, we used rocks that were in a “rock” garden from the previous owner. We had planned on redoing that section of the yard anyway, so it worked out perfectly.
  •  If you can’t seem to find anything in your own yard that would work, don’t be afraid to search local areas where you are allowed to remove items such as rocks. You can also turn to your local Freecycle groups as well. There are many ways that you can get materials to repurpose for your fire pit.
  • After you have found your material, form a ring with the rocks to separate the area you will be using for your fire form the rest of your yard. Ours is about 4 feet in diameter, using the inner 2 feet for fire wood.
  • The next step is where you may need to spend some cash. You will want to lay a barrier between the dirt and where you want to build your fire pit on. We used paver base. This is a sandy, rocky mix you can find at most home improvement stores for about$2 a bag. Get enough paver base that you have a good 2-3 inch sandy base over the dirt in   your fire pit. This should be enough to make sure nothing under the pit will be a fire hazard.

Now you should be ready to use your fire pit! This is a great way to spend time with your family and friends outdoors and make an outdoor space just a little more personal.

 

Remember no tutorial on fire pits is a replacement for reviewing your local fire codes. This tutorial does not mean to be the only means to educate you on open fires at your home. Make sure to follow safe fire procedures, and consult your local fire department for more information.

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Green your Season with Recyclebank!

December 8, 2011 By 1 Comment

Head over to Recyclebank to Green your Season.This great new Pledge is chock full of over 100 points!

Not familiar with Recyclebank? Recyclebank is a great website where you pledge to live your life a little greener. You earn points for pledging to be greener, and you can change those points into products and coupons for some of your favorite brands like Kashi, Earthbound Farms, Ruby Tuesdays, Barnes and Noble, and so much more! Get your free Recyclebank account, and Green your Season!

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Are you green “enough”?

September 14, 2011 By 2 Comments

Recently I posted a few coupons for a dog food brand that some people thought wasn’t “green enough.” It really got me thinking about what exactly the heck that means; “green enough.” I don’t really think it’s a competiton, but obviously in the eyes of some I am absolutely wrong, but am I?

First off, aren’t we all tired of labels placed by others. I adorn the “crunchy” label on myself. I believe that word means someone that lives a greener lifestyle that likes going back to nature. Because I gave myself that label I really don’t find it other’s place to tell me if I am crunchy enough or not. You absolutely have the right to your own opinion, but doesn’t me

an you have the right to qualify or disqualify me based on if you think I meet that label. That doesn’t just go for me it goes for anyone you may come across down your green path!

I mean as a culture we should be tired of labels put on us by others. Skinny enough, smart enough, pretty enough, green enough; we spend more time adding labels to people than we do actually doing anything about it. If we spend half as much as we do labeling others and used that time to make CHANGE, we might actually be getting somewhere in this world!

I guess that is why I was kind of shocked about the “green enough” label. I find there are so many people out there that would like to live a more environmentally friendly life, but don’t even try for fear that they won’t be “green enough.” Then if they do try the get shot down by extremists that don’t find that they are green at all unless they make all of their clothing out of organic cotton, ride a bicycle to work every day, or have their own compost pile in the backyard. Don’t get me wrong these are great ideas, but who has the right to discourage those that are trying to make a change.

That is the WHOLE point of living greener and the philosophy of Crunchy Frugalista. Make small, sustainable lifestyle changes where you weren’t before. These small changes do add up! Even if you have other areas of your lifestyle that aren’t the greenest, if you keep every other habit the same but change 1-2 habits a year to live more greenly the changes DO count! If all of the billions of people in the world would just change 1-2 habits, just IMAGINE the amazing changes we could make for our planet.

I think it is amazing that someone has the passion to make their entire life green, but me being the realist I am know that their are billions of us out here that don’t have thetime nor dedication to live such lifestyles. I applaud those that can live such ambitiously green lifestyles, but really don’t get why some of these same people that are so passionate about loving our planet seem to cast judgements because they believe others aren’t trying “hard” enough. Really who is to judge that? Is there a secret green police that I missed the memo on? If your goal is to save our precious planet why would you ever discourage people from trying and send angry words because they buy one product that you don’t agree with?

There is a HUGE difference between educating someone on greener living and products and judging someone. When you educate someone you let them know the options and things you have used or have learned about a company’s habits. Using harsh words, and saying things like “I can’t believe you buy that product,”  is extremely judgemental about someone’s habits and doesn’t encourage someone to want to learn more. Most people would take a “why even bother” stance after being judged like that and where does that leave us?

To me living green means trying to make changes where you can, and using the knowledge that you find to passionately spread a positive message that every little change counts! Every time you walk instead of driving the car counts! Every time you recycle a can instead of throw it away counts! Every time you stop buying ONE product that isn’t really environmentally friendly COUNTS! You don’t have to do it all to be green enough! Every step you take helps save our planet so be kind to our planet and most of all be kind to those trying to make a change to save it!

 

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Buy fruits and veggies the green way!

July 30, 2011 By 5 Comments
Blog Pics 006

Many fruits and veggies travel thousands of miles to get to your plate. In the process of being transported, more money is used to transport them, you aren’t always 100% what you have gotten or what’s been done to them, and more pollutants have been put into our atmoshpere. In an effort to live a little bit greener, and, of course, to save money each summer I strive to buy most of my produces that my family eats from local farmers’ markets.  Here are some great ways that you can save money on your produce, and help save the Earth a little bit while you are doing it!.

 

1. Check out your local farmer’s market! In my area we have several farmers’s markets that happen through out the week. You can find amazing fruits, vegetables,herbs, flowers, and even some homemade breads and other baked goods! The place smells absolutely amazing! Plus nothing tastes better than fresh herbs and crips veggies! Not sure if you have/where your farmer’s markets are? Check out Local Harvest! They list many different farmer’s markets across the country. Hurry up, check it out, and find a great market near you!

 

2. Join a CSA, or Community Supported Agriculture. CSAs are a great way to get a mix of fruits and vegetables. A CSA works by many people grouping together to buy a “share.” A “share” is basically a portion of a farmer’s crop. Most CSAs have a great mix and have specific listings of what each share will get each week. This is how my family gets our organic produce extremely cheaply. Organic tends to more expensive, but if you join an organic CSA the cost is dramatically less. Plus you are helping out a local farmer! Want to find a CSA near you? Again, check out Local Harvest they also have great listings for CSAs!

 

3. Shop at chain stores that support local farmers. My local Meijer store gets as much of it’s produce from local farmers as it can. I love apple season! Last year they had apples on sale for .49 cents/pound because they bought their apples from local Michigan farmers. Since the store doesn’t have to pay as much to transport the produce, the cost to you is even less. Plus you know that the produce hasn’t been picked extremely early and isn’t ripe yet!

4. Have a green thumb? Grow your own herbs and veggies Growing your own herbs, fruits, and vegetables is not only a great hobby, but it’s a great way to save money, and you know exactly what is put into your veggies. Seeds are extremely inexpensive and you can plant as much or as little as you think you can handle. This year my family planted our herb garden. Herbs are extremely easy. We just have a container garden on our back patio. Anytime I need some herbs I just go to my plants snip off a few and add them to my dishes!

Not a big veggie or fruit lover? Challenge yourself to try something new! I was NOT a veggie fan as a kid. I grew up in the south where our idea of “veggies” was canned green beans cooked with bacon fat! As I have gotten older, I have challenged myself to try at least 1-2 new veggies a season. Now I love fresh veggies like green beans, asparagus, spaghetti squach, zuchinni and I can find all those goodies at my local farmer’s market for usually less than $1/pound! I am able to have fresh, healthy veggies; save money; and save the Earth from the extra pollutants all by just changing where I get my produce. So make a change! You might just be surprised at how easy it is to get hooked!

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How to shop for clothes the greener way!

July 24, 2011 By 9 Comments

When I started Crunchy Frugalista, I wanted it to not only be a place for great savings finds and coupons but also a place you could learn to live a little bit greener. Living just a little bit greener not only helps our planet it will help you save money too. That is what Make a Change Monday is about.

I do consider myself “crunchy,” but I don’t have everything in my life as green as it could be. I make some changes in my life that are easy to maintain, and that I can also get my kids involved in too.

As many of you know I have three children. Keiran is my oldest daughter, she is 12. Brenden, my son is 9, and Bayla is my youngest daughter whom is 8. Anybody that knows having kids also has HUGE clothing costs that go with them.

So this week, I am going to teach you how to shop a little greener for your kids, and save some green in the process.

I LOVE stores that sell gently used clothing! In my area, there are stores like Plato’s Closet, Clothes Mentor, and my absolute favorite Once Upon a Child. The idea behind these stores is that people bring in their gently used clothes, get paid CASH, and the store carries them. This is a great way to get clothes for the whole family at a lot cheaper prices than retail, plus you are helping keep these clothes out of landfills!

I was super excited to see that on Sunday Groupon in my area even had a Clothes Mentor savings special! Talk about a double whammy in savings. Yeah, got me really stoked :)

I also just found another great place on line called thredUP.

Here’s how it works:


  • Browse our list of thousands of boxes full of preloved kids clothes & toys – just $5 (+ $10.95 USPS shipping). Get your box delivered to your doorstep in just a couple of days.
  • Post your own box of preloved clothes/toys your child no longer wears on thredUP. It takes just minutes to list out the great items your kids no longer use. When another member picks your box, send it 100% free of charge. We provide boxes, postage, and even schedule the pick-up.
The coolest part is it is free to join, free to list, and free to ship. You only pay when you buy a box! My friend Liz was even cool enough to send me a $5 credit to try the service. So my first box is free!
My last favorite place to go for clothes is Goodwill. We have many great Goodwills here. I have actually been able to find new items with tags still on them! I know a lot of people roll their eyes when they think of Goodwill, but I will let you all know I am EXTREMELY picky when it comes to clothes. I only buy clothes from these places that are sans stains and holes. So trust me, even being picky like me you can find some great deals in this store., and $4 a pair of kids Levis beats $29 dollars any day!
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