New Plumber in the House is a post I wrote after (successfully!) fixing a toilet valve that wouldn't shut off. I'm not much of a plumber and don't intend to be at this stage of life, but I did feel good about that.
I don't know about teaching old dogs new tricks, but if you're an... um... older person like me, you can learn new things, too. As a matter of fact, the more new things we learn, the younger our brain stays, they say.
I guess I wouldn't want too young of a brain, butI doubt there's much danger in that.
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Friday, March 29, 2013
Natural resource: cardboard boxes
What do we do with them? Many of them are thrown away with no other use at all. What CAN we do with them? A lot. Here are a few ideas:
As a receptacle for branches, grass, weeds and other spring clean up trash. Cardboard boxes don't develop holes or stretch too far like plastic bags do and they're biodegradable and they're free if you save them from other things.
Use cardboard boxes as containers, of course, because that's what they are. Store things in them for the garage or closet, but if you need a container that needs to look good, too, a cardboard box can be painted or covered with cloth or paper (check your Christmas paper stash). From Christmas ornaments to yarn storage, cardboard boxes are perfect.
Table, anyone? If you need a side table, find a cardboard box the right size, turn it up and put a cloth over it to cover. Or paint it and put a scarf or other cloth over the top to camouflage it. Or make a play table or dining table for tots by turning a large cardboard box upside down and cutting the sides out about half way up. (Great for those family get togethers!)
You probably already use at least some of these:
- Shoe boxes to hold tax receipts or other papers
- Odd shaped boxes to hold gifts
- Small boxes as drawer organizers
- Small to medium boxes as desk top organizers
- Toy boxes for small pieces or collections
- Clothes basket (line with plastic bag)
Friday, March 15, 2013
Water Savings
With the drought continuing in many places, using fresh, treated water from the tap for everything is beginning to seem very wasteful. If you want to save water and save money, too, there are a lot of ways to do it.
For instance, at any given time you walk into my kitchen, there will be a glass or glasses set back on the counter with varying levels of water in them. I fill each one as water becomes available from leftover drinking water and melted ice from drinks. It's then used to water the house plants or to dump on the floor for a quick mop up.
There is at times a bucket just outside the back door that holds rinse water from doing dishes or water that's run to heat up or cool down, or water that I've rinsed my hands in. I use it to water outside plants or sometimes to mop the floor. I've washed the car with it and even washed windows with it. It's plenty clean enough for things like that.
Water that has been used to rinse dishes with is sometimes recycled in the bathroom to wash the sink or toilet - and again, the floor.
There's always the shower water which can be used to flush the toilet, pour out on plants or lawn, scrub the floor or wash the car.
When I'm cooking, I leave a pan of water in the kitchen sink to rinse my hands between tasks. When I stopped to pay attention, I was amazed at how many times I turned on the water for that.
Leftover tea or coffee waters plants, too. Put the sugared drinks on outdoors plants to avoid attracting insects into the house.
Go to Extremely Frugal and search for water. There are many, many ways to reduce the amount of water we use.
For instance, at any given time you walk into my kitchen, there will be a glass or glasses set back on the counter with varying levels of water in them. I fill each one as water becomes available from leftover drinking water and melted ice from drinks. It's then used to water the house plants or to dump on the floor for a quick mop up.
There is at times a bucket just outside the back door that holds rinse water from doing dishes or water that's run to heat up or cool down, or water that I've rinsed my hands in. I use it to water outside plants or sometimes to mop the floor. I've washed the car with it and even washed windows with it. It's plenty clean enough for things like that.
Water that has been used to rinse dishes with is sometimes recycled in the bathroom to wash the sink or toilet - and again, the floor.
There's always the shower water which can be used to flush the toilet, pour out on plants or lawn, scrub the floor or wash the car.
When I'm cooking, I leave a pan of water in the kitchen sink to rinse my hands between tasks. When I stopped to pay attention, I was amazed at how many times I turned on the water for that.
Leftover tea or coffee waters plants, too. Put the sugared drinks on outdoors plants to avoid attracting insects into the house.
Go to Extremely Frugal and search for water. There are many, many ways to reduce the amount of water we use.
Thursday, March 7, 2013
Here Comes Peter Cottontail! It's Nearly Easter
Hopping down the bunny trail...
Hippety, hoppety, Easter's on its way!
And so it is. Easter is early this year, so if you'd like to do something a little different, it's time to get started. I'm making Easter baskets and remembering those nights before Easter when the kids were little when we used to color eggs. What a mess it made! It was fun, though. I didn't realize at the time how much more fun dying eggs with natural foods could be. If you want to try dying Easter eggs without having to buy the dye, here is what I finally figured out. First, you have to start now to save the various foodstuffs in time.
-
Get your Easter eggs ready to dye by washing in mild soap and warm water to remove any 'sealer' or residue.
Longer boiling or soaking will make the color deeper. - Eggs keep better the longer they're boiled, anyway, and a half hour won't hurt them, texture or taste wise.
- Use a teaspoon of vinegar to help set the dye in these. Add it at the same time you add the egg.
- Make designs on eggs with plain crayons before coloring. You don't need a special clear wax crayon to decorate Easter eggs.
- Light green - Save the water from canned or fresh cooked spinach and boil eggs in it, or pick a few dandelion leaves to boil them in.
- Pale Yellow - Add carrot tops, celery seed or orange peel to water for boiling eggs.
- Deep Yellow - Put ground turmeric in the water with boiling eggs, or use yellow onion skins to dye them a deep yellow.
- Orange - Yellow onion skins, at least two cups full. Boil them for a half hour, then add eggs and boil until the eggs are done. If you don't have many, boil what you have in a small pan, with just enough water to cover an egg.
- Tan - Coffee or tea.
- Blue - Red cabbage leaves will dye eggs blue. Boil leaves in water, then use the cool liquid to dye boiled eggs. Or let the eggs set in juice drained from canned blueberries.
- Pink - Use the liquid from canned or pickled beets, or boil along with a fresh beet, or chopped rhubarb stalks, red onion skins. Beets make an especially pretty Easter color.
- Lavendar - Purple grape juice makes a good dye for a pretty Easter color.
- Red - Red onion skins. This takes at least three cups full to a quart of water and you have to soak the eggs in it for a half hour or so after boiling. Red is a hard color to create with natural dyes.
- Bright Yellow - Inner bark of apple tree bark. Scrape the bark into a pot of water and boil for a half hour or so. Don't use vinegar in this, but add a half teaspoon of alum to each quart when cool, to bring out the color.
Experiment and have fun. As long as it's a food or food safe product, you don't have to worry about it hurting the Easter egg or the eater thereof!
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Teach Others to Yearn For What You Have
"If
you want to build a ship, don't drum up the men to gather wood, divide
the work, and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and
endless sea."- Antoine St Exupery
There is wisdom in this quote. We can put it to good frugal use if we think just a little bit. Is there someone you know who could benefit from learning to save money or controlling expenses? Don't try to teach them how to do it. Instead, teach them to want to be debt free or to be able to live in comfort and even with some excitement while staying within their income.
In other words, don't talk so much about what it takes to do it. Talk about what it's like after you've done it. Did you wait a year while saving money to take the vacation of a lifetime? Don't harp on that. Instead, tell them how nice it was to not have to worry about paying it all off when you got home. Talk about how relaxed you were for weeks afterward. Spark in them the desire to do the same; make them envious of your lifestyle.
And if they call it good fortune or good luck, then you can tell them how you make your own good luck!
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Heaters for the Frugal
Probably the cheapest way to stay warm when it's cold is with a wood stove... IF you can get out and get your own wood. Buying it may be cheaper than buying gas or oil, but again, it may not.
You can get wood for free or cheap but you have to work at it. Some places (newspapers, notably) get deliveries on wood pallets which they sometimes give away. It's cheaper to do that than to ship them back where they came from and they're there for the asking.
Besides that, keep an eye on your local Freecycle or Craigslist for trees that need to be removed or other free firewood for the picking/cleaning up. You might even have some in your own backyard.
Besides wood stoves? Kerosene can be inexpensive if you live in a small house, but there are dangers to using kerosene heaters indoors. Look for one that's made specifically for indoor heating and don't use lamp oil in it. Go to a gas station or farm supply store and ask for plain old fashioned kerosene. It will smell, yes. If you can't stand the smell, you can get kerosene that's been deodorized, but it will cost more.
Electric heaters can inexpensively heat a small space like one room of your house while you turn down the heat in the rest of it. Figure the cost by finding the cost per kilowatt hour on your electric bill, then multiplying times 1 1/2, which is 1500 watts, the maximum allowed by law. Multiply that by how many hours you use the heater to get the cost.
How else can you stay warm? Warm yourself and not the house.
Or go for some extremely frugal warming up tips.
Or see how I stayed warm when the power went out!
Don't let conventionality make you pay more in heating bills than you need to. If your bills are too high, look around, make some adjustments and do what you can to stay warm and keep as much of your money as you can.
You can get wood for free or cheap but you have to work at it. Some places (newspapers, notably) get deliveries on wood pallets which they sometimes give away. It's cheaper to do that than to ship them back where they came from and they're there for the asking.
Besides that, keep an eye on your local Freecycle or Craigslist for trees that need to be removed or other free firewood for the picking/cleaning up. You might even have some in your own backyard.
Besides wood stoves? Kerosene can be inexpensive if you live in a small house, but there are dangers to using kerosene heaters indoors. Look for one that's made specifically for indoor heating and don't use lamp oil in it. Go to a gas station or farm supply store and ask for plain old fashioned kerosene. It will smell, yes. If you can't stand the smell, you can get kerosene that's been deodorized, but it will cost more.
Electric heaters can inexpensively heat a small space like one room of your house while you turn down the heat in the rest of it. Figure the cost by finding the cost per kilowatt hour on your electric bill, then multiplying times 1 1/2, which is 1500 watts, the maximum allowed by law. Multiply that by how many hours you use the heater to get the cost.
How else can you stay warm? Warm yourself and not the house.
Or go for some extremely frugal warming up tips.
Or see how I stayed warm when the power went out!
Don't let conventionality make you pay more in heating bills than you need to. If your bills are too high, look around, make some adjustments and do what you can to stay warm and keep as much of your money as you can.
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Eat Your Garbage
I am not kidding. What many consider to be garbage - the portions of
food that we throw away - are perfectly edible, good and nutritious
parts of the food we pay for!
I'm not talking about leftovers, (although leftovers are sometimes treated like garbage) but I'm talking about things like those green leaves left on the radish bunches, and the center core of a cabbage. No. I am NOT kidding. Those are not only edible, they're good and they're good for you to eat, cooked or raw.
Radish leaves are loaded with minerals and vitamins, just like any other dark green leafy vegetable. They're tangy, and although sometimes a little fuzzy, they add zing to your salads. You can also cook them, but it takes a lot to make a serving, so if you don't want to put them in a salad, add them to spinach or other greens when you cook them. You can dehydrate or freeze them, too, if you want to stockpile them until you have enough to eat as a separate dish. Just don't throw them into the garbage; you bought them. Because they tend to go bad faster than the radishes, it's a good idea to eat or process them otherwise within a day or two of bringing them home.
Cabbage cores? Delicious raw! Slice or dice them into salads or stir frys. Or eat them just like they are, with a little salt if you like. This was always a treat for whichever kid was in the kitchen when Mom used the last of the cabbage. (She was kind enough to share!)
Sure, there's more:
Any time you peel vegetables like carrots or potatoes, or trim vegetables like celery or onions, scrub them first, then freeze the peelings and trimmings until you have a gallon or so. Put it all in a pot of water and cook until everything is done, then strain the solids (then you can put them in the garbage, but the compost pile is better) and use the remaining broth for a soup base. It's excellent also for a hot drink when you have a cold or don't feel well otherwise. Add a little salt to bring out the flavor and serve hot.
It's no secret that you can eat broccoli stems, and you'll even find them in the grocery store in the form of "broccoslaw." It might be a secret, though, that you can add the small, tender leaves found on the stems as well as those on cauliflower. You can eat cauliflower stems as well. Peel stems from both vegetables to remove the tough outer covering. You can eat all of this raw or cooked. A really good soup can be made by cooking peeled, sliced stems and young leaves of both plants, then adding some diced ham and enough cheese added to make the water opaque. No garbage here - it's an elegant soup.
Do you like sunflower or pumpkin seeds? Then you'll enjoy squash seeds, too. You can eat the seeds of any winter squash. Toast them just like you would pumpkin seeds. Wash, soak in salt water overnight and toast in a slow oven until dry and very lightly browned. Or melt butter and mix into the raw, clean seed, sprinkle a little salt and toast them slowly in a skillet on the stove top.
Apple or fruit jelly can be made from the peelings and cores that you throw away! Just use this garbage the same way you would whole fruit. Cut away any bruised or bad areas and cook in water until tender. Strain, and use the juice in any jelly recipe to finish. (Be sure to wash the fruit well first if you intend to use the peels.)
And now for the super frugal tip: Wash empty egg shells thoroughly and drop into a half cup of vinegar. Let it set until the shells are completely dissolved, then use the vinegar however you normally would. Egg shells are mainly calcium, so you get a nutritional boost.
Garbage? No way. It's good nutrition and frugal good sense to eat what others throw away!
I'm not talking about leftovers, (although leftovers are sometimes treated like garbage) but I'm talking about things like those green leaves left on the radish bunches, and the center core of a cabbage. No. I am NOT kidding. Those are not only edible, they're good and they're good for you to eat, cooked or raw.
Radish leaves are loaded with minerals and vitamins, just like any other dark green leafy vegetable. They're tangy, and although sometimes a little fuzzy, they add zing to your salads. You can also cook them, but it takes a lot to make a serving, so if you don't want to put them in a salad, add them to spinach or other greens when you cook them. You can dehydrate or freeze them, too, if you want to stockpile them until you have enough to eat as a separate dish. Just don't throw them into the garbage; you bought them. Because they tend to go bad faster than the radishes, it's a good idea to eat or process them otherwise within a day or two of bringing them home.
Cabbage cores? Delicious raw! Slice or dice them into salads or stir frys. Or eat them just like they are, with a little salt if you like. This was always a treat for whichever kid was in the kitchen when Mom used the last of the cabbage. (She was kind enough to share!)
Sure, there's more:
Any time you peel vegetables like carrots or potatoes, or trim vegetables like celery or onions, scrub them first, then freeze the peelings and trimmings until you have a gallon or so. Put it all in a pot of water and cook until everything is done, then strain the solids (then you can put them in the garbage, but the compost pile is better) and use the remaining broth for a soup base. It's excellent also for a hot drink when you have a cold or don't feel well otherwise. Add a little salt to bring out the flavor and serve hot.
It's no secret that you can eat broccoli stems, and you'll even find them in the grocery store in the form of "broccoslaw." It might be a secret, though, that you can add the small, tender leaves found on the stems as well as those on cauliflower. You can eat cauliflower stems as well. Peel stems from both vegetables to remove the tough outer covering. You can eat all of this raw or cooked. A really good soup can be made by cooking peeled, sliced stems and young leaves of both plants, then adding some diced ham and enough cheese added to make the water opaque. No garbage here - it's an elegant soup.
Do you like sunflower or pumpkin seeds? Then you'll enjoy squash seeds, too. You can eat the seeds of any winter squash. Toast them just like you would pumpkin seeds. Wash, soak in salt water overnight and toast in a slow oven until dry and very lightly browned. Or melt butter and mix into the raw, clean seed, sprinkle a little salt and toast them slowly in a skillet on the stove top.
Apple or fruit jelly can be made from the peelings and cores that you throw away! Just use this garbage the same way you would whole fruit. Cut away any bruised or bad areas and cook in water until tender. Strain, and use the juice in any jelly recipe to finish. (Be sure to wash the fruit well first if you intend to use the peels.)
And now for the super frugal tip: Wash empty egg shells thoroughly and drop into a half cup of vinegar. Let it set until the shells are completely dissolved, then use the vinegar however you normally would. Egg shells are mainly calcium, so you get a nutritional boost.
Garbage? No way. It's good nutrition and frugal good sense to eat what others throw away!
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Frugal remedies for minor health problems
What happens when you get heartburn? Or a headache? Or a sore muscle? Do you reach for the medicine you bought? Or do you reach for a natural and cheap remedy that you have in your pantry or kitchen cupboard?
Frugal remedies for minor health problems can save you a ton of money over time and keep you healthier over all, too.
For instance, many headaches come from tension. What to do? Remove the tension. A self massage can do wonders at times. Zero in on back and neck muscles and massage any that are painful. Lie down on your back and concentrate on relaxing those areas. (Hint: Tense a set of muscles and hold it for a count of seven, then relax while counting to seven.)
Other headaches are caused by sinus pressure. Try breathing steam for a few minutes and then use camphor or eucalyptus to continue opening the sinus cavities.
Vinegar does wonders for a headache!
And then there are tummy aches. Indigestion and heart burn are among the most common complaints and if retail sales are any indication, we buy more antacids than any other OTC medicine. Skip them and use these five top indigestion remedies.
Sore muscles can be relieved by a vinegar or epsom salts soak. Or use a hot pad on them. Sleep can relieve aches and pains, so take a nap.
See? They're all frugal and safe. And they work.
Frugal remedies for minor health problems can save you a ton of money over time and keep you healthier over all, too.
For instance, many headaches come from tension. What to do? Remove the tension. A self massage can do wonders at times. Zero in on back and neck muscles and massage any that are painful. Lie down on your back and concentrate on relaxing those areas. (Hint: Tense a set of muscles and hold it for a count of seven, then relax while counting to seven.)
Other headaches are caused by sinus pressure. Try breathing steam for a few minutes and then use camphor or eucalyptus to continue opening the sinus cavities.
Vinegar does wonders for a headache!
And then there are tummy aches. Indigestion and heart burn are among the most common complaints and if retail sales are any indication, we buy more antacids than any other OTC medicine. Skip them and use these five top indigestion remedies.
Sore muscles can be relieved by a vinegar or epsom salts soak. Or use a hot pad on them. Sleep can relieve aches and pains, so take a nap.
See? They're all frugal and safe. And they work.
Sunday, December 23, 2012
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Make a Plan; Forget New Year's Resolutions
In the coming year, self discipline may be needed more than ever. It literally pays to make plans and stick to them. New Year Resolutions don't usually last much beyond the first week or two, but a yearly plan will keep you going all year.
A yearly plan could go something like this:
January: Finish paying off the credit card; get the tires rotated and check to see if you can lower your insurance premium.
February: Get all the taxes in order; stock up on chocolate (for baking) after Valentine's Day.
March: Buy extra corned beef; find new recipes for cabbage since it's cheap just before St Patrick's Day; start watching for sales on winter things you'll need next year.
And so on. Make your own to suit your situation, then put it where you will see it often. Make copies of it so you won't lose it. Stick to it. It only takes a few things each month to make your money go further all year.
A yearly plan could go something like this:
January: Finish paying off the credit card; get the tires rotated and check to see if you can lower your insurance premium.
February: Get all the taxes in order; stock up on chocolate (for baking) after Valentine's Day.
March: Buy extra corned beef; find new recipes for cabbage since it's cheap just before St Patrick's Day; start watching for sales on winter things you'll need next year.
And so on. Make your own to suit your situation, then put it where you will see it often. Make copies of it so you won't lose it. Stick to it. It only takes a few things each month to make your money go further all year.
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